We're sharing tips for plus-size thrill seekers so you can enjoy your summer (and those loop-de-loops) no matter your size. 1. As a plus-sized person who is also an adrenaline junkie, one of my biggest fears in visiting any theme park is my ability to fit on the rides and attractions. Thunderhead uses a lap bar and seat belt system. How can you find out if a theme park can accommodate you?From our research (from the many of the links included within this article), it seems that Universal Studios in Orlando is notorious for turning away plus-size riders, while many have found success on most rides at Disneyland and Disney World. 1. His weight fluctuation and love of roller coasters has led him to create the most comprehensive list of how to ride those terrifying and scream-inducing rides as a fat person, while also sharing tips that tell riders which rows and seats to sit in to have the longest seatbelt, the way to position your body to get the bar to click properly, and which ride makes and models are the most accommodating for large bodies. What works for some may not work for others, even if they have similar proportions. One year I was there with my friend and he was too tall. These facts are enough to make most plus-size people nervous about stepping foot in a theme park. I am 5ft 11in and 240lbs. The person who wrote this also mentioned he was 300lb. Six Flags Over Texas is one of the largest and most popular amusement park chains in the United States. The minimum height for Mystery Mine is 48 inches. The loop de loops are so much fun, as well as the signature first drop. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. According tothe LA Times, Cedar Fair, a company that owns iconic theme parks across the country, has a shockingly exclusive policy for guests of larger size, with a park operator stating that women over 200 pounds who wear a size 18 or larger could have trouble fitting on some rides. I moved here several years ago I had no idea we were so close to such a wonderful get away. If you're busty, you might encounter the same issue. Elevators are available for people who cannot walk. This was a fantastic consolation to a situation that could have been somewhat embarrassing. Ive been to many parks and some of the top rides are extremely intense. I live in Kentucky and am interested in any theme parks across the United States that I might be able to visit and actually ride the rides! In addition, the height limit on most Dollywood rides is six feet, six inches. I have one more day at Dollywood and a day at Splash Country. I am about your size and just rode all rides about 2 weeks ago, only one I had a little trouble with was the eagle do to the chest area, but I wiggled my way in, now that being said, make sure whoever you are with helps you, because the staff on the eagle could care less if you ride or not, they will not you if things don't buckle the first time. Top 5 Dollywood Roller Coasters Thrill Seekers Must Ride You'll want to ride this coaster over and over. The minimum height requirement for Big Bear Mountain will be 39 inches tall, making it perfect for the whole family. Its going to depend on how big you are, of course. The resort includes one theme park and one water park, Dollywood's Splash Country. I am 6' weigh 275 and rode all the coasters a couple of years ago. A roomy Intamin OTSR. Busch Gardens Williamsburg is located at 1 Busch Gardens Boulevard, Williamsburg, VA 23185. I was there the day the Lightning Rod was supposed to open. If you like classic wooden roller coasters, high speeds and a wild thrill ride, you'll love the Thunderhead. How are you going to give top ranking to a coaster no one ever gets to ride? Dollywood is NOT friendly to fluffy folks. Not becaise of my weight, but because of the damned over the shoulder safety harnesses. There is no weight limit in the Avatar Flight of Passage. Kings Island. Read Also: Dollywood train history: Meet the attraction that pre-dates the park. With a top speed of 73 mph, Dollywood Lightning Rod is the fastest wooden roller coaster in the world, making it the ideal ride for the ultimate thrill seeker. I'd love to try out Great Adventure next time I'm out in that area. The Dollywood Express train is a convenient way to travel between Delhi and Bengaluru. Some theme parks, like Disneyland, are reportedly more accommodating of plus-size riders. One thing that sets Dollywood apart from other theme parks is its commitment to inclusivity. The operating hours, policies and procedures of other businesses may change at any time without notice. Best Rides at Dollywood You Don't Want To Miss - PigeonForge While we were there, Julie and I decided to ride separately to make the lap bar and the seat belt fit us better. Also be sure to check the Dollywood website for current deals and promotions. S.S Worldwide, based in Utah, manufactures roller coasters and drop towers with maximum weight restrictions, as well as belt locking mechanisms that restrict riders who are too large to fit inside. The swirling loops of the Tornado include a 128-foot drop through a mountain at speeds approaching 70 mph. Have fun! Most older wooden coasters are accessible to virtually anyone that is ambulatory, however some of the newer ones can be restrictive to guests with larger midsections. I didn't have any trouble except for the chest area on the Wild Eagle. Riding as a single rider worked perfectly and we were able to enjoy Thunderhead together from our individual seats. I have a hard time fitting in some roller coasters. Some are more successfully executed than others looking at you Lightning Rod. Yes, and yes, and yes, and yes, and yes, and yes, and yes, and yes, and yes, and yes, and yes, and You may bring any empty container into Dollywood without the need for a glass container, as long as it is not filled with glass and is large enough to fit in a purse or backpack; however, a search will take place at the front door if it is found. Dollywood's newest roller coaster is Dragonflier, in the all-new for 2019 Wildwood Grove area of the park. Its a unique ride experience for the entire family, and its the parks only indoor roller coaster. Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, TN - Dollywood Theme Park Rides & Shows Two parts to this answer. Overweight & Dollywood - Gatlinburg Message Board - Tripadvisor Wewent on other ridesthat hedid not have any issue. But strictly as a roller coaster? That said, Lightning Rod, Wild Eagle, Thunderhead, Firechaser Express will all allow for larger sized rider. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. With seats beside the track, the Wild Eagles riders have nothing above or below them as they soar through a series of loops and inversions 21 stories above the park below. Dollywood is a world-renowned theme park in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. In other words, here we are now, amuse us. Were speculating that this ride will be No. This ride is fantastic for families visiting Dollywood with kids. The ride changed significantly before the 2021 season when a vertical U-turn was removed. Shop thousands of high quality, Dollywood drink coasters designed by artists. InThe Big Boys Guide to Rollercoaster Restraints, Mike Galvan, a passionate rollercoaster rider that was once too large to enjoy his favorite hobby, shares his vast knowledge on the topic. (These seats are also available on Kraken at Seaworld)". A buddy of mine is a bit heavy set but still wants to ride coasters at a few parks this year. These facts are enough to make most plus-size people nervous about stepping foot in a theme park. The Dragonflier has a minimum height requirement of 39 inches and a maximum height requirement of 81 inches. Most of their coasters featuring older OTSRs (like. Getting back to that main character lifestyle. Because when its working, its a fantastic ride, rated the fifth-best coaster in the United State by USA Today in August of 2021 and the second-best wooden coaster in the United States by TripSavvy in November of 2020. Pumpkin From Here Comes Honey Boo Boo Has Tattoos. Dollywood does have test seats for their rides, but they are not available to the public. 20 of 39 Dollywood Ridess. The 1,811-foot track takes riders through the abandoned, haunted coal mine. Some rides have seats out front to try out before you get in line. And some are less daring than others looking at you Blazing Fury. A steel wing coaster, the Eagle was the first of its kind in the United States when it opened in 2012. Iwas about that size and could not go on the bigger roller coasters. Throughout the ride, you and your children will love the scenic foothills of the Smoky Mountains and listening to the engineer. Some of the rides now feature a handful of big boy seats, that you may be encouraged to sit in (even if youre a big girl and not a big boy). Same goes for Mack, S&S, and Zeier. Each ride is a little different & most if not all have test seats out front. It's been at least 5 years since the last time Ihave been to Dollywood, so I don't really remember the weight limits on rides. And it still packs a heckuva punch. Wilderness Pass. Lightning Rod utilizes a lap bar and seat belt system. Maggie Valley's Ghost Town in the Sky has been closed since the late 2000s (photo submitted to TheSmokies.com with permission by Gary and Carol Cox, circa 2007), Find out which popular steakhouse prepared each of these delicious bites of steak below (photos by Morgan Overholt/TheSmokies.com). The reason why my handle is Rides4Me is that Iwant to start riding the roller coasters and rides with my son again. Kind of. Its never a great feeling to be told that youre too big to ride. Spectacular Dollywood Shows and Entertainment. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Gatlinburg Bathrooms: Where Can You Use the Restroom? Tennessee Tornado is a Dollywood classic roller coaster you have to ride. Its official: The results of the recent motorcycle races are in. A boat with a capacity of 700 passengers has a maximum guest weight of 700 pounds. Sign up for P.S. Visitors to the Chasing Rainbows Museum and Dolly Partons childhood home are also given free admission. The staff does work hard at accommodating all riders of all sizes. Other than the obvious issue of seat requirements not being met, are there any suggestions for larger persons going on a trip through an amusement park? Also, while parks with newer B&Ms don't actively advertise the "big boy seats", if you can't fit in a normal seat, ride ops are trained to know where the special seats are on each train, and will guide you on the platform (sometimes you might need to wait a cycle or two though). And, the percent who are either obese or overweight is now at an alarming 63%. ObesityHelp is dedicated to the education, empowerment and support of all individuals affected by obesity, along with their families, friends, employers, surgeons and physicians. I try to get our family season passes every year. We both agreed that Blazing Fury is an extremely comfortable attraction for a plus-sized person. Overall, we recommend checkingThe Big Boys Guide To Rollercoaster Restraintsand searching online about the park and ride youre interested in to minimize as many last-minute surprises as possible. Copyright Dia & Co. All rights reserved. The only ride I have ever had trouble with at Dollywood is the Wild Eagle because of the fact that I am large in the chest area. The newly-christened Dollywood wasnt even on my thrill-seeking radar. Like all other coasters, the hosts will work hard to make sure that they do everything they can to make the ride work for you. InterContinental (IHG) Hotels in Pigeon Forge, Hotels near Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster, Hotels near Dollywood's Splash Country Water Adventure Park. Country Fair. The Halloween spectacular is amazing and Christmas is something you dont want to miss. They open it, it runs two cars and closes with 1000 people in line but they dont tell anyone. Dollywood - The Complete Guide to Dolly Parton's Park - TripSavvy