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Cedar Point Restraints...my .questions and your thoughts?

carrie640

Roller Poster
I hadn't been to a big amusement/theme park since 2002. I used to go every single year sometimes multiple times. I am a junkie! But, I got married, had kids, was diagnosed with RA and fibro...and life just flew by. The kids weren't old enough, anyway, to go and in those years, I was taking oral steroids and injection steroids for RA and also on a depo injection that is known for weight gain. It did pack on. In 2019, my kids wanted to go as they are completely old enough. I was concerned about the harness/belt system on the more modern rides. I knew I would probably have an issue there, but I swore I would be able to do the old-school Gemini, Mine Ride, Blue Streak. Those, historically, were bench seats for two people and one LARGE lap belt to go over both riders. Yea. So, they changed all that apparently. Not only are the now individual seats and belts, but changing the seating took up MORE space than what was there previously. WHY DID THEY DO THIS????? Did something happen?? You can imagine my humiliation with the WALK OF SHAME. Rat bastards. That was enough for to me to get serious. I started refusing steroids as part of my RA treatments. I refused the depo. I dumped sugar...ALL of it INSTANTLY. I was hoping to go back in 2020, but Covid, you know. I lost 70 pounds by November 2020 and another 10ish doing keto since January of this year. We went to Busch Gardens and I was DAMN nervous about their restraints. I was ELATED to fit in that Cheetah Hunt test seat!! I mean, there was ZERO issue with ANY of them at Busch Gardens. My question is, (because that was my first time at BG so I have no history to compare this last experience with), are CP's current restraint systems similar? Because of my walk of shame THERE in 2019, I am ultra-paranoid to go. We are supposed to go in a few weeks. Are they similar, more restrictive, not fat-friendly (to be blunt), etc? I am currently a 5'5", size 16, 223 (that pains me to release that number, but I'm learning to just be forward LOL). My weight loss has slowed because of the 70lbs I had taken off, but I am still trudging on hoping it picks back up. So, anyone have experience with this kind of thing there? They will not allow me to be escorted to a test seat before purchasing tickets and I get that....liability issues. Appreciate any insight/feedback! I know it's going to depend upon a lot of factors, but I am just looking for general opinions :)
 

Hyde

Matt SR
Staff member
Moderator
Social Media Team
As @FistedColossus said - if you can fit on Cheetah Hunt, you will be able to fit on a vast majority of Cedar Point rides (the restraints are the same as used on Maverick). You should especially be able to fit on all the older attractions (Gemini, Blue Streak, Mine Ride, Iron Dragon, Corkscrew, etc.).

To your secondary question of "what changed" - indeed Cedar Point has tweaked some of their restraint designs over the years. Specifically (and I'm speaking more from quick memory, so if anyone has further thought please share!):
  • Swapped Gemini from a single bench belt to individual seat belts.
  • Swapped Blue Streak seat belts for ratcheting, individual belts (a concept developed by Paramount, and transplanted to Cedar Fair parks after the 2006 acquisition)
  • Added seat belt to Corkscrew and Iron Dragon Over The Shoulder Restraints (OTSR)
  • Tightened Millennium Force belt length
Overall these have indeed been partly safety, partly loading efficiency moves; not from an element of "someone died at the park", but rather tweaks and improvements over time. Cedar Fair has historically been over cautious on their restraint policies, famously placing seat belts on all B&M Hyper/Giga designs while other parks worldwide have not.

Overall congrats on the weight loss, and it indeed should set you up for a much better experience!
 
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