To think I could go on rides at theme park?

[EightOfHearts]

I'm on holiday with husband's family in the Netherlands and today we went to a theme park. We got on the first ride and the lap bar wouldn't fit and I'm asked to leave, absolutely mortified.

I was then careful to use the seat checkers when available and could not fit in any, other rides I just had to risk it. I found this very embarrassing particularly as it was infront of IL family who were very kind but I just could of cried all day. I would of gone home but as there were 8 of us and we'd car shared I couldn't as I didn't want to ruin anyone else's day.

The only rides I could go on were the log flume and rapids which didn't need any safety bars.

I'm size 20 and have only recently become this size - pre baby I was size 14/16 but the weight just piled on in pregnancy and ever since (baby now 9 months). I feel so stupid that I never even considered that this would be an issue. I know I'm overweight and it's become a problem but I just didn't think I was that big. AIBU or would others have thought someone size 20 couldn't go on most rides?

I would say that most rides in the UK and Europe wouldn't be able to accommodate that kind of size.

I suspect in countries like the US you may have more luck.

I've never had a problem in France or UK on rides at size 20.

I'm so sorry this made you feel bad, that must have been hard 😔

Truthfully, it's unlikely you would get into a lot of rides at Disneyland Paris or Alton Towers. The bars are small and the spaces packed in.

Some people may squeeze in but it will depend on your weight distribution/height.

Your ILs and family won't care about you not fitting on the ride, so don't worry.

I was a 20/22 last summer and only just managed to fit on the rides at flamino land. With attendants asking me to breath in or lift a tyre 😳 things arnt made for the plus size person, A line needs to be drawn somewhere and before a size 20 it is, looking back at the pics of me on the rides i was a lot bigger than i though.

very much depends how you carry your weight i think.

i had an issue with one ride - TRON - due to its positioning - straddled like a motorbike, restraints on your calves and lower back- so was a bit apprehensive but tried the test seat and it was okay. (i mean i hated the ride but i could get on it)

It's going to depend to some extent where you carry the weight.

I used to be a 20 and didn't have a problem ever here. The first reply is a bit ott in my opinion. I know we're going to have all this we've lost sight of a normal size shit, but 20 is nit th abnormal a size.

Honestly I'd rather be told I'm too large to ride than be in danger.

In America they have certain seats for larger people where I assume they've added extra reinforcement or something to balance the weight out.

Theme park rides can be deadly if safety is compromised even slightly.

It depends on how you carry your weight. I have a big bum, big thighs and slightly wide hips and that prevented me from fitting on two rides in Thorpe Park last year summer. I also have long legs so it was awkward on some of the seats but I made it work.

I went into the theme park expecting to barely fit on any rides so maybe you were a bit naïve to think you’d be 100% okay. I’ve never been to a theme park outside of the UK though so things may be different where you are!

I'm just going off my own experience. I very, very rarely see people over about a size 18-20 on rides in this country. I'm a 14 and some rides are uncomfortably right as it is!

To be honest I’m not overly surprised you couldn’t fit as a size 20. I’m a 12-14 at the moment and have found some rides to be uncomfortably snug even at this size!

I would not expect rides to accommodate size 20. They didn't let you on for safety reasons.

Thanks for the replies. I just found today so upsetting/ shocking and I feel like maybe I'm kidding myself and I'm much bigger than I think I am.

Look at it as a bit of a wake up call

We put on weight it's fine

But now we need to lose it again

I just found out after a blood test that I'm pre diabetic

So I have to lose weight to be healthy and rely on medication to live

I was on the low carb boot camp on here which is brilliant and was sticking to it

But then I got ill, couldn't get into MN properly for a bit so went back to eating silly food again

I'm back on track now eating meat and veg, cutting out bread, pasta etc till I'm back to a healthier size and not likely to get diabetes

I'm a size 16/18 but have had the bars on rides really squeezing on my stomach before.

Focus on how you will look after making changes to your way of eating (WoE)

I'm an 18/20 and haven't had an issue at Alton Towers on any ride...

Air/Galactica and Smiler I have to squidge the the boobs in a bit between the shoulder restraints but the lap bars have never been remotely an issue and I've seen bigger than me get on them.

The only time I've seen someone do "the walk of shame" was a lad who was over 6ft and built like a rugby player and it was mostly to do with his height.

It depends a lot where you carry your weight, and the type or rides you are trying for. I am an 18 top and 14 bottom so if it’s a lap bar I can get on ok but those over the head harness restraints are a no go.
I’m sure you are not kidding yourself and you’ll find it easier to lose the baby weight (if you want to) when little one starts running about!

I am at Thorpe Park regularly and I have seen very tall people, and very overweight people on all rides.

Oh it does sound rotten but It’s not personal it is for safety. Try not to feel bad it is actually really important they enforce it. There was a teenage boy who died due to being allowed on a ride he was too big for.

You won’t be the only person not allowed on by far and baby weight is hard to shift - no one would be thinking anything nasty unless they are a horrible person.

it depends, on one hand I can see the point that a size 20 is only 2 sizes bigger than the apparent uk average of a 16, so can completely understand why you wouldn't automatically think it was so big you wouldn't fit at all.

But on the other hand, sizes and where you can carry weight can differ hugely, most theme park rides aren't particularly new (looking at the 'big rides' in alton towers etc a lot of them are nearly 30 years old now), so were built when people were a lot slimmer on average and I would imagine they aren't very easy to adapt, plus european populations (and particularly the netherlands who have a reputation as being very generally tall and active) are generally slimmer than the uk on average.

So while it's not something I would have automatically thought about it does make sense. I can imagine it would have been really horrible at the time for you though.

Sorry to ask, was this at Efteling?

The problem is that if they make the rides able to accommodate much larger people, they may become dangerous for smaller people aka children. They are designed for a size range. I'm very surprised you couldn't fit in though as dp is fairly large and has no issues, whilst 20 is large for a woman the equivalent isn't for a man particularly

Men and women do tend to carry weight differently though, which may be the issue.

Same here! Never an issue

The rides will be designed with men in mind (like so many things, see recent seatbelt thread on here).

Size 20 is really big. Honestly, there might be a lot of people that size now but it's not biologically normal or healthy. To say otherwise is to delude yourself.