Universal Guest Demands Courtesy at Park, "Don't Sit in the Test Seats"

Universal Orlando is unfortunately well-known for not being size-inclusive for their bigger thrill rides, including Rip Ride Rockit, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, The Incredible Hulk, and several other attractions.

This is mostly due to the fact that Universal provides more thrill rides than overall family-friendly rides, but it’s been a source of Guest contention for years. Most of the rides with a size restriction do offer a test seat at the entrances to the ride so Guests can be sure they fit before waiting in a long line only to find out they can’t ride.

A recent Universal Guest took to Reddit to complain about other Guests using the test seats as a place to sit and relax. “I know that you feel like you need to sit down and check your phone, just do it somewhere else. As a bigger man, it’s already bad enough that I have to test the seat in front of everyone, asking you and your child to move makes it even worse,” claims u/bobflett in the post. Universal does provide some areas for sitting, although it definitely is an area they need improvement on, but the frustration of asking another Guest to get off the test seats is understandable.

Several comments under the post suggest telling a Universal Team Member to ask them to move, claiming that “they will be more than happy to yell at any kind of person who just uses those test seats to sit,” according to u/sweatisinevitable. u/queen_boudicca1 mentions that some of the attractions at Universal have started to provide a covering of shrubbery and bushes to hide the test seats to aid in Guest confidence and comfortability while discouraging other Guests from using it just as a seat.

Disney World’s TRON Lightcycle / Run faced some backlash due to its size-restrictive nature, but also because the test seats out front were marketed as a photo op location for Guests, making it difficult and uncomfortable for Guests to actually test if they could fit. Other comments pointed out that the test seats aren’t even always accurate, as being in the elements of the Florida sun, heat, and rain can warp them so they aren’t always accurate.

 

Unfortunately, attractions require size and height restrictions for a variety of safety reasons, Universal especially. The test seats are available for Guests to ensure they will or won’t fit before potentially wasting time in line only to be turned away. Using them as a place to sit, relax, eat, or check a phone is potentially disrespectful to those needing it, as is using it as a photo op when someone is clearly waiting to test it.

Universal does need to focus on providing more seating areas and benches for Guests needing somewhere to relax as well as creating more size-inclusive rides. But for now, at least they’re taking some measures to try and hide test seats for a better sense of privacy and comfortability.

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