Is SeaWorld Orlando Fat Friendly? – The Best and Worst Rides for Plus-Size People!
We love Orlando theme parks – the thrills, excitement, and fantastic rides – but we don’t love wondering whether or not we can get on those rides. Vacations should never come with anxiety. Yet, as anyone who has ever asked themselves if they can fit on a ride knows, they often do.
SeaWorld Orlando is known for their amazing sea life exhibits, one-of-a-kind shows, and (most recently) their unique coasters. This has all of the makings of an amazing day for your average person, but is SeaWorld Orlando worth the price of admission for plus-sized guests?
Is SeaWorld Orlando Fat Friendly?
One of the biggest questions many park visitors have when it comes to ride restrictions is – “Does SeaWorld have a weight limit for their rides?” According to SeaWorld representatives on Tripadvisor, “While our rides do not have a weight requirement, one must fit in a chair and easily buckle up the safety belt.” Nevertheless, as that response might suggest, that doesn’t mean all rides are perfectly accommodating.
You can find SeaWorld’s Ride Accessibility Guide here for their policies on “riders of size” (page 6) and specific restrictions for each ride.
Test Seats
Each thrill ride at SeaWorld has a test seat, usually located outside at the front of the ride. This gives you an idea of what to expect before you get in line and lets you know if you’ll be uncomfortable with the seat design. You can take a moment to buckle yourself into the test seat and check the fit. Unfortunately, most of these seats are in public locations, which might make you feel a little exposed getting onto them. Don’t let this stop you from testing the seat! You’re there to have fun!
If you don’t see a test seat, SeaWorld encourages guests to speak with a team member at the ride for details on the seating.
As a note, SeaWorld ride ambassadors (the team members working each ride) are not allowed to assist you when buckling yourself into the ride. You must be able to do it yourself or have a member of your party assist you. So, if you have concerns about buckling in your own harness, test it out with a friend or family member with you. (If you’re anything like me, it will help your anxiety to have a plan in place and practice it before you board the ride.)
What are my BEST Ride Options?
It’s always good to know what rides you won’t need to worry about getting on!
- Journey to Atlantis
- Sky Tower
- Infinity Falls
- Sunny Day Carousel
- Elmo’s Choo Choo Train
- Grover’s Boxcar Derby
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What Rides Should I Be Cautious About?
Most rides that present possible trouble are the roller coasters at SeaWorld Orlando. However, the park does have some larger seats available on certain rides to accommodate more riders. Let’s go through the coasters at SeaWorld and discuss the restraint system and seat design so you’ll know what to expect when you visit.
Ice Breaker. The Ice Breaker is a great bet for plus-sized guests. This ride seat is very accommodating for larger frames. However, it does have an overhead harness that clicks into a lap bar. Many riders report that it is like Busch Gardens’s Tigris in terms of fit. So, if you can ride one, you’ll likely be just as comfortable in the other. According to SeaWorld staff, there are harness extenders available for this ride.
Manta. This coaster tips riders forward into a “flying” position. Due to the seat shape and width, riders with wider hips and thighs may have the most difficulty fitting comfortably. Even if you technically fit, you may still find the accommodations uncomfortable, as it can be a tight squeeze. On the test seat outside, you’ll need to make sure the overhead lap bar locks fully into the sides of the seat, enclosing your torso entirely. The ride also has leg restraints, but these are very wide and not likely to give you any issues.
According to SeaWorld safety regulations, the maximum chest dimensions that the Manta can accommodate is 52 inches. The fit is largely due to the vest portion of the harness that rests against your chest and stomach instead of the overhead restraint.
Kraken. As with Manta, Kraken has a maximum chest measurement of 52 inches. However, Kraken’s seat is more generous than the Manta, giving those of us with bigger hips and thighs more room. The restraint is a pulldown harness that has two buckles between your legs. The two center seats on rows 4 and 5 are designed for larger riders. If you are uneasy about fitting, you may want to try to get either of those rows. This design makes it much more plus-size-friendly than other coasters!
Mako. This hypercoaster only has a lap bar as a restraint. It requires three clicks in the seat for it to be considered fully functional. Because the seats are so molded, it’s likely going to be a tight squeeze without a lot of wiggle room. This is probably the least forgiving ride at SeaWorld Orlando due to the narrow seats and overall design. Many tall guests also report discomfort with the seats, so any combination of big and tall folks may want to skip this one entirely.
Pipeline. The world’s first Surf Coaster is a stand-up coaster that allows riders to move up and down within their restraints. To get into the seat, you must boost yourself up into the seat in a standing position. Due to the design, the restriction for chest and waist sizes is much stricter than on many other rides. Despite being a new coaster (2023), it’s sadly not very friendly for larger folks.
Verdict: Is SeaWorld Orlando Fat Friendly?
Overall, we have to say that SeaWorld is moderately fat-friendly!
SeaWorld offers larger seats on their most popular coasters and has belt extenders for some coasters. Most plus-size guests report the Kraken and Ice Breaker are the most accommodating and easiest to ride for people of all shapes and sizes. The Sesame Street section of the park has several rides that larger guests can ride with small children, which is not always the case in other parks. With these rides, no one has to sit on the sidelines and miss out on adventures with the little ones.
Fortunately for parkgoers, many attractions at SeaWorld are not dependent on size restrictions. Since this is also an animal park, thrill rides are not the main attraction. There are many size inclusive (and accessible!) animal exhibits that can easily take up much of your day. You can spend hours in the underwater shark exhibits, exploring the Antarctic penguin habitat, or visit polar bears, belugas, and walruses at the Wild Artic.
The daily animal presentations are another highlight of the park. Dolphins, whales, and sea lion shows shouldn’t be missed at SeaWorld, either! The stadium seating is all benches which – while not always comfortable – doesn’t force anyone to squeeze into an individual seat. Unlike some other parks in the area, you’ll always find something to do here.
What do you think about SeaWorld’s ride accommodations? Would you recommend it to other plus-size people? Tell us about your experiences at the park!
Visiting other theme parks? Check out our other guides!
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Featured photo: Jeremy Thompson via Flickr
