Is Universal Orlando Fat Friendly? – The Best and Worst Rides for Plus-Size People!

Traveling as a plus-size person can be challenging for a lot of reasons. There’s another layer of logistics that straight-sized people don’t have to think about, and planning a trip to a theme park like Universal Studios is no exception. For example, you’ll have to ask yourself – will I fit on the Universal Studios rides? And, more specifically, is Universal Orlando fat friendly enough to make it worth my time? 

A vacation is supposed to be a fun, relaxing experience. We go to theme parks to unwind and have a good time (with the occasional thrill ride thrown in for good measure). The last thing we want is to show up at our destination and find that we can’t enjoy the experiences we paid for. So let’s talk about Universal’s theme parks – is Universal Orlando fat friendly? Or could they stand to improve? 

Is Universal Orlando Fat Friendly?

For most of the attractions at Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure, there are no official weight restrictions. Whether you’ll fit on a ride has more to do with individual height and shape than your weight. According to the official Universal guidelines, the park cautions that guests with a waistline of 40 inches or larger may have difficulty riding certain attractions. Bear in mind that this is a guideline and not a hard rule. We know people with 45+ inch waists who comfortably ride many of the attractions! This does become an issue for some of the thrill rides and coasters, which are generally Universal’s most iconic attractions. 

For women, guests wearing a size 22 or larger have reported issues with some of the more restrictive rides. Tall guests also have difficulty on a few of the rides, as there are shin guards that can keep you from riding despite fitting into the seats. 

Try the Test Seats 

Most of the thrill rides at Universal parks have tester seats outside of the attraction. You can sit in them and test the restraints for yourself to see how it fits and (more importantly) if they will be comfortable for you. These tester seats are equipped with a sensor that shows a green light to let you know if the restraint is secure. If you get that green, you’re good to go! 

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Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot of privacy for these test seats. They’re usually right out in front of the ride, so it might feel a little awkward getting into them. Sometimes a rider attendant may ask you to try the seat as you get in line. While this can feel embarrassing, don’t let that stop you! They just want to make sure you don’t waste time in line (that you could be using to do something fun!) only to be unable to ride. 

What Are My BEST Ride Options?

Let’s talk about the plus-size rides at Universal Studios Orlando that can accommodate most riders even with the guidelines in place. These rides are typically friendly to people of any size, but we still recommend checking out the seats before you spend too much time in line. 

Plus-Size Rides at Universal Orlando: Big Thrills, No Worries!

Universal’s Islands of Adventure 

• Hogwarts Express
• Skull Island: Reign of Kong
• The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man 
• Flight of the Hippogriff 
• The Cat in the Hat 

Universal Studios Florida

• Fast & Furious 
• Men in Black Alien Attack 
• The Simpsons
• Transformers: The Ride 3-D
• Race Through New York, Starring Jimmy Fallon

Some rides have a single lap restraint bar for an entire row (like Spider-Man, Transformers: The Ride 3-D, Despicable Me, and Simpsons). This may be an issue if you are sitting with younger riders. While this lap bar design is usually fine for plus-size riders, it may leave very small riders with a lot of room in the seat – so it’s something to keep in mind if you have small children in tow! 

Which Rides Should I Be Cautious About?

When it comes to rides that present boarding issues, it’s usually the thrill rides and roller coasters. But Universal has made some accommodations for larger guests, so, we’ll go through which of these rides are notoriously difficult – and which ones you may have some good luck with!

Islands of Adventure 

• The Incredible Hulk Coaster. The Hulk Coaster is a little more forgiving than a lot of the others in the park, if only because they offer a modified seat for larger riders. This seat has two buckles instead of the standard one for the shoulder restraints and can be tested outside the ride alongside the other seat.

• Jurassic Park VelociCoaster. Universal’s newest roller coaster is one of the least forgiving for larger riders. The coaster does have a lot of legroom but also has that overhead restraint. While many larger guests can ride this coaster, they often report that it’s incredibly uncomfortable to do so. Don’t force yourself on the ride. If you are uncomfortable, you won’t enjoy yourself!
• Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. Forbidden Journey is the most challenging ride for plus-size riders. The seat design is narrow and largely unforgiving. Additionally, the overhead restraint can be difficult for anyone with a larger chest to secure. 
• Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure. There are two types of seats on this coaster: the motorbike and the sidecar. Depending on your body, you may have better luck in one over the other (though we’ve found that the motorbike is usually better). This is still hit-or-miss for many guests, especially if you carry your weight in your hips and thighs.

Universal Studios Resort 

• Hollywood Rip Ride Rocket. This ride can be problematic for a lot of riders, mostly due to the way the lap bar fits across the seat (it comes across sideways). Many larger guests report issues getting onto the ride, as well as additional discomfort when trying to properly secure the lap bar. Since this coaster is already a rougher ride, we’d advise foregoing it entirely if the seating is uncomfortable for you. That being said, there are modified seats available in the ride – so definitely check out the tester seats before you hop in the line. 
• Revenge of the Mummy. The Mummy is a fairly good coaster for plus-sized riders. The individual lap bar makes it a more accessible seat design for larger folks. The shin restraints can give you some trouble depending on your height and where you carry your weight, but it’s not as tight as Gringott’s or Hagrid’s.
• Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringott’s. Escape from Gringott’s has a lap bar restraint, so it has a bit more space than some of the other rides. Like the Mummy, this ride also has shin guards, so height may be a factor here as well. The back rows have more legroom than the front, so shoot for that if you’re worried about height coming into play. 

Verdict: Is Universal Studios Plus Size Friendly? 

Compared to other theme parks in the area, we’ll have to say: No.

Overall, Universal Studios isn’t as size inclusive as we would have hoped. While they do have some modified seating available, it isn’t on every ride or made for every shape and size. We understand that safety guidelines exist for a reason. However, it’s very telling that Universal’s competitors can develop plus size rides that accommodate more diversity in size and shape by comparison. 

Since the park’s success has largely been due to its thrill rides, it can be frustrating to visit and not be able to experience those specific attractions. We recommend planning ahead for the Universal Studios rides you really want to get on. For anyone concerned about ride issues, there’s a great Facebook group – Universal Plus Size Riders and More – that can offer advice and tips for getting on rides as well as making the most out of your trip. You’ll likely find more than enough at each park to have a great time, just as long as you’re prepared! 

What do you think about Universal’s size inclusivity? Would you recommend it to other plus-size people? Tell us about your experiences at the park! 

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Itinerary Photos (in order): Unsplash, Unsplash

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