"At Large" Trip Reports

Peter Pan's Flight - No Problem Riding at All (Single Rider) Could have fit another person in with me.

Snow White's Scary Adventure - No Problems (Single Rider)

It's a Small World - No Problems - I did get the entire back row of the boat to myself as a single rider, and it seemed a bit low in the water once the ride started - not sure if it is always like that, but if it isn't ride with someone light weight!

Buzz Lightyears Space Ranger Spin - Twice - Once with just me and once with me and a friend - No Problems!

Stitch's Great Escape Show - No Problem although i was a bit freaked out when those things were coming down on my shoulders because of my hight but the just stop.

Mad Tea Party - No problems getting into the tea cup, and it would spin fast when I was toward the outer part of the ride (near the queue) and pretty much stopped when my cup turned near the middle of the ride (the big tea pot) - so I just had fun with it - if you are a heavier rider, you might want to do this teacup by yourself!

Mickey's Philharmagic - I read there were problems with the seats, but I fit just fine - and I saw it 3 times!

Haunted Mansion - No problems here - even the turnstiles, I just walked through them side ways which I normally will do anyway.

Pirates of the Carribian - No problems, and I again had an entire row to myself as a Single Rider!

EPCOT

Mission Space - No Problem at all - surprisingly! I was also worried about when the monitors came down with them not closing, but it was fine - my stomach was VERY CLOSE to touching it, but it would not have impeded the closing of it. Also, the harness was further out than the rest of the riders, but it snapped into place just fine.

Soarin - No problems with this one either - it took me an extra second to get the belt in, but I had plenty of time before they even started the checking of the riders. (I recomend you check this out even on a busy day for the cool games on the walls.

HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS

Great Movie Ride - No Problems!

Star Tours - Again, just took me a second to get the belt buckled in, but the ride was fine.

Tower of Terror - AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!! No problems fitting in - although the little girl next to me held both of the bars if you don't want to fly away, so I was a bit freaked out my first time on!

Hope this helps to quell some fears!

Mandy - April 2008

I just returned from the magnificent WDW and had a very magical time. I was, however, very nervous before this trip. I am 5' 6" and 318lbs. I was very worried about fitting on all of the rides. After reading reports from others on this site, my mind was put at ease. I was able to truly enjoy every ride.

Magic Kingdom: It's a Small World, Snow White, Winnie the Pooh, Peter Pan, The Carousel, Space Mountain, Stitch's Great Escape, The Transit Authority, The Carousel of Progress, The Toy Story Ride, Pirates of the Carribean, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, The Haunted Mansion and The Hall of Presidents.

Epcot: Soarin', Figment, Maelstrom, Mexico Boat Ride, Living with The Land, Nemo Ride, The American Experience, Spaceship Earth, and Mission: Space.

Animal Kingdom: Dinosaur, Expedition Everest,and Kilmanjaro Safari

I rode all of them with my family. The rides with two to a seat I rode with my sister(5' 4" around 160) and there was plenty of room. Every seatbelt fit just fine. I never once worried about fitting on the rides thanks to all of the great comments and positive vibes on this site:)

Ken - March 2008

I'm 5'11" 380lbs. Had the time of my life!!!!!!. Rode just about everything. Hit ALL the big name ones at each park. At Mission Space, my butt fit fine , but my shoulders fit snuggly. When it came time for this Navigator to push his button, I had to use my right hand to reach across and push left button and vice versa. Some rides were snugger then others but if I fit just about anybody will fit. Had my family with me so, my kids always let me pull the belts out all the way before sitting and then they would buckle it for me. I read all the info and printed out sheets of info before going. Never had one problem. Don't be afraid to go. Memories for life.!!!!

The only ride I could not ride this whole trip was the Kracken at Sea World. It will not fit anybody of size.

Heather - 2007

While planning my families first trip to Disney and Universal I relied heavily on the At Large trip reports. While it was my family's first trip, I had gone while in high school when I was MUCH smaller. I knew I fit in all of the rides then, but now I weigh a little over 350 and am 5'6" or so. I read them over and over, wishing someone would print their measurements and that they would match mine, but I didn't find anyone. So our first day in the Magic Kingdom I raced to the ride I remembered most fondly, Splash Mountain. Remembering reading a report or two saying how tight a fit Splash Mountain was, I held my breath while in line. I literally cried when I easily slid right in. That humongous relief/victory pushed me through every ride I had time for through out MK, Epcot and the Animal Kingdom - even Expedition Everest. I unfortunately did not get around to Disney-MGM Studios, so I can not speak on those rides, but I am happy to share my experiences in case someone else is reading these reports praying to find measurements that match their own.

Magic Kingdom:

The Walt Disney World Railroad - absolutely no problem. No seatbelts or harnesses. NO ONE will have a problem here.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad - actually close to being roomy. I rode each ride with my 12 year old brother, so that may have effected it a bit. But the lap bar closed just fine.

The Haunted Mansion - again, no problem. Surprising, since it is an old ride, but it had ample room.

Mikey's PhilharMagic - No problem fitting into the seats, but know that if you don't sit directly in the middle the picture can be a tiny bit blurry. I came out with the beginnings of a headache from the blur. Don't let that stop you - it brought me to tears. (I'm a sappy musician, so the music always gets to me.)

Pirates of the Caribbean - nothing stopping you - I promise!

Splash Mountain - if my legs had been about three inches longer above the knee I would have been uncomfortable. As it was I only bumped my knees on the back of the seat in front of me once.

The Monorail suxxed only because it was SO crowded and I had to stand leaning against the doors the whole way to the TTA.

Epcot:

The Seas with Nemo and Friends - I rode this with my mother who is roughly 200 lbs and just at 5' tall. And still we both fit comfortably with room for our camera bags too.

Honey I Shrunk the Audience - A bit tight, but not painful.

Test Track - while I was, shall we say, overflowing the side of the car by a tiny bit (not really, but I look like it in the picture…) I was fine since I tried the wonderful tip given in these trip reports - pulling the seat belt out as far as it will go before sitting down. I actually had a bit of slack in the belt once I buckled it.

Animal Kingdom:

Dinosaur: Same as Test Track, I was squished a bit, but it was do-able. Not uncomfortable.

Expedition Everest: Not a problem in the world. I was amazed, but it was great. (Just as a side note, there was an 80-something tiny woman who sat with my dad on this ride and while everyone else looked terrified in the picture, she had this wonderful unimpressed look oozing from her face - it was fantastic. I would have bought the picture from this alone. If she could do it, you can too!)

Festival of the Lion King: Benches. Plenty of room between rows too, so your legs won't get squished and your knees won't goose the people in front of you.

Kali River Rapids: I was worried about this one, simply because I have been told that the person who weighs the most tends to be the one that gets soaked because they get spun to the front and hit the dips because of it. But that wasn't the case - that great honor went to my mother who glared at me the rest of the day as she walked in her soaking wet jeans. I fit comfortably and came out relatively dry.

Kilimanjaro Safaris: No problem at all. And unlike some of the other ride cars, it didn't make me feel as big as the elephants we were following.

It's Tough to Be a Bug: These seats were fine, but some of the effects are slightly (only very slightly) effected by being overweight (I don't want to give anything away).

Julie D. - 2007

My sincere thanks to both AllEarsNet and all the readers who took the time to candidly discuss their fears of visiting WDW as a "pleasingly plump" person and how they handled rides, etc.

If you think any of this info is helpful, please feel free to post it.

My husband is 5'9" and weighs in the 280s; I'm 5'4" and also weigh in the 280s. We recently visited the World with our young son.

The comments posted here allayed many of my fears (and some of my husband's), but we were still a bit nervous.

Whoever wrote that WDW is a very accepting place and you should just enjoy yourself is absolutely correct! We were squooshed a few times, but that's about it. It did help sometimes that the rides/shows weren't always filled to capacity this time of year and/or because we had our son between us. Even so, my husband, who carries his weight around his stomach and me, who carries her weight all over, didn't have major issues with anything.

Here's a quick rundown of what we rode/saw:

Magic Kingdom
Jungle Cruise
Aladdin's Magic Carpet (Surprisingly not a problem for one of us with our son and one of us solo; note that two larger people might want to sit one in front and one in back)
Pirates of the Caribbean
Enchanted Tiki Room
Splash Mountain
Tom Sawyer's Island
Country Bear Jamboree
Hall of Presidents
It's a Small World (The one time we sat in the front, which actually has LESS legroom than the other seats, was the only time we were uncomfortable.)
Peter Pan's Flight
Mickey's PhilharMagic
Cinderella's Golden Carousel
Dumbo (My husband and son rode; my husband said fitting was not a problem!)
The Pooh Ride
Mad Tea Party (A bit crowded with all three of us. I did struggle getting in and especially out of the little door, but definitely a fun ride whether it was me and our son or all three of us.
Tomorrowland Indy Speedway (A bit hard to get in and out of. When I rode solo and had to depress the gas pedal and steer, it was a little awkward because I didn't fit well behind the steering wheel and had to steer some from the side.)
Carousel of Progress
Buzz Lightyear
Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor

Epcot
Soarin'
Listen to the Land boat ride
Turtle Talk with Crush
France's Circlevision film
America's film

Disney MGM
Indiana Jones Stunt Show
Lights, Motors, Action Stunt Show
Sounds Dangerous
Muppets in 3-D

Animal Kingdom
Kilimanjaro Safaris
Pangani Trail
Raifiki's Planet Watch
It's Tough to Be a Bug

We even went swimming quite a bit at our Disney hotel pool and truly enjoyed ourselves.

So relax and enjoy your hard-earned vacation!

Mike - July 2006

I have never had so much fun in my life! I am about 5'10 and 400+ lbs. Every ride I wanted to get on I had no problem with at all! I will tell you which ones I rode because I want anyone out there who is in a similar physical state to have total confidence in having no trouble riding the following rides:

Magic Kingdom - its a small world, pirates of the carribean, stitch's great escape, monorail

Epcot - Test track, mission space

Disney MGM - Tower of Terror, rock n rollercoaster, muppets 3-d, star tours, great movie ride

Animal kingdom - Kilamanjaro safari, Expedition everest

I didn't ride much else just because there was SOOOOOO much to see. My personal recommendation is if you ride one ride, not just at disneyworld, but for THE REST OF YOUR LIFE, RIDE EXPEDITION EVEREST!!! It is so AWESOME. Rock n rollercoaster was very cool too, but Ride EVEREST. It is incredible. Whatever you do, don't worry about your weight. Dont worry about anything for that matter. Disney World is the greatest vacation spot on earth. HAVE FUN! I can also recommend old key west resort. It is beautiful. We even forgot souvineers when we left and called them days after we were home. They had them waiting to be mailed to us. They are all very honest and friendly. Love it. I miss it. I am going BACK asap.

Julie - June 2006

I am 5'8" and 300 lbs( a size 26). I read, and read, and read the AT LARGE trip reports every day before my trip to try and put my mind at ease. And when I say I read, I read from 2003-2006 at least 6-8 times each! I took my husband to celebrate our two year anniversary, and his parents for the first time to Disney World. They are all average size people. So you could imagine the embarrassment I would endure if I was turned down from a ride. I was worried about taking that walk of shame. But after reading this column I decided to go ahead and try everything out and keep a journal, so that I could hopefully shed some light and relieve some stress from others out there. And just before I begin, THANKS AGAIN Allearsnet! You were truly my blessing to a wonderful vacation.

Epcot

Soarin- No problem. It's a seat with a seatbelt. Pull the seatbelt out before sitting down and you will have no worries with this ride.

Mission Space-No problem. No issues fitting in the seat, no issues with the harness, and no issues with the door closing (I sat on the end). However, I did feel a little woozy after this ride, and I have never been motion sick before. Even now I live near the ocean and we spend a lot of time on boats, but this ride did give me a head ache that I had for the rest of the day, so be careful.

Test Track-No problem, I did pull the seat belt out all the way before I sat down. I sat in a middle seat, and it only has a lap belt. The other two seat on the side of me were shoulder harness. So if you are large chested, sit in the middle seat, if not, no worries with this ride.

Living with the land- No problems. Just a boat and a bench seat.

Spaceship Earth-No problems. And very relaxing.

Mexico-No problems. We did the boat ride and it was not an issue

China- We went inside the theater to watch the 360 degree movie, but just to let you know, it is standing room only, and none of us were happy about that. Our feet were already tired from the day.

Animal Kingdom.

Everest- No problems. This is a cart with two seats. There is a bar that comes over your lap, both you and the person riding along side of you have separate bars. That way, the skinny person isn't flying about the cart on the turns. And just so you know this was probably my favorite roller coaster. If you are going for the first time. Don't let anyone tell you about this ride. My mother in law and I got on it without knowing anything except that there was a Yeti involved. And we were truly Surprised.

Kilimanjaro Safaris-No problems and fun. I'm not a big animal person, but it was exciting seeing a Giraffe two feet away.

Dinosaur- This ride was tight. You sit 4 across. And there is a seat belt that you have plenty of room for. So no worries there. HOWEVER, the seat dividers are hard, and if you have thick thighs, these dividers hit your right at the tops of your thighs. And this ride is extremely rough. So although it doesn't go fast, you spend half of your ride trying to brace yourself, so your thighs don't get beaten and bruised to death. It actually hurt my legs during this ride. Plus, its LOUD! These dinosaurs jump out and bite at you and its really TOO loud. And let me mention one more time, it hurts. I wouldn't ride this again if you paid me to. So if you don't have a love for Dinosaurs, avoid this one. Pretend you have to go to the bathroom, and take a small break for yourself.

Its tough to be a bug- No Problems. Please don't skip this. It was really cute. And you sit on a bench seat. Enjoy!

Kali River Rapids- Ok, so this one. Really, no problems. I guess. You sit in a round tube. Two people then a space, two people then a space and so on. I sat next to my mother in law. She is about a size 14. It was tight. I can not lie. I was a little worried that the belt wouldn't fasten, and when It finally did, IT WAS TIGHT. I felt a little bad for her, because it was as tight on her as it was on me. We did ride the ride, and enjoyed it. WE GOT SOAKED! And for those of you with legs that touch and rub together, you know that walking around in wet shorts, pants, or even in a skirt is not fun. Thankfully, it was our last ride, and I just walked back bus to the hotel after this one. But I heard some other people talking that day about a bad case of chaffing. OUCH!

MGM Studios

Tower of Terror-No problem. The seats are separated and you have a lap seat belt. Just don't forget to pull that belt out first before you sit. I sat in the front on the end in the corner. I will tell you that I wished I had not sat all the way in the corner. Because I am wide and I was crammed up against the end of the ride. I think my husband's soft shoulder on that side would have felt better. But even still, I truly enjoyed this ride.

Rock and Roller Coaster staring Aerosmith- No problem. You sit two to a car and each of you have a harness. This was a fun ride, and I think anyone could ride it.

Star Tours- No problem. Again, the seats are separated. It reminded me of the dinosaur ride. It was a little tight, but the ride was not as rough. The seatbelt trick came to my rescue again. On this ride I had to pull the belt all the way out, sit on the end of the seat, turn around and click it in, and then scoot back. Just FYI.

Muppets 3-D- No problems. The seats are average theater seats. I didn't have any issues here.

Magic Kingdom

Buzz lightyear- No problem. And my favorite ride!

Astro Orbitor- Ok this one I had no problem. But I rode alone. I planned on riding with my husband after reading another at large report. But after seeing this ride, I decided it was best that I fly solo if you know what I mean. This one was fine with me in it, but the thought of my husband packed in there too, would have been just too much.

Space Mountain- No problem. I was worried about this one. I could understand if someone had long legs that this might be an issue, but for a big girl such as myself. It was fine. I did ask for the first car, and they were fine with that. You sit only one person to a cart anyway, so this was great. At first, when I sat down, I didn't think the bar that comes between my legs would close, I almost had a panic attack! Then the car moved up just a bit, to a controller that checked the bars and all of a sudden the bar locked in place just before I took off. It must be hydraulic or something. So no worries. Whew!

It's a small world-No problems, but the boat is low, so careful getting out.

Haunted Mansion, No problem.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad- No problem, but I rode this alone too. I don't think it would have been bad to ride with someone, but by this time my father in law was Disneyied OUT, and I insisted my husband ride with his mom. We all enjoyed this ride.

Splash Mountain- No problem again.However, it was our last ride of the night due to the water issues I discussed earlier. I rode in this ride alone too. And I sat on a hump in the middle. Thinking I would not get as wet. WARNING. Bad idea. What happened was both of the seats got soaked, and then my large rump sat in all of the water that the bucket seats were holding. BLASTED!

For those of you who are worried about this, please don't. This website gave me self esteem and helped me try new things that I might not have tried before. I really appreciate everyone who took the time to put my mind at ease, and I hope you get the same from my experiences. Go And Have A Truly Magical Vacation!

Katie - June 2006

I recently got back from a magical trip to WDW on June 30th, 2006. For months I used this site to ease my worries about not fitting on the rides. I was also worried about the flight since we flew Southwest. I am 5 foot 4 inches tall, Female, and almost 300 pounds. i fit in the flight with minimal difficulty, i just made sure i wsw there first to flip the handlebars up to allow for more breathing space. When we started in the park my heart jumped before we got on, ( i had been turned away from rides at six flags before) But soon found that I fit with room to spare. I fit on everything. Even Expidition Everest, which i rode twice. it has no belt and i was elated when i heard it click. I was worried the entire time for nothing because i had slack on every ride I went on. My advice to the bigger crowd at WDW is Dont Worry!!!!!! Everyone in Disney is nice, and just enjoy yourself!!!!!!!

tvlagt - June 2006

My husband is a big guy, 4X with a 62 inch chest and 52 inch waist. Before going he read all the recommendations on Allearsnet Disney at Large. He said the only problem was the seating at the Muppets 3D Vision was uncomfortable, small tight seats.

Here is a list of rides and attractions that my husband went on and didn't have a problem. Any omissions are not because he didn't fit. Just this is what our time alotted.

Magic Kingdom: Big Thunder Mountain, Buzz Lightyears' Space Ranger Spin, Enchanted Tiki Birds, Hall of Presidents, Haunted Mansion, It's a Small World, Jungle Cruise, Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Mickey's PhilharMagic, Space Mountain, Stich's Great Escape, Tomorrowland Transit Authority, Carousel of Progress, Disneyworld Railroad

MGM Studios: Backlot Tour, Fantasmic, Great Movie Ride, Lights, Motors Action Extreme Stunt Show, MuppetVision 3-D, Rock n Roller Coaster, Sounds Dangerous, Star Tours, Tower of Terror

Animal Kingdom: Dinosaur, Expedition Everest, It's Tough to be a Bug, Kilimanjaro Safaris,

Epcot: Body Wars, Circle of Life Theatre, Cranium, El rio del Tiempo (Mexico), Honey I Shrunk the Audience, Living with the Land, the Living Seas, Maelstrom (Norway) Soarin', Spaceship Earth, Test Track, Universe of Energy

Once again, he did follow the recommendations of Disney at Large and many times sat up front in the car or had a car to himself. Hope this report is of help to others.

Steve D - 3/2006

I would like to share these comments with everyone interested in the WDW at large tips. I just got back from my March 2006 family vacation to WDW. I would like to thank all of my fellow large framed friends for sharing their info on what body types would fit in all of the rides--it made my trip more enjoyable. I am a former football player and I am 6'4" and 355 pounds and I wouldn't call myself totally out of shape --but I am a BIG guy.

I had no problem fitting/getting on any rides. I had room to spare on most of them. Here are the rides/shows that I did:

MGM--Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show, Tower of Terror, Back lot Tour, Rock'n Roller Coaster, Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, Fantasmic! and Star Wars.

Magic Kingdom--Jungle Cruise, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Splash Mountain, Haunted Mansion, Mickey's PhilharMagic, Peter Pan's Flight and Stitch's Great Escape

Epcot--Soarin', Test Track and The Maelstrom (Norway)

Animal Kingdom--Kilimanjaro Safaris, Expedition EVEREST, Kali River Rapids, Bugs Life Show and Dinosaur (if you have neck, leg or back problems do not ride this ride--very rough ride and not much leg room).

Top rides--Test Track, Soarin', Splash Mountain and Expedition EVEREST were my favorites.

Disappointments--Stitch's Great Escape and Rock'n Roller Coaster

Sleepers--The Maelstrom--A cool little ride which I did not know was even there--plus--no wait!!

Thanks for letting me share and I hope this helps you enjoy Disney to the fullest.

Thinking Tink! - February 2006

I just wanted to let everyone know that I took my first Disney trip in February 2006. I weighed about 290lbs and a size 24. I had no problems fitting into any of the rides. Thundermountain Railroad was a bit tough but it did close down and I felt safe enough to ride it. Other than that the only time I had problems is I believe frontierland at disney? Where the Bear jamoboree was. The turnstiles were smaller than the rest it seemed but I did manage to go through them sideways. (Thank goodness!) Please do not let your size worry you. I did and almost ruined my whole trip. I found this site and it helped me to be excited instead of so anxious. I also had no problem fitting in my southwest seat on the plane. I was very worried of this because of reading how they are smaller than average etc. I did not need an extender but I do recommend before sitting down extend it all the way out and then buckle. I also did this on all of the rides with buckles it helped instead! of sitting and trying to find it underneath me! I hope this helps someone and remember just enjoy the magic!

Shannon - February 2006

I was worried about having problems in the rides. I've had problems at other theme parks. I had absolutely no problems with any of the thrill rides or anything else at the 4 parks. I'm a Women's 3X, 26W pant size. Please don't worry. Some of the turnstiles at the Magic Kingdom are narrow, but I had no trouble going through sideways. I didn't have any trouble on any of the rides, but Space Mountain was a little awkward to climb out of. I rode Expedition Everest, Soarin', Mission Space, Tower of Terror, Rock 'n Roll Roller Coaster, Dinosaur, and quite a few other rides. Go & have fun!

Sara - February 2006

I am a size 28 and 5'4". I am quite chesty and big around the middle. I had no problem fitting into any ride. I even got a chance to preview Expedition Everest and fit on just fine. My only glitches were getting into and out of Space Mountain and Rock n'Roller. It was just awkward, but I did ride both numerous times. With the seat beat rides, I just used the old, pull the seat belt out the whole way first and then buckle yourself trick. And for some of the lap belt rides, I put the lap belt under my big stomach for a snugger fit. Disney is very size friendly and I wanted to share this so others will have the courage to go on the rides they want.

Mary - January 2006

My husband and I just returned from WDW. Both of us are large people (He is 5'10 375lbs, I am 5'2 325lbs we both carry a spare tire around the middle). We had a wonderful time. We had no trouble at all fitting onto any ride. Of course I did my homework from all ears net.

The rides we were concerned about at MK were space mountain, astro orbiter, and haunted mansion. We had no problems whatesoever. It is true some of the turnstiles are a bit of a squeeze (suck it in and lift your tummy over the bar), we made it work.

We rode everything at MGM and had no problems. We loved the rockin rolling coaster so much we did it over and over. The tower of terror was awesome! For a brief moment you are weightless. I did need some help from my hubby for the seatbelt (but thats because I am busty and couldn't see the buckle). Just remember before you sit ~ pull the seatbelt all the way out. The Drew Carey show seats are really tight (the show was not worth it ~ we could! have skipped it and not missed anything).

We rode the safari ride at Animal Kingdom, and loved it.

At Epcot we rode Soarin' another awesome ride (again needed help to buckle over my bosom). The entire staff is extremely friendly and helpful. If we weren't sure if we would fit in the ride ~ we just asked. The staff is discreet and would just nod there head. They were right. We had no problems. If you are concerned don't be.

Our biggest problem was the walking. I stand all day at my job ~ so it didn't bother me as much as my hubby who has a desk job. By the third day we were both hurting though. You know it must be a magical place when you go to bed exhausted and wake up even more exhausted, but are anxious to go to the park and do it again and again. We stayed at the Caribbean Beach resort. It was beautiful. It was a large resort with a lot of walking (about a 1/2 mile from our room to the front desk, food court and gift shop). The only tip I would have is to wear comfortable walking shoes (and not brand new ones ~ as I found out the hard way). It is hard to walk with 2 blisters on each of your feet. We are home now and wish we could have spent another week there. We feel like there is so much we didn't get a chance to see. Oh well, I guess we will just have to plan another trip!

Michelle - January 2006

*My husband and I are both large folks and we had a great time this past trip. For reference, I am about 5'4 and 300 lbs. and he is about 6'2 and 280. We're both young and agile.

The tip about pulling the seatbelt out all the way and then sitting down made all the difference -- on EVERY ride with a seatbelt I made it into place with time to spare before the ride started. My add-on would be that I pulled the belt out, put my left hand on the receptacle, then sat down. It was then super easy to get the belt into place even though most of the time my hip covered all or part of the receptacle.

The Disney buses were a squeeze but we would smoosh and be OK. Avoid the seats next to the poles cause they'll dig into your leg. The seats on the Magical Express bus were quite comfortable.

My husband (6'2 and 280) went on just about every ride at Blizzard Beach - no problem! I was reading with a pina colada so did not partake but would have felt comfortable if I did -- there were plenty of larger people around!

Dinosaur is always a tight squeeze and I usually ride it once but feel battered afterwards. The belts fit but there isn't a lot of legroom so hubby's knees are always banging against the car.

One tip: If you have a group of large people and they ask how many are in your group, we would always make sure they could see how "wide" we were together, either by standing side-by-side or even just pointing to my "two" and moving a bit so they could see him and register his size. When I could tell they "saw" us we always got enough room.

Primevil Whirl at AK -- this ride car is designed for 4 very small people. By letting the cast member see how big both of us were, she let just the two of us have a car to ourselves so we could sit straddling the two seats (it's a plastic bench with a little rise in the middle but it was OK to sit across instead of on one side or the other -- its a pretty small rise) There is no way we would have fit in two of those seats! If you are at all large and go on this ride, if you don't get a car to yourselves you should ask.

Kali River Rapids -- this ride is designed for very small people and a bench is supposed to serve "two". This is another ride where if you let the cast member see how big you both are you should get separate benches.

Turnstiles: I'm 5'4 and 300, and pretty wide at the hip area (sz 28 pant) and I did make it through every turnstile at the park. Some were a bit tight but I just turned sideways and did a little hop to get through. This might not work is you are not agile and then just use the wheelchair entrance (I saw a couple people doing that).

Soarin': I'm just including this because its a relatively new ride -- just pull the seatbelt out and then sit down and you'll be fine. The seats are comfortable and the ride is of course awesome.

There was not a single ride anywhere in the park that we did not ride (except of course kiddie rides we didn't want to go on anyway!). WDW is a very size friendly place!

Jeffrey E - July 2005

Just returned from a week in Orlando July 15-22. I wanted to let others know of my experience as an above-average person (6'4, 350#, 4XL-52 inch waist).

I was able to ride everything that I wanted to ride and took advantage of the tips posted by others. Pulling the seatbelts all the way out prior to taking a seat sure does help.

Ride-specific, I had no trouble at all with Test Track (front seat)or Mission Space (end seat). Warning to all.....pay attention to the warnings signs and info given by Gary Sinise as you wait for Mission Space! I have never considered myself susceptible to motion sickness and while I did not get sick.....this ride will knock you for a loop and it may take some time to recover.

I've made my daughter a coaster fanatic....so it was over to MGM and the Rockin Roller Coaster. Again, I chose a front seat and had no problems. I even pointed out to a CM that I needed a larger seat and she happily steered us to the appropriate queue line. I also rode the Twilight Zone Tower with no problems at all.

Over at the Magic Kingdom, I was able to squeeze into Space Mountain. I was in the front seat and it was the tightest fit of any Disney Ride.

One additional note to all visiting Epcot.....DO NOT MISS "Soarin"!!!! This hang-gliding simulation is located in the Land Pavilion and is the most spectacular combination of ride and video effects I have ever seen. You will honestly forget that you are on a ride and will believe you are hang gliding over the California countryside. BRAVO to Disney for bringing this attraction to FL. Hope it becomes permanent.

Also spent 2 days at Universal. Islands of Adventure was a major disappointement as I did not fit in any of the coasters. For the larger patrons.....just be prepared as there is a (Disney) world of difference between Disney and Universal in how they accommodate larger patrons.

Grace - June 2005

I just returned from WDW and would like to share my experience. I am a BWB - a size 24 with most of my weight in my hips and belly. I rode EVERY ride in EVERY park without problems!

I was nervous about the Rock N' Roller coaster as I had never ridden before but this one was probably the easiest! I don't know why they put a size warning on this one! The over head harness is one that you pull down as far as your can onto your shoulders and it cannot then be raised until the end of the ride. There isn't a "lock" or "catch" - you pull it down as far as you can and that's it. The ONLY way that I think someone would be unable to fit in this ride is if their HEAD is too big to fit into the harness!!

The other rides like Splash mountain, test track, BTMR, Kali river rapids - all no problems. Seat belts were ample and lap bars were secure - some snug but secure. I did find that clipping the seat belt in some of the rides was a little tough - but all of them had ample enough belts that I pulled the belt out and snapped it in place BEFORE I sat down - then adjusted it to fit snugly.

I also found that on some of the rides, it was easier to stand up slightly when pulling the lap bar down - so that it actually fit closer to my lap than my belly - then sat down properly for a snug fit. This worked especially well when I went on the rides with my younger children - they felt more secure with the lap bar closer to them. I can honestly say that large-sized folks are easily accomodated at WDW - so go have a great time and don't worry!

Marsha B - June 2005

We just returned from our first very "Magical" trip to Disney. Being overweight, 330lbs I was very worried about "not fitting" at Disney. I want to share that I did not have a problem anywhere in Disney. I rode all of the rides with either my 3 year old or my 6 year old. Some of the rides would be tight with two large adults. But don't let that stop you just ride them alone. Everyone was helpful with seatbelts and very understanding. I didn't have a problem with any of the theater seats, allthough the seats at the Muppets 3D show in MGM were tight. It was a great show so I didn't mind being squeezed. Don't let your size keep you from going to Disney, It really is a Magical place!

Matthew E - March 2005

I just got back from celebrating my engagement at Disney World and I just wanted to thank you for making my trip so great. My girlfriend (and now fiance) has planned a trip to Disney for the past 6 months and I had been dreading it. As a large man I was concerned about fitting in the rides. For months I dreaded the trip and then I found your website.

Needless to say, all the reviews for each of the rides put me at ease, and the last 6 days have been some of the best of my life. I want to share a few of my experiences to help ease the mind of other large patrons that are thinking about heading to Disney.

For the sake of all these reviews, I am 6'3" with a 52-54 inch waist and was traveling with my fiance, who is 5'8" and of an average build. I am also young (22) and reasonably agile for my size.

Ride Reviews for the Large:

Magic Kingdom

Tomorrowland
Astro Orbiter - I wound up riding this ride alone, but I would have fit comfortably with another average sized person in the capsule. The capsules are longer than they look with plenty of leg room and a long belt. No problems!

Space Mountain - This one is worth any discomfort. The seats are very low and leg room is a bit non-existent for the tall. The front car provides a bit more leg room, however, I found that in my case, I was more comfortable sitting in the middle seat as my legs could not go as far, but could go wider than the front car. I guess it's a bit of trial and error on exactly how you are built.

Buzz Lightyear - This is a fun ride. The seats are fairly similar to any of the other sit in a car and ride type attractions. The obvious exception is that you get shoot targets with a mounted laser and spin the car at will. No trouble fitting two on this ride. This one is a lot of fun.

Stitch's Great Escape - Not a problem, but not really worth the time either. The seats in the theater were big and comfortable and the harnesses come down over your head. Why there are harnesses at all is still a mystery to me. Not much of a show.

Fantasyland:
Small Word: We got to ride this on Friday, the first day it was open after its renovation. Good golly those seats are low. The boats are wide, with plenty of front to back leg room, but at points, I was literally resting my head on my knees. For the big folks with knee problems, this is probably not your ideal ride.

Teacups: I rode this one by myself as well, I was happy I did. There is not too much leg room in this one going across the cups. You could see ones with 2 adults of any size looking uncomfortable, for just me, it was great.

Winnie the Pooh: Probably my favorite of the gentle rides. This one is lots of fun and no problem with 2 people per car.

Snow White and Peter Pan: No problems at all.

Mickey's Philharmagic: A very good 3-D show. Seats were average theater seats, if you get in regular ones, these wonâ€™t provide you with any problems either. Worth seeing again and again.

Frontier Land:
Big Thunder: I love this ride. Not a problem fitting wise, but one note, if you are a larger person, you may want to think about bracing yourself through the turns. The turns push you from side to side and smaller people may not appreciate you squashing them in the tight turns!

Splash Mountain: Probably my favorite ride from the MK. I had no problem fitting in this one, thankfully. The seats are a bit low, and you may have to maneuver yourself to get the knees under the bars, but once in, it feels surprisingly roomy.

Adventureland:
Pirates: Always a fun ride, and because my fiance and I were wearing the bride and groom ears, the CM gave us our own boat to ride on. Who knew pillaging could be so romantic! The turnstiles are not tight anymore, there's plenty of room and its a lot of fun.

Mickey's Toontown Fair:
Goofy's Barnstormer: A surprisingly fun small coaster. There was no wait when we were there, and we rode in separate cars (2 adults in a car would be a big stretch, let alone if one was large). Don't miss this one because its in the toontown fair!

Epcot:
Mission Space: Don't let the certain body types can't ride sign intimidate you. This ride is a lot of fun. It certainly is not for the claustrophobic, as the capsule is dark and your face is right in the screen. However, the seats are roomy and the shoulder harnesses are nice. One note, I generally spread my legs sitting in rides, keep them close if you are on the aisle, or the door will not close.

Test Track: Leg room was plentiful and the seat belts were plenty long. I was honestly a little disappointed in this ride though, I guess I just thought it would be faster for longer.

MGM
RnR Rollercoaster: What a great ride! Very comfortable in any seat, very fast and surprisingly smooth. You expect to get knocked around going so fast and making so many tight turns and loops. It couldn't be more comfortable if they tried.

Tower of Terror: Yes the lap bars are gone, but the seatbelts are plenty long enough. This is probably a bad one for people with back problems because the new random nature leads to some surprising jerks, drops and starts. This one continues to be a lot of fun.

Muppetvision: The seats in this theater are really no smaller than any other theatre. Just do the classic sit on the edge and slide in trick and you'll have no problems. Its worth any tight squeeze, it may be the best of the 3-D shows.

Animal Kingdom
Kali River Rapids: This one is a lot of fun, but you won't fit 2 people in the seat if you are large. My fiance and I rode in separate 2 person sides, with just one person, the seatbelt is more than long enough. You will get soaked on this one, consider yourself warned!

Dinosaur: The seatbelts are plenty large, but my knees repeatedly hit the seat and it did hurt. This isn't a problem restricted to large people either, all four people on my row complained of the same problem. However, the ride is so fun and scary, its worth just grinning and bearing it.

Primeval Whirl: This is like a tilt-a-whirl with drops. This is meant for a parent and kid, not a big guy and fiance. Ride this one on separate sides of the car and you'll have a fun time with it.

Thank you again for everything you do that helped put my mind at ease and let me enjoy this great vacation. Feel free to post any of my reviews if it can help put other large people at ease.

February 2005

I am 5'5", 380 lbs. I could not get on the Mad Hatter tea cups. The opening to the cups is VERY small. I had a little trouble with some of the turnstiles at some of the rides, but managed to fanagle through them somehow. I was determined not to let them interfere with my Disney Magic!!! I rode Space Mountain 4 times!!! I found I could get in the front seats with minimal adjustments. I rode Goofy's Barnstormer without any problems. The seats at The Muppet's 3D show were very small. There was enough cushion past the arm rests that I could sit on the edge of the seat for the show, but could not slide back. I rode Big Thunder Mountain without any problems. Thanks for all the tips!!!

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