ORLANDO, Fla. – With just 10 days left before the opening of Pandora - The World of Avatar, one woman told News 6 that she couldn't get on a new ride during a preview due to seat size restrictions.
Jackie Gailey contributes to several Disney and travel-related websites. She went to Disney's Animal Kingdom on Monday for the preview.
Gailey said before she went, several people were posting on discussion boards that they weren't able to meet the restrictions for the new Flight of Passage.
"This is the first time since I've been going to Walt Disney World that I've ever not been able to ride something because of my size," Gailey said. "I felt (the safety harness) click in, and it was tight. I mean, it was real tight. But I thought, 'All right, well, I'm in.'"
Gailey said that's when she heard a cast member tell another guest they wouldn't be able to ride before walking over to her.
"Then the cast member said the exact same thing: 'I'm really sorry. Unfortunately, we can't get the seat locked, so you are not going to be able to ride,'" Gailey said.
Gailey said of the 16 people on the ride, four were told they didn't fit. She said another three people in the room next to hers were also taken off.
"There was a man and a woman, and the man was so angry that he actually took his backpack off of his shoulder and threw it down the stairs," Gailey said.
Gailey said the Disney cast members were extremely supportive, and told her they were keeping track of how many people were taken off the ride.
"I hope they can get it to where they can just make it more adaptable for everyone and all body types," Gailey said.
Walt Disney World Resort said its goal is to always design rides that can accommodate as many guests as possible, but seating and constraints might prohibit some guests from riding.
Again, it is important to note the attraction is still not open to the public.
Disney also said it plans to install a test seat of the Flight of Passage at the entrance so guests can check to see if they fit.