BTMRR Reopens May 3 with 38” Height Requirement

I would think. They called back a small set in January that worked overnight until a couple weeks ago.

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Attractions CMs worked overnight?

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Yes, she was working something like 10:30 pm to 6:30am Monday-Thursday at BTMRR and day shift at Tiana’s on Sunday. The fluctuating schedule was brutal for her.

Talking to her now and she said she’s heard people say ‘it’s a kids right now!’. The CMs are speculating that they haven’t revisited the safety checks in a long time, long time and requirements have changed since then.

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What do they do overnight?

According to her, a whole lot of nothing. They set them at the various stations and have them send trains when needed. She wasn’t a fan.

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That sounds terrible! And not like it has helped move things along!

She is really excited that they are getting close to reopening. She was ok at Tiana’s but she LOVED being at BTMRR.

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I am reluctant about this kind of thing. I have had to push my elementary schooler’s head up more than once on a roller coaster that he was plenty tall enough for. They did this (lower the height requirement) on a bunch of rides at our local Six Flags park last year. I was shocked. I have a feeling it is some sort of industry standard change because it was lots of coasters around our whole park and they hadn’t had any changes.

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Just to add: I have full trust that Disney would not lower the height requirement if they didn’t believe it was safe. My concerns are more internal to my own comfort and rationality. :sweat_smile:

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This article talks about the change, but is mainly a discussion of possible factors. The author thinks it is likely a combination of all three categories. These include:

Revised Track Profile

A modified track profile with adjusted banking, reduced g-forces in certain sections, or smoother transitions could allow for a lower height threshold. Even subtle changes to the ride’s dynamics can affect safety calculations.

Updated Ride Vehicles

The new trains feature refreshed seating. Changes to seat depth, lap bar geometry, or the relationship between the seat and restraint could better accommodate smaller riders while maintaining safety margins.

Modern Safety Standards

Height requirements are typically based on testing standards from when an attraction opened. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad debuted at Magic Kingdom in 1980. A new safety review using current testing protocols and updated crash test data could result in different height thresholds without any physical changes to the ride experience.

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This article had some closer-up views of the restraints. The lap bar looks identical and the openings on the sides look the same size. The cushioning seems more extensive though. “Changes to seat depth” and “relationship between the seat and the restraint” seem to be the most likely candidates IMO.


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Well if I get a chance to ride it I will try and find her to say hi!

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Please do! Her name is Taylor!

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