The Great Metal Detector Debate

[Parkscope Joe]

This is terrible, and the only solution is more netting around guest areas. Metal detectors are a poor temporary solution to a long long long term problem.

 

[MrRoamer]

Only 4 people per RV on Ripsaw!

Ripsaw needed this at the time because it was one of the most dangerous rides in the park.

I'm all for the metal detectors and putting stuff in the locker it protects everyone all around in the end, they don't charge for the lockers so it really isn't that big of a deal (as long as there is locker room). I wish this meant that dueling was coming back, but I wouldn't expect it since potentially harmful objects for this ride could be made of stuff the detectors can't detect.

 

[Brian G.]

So just a curious question semi-relatable to this whole debate:

If wallets are supposed to be stored, how can we be expected to pay for the locker if we go over the allotted time?

 

[Macfr3ak]

Dragons is actually the one place this almost happened to me. Near the exit, one of the tracks whips by the path. Someone's phone (an old, Nokia brick phone) whipped out and shattered on the walkway in front of me.

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Yea, that's a whole different situation. I honestly don't have a problem with detectors at the front of the park to keep things like that from entering.

if this is the case and the area of majority of these incidents... i would think covering this path to the exit would be a good idea. lol

 

[kingcooger]

So just a curious question semi-relatable to this whole debate:

If wallets are supposed to be stored, how can we be expected to pay for the locker if we go over the allotted time?

This happened to me once and I had to borrow money off of someone waiting for their party at the ride entrance and then pay them back. It was a major hassle.

 

[ThemeParks4Life]

I'm all for this. When I go on Rockit I always store my phone in a locker and never have to worry about keeping it secure. Having metal detectors on the coasters might be a hassle for some, but I welcome it.

 

[Kevin38]

It doesn't affect me .I go up the exit anyway .Fiance rides an ACV (her own) so anything I need to store is hanging from that anyway .

Might this be better if they included an option with tickets/passes to pay a few dollars and get Locker anywhere you might need one by scanning your ticket/pass.

I purchased the yearly photo pass more than a year ago for 60.00 now over 100.00 (I know it is a concession) So if they keep
The yearly price down for pass holders they may make more money than lockers are making now.

I wish Lockers would be free but Universal is not going to shut down a revenue stream.

I have one of those blue Universal lanyards(replace the cord it is crap) with Car key, AP,Drivers License (in case AP doesn't scan)a credit card and some cash.
My pockets are empty.I would not even bring my phone except it has park App on it for ride/show times.

 

[sjago13]

I would not mind it for dueling dragons if they dueled. But damn those pics looked bad. If only they had a line for smart people and then the dumb people that will carry their stuff through the detector then argue with park employees.

 

[JungleSkip]

I would not mind it for dueling dragons if they dueled. But damn those pics looked bad. If only they had a line for smart people and then the dumb people that will carry their stuff through the detector then argue with park employees.

It has nothing to do with smart/dumb. It's just bad ops and something people aren't used to seeing...anywhere else in the theme park realm

 

[Quint]

As if by design, an iPhone struck a guest from above this week. These are a necessary evil.

I want to go on record as saying that I do not believe this park wide implementation of metal detectors is because of this one incident. Oh, Twitter...

 

[Parkscope Joe]

I want to go on record as saying that I do not believe this park wide implementation of metal detectors is because of this one incident. Oh, Twitter...

It didn't help.

 

[quinnmac000]

Of course its annoying as crap but lets say you are walking with your family through the park and bam right by DC your child or younger sibling or spouse got hit by a phone (imagine a child in a stroller). I know for a fact I would be cursing up a storm about it. Yea its annoying. Yea it sucks. But its better to be safe than sorry to avoid things that could of been prevented easily. Besides now less people will lose or end up with broken phones., keys, or wallets.

 

[MrRoamer]

I'm along the same line of thinking as you Quinnmac. You know whats annoying at a theme park huge lines, people stopping right in front of you for no reason, people jumping lines. You know what is really really annoying... getting hit in the head by something that feels like a brick.

 

[Teebin]

I wouldn't be surprised if some of this was Universal's insurance company going ape****. They are the ones that might have to pay a major settlement in, let's say, a toddler getting hit in the face by an open pocket knife. No net will catch a slender knife or leatherman tool falling from the heavens.

 

[*Q*]

I don't think there is any good to spin out of this. Obviously the idea here is to make the coasters more safe, but I just don't see this really doing that much. There will still be people who slip through with loose objects that aren't metal that have just as much potential to become a harmful projectile.

To be honest, I would rather see them get rid of the coasters than implementing these metal detectors. Hulk and Dragon Challenge are excellent, and it would be especially sad to see the the Dragon Challenge queue go, but they are still just coasters that you can get an equivalent experience with on other coasters at any number of parks around the world. People still get the misconception big-time that these are coaster parks , so perhaps by getting rid of them and replacing them with attractions on the caliber of Spider-Man, Forbidden Journey, Escape from Gringott's, etc., that could help to hone Universal's image in the public eye as parks where you'll have completely immersive unique experiences in the worlds of popular movies.

 

[MrRoamer]

I think part of the point of the metal detectors may be that it proves that Universal has done everything they possibly can to keep everyone safe and they can't be held at fault. If people actively do carry things onto the ride at that point, they are actively being negligent and can be held liable for their actions.

 

[UniversalCityFL]

a toddler getting hit in the face by an open pocket knife.

Wow, you went dark there.

 

[ThemeParks4Life]

I don't think there is any good to spin out of this. Obviously the idea here is to make the coasters more safe, but I just don't see this really doing that much. There will still be people who slip through with loose objects that aren't metal that have just as much potential to become a harmful projectile.

To be honest, I would rather see them get rid of the coasters than implementing these metal detectors. Hulk and Dragon Challenge are excellent, and it would be especially sad to see the the Dragon Challenge queue go, but they are still just coasters that you can get an equivalent experience with on other coasters at any number of parks around the world. People still get the misconception big-time that these are coaster parks , so perhaps by getting rid of them and replacing them with attractions on the caliber of Spider-Man, Forbidden Journey, Escape from Gringott's, etc., that could help to hone Universal's image in the public eye as parks where you'll have completely immersive unique experiences in the worlds of popular movies.

If anything, Uni has become known as the Potter parks. I rarely see people say their favorite UO ride is one of the outdoor coasters.

 

[Teebin]

Wow, you went dark there.

Not really... As I understand it, this is what happened and why this all started on RRR.

 

[OrlandoGuy]

Bins AT the ride stations for storing personal belongings would go a longggg way in reducing liability and the need for extreme safety measures. People don't bring their pocket knives and cell phones on rides because they want them to fall out and hit people, they do it because the lockers are a hassle and (with cell phones) it's tough waiting in line with nothing to do. If Universal had bins at the exit of each roller coaster (think Busch Gardens/SeaWorld and Six Flags) then you solve this problem. It's how every other park does it and gets away with not having metal detectors at each ride entrance. I know this idea is tough to execute on Dragons and to some extent Rockit but it's better than the metal detector solution which is just embarassingly shoddy.