The Great Metal Detector Debate

[princeinc]

Guest Experience is huge and this violates it completely..I hope people's first time visits aren't ruined because of this

I love Universal to death and sadly while I was there, i heard a family very frustrated about it in line. It was their first time there so I decided to sugar coat it to help them understand.

 

[Mad Dog]

It seems like the posted ride times for the coasters during the past week and change has been lower than expected. Is this indicating a lot of people are p- - - ed off over the Orwellian security measures?

 

[MrRoamer]

Or it could mean the process is being streamlined and not as many guests have to be sent back to the lockers to stow the items they should have in the first place and then wade through people in line both ways.

 

[rhino4evr]

wait...so you have to go through a metal detector on all coasters now? I figured it was referring to the entrance to the park. That's super lame.

 

[OrlandoGuy]

Or it could mean the process is being streamlined and not as many guests have to be sent back to the lockers to stow the items they should have in the first place and then wade through people in line both ways.

I doubt that was ever a big enough issue that it inflated wait times a noticeable amount.

Was it just wait times for coasters that were short or was it all rides?

 

[ThemeParks4Life]

It seems like the posted ride times for the coasters during the past week and change has been lower than expected. Is this indicating a lot of people are p- - - ed off over the Orwellian security measures?

The average tourist won't know about this until they arrive at the ride. Back when they forced you to empty your pockets without metal detectors, I saw barely anyone leave; they just went straight to the lockers.

 

[UNIrd]

Waits were Hulk this weekend were low. I went through the Metal Detectors and I had to show them my inhaler. Told them I needed it and they let me pass. Wasn't a big deal but I was with two other friends. Had I been solo, I would not have ridden without my phone, especially if I had no Express.

- - - Updated - - -

Also, I wore my glasses during the ride.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

wait...so you have to go through a metal detector on all coasters now? I figured it was referring to the entrance to the park. That's super lame.

At UOR? Metal detectors at RRR, Hulk, and Dragons.

 

[ThemeParks4Life]

The metal detectors are here to stay. There's no "immediate plans" to add them to other rides.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/busi...al&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

 

[Teebin]

^ Blocked from clicking and reading that article? Another example of using google for something. Google has special rights with newpaper articles and if you search google for the basics "Orlando Universal metal detectors" the link will allow you to read the exact same article. Put that in your pipe. :smiley:

 

[Mad Dog]

^ Blocked from clicking and reading that article? Another example of using google for something. Google has special rights with newpaper articles and if you search google for the basics "Orlando Universal metal detectors" the link will allow you to read the exact same article. Put that in your pipe. :smiley:

Great tip on circumventing the pay block. Thanks Teebs.

 

[ThemeParks4Life]

^ Blocked from clicking and reading that article? Another example of using google for something. Google has special rights with newpaper articles and if you search google for the basics "Orlando Universal metal detectors" the link will allow you to read the exact same article. Put that in your pipe. :smiley:

That's weird, I was reading it fine when I clicked OU's link in the Twitter feed, now when I click it I need to be a subscriber.

 

[IAmFloridaBorn]

This is an interesting perspective. I believe the anger is primarily due to the phone and network you must loose for a long line. I am one of those older people that wonders why many younger persons are so addicted to having their face in that pudding 16 hours a day. On the other hand, someone like skubersky like many others makes his living by communicating live. I guess he doesn't do Uni coasters anymore. :blank:

Well people should know how to adapt in place where things are constantly changing, or at least expect it. It's for safety. I'm quite baffled at the amount of people on here who could care less about safety due to their impatience of wanting to get a locker or their defiance in wanting to follow rules. I am only 24 not really old, but I have no problem putting my phone away. In Fact, my girlfriend and I only bring one of our phones (JIC) something happens. I have yet to figure out other than photos of something new or something you will never see again, why people must have their phones on rides. I've never been to a non Florida theme park, so I'm not sure how other amusement parks where most guests are from operate but the locker rental, and metal detector dont bother me one bit.

And Teebin I cant tell you the amount of times I've seen a guests to be asked to remove their had or shades and then put them back on during the ride, only to lose them and complain. People forget Universal while also looking our for guests and employees, has to lookout for themselves as well and they are allowed to do so.

 

[Teebin]

That's weird, I was reading it fine when I clicked OU's link in the Twitter feed, now when I click it I need to be a subscriber.

Right, twitter has probably obtained the same exceptions, just like google. It makes sense really, the papers want eyes, but they also want paying eyes.

 

[IAmFloridaBorn]

Right, twitter has probably obtained the same exceptions, just like google. It makes sense really, the papers want eyes, but they also want paying eyes.

If it remains, you are only allowed to read 5 Orlando Sentinel articles from your web browser a month. You have almost unlimited access to articles older than two weeks I believe. At lest that is how it is for me as a non subscriber.

 

[anihilnation]

There is an easy way to read sentinel articles you have to pay for, the text loads first, then it loads the sign in thing, so I just quickly click on stop loading the page and I can read it.

I wonder, how will the metal detector debate be this summer. Will be frustrating with non-English speaking tourists, especially if there also might be a shortage of lockers.

 

[rhino4evr]

My wife and I usually rent a locker , primarily to change our clothes after the "wet rides", so having to go to yet another locker just to put your phone away seems a little obsessive. At this point, I'd consider just leaving all of my stuff in the rented locker, but then I wouldn't have a camera either.

The other thing to consider is that everyone carries a cell phone these days. Which means that literally everyone will need to use a locker, vs only the folks that had large bags or loose items before. Unless they've built a bunch of new lockers, I would imagine this will cause some serious congestion.

The only real beneift I can see out of this, is the abiity for the Dragons to "dual" again. Which I still feel will not happen due to UOR lawyers still being "worried" about potential injury, regardless of the security measures.

 

[anihilnation]

In HRRR lockers are at least room, in DC it is a nightmare even when there are not a lot of people. Good thing is that at least the time to rent for free was large, when I went last Monday, HRRR had the free locker for 1 hour and DC for 50 minutes.

 

[Milla4Prez66]

I haven't been to Universal lately because I've been busy with work and other things but I went yesterday and honestly had no clue they were doing this. Going through a metal detector to get on the Hulk was frustrating, not to mention that for some reason my fingerprint wasn't working well trying to get into the park and I didn't like how I was being treated as I tried to prove my pass was legit. I was planning on spending the day, eating lunch and possibly grabbing some more Universal merch but instead decided to go home after riding the Hulk because I was frustrated. Universal cost themselves some of my money, and I've been a long time loyal pass holder and never ever ever have been frustrated at Universal at any point until yesterday. I hope they seriously consider making changes to the way they do things because I don't want to feel like I'm going through airport security to get into IOA or go on a ride.

 

[shiekra38]

I haven't been to Universal lately because I've been busy with work and other things but I went yesterday and honestly had no clue they were doing this. Going through a metal detector to get on the Hulk was frustrating, not to mention that for some reason my fingerprint wasn't working well trying to get into the park and I didn't like how I was being treated as I tried to prove my pass was legit. I was planning on spending the day, eating lunch and possibly grabbing some more Universal merch but instead decided to go home after riding the Hulk because I was frustrated. Universal cost themselves some of my money, and I've been a long time loyal pass holder and never ever ever have been frustrated at Universal at any point until yesterday. I hope they seriously consider making changes to the way they do things because I don't want to feel like I'm going through airport security to get into IOA or go on a ride.

Wait, they're at the front entrance too?