Thrill safely: A guide to Disney World ride restraints
Here’s a breakdown of the Disney World ride restraints and where they are used.
Walt Disney World boasts a dazzling array of rides and attractions, catering to all ages and thrill levels. But excitement always goes hand-in-hand with safety. To prioritize guest well-being, Disney World employs a multi-layered safety approach. This includes meticulous ride design, comprehensive Cast Member training, and most importantly, a variety of restraints specifically chosen for each attraction.
These restraints come in many forms, from the familiar lap bars found on classic rides like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad to more advanced harnesses used on high-speed experiences to lap belts, a staple on attractions with sudden stops or drops, to prevent riders from being thrown forward. Shoulder harnesses, used on rides with inversions, offer additional upper body support. Disney also utilizes headrests for neck support and even immobilizing restraints for extreme thrill rides.
Before considering restraints, the very first safety measure at Disney World is ensuring guests meet the height requirement for each ride. Age isn’t the primary factor here; it’s all about ensuring a proper fit for safety harnesses. Whether it’s a lap bar, seatbelt, or another restraint, the correct height guarantees the child can be securely positioned for a safe and enjoyable ride. You can find all the height requirements for Disney World here.
Here’s a breakdown of the Disney World ride restraints and where they are used:
Disney World ride restraints
Lap bars
Made of padded metal or plastic, these bars secure riders in their seats with a mechanical or hydraulic locking system. In most cases, the Cast Members will ask you to pull back on the lap bar to secure it. Lap bars can be loose enough to be several inches from your body to to those that fit snuggly depending on the ride.
On roller coasters and other more intense rides, after you pull back and secure the lap bar, Cast Members will ask you to try to push it forward so they can check that it is locked. On other rides, the lap bars will come down automatically, such as when riding the Haunted Mansion. You will even receive a warning from the Ghost Host, “Do not pull down on the safety bar, please. I will lower it for you.” And when riding Peter Pan’s Flight, watch as the Cast Member sprinkles a little pixie dust to “magically” make the lap bar go into place.
Here are the attractions that use lap bars:
Magic Kingdom
The Barnstormer
Big Thunder Mountain
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spring
Haunted Mansion
Peter Pans’ Flight
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Space Mountain
The Many Adventures of Winnie The Pooh
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure (coming June 28, 2024)
EPCOT
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
Hollywood Studios
Minnie and Mickey’s Runaway Railway
Slinky Dog Dash
Toy Story Mania
Animal Kingdom
DINOSAUR
Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain
TriceraTop Spin
Disney Springs
Market Train Express
Marketplace Carousel
A staple on rides with sudden stops or drops, lap belts prevent riders from being thrown forward or out of the vehicle. Disney uses lap belts with a yellow strap for easy buckling. The direction of the lap belts is not uniform throughout the park; some go left to right and some go right to left, so listen carefully. After you secure yourself into the seat, Cast Members will come around and ask everyone to “Pull on the yellow strap” so they can check to see that the belt is secure.
On some rides, like Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Cast Members will request you raise your hands after asking you to tighten the lap belt strap. This isn’t for show. These rides have drops, and in the past, some guests have tried to loosen their belts for a more intense experience. Raising your hands ensures the belt automatically tightens through a ratcheting mechanism, preventing any attempts to loosen it.
In one instance I observed at Disney’s California Adventure, a Cast Member even ensured guests were sitting back in their seats for optimal belt positioning. They politely reminded one guest three times about sitting back in the seat, and explained that refusal could lead to them being removed from the park.
Here are the attractions with lap belts:
Magic Kingdom
Astro Orbiter
Dumbo the Flying Elephant
The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
Prince Charming Regal Carousel
Tomorrowland Speedway
EPCOT
Soarin’ Around the World
Test Track
Hollywood Studios
Alien Swirling Saucers
Hollywood Studios
Millenium Falcon: Smugglers Run
Star Tours: The Adventure Continues
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Animal Kingdom
Kali River Rapids
Shoulder harnesses
For rides with more intense movements or inversions, like Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, shoulder harnesses provide upper body support in addition to a lap bar. Similar in function, they ensure riders stay securely in their seats.
Here are the attractions with shoulder harnesses:
EPCOT
Mission Space
Hollywood Studios
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
Immobilizing Restraints
For rides with extreme motions, inversions or to provide special experiences, specialized restraints are used to keep riders securely in place. These might include full-body harnesses or devices that wrap around the back and legs.
Here are the attractions using immobilizing restraints:
Magic Kingdom
Tron Lightcyle/Run. Note that if you physically can not use the restraints you can request use of the cars that have lap bars.
Animal Kingdom
Avatar Flight of Passage
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Important Upcoming Dates
May 28: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train opened in Magic Kingdom in 2014. We celebrated its 15th anniversary.
May 29:. “Up,” by Disney and Pixar, was released in 2009 and went on to win two Oscars. We celebrate its 15th anniversary.
May 30: The film “Maleficent” premieres in 2014. We celebrate its 10th anniversary.
The Disney Vacation Club Member Lounge in the Imagination! Pavilion will undergo a temporary closure from June 2 through July 13.