Featured Image Credit: Universal Studios Hollywood
Topics: Super Mario, Nintendo, Twitter
Emily Brown
A new Mario Kart ride at Universal Studios in Hollywood has been accused of being 'fatphobic' after a few customers were able to try the ride ahead of its official opening.
Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge will open to the general public on 17 February, when guests will be able to strap on Virtual Reality (VR) goggles and be transported to Mario Kart courses alongside Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach.
Customers will be held in to the ride with safety restraints as they take part and steer through various courses, but the ride has received criticism from some Universal Studios pass holders who were able to give it a try during a preview event.
After giving the ride a go last month, one customer took to Twitter to share their thoughts.
They wrote: "Nothing but wonderful things to say about Super Nintendo World except this: the body size limitations on the Mario Kart ride are absolutely ridiculous. I’ve never had any issue fitting into any ride in my entire life, and I can BARELY fit into this one. Completely absurd."
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A description of the ride shared on Twitter explains: "Guests whose waist line is at least 40" or greater may not be accommodated on the ride and are strongly encouraged to try the test seat provided at the entrance of the attraction to ensure their ability to ride."
Responding to the limitations of Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge, another Twitter user wrote: "Still mad about that 40-inch waistline requirement for the Mario Kart ride. It's just blatantly fatphobic, there's nothing about it that can't accommodate a bigger human. Let alone an average-sized one, as 40 inches is hardly monumental. I'm a few pounds from there myself!”
In spite of the attention the 40-inch waist size guideline has received recently, it's actually not new at Universal.
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The park has long used this figure as a 'general guideline to help guests plan their visit', and rather than preventing some customers from going on the ride altogether, it is 'instead meant to encourage guests to try a test seat' or to speak with a member of the Universal team before riding to ensure customers can do so safely and comfortably.
In a statement to UNILAD, a spokesperson for Universal Parks and Resorts commented: "We are always listening to our guests and seek to balance their needs against our strong focus on the safety of our attractions.
"We have a company-wide task force actively working with this community to make changes that can help them safely increase access to our experiences.”
Universal has also said it is in the process of making enhancements to improve the accessibility of its rides for customers.