One thing that Nintendo has focused on in the last several years is expanding its brand meaningfully. By that, we mean they desired to take their beloved IPs out of being “solely gaming properties” and turn them into something more. We’ve already seen part of the results of that with the upcoming Super Mario Bros Movie. But another avenue they are taking is with theme parks. In 2020, Super Nintendo World launched in 2021 and was a huge success. So much so that they immediately made plans to bring it to the United States. The one in Universal Studios Hollywood is set to arrive next month.
You’ll have access to many spots when you go there, but most would agree that the live-action Mario Kart ride, known as “Bowser’s Challenge,” is the main event. The ride lets you pilot your own kart, and you’ll have a VR experience as you do it! So hearing that, you can see why so many people would want to get in the karts and have fun.
But therein lies the problem. According to the Wall Street Journal, some people who have been let into the park thanks to preview sessions aren’t able to ride the ride. Why is that? According to them, the karts don’t allow for people of a “bigger size” to fit properly.
Specifically, if you have a waistline of 40 inches or above, you won’t be able to ride in the kart. That has made several mad as usually the only restriction for rides is height. What’s more, this is one of the “star attractions,” and yet they can’t get access to it thanks to the limitations of the kart.
The President of Premier Rides, who made the experience, heard about these complaints and made the following statement:
“Our first priority is always the safety of the guests and the employees. We balance that with a very focused effort to make the rides as accessible as possible.”
It’s unclear if such a “limitation” can be remedied in the future, but it’s something to keep an eye on. The small piece of good news is that you’ll be able to find out if you can fit in the kart outside the ride, as they have a testing area there.
Should you not be able to enjoy the kart experience, Super Nintendo World does offer more to do. There are interactive experiences, a Mario-themed buffet, and more that will come as time passes.
