Following a successful trial period in March and April, Universal Orlando has now made metal detectors outside three of the park’s rollercoasters a permanent addition in an attempt to improve ride safety.
Designed to keep riders and onlookers safe from flying objects, passengers are scanned with a metal wand before boarding and can then safely store keys, phones and change – items prohibited by the park while on rides – as well as anything else they may have on their person, in free lockers at the station.
One of the main things monitored during the trial period, was to see if the detectors caused a significant change in wait time. In an effort to avoid this, Universal stationed extra staff members at the rollercoasters to man the detectors and hold the wands and deemed that there was not a significant change in wait time.
The new safety procedure will hopefully reduce flying objects from rides, which in 2011 led to a 52-year-old man losing an eye on the park’s Dueling Dragons twin-coaster. The rides to include the new safety measure are The Incredible Hulk, Dragon Challenge (formerly Dueling Dragons) and Hollywood Rip Ride Rocket.
