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View Full Version : Do Air Gates Make You Feel Safer?



MonorailMan
06-04-2002, 05:23 PM
I saw on TV that one of the things that Disney is doing is air gates on most rides. So I have a question: Do Air Gates Make You Feel Safer?

My Answer: Yes, but No. Yes, I think Air gates are great to prevent someone falling into the track, water, Etc... But, In a way I feel like air gates provide a false sense of security, I saw one kid on BTMR who was leaning on the gates, and it opened, then closed very rapidly.

What's your opinion on the issue?

Disney Nick
06-04-2002, 05:29 PM
I personally don't feel I need air gates, but Disneyland guests do "leave their brains at the gate" so I defintely feel it is necessary. Especially for small children who like to play on that and around everything. I definitely don't think it is wise to lean on an air gate, as is shown in the story you told.

Mouse
06-04-2002, 05:39 PM
Have you ever seen a kid so excited that they lunged at ride before it had come to a complete stop at the station?

I was momentarily scared out of my wits once as my little sister lunged towards the rockets on space mountain while they were still in motion (no air gates), but the cast member at the station could lunge as quick as my sister and stopped her in her tracks her with her arms out stretched like a wall. Had the cast member not been so alert my sister (or any child acting without thinking) could have been hit by the moving rocket.

My sister is not impatient or unruly, but in her excitement she was not thinking about waiting for a cast member's signal to board. The air gates are an in-your-face red light green light for those who are not paying attention.

MonorailMan
06-04-2002, 05:42 PM
I say Space Mountain needs the gates! It seems to be very dangerous without them. :)

Barbacide
06-04-2002, 06:32 PM
I would like to see It's a Small World get airgates. I don't know how many times I've seen kids walk right into the canal because there were no airgates to protect them. Goodness, I mean can't we do more to protect our world from stupid people.

As well airgates make me feel a lot safer from other guests. An airgate between guests getting out of a ride and myself waiting means they cannot get out and accidently bump into me as they stupidly try to exit through the entrance. You would think the highly trained "pointers" and "elbow grabers" would be enought, but sadly, they are not.

Now I find this post must come to an end, but first a bit of advice:
Don't play with power tools.

mousey_girl
06-04-2002, 08:21 PM
The idea of the gates is good, the only prob we had was at BTMR, they closed so fast they came really close to pinching little fingers. It does help contain over-excited kiddies, and that is well worth any minor pinching. (and he will only be pinched once!)

Ace
06-04-2002, 08:50 PM
I think you should be required to have an IQ higher than that of your sock to enter Disneyland... wait, there goes 2/3 Disney's business....

Tigertail777
06-04-2002, 09:05 PM
I just find out what a livewire is, and now I gotta ask this. What the heck is an airgate???

Mouse
06-04-2002, 09:19 PM
Originally posted by Tigertail777
I just find out what a livewire is, and now I gotta ask this. What the heck is an airgate???

Air gates are safety gates at the front of loading aisles in a ride that remain closed until a cast member flips the switch to open them after it is safe to board.

Kayoss
06-04-2002, 09:35 PM
I heard Small World IS getting airgates, this very refurb. But on my last trip it didn't look like it..........but I guess we'll see!

Disneylandman
06-04-2002, 09:49 PM
Yes I do feel better about other people with airgates... but with me it doen't really matter. I feel safer at Disneyland than I do anywhere.

FantasmicFan82
06-05-2002, 12:43 AM
it's called idiot-proofing, we all know that. it doesn't make me feel safer, but it makes feel better knowing that there's less of a chance of the ride breaking down due to some idiot.