Although this story hails from 2007, I think it’s still pretty interesting and somewhat hilarious actually. Disney in Anaheim, California (a.k.a. Disneyland) had to re-construct several of their original rides to accommodate the, ahem, “growing” American public. The log flume ride, “Splash Mountain “specifically, was initially constructed in 1963 on the assumption that the average American male weighed 175 pounds and woman 135 pounds.
These days, the ride accommodates passengers who are well above 200 pounds, or as Disney likes to call it, “Pooh sized”. (This is due to the growing obesity in our country.) And to that I say: Excuse me, but there is nothing cute or cuddly about obesity. Do not take my childhood love of Pooh Bear and compare him to people who don’t understand the term “diet”. If you’re going to use a character to relate to this condition, why not use “Flubber“?
-Julia Fuino
