- Early reviews have praised Universal's Super Nintendo World for bringing the Mario Bros. to life.
- Size restrictions for the park's flagship ride have spurred backlash among critics.
Universal's Super Nintendo World in California, set to open later this month, has received rave reviews for bringing a vibrant video game world into reality.
But its flagship Mario Kart ride has spurred backlash, because its seat-size limits riders to those with a waistline smaller than 40 inches.
"Nothing but wonderful things to say about Super Nintendo World except this: the body size limitations on the Mario Kart ride are absolutely ridiculous," Rocco Botte, a prominent gaming influencer, wrote on Twitter. "I've never had any issue fitting into any ride in my entire life, and I can BARELY fit into this one. Completely absurd."
—Rocco Botte (@rocco_botte) January 31, 2023
The virtual reality ride takes park-goers through a race course using a slow-moving kart attached to a rail. A safety handbook released by Universal advises that the ride is not suited for riders whose waistlines are larger than 40 inches.
Four other rides at the park have similar restrictions, prompting discussion online over limited accessibility at theme parks.
"Man, Universal Studios' Mario Kart ride is a bummer for those of us who don't fit the size requirements!" one user wrote on Twitter.
—Bit Boy (@BitBoy682) February 3, 2023
A Universal spokesperson told Insider that size limitations are nothing new.
"We are always listening to our guests and seek to balance their needs against our strong focus on the safety of our attractions," the spokesperson said. "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."
Still, others on social media took to humor, as well as hostility over the ride's accessibility.
"How does the Mario Kart ride at Universal have a size limit when it's inspired by the game that has Wario, Bowser, DK, and Peach in her wide diameter dress driving the karts no problem?" one user wrote.
—Darsan Solomon (@Dizzyidiot) February 1, 2023
Correction: February 6, 2023 — An earlier verison of this article misstated the location of the Mario Kart ride at Universal's theme park. It is in Hollywood, California; not Florida.