Well, today was our first Animal Kingdom day, and I had mixed results on FOP. We used a FP around 11:45, and I mentally prepared myself that I wouldn't fit. (I didn't even bother with the test seat -- there were kids climbing all over it.) Once in the ride, I sat down on the seat, making a point to scoot all the way forward, and I lifted my feet up on my toes. The back locked on its own -- the legs did not. But it only took the worker a second to get them to lock -- score! I got to ride!
We had lunch and did a couple of other things. Then we decided to ride FOP standby. The wait time was posted at 90, and TP showed an expected wait of 70. That seemed manageable. Well, of course, one of the theaters went down. So our wait turned into a 2.5-hour ordeal. This time, when I got on the seat, same position as before, the legs didn't lock again. The attendant gave it a half-hearted push or two and told me I'd have to leave. Annoying. So I exited the ride to wait on my husband.
The CM out there immediately gave me two anytime FPs (I didn't ask for them). Then, when she found out I had already successfully ridden once, she asked me if I wanted to try again. When my husband came out, the CM gave him two anytime FPs too. Then another CM escorted us backstage to the front of the line at the loading area. She made a point of telling the workers to send us to the D platform and not back to C, where we had been.
We went through the pre-show again, and I once again sat down on the seat. Same results -- legs didn't lock. This worker asked me if it was OK if she pushed. I told her of course. She gave it a shove, and I was locked in.
So, all in all, my husband rode three times and I rode twice. We could have ridden two more times each with the FPs (they were good for all rides including FOP), but we chose not to push our luck and used them to ride the river journey ride a couple of times.
Moral of the story -- the cast member makes all the difference. The two who worked with me enabled me to ride. The one who gave up sent me away. Other moral of the story -- my husband was the big winner today. He got to ride FOP three times and the river ride twice -- and only waited in standby one time.
I know it helps when people give measurements. I'm 5'6'', weigh 299 and carry my weight pretty evenly. I wear a size 20 pants and a 2X in shirts. I'm a competitive powerlifter, so I have more muscle than most women. I also have HUGE calves. I don't have exact measurements, but I know they're over 20''. And they almost kept me from riding today.
We have two more FPs later in the week for FOP, and I'm going to insist the cast member work to get the leg restraint locked.