CM Measuring height- when?

[jessiesgurl]

I just wanted to know exactly when do they measure for height? I don't want my entire family to be waiting in line and then right before we get on they measure...

So, I guess to be a little more clear: can we measure kids before we get in line, or do we have to wait until the entrance of the ride for height verification? Just trying to deflect a future potential melt-down...



Thanks!!

 

[aaarcher86]

Sometimes both.

They'll measure at the front but if it's close they'll measure again at the ride.

 

[Gracie09]

Sometimes both.

They'll measure at the front but if it's close they'll measure again at the ride.

And just be aware of they fail the second one they will not be allowed on the ride.

 

[Mousemommy1]

As the PP's said, definitely at the beginning, and often (especially if the person is just at the height) at the end. Our youngest daughter was actually measured 3 times on space mountain. Once at beginning, once right before they split you up to the different sides, and once right before she loaded...she made all 3 checks though!

 

[DopeyDame]

Like others have said, there are two points when the kid might get stopped. Once at the entrance to the line and once right before they get on the ride. DS rode Star Tours three times on our last trip. All three times he was measured twice. He was so proud of himself each time he made it.
I think it's pretty rare for a kid to be denied on the second height check - I'm pretty sure it's just there to make sure that no one tried to sneak a kid on by distracting the entrance CM or something. But still... it can be nerve wracking after you just waited in line!

 

[puffkin]

My DS5 was right at 48 on RnR the other year. It was freakishly unbusy the night we were there and there was not much of a wait. He made both checks no problem the first time through. He was so excited when he got on, the CM was laughing. He loved it so we decided to hop in line again. It literally was only 15 minutes later and he made the check outside but then on the inside check they refused to let him on. The CM's had rotated positions. Of course he started bawling right there on the platform, but the manager remembered him from 15 minutes ago and let him on again thankfully.

So yes, it really does happen that they turn them away at the ride platform.

 

[MomTo3PrincessesInNJ]

This is one thing that REALLY bugs me about WDW. We go to a lot of theme parks and I've never had the measuring problems we encounter there.

My favorite park for "measuring" is Hershey park. Guest services will measure you when you enter and you get assigned a color wrist band that indicated what "level" rides you are tall enough for. That way the ride operators don't have to waste time measuring you, one look at your band and they know if you are tall enought or not -- your height should only need to be verified once, IMO.

 

[kmb584]

This is one thing that REALLY bugs me about WDW. We go to a lot of theme parks and I've never had the measuring problems we encounter there.

My favorite park for "measuring" is Hershey park. Guest services will measure you when you enter and you get assigned a color wrist band that indicated what "level" rides you are tall enough for. That way the ride operators don't have to waste time measuring you, one look at your band and they know if you are tall enought or not -- your height should only need to be verified once, IMO.

Agreed! We go to Hershey several times over each summer and I love the wristbands!

 

[Gracie09]

Agreed! We go to Hershey several times over each summer and I love the wristbands!

They use to have them until parents were slipping or snipping them off the taller child to place them on the wrist of the shorter child and then getting a new one for the taller.

 

[leahlefler]

We went to Sea World in San Diego in 2012 and they also used the wristbands. My younger DS was *just* at the 42 inch mark, so it was a relief to get the band so he could ride all of the 42 inch requirement rides. I loved the band!

It is too bad they can't encode the child's height on their magic band in some way...

 

[SirDuff]

They use to have them until parents were slipping or snipping them off the taller child to place them on the wrist of the shorter child and then getting a new one for the taller.

I've heard that said before (and I believe it). But, why isn't it a problem at other parks (like the example given of Hershey)?

 

[aaarcher86]

I've heard that said before (and I believe it). But, why isn't it a problem at other parks (like the example given of Hershey)?

The amount of foot traffic through the park is a ton less. Just statistically it'd be occurring at a higher rate at Disney over other parks.

I don't know. I feel like people act entirely different at Disney then they do at normal theme parks. Maybe it's the price difference. I feel like there's a lot of things that happen at Disney that don't seem to be much of an issue at our local parks.

 

[wilkeliza]

I've heard that said before (and I believe it). But, why isn't it a problem at other parks (like the example given of Hershey)?

For Hershey it isn't a big deal because it is about a third of the cost of a single day at WDW. Also most families don't build up Hershey park as a once in a lifetime experience. Everyone I know who goes to Hershey typically makes the drive out there once a year at least. Disney however the same people only go once or twice in their child's youth if that even. So Disney has this status of being a do it all now in one trip or your kids will never get to do it. With many families having that mentality they are more likely to try and cheat the system.

 

[Gracie09]

For Hershey it isn't a big deal because it is about a third of the cost of a single day at WDW. Also most families don't build up Hershey park as a once in a lifetime experience. Everyone I know who goes to Hershey typically makes the drive out there once a year at least. Disney however the same people only go once or twice in their child's youth if that even. So Disney has this status of being a do it all now in one trip or your kids will never get to do it. With many families having that mentality they are more likely to try and cheat the system.

Also say a child who was under height did get on a ride and get hurt - Disney is a much higher profile target to sue. Think of all the publicity they get about well, anything. Kid killed on Space Mountain would be front page everywhere.

 

[SirDuff]

For Hershey it isn't a big deal because it is about a third of the cost of a single day at WDW. Also most families don't build up Hershey park as a once in a lifetime experience. Everyone I know who goes to Hershey typically makes the drive out there once a year at least. Disney however the same people only go once or twice in their child's youth if that even. So Disney has this status of being a do it all now in one trip or your kids will never get to do it. With many families having that mentality they are more likely to try and cheat the system.

Makes sense. More enticement to lie at Disney.

 

[MomTo3PrincessesInNJ]

For Hershey it isn't a big deal because it is about a third of the cost of a single day at WDW. Also most families don't build up Hershey park as a once in a lifetime experience. Everyone I know who goes to Hershey typically makes the drive out there once a year at least. Disney however the same people only go once or twice in their child's youth if that even. So Disney has this status of being a do it all now in one trip or your kids will never get to do it. With many families having that mentality they are more likely to try and cheat the system.

I guess we're out of the norm -- our kids have been to Disney twice as many times as Hershey, and we live right outside of Philadelphia.

 

[NotUrsula]

FWIW, I can tell you one thing: if your child is RIGHT AT 40", don't carry them in the queue. I experienced this with my own kids, and I've seen it many times as a bystander... IME, for the 40" rides, CM's will always be stricter about re-measuring just before boarding if they see a child being carried in the queue. If they are walking when they approach the loading zone they are much less likely to be stopped.

(Note that I'm not advocating cheating in any way. I'm talking about kids who just make the cutoff at the ride entrance. The measuring sticks at the loading zone are often hand-held, and the slightest change in angle on the measuring stick can cause you to lose 1/4" and be denied boarding. Avoiding that second test when you can is your best bet.)

Also, for kids who are just this height, it is a very good idea to make a "practice" measuring stick for them before the trip. The natural inclination of kids that age is to try to duck UNDER the bar, not bump it with their heads, so it is a good idea to have them practice standing up really straight and TRYING to bump their heads on the top part of the stick.

 

[puffkin]

I guess we're out of the norm -- our kids have been to Disney twice as many times as Hershey, and we live right outside of Philadelphia.

Us too, lol. 60 minutes to Hershey and we only go at most once a year. My kids have been to Disney way more, lol.

 

[jessiesgurl]

FWIW, I can tell you one thing: if your child is RIGHT AT 40", don't carry them in the queue. I experienced this with my own kids, and I've seen it many times as a bystander... IME, for the 40" rides, CM's will always be stricter about re-measuring just before boarding if they see a child being carried in the queue. If they are walking when they approach the loading zone they are much less likely to be stopped.

(Note that I'm not advocating cheating in any way. I'm talking about kids who just make the cutoff at the ride entrance. The measuring sticks at the loading zone are often hand-held, and the slightest change in angle on the measuring stick can cause you to lose 1/4" and be denied boarding. Avoiding that second test when you can is your best bet.)

Also, for kids who are just this height, it is a very good idea to make a "practice" measuring stick for them before the trip. The natural inclination of kids that age is to try to duck UNDER the bar, not bump it with their heads, so it is a good idea to have them practice standing up really straight and TRYING to bump their heads on the top part of the stick.

Thank you! My daughter is just about 40" ... but, she can be quite dramatic at times (wonderful 3 y/o... I don't know what's worse, 2 or 3! ) which is why I wanted to know when they measure. It'd be horrible to have to wait in line only to be told when you're in the front of the line you can't ride.

Thanks for the info, everyone!

 

[AZMermaid]

We went to Sea World in San Diego in 2012 and they also used the wristbands. My younger DS was *just* at the 42 inch mark, so it was a relief to get the band so he could ride all of the 42 inch requirement rides. I loved the band! It is too bad they can't encode the child's height on their magic band in some way...

We were there this past June and they did not use wristbands any more. My 3 year old was right at 42" too. I prepped him he might not make it on the raft ride or Atlantis, but he just made both.