Help DS is 39" with shoes on.....

[mesaboy2]

1. First this is a great article. I left some comments to even make better.

Someone has already responded over there and mentions wristbands and handstamps at Kali River Rapids. I wonder what that's about?

 

[Disneyhenry]

One other bit of advice for the OP ... if your child is NOT tall enough and you decide to try and skate through anyway, please do NOT cause a scene when the CM says "I'm sorry, but no."

It is not the CM's fault that your child is too short or that the height requirements are set as they are. If you feel it necessary to contest the measurement, feel free to ask for a manager, but understand that the manager is going to measure your child too. So if you go in KNOWING that your child is too short, the manager will discover that too.

If you have issue with the height requirements themselves, feel free to stop by Guest Relations and register your complaint.

But please remember that the CM is simply doing their job. They get no delight out of denying your child a spin on Space Mountain, and they're not doing it as a personal vendetta against you or your family. Yelling at them will not get your child on the ride. Bribing them will not get your child on the ride. Making a scene will not get your child on the ride.

Also ... if there is a ride that your child wants to ride but cannot go on because they're not tall enough, be sure to ask the CM for a "When You're Tall Enough" FP. Most of the rides will give your child a fastpass to use when they ARE tall enough, that will take them to the front of the line.

Thanks I would never push it like that, I know it is their job and it is something they dont have control over, believe me. I would never be rude to any CM, never, even more so with my DS with me.

I use to work as a bag handler for an airline, I got yelled at all the time for people's bags getting ran over, lost and torn, even more so when something happen to their pets. And not once did I do it LOL i was just the messenger.

Disney is a happy place, I like to keep it that way......no reason to get upset or be rude so yelling at a CM just not my style

 

[WicketsMom]

Our son was in the same situation when we went a year ago, he was about 39 inches with shoes on. The hard part was that his older cousin was slightly over the height requirement, so one could ride and the other couldn't (except for the one time he did get through to ride Soarin' with us....).

We drew marks at home for him to measure against before our upcoming trip and he is about 40 1/2 inches now barefoot and looking forward to getting on the rides he missed out on last time. He even still has a fast pass for Tower of Terror that the CM gave him when he didn't measure up that is good for our next visit!

Prepare him for the worst, hope for the best, and tell him if he eats his vegetables that he has a better chance of being tall enough to ride!

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

I was at WDW last week and personally saw CMs measuring and re-measuring children. They would also take the second measuring very seriously. I saw 4 children turned away within inches of the ride. It was so sad that the parents even tried. They made it worse by doing this to their child. Also, they made one young girl take off her shoes.

Safety is an issue. A few weeks before we left a man flew out of his car on a roller-coaster near our home. I am sure that this has put many amusement parks on alert.

If it was me, I would measure my child the week before we went. I would then make the decision whether or not it would be worth it for me to even allow them to try. I would feel horrible if my child made it through the first measuring just to be turned away at the second.

Have a good trip!

 

[chartle]

Someone has already responded over there and mentions wristbands and handstamps at Kali River Rapids. I wonder what that's about?

I had heard about the wristbands at Kai. They are only at that ride.

 

[jcemom]

I think Disney's height markers are pretty much spot on. When DD measure 40 1/2" in shoes at home she was able to ride all the 40" rides at Disney, but just barely. Soarin' was the one ride that measured her repeatedly, every time we rode. The others measured her too, but didn't double and triple check like Soarin' did.

So, I think if your DS isn't noticeably over 40" in whatever shoes he'll be wearing while he's there, he isn't going to be able to ride those rides. DD is small for her age, so she's used to being told "next time" at Disney and other parks. It's disappointing, but it isn't the end of the world. It will give you a good excuse to take another trip!

 

[dipity]

I had heard about the wristbands at Kai. They are only at that ride.

Kali has a special seat with an additional restraint bar for the smaller kids. The wristbands / stamps makes sure the cm's loading the boats get the small kids into that seat.

Mouse pads....

 

[mnmhouston]

DD is 39 1/2 inches and we leave in 2 weeks. She won't be growing 1/2 inch in 2 weeks, but hopefully will reach the marker and be able to ride.

 

[chartle]

Kali has a special seat with an additional restraint bar for the smaller kids. The wristbands / stamps makes sure the cm's loading the boats get the small kids into that seat.

Mouse pads....

Oh, OK makes sense, but do they still measure every time. I'm thinking no.

I guess they could do the same at Soaring but they have the built in markers on the seats so no need to.

 

[KimK2006]

DD is 39 1/2 inches and we leave in 2 weeks. She won't be growing 1/2 inch in 2 weeks, but hopefully will reach the marker and be able to ride.

She won't grow 1/2 inch in 2 weeks, but if the 39.5 inches is without shoes, most shoes easily have 1/2 inch boost. Be prepared for a "no", but you can always give it a try!

 

[Rocco]

Each night before bed you could hang him by his feet from the rafters in the garage. Tie 50-100lbs to his wrists. That should stretch him out enough to meet the height requirements.

 

[book_junkie]

Or you could see if Willy will let you use the Taffy Pull.... Worked for Mike TV...

 

[mnmhouston]

She won't grow 1/2 inch in 2 weeks, but if the 39.5 inches is without shoes, most shoes easily have 1/2 inch boost. Be prepared for a "no", but you can always give it a try!

Honestly, if she couldn't go that would preclude me from going on some rides that I'm not necessarily thrilled to go on. Only problem is that I will be alone with DD3 and DD8 for part of the trip and DD8 won't be able to ride them alone.

 

[webshark3]

Have we learned nothing from Duff Gardens?

 

[disneychic2]

Prepare him for the worst, hope for the best, and tell him if he eats his vegetables that he has a better chance of being tall enough to ride!

Best advise on the entire thread! Love the veggies part!

 

[SnipsNSnails]

Just hope for a growth spurt. My 4 yo is in an extended one at the moment! He was 40 in. in Dec and loved BTMR, we were only in MK for the day and it wasfreezing so this trip he is looking forward to Splash (I think we'll still skip Space), Soarin', TT, and probably Star Tours, we'll have to see if he request ToT, not sure if he's ready for that and we'll be skipping Dinosaur too. But imagine my surprise when he was measured in June and was 43.75 in! Well, I assumed at that point that he would probably be good for EE too, which he would love to do, talks about the yeti all the time. I measured him in his sandals and he was 44.5 in. so I told him, we'll measure you when we get there and you might be able to ride. We measured again tonight, we still have about a month left, and he measured 44.5 in. barefoot So I am almost certain EE will be a go if he wants to ride it. I am shocked that he has grown 4.5 inches in 8 months, 3/4 in. in the last 1.5 months.

My youngest is about 36 in. at 2.5 but thankfully grandma and grandpa are coming along and grandma is not a thrill rider so she's happy enough to stay behind with the little guy.

 

[suemom2kay]

How old is your son since you're in such a rush to get him on TT, etc.? I just don't understand the rush. It is o.k. for kids to be told no. I think we forget that. My DD is in the 15th percentile for height/weight. There are a LOT of rides that she is ready for according to her age/emotionally at the age of 10, but she is too short. We focus on what she can do and having fun as a family.