39 inch Pity Party

[mrzrich]

I was really hoping this would be the trip when we didn't have to baby swap anymore. My DS3 gets so sad when his bib brother talks about Test Track, Soarin' BTMR and Splash.

We are leaving a week from today. Just measured DS. Nope...39 inches. Oh well.

BTW I am not soliciting advice to increase my child's height (Lifts, shoe stuff etc) I would never do that as I realize the restrictions are meant to keep him safe.

I'm just having a pity party.

 

[Local_Girl]

Sorry about your DS and the height thing. Perhaps one parent can distract him in those 2 parks (MK and Epcot) while another parent takes your older son on those rides...maybe he could ride a special ride at that time, or have a special treat. Perhaps you could speak to your older son in advance and ask him to keep his enthusiasm about those particular rides low key around his little brother. I realize it's hard not to be excited about your favorite rides, but maybe if you explain that his little brother is especially sad because he can't go on those rides, he'll understand. Good luck and have a great trip!

 

[stargrazer]

Appreciate the honesty! I'll commisurate with you, but I'd still let the cast members measure him just for sure, but would tell him in advance that you don't think he'll be able to do it. But with all there is to do, I'm sure you will manage to stay very busy - and very entertained! Just build up some other things you can do that are special - and make them even moreso and more important, and the memories you will make will be better than any ride ever could.

 

[mrzrich]

Sorry about your DS and the height thing. Perhaps one parent can distract him in those 2 parks (MK and Epcot) while another parent takes your older son on those rides...maybe he could ride a special ride at that time, or have a special treat. Perhaps you could speak to your older son in advance and ask him to keep his enthusiasm about those particular rides low key around his little brother. I realize it's hard not to be excited about your favorite rides, but maybe if you explain that his little brother is especially sad because he can't go on those rides, he'll understand. Good luck and have a great trip!

I wish I could quell Big Bro's excitment, but he's autistic and its hard to explain the situation to him. We do keep our younger son amused with special treats and activities (ex. Character greetings, rides) But he wants to be just like his big bro.

 

[GEM]

I feel your pain. My DS (who will be 4 in May) JUST BARELY made the cut off for Barnstormer on our trip last week! That's right. He just squeaked in at 35 inches. At this rate, he'll be married before he can go on any of the "big" rides. It's a real shame, too, because he's the bravest little thing in the world, and I know he'd love them. He was so sad that he couldn't ride the "big fast train on the snowy mountain" (Everest). Oh well. It just gives us a reason to go back!

 

[Susan555]

We're in the same boat. My thrill seeking 5 year old is 1/2 inch too short for Rock N Rollercoaster and I think one other ride (Primeval Whirl, perhaps?), and she's pretty bummed about it. She wants to go on EVERYTHING. Of course my 7 year old son is tall enough, but scared of everything. Same is true at the waterparks - he's scared, and she's mad because she can't go on all the slides! Now she MAY sprout up that half-inch before April, but I doubt it as she just had a growth spurt. Like you, we also will not be doing anything to make her appear taller, as I went on a rollercoaster that went upside down and was pretty intense as a child - I was several inches too short, but no one cared - I have had neck and back problems my whole life, and doctors tell me that it looks like I was in a major car accident as a child. It had to be that ride, because that's when the problems started, and I wasn't in an accident. It's just not worth a lifetime of pain to let a child go on a ride or two they're not tall enough for - the rides will still be there next year! She'll be upset, but she'll get over it.

 

[CleveRocks]

We have a 6 year old son and 4 year old daughter. Our girl is petite, 39.5 inches tops. We feared she would get turned away places, but we tried anyway. No problem with Star Tours on our first day.

But on our first MK day, we tried strolling right past the FASTPASS return CM at Splash Mountain. He wisely asked us to stop so he could measure her, and she was just barely too short. He denied her admission. Tears, as you can expect. We decided I should still ride with our 6 year old.

When my son and I met up with the girls, my daughter was just fine. My wife told me that she told our daughter the "real reason" the two of them had to miss the ride, not because Mollie was too short but because "Mommy is too fat to ride" (which is funny in itself if you could see my wife). Our daughter bought it, no problem. For the rest of our stay, we planned in advance to separate the kids when needed, so that she wouldn't feel like she was missing out (e.g., the boy and I went to Epcot early one morning to do Test Track and Mission:Space and the girls met us later at Imagination, the boys did Tower of Terror and the girls did the Beauty and the Beast show, etc.).

Anyway, here comes the funny part. On the first morning we woke up at home, our daughter wakes us up by bounding into our bed, all excited. She tells us she grew in her sleep and now she was tall enough to ride Splash Mountain. My wife told her how happy she was for her, and if we could go back today she'd look forward to all 4 of us riding Splash together. My daughter gets a concerned look on her face, puts her hand on my wife's shoulder, and with a dead-serious face tells my wife, "You still can't ride, Mommy, you're still too fat."

 

[RachaelRol]

daughter gets a concerned look on her face, puts her hand on my wife's shoulder, and with a dead-serious face tells my wife, "You still can't ride, Mommy, you're still too fat."

That was so cute. I could see my son saying the exact same thing!!1

BTW, awesome planning with the boy and girls activities!!!

 

[jagruti6]

I can relate my DS3 is measuring 39.5 right now, and were going back in may, we are hoping for another growth spurt, (he just had one around december). He desperately wants to ride splash moutain with daddy.

 

[Disneyolic]

One year my 2nd son was just shy of 40 inches and was extremely bummed he couldn't go BTMR. As he was getting measured, the CM told us maybe we should go buy a pair of cowboy boots so he would be tall enough. I was a bit shocked and said, that's okay. I'm just glad my son didn't hear it!

This year our sons are big enough but my almost 3-year-old daughter won't be. We'll see what happens.

 

[beattyfamily]

I'm sure most parents can relate as almost every child has taken a trip right before they make a height requirement.

Is the 39 inches before his shoes are with them? Just curious. When my DD was 47 inches without shoes she just made it riding RnR because with shoes she was just over 48 inches. She was so happy. I warned her before our trip, though, that it might be close so not to get her hopes too high.

We never did any tricks to make our DDs taller.

Don't worry, they grow so fast, you'll wonder where the time went.

 

[disnut8]

Our granddaughter was five on her first trip and she either didn't ride the attractions because of the height or because she just flat out didn't want to do it.

So we turned a negative into a positive. Every time she couldn't go on something, the adult with her found something else to do and we came up with the "we're doing something that (so and so) will never do on this trip!" She rode Triceratops Spin while the others were on Primevil Whirl. No one else rode Triceratops Spin. She explored the Boneyard while the others went on Dinosaur. The others (I sound like a Lost episode) just came later to pick her up. We had a nice snack and a great talk while her parents went on Haunted Mansion. While the others went into Sounds Dangerous, we made a quick run through MGM to find her princess hair ribbons. No one else had princess hair ribbons. She and I explored the Rose Garden wihile the other rode Space Mountain. I will never forget her romping through there and asking why I was taking that man's camera and taking a picture of the couple. They were on their honeymoon and hadn't had an opportunity to get a picture of the two of them together (this was before PhotoPass).

That was four years ago and those memories are still stuck in my mind.

 

[SnoWhiteRabbit]

I know your disappointment. For the first time, on our last trip all three of mine were tall enough! But we were so nervous all year, I kept joking that I was "growing them" for Disney. I praised them at every meal when they ate healthy etc. I had a measuring line marked in my dining room and they would measure themselves from time to time when they were done eating...when we left for the last trip, 2 were definitely tall enough, but one was just onthe border line -- we weren;t sure if he would make it...He did, but it was stressful worrying that year and the year before when 2 of the 3 were not tall enough.

You will still have a great trip, but I know what you are going through...Measure at each ride just to be sure (I too wouldn't try any tallness tricks for safety sake...) Sorry to hear he probably won't get to ride this year...

As they say on the boards whenever something doesn't go as hoped, "...a reason to go back..."

 

[mmiller711]

Two years ago my DGS was still too short for almost all the "big" rides. His biggest dissappointment was Dinosaur. We really played up the fact that this year he was big enough to ride Kali River Rapids! That was his "special" ride that year.

Also, while my DD was waiting with DGS while we rode Dino he kept measuring himself just in case he grew enough before we came out for the child swap. The CM thought it was so cute she gave him a special fast pass he could use the next time he came back. It was really cute and said something about how the Dinosaurs had been waiting millions of years and would still be here once he grew. We didn't use the fastpast when we went back because I was afraid they would keep it. It is in his scrap book.

 

[DisMN]

Anyway, here comes the funny part. On the first morning we woke up at home, our daughter wakes us up by bounding into our bed, all excited. She tells us she grew in her sleep and now she was tall enough to ride Splash Mountain. My wife told her how happy she was for her, and if we could go back today she'd look forward to all 4 of us riding Splash together. My daughter gets a concerned look on her face, puts her hand on my wife's shoulder, and with a dead-serious face tells my wife, "You still can't ride, Mommy, you're still too fat."

Now a tip to all those dealing with that last 1/2 inch. Sometimes, not always, but SOMETIMES if you go to the ride in question right away in the morning, I mean immediately upon getting to the park........you'll be met with the pleasant surprise of having "grown" overnight. For most people the body does shrink throughout the day and they're at their tallest in the morning!

I hope this helps one or two disappointed short people.

*disclaimer* this is a safe and "legal" way to possibly gain that smidgen of height neccessary to ride the height restricted rides. obviously it is not guaranteed to work. LOL

 

[seetheworld]

I was really hoping this would be the trip when we didn't have to baby swap anymore. My DS3 gets so sad when his bib brother talks about Test Track, Soarin' BTMR and Splash.

We are leaving a week from today. Just measured DS. Nope...39 inches. Oh well.

BTW I am not soliciting advice to increase my child's height (Lifts, shoe stuff etc) I would never do that as I realize the restrictions are meant to keep him safe.

I'm just having a pity party.

I can really understand your frustration. My 3 Y/O is almost 39 inches and we are going in 2 months. I maybe using the child switch passes too if he doesn't make the 40 inches in time. I figure some of the 40 inch rides will be too scary for him anyway or too big and fast, so we will be using the switch anyway. Here's hoping your 3 Y/O grows an inch quickly. I understand!

 

[mom*to*2*princesses]

I'd like to join your party! DD#2 is 37 inches without shoes and we leave in about two months. For a while we had hope that she'd make it in time, but there's just no way. She just had a growth spurt and it's over. I know she won't be too disappointed because she's never been to WDW before and doesn't know what to expect, but I wish , we could do rides like Soarin' as a family. DD#1 is 45 inches and not ready for some of the bigger rides, so she'll be just fine. We're going to split up at times to make sure nobody feels left out.

Yearly trips to WDW aren't in store for us so it'll be 3-4 years before we go again. What can you do? At least everyone will be able to ride together. I do feel your pain.