40" is 40" is NOT 40"...

[scanmom]

We went to Six Flags over Texas a few years ago. I took my youngest to kiddieland. He was/is tall for his age. He was TOO TALL for the rides. The emplyee(s) said he could ride with a younger/shorter sibling, but not w/o someone shorter than him.I still don't get that, there was NO ONE in the lines, and they were running the rides 1/2 full. Plus, he is still the same height, even when he is with someone shorter. Now, he was maybe 1" taller than the required under 40", but o.k. Of course, he was too young to try many of the big rides (at six flags the big rides are HUGE and INTENSE). Anyway, we went to ride the bumper cars, and they told him he was TOO SHORT!!!! I just about blew a gasket (o.k, I did blow a gasket!) I told that girl that we had paid for an ADULT ticket for him to get into the park, and that BY GOD, he better be able to ride SOMETHING!!!! I told her that they could have it one way or the other, either he is short, or too tall, but she better decide! Needless to say, he rode the bumper cars!! I think it blew her mind when I flipped out on her. But he had been so disapointed at kiddieland, and he LOVES bumper cars, I was not going to let them take everything from him, especially since I paid about $45.00 for him to get in!

 

[Dippy Dawg]

Hmmmmm...I might just have to bring a tape measure with me on my next trip in case they challenge my DD.

We are leaving Friday and I have marked on a door frame in my house with tape at the 40 and 44 inche marks and my DD and DS are right at the marks. I also, after reading this thread, just removed the repractable tape ruler from my DW's sewing box. It will make the trip with us, just in case. I am not trying to be difficult, people who know me know I am an easy going guy - hell Disney is my favorite place to go- I am just trying to prevent any unnecessary dissappointments to my children.

 

[twinsmom&dad]

Madhouserobey, Hersheypark system is nice. We had friends whose daughter was right at the height for one of the coasters. Her height was real close using the measuring guide at the entrance to the ride, but thought she was good. Wait in line and get to boarding area and worker measuring says it is too close to tell!?!? Sends her to guest relation for "official" measurement. My friend said the lady measuring said "whew that is close" and actually had her stand taller w/chin up to make it. That is nice to know what rides u can do before waiting in line only to be disappointed. Our ds was measured at dr w/o shoes before trip and was over 40" but when measured at ride he didn't make it w/ shoes on?? We were not aware of the measurement we could have gotten at gr. Just wish consist measuring could be done. We are going in may and ds would love to ride sm. He just measured 43.5" at dr office w/o shoes so who knows what he may measure at ride.

 

[Schmeck]

People shrink during the day, folks. It could very well be that the child was 40" that morning, but less than 40" later on in the day.

Don't bother bringing a tape measure - the CM is not going to go by someone else's measuring device. The liability is too high.

A doctor's note stating that the kid is 40"? Disney won't accept that either. It has to be a Disney-created measurement. Otherwise, they'd be getting sued every half an hour by people with kids 39 3/4 " tall.

 

[Twigs]

People shrink during the day, folks. It could very well be that the child was 40" that morning, but less than 40" later on in the day.

This is true, and what I was thinking of while reading this thread.

 

[Tinkim]

People may very well shrink during the day but I don't think that is the real problem. I think it is either different measuring devices or the CM's perception of height. We went to WDW last January and DD was 48-1/2 inches tall so she should have been tall enough to ride everything. We went on most rides with no problem. She went on TOT no problem (40") and then we headed over to RNR. She went the first time and they measured her and she was good to go. We literally came off the ride and went to get some other people in our party to ride and DD wanted to go again. When she got in line they told her she was too short to ride. We explained that she had just walked off the ride so she was tall enough 10 minutes ago and they let her back on. The same thing happened at Primeval Whirl at AK. Went on the ride twice. First CM measured her and said she was tall enough and second one said she was too short. Again, she was allowed to ride after we explained she was already on the ride and the CM re-measured her and sent her through. Seems like a matter of CM's perception of height and/or inaccurate measuring devices as both times it was literally a matter of minutes between the time she was "tall enough" and "too short." We just came back in February and DD no longer has to be measured and is able to go on all the rides which is good because she is my daredevil.

 

[erinch]

IF your child is "just" the right height, (I'm not talking about beating the system don't flame me), there are some things which work (we seemed to be in this boat with both kids at several heights.)

Get "platform" tennis shoes" which add a couple of inches. My DD only had to remove these once.

Bring your own tape measure. On RnR my DD passed one CM, got snagged at the second. I whipped out not one but 2 tape measures, proved she was the right height and they let her on. (We WERE backing up traffic.)

Go back again. CMs change frequently.

You SHOULDN"T have to do any of this if your child is legally the height. But these do work to produce more fun and fewer tears.

 

[BettyCv]

We went to Six Flags over Texas a few years ago. I took my youngest to kiddieland. He was/is tall for his age. He was TOO TALL for the rides. The emplyee(s) said he could ride with a younger/shorter sibling, but not w/o someone shorter than him.

I would have been livid! If the ride is clearly safe for someone OVER the height requirement, and it was obvious that it was not an older child just abusing the ride (ex. a bunch of teenagers riding the kidddie rides), your son should have been allowed to ride.

Shame on them! I hope you complained to management...

Betty

 

[marciemi]

Add us in as someone who's had this trouble at Disneyland. When we went in 2003, we measured my son at home, on carpet, and figured he was close to 52 inches without shoes. However, it was a rough estimate, and I really wasn't sure. We went to Knott's Berry Farm first and he wanted to ride Xcelerator. I brought him to the CM there (more to show him he wasn't big enough) and he WAS! He easily hit the bar and rode it several times and also rode the freefall ride (can't remember the name) which was also 52".

We then spent 5 days at DL/CA. The first day we went to the official measuring station and the green light lit up and he got a 52 inch wristband (we still have it!). He rode Maliboomer that day and several other days we were there and never (even without the wristband on subsequent days) was questioned. On our last day, we went to ride it in the morning and "sorry, he's too short". He had 2 pairs of tennis shoes with him (both similar, just regular tennis shoes) so we thought maybe that was the difference. When we went back to the hotel, he switched to his other shoes (I really couldn't tell you which ones he'd been wearing each day). Went back to the park and he was STILL too short. Measuring station was closed for the day, last day there, so sorry. I felt bad for him, but at least he'd gotten to ride it several times before.

I posted this when we got back and had people flame me for trying to get him on a ride he was too small for?!!? What frustrated me (and sounds like it is frustrating everyone else) was that THEY officially told me he was big enough several times, then suddenly he wasn't?! Also, at the ride, I don't remember any bar over his head - it was more like just hold the pole up to him and use the CM's judgement to hold it up straight enough, have him stand up straight enough, and guess if his head was higher than the top. Seemed really subjective to me, which is probably where the problem lies!

We have had this problem at other parks, though. We go to Cedar Point (Ohio) a lot, and when both of my younger sons were big enough to go on Millennium Force (one of their biggest fastest rides) the requirement was 48". They went to Park Ops, were "officially" measured, received a wristband, rode every other 48" ride in the park without question, but when they got to that one, EVERY time (and this was 2 years apart for the 2 kids) they were too short by close to an inch! Didn't take a genius to figure out their measuring device there was off - maybe intentionally just for some added safety?

For those of you planning to bring a tape measure - I agree Disney might not honor your holding it up and showing them that you child is big enough. BUT - I'm thinking you could use it to show them their stick wasn't 40"! If enough people do this, maybe they'll start measuring their own 40" sticks to see that they are in fact 40"!

 

[chipnwendy]

People shrink during the day, folks. It could very well be that the child was 40" that morning, but less than 40" later on in the day.

That's great information to know, except for the fact that we rode Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at night, and Dinosaur and Test Track well after the time of day that we tried to ride Tower of Terror. Maybe this attempt at an excuse is in the training packet as well.

 

[Poohgirl]

Boy, I'd be bringing one of those soft tape measures. Re-measure the bar right in front of them! Geez you think they could get it consistant. Poor kids.

 

[Sheaboys]

I would have been livid! If the ride is clearly safe for someone OVER the height requirement, and it was obvious that it was not an older child just abusing the ride (ex. a bunch of teenagers riding the kidddie rides), your son should have been allowed to ride.

Shame on them! I hope you complained to management...

Betty

We had this happen at Six Flags New England. DS was 36 inches tall. I knew he would not ride many rides, but they charge by height not age, he was not 2 yrs yet. So I had to pay for him as a child, but he was too "short" to ride many rides, because they used the L shaped measure. So they would have to see if they fit under the top bar, well because he is shy around strangers, he would duck to under the bar and never stand up, he did not understand about standing straight against it, so he would duck under it. Needless to say, he rode 2 rides, 1 with me and 1 with the other 2 boys, everything else he was considered "too short".

 

[BostonRob]

If your child is within an inch, you've got to know you could potentially have problems. Accept that and prepare your children for that.

 

[4greatboys]

It is very frustrating for parent and kids. I do understand that the CM's are just doing their job but there needs to be some uniformity about it. The wrist bands would be great.
It is extremely frustrating to ride a ride then plan on going again only this time to be "to short".
It's like that at Universal as well. Ds 4 got to ride MIB and when we went to reride he was suddenly to short Our next trip he was measured 3 times before getting on the ride. Does that mean each measurer did not have faith in his fellow employees that measured my ds previously?

 

[BostonRob]

Does that mean each measurer did not have faith in his fellow employees that measured my ds previously?

If you were being hald accountable for the safety of a child, would you trust your fellow employees?

 

[jekajekalynn]

I agree with seeing later if a different CM would let them on. After all, there is the HUMAN factor, and humans do error, it's just natural when one is measuring something that alot of ppl can get different measurements from the same thing (learned that from Chem class). So would hope some day disney could put into effect something along the lines of a computerized system where the kids can line up against a wall or something, and a computer measures it , and if they are tall enough they can get there hands stamped. Just my humble opinion.

 

[4greatboys]

If you were being hald accountable for the safety of a child, would you trust your fellow employees?

I understand your point but how many times does one kid need to be measured to get on a ride? 1 time fine but by the 3rd time its getting to be to much.

 

[BostonRob]

I understand your point but how many times does one kid need to be measured to get on a ride? 1 time fine but by the 3rd time its getting to be to much.

I've thought about this and I can honestly see the need to be measured twice.

First, you should be measured when you first get in line. Nobody wants to wait in line for 30, 40, or 50 minutes, only to find that their child is too short.

Second, I know you were already measured, but I can see how the person who's actually responsible for loading the ride would need to measure for themselves.

So yes, its ridiculous, but yes, I think it is necessary. Which brings me back to my original point, which was, understand there may be problems and prepare your child accordingly.

 

[4greatboys]

If you were being hald accountable for the safety of a child, would you trust your fellow employees?

I understand your point but how many times does one kid need to be measured to get on a ride? 1 time fine but by the 3rd time its getting to be to much.

 

[pdarrah]

BostonRob - understand there may be problems and prepare your child accordingly.

Actually, I did prepare my DS and although he was dissappointed not to go on Body Wars we did not have a meltdown over it or anything.

However, I think the original point of this thread (which most of us agree on!) is that Disney should look at this particular procedure and think about fixing it. There are 2 issues: 1) The various measuring devices are not the same - 40" is NOT 40" everywhere and 2) There is also human error in the repeated measuring. If creating a "measuring station" isn't practical, how about the child receives a wrist-band wherever they are first measured? The CM's in those positions would presumably be trained to measure accurately and (hopefully!) the measuring "sticks" would all actually be 40". Then they would only need measuring locations at the front of the ride and not at the loading area also.

Besides making guests less annoyed (We were told my DS was tall enough at the entrance to Body Wars, but he was too short when we got to the front of the line - definitely annoying since it was just the 2 of us so "baby swap" wasn't even an option and we waited in line for nothing.) having wristbands and less time spent measuring might speed up the lines at some of these rides. I don't buy the argument about people switching the wristbands to another child - they use them at PI to show who is over/under 21 and they put them on tight enough that you can't slip it over your hand without cutting it.

pdarrah