40".....with shoes or without?

[bayareadisneyland]

My daughter is 39.5 inches w/ no shoes. We are going in a few months and I'm really hoping she will be big enough for some of the fun rides for older kids. Are all the DL measuring sticks exactly 40"? Or do they pad for shoes? Thinking if I put her in tennis shoes she will just reach 40"--- or maybe she will grow .5 inches by then.

Thanks!

 

[ParkHopper1]

With shoes...and teach your little one how to stand up tall. Difference between standing tall and slouching can be the difference between riding and not riding.

 

[Mysteryincorp]

They measure with shoes on.

 

[agamble]

The one people complain about is Jumpin' Jelly Fish. Apparently kids who measure up to other 40" rides may miss the mark on that one. We did not have that problem, but DD was 40" without shoes. They must touch their head on the bottom of the height marker, so teach her not to be afraid of touching it. Sometimes the kids kind of duck because they don't want to touch it.

 

[MomForFrozenAddicts]

With shoes, even the ones with 1 inch sole. LOL

 

[bayareadisneyland]

They measure with shoes on.

Oh I understand they measure w/ shoes on. I guess I was just asking if they measure exactly 40 inches from the ground...or is their measurement a bit higher to account for shoes.

 

[agamble]

Oh I understand they measure w/ shoes on. I guess I was just asking if they measure exactly 40 inches from the ground...or is their measurement a bit higher to account for shoes.

It's 40" from the ground.

 

[wilkeliza]

It is 40" to the Disney measuring tape so it may be different than what you have at home. Not all measuring tapes are created equal so keep that in mind. If your child is exactly 40" with shoes the best approach is to let them know that you will try but there is a possibility they may not make it. Also remember it is the measuring stick at the ride load that matters. So take Radiator Springs for example. You could wait say 3 hours for the ride because you were told at entrance your child was long enough just to get to the load platform and be told no. It happens more than people think. So always be aware that when your child is right on the cusp there is no guarantee until you are actually on the ride.

The best tactic is to ride in the morning as you are your tallest then. Also make sure you are measuring your child on hard surfaces and with the shoes they will be wearing most in the parks. Now it doesn't happen often but a CM is allowed to ask that a child be measured with out shoes This does not happen often but has happened at some of the coasters when it is clear the child's shoes are stuffed or they are wearing very thick shoes (think platform shoes not cowboy boots).

 

[bcwife76]

If you're not going for a few months then your dd will definitely be 40" by then, she'll for sure grow 1/2 inch Our youngest DD was *just* 40" when we went on our last trip (first week of Oct 2015). I, too, was worried about Jumpin' Jelly fish but she was fine for it (she really REALLY wanted to do this ride for some reason lol).

We just booked a return trip for the end of August so I measured my youngest again and she's now 43"! Holy growth spurt batman! lol Now I'm hoping she'll magically grow another 3" by the end of August so we can do Indian Jones with her

 

[Mr. Baloo]

WIth Shoes and use good posture!!! may as well teach them now.... have fun!!!

 

[WillowRain]

My then 4 year old couldn't get on some things day 1, but then could day 2, because of different shoes. It was on GRR, and the CM even said "Stand up tall kiddo"

 

[peterpanandwendy]

Yeah, I noticed that Disneyland's tape measure was slightly taller than mine at home. I think they have it a bit taller to compensate for shoes. At home my boy was 40 with shoes using my tape measure, but he didn't reach the line for some of the stuff at Disneyland. I just smiled and nodded and told him next time because I understand that they are just trying to keep them safe.

 

[sheetz]

One thing I've heard is that you should go on the rides early in the morning because you will be slightly shorter as the day progresses due to spinal compression.

 

[WDWLODGE]

One thing I've heard is that you should go on the rides early in the morning because you will be slightly shorter as the day progresses due to spinal compression.

This is very true. A couple of years ago my DS was right at 44" and was able to ride Mission Space at Epcot earlier in the day. On our way out the same day we decided to ride it again and he measured like a quarter inch too short.

 

[Jkpark]

This is very true. A couple of years ago my DS was right at 44" and was able to ride Mission Space at Epcot earlier in the day. On our way out the same day we decided to ride it again and he measured like a quarter inch too short.

We have had this experience, too. Hit her head easily in the morning, and definitely not touching in the afternoon. Same daughter, when she was finally ready for Screamin, she chickened out day 1. Decided she was ready day 2 and it was down most of the day. When it came back up - she wasn't tall enough.

We have also had the experience of getting through the first measure and then not the second measure. Anytime they are close - just be prepared for all of these variables.

 

[Malcon10t]

Oh I understand they measure w/ shoes on. I guess I was just asking if they measure exactly 40 inches from the ground...or is their measurement a bit higher to account for shoes.

I have personally measured all the "sticks" at Disneyland. The 40" mark is exactly 40"... That said, Jumpin' Jelly Fish is 41". All other rides, the sticks are exactly what they are supposed to be. Be aware, measuring 40" needs to done on a hard floor, not carpeting, and teach your child to stand up straight and not duck under the bar. Biggest issue is kids are afraid of hitting their heads.

 

[superme80]

My younger 2 were "40 and 32" by Disney standards. I expected my youngest son to be too small. He just BARELY made it on Mater's Junkyard Jamboree. My middle was just tall enough for Radiator Springs and Star Tours. The shoes did have thick sols.