48" height req???

nicksmom

Earning My Ears
Joined
Dec 31, 2001
Just checked the Disney website for new rides since last yr to get geared up with the kids. We noticed the 48" height req for Rock'nRollercoaster and the Primeval Spin...my 7 1/2 year old is very upset because he measured 47 1/2". Are they very strict with these and will he be afraid (he did Space mtn. about 7 times last yr and loved it)???
 
They are very strict. First time my son tried to get on RnR, they measured twice in line and said "OKAY"- got to the very end after 1 and 1/2 hours of waiting and they said no, but almost. So, after waiting, we had to leave. He cried and cried.
 
Originally posted by jamsmom
They are very strict. First time my son tried to get on RnR, they measured twice in line and said "OKAY"- got to the very end after 1 and 1/2 hours of waiting and they said no, but almost. So, after waiting, we had to leave. He cried and cried.

I can't belive they did that! They are horrible. We are going in Feb. and I'll make sure we don't even try if my daughter is close to the height. :eek:
 
I really think it depends on the kid. My daughter has never been hazed for height at WDW, even when she was close to the mark. She simply breezed right past the guy with the stick like it wasn't her concern. If you stop to ask, you'll assuredly get nailed. If he's 47.5 now I wouldn't worry about it. Good Luck!!:smooth:
 


My daughter is 6 and REALLY wanted to ride Rock N Roller Coaster this trip. She was 5 1/2 last March, and they wouldn't even let her in the building to see the preshow. We measured her and she was only 47 1/4 inches in her bare feet, I think. We had her wear a pair of fairly thick soled shoes - but nothing outrageous. These were the shoes she regularly wears anyway. I also told her she would have to stand up tall when they measured her, as I was sure she would be measured. They measured her outside, but the CM's were laughing so hard at the way she was stretching her neck, I don't think they even checked the stick, but did warn us she would be measured again inside. When we got to the loading zone, the CM measured her, and I'm pretty sure she was just a hair too short, but she was so confident that she was tall enough, they said she was all set! She rode the ride, and LOVED it!

Just be sure that your son has on a pair of fairly thick soled sneakers, and I'm sure he won't have any trouble.

Good Luck!
 
Why is everyone so determaned to get kids on the rides if they are TOO SHORT. Just wait till the next trip, if they have a hight limit, it is obvioulsy for safety's sake. Why risk it?

"Little Bobby just had to get on "Dr. Jeckle's Wild Ride of Terror", so got him 12' shoes, he sure liked the ride, up until that part where he was still too short and flew out of the ride..."
 
They were very strick about meeting the height requirement on Primeval Whirl when we were there in December. We saw several kids who made it through the 1st pass only to be turned away as they were at the top to finally ride. I think there should be more control at the beginning of the line rather than has a child disappointed.
 


No, if they pass through the first time ok...but recheck! So what if they are disapointied, they are safe though...
 
No one is arguing about the need for safety when it comes to height requirements for the various attractions.....however, I do believe that many find the inconsistency in how kids are measured (the example shown above happens quite abit) is not handled as professionally as it should be when safety is concerned.

I still do not understand why the Primeval Whirl ride was purchased off the shelf with a 48" height requirement when there are so few rides in AK to begin with. I saw so many families walk up to this attraction only to turn around when they saw the height pole. I rode while my pregnant spouse took our 2 little ones to the "Dig" area. When I sat down on the seat my knees about hit me in the face. The seats seem to have been sized for a much younger/shorter rider. It just seems that something more child friendly could have been introduced to this park. I have no doubt that my 46 1/2 inch 5 year old would have loved the ride but he is too short due to safety concerns.

Lastly, some say just let your child ride it "next time". Please keep in mind that many families don't get to visit WDW all that often...so while safety is the most important concern, the disappointment for a child who may not be back to ride the attraction for years is understandable.
 
A pair of sneakers with a taller heel should make up that half inch with no problem. I don't think that should affect the safety either.
 
There's nothing wrong with putting your kid in shoes with high soles to make the mark. If the requirement was 48" barefoot, then it would SAY 48" barefoot. You think Disney doesn't know people do this? You think their lawyers would allow it if it was any kind of safety problem?

One half an inch one way or the other certainly isn't going to make any difference, safety-wise. The rides are not designed with that close a tolerance. You can bet that 48" has a hefty "safety margin" built in.

Further, a height requirement either assures that your feet can touch the floor of the ride, in which case tall shoes are just as good as barefeet, or that your shoulders will reach the restraint system. If it's the latter, then it's the height sitting down that matters, not the height standing up. Since not everyone who has the same height has the same leg length, you can see that the height requirement is only an approximation of the safety margin. They have to draw the line somewhere, so they pick 48".

Wearnig tall shoes isn't "cheating." The system is built to accomodate it. These things aren't left to chance.
 

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