? about the height requirements

[PineapplePrincessCA]

Are the height charts that are used to make sure kids are old enough to ride the rides fully accurate, or do they allow for "shoe allowance"?

I'm wondering specifically about Splash Mountain. My DS is just a hair over 39" when he's barefoot. With shoes it, he's just baaaaarely 40". I don't want to take him on any of the big scary roller coasters, but I really think he'd love Splash Mountain.

I'm just wondering if he'd make the height requirement on this ride since he'll be measured w/ shoes on.

Thanks

 

[BlueBayou]

I think he should. Mine have been fine at Splash when they have been close. Just make sure he knows how to "Stand Tall." My girls kind of slouch sometimes

Make sure his knows "You might be tall enough to ride" hoping to keep him from being too disappointed if he does not make it. Also - when you are that close, you could make it one day or on one ride but not another ride.

 

[TSRE]

Yeah, it is measured with shoes on, so I always tried to put them in shoes with thicker soles if they were barely at the right height. So true that they might make it one day and not another - depends on the CM.

 

[Disney Dreams]

They are extremely strict about "measuring up." If they can slide 1 piece of paper between the top of your child's head and the measuring mark, no ride. Literally, a piece of paper.

- Dreams

P.S. Whether switching out shoes or doing other various things to "make" a kid taller is a very hot button issue here on DIS. Remember, ultimately, it is about your child's safety, not about whether they get to have 3 minute experience.

 

[PineapplePrincessCA]

They are extremely strict about "measuring up." If they can slide 1 piece of paper between the top of your child's head and the measuring mark, no ride. Literally, a piece of paper.

Well so much for trying to spike his hair that day!

 

[nutshell]

Hats help too.

 

[01spirit750]

Yes, and no tall boots. Hats and mickey ears must be removed.

With my daughter (who was just 40" in sneakers) we had her practice standing tall at home(without standing on her toes).

A big thing was she would always duck down as she walked to the gauge. This is due to the height gauge sticking out towards you and the natural reaction is to duck down.

So I had her walk to the side of the height gauge and then turn around and face away from it. I then had her slight over to her side and go under it.
Doing this always resulted her head touching the height gauge and not allowing here to stand exactly undersneath it.

She never had a problem and rode all the rides she wanted to (Space, Splash, Soarin, BTMRR etc.

The funny thing is that she is now 42+" and she still asks the cast members to measure her on the rides she is obviously tall enough for.

 

[brergnat]

Set your child up by saying "let's see if you're tall enough". Remember, his head has to TOUCH the top of the stick. If not, no go.

The problem is, 40" on one ride might not be 40" on another. While all the sticks are the same, the ground is uneven in some places where the poles are placed, and that can make the difference many times. For some reason, Jumpin Jellyfish at DCA is EXTREMELY difficult to measure up at. My son didn't get to ride that until he was almost 41" because he was always "too short", even though he wasn't.

Don't get hung up on how tall your child is at home. That makes NO difference at DL.

And, hats must be removed, and yes, they are strict about it.

Also, keep in mind, on Splash Mtn, you cannot sit next to your child. You will be sitting in a front to back log with a seatback behind each person. You have to know that your child is mature enough to NOT try to stand up during the ride, as there are no restraints and you can't really hold them very well.

 

[pixiewings71]

Actually, just a quick note, on Splash you can ride next to your child, if you ride in the very back you can sit 2 side by side. Just so you know.

 

[Smokering]

OK, slightly OT, but... how old were your kids when they hit the 40-inch mark? My daughter's just turned two and is of average height; we're planning on going around her third birthday. I really have no idea how tall the average just-on-three year old girl is! Should I get my hopes up she'll be able to ride some 40-inch rides, or not? (I live in NZ, so don't even think in inches!)

I don't imagine she'd be too upset if she missed out - she might find those rides too scaru anyway. But I'm curious!

 

[stevejanelle]

My, over average sized son, was 42" at 3 yrs 11 mo. and enjoyed all the rides he was tall enough for (except TOT). We'll try that this summer at 4 yrs 11 mo- now 45.5". Hoping for 46" for Indiana Jones and Jurassic Park at US by mid-June (c'mon growth spurt).
My, over average sized daughter, is 36" at 2 yrs 1 mo..

 

[PineapplePrincessCA]

Don't get hung up on how tall your child is at home. That makes NO difference at DL.

That's kinda how it is at Seaworld (for the few rides they have). The measure stick is WAY off.

Also, keep in mind, on Splash Mtn, you cannot sit next to your child. You will be sitting in a front to back log with a seatback behind each person. You have to know that your child is mature enough to NOT try to stand up during the ride, as there are no restraints and you can't really hold them very well.

Hmmm.... OK, interesting. It's been 10 years since I've been on Splash Mountain, but I thought it was one of those "sit the person in front of you" rides. hmm.. This'll probably make a difference in whether or not I take him on the ride. He'll be good about sitting down, but that drop at the end...well... mommy is going to want to hold on to him! LOL

Actually, just a quick note, on Splash you can ride next to your child, if you ride in the very back you can sit 2 side by side. Just so you know.

Is this an up-to-date picture of the boats?

Two people can fit in the back?

OK, slightly OT, but... how old were your kids when they hit the 40-inch mark? My daughter's just turned two and is of average height; we're planning on going around her third birthday. I really have no idea how tall the average just-on-three year old girl is! Should I get my hopes up she'll be able to ride some 40-inch rides, or not? (I live in NZ, so don't even think in inches!)

I don't imagine she'd be too upset if she missed out - she might find those rides too scaru anyway. But I'm curious!

My son is 1 month shy of his 3rd birthday and just over 39" barefoot. He is TALL for his age. He is the same height as some of the kids in my 4 year old's preschool class. LOL

My middle daughter is 4 and she's 42 1/2".

My oldest daughter is 5 1/2 and she's 46".

HTH

 

[aliceindisneyland]

The sticks are way off--as pp noted, it doesn't matter how tall they are at home...
Yes, 2 can ride in the back on Splash Mtn-- sat in the back seat with DD3yrs old (41" 36lbs) snuggled in front of me. Best place for littles who are worried first timers IMO--we barely got a sprinkle.

 

[Kayla's Mom]

Is this an up-to-date picture of the boats?

Two people can fit in the back?

I am pretty sure that is an up-to-date pic. At the very back of the boat you can see a bench behind the last head rest. You can sit in the back with your child.

At 4, my DD was just over the 40" mark.

 

[imp&pixie]

A pair of shoes can definitely make all the difference. Never try to put your child into shoes that are obviously high-heeled. My daughter is teetering on the 46" mark right now and on our last trip two weeks ago she was able to ride Indiana Jones when she was wearing her Disney Princess sneakers but the next day when she was wearing her Crocs she didn't make the height requirement.

 

[Smokering]

Ah, OK - so I won't hold my breath for DD to be over the height limit by her third birthday. That's OK - just good to know! I wasn't really expecting she'd want to do those rides anyway.

 

[TSRE]

A pair of shoes can definitely make all the difference. Never try to put your child into shoes that are obviously high-heeled. My daughter is teetering on the 46" mark right now and on our last trip two weeks ago she was able to ride Indiana Jones when she was wearing her Disney Princess sneakers but the next day when she was wearing her Crocs she didn't make the height requirement.

Yep, that is what I meant by choosing the thicker-soled shoes. We never bought different shoes or anything, but just picked the tennis shoes over the flip-flops if we knew we wanted to try a ride that was iffy. We have been able to go on something one day and not the next also, depending on the CM.

 

[Dizneydaz]

My DD10 has always been small for her age hitting height levels has always taken longer than most. She finally hit the last restriction, 52", for Maliboomer a few months back. Just in time to ride it as much as possible (she loves it) before it disappears. Even now, some days she is over the mark by 1/4" or so, and other times she barely makes it.

I remember when she hit one milestone (maybe it was 42") is she wore thick soled sneakers, or boots, she was fine but in her Crocs she was too short. And she was 42" at home. The markers are definitely adjusted for shoes (CM told me this) but I don't know how much.

PP mention hats-nope-they will have you take it off and the will not let the hair (spiked, ponytail on top,etc) be the deciding factor. I'm sure they are very schooled in all the ways to make kids meet the heights.

OT-It really bothers me when parents take their kids (who are obviously way under the limit, by 1", 2" , or more!) into a line and when the last CM measures them just before boarding the ride, they fail to measure up, then the child burst into tears and has to be lead away sobbing. There's a sign and measuring stick at every entrance of rides with restrictions and while in line, many times, you will hear a CM announcing the limits. Not to mention the limits are in the map as well. Please don't set your child up for disappointment by having them go through the entire line when they are obviously not going to make it. And I'm not talking about those kids who are borderline, I'm talking about those who are substantially shorter than they need to be to ride. Rant over ( I just saw this recently on Mullholland Madness-the poor boy was so upset, especially when his tall DSis got to ride)

 

[tkitty]

We just returned, and my DGD3-1/2 is just about 37 inches tall. She chose her sandals with "heels" (maybe an inch), so she made anything that was 38" or under. She was very close on the 40" rides, but CM wouldn't let her go. But we expected that she was too small. She so wanted to go on many of the rides, she had no fear of anything. When she was too small, she would frown and say "But my mommy says I'm a big girl!"

 

[NMMickeymom]

A while back when we were teetering on the 40" mark our DD wore her barbie boots on the days we hit the bigger rides. She was right at 40" at home but we did not want to risk her being turned away. They were more like thick heeled hiking boots and we never had any questions. The CM's were always careful about the measuring so hoping to squeak by is not likely to happen. I'm so glad to be past the measuring point. It was admittedly rather frustrating to have a short thrill junky. Now we just need to get her tall timid sister on the "big girl rides"