Any Problems with Height Checks?

[txketch]

My youngest is 3 1/2 and measures almost 39" flat-footed, but can easily measure 40" depending on which shoes she is wearing and how her hair is fixed. Has anyone ever had problems where they had to remove shoes from a child to be measured? Does anyone know what the guidelines are when measuring?

 

[Hannathy]

They are very strict and poofy hair won't fly. They push down flat on their heads and will notice a ponytail on top or something like that. Normal shoes they won't take off but I wouldn't bet if they noticed platform type shoes and the child just made the height. An inch is quite a bit to make up and your child is quite young what is the hurry? I have a different attitude with a 5 yr old.

 

[wmharley]

they don't take shoes off...

I saw this parent measure his boy at BTM... the kid came no where near the stick and they were arguing with the CM. (friday). I heard the dad say that they've let him on before and the kid was all crying.. It was like they were in shock he didn't reach. I saw sunlight between the kids head and the stick when we went past. In line, I looked down and they STILL were there trying... the kid kept trying to sneak by.

socks wouldn't have helped.

 

[RMulieri]

Disney is VERY strict with the height checks. On each ride with a requirement , the child generally is measured 2x. Once when entering the line and once before boarding.It is possible you can measure fine at point a and not b.They will measure to the top of the childs head, pushing into the hair .If there is any doubt( I have seen Cms slip a piece of paper in between the stick and the childs head, I have seen them look at the childs shoes too) they will not be able to ride.I would prepare your child for the fact they may or may not be able to ride.Have them practice standing tall, and hit rides with a restriction early in the day when you are at your tallest

 

[WDSearcher]

If it is obvious that the child is wearing "tall" shoes (if they're in platform flip-flops, for example, or if the child is having obvious trouble walking due to stuffed shoes or too tall shoes), then the CMs will ask the child to remove the shoes. Keep in mind that there are usually two areas where they measure, so getting past one doesn't mean you'll get past the other. There are also "secret shopper" type CMs at some of the major rides (EE, TOT, RRC, etc) who have spotted parents changing out their kids' shoes, stuffing shoes, etc. Those CMs are there to catch this, as they report it up to the CMs with the measuring sticks.

The hair trick they learned long ago. A high topknot or ponytail will simply get smushed down so that the CM can get an actual height. If they feel they cannot get an accurate height due to some manufactured reason, the CM will err on the side of safety and not let the child ride.

If your child is not 40" in their normal walking-around-the-theme-park shoes, please don't try to manufacture a way onto a ride they're too short for. It wastes your time in line (when you could be doing a lot of other things), stresses you and your child out (wondering if you'll be able to fool the measuring CM) and leads to a lot of disappointment when your child ends up not riding. You can ask the CM for a "front of line" certificate for some rides, so that when you come back with your taller child, they can bypass the line and ride first. That would be a better option.

 

[Cedarmom]

We leave in 44 days. I have one child that is 48.25" in tennis shoes and one child that is 40.25" in tennis shoes. I have prepared them both for the possibility that they won't be able to ride certain rides. In the meantime, they are both eating veggies like crazy in order to make sure they are tall enough. I'm assuming they won't be asked to remove shoes to be measured, but I've also heard that '40 at home is not the same as 40 at Disney'. We practice standing tall to be measured a couple of times a week.

We're mostly going with the attitude that they won't be able to ride the rides right at their height restriction, and it will be a great bonus if they do.

 

[Fairyntraining]

Our son was exactly 40 inches on our last trip. We were nevcer asked to remove shoes and the only ride we had an issue with was Expedition Everest. Their checkpoints weren't the same. He cleared the first but not the second. When we brought this to their attention they double checked his height and let him ride.

 

[palavra]

Our 4 year old daughter was slightly under 40" in shoes when we visited the MK in 2007. SHe was allowed on BTMRR and Splash with no problem. At Universal, however, she was not allowed to ride a couple of things there.

 

[bratmomma]

I don't mean to sound harsh but... the height requirements are there for the safety of the children. I don't understand why someone would risk their child's safety to sneak them on a ride that might not be able to properly protect them from possible harm. Maybe its just me...

My DD was almost 3.5 during our recent visit and there was plenty for her to do without riding BTMRR, SM and EE.

 

[allyphoe]

Our son was exactly 40 inches on our last trip. We were nevcer asked to remove shoes and the only ride we had an issue with was Expedition Everest.

EE is 44 inches, as are Mission Space and Space Mountain. So if he was tall enough for EE, he shouldn't have had an issue with any of the 40" rides.

OP, in my experience, a borderline kid should go expecting to not be able to ride. If they can ride, it'll be a nice surprise.

My DD was 39.5" barefoot on the "borderline" trip, and chose to wear chunkier-soled shoes rather than flip-flops. She was closely scrutinized on every single 40" ride, and often measured multiple times, but never turned away. When she had something on her head, she got much much more scrutiny, including one CM holding her feet and one scrunching down on her head. When I said "Hop on over there, stand up straight with your feet flat on the ground, and hit the side of your head against the bar," she generally got through the check faster.

On a previous trip, at 35.5" barefoot, the only shoes she had with her were flip-flops, and she was not allowed on Kali.

 

[jodeeb]

My dd(6) measured 48" at a physical in late May 09. They measure no shoes and board smooshed down on head. We were in WDW mid June and never had a problem with the 48" rides. We wore tennis shoes and sandles. No puffy hair. I actually anticipated being measured and having some inconsistancies because she was right on the line when measured, but it was never a problem.

On the flip side, when dd(11) then 3yr, we went to DLR. We were at EMH and made it to a walk on SM for our first ride. It was before referb. We litterally ran to the ride and no one checked. I had previously checked and missread the height requirement. After jumping on and pulling down bar that I shared with her, I realized that she may be too small. I was terrified but it was too late we were already going on the ride and she was sliding all over. Luckily she was fine. After the ride I realized I had mistaken the ride height requirement, but noone had checked. At that time I relized that the height requirement is REALLY a safty requirent.

 

[Jestocost]

I've also heard that '40 at home is not the same as 40 at Disney'.

That's correct, and it's also true that 40" at the front of the line may not be the same as 40" at the end of the line. They can and do measure late in the ride queue--typically right before boarding or where they collect the FPs--and sometimes a kid who was OK'd at the entrance will be denied at the second check.

In addition, 40" on one ride might not be 40" on another one.

 

[Chaoster]

Just because you pass the first height check doesn't mean you are safe. Last year 4 year old DD was measured at the first check point for startours. She passed, but before boarding the ride the CM said they needed to check her height. She was right up to the marker, Then the CM took out a credit card sized card and tried too slide it between DD and the marker. Good thing it didn't fit.

 

[mjkacmom]

Just because you pass the first height check doesn't mean you are safe. Last year 4 year old DD was measured at the first check point for startours. She passed, but before boarding the ride the CM said they needed to check her height. She was right up to the marker, Then the CM took out a credit card sized card and tried too slide it between DD and the marker. Good thing it didn't fit.

While I agree that one shouldn't wear big shoes or try to stand on tippy toes, I really think that being 1/8 of a cm too short doesn't put a child in danger. Amusement parks are not going to risk injury, and I'm sure pad many, many inches onto their requirements. I've never heard of a child getting injured because they were a fraction shorter than the posted height requirement.

 

[commdoc]

Am I the only one who wishes that they could check height at one official spot for the park and then not have to go through all of it 2x per ride? Give some sort of bracelet or something? My son was 41" but is generally shy with strangers, didn't like having to walk somewhere with them, have them touch his feet etc...

 

[chartle]

Am I the only one who wishes that they could check height at one official spot for the park and then not have to go through all of it 2x per ride? Give some sort of bracelet or something? My son was 41" but is generally shy with strangers, didn't like having to walk somewhere with them, have them touch his feet etc...

This has also been discussed to death on why this isn't always the best way.

Here's the latest ongoing thread.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2310491

 

[Mrs.Toad]

Our 6yo was right at 48" last week. At RnRC, they tried to slip the credit card between her head and the bar, but at Primeval Whirl they just eyeballed her.

Make sure your child is standing directly under the bar. The first time dd was measured at PW, she was standing about 6 inches away from the little painted footprints and was leaning forward toward the bar, making her appear shorter than she really is. The CM didn't seem to notice this, it was we parents who had to tell dd where to stand to make sure she was being measured properly.

 

[maxiesmom]

Am I the only one who wishes that they could check height at one official spot for the park and then not have to go through all of it 2x per ride? Give some sort of bracelet or something? My son was 41" but is generally shy with strangers, didn't like having to walk somewhere with them, have them touch his feet etc...

If they were to use the same type of bracelet they use for the parties, they are easy enough to get off without breaking. Then you would have some not so smart parents putting them on their too short for the fun rides child. Disney, in order to protect itself in our sue happy society would still have to double check the measurements at the ride loading area.

It is sad that a few cheaters make it harder on the rest of us, but there it is.

 

[doconeill]

Keep in mind as well, your spine compresses slightly during the day, especially when you are upright all day like you are at Disney. So whereas you might meet the height requirement at a ride in the morning, it is possible you won't later at the day - at the same attraction!

I'd expect that heavy-G attractions like looping coasters can exaggerate this effect as well.

So if you are borderline, try and do those attractions first thing in the morning.

 

[RMulieri]

While I agree that one shouldn't wear big shoes or try to stand on tippy toes, I really think that being 1/8 of a cm too short doesn't put a child in danger. Amusement parks are not going to risk injury, and I'm sure pad many, many inches onto their requirements. I've never heard of a child getting injured because they were a fraction shorter than the posted height requirement.

True.But if something tragic were to happen,We all know what the parents would do if they had 'fudged' a childs height and that child got hurt.They would sue the pants off of the themepark. I worked at six flags and we used the wristbands for awhile..You would be surprised how many people would try to cheat this one.Which meant we STILL had to measure, and we had measurements that were WAY OFF and WAY OBVIOUS.Then we would have the parents in our face screaming that they paid $55 for that day and their child is TALL enough...blah ,blah ,blah,..Then we tried handstamps.Another winner there with people transferring the stamps..and yea it can be done, done simply , and done in a themepark restroom.So I think while Disney has its issues , I truly understand why they do it.I understand the frustration of having a too short child.My DD was too short last trip, and is still borderline.Sometimes being a parent means having to deal with the unpleasant task of telling a child " sorry, but no", and sometimes it is even going to haopen at the most magical place on earth. Move on, and don't let ruin your trip or a CMs day.