Aquaduck height restrictions?

[Jesslm80]

I was reading that riders have to be at least 42 inches tall. How strictly is that enforced? I have a just turned 4 year old little girl who is 38 inches tall and 29lbs. Hoping by our cruise in September she is at least 40inches tall and 30lbs.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I was reading that riders have to be at least 42 inches tall. How strictly is that enforced? I have a just turned 4 year old little girl who is 38 inches tall and 29lbs. Hoping by our cruise in September she is at least 40inches tall and 30lbs.

I'm pretty sure they are firm about the height requirement. It's a safety issue, do you want them to ignore it?

 

[Jesslm80]

If I was trying to bring a baby on the aquaduck then I would hope they would stop me. It's tough having a child that will be the only one her age not able to ride because she has medical growth issues.

I'm not a big rule breaker or bender. I just thought it might be more of a guideline vs super strictly enforced rule.

 

[lbgraves]

It is strictly enforced. Initially, the minimum height was actually 48". It was adjusted shortly after the Dream's MV.

 

[Dismama2]

I would say very strict.

Checked almost (less than a week from her birthday) 5 year old each day she rode then gave her a band. I thought it was interesting, they also asked her age. She is tall for her age, and met the requirement, but not by much. As a new 4 year old last year she wasn't tall enough.

Once at a resort one person let her go down a slide (simple water slide, nothing elaborate) and the next said she wasn't tall enough. Of course she was 3 and didn't understand. It would have been easier if she couldn't have gone in the first place. If someone did let her on, I would be worried about this happening when your daughter wanted to ride after shifts changed.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

If I was trying to bring a baby on the aquaduck then I would hope they would stop me. It's tough having a child that will be the only one her age not able to ride because she has medical growth issues.

I'm not a big rule breaker or bender. I just thought it might be more of a guideline vs super strictly enforced rule.

I'm totally in sympathy with you. Our "grown up" daughter is all of about 5' tall. They weren't sure she'd make it that far. It's tough.

 

[Dug720]

If I was trying to bring a baby on the aquaduck then I would hope they would stop me. It's tough having a child that will be the only one her age not able to ride because she has medical growth issues. I'm not a big rule breaker or bender. I just thought it might be more of a guideline vs super strictly enforced rule.

If it was just because, that would be one thing. But as has been stated, it is a safety thing. Yes, it sucks. But better to have restrictions than have a tragedy.

 

[Heart82381]

Just got off the Dream and it is definitely strictly enforced. We had my son measures the first day while we were just checking the boat out so he had his shoes on and they made him take them off. He made it, but I thought it was odd that they made him take his shoes off since they don't for WDW parks.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Just got off the Dream and it is definitely strictly enforced. We had my son measures the first day while we were just checking the boat out so he had his shoes on and they made him take them off. He made it, but I thought it was odd that they made him take his shoes off since they don't for WDW parks.

Well, at the parks, he won't be riding without shoes. On Aquaduck he will.

 

[mrs.ariel]

The height rule is strictly enforced, but there is the mickey slide, which my 4 year old LOVED. He was big enough for the aquaduck and we went on it (he had to have a grown up with him, so I HAD to ride it with him, lol)

Anyway, he rode that mickey slide over and over and over.....
I know she'll be bummed to miss the aquaduck, but hopefully she'll at least enjoy the mickey slide!

And this is a great reason to plan another cruise when she's bigger

 

[Tiffylv]

.

 

[lnllarson]

We went in October and my son was unable to ride. He was just barely under 42". The CM did try hard to make him tall enough. They had him stand up straight and spent several minutes measuring him. They did make him remove his water shoes and then slid a paper under the measuring stick to show how little he missed it. We felt they were very fair about it. My son was okay with it though - he spent at least an hour going down the Mickey slide and he loved Pelican Plunge at Castaway Cay!

 

[lanejudy]

... Anyway, he rode that mickey slide over and over and over...

...he spent at least an hour going down the Mickey slide ...

This! Set the child up for enjoyment rather than disappointment. They can do many more slides on the Mickey slide than they would get on the AquaDuck. Play that up and set expectations.

Many 4-yr-olds are not 42 inches tall. My DD wasn't even that tall at 5 yrs old. Your child certainly will not be the only one her age who isn't tall enough for the AquaDuck. I wouldn't even get into discussion about it with her. Just talk about how much fun the Mickey slide looks.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[lsumommaof4]

I wonder why it's so unsafe for them to ride with an adult. My 3 year old can swim laps in a pool so I doubt it's a swimming issue. She's the youngest of 5 kids and we have a pool so she learned at a very young age (with swimming lessons also) and we live in Louisiana so we swim most of the year. Just seems crazy to base it on height and not how experienced they are with swimming and water. My kids are always in the water. Either pools, gulf, lakes ect.... I just don't see the danger if the child can swim.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I wonder why it's so unsafe for them to ride with an adult. My 3 year old can swim laps in a pool so I doubt it's a swimming issue. She's the youngest of 5 kids and we have a pool so she learned at a very young age (with swimming lessons also) and we live in Louisiana so we swim most of the year. Just seems crazy to base it on height and not how experienced they are with swimming and water. My kids are always in the water. Either pools, gulf, lakes ect.... I just don't see the danger if the child can swim.

I don't think it has to do with swimming abilities. You don't swim on AquaDuck. You sit in an inflated raft and ride the water current through a tube.

I would think it has more to do with actual size, and weight, being able to remain in the raft. There are no belts to hold people in, and an adult can't just hold onto the child, as they are supposed to be holding onto the handles on the sides of the raft. There could be serious injury if a child (or person who was too small) were to fly out of the raft and tumble around in the tube.

 

[DL Widget Head]

A quick question for anyone that may have been in a similar situation. We will be on our first cruise this December on the Dream and my 2 boys cannot wait to ride the AquaDuck. The picture of the safety board posted earlier in the thread got me thinking about the following; both my boys will meet the minimum height requirement to ride as they are both currently about 50-52 inches, the youngest will be 7 at the time of the cruise and my oldest will be 9 so no need for being accompanied by someone 14 years or older, but here is where I am a little confused, would they both be able to ride together in the same raft without an adult. If I'm interpreting the sign correctly, they will in fact be able to ride in the same raft since the 54" requirement is simply to ride in the raft alone? Correct? As long as they ride together the 54" requirement would not apply and only the minimum of 42" and being at least 7 years old is in play. They are both currently just above 60 lbs each so their total weight would be above 120 so I don't think they'll be too light. (I know weight's not a limitation but just wanted to offer that info as well.) I don't mind riding it and certainly will but I have a feeling my interest in standing in line over and over again will begin to diminish and if I can simply stand and observe them riding with each other that would be wonderful. Thanks for your input.

 

[russjen1218]

You have to consider the size of the opening of the inner tube. I don't think it has anything to do with swimming, but rather with being tall enough to physically be able to ride in the tube. That's just my opinion of course, but judging from experience with my little ones with the Disney water parks and from our 2 Disney cruises, little bodies can't always ride in adult sized inner tubes with a large round hole in the middle.

 

[lbgraves]

Yes it's very strict. Last November my 7 year old was just over 51" and was determined to ride alone. He wasn't allowed and was devastated he had to ride with dear old mom.

There are times when they won't even let adults ride alone, depending on the wind & other factors.

I wonder why it's so unsafe for them to ride with an adult. My 3 year old can swim laps in a pool so I doubt it's a swimming issue. ... Just seems crazy to base it on height and not how experienced they are with swimming and water. .... I just don't see the danger if the child can swim.

Honestly, you don't need to be able to swim to go on the Aquaduck. The more weight on the raft, the faster & bumpier the ride is. It is a matter of the person being able to hold onto the handles through the ride so they don't get thrown from the raft. Yes, it is inside an enclosed tube most of the time, but a small child could be injured if they were run over by an adult on a raft. They could also bump their head or something else against the plexiglass. With more weight you hit the bottom of the hill harder. I have to make sure I push myself up when going down the hills so I don't bump hard at the bottom. The openings of the raft are designed with an opening that you sit in and you have to place your feet over the edge in front of your opening while holding onto the handles on either side of the opening. If you aren't tall enough, you won't be able to do any of those things. It isn't possible for an adult to hold onto a child while riding this. They have to be able to keep themselves in place on their own.

 

[lsumommaof4]

I don't think it has to do with swimming abilities. You don't swim on AquaDuck. You sit in an inflated raft and ride the water current through a tube.

I would think it has more to do with actual size, and weight, being able to remain in the raft. There are no belts to hold people in, and an adult can't just hold onto the child, as they are supposed to be holding onto the handles on the sides of the raft. There could be serious injury if a child (or person who was too small) were to fly out of the raft and tumble around in the tube.

okay thanks! I think my child would be fine, but I understand. I am use to juggling 5 kids so I could always use my legs to hold her, but I understand rules. I'm sure it has to do with lawsuits, damn lawyers (ok I'm married to one so I can do that).

 

[Flhokie]

Just to make sure I'm clear...the only age requirement is to ride alone (along with the higher height), correct? Just making sure as DD is 43 inches without shoes and is dying to ride AquaDuck, but she's only 4 years old. Am I correct that, as long as she rides with an adult, she can ride?