Child finally at 40"- ride trouble??

[Gillyrose779]

So we will be at Disney in less than a week and my child is finally at 40" with his regular shoes- woohoo.

My question is even though he is at the min height for a lot of rides are we still going to have trouble? Last time we went my oldest was a solid 41" but a lot of CMs kept checking and rechecking him even though his head was hitting the marker.

 

[sonnyjane]

So we will be at Disney in less than a week and my child is finally at 40" with his regular shoes- woohoo. My question is even though he is at the min height for a lot of rides are we still going to have trouble? Last time we went my oldest was a solid 41" but a lot of CMs kept checking and rechecking him even though his head was hitting the marker.

Expect the same experience. Make sure you tell him to stand up straight.

 

[MinnieGirl33]

... and try to remember, it's a safety issue. The CM's are following instructions.

 

[johde]

I would have him practice standing up tall. Some people have mentioned making a "measuring stick" so they know it's supposed to hit their head. For the children that are close they are extra careful.

 

[Gillyrose779]

Thanks- we have been measuring him every week for a couple months so he has it down. He tends to get on his toes too even though I tell him to stop- lol

 

[bumbershoot]

Remember that we all shrink as the day goes on (ever notice that you have to adjust the seat in the car after work?), so if there are any big deal rides, do them early in the morning's touring plan. And recognize that the very act of riding a bigger ride can cause some shrinkage in the spine, causing a re-ride to be impossible.

Rest and hydration are going to be his friends.

 

[ORMom2Four]

They might measure more than once, and I know for a fact that not all of the measuring sticks are accurate.

My DD is 44" with her shoes on. Her head clearly touches the bar at the first measuring station at Mission to Mars, so we were told to go on through. She was SO excited!! They stopped her 20 feet in to measure again, and I kid you not, there was at least a 1/2" gap between her head and the bar at this measuring station! They told her she was not allowed to continue in line and we had to turn around and leave.

I think people could hear her crying at the entrance to Test Track as she went with Dh to wait in the play area, lol.

 

[NYCMom21]

Just know that the measuring markers can vary. My DD was 40 inches and they would not let her on Soarin, I swear that one was about an inch higher than the others.

 

[Gillyrose779]

Just know that the measuring markers can vary. My DD was 40 inches and they would not let her on Soarin, I swear that one was about an inch higher than the others.

You know I have a couple pocket tape measures. I'm not going to fight it if they say no but I may just check on this. My husband swears there were a couple that were off last time we went.

 

[disnut8]

I have to ask the adults what their exact heights are?

 

[Stasieki]

It seems to me that they are more strict about this. On our last visit in October my 41 inch DD was asked to step out of the splash mtn ride vehicle to be re-measured. Silly me... on our last park day... epcot day, I let her wear flip flops. I was sooo nervous about soarin but she was fine... right over 40 inches

 

[Heckah]

I had the opposite experience. DD3 was barely 40 inches with her Frozen sneakers on. I went to the hardware store and made a T-bar with a metal 4ft ruler, paint mixer and rubber bands to practice standing up straight and she hit the bar and just barely.

She was measured once all week, at SDMT no less (38 inch requirement...no problem there). Splash and Thunder Mountain, Soarin and TT, walked in with no issue multiple times. DD6 was close to 48" so we gave RnR a shot, but she didn't make it past the first stick.

 

[Emacneil]

When we went last May, my son was just over 40". The first time a CM went to measure him he stood under the bar. I told him to stand next to the bar, as he was trying not to hit his head. No problem after that. He was measured two times on one ride and not at all on other rides.

 

[ellone]

Supposedly my daughter was 39.75 according to her doctor's visit a week prior to our visit. At Disney with her shoes on she cleared the bar by about a half inch. So remember that kids may even get measured incorrectly at the doctors. Since she had to stoop at the bar we didn't have any trouble with the CMs.

 

[ttintagel]

I've never seen a kid in that general height range not get measured both at the beginning and the end of the queue. The kids who don't are definitely the exception to the rule.

 

[chris1212]

DD is probably almost or is 40 inches. All week she has never been measured on SDMT, I was surprised no one ever checked.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

Our son was just 40 inches last October. I'd say maybe half the time they measured him on the height restricted rides. I remember clearly the first time he was measured was on Splash Mountain, and the CM worked hard to get him to stand up tall (he was one of those kids who slouched under the bar at first). He was measured consistently at the first post at Splash, but was only measured once at the second post. Every other time the CMs took a look at him, said, "Yep, he's tall enough" and didn't measure. I think they intuitively know from seeing so many kids who is tall enough and who isn't.

This past August he was taller (around 43 inches) and the only ride he was measured for was Star Tours, and that was on about his 6th ride, which was a little funny to me. It was a CM in training who pulled him aside.

 

[AngiTN]

I would have him practice standing up tall. Some people have mentioned making a "measuring stick" so they know it's supposed to hit their head. For the children that are close they are extra careful.

Yes! DGD was close on our last trip. She kept trying to scrunch down UNDER the bar, thinking that is what she was supposed to do, rather than standing up straight and letting it hit her head. She finally got it down after a few measurements.

I didn't mind their measuring though. It's for safety, not to be an annoyance.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

Oh, and I think our "good luck" in this respect was asking if they wanted to measure him, or just having him go up to the measuring stick without being told to do so by the CM. My theory is that if you show that you're open and willing to have your child measured, and don't treat it as a huge inconvenience, then the CMs are more likely to assume that the child is tall enough, since you don't appear to be trying to get away with anything.* It's the "you catch more flies with honey..." mentality at work.



*Not implying that anyone here is trying to get away with anything!

 

[Missyrose]

DD is probably almost or is 40 inches. All week she has never been measured on SDMT, I was surprised no one ever checked.

SDMT is 38 inches, so she is clearly tall enough for it. No need to check.