Child height requirement and 39 inches - a curiosity

[DisneyTigers]

Hi!
I'm not posting this to try to get around any safety regulations or get ideas on how to stuff my kid's shoes, spike his hair, or any other such miracle growth spurt ideas (cuz I've already read them all ), and I'm totally preparing my youngest for disappointment... already prepared my "next time, sweetie" speech.

I was just CURIOUS if anyone's 39 incher has been "accidentally" let onto a ride before? What happened? Was the measuring stick wrong? Did the CM just wink and turn a blind eye? Is there a pattern to which rides this happens on?

Like I said, no flames, please. I understand why safety regulations are there, I always follow the rules, not sneaking anyone in, etc. etc. I'm just flat out curious!

TIA!

 

[Robo]

CM's choose to measure kids who look to be close to the height requirement.

They won't KNOW, of course, until they measure.

Since there is one CM with a "stick" out front, and another CM with a "stick" near boarding, the chance of a "shorty" slipping past is pretty slim, but it does happen, on occasion.

 

[justgeorgi]

My best friend and her family are "short" as in every one of the family is shorter than your average person. Their son couldn't get on rides for much longer than his same age peers. He normally wore Crocs around the park but when it came time to get him onto a ride with a height requirement she pulled a pair of heeled cowboy boots out of the backpack that were a size to big and had foam put in the heel. He just walked on past the stick guy

 

[goofy4tink]

I have been behind people who managed to get their child past that first measuring stick only to be turned away by the second CM with a measuring stick. So, yes, you may get past one, but could conceivably be turned away further in.
The other thing to keep in mind is this...it's not so much a question of the child being big enough to do the attraction as it is a case of the child being big enough to use the restraint system correctly. If a child is too small, they could possibly slip around or even out!!

 

[cinderella crazy]

We're right there with you. DD is 39 inches right now and we're going to Disney in May. Crossing my fingers she grows a little more. One thing I did notice is she's around 39 inches without shoes. Then it hit me. They don't ask you to take their shoes off when they measure you for a ride. When I remeasured her with shoes, she was just barely under 40 inches (about a centimeter).

Last time, we rode the Barnstormer and DD was checked every single time we rode. Not only at the entrance, but also near boarding. When our DS was younger, he got checked on quite a few rides. Ours have never been turned away, but they've been the correct height to ride the attractions. I've heard from others that CMs are pretty strict about letting people on rides who do not meet the height requirements.

 

[domesticking]

My best friend and her family are "short" as in every one of the family is shorter than your average person. Their son couldn't get on rides for much longer than his same age peers. He normally wore Crocs around the park but when it came time to get him onto a ride with a height requirement she pulled a pair of heeled cowboy boots out of the backpack that were a size to big and had foam put in the heel. He just walked on past the stick guy

Oh boy.

 

[maxiesmom]

I would guess that a CM would never turn a blind eye, as they can be fired for letting a child on a ride they are to small for.

Also, if it is obvious to the CM that the shoes your child is wearing are meant to increase their height, they can have them take them off to get an accurate measurement. Normal, everyday shoes are fine. But if you put you kid in 3 inch platforms, not so much. They will have them take them off.

 

[RMulieri]

Cms tend to measure quite closely they are pretty stringent with the height restrictions

 

[tzolkin]

I have been behind people who managed to get their child past that first measuring stick only to be turned away by the second CM with a measuring stick. So, yes, you may get past one, but could conceivably be turned away further in.

I hope everyone doesn't assume that families that have this issue were sneaky about getting their child past the first measurement.

At Test Track our son was measured outside. He was tall enough and both CMs were giving him hi-fives. When we got to the boarding area the CM couldn't decide if he was tall enough. Then another CM came over and spent several minutes putting his chin up and trying to force her hand between his head and the measuring stick.

It was embarassing. Everyone walking by was commenting, either that we were bad parents or encouraging the CM to let him ride. Ultimately, he was turned away.


He rode all the other 40 inch rides we tried. The only one where they didn't remeasure at the second stick was BTMRR, but I think that's because the CMs are very busy trying to get everyone into their rows. We rode it about 10 times during our last trip. He was always measured before getting into the queue, but never before boarding.

 

[nmmom95]

My DS6 just got on many of the rides for the first time in November, 2009. On our last trip, in 2007, he was 39 1/2" and was not allowed to ride.

 

[cinderella crazy]

Normal, everyday shoes are fine. But if you put you kid in 3 inch platforms, not so much. They will have them take them off.

Sorry! I'm trying to imagine my 3 year old walking around in 3 inch platforms. I know some people do this but I just can't see how they would be able to walk around in shoes like that.

 

[WDSearcher]

Sorry! I'm trying to imagine my 3 year old walking around in 3 inch platforms. I know some people do this but I just can't see how they would be able to walk around in shoes like that.

Generally, they don't. Parents will carry around the platforms or cowboy boots or whatever and then have the kids switch just before they get into line. Most times, in a place where the CMs can see them do it.

 

[cmaee]

My DD is 39" with regular tennis shoes on, so I know that she will most likely not reach the 40" mark by the time we go. I am a little dissapointed about it too, but I am also glad that we can still do the rider switch. We are there during Easter, so with all the crowds, it is nice for my older kids to get to ride the ride twice for the wait time of 2 fastpasses. I was so hoping we could all enjoy the ride together, but we will do that next trip and it will be just as magical then....besides, I am sure she will remember her first ride instead of being told about it if her first ride is at 5 instead of 3.

 

[annacali]

The first time we went 2 years ago, my DD3 was right at 40 inches in regular shoes so it just depended on the eye of the CM whether or not she got to ride. Honestly I think the only ride we tried that it mattered was Soarin---she wasn't quite brave enough for BTMRR, Test Track or Splash, and I wasn't about to try Space Mountain. Interestingly...no one measured her. Not at the beginning, nor at boarding. Never saw a CM with a stick at all. I had fully prepared her for the chance that she wouldn't get to ride, but it didn't happen, and I wasn't worried about her falling out of her seat in that particular ride at all. She loved it and it is her all time favorite ride. We rode it 3 or 4 times at Disneyland last summer and she got measured every time---she was 43 inches by then, lol!

So yes, guess you could slip by...but I would never risk it if I really thought my child was too small and wouldn't be safe!

 

[PrincessV]

I've seen the opposite - my DS's plenty tall enough for the rides we do (47" at last check) and has been for years... but was asked to be checked repeatedly last visit.

 

[bdiddy]

My 3 yr old son was literally a fraction of an inch away from 40" when we measured him at home. We measured him at several different rides and it showed him more off from the 40" then he was at home so I think their poles they measure on are a little off for safety reasons I'm sure.

We never tried to get away with getting him on though once we saw that there was at least half an inch difference. He's easy going though and didn't really care. And it's not like there aren't tons of other rides that he could do! His sister is only 42" so the only rides she did that he didn't were Splash Mountain, Thunder Mountain, Soarin and Star Wars. We just made sure to do something fun with him while she was going on those rides.

 

[Ericandjenng]

but I am also glad that we can still do the rider switch. We are there during Easter, so with all the crowds, it is nice for my older kids to get to ride the ride twice for the wait time of 2 fastpasses.

Hi This is a little off subject...but why are you waiting through two fast pass times? With the rider switch (or baby pass), you only have to get one fast pass time and then talk with the CM at the ride entrance who will give you the pass for the 2nd rider and that person can take a certain # of other guests with them when the first group comes out.

 

[jeepgirl30]

I am a shorty. My kids are shorties. While I would never stuff their shoes or risk their saftey i too want them to stand tall and stretch to hit the mark. I know first had the disappointment and also embarrassment of not hitting the mark. I mean I remember not able to ride a ride my friends were all on. It was awful.

My DS is 7. He will be 7 1/2 for our april trip. He is 43.5 inches. He keeps asking me to measure him daily! We did try with his sneakers on and he is 44 so hopefully it works out. I have been sly and telling him he needs to eat extra veggies.

My DD9 was 6 when we went for her first time. She was really close to the meassurement and i just wasn't sure. Space Mountain was the only one she was meassured and she just made it. We were so excited. We had preparred to be turned away but she just made it. The CM was really sweet with her but very cautious and wasn't giving a centimeter if not there. I don't remember what shoes but it would have been either flip flops or crocs.

I would anticipate very strict rules and prep your child ahead. That way it is an even bigger celebration if the child makes the mark! DD still talks about getting meassured and holding her breath but she made it.

 

[design_mom]

My 3 yr old son was literally a fraction of an inch away from 40" when we measured him at home. We measured him at several different rides and it showed him more off from the 40" then he was at home so I think their poles they measure on are a little off for safety reasons I'm sure.

We had the opposite experience with the 44" rides on our recent trip. I think the bars were a little low.

When we measured her at home before we left she was *this close* to 44" (like 43-7/8" in her shoes). I told her "we'll get you measured, but they're probably going to say 'no' to the 44" rides." She got measured repeatedly at each of them, but she made it on all the 44" rides.

 

[avahoneybee]

CM's never measured our kids, we did it ourselves. DD was just 40 inches on one of our trips so I thought it was strange but I think the Disney employees have a really good idea about height just by looking. If the child looks short or close to the requirement, they'll measure.