Child height requirement and 39 inches - a curiosity

[JPN4265]

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!

It's to bad that Disney doesn't have a measuring station at the front of the parks. A place where you could have your child measured, be issued a card, or have a hand stamped, showing what the actual height is, and then not waste your time waiting in line, hoping that this time you just might make the height requirements. Your child is borderline, and sometimes they slip through. It's a roll of the dice.

 

[avahoneybee]

I'm pretty sure it's a law to have ride height requirements posted at each ride (not sure if that includes a measuring stick too), but it would make sense.

 

[mom2maggie]

My daughter was let on Goofy's Barnstormer when she had just turned 2 and wasn't even 35" - I didn't know (or didn't see) the height requirement, and didn't know until later that she had to be at least 3 to ride. The CM just let her on through!

 

[bdiddy]

I don't think there is an "age" on Barnstorer is there - just the 35". My son was only 2.5 but was 36.5 inches and was let on with no problem. I've never heard of anyone asking how old a kid was??

 

[cinderella crazy]

My daughter was let on Goofy's Barnstormer when she had just turned 2 and wasn't even 35" - I didn't know (or didn't see) the height requirement, and didn't know until later that she had to be at least 3 to ride. The CM just let her on through!

Really?! Oh dear! DD was 36 inches last year so she rode it. She was 2 (1 1/2 months away from being 3). If I had known that I would not have let her ride. They checked her height but didn't ask her age. I guess I should do a better job of looking at the restrictions!!!

 

[mom2maggie]

Dunno! I just read somewhere (who knows where - somewhere on the interweb ) that they had to be 3!

 

[cvjw]

It was very disappointing for my 4 year old DS to pass the first height checker's measurement when trying to ride TT, only to be turned away by the second height checker's measurement. I wish they would've just told him no out front, instead of letting him get his hopes up all thru the line, and inside the preshow area, only to be turned away right before getting into the TT car! On that trip, he had successfully ridden Soarin, space mtn, splash mtn, TOT, BTM, all the big rides - he had measured 40 inches on all of their measuring sticks!

 

[Jiminy'sGirl]

Our last visit, Feb. 2009, my son was a hair shy of 50 inches and they checked him ALL THE TIME. Yes, he always passed, but that just shows how careful they are.... Sometimes the CM even said, Hey, buddy, I know you are a big guy, but I just gotta check ya....

Now, I normally stay away from this kind of post, but since the OP seems to agree with me, I just must say: Who are these people that are knowingly sneaking a child onto a ride that has been deemed unsafe for him or her? I just don't get it. Your child is not big enough to be safely constrained by the harness/belt/whatnot... Why would you put the child in ANY RISK? To me, it is thae same as saying, you don't have to buckle up in the car today, Jr., we'll use this fake carseat to fake out the cops.. Sheesh.

 

[cmaee]

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.

You still have to wait in the fastpass line though. We get our set of FastPasses and then when it is time to ride, we will go to the Fastpass entrance and they will give us a Rider Switch Pass and our DS's and DH will proceed onto the ride through the Fastpass line. When they exit, our DS's and I go up to the FastPass line with our Rider Switch pass and we ride it again. So, the kids are waiting through the Fastpass line twice.

 

[LaurenT]

When Becky was 39 1/4", I had her crocs for normal wear and a pair of sneakers with thick soles for rides with a 40" requirement, she never had an issue, and she never came close to slipping out of a restraint. They create the height requirements with an abundance of caution, if you're child is almost there and you put him in a pair of sneakers, don't let anyone make you feel like you're an irresponsible parent! Of course, having said that, don;'t put stilts on him!!! but if he's within an inch, I think you're safe.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

A place where you could have your child measured, be issued a card, or have a hand stamped, showing what the actual height is, and then not waste your time waiting in line, hoping that this time you just might make the height requirements.

The curious thing is that Disney DOES use a hand stamp for Kali River Rapids, or at least they did, but it's only good for Kali.

 

[Tara922c]

My advice to you is to have a talk with your dd before you even go to wdw, and explain to her that she is too short to ride the bigger rides. I wouldn't say, "we will try" or anything of that nature because she may be in for a huge disappointment. I would have her go stand by one of the measureing sticks when you get there, and if she is over it, go ride, and if not, don't even try. I am short, so I was too short to ride rides way longer than my peers. A new ride opened up at our local 6 flags, and you had to be 54 inches to ride it. My mom measured me at home, and I was about 1/2 inch to short, with shoes on. We went, and my mom meausred me at 6 flags, and I was right under the 54' line, so we waited for 2 hours to ride the rollercoaster. When we got up to the ride, they let my family, and my friend on, but said, "nope you are TOO short". I had to go and wait while my family and friends rode, and I cried, and cried, and cried. I think I was around 12 or 13 at the time, and I am 27 now. I would just not get your dd's hopes up only to be told she is too short.

 

[domesticking]

Now, I normally stay away from this kind of post, but since the OP seems to agree with me, I just must say: Who are these people that are knowingly sneaking a child onto a ride that has been deemed unsafe for him or her? I just don't get it. Your child is not big enough to be safely constrained by the harness/belt/whatnot... Why would you put the child in ANY RISK? To me, it is thae same as saying, you don't have to buckle up in the car today, Jr., we'll use this fake carseat to fake out the cops.. Sheesh.

They are people who put the kids' desires before their safety. I honestly can't believe there's so much agonizing and hand-wringing over this issue.

 

[indimom]

I'm 5'4". DH is 5'6". So needless to say our children have been on the low end of the measuring stick for years...

We had season passes to Kings Island (in Ohio) a few years back. On one trip, DS measured at 40" (or whatever the requirement was at the time, I don't really remember) on his first attempt at a ride with a height requirement and received a wrist band. He rode everything else without a problem. On other occasions he was turned down for a minicoaster similar to BTMRR. He was always prepped for the possibility of being turned away.

You can probably guess where this is going, but.... On another trip, we took his cousins with us who were two and three years younger than him. The older was definitely taller than him, the other about the same height. We rode several rides with the height requirement including the minicoaster. Then we went to ride the "BUMPER CARS" (nothing extraordinary, just your typical bumper cars). You had to be 40" (or whatever) to be a passenger, and you guessed it...his cousins both passed and the L-shaped stick was literally touching his head and he was turned down. (And I swear the only reason the one cousin passed was because he had longer wavy hair and DS had a buzz )

We walked back out of the lineup (there was no escape except back the way we came) and when we got out I saw those elephant tears running silently down his cheeks. It absolutely broke my heart! I'm pretty sure this was more embarassment than actually missing the ride, but I'll never try for a ride when my kids are close to the mark again. We just wait until they are safely past the requirement.

 

[maxiesmom]

It was very disappointing for my 4 year old DS to pass the first height checker's measurement when trying to ride TT, only to be turned away by the second height checker's measurement. I wish they would've just told him no out front, instead of letting him get his hopes up all thru the line, and inside the preshow area, only to be turned away right before getting into the TT car! On that trip, he had successfully ridden Soarin, space mtn, splash mtn, TOT, BTM, all the big rides - he had measured 40 inches on all of their measuring sticks!

It is a very hard thing when your kid is so close to the "right" height. The problem is partly that we all shrink during the day as our spines compress. So we all get shorter as the day goes on. While not a big deal to most adults, if you are a young child trying to make a ride, it can mean the difference between riding and not riding. Also if your child is close you need to make sure they stand up straight, and do not shy away from the bar.

While it stinks that they have to measure twice, they do have to measure twice. It is way too easy for one person to distract the person doing the measuring out front, letting another sneak a too short child into line.

Remember this is a safety thing. It is not meant to ruin anyone's day, but to keep your child safe!

 

[WizardLarz]

There is no age requirement for Barnstormer. Just minimum height of 35"

These are the two ineresting ones, IMO.

Stich's Great Escape: minimum height 40" (They want you tall enough to smell the belch!)

Tonorrowland Speedway: Minimum height 32"; Minimum height to ride alone 54" (You need long enough legs to reach the gas pedal!)

 

[WizardLarz]

Want me to double check any rides? I have all the maps including the Water Parks!

 

[jc040404]

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.

That's funny. I took my three year old on BTMRR four times in a row last friday. Twice, his height was checked the second time before getting on the ride. On the third trip up the FP line, the CM didn't check him at all though. I guess he just remembered doing it the last two times, but it kinda bugged me. My little guy automatically walks up to be measured at each ride.

My favorite part of all this height drama is watching little kids talk to each other in line. I've seen so many other little boys get worried that my son wasn't tall enough for rides, even though he is. Glad some of 'em seem to have been taught to do the right thing and not play around with safety for a silly ride!

 

[wdwfanatic80]

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.

Just an FYI, be sure to tell her to stand as far back and as straight as possible! My DD was exactly 40 inches on our last trip. She had a well child visit at the Dr. about a week before we left. I was so excited to see that 40 on her paperwork!! Anyway, when we got there amazingly even with shoes she was barely cutting it and if it is crowded at the front where they would measure they would rush her and we got turned away a few times because they weren't patient enough to let her stand up straight. She was 3 and the concept was not completely there for her, if you know what I mean. So practice the standing up straight thing.

Also does anyone notice that their child would be fine at one ride, like Emma would be above the spot with flying colors at one ride and then we would go to the next and she would barely make it. I honestly think that there needs to be some sort of system where they get measured at Town Hall or whereever depending on the park and get a wristband for the day that says they are tall enough. There is nothing worse than having your child be able to ride a ride and know for a fact that she is tall enough and then get off and go to get back on one last time and bam she suddenly is to short?!

Good luck to the OP, I would say your chance of not getting measured are slim to none. Maybe your DS will have a growth spurt! ;-)

 

[wdwfanatic80]

It's to bad that Disney doesn't have a measuring station at the front of the parks. A place where you could have your child measured, be issued a card, or have a hand stamped, showing what the actual height is, and then not waste your time waiting in line, hoping that this time you just might make the height requirements. Your child is borderline, and sometimes they slip through. It's a roll of the dice.

I just posted the same thing. I don't know why this hasn't happened yet. I wouldn't even mind doing it every day, although it would be nice to just have to do it once on the whole vacation. Or even if they measured them at Ride A and then they got the wrist band or hand stamp there so that it was done for the day.