Child height requirement and 39 inches - a curiosity

[Tinkerbellie16]

First, let me say that I do not want to 'cheat' nor do I want to put my child in danger.

Second, there seems to be a serious discrepancy between my measurements and Disney's because mine are always an inch or two taller than Disney's so I don't trust their stick too much BUT if they say no, they say no.

Ok, so a couple of years ago, my daughter wanted to go on Splash Mountain and she was just shy of 40". We thought we'd try and we were running onto the ride because it was late in the evening and we saw NO line. The CM just smiled as we ran by. We got on the ride and everything was fine with my daughter. But really folks, Splash Mountain doesn't HAVE restraints and anyone can climb out or frankly, pop out. We made sure she held on to the handlebar and we had one hand around her. And we do this with both of our kids no matter how tall they are.

Later in the trip, she was denied. What I find really interesting is that she wouldn't stand up straight for the CMs and was very nervous. They were actually TRYING to get her as tall as possible to get her on the ride but she wouldn't cooperate. But what are you going to do? Yeah, we wanted her to go on but we just went on other rides and we were happy that she did get on that first time. And if they can't ride, we do parent swap or just don't ride. I didn't let it ruin our time or hers because we didn't want her thinking she did something wrong or that she was ruining OUR time.

 

[design_mom]

It would be totally possible (and probable) that if Disney went to wrist bands, you would have parents pulling them off of one child and putting them on a shorter child.

I think you're right. Our state fair used to have an all-you-can-ride wristband that could be purchased for the midway. There were *tons* of people who would send one kid on a ride, then wiggle his wristband off and send another kid onto the ride -- all to save $10 or whatever the wristband cost.

If people will do it for a $10 wristband, you can bet there would be a lot of parents who would have the attitude of "We paid admission. He should be able to ride everything so we get our money's worth."

Then you would still have to measure, and have a giant fight about it too boot.

I agree with this, too. Then you'd just have a fight at the loading platform. I hate when people argue/are rude/etc. at Disney. It steals some of the magic for me. (My own child has driven me to my wits' end at WDW before, so I know things happen, but I wish they didn't! )

 

[jessica29]

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.

Cedar Point does this they issue colered braclets to wear

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

Cedar Point does this they issue colered braclets to wear

At Cedar Point, though, you're dealing with a lot of roller coasters, and you've got people making sure the safety restraints are working. If you're right near the height requirement, but the restraint doesn't fit you, you're not going on the ride.

 

[jessica29]

The problem is that the wrist bands are easy enough to get off if you really want them off. I have an intact one sitting on my dresser from a Mickey's Not So Scarry Halloween Party. It would be totally possible (and probable) that if Disney went to wrist bands, you would have parents pulling them off of one child and putting them on a shorter child. Then you would still have to measure, and have a giant fight about it too boot.

At cedar point the only way to get them off is to rip or cut them making them invoid. They make them too tight to slide off.... I have done that at other places and no what you mean. If done correctly though..

 

[jessica29]

At Cedar Point, though, you're dealing with a lot of roller coasters, and you've got people making sure the safety restraints are working. If you're right near the height requirement, but the restraint doesn't fit you, you're not going on the ride.

I am not sure what you mean. I was just saying other parks use a system like this...

 

[KimK2006]

I've seen these, and they are a curious beast...they actually don't say anything about being Fastpasses on them, although at least some CMs will allow them as FPs. They are actually worded in such a way (unless the wording has changed) that they don't guarantee anything other than you will be allowed to ride when you are tall enough. They also don't seem to give them out freely - perhaps as a "recovery" mechanism if it appears that there may be a problem child or something like that - but in cases where we've heard of such things they never seem to be offered either.

When my son was given one at RNR a few years ago, we were told by the CM to come back to the FP line when he was tall enough. That is what we did and they sent us thru the FP line. I didn't read the fine print. We just did as instructed.