CMs asking kids to remove shoes for height check

[markmcalear]

Does WDW have some sort of "measuring chart" near park entrance where you can check to see which rides they can ride?

 

[kmb584]

Does WDW have some sort of "measuring chart" near park entrance where you can check to see which rides they can ride?

They don't.

 

[markmcalear]

They don't.

Shame, theres one at each ride though ride? Before you join the queue?

 

[fan1080]

Shame, theres one at each ride though ride? Before you join the queue?

There is a measuring station at the ride entrance, and another one just prior to getting on the ride.

And, if a child is very close, there have been times when a child has measured ok at the beginning, but denied at the end of the queue.

 

[ses1230]

Shame, theres one at each ride though ride? Before you join the queue?

Yes, at each ride and sometimes there are 2. One at the beginning of the queue and one before boarding.

 

[wishtdream]

Here is the very worrisome situation:

Kids a "near-height" are measured TWICE.

Once at the entrance to the queue (waiting line) and again just before boarding.

It is VERY possible that a "borderline height" child can be passed at the FIRST
check-point, spend in a long time waiting in a busy queue with the rest of the family,
and THEN be stopped and refused boarding by the second measurement.

This can be absolutely crushing to a child and her/his family.

Be very aware that if the child "just passes" at the first measurement
there might be some unpleasant news at the ride-boarding.

This happened to my daughter on RRC in HS it was an ugly scene. DD was measured at the front and was good to go but on the actual ride platform she was measured again and denied the opportunity to ride. We had fastpasses and mine and dd's were wasted. My DH stayed and rode with my older child. My younger daughter was upset for hours and my husband was VERY angry that her day was ruined. Save yourself the trouble if you think it is iffy don't try.

 

[Mommee]

My daughter was denied at boarding on mission space. She had already ridden it that trip, so 3 out of 4 times she passed . I was waiting on a bench nearby, so DH had to leave the line and bring her to me, and then he and the other kids had to wait in line all over again. Luckily dd was thrilled to play in the splash pad (something I had said no to earlier) and instantly forgot about it.

 

[Lavitz]

Yup. Am I the only one that went to college here? The bars often tried to do wristbands or stamps for those over 21 and it took a couple weeks to figure it out but transferring them became simple. If you couldnt slip it right off a small scissor and piece of scotch tape and unless someone was using a magnifine glass to look for the cut you didn't see it.

Thank you. Small scissors right at the point where the band meets the tamper resistant part+scotch tape+CMs seeing thousands of people a day and not having time to check every person. I've never tried anything like this, but I always wondered what the point of those bands were as this thought occurred to me the first time someone put a "tamper resistive" band on me.

 

[mefordis]

Wow, glad my girls have always been tall for their age. Only once had a problem with not meeting height requirements. Soarin' and my daughter was young enough not to really care because she didn't really know what it was.

Just practice at home having your kids stand up straight, neck stretched, as tall as can be.

 

[ttintagel]

I saw a kid asked to take shoes off for measuring at Soarin', but they were obvious big, thick clogs. The parents pitched a fit. I don't know what the outcome was, as we were sent in to board while they were still arguing.

 

[jlovesee]

I can't imagine that a CM couldn't tell a child to take their shoes off, they can sometimes add 1-2". I worked at a local park here for years and you would NOT BELIEVE the tricks parents would pull, cowboy boots, platform shoes, MASSIVE heels, "well placed" pony tails. I don't work there anymore but we still go there often and I still can point out the kids in line where they or their parents are obviously trying to beat the system.

Does an inch really make a difference for safety? Probably not, BUT you have to draw the line somewhere. If the height requirement is 48" and a child measures 47 11/12" of course its not going to make a difference, but then what difference is there between that at 47 3/4"? That's the whole point 1/4" does not make a difference on the ride, but you have to be consistent, in order to be fair.

I personally would glance at those shoes, but I wouldn't make him take them off as long as he hit the height requirement.

BTW a tip no one has mentioned, have him take a deep breath when they measure him, feet together stand up straight, taking a deep breath actually adds, I kid you not, about 1/8 to 1/16" to the height, it DOES make a difference. Oh and yes earlier in the day makes a HUGE difference, like 1/4" difference.

Jennifer

 

[theSurlyMermaid]

Two years ago my son was measured four times before going on Space Mountain. Good thing they didn't make him take off his shoes. They might have seen the napkins I stuffed in there to give him a tiny boost.

Before everyone goes taking my head off for being unsafe, I wouldn't do it again. (but not because it was unsafe but because he hated the ride, and now doesn't really want to ride it again. He clears the height requirement by a good four inches now).

 

[Disney1fan2002]

Two years ago my son was measured four times before going on Space Mountain. Good thing they didn't make him take off his shoes. They might have seen the napkins I stuffed in there to give him a tiny boost.

Before everyone goes taking my head off for being unsafe, I wouldn't do it again. (but not because it was unsafe but because he hated the ride, and now doesn't really want to ride it again. He clears the height requirement by a good four inches now).

 

[Jennifer124]

Found out today my son measures 37 and 1/4 inches ... our trip is not for another two months and I'll make sure he's wearing thick soles, so if he doesn't make the cut, it'll be by a hair. What are the chances of them letting him ride the mine train with us if he is JUUUUUST under 38 inches? I went ahead and added him and my mom to our FP+ just in case.

 

[Disneylover99]

The cm's are pretty strict. They will never say, "Close enough, he's almost tall enough, so go ahead. " However, your son's almost there and you still have a few months to go and shoes naturally add a bit of height, so he may be fine.

 

[Jennifer124]

That's what I am hoping! He was wearing sandals today when they measured him, unfortunately. But I'm thinking thick socks and tennis shoes for 7DMT! Fingers crossed. His sister and I will ride it no matter what, but I'd of course love for him and my mom to ride with us.

 

[Disneylover99]

That's what I am hoping! He was wearing sandals today when they measured him, unfortunately. But I'm thinking thick socks and tennis shoes for 7DMT! Fingers crossed. His sister and I will ride it no matter what, but I'd of course love for him and my mom to ride with us.

I would just prepare him for the fact that he might not be able to ride it. Some kids may take this hard when they see other family members riding. Good luck.

 

[bumbershoot]

I would just prepare him for the fact that he might not be able to ride it. Some kids may take this hard when they see other family members riding. Good luck.

Also prepare him that he might be able to ride it once, but not a second time. Always try the important rides that a child is borderline for very very first thing in the morning, after a full night's sleep and proper hydration the day before. We all shrink a bit, thanks to fluids naturally leaking out of our intervertebral discs, and sleep and water help us get that height back as we lay down at night. Then the very rides we want to go on squish it all back out, LOL.

 

[Lz10]

When I was a kid I was measured before getting in line for Splash Mountain with my family. I had on a baseball hat and they let me in to wait... For 2 1/2 hours. Got to the front of the line and was told I couldn't ride because the button on top of my hat was at the height requirement but I wasn't. As an apology they gave me a paper certificate to cut any line (not that I cared, I had my heart set on Splash Mountain) which is hidden somewhere in my childhood belongings. I wonder if they would still honor it! Anyway, in my experience (years ago), they are very strict about height requirements but if he's the right height with tennis shoes on I would think it will be fine.

 

[Disney Khaleesi]

They're very strict. Try hitting the ride first thing in the morning, as we shrink throughout the day. However he could very well be let in at the first height checkpoint and denied at the second one.

Also, the CM could very likely ask him to remove his shoes if they seem to be adding height. I've seen it happen before.