Dear Disney: can you please do something about the height requirement inconsistencies?

[JakeAZ]

It’s not about the close calls after measuring once. It’s about the parents who slip their too small child through when the cast member at the front of the line is distracted with a question from another guest.

Wouldn’t a centralized measuring system with wrist bands stop this? If the kid looks small and doesn’t have a band, CM should measure. If they do have a band, the kid should ride. Done. Simple.
Disney uses bands for hard ticket parties. They obviously trust that system because money is involved. And we all know how much the mouse loves money!

 

[mom2rtk]

Wouldn’t a centralized measuring system with wrist bands stop this? If the kid looks small and doesn’t have a band, CM should measure. If they do have a band, the kid should ride. Done. Simple.
Disney uses bands for hard ticket parties. They obviously trust that system because money is involved. And we all know how much the mouse loves money!

They care more about safety, partly because they care so much about money. And having 2 separate evaluations backstops a lot of abuses that can go on.

For whatever reason, in spite of using wristbands of various sorts for other applications, they have decided not to trust them when it comes to ride safety.

It's not perfect for guests, but it's manageable if parents manage their kids' expectations.

 

[Brett Wyman]

NO ONE but Disney and sloppy management is to blame here. Parents shouldn't be forced to have to tell young children that they cant do something after they were told it was okay and they could. Kids around this height have not fully developed the mental capacity to understand what has changed and why they are now being told no after the parents they trust told them yes. This is not a life lesson. It's just confusion to children of that age. Very sloppy on Disneys part and very disappointing.

That being said our daughter just barely cleared the first Splash Mountain height sign last year and made it on the ride just fine. So even more inconsistencies I guess.

 

[JakeAZ]

NO ONE but Disney and sloppy management is to blame here. Parents shouldn't be forced to have to tell young children that they cant do something after they were told it was okay and they could. Kids around this height have not fully developed the mental capacity to understand what has changed and why they are now being told no after the parents they trust told them yes. This is not a life lesson. It's just confusion to children of that age. Very sloppy on Disneys part and very disappointing.

That being said our daughter just barely cleared the first Splash Mountain height sign last year and made it on the ride just fine. So even more inconsistencies I guess.

Right on!

I don’t think it’s unreasonable for people to say explaining to a child “even though they told you could ride at the beginning of the line, you might not actually get to after we wait in this 2 hour line” is a family unfriendly policy.

Disney will never change as long as the “if Disney does it, there must be a good reason” logic exists. I think it’s fair to say most of the time their policies work, but when they don’t, it’s OK to say so.

I don’t even have kids in this situation. One is above 48 and the other is above 42, but below 44. This Issue won’t come up during our trip, but it gets me fired up for other parents!

 

[mom2rtk]

NO ONE but Disney and sloppy management is to blame here. Parents shouldn't be forced to have to tell young children that they cant do something after they were told it was okay and they could. Kids around this height have not fully developed the mental capacity to understand what has changed and why they are now being told no after the parents they trust told them yes. This is not a life lesson. It's just confusion to children of that age. Very sloppy on Disneys part and very disappointing.

That being said our daughter just barely cleared the first Splash Mountain height sign last year and made it on the ride just fine. So even more inconsistencies I guess.

Right on!

I don’t think it’s unreasonable of me to say explaining to a child “even though they told you could ride at the beginning of the line, you might not actually get to after we wait in this 2 hour line” is a family unfriendly policy.

Disney will never change as long as the “if Disney does it, there must be a good reason” logic exists. I think it’s fair to say most of the time their policies work, but when they don’t, it’s OK to say so.

I don’t even have kids in this situation. One is above 48 and the other is above 42, but below 44. This Issue won’t come up during our trip, but it gets me fired up for other parents!

Then you should both email Disney and express your concerns. I'm just more of a realist. I doubt I can effect change in this situation, so I tend to look at the things I can do to minimize its impact on my family. Parents becoming indignant about it in front of kids only fuels their disappointment though.

 

[JakeAZ]

Then you should both email Disney and express your concerns. I'm just more of a realist. I doubt I can effect change in this situation, so I tend to look at the things I can do to minimize its impact on my family. Parents becoming indignant about it in front of kids only fuels their disappointment though.

I have emailed Disney about this and their vague rider switch w/ FastPass policy. While I agree it will take quite a bit to move them on a centralized measuring system, it's worth fighting for.
One the rider switch issue, it appears (based on recent feedback from families in the park), they've moved away from requiring all members of the party to have fast passes if using rider switch. So, my guess is enough people pointed out the flaws in that system.

 

[Brett Wyman]

Then you should both email Disney and express your concerns. I'm just more of a realist. I doubt I can effect change in this situation, so I tend to look at the things I can do to minimize its impact on my family. Parents becoming indignant about it in front of kids only fuels their disappointment though.

It hasn't happen to us. But depending on the amount of time we waited I certainly would take it to management directly in the park. And Im not even a "take it to the manager" kind of person. But this is just sloppiness on an epic scale that could easily and cheaply be remedied which makes it inexcusable.

 

[tjmw2727]

The real issue here is that the final say has to be from the CM boarding the ride - they are responsible for being sure that the child is eligible to ride. If they see a child who looks borderline it is their job to measure - they have no idea if a child was measured before entering the line or not. If they don't they could loose their job regardless of how close your child measures or how many times.

The measure outside the line is a courtesy - to avoid a situation like so many here have described. Disney doesn't want guests waiting the line only to be turned away.

The issue as I see it is just plain human, kids are squirmy and some CM's could be better trained.

For those reading along, instruct your child to stand up straight and breathe in while being measured; they tend to naturally shrink away from the stick. If you pass the first measure don't assume you won't be asked to have your child measured again.

ETA - even with a wristband, if a cm boarding the ride sees a rider who looks questionable shouldn't they still be responsible for a re-measure to be sure before boarding the rider?

Also I haven't seen anyone complain about a 2 hour wait, that would be more like FOP or maybe the MF - not TT or Splash, hyperbole doesn't help anyone here.

 

[maxiesmom]

Right on!

I don’t think it’s unreasonable for people to say explaining to a child “even though they told you could ride at the beginning of the line, you might not actually get to after we wait in this 2 hour line” is a family unfriendly policy.

Disney will never change as long as the “if Disney does it, there must be a good reason” logic exists. I think it’s fair to say most of the time their policies work, but when they don’t, it’s OK to say so.

I don’t even have kids in this situation. One is above 48 and the other is above 42, but below 44. This Issue won’t come up during our trip, but it gets me fired up for other parents!

Unfortunately Disney has to set everything up to deal with the lowest common denominator. Those parents who would switch wrist bands. Those parents who would distract the CM at the beginning of a line, in order to try and sneak a too short child onto a ride.

I'm sure if anyone had a fool proof way to ensure kids were the proper height with no second measuring needed, one that would stop anyone trying to game the system, Disney would be all ears.

 

[maxiesmom]

Wouldn’t a centralized measuring system with wrist bands stop this? If the kid looks small and doesn’t have a band, CM should measure. If they do have a band, the kid should ride. Done. Simple.
Disney uses bands for hard ticket parties. They obviously trust that system because money is involved. And we all know how much the mouse loves money!

No. There is no way the party bands are able to be switched around. Everyone has to have a band. Would be super simple, if Disney went wrist band measuring, for a parent to pull the band off of a child who was just the proper height and put it on a too short child. Unless everyone had to get measured. And think of the congestion and chaos that would cause.

 

[lcc2]

It's not perfect for guests, but it's manageable if parents manage their kids' expectations.

This right here!!

 

[JakeAZ]

Would be super simple, if Disney went wrist band measuring, for a parent to pull the band off of a child who was just the proper height and put it on a too short child

Check out my wristband link on the first page. Those bands are all but impossible to take off once tightened, without scissors.

 

[JakeAZ]

The measure outside the line is a courtesy - to avoid a situation like so many here have described. Disney doesn't want guests waiting the line only to be turned away.

The point of the post is that it’s happening.

Also I haven't seen anyone complain about a 2 hour wait, that would be more like FOP or maybe the MF - not TT or Splash, hyperbole doesn't help anyone here.

If it's happening on any rides with height restrictions, logic says it more than likely happens on all.

Again, I have no dog in this fight. My kid's heights are not borderline. I just feel for those parents that are in this situation. It's a lot of money and planning.

 

[jo-jo]

Remember years ago, you had to get your hand stamped to reenter the park? What if the child got measured and got a hand stamp. No kid switching with that. Yes, the rides would need the gizmo to see the stamp, but wouldn't reading for a stamp be quicker than measuring a child over and over.

Edit to add....Just remembered there are several different height rides. Are there different colors of invisible inks?? Green , you're good for any ride, red , only good for 44 inch and under, etc.

 

[tjmw2727]

The only real alternative is to stop the courtesy measuring and let everyone wait the line and measure at boarding, as again these are the CM's that are responsible for enforcing the requirements. This doesn't alleviate the issue of a slightly too short child being denied at boarding, op and others would still be in the same situation.

At least Disney tries to keep non riders out of line - at other theme parks you always have to wait the entire line before they measure.[/QUOTE]

 

[Tattylou]

This is 100% unacceptable. No kid, who passed the entrance height requirement, should have to wait hour(s) in line to be told they can't ride, at loading. One check point is enough. If they are tall enough at the main entrance, that should be it.
In addition to the major disappointment the kid experiences, time is money at DW. A 1-2 hour wait, only to accomplish nothing, could be spent on another ride.
Not hitting the height requirement at the main entrance of ride is disappointing, but you can then move on to another ride. If the kids makes it past that checkpoint, in their mind, they believe they will be riding.

This exactly ^^^^^
If you make it past the first checkpoint then you should be good to go. That's ridiculous to be turned away after already passing the first one and then having waited all that time.

 

[jormom1030]

This happened to us a few trips ago. My daughter rode on Space Mountain two times a few days before. Once was even at night (which blows the whole you shrink so you are shorter argument). She had gone on other rides during our trip with the same height requirements including Everest multiple times. She hit the post outside of Space Mountain (which we were riding early in the day), but when we got inside the ride attendant pushed down on her head so she couldn't stand straight up (as so many people point out to teach your child to be tall) and would not let her on the ride. How do you explain that a ride she was tall enough to ride on a few days before (multiple times) and that she had measured tall enough to ride at the front of the line she wasn't allowed to ride on now. She cried and cried and still talks about the mean worker that wouldn't let her ride.

 

[JakeAZ]

This happened to us a few trips ago. My daughter rode on Space Mountain two times a few days before. Once was even at night (which blows the whole you shrink so you are shorter argument). She had gone on other rides during our trip with the same height requirements including Everest multiple times. She hit the post outside of Space Mountain (which we were riding early in the day), but when we got inside the ride attendant pushed down on her head so she couldn't stand straight up (as so many people point out to teach your child to be tall) and would not let her on the ride. How do you explain that a ride she was tall enough to ride on a few days before (multiple times) and that she had measured tall enough to ride at the front of the line she wasn't allowed to ride on now. She cried and cried and still talks about the mean worker that wouldn't let her ride.

This sucks and is exactly what this post is about.

Apparently, you should have prepared your kid better...sorry my sarcasm font isn't working, so I'll just say, that was me being sarcastic!

 

[LSUmiss]

The real issue here is that the final say has to be from the CM boarding the ride - they are responsible for being sure that the child is eligible to ride. If they see a child who looks borderline it is their job to measure - they have no idea if a child was measured before entering the line or not. If they don't they could loose their job regardless of how close your child measures or how many times.

The measure outside the line is a courtesy - to avoid a situation like so many here have described. Disney doesn't want guests waiting the line only to be turned away.

The issue as I see it is just plain human, kids are squirmy and some CM's could be better trained.

For those reading along, instruct your child to stand up straight and breathe in while being measured; they tend to naturally shrink away from the stick. If you pass the first measure don't assume you won't be asked to have your child measured again.

ETA - even with a wristband, if a cm boarding the ride sees a rider who looks questionable shouldn't they still be responsible for a re-measure to be sure before boarding the rider?

Also I haven't seen anyone complain about a 2 hour wait, that would be more like FOP or maybe the MF - not TT or Splash, hyperbole doesn't help anyone here.

Like a pp mentioned, if the higher requirement is cutting it that close that minuscule details can affect it, perhaps it needs to be raised. It’s like saying the speed limit is 45, but if you do 46 you might die.

 

[LSUmiss]

No. There is no way the party bands are able to be switched around. Everyone has to have a band. Would be super simple, if Disney went wrist band measuring, for a parent to pull the band off of a child who was just the proper height and put it on a too short child. Unless everyone had to get measured. And think of the congestion and chaos that would cause.

How about a blue light type hand stamp then? Can’t trade that.