DS is 39.5 without shoes,will he make it on 40" rides??

[NHBelle]

Only 6 weeks to go and DS grew 1 inch in the last two months. I had taken him to the dr's a couple months ago and her was only 38.5. I figured he would never make it, but I had to take him back last week and he is now 39.5, without shoes. SOOOO don't you think that with shoes he will make it??? The only thing that concerns me is I wonder if Disney measurement "sticks" are exact or do they add a half inch just to be safe (or to take shoes into consideration). I hate to get my hopes up, but he's just so close and I know he would love Soarin and Star Tours and Thunder Mountain. What do you think? Anyone else's ds or dd measure 39.5 at the dr's and make it on Disney 40" rides?????

 

[happygirl]

I'm going to say I don't think he should rides that require him to be 40 inches if he's not 40 inches, this is for his own safety, now with that I and watch this thread grow and grow

 

[Fuddrules]

He'll likely make it most of the time. It seems different sticks are slightly different heights. Also some CM's measure slightly differently, strange but that's been our experience. There seems to be a little fudge factor in each stick as well, accounting for a normal shoe height. Give it a try and since he's so close, you may occasionally get told he can't ride, even on a ride he has already been able to ride.

 

[durango kid]

I've neverf seen a CM "fudge" even a little on the height requirement. Imagine if, God forbid something did happen to a child who shouldn't have been on a ride but was justthisclose to being tall enough.

 

[jenn-]

I think there is some fudge factoring involved. DD should have been pretty close on some rides last time (I knew she wouldn't be tall enough), but when we put her up to the stick she was a full inch or more short. How old is your son? Mine are only 3 and will probably make 40in by Nov (we also measured at 39.5 barefoot a couple of weeks ago), but that doesn't mean they are ready for things like Soarin' or Test Track.

 

[OKW Lover]

No, at 39.5 he is going to be 0.5 short. The CM's are nice but firm about this. Its a safety issue.

 

[disnut8]

Disney measures kids with their shoes on. That's the way you should measure him to see if he makes 40".

That being said, do not get your son's hopes up very high that he will absolutely, positively 100% be able to ride everything with a 40" height requirement. Your son will get measured once at the outside entrance to the queue and once again before he boards. Disney measuring sticks are not all created equal although they do the best they can. There is no "one measure and you are set for the rest of the day" thing. Each attraction will measure him twice. He could pass the measurement without problems every single time but he could fail one along the way. You and he (him most importantly) have to be prepared for that. Please don't turn into someone who will be very upset if the measurer says he doesn't quite make 40".

My granddaughter was in this position her first time at Disney World. Her mother measured her at 41" with shoes on. We still prepared my graddaughter for failing any of the measurements. She had a close call on Kali River Rapids but she barely made it at the entrance to the queue. We all were prepared to leave if any measurer said she wasn't tall enough. It didn't matter if she had just ridden the attraction right before. We would have left.

 

[maxiesmom]

I wouldn't get your hopes up. Disney is very strict about how tall you need to be. The bars they use to measure are shaped like upside down Ls. Your head has to stop the bar from moving across, not just touch the bar.

Also, please be aware that if you son's shoes look to the CM like they are giving him extra height, he may be asked to take them off to be measured.

If you do decide to try and ride a 40" ride, do it early in the morning. People tend to slouch more as the day goes on, and you will have a better shot at getting your son on. Good luck!

 

[allyphoe]

Her mother measured her at 41" with shoes on. We still prepared my graddaughter for failing any of the measurements. She had a close call on Kali River Rapids but she barely made it at the entrance to the queue.

Kali's high limit is 38".

To the OP: my 4yo was 39.5" in bare feet before we left. DD wore chunkier-heeled shoes (no, not special high-heeled shoes, not kiddie-lifts, not shoes with ice cream bars shoved into them - shoes she wears to play on the playground at preschool that happen to have more of a heel) rather than paperthin flip-flops if she wanted to ride height-requirement rides. She knew she had to leave her feet flat on the ground and hit the side of the measuring stick with her head, so we didn't have the slouchyness that plagued measuring her at home. She was a close call on some of the rides, but wasn't turned away from anything. If she had been, we'd have ridden something else instead.

 

[MISSYLEXI]

First I would measure him with his shoes on, he might make it.

Then I was going to mention the shoes with the bigger heal height, we did this with my DD one of the times we went to Disney ,she was at 39.5 also, we were never asked for her to take her shoes off. But this might be something new, they may of caught on to our evil plan.

 

[maxiesmom]

First I would measure him with his shoes on, he might make it.

Then I was going to mention the shoes with the bigger heal height, we did this with my DD one of the times we went to Disney ,she was at 39.5 also, we were never asked for her to take her shoes off. But this might be something new, they may of caught on to our evil plan.

After one of the more popular Disney World guide books published this as a good idea, the powers that be at Disney caught on. They also caught on to gelling up your child's hair so it stands straight up, putting hats on, and putting your kid's hair up in a bun. It is really sad that the CMs have to spend so much time making sure people follow rules that are in place strictly for their safety, isn't it?

 

[Fuddrules]

I've neverf seen a CM "fudge" even a little on the height requirement.

Fudge is applicable to the stick, not the CM. Translated, the stick isn't exactly 40", it's a little bit higher than 40" to add in a little "fudge" height for shoes.

As I said, your son will likely make it as long as he's not wearing flats. Here's what all my kids wear.....

 

[NHBelle]

Well I just want to say that I am not trying to "get one over" or anything and certainly an aware that the restrictions are in place for my sons own good, however When I measure him with shoes (just regular sneakers, no lifts or extra thick soles etc) he measures about 40.5, so I just want to know if Disney "sticks" are 40" or are they actually a littler bigger to account for shoes. In other words is the 40" restriction suppose to be with or without shoes, because that makes at least a 1/2 inch difference, and for us it's the difference between making it on to the ride or not

 

[cwf1028]

We were in very similar 'shoes'. My DD6 was exactly 43.5 at the doctor's office a week before we left. She was so nervous as I had prepared her that she may or may not get to ride the 44' rides. First day, first ride she was turned away from EE and she cried. It was very busy because it was at opening and the CM at the gate I think was training. My DD stood tall and hit the bar with her head, but the CM got the other CMs attention who brought over some taped together 'credit cards' and shoved it in between her head and the bar and said 'nope'. She basically pushed her head doen. It all lasted about 10 seconds and in my opinion was done too quickly. We had already gotten fast passes and I told her we would try again when we use them. It at least cheered her up while we went and rode some other stuff. We went back a couple hours later and a different CM glanced at her under the bar and stamped her hand 'YETI' and sent her on. She rode all the other 44' rides the rest of the week without anyone giving her a second glance. I am really glad that we won't have to worry the next time we go. She begged to go back to AK to ride EE again, but I didn't want to risk disappointing her. I think you will find different standards at different rides. On SM, no one every even asked her to step under the bar the three different times she rode it!?!

 

[WDWLODGE]

This past December we were in the same situation as our daughter was 39.5" without shoes. With shoes she was just over 40". We never got questioned during our whole trip. She rode Soarin' so many times we lost count. The first 40" ride we went on was Test Track and she never even got measured. She also rode Splash Mountain, but she did not want to do The Tower of Terror, so we did not force her, but I had the cast member measure her anyway and she told me that our daughter could ride it if she wanted to.

 

[dqpowell]

It is ridiculous to imply that somebody who is 39.5" would be unsafe on a ride with a nominal height restriction of 40". Your body changes height throughout the day anyway, due to compression of the spine and joints as you walk around. (You're tallest in the morning.)

Your child will be measured with shoes on, and should have no trouble riding any of the rides with a 40" minimum requirement.

David

 

[jenb1023]

My DD was about 39.5" (maybe a little shorter) when we went in April. She was able to go on Big Thunder Mtn no problem but was refused from Star Tours near the boarding area. The CM at the front said she was fine. I think if they are close, it depends on the shoes but I also think all measuring sticks are not exactly the same and when they are that close it can make a difference. Also, some CM's are pickier about it than others. Just prepare your child that they may or may not be tall enough for each ride.

I am hoping by January when we go back she will be plenty tall enough for it not to even be a question.

 

[allyphoe]

They also caught on to gelling up your child's hair so it stands straight up, putting hats on, and putting your kid's hair up in a bun.

Things on your head = much more scrutiny. The *only* time a CM looked at my DD's feet was the time she didn't take a tiara off before being measured. (He had her lift up the skirt of her princess dress a few inches, looked at her shoes / feet, and gave her a thumbs up.)

 

[MrsTomMorrow]

It is ridiculous to imply that somebody who is 39.5" would be unsafe on a ride with a nominal height restriction of 40".

I've also heard that Disney adds a couple of inches to the actual height requirement just to be safe.

 

[happygirl]

It is ridiculous to imply that somebody who is 39.5" would be unsafe on a ride with a nominal height restriction of 40". Your body changes height throughout the day anyway, due to compression of the spine and joints as you walk around. (You're tallest in the morning.)

Your child will be measured with shoes on, and should have no trouble riding any of the rides with a 40" minimum requirement.

David

then why doesn't disney just say 39.5 if it doesnt make any difference??