Height leniency for rides!!!

[stargazertechie]

Very strict.

My son last week was 44 1/2", and was measured EVERY TIME. Once he was even denied; I had to fight a little to get him into a ride he rode three times earlier that day.

As for leniency...bad idea. How would you feel if something happened?

You do actually shrink during the day. Gravity compresses your spine and joints, so you do end up smaller at the end of the day than when you started.

 

[Laketravis]

Last December, my 5 year old was barely 39.5" with his Woody cowboy boots and heels. He was able to ride Soarin, Test Track, all of the rides that required 40" in height and he was never turned away.

Funny thing, later that month we went to Six Flags Arlington, and the first day he was able to ride most of the coasters (rode Judge Roy Scream over and over for 90 minutes). The next day, they wouldn't let him on most of them. He was pretty upset. I think I would have rather had them turn him down on first attempt, then to let him do it and turn him down later.

We are going again in December, right now I've got him measured at 42.5" and he's got his heart set on Space Mountain, so hopefully in the next three months he'll grow another inch and a new pair of Woody cowboy boots will make up the rest.

 

[Kerriann]

Based on the Star Tours experience we had with my nephew last week, I'd say super strict. They did the paper deal, and had the double measurements - once to enter and once before boarding. My nephew actually made it fine at the entrance and then was denied before boarding

eta: now on Splash Mountain, which is the same height requirement, he rode multiple times with no issue. One time the CM said somethign along the lines of "close, but he's okay". I don't know if that's leniency or a judgement call or what...but I agree with preparing your son that he may not be able to ride, and it's not necessarily consistent amongst rides or CMs, etc.

Hope he gets to ride what he wants and has a great time no matter what!

 

[jenrose66]

How strict is the height policy on the rides?? My youngest DS is 39" and is scared of very little things. I was wondering if him standing on his tip toes would suffice the CM @ the ride. This would bring him to 40". Fingers crossed he'll grow a little the next 2 months.

I never really gave too much thought to the reasons for height restrictions. You figure if you're an inch or two off does it really matter...however, my opinion on that has changed.

In my area this summer a person was thrown from a roller coaster and died. Granted it was not because of a height restriction, but a different restriction (he was an amputee and there was a sign that said no amputees). I'm sure he wouldn't have went on that coaster if it was listed that he could be ejected and killed based on his not having legs, but we tend to feel that rides are safe and restrictions are merely suggestions.

There is a 40 inch cutoff for a reason, don't try to skirt it, respect it...no ride is worth bodily harm or death.

 

[ldymcbth]

My daughter was a piece of paper too short for Goofy's Barnstormer in Feb., so the next day she was wearing an extra pair of socks - and she was able to ride. I am all for safety but I feel like the piece of paper business is kind of ridiculous.

I know I will get flamed, so be it! I am not advocating sticking your kid in platform heels, but if the child is within a breath of passing the height requirement, there are ways around it.

Everyone is plenty tall enough for our upcoming trip - THANK GOODNESS!

 

[neoavatara]

Just hang him up by his ankles for a couple hours every day...he'll be fine.

On a more serious note, on one trip on our way into Mission Space, we saw a CM at the first height checker with a tape measure measuring it. Seems like some youngster might have made it through the first checker and didn't make it through the second one. Not sure what the resolution was, but it seems their system is not infallible. But erring on the side of caution/safety is a good policy.

That was the ride I was talking about earlier. The outside one was in fact off, and the inside one was lower and correct. Apparently they still haven't figured it out, LOL.

On a slightly different note, I kind of wish they would just give the kids a wristband at the front telling what height they are. That would simplify things a lot.

 

[deegack]

That was the ride I was talking about earlier. The outside one was in fact off, and the inside one was lower and correct. Apparently they still haven't figured it out, LOL.

On a slightly different note, I kind of wish they would just give the kids a wristband at the front telling what height they are. That would simplify things a lot.

They tried wristbands at one point. Parents would take them off the taller child and put them on a shorter child and get a new one for the taller child. Imagine the arguments that would ensue if a CM tried to stop an obviously too short child who had a wrist band.

 

[jesswindsor]

You really do have a great attitude, 2 months 2 go, anything can happen!! You all will have tons to ride together, and if your child doesn't meet the height requirement, it gives you another reason to visit the world!!!

 

[neoavatara]

They tried wristbands at one point. Parents would take them off the taller child and put them on a shorter child and get a new one for the taller child. Imagine the arguments that would ensue if a CM tried to stop an obviously too short child who had a wrist band.

Figures....some parents clearly need to get a clue.

 

[mesaboy2]

My daughter was a piece of paper too short for Goofy's Barnstormer in Feb., so the next day she was wearing an extra pair of socks - and she was able to ride. I am all for safety but I feel like the piece of paper business is kind of ridiculous.

I know I will get flamed, so be it! I am not advocating sticking your kid in platform heels, but if the child is within a breath of passing the height requirement, there are ways around it.

Everyone is plenty tall enough for our upcoming trip - THANK GOODNESS!

I'm not going to flame you, but the line does have to be drawn somewhere. Once you make an exception for a "piece of paper", then why not two, five, ten, or fifty? The line is the line.

And I also want to commend the OP for the great attitude. You totally get it.

 

[Dominus]

My daughter was a piece of paper too short for Goofy's Barnstormer in Feb., so the next day she was wearing an extra pair of socks - and she was able to ride. I am all for safety but I feel like the piece of paper business is kind of ridiculous.

I know I will get flamed, so be it! I am not advocating sticking your kid in platform heels, but if the child is within a breath of passing the height requirement, there are ways around it.

Everyone is plenty tall enough for our upcoming trip - THANK GOODNESS!

No flaming, I'm with you. We took my niece and she was "fast pass ticketed" out of RNR. She had on her sandals with no socks. So the next day we put her in her tennis shoes and socks and BAM!...she was miraculously tall enough. So anyone who flames you for an extra pair of socks is just wanting to pick a fight over nothing. And I've said it before, and I'll say it again, it's no more dangerous to put a kid on the ride who's a piece of paper too short, than it is to physically lift and strap a person in who has zero control of their body. I'm sure I'm gonna get the whole "but he's tall enough" and "muscle control has nothing to do with safety". Whatever. Bottom line is that no one is gonna be endangered by being .001 inches too short. And no CM is gonna get fired for not putting a FP ticket under the head of a kid that is .001 in too short.

 

[Princess Sleepy]

OP: I am going to take a page out of your book. DD really wants to ride Forbidden Journey at IOA and Crush and Gusher at TL when we are there in November. She is currently 1 1/4 inches too short. We keep telling her to eat her vegetables, but she is also prepared for the possibility that those will have to be rides for next time.

 

[jennabcassell]

We were just at Epcot last week and even though my DS was tall enough to go on Mission Space, he really wasn't. We went on the less intense Green mission and the harness that comes down over his shoulders was just under his neck and almost choking him. He also couldn't reach any of the buttons to push. So while he was just barely over the height to ride the ride, he didn't have that good of a time. DS is tall enough to ride Thunder Mt and Splash Mt., but I'm scared to take him!!

 

[Brian Noble]

How strict is the height policy on the rides??

There aren't many things that can get a Cast Member more or less terminated on the spot., but letting an under-height guest on an attraction is one of them.

 

[bobbie68]

Hi,

I would like to add something. I am not going to judge the op or anybody else, they need to do what is right for their family. The height requirement system is really flawed though. I go to many amusement parks and I will see the identical ride in a different park with two different height requirements. A lot of the height requirements are done state by state according to what the insurance companies dictate. Oh and throw in that more of it depends on your torso then your actual height.

Anyway good luck op with your trip.

 

[dvcHammer]

My daughter was a piece of paper too short for Goofy's Barnstormer in Feb., so the next day she was wearing an extra pair of socks - and she was able to ride. I am all for safety but I feel like the piece of paper business is kind of ridiculous.

I believe it's best to teach children the value of cheating at an early age.

They can next lie about their age to get discount tickets... think of the savings!!

 

[mattsdragon]

No flaming, I'm with you. We took my niece and she was "fast pass ticketed" out of RNR. She had on her sandals with no socks. So the next day we put her in her tennis shoes and socks and BAM!...she was miraculously tall enough. So anyone who flames you for an extra pair of socks is just wanting to pick a fight over nothing. And I've said it before, and I'll say it again, it's no more dangerous to put a kid on the ride who's a piece of paper too short, than it is to physically lift and strap a person in who has zero control of their body. I'm sure I'm gonna get the whole "but he's tall enough" and "muscle control has nothing to do with safety". Whatever. Bottom line is that no one is gonna be endangered by being .001 inches too short. And no CM is gonna get fired for not putting a FP ticket under the head of a kid that is .001 in too short.

There isn't much wrong with your logic as long as people aren't a. . .jerks that will get a lawyer the second the smallest thing goes wrong.

Disney has a policy to cover their own butts. It's not safety, it liability. There are too many sphinctors out there, and Disney has every right to cover their own. . .interests.

I bring forward the case of the people who disobeyed every rule of boating, and are suing Disney because the husband almost killed his wife by running into a Disney ferry.

 

[doconeill]

Height requirements are based on a whole lot of factors, but short of having a doctor at each attraction to measure torso length, waist, etc. they work based on averages and percentiles, along with manufacturers recommendations, direct experience, inspection services, etc.

They changed height requirements at Indy Speedway a couple years ago not because they changed the cars, but from experience.

I also wanted to remind that the first measurement, outside the attraction, is unofficial in a way (they WILL deny you entrance if you don't make it). The official one is at the loading area. The first one is hopefully to not make you wait through the whole line before finding out they can't ride, but when it is borderline is is tough.

For what it's worth, the common "walking stick" measuring method used at a lot of parks is highly inaccurate. Meeting or not meeting the stick height depends on how level the stick is being held (and I have yet to see a bubble level attached to one), the level of the ground, etc. I recently saw someone obviously new to the park using one after a manager explained it for about 30 seconds, and he wasn't holding it very straight at all. Fortunately for anyone I saw they were well above the height anyways.

Lastly, they expect guests to be wearing "normal" footwear. Don't go with thin-soled sandals, flip-flops, etc. but normal sneakers. But the CMs CAN require the footwear to be removed before measuring if it looks like they are providing beyond the normal height increase.

And as previously mentioned, go in the morning. Spines do compress during the day.

 

[lundve]

No flaming, I'm with you. We took my niece and she was "fast pass ticketed" out of RNR. She had on her sandals with no socks. So the next day we put her in her tennis shoes and socks and BAM!...she was miraculously tall enough. So anyone who flames you for an extra pair of socks is just wanting to pick a fight over nothing. And I've said it before, and I'll say it again, it's no more dangerous to put a kid on the ride who's a piece of paper too short, than it is to physically lift and strap a person in who has zero control of their body. I'm sure I'm gonna get the whole "but he's tall enough" and "muscle control has nothing to do with safety". Whatever. Bottom line is that no one is gonna be endangered by being .001 inches too short. And no CM is gonna get fired for not putting a FP ticket under the head of a kid that is .001 in too short.

We did this last time too. My almost 4 year old son was probably 39.75 inches and was deemed too short our first day to ride Soarin'. We wore Crocs that day. He cried when we had to stay behind. And yes the lady put a fastpass under his head and said no way. We put him in sneakers and socks the rest of our trip and never got turned away. He was measured at every ride at the entrance and the inside but since he just barely touched the head bar he was allowed. My DH is still convinced that my son was able to somehow curl his toes knowing that if his head did not touch he would not be allowed. He rode Splash, Big Thunder, Test Track, Soarin, and Tower of Terror - and loved them all. My DH always rode next to him and held onto a body part just in case but we really did not feel that any of those rides were unsafe for him. In fact I held onto my 6 year old's leg too - probably because I am protective.

 

[doconeill]

We did this last time too. My almost 4 year old son was probably 39.75 inches and was deemed too short our first day to ride Soarin'. We wore Crocs that day. He cried when we had to stay behind. And yes the lady put a fastpass under his head and said no way. We put him in sneakers and socks the rest of our trip and never got turned away. He was measured at every ride at the entrance and the inside but since he just barely touched the head bar he was allowed. My DH is still convinced that my son was able to somehow curl his toes knowing that if his head did not touch he would not be allowed. He rode Splash, Big Thunder, Test Track, Soarin, and Tower of Terror - and loved them all. My DH always rode next to him and held onto a body part just in case but we really did not feel that any of those rides were unsafe for him. In fact I held onto my 6 year old's leg too - probably because I am protective.

Crocs have fairly soft, compressible soles - more so than sneakers. So although as measured the croc soles might be the same thickness, the person's weight will compress it more, thus taking some of that thickness away.