Height measuring posts on rides

[NiceOneSimba]

Don't even get me started on the pole at Jumpin' Jellyfish. I swear, it's half an inch taller than any of the other 40 inch poles.

 

[dmband]

Keep in mind limits are for safety
You can be upset all you want that they said your child is to short but if they let them slide and something happened you would be more upset
So my opinion, if you are on the edge don't be shocked if they tell you no
No cm wants to be the one who loses their job or worse someone's life because they let a kid slide

 

[purple figment]

I'm curious to know why they measure you twice? . What is Disney's reason for two checks? Don't they trust the CM's at the front?

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Unfortunately there have been instances where a too short child deliberately or accidently has gotten by the first CM. Sometimes a person will purposely distract a CM while someone else in the group walks past with a too small child. I guess they see the height limit, but think if they can get past the measure stick at the entrance they'll be fine. Other times a CM will be measuring or talking to a guest and another group will bypass the busy CM and enter the queue.

 

[DLmama]

Keep in mind limits are for safety
You can be upset all you want that they said your child is to short but if they let them slide and something happened you would be more upset
So my opinion, if you are on the edge don't be shocked if they tell you no
No cm wants to be the one who loses their job or worse someone's life because they let a kid slide

I was thinking this too. If you think your child is too short to ride, they probably are. It's a safety issue. It gives the child something to look forward to when they are tall enough to ride.

 

[ChrisSD]

I was thinking this too. If you think your child is too short to ride, they probably are. It's a safety issue. It gives the child something to look forward to when they are tall enough to ride.

Agree - but the problem is this: my DD is 40.5", barefoot, measured at the Dr.'s office. Disney says she is under 40" with shoes on. If the "minimum" is 40" it should be 40", not 42".

 

[Blue32]

Agree - but the problem is this: my DD is 40.5", barefoot, measured at the Dr.'s office. Disney says she is under 40" with shoes on. If the "minimum" is 40" it should be 40", not 42".

Yep.

 

[tinkerbelt]

That is so frustrating! We went through the same thing when DD was younger, and it's maddening. The first time she rode Space Mtn, it was early and we walked on. They measured her at the start of the line and then again right before she or on, and she was fine. We got off and went through again, because there was no line. Not even 10 minutes later, the same CM who had just let her on told her that she was too short. DD cried and the CM offered us a fastpass, but told
DD she could have it only if she stopped crying.

Then we went over to Splash, where she was measured twice and was allowed to ride three times. Then over to DCA, where they wouldn't let her on Soarin. It was still several months after that before she hit the marker for BTMRR, even though by that point she was allowed on every 40" ride with no issues, and measuring close to 42" at home.

There is zero consistency with the height markers. We complained to Disney at the time (about 5 years ago), and it looks like they still haven't fixed it. They used to have a wristband system, but it didn't work, so they scrapped it.

 

[10stime]

I can remember the same thing happening to us when we took my nieces for their first trip, I totally understand the safety precautions and of course that is 100% the most important thing! I can also understand the frustrations when the measuring sticks are contradicting each other. Couldn't they have an official measuring spot in the park where a child can be measured and given a photo ID with their official height? We pay enough in ticket prices I am sure they could handle the cost . Just a thought

 

[HollyL]

My son is small for his age. He is 4 and exactly 40 inches tall. We plan on visiting Disney in about 7 weeks. Since it will be late fall, I am wondering if he will get away with wearing hiking style boots that will make him about an inch and a half taller just so we don't have to chance him getting booted off of rides....how has this worked for others?

 

[Davids-Coco]

I'd pay an extra $5 (like the licenses at Autopia kind of printing) for something like that...

 

[Tasmen]

My son is small for his age. He is 4 and exactly 40 inches tall. We plan on visiting Disney in about 7 weeks. Since it will be late fall, I am wondering if he will get away with wearing hiking style boots that will make him about an inch and a half taller just so we don't have to chance him getting booted off of rides....how has this worked for others?

I have friends that went put their 3 year olds in cowboy boots when they went recently. They were given no issue with RSR (the only ride they really cared to take the kids on with the 40" height restriction). So I imagine, hiking boots will be quite alright.

I plan to put my DD in her pink cowboy boots to give us a little cushion as she's right at 40" right now and I am terrified we'll not be able to take her on Star Tours to see the 'superhero' (what she calls Darth Vader).

 

[AddictedtoDoleWhip]

Anyone who puts their child in shoes that make them look taller than they really are, are putting their children in danger. There is a height minimum for a reason and if your child is not tall enough by Disney standards then it will teach them that there are things that they can't do just yet. Disney's measurements are not the same as regular measurements it seems, and most of the time if it looks like the child is cheating their height they will make the child take off their shoes and measure them again, and generally they are the ones that end up not being able to ride.

 

[Tasmen]

Anyone who puts their child in shoes that make them look taller than they really are, are putting their children in danger. There is a height minimum for a reason and if your child is not tall enough by Disney standards then it will teach them that there are things that they can't do just yet. Disney's measurements are not the same as regular measurements it seems, and most of the time if it looks like the child is cheating their height they will make the child take off their shoes and measure them again, and generally they are the ones that end up not being able to ride.

I don't think anyone is saying put shoes on a child to make them look taller than they are if they are not already 40" tall. I'm only doing it because my child IS tall enough but there is inconsistency in the measuring sticks and I would rather not have her be okay at the start and NOT at the end of a line.

I agree, if your child is normally too short, don't do it.

 

[Jenn1116]

...but warned us about the last measuring stick being a little longer due to the floor.

What the heck? Where's the genius engineers on this one?

 

[HollyL]

Anyone who puts their child in shoes that make them look taller than they really are, are putting their children in danger. There is a height minimum for a reason and if your child is not tall enough by Disney standards then it will teach them that there are things that they can't do just yet. Disney's measurements are not the same as regular measurements it seems, and most of the time if it looks like the child is cheating their height they will make the child take off their shoes and measure them again, and generally they are the ones that end up not being able to ride.

Okay, then answer me this. I KNOW my son is 40 inches tall, his doctor confirmed this. If Disney's website states that kids have to be 40 inches tall to ride a certain ride, then how am I putting my child at risk? I am considering certain shoes, so if they do use a measuring stick that isn't correct, that he isn't going to be dissappointed when he is not able to ride a certain ride that the Disney website STATES that he IS tall enough to ride. Now, if my son was 38 inches tall, and I put him in platform shoes just so he could ride a ride for people 40 inches and taller, then that is a different story.
Last time my son was measured, it was in the evening, so in reality, maybe he is 41 inches tall. Still, I don't want to risk the dissappointment, that's why I asked about shoes.

If Disney wants kids to be 42 inches to ride a certain ride, then they need to state that on their website so they don't mislead people and upset kids.

 

[HollyL]

I have friends that went put their 3 year olds in cowboy boots when they went recently. They were given no issue with RSR (the only ride they really cared to take the kids on with the 40" height restriction). So I imagine, hiking boots will be quite alright.

I plan to put my DD in her pink cowboy boots to give us a little cushion as she's right at 40" right now and I am terrified we'll not be able to take her on Star Tours to see the 'superhero' (what she calls Darth Vader).

Well, we are from Texas, and we do have cowboy boots!

 

[DisneyMommy403]

agree - but the problem is this: My dd is 40.5", barefoot, measured at the dr.'s office. Disney says she is under 40" with shoes on. If the "minimum" is 40" it should be 40", not 42".

word!