Height requirements and measuring

[mjmouse77]

DD is just over 40" with shoes. I've heard some people say that a few of the measuring posts were a little taller at some attractions than what their child measured at home. In your experience, how are the posts at btmrr, splash, Soarin and test track? It will alter our plans if she can't ride, obviously, so I'd like to know if anyone had issues at these attractions if their child measured 40" or slightly above at home?

 

[mesaboy2]

You will likely not have trouble.

Individual experiences vary depending on attraction, child, CM, and even time of day.

 

[DisneyOma]

Just have her practice standing tall - and let her know that she wants to be taller than the bar, not scrunch under it. Kids have the tendency to want to slouch and duck when something comes over their heads.

 

[GigiDisneyfreak]

My experience last year with my granddaughter was very good. She was just 40 inches and a month shy of her 3rd birthday. She didn't like standing under the bar and kept trying to turn and look at the bar. The cm's were patient with her and would wait for her to be still to check her. YMMV.

 

[Usandthe4kids]

We were there at the beginning of September and my daughter is barely 40 inches with shoes on. Honestly I wasn't expecting her to be able to ride anything. However, she was tall enough for Stitch, Soarin, Dinosaur but wasn't tall enough for Test Track, BTMRR, or Splash. The oddest was Dinosaur. We measured her in front of the entrance and she was hitting the bar. We measured her at the entrance and she wasn't (breathing in, standing straight). The CM took her to the front and measured her and said she was fine. She said something about the ground not being level but I'm not sure what she was talking about or how true it is. She hit the bar at the other two checkpoints in the line. She was wearing the same shoes all week but maybe the difference was how deep she breathed in. I don't know. We told her ahead of time that she probably wouldn't be tall enough so she was excited with anything she got to ride and was not disappointed when she couldn't. Like I said though, my daughter is literally just at 40 inches with shoes so if your daughter is over you should be fine

 

[bumbershoot]

The force of gravity and the stresses of the day make us ALL shrink as the day goes on. If you're borderline tall enough and you go on one big ride, you might not make another that day because of the forces of that first ride. If you're borderline and your family waits until the end of the day to try for a big ride, you might not make it.

If you're borderline or worried, make sure the child gets good rest (the time lying down helps the intervertebral discs expand again) and good hydration (again with the intervertebral discs). Try for the big rides FIRST. If you go on one, don't *expect* to be able to ride it again immediately, or ride another height restricted one soon after.

 

[disnut8]

DD is just over 40" with shoes. I've heard some people say that a few of the measuring posts were a little taller at some attractions than what their child measured at home. In your experience, how are the posts at btmrr, splash, Soarin and test track? It will alter our plans if she can't ride, obviously, so I'd like to know if anyone had issues at these attractions if their child measured 40" or slightly above at home?

The one ting to realize is that the only measurement that means anything is not the one your child gets at home or at the doctor's. It's the one that Disney will do and it's twice at each attraction with a height limit.

My advice? If you child doesn't "measure up" at the first time, you leave and get ice cream. If she passes the first one and gets denied at the second one, you leave and get ice cream. If she passes them both and rides the attraction, you leave and get ice cream.

 

[amerikiwiroo]

My son measured 38.5 inches (with shoes on) at the doctors 2 days before we left for our trip. I made our touring plan assuming he was too short for all the 40"+ rides and we got rider swap passes the first two days of our trip (noone ever measured DS for the rider swaps). On the third day my hubby and son had boy time and were free to make their own plans. DH brought our son by Splash "just to see" and lo and behold his head hit the measurement stick! He spent the rest of the day riding Splash and Big Thunder over and over again and I felt guilty that our now 40" adrenaline junkie missed out on the first two days of big rides.

As above, the only measurement that counts is the one done by Disney. It worked in our favour but others have had opposite experiences. I'd say have a plan A and B just in case--and love the suggestion above about ice cream!

 

[texasroni75]

For the first time I am concerned about height checks, too. Youngest DS measures "somewhere in between" 39 and 40 inches barefoot at home. Of course we know that once we are in the parks, he might not measure up. In the past, it wasn't a huge deal when one of our kids missed the cut-off because we'd just do rider-swap. However, the next trip it's just me and him. So, if we get turned away, it's a waste of a FP+. So, I can understand wanting to know ahead of time! Making sure he drinks his milk and takes his vitamins, and crossing fingers that he's tall enough.

I also modified our daily itinerary to include a backup ride nearby just in case. I also like the "ice cream" idea

 

[kaybird]

My advice? If you child doesn't "measure up" at the first time, you leave and get ice cream. If she passes the first one and gets denied at the second one, you leave and get ice cream. If she passes them both and rides the attraction, you leave and get ice cream.

I think this is just good advice. Whether you ride or not. Get ice cream. All the time. Adult or child. Short or tall.

 

[linzbear]

My experience with 2 kids who were 40" with no shoes on is that they easily passed every checkpoint with regular shoes on. They hated most of the rides though!

 

[wilkeliza]

For the first time I am concerned about height checks, too. Youngest DS measures "somewhere in between" 39 and 40 inches barefoot at home. Of course we know that once we are in the parks, he might not measure up. In the past, it wasn't a huge deal when one of our kids missed the cut-off because we'd just do rider-swap. However, the next trip it's just me and him. So, if we get turned away, it's a waste of a FP+. So, I can understand wanting to know ahead of time! Making sure he drinks his milk and takes his vitamins, and crossing fingers that he's tall enough.

I also modified our daily itinerary to include a backup ride nearby just in case. I also like the "ice cream" idea

If that is barefoot just make sure he has a solid sneaker on and not flip flops. Also ride in the morning. He should be fine.

 

[kelmcg]

My kids love to ride rides. Whenever they were close to the next height requirement I would bring a pair of Dr. Scholl's heel lifts. I found them at a sporting goods store. They are made of a cushioned gel and they are placed inside of a shoe....gives them just a little extra lift. For a last minute fix....wrap a few quarters (or a cap from a water bottle) in a napkin. Place the napkin in their shoe and under their heel. You may need to give them a piggy back ride through the line because it's not very comfortable for their feet.....but it will work!!

 

[Dismama2boys]

My kids love to ride rides. Whenever they were close to the next height requirement I would bring a pair of Dr. Scholl's heel lifts. I found them at a sporting goods store. They are made of a cushioned gel and they are placed inside of a shoe....gives them just a little extra lift. For a last minute fix....wrap a few quarters (or a cap from a water bottle) in a napkin. Place the napkin in their shoe and under their heel. You may need to give them a piggy back ride through the line because it's not very comfortable for their feet.....but it will work!!

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