Height requirements. Here at Disney now!

[Jules16]

So just came back from Hollywood studios...it's our 1st day here and my 3 year old was turned away from the Starwars ride which you have to be 40 inches. I swear I measured and measured at home with sneakers and he measures 40 1/2 inches. Even the dr's office he's 39 3/4 without sneakers. Are the height bars off?? Is he going to be turned away from all 40 inch rides now. I have dinosaur planned 2moro at AK. He loves dinosaurs and is looking forward to it. Now I'm not so sure he'll be able to get on...and splash mountain and big thunder mountain. Sighhhhh.

 

[ErinF]

I'm so sorry! I've read that you should try and ride as close to first thing in the morning since our spines compress and we "shrink" as the day goes on. Also, it couldn't hurt to have him practice standing up nice and straight and tall. Good luck!!!

 

[Momtomouselover]

So just came back from Hollywood studios...it's our 1st day here and my 3 year old was turned away from the Starwars ride which you have to be 40 inches. I swear I measured and measured at home with sneakers and he measures 40 1/2 inches. Even the dr's office he's 39 3/4 without sneakers. Are the height bars off?? Is he going to be turned away from all 40 inch rides now. I have dinosaur planned 2moro at AK. He loves dinosaurs and is looking forward to it. Now I'm not so sure he'll be able to get on...and splash mountain and big thunder mountain. Sighhhhh.

When my son was right at 40 inches he sometimes was tall enough in the morning and while he had on certain tennis shoes. At night or in crocs he sometimes didn't measure up. I told him to walk up and they want to see you hit your head on the bar so stand tall. Good luck! Some of the rides did seem to be different than others.

 

[pens4821]

We were at a local amusement park where my nephew wasn't quite tall enough to ride one of those music express rides. The lady told him to stand up straight, feet the whole way back against the wall, and take in a deep breath. As he did that she moved the bar and he was just tall enough. He was 6, and knew from then that when we would ride that what he needed to do haha.

Not sure if it'll work for you or not, but it did for us so it's with a shot. It gave him that quarter of an inch or less that he needed.

 

[Jules16]

Thanks for your suggestions! I noticed the bar was not against the wall so there was nothing for him to lean against! We'll see how it goes tomorrow.

 

[vinotinto]

Yeah, when my DD was 41" with shoes, she measured an inch past in the first measurement at Star Tours, and 1/4 of an inch lower than 40" in the second measurement and couldn't ride. She was disappointed, but she's an easy kid and we simply walked out. I'm sure she was 40" without shoes, not sure what was going on with the measures. I guess they err on the side of they have to be way past 40".

 

[fizbobunny]

I find the ground in front of the Big Thunder measuring spot is a dip in the concrete so it measures off

 

[AngiTN]

They are not really exact and do vary enough that 1/2" will make a difference
One thing to do is coach him that he wants to hit the bar, not slouch under it. Stand up as straight and tall as he can, no bend in his knees, etc.
I know when DGD was being measured she kept trying to fit under the bar for some reason. Once she learned to stand up straight it made a difference. Since you are talking just 1" or less it could be a problem for your DS too

 

[siskaren]

I would not take a three year old on Dinosaur - I think it's too scary for that age.

 

[bumbershoot]

When my son was right at 40 inches he sometimes was tall enough in the morning and while he had on certain tennis shoes. At night or in crocs he sometimes didn't measure up. I told him to walk up and they want to see you hit your head on the bar so stand tall.

Yep!

Keep him hydrated and well rested. Dehydration and the forces of gravity and long days at themeparks pulls some of the moisture from the intervertebral discs. Since there's a disc in between the vertebra, it can add up to some height loss. Have you ever had to adjust your car's seat in the morning b/c you're taller, or after a long hard day at work because you're shorter? That's the concept.

I know when DGD was being measured she kept trying to fit under the bar for some reason.

If she's like other young kids, she didn't want to hit her head!

It goes against everything to WANT to hit your head with that stick. But if they want to ride it, they have to stand straight and tall.


Try for the important rides first thing in the day, and know that that very ride could help cause enough loss of height to keep the child from riding a second time.


My son missed out on Star Tours (when he was absolutely righteously tall enough) with the second measurement b/c he was slouching and the CM had his hand on DS's shoulder with some downward pressure. We didn't try again on that trip, and had lots of conversations about standing straight and tall, etc. When we went again (to Disneyland) he was taller and it was all fine. But the learning we all got was invaluable, and we realized that if he wasn't mature enough to stand up TALL for 2 seconds, he probably shouldn't be on that ride.

He's nearly 12, he's taller than I am, and he still wants to make SURE he's tall enough for stuff.

 

[StuckInKS]

Is he going to be turned away from all 40 inch rides now.

It really, really depends on the CM, even when they are using the same height bars as other CMs. My youngest was just tall enough for TT last year. He was measured at the entrance and again before we got in the cars several times over our 10 day trip. On the last day, we were about to get in line for the cars and they measured him like usual. Nope, not tall enough, even though he had been measured by numerous CMs at the ride during the previous days. It was really weird that all the other days he was fine and this time he was not, but I would try your luck at all the 40in rides and see what happens. May have just been a very strict CM.

 

[mjkacmom]

I would not take a three year old on Dinosaur - I think it's too scary for that age.

I had a 4 year old who begged to go on - he refused to get on any ride for the rest of the day!

 

[Jules16]

I had a 4 year old who begged to go on - he refused to get on any ride for the rest of the day!

Omg. Is it that scary?!?! I really had no idea it was "scary"

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

My SIL and I were talking about this yesterday and we don't understand why Disney still does this. Six Flags lets you go to guests services and get an official measurement and one of the paper wrist bands. Then you and the staff knows instantly they can do or can't do. Taking multiple measurements on ht restricted rides slows the line (she went at Easter so any inefficiency is going to become significant over the number of people in line). Not to mention the inconsistency is frustrating for kids at an age when they often don't handle it well. How much does a tantrum throwing 3 year old hold up the line? She was even thinking they could put it on the kids magic band (although there are obvious issues with that). The current method just doesn't make sense.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

Omg. Is it that scary?!?! I really had no idea it was "scary"

Oh yes. It's dark and giant dinosaurs pop out at you. Watch it on YouTube. Some kids are fine of course, but last year I had no idea and took my 5 and 6 yo on it and it has become the joke since they never want to ride it again. They spent the ride with their ears covered, eyes shut, and heads in my lap.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Yes, Dinosaur can be very scary to many children and it really throws you around. If he loves dinosaurs, I would suggest taking him to Ellen's Energy Adventure and a meal at T-Rex instead.

 

[DarkPaw]

My SIL and I were talking about this yesterday and we don't understand why Disney still does this. Six Flags lets you go to guests services and get an official measurement and one of the paper wrist bands. Then you and the staff knows instantly they can do or can't do. Taking multiple measurements on ht restricted rides slows the line (she went at Easter so any inefficiency is going to become significant over the number of people in line). Not to mention the inconsistency is frustrating for kids at an age when they often don't handle it well. How much does a tantrum throwing 3 year old hold up the line? She was even thinking they could put it on the kids magic band (although there are obvious issues with that). The current method just doesn't make sense.

They tried it... parents would switch the wristband from one child to the other.

 

[maxiesmom]

Omg. Is it that scary?!?! I really had no idea it was "scary"

Very scary. My youngest niece at 6 years old came off white as a sheet. No way did I think it would affect her like that! And that was a girl who rode Tower of Terror!

Think dark and very jerky, with some flashes of light and big dinos popping out at you.

 

[ChloesDaddy]

My SIL and I were talking about this yesterday and we don't understand why Disney still does this. Six Flags lets you go to guests services and get an official measurement and one of the paper wrist bands. Then you and the staff knows instantly they can do or can't do. Taking multiple measurements on ht restricted rides slows the line (she went at Easter so any inefficiency is going to become significant over the number of people in line). Not to mention the inconsistency is frustrating for kids at an age when they often don't handle it well. How much does a tantrum throwing 3 year old hold up the line? She was even thinking they could put it on the kids magic band (although there are obvious issues with that). The current method just doesn't make sense.

Disney should find a way to do this, but instead of paper wristbands just add it to the information that's tied to the magic band. Get some more value out of that $1B.

DD5 was 41 inches without shoes when we booked our trip last fall. We've been telling her all along that she won't be able to ride Space, EE and RnR. I measured her yesterday morning, and she's right at 44 inches (no shoes). Tall enough for Space and EE, but not for RnR. So we started practicing her "measuring posture" and telling her when she gets measured to hit her head on the bar. We'll see how it works out in a few weeks.

 

[maxiesmom]

Disney should find a way to do this, but instead of paper wristbands just add it to the information that's tied to the magic band. Get some more value out of that $1B.

DD5 was 41 inches without shoes when we booked our trip last fall. We've been telling her all along that she won't be able to ride Space, EE and RnR. I measured her yesterday morning, and she's right at 44 inches (no shoes). Tall enough for Space and EE, but not for RnR. So we started practicing her "measuring posture" and telling her when she gets measured to hit her head on the bar. We'll see how it works out in a few weeks.

And how do you keep parents from switching wrist bands among children? And don't forget some don't get or use wrist bands. What then?