height requirements

[dwfanatic]

PLEASE I am hoping not to start a debate ! My DS is just shy of 44" without his shoes on- like 43 3/4". Does anyone know if the measurement sticks take into account the child wearing shoes or not? I know they don't take their shoes off, but want to know if it is rounded up to take into account shoes- I hope that makes sense. Obviously, I will NOT be looking for thick soled shoes for him- I would rather have him dissapointed and not able ride the few rides he misses the cut off for than risk his saftey.

 

[MissMagnolia]

They measure with shoes on. You child should be fine. My son's regular tennis shoes move him up to 44".

 

[love__goofy]

I do not believe that they add for shoes. The only thing I can say is don't wear flip-flops that have absolutely no lift. My son was about 1.5 inches shy of 40", but with his Sketchers he was able to ride most of the rides that required 40". Some posters have said that the children typically start to slouch as the day progresses. So if you have a ride that might be tight in getting him on, go in the morning. My son rode Soarin' during the day, and we went back at night and he was unable to ride, because he was too short. Good luck.

 

[mickeysgirl17]

Not to go off topic, but my DD just measured 41 inches at the doctor's office. She is 5. I want to take her on Soarin where the height requirement is40 inches. My question is Is 40 inches really 40 inches or will they say no?

 

[DisNorsworthys]

I'm wondering, can anyone tell me how "exact" Disney's height measuring device is. My youngest will be 4 next week and EE is all he has talked about for a year. When I measure him at home, in his sneakers he's only 43". We don't go until mid-Sept., but I don't think he's going to grow an inch in 56 days. I've talked to him many times about not being tall enough to ride, and he acts like he is ok with that, but I know when his older brother and sister get on and he doesn't he's gonna loose it. Anyway I was wondering if there is any hope that he might make it.
thanks for any info.

 

[maxiesmom]

Not to go off topic, but my DD just measured 41 inches at the doctor's office. She is 5. I want to take her on Soarin where the height requirement is40 inches. My question is Is 40 inches really 40 inches or will they say no?

I have seen posts where a child measured tall enough at the doctor, but not tall enough at Disney. And, unfortunately for them, the Disney measurement is the only one that counts.

 

[TheWeasel]

Gel Heal Inserts!

 

[all4disney98]

The measuring sticks at Disney are NOT exact, and each one may be slightly different from another.

We unfortunately learned this the hard way. A couple of years ago, my son was tall enough for Test Track one time, but not an hour later...different CM measuring with a different stick. Just make sure you let your son know that he may make it for some rides and not for others. I know this is hard for a child to understand, I didn't understand it that day either!

 

[dwfanatic]

Thanks for the responses! He actually has to go to the Dr. to get a shot on Monday (for Kindergarten) and I'm going to ask them to measure him- just to see what the dr. office's 'ruler' says- to see if it is near to what mine says at home.

 

[Stevegriswold]

What ride allow kids at 40"

Thanks for the responses! He actually has to go to the Dr. to get a shot on Monday (for Kindergarten) and I'm going to ask them to measure him- just to see what the dr. office's 'ruler' says- to see if it is near to what mine says at home.

 

[jamstew]

What ride allow kids at 40"

Dinosaur, ToT, Star Tours, Test Track, Soarin', Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Stitch.

 

[Stevegriswold]

Dinosaur, ToT, Star Tours, Test Track, Soarin', Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Stitch.

WOW my daughter is 3 and just at 40". I don't think I'll take her on stitch or Dinosaur, but maybe some of the others if she wants to go. Thanks

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

Friends of mine went last week and their son, 5, was 43.75" barefoot (we measured). My friend said with his sneakers on, he squeaked by and was able to ride everything that had a 44" requirement. Of course, YMMV, but they were relieved that he made it. They didn't try any excessive measures, just wore his regular sneakers, and he was tall enough.

Hope your son makes it! My 6-yr-old keeps asking me if he's tall enough to ride everything (he's 50") and I keep saying, "YES! You were tall enough last year, so you're still tall enough this year!"

 

[disnut8]

The measurement at any attraction for height is done in Disney inches. You can have all the documentation you want from your doctor that your child is 40 inches (or 44 or 48 or whatever) but the only thing that will determine if your child rides an attraction is the stick that is in Disney inches.

Height, like weight, is very subjective based on a ton of different things. Doctor's measurements aren't gospel either.

If a child is very close to the height requirement, Cast Members do ask the child to stand up as straight as possible. They also watch to make sure the child is not standing on tiptoes.

It's all a matter of making sure Disney is comfortable with a child being close to the requirement. I would hate to think of a too small child having an incident on an attraction.

 

[LilGMom]

At the rides with height restrictions they have upsidedown shaped Ls and if a child can stand under the upsidedown L without touching the horizontal bar they are not allowed on the ride. There is no telling just how exact those bars are and just because your child passed the 40" measuring stick on one ride doesn't necessarily mean that they will pass on another ride. We have never told our DS "yes, you are definately tall enough" on the off-chance that he wouldn't be tall enough based on the WDW ride meauring stick. I believe that if a CM sees a child that is obviously wearing shoes meant to make them taller that they can and will ask the parents to remeasure the child without the shoes on.

My oldest was tall enough on our last trip (right before he turned 7) so we didn't have to measure him but he now gets a kick out of being measured since he knows he won't be turned away.

 

[Schmeck]

The measurement at any attraction for height is done in Disney inches. You can have all the documentation you want from your doctor that your child is 40 inches (or 44 or 48 or whatever) but the only thing that will determine if your child rides an attraction is the stick that is in Disney inches.

Height, like weight, is very subjective based on a ton of different things. Doctor's measurements aren't gospel either.

If a child is very close to the height requirement, Cast Members do ask the child to stand up as straight as possible. They also watch to make sure the child is not standing on tiptoes.

Last time I got measured at the doctor's office, they told me I was 5'4".. I'm 44 years old and have been 5'3" since I was 13, LOL! How exciting to be able to 'grow' an inch in my forties...

I agree, Disney will not care if you bring documents stating that your child is so tall, or even if you bring a measuring tape (another thread had some parent insisting that if she could show the CM that the stick was wrong, the kid could ride...) - all that matters is if the CM at the entrance and the one at the ride vehicle area says the child meets the height requirement.

 

[jenb1023]

As others have stated, just be prepared if it is going to be close. On our first trip my DD went on Stitch without even being measured, rode BTMRR with no issues, was okayed at front of the line for Star Tours but refused when we got to the actual ride. There was not a darn thing I could do about it either. Moral to my story is not all measuring sticks at Disney are the same even on the same ride so just make sure your child does not expect to ride things and if he/she can it will just be a nice surprise.