Height restriction on Aqua Duck

[saraheli]

I've read that you need to be 42 inches to ride the aquaduck with a parent and that its strictly enforced. Has anyone had an experience with a "very close to 42 inch but just not quite there yet" child being allowed to ride with a parent? My youngest will be 3 weeks shy of her 5th bday when we sail and as of today is about 40.5 inches. Not sure if she'll grow 1.5 inches by the time we sail in late june but she'll probably be close. She'll be crushed if she can't ride but her older sister can.

 

[Dug720]

I've read that you need to be 42 inches to ride the aquaduck with a parent and that its strictly enforced. Has anyone had an experience with a "very close to 42 inch but just not quite there yet" child being allowed to ride with a parent? My youngest will be 3 weeks shy of her 5th bday when we sail and as of today is about 40.5 inches. Not sure if she'll grow 1.5 inches by the time we sail in late june but she'll probably be close. She'll be crushed if she can't ride but her older sister can.

They are strict with the height. It is a safety issue. They don't want your child to be injured. It's not random and to be mean. I'd start preparing her NOW for the likelihood she will not be allowed to ride. (And no shoes are allowed, so there's no stuffing them with paper or any of the usual theme park tricks people try to pull.)

 

[jgura]

They are very strict with the height restriction.

I witnessed a guest being unbelievably rude to the cast member for enforcing the rules, the guest even brought a senior officer over she was so mad. The child did not get to ride. I think he was 1/2" under.

 

[lanejudy]

They can (and do) slide a paper between the measuring stick and the child's head if it seems the hair is making the child taller. 1.5 inches off won't be considered anywhere near close. Sorry. Best to plan no AquaDuck this trip and play-up the other areas (Mickey slide, Nemo's Reef) that she can do.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[MC0810]

i just measured my 4 1/2 year old and he is just very slightly above the 42inches standing straight with no shoes. when I measured him a few months ago he was 41 1/2. I hope the cruises measuring stick is accurate lol.

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

Such a bummer for your DD
I really don't think she will get on though as in my experience they were pretty strict enforcing the height requirement. I would prepare her ahead of time.... I believe she can ride the Mickeys slide though, hopefully that will make her feel a little better.

 

[E ticket rider]

I've read that you need to be 42 inches to ride the aquaduck with a parent and that its strictly enforced. Has anyone had an experience with a "very close to 42 inch but just not quite there yet" child being allowed to ride with a parent? My youngest will be 3 weeks shy of her 5th bday when we sail and as of today is about 40.5 inches. Not sure if she'll grow 1.5 inches by the time we sail in late june but she'll probably be close. She'll be crushed if she can't ride but her older sister can.

It is a strict (barefoot) 42" minimum . The CMs know all the tricks people will use to try and circumvent the rules, so don't even bother trying any of them.

We never had an issue with minimum rider height. It was single rider minimum height. My son didn't like that he had to ride with mom or dad on his first few cruises. Now that he is tall enough to ride alone, he wants us to ride with him as he has figured out that more weight in the tube equals more speed.

We did have a friend who cruised with us and her fraternal twin boys. She ran into an issue where one was more than 42" tall, but the other one didn't quite make it. She was in the process of getting divorced and had to deal with one child wanting her to ride with him and the other not wanting her to go... We tried to help, but I think it only made the issue that much more stressful.

 

[Dug720]

It is a strict (barefoot) 42" minimum . The CMs know all the tricks people will use to try and circumvent the rules, so don't even bother trying any of them.

We never had an issue with minimum rider height. It was single rider minimum height. My son didn't like that he had to ride with mom or dad on his first few cruises. Now that he is tall enough to ride alone, he wants us to ride with him as he has figured out that more weight in the tube equals more speed.

We did have a friend who cruised with us and her fraternal twin boys. She ran into an issue where one was more than 42" tall, but the other one didn't quite make it. She was in the process of getting divorced and had to deal with one child wanting her to ride with him and the other not wanting her to go... We tried to help, but I think it only made the issue that much more stressful.

Yikes. But FWIW, even identical twins can be different heights - there is a set at our school who are off each others' height by an inch.

 

[KKHagwood]

I thought there was an age requirement as well as height requirement? DH and I are older parents and neither likely to want to ride with DS who will be six and over the height requirement by the time we sail. I'm hoping he can ride by himself if he doesn't find other friends to ride with him.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I thought there was an age requirement as well as height requirement? DH and I are older parents and neither likely to want to ride with DS who will be six and over the height requirement by the time we sail. I'm hoping he can ride by himself if he doesn't find other friends to ride with him.

Under the age of 7 must ride with someone over the age of 14. To ride alone the height requirement is 54"

 

[KKHagwood]

Thanks, that's pretty much what I'd understood and had planned to prepare DS for (once we share the news we're going)

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Thanks, that's pretty much what I'd understood and had planned to prepare DS for (once we share the news we're going)

BTW, we're "older parents" also. We just did AquaDuck on both the Dream and Fantasy (sans kids). Go for it!

 

[KKHagwood]

Thanks, we probably will try it Although I suspect that no matter how many times we do it, it won't be enough for our active little guy!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Thanks, we probably will try it Although I suspect that no matter how many times we do it, it won't be enough for our active little guy!

Actually the hardest part of it is getting out of the raft at the end. I found I had to grab the side of the flume and then, basically, just roll out of the raft, before standing up in the water.

 

[KKHagwood]

Yes, I suspect that "My, what a graceful exit she made!" is not something I'll hear directed my way much. But that's okay, that's what makes vacations fun/memorable!

 

[cashe]

Actually the hardest part of it is getting out of the raft at the end. I found I had to grab the side of the flume and then, basically, just roll out of the raft, before standing up in the water.

I appreciate this post as I am so nervous about that part due to 2 weak ankles. I'll be sure to leave the "graceful exit" on the go pro video so all can see its ok to "roll and go." Lol.

 

[Dug720]

I am not graceful by any means, but my mom's attempt to exit takes the cake. Every time. She tries to get up, finds she can't, and then she starts cracking up. Literally laughing so hard she can't move. Eventually my dad gets out and along with the CM at the bottom helps her out.

When we cruised together, I made sure I went first - used the guise of "I'll show you how to sit down" haha!! - to get my laugh for the day. (Her reaction getting out of Space Mountain is pretty much the same. That's why I knew I wanted to see it.)

 

[Flhokie]

They are very strict! DD (4 years old) measured 42 3/4 inches barefoot at her pediatrician 6 weeks before our cruise. The morning of our second sea day (Aqua Duck didn't open until late on sea day 2) we were exploring & I had DD take off her shoes to see if she'd be ok for sure when it opened. The lifeguard there looked and said she was absolutely fine.

However, when we went to ride late that day a different lifeguard made her stand under the bar for a while. When her head hit the wood she would pull her head down since it hurt & the guard would quickly try to stick a card key in. I had to tell her that if she wanted to ride she had to press her head up against the bar for as long as the guard wanted her to even though it was hurting her. If she stood right in front with the back of her touched with part of her head clearly higher than the bar, but this lifeguard was adamant she must stay under it. The people 2 behind us in line with another young child had a different lifeguard who was not like this and even commented that he couldn't believe the hard time she gave us. After that, at first we'd stop at the measuring post whenever we were riding again (the original lifeguard told us that the red wristband meant she had to be re-measured at the bottom and top every time) until the other lifeguards said that the wristband meant she was fine to ride. I told one what happened the first time while DD was stading right in front of the stick and he couldn't believe it--said she wasn't even close to questionable.

Don't get me wrong, I know it's for safety and if she wasn't tall enough I wouldn't take her on, but to measure 42 3/4 inches tall 6 weeks earlier and to have all the other lifeguards unanimously say (before & after) that there was no question that she was tall enough, the treatment by the one lifeguard was frustrating.

 

[lbgraves]

I thought there was an age requirement as well as height requirement? DH and I are older parents and neither likely to want to ride with DS who will be six and over the height requirement by the time we sail. I'm hoping he can ride by himself if he doesn't find other friends to ride with him.

There are times when they don't allow single riders, even if you are an adult. It has to do with the wind speed and safety.

 

[MC0810]

Thats pretty annoying. We are about 7 weeks away and my son measures 42 and 1/4 inches. If they gave her a wrist band as proof shes been measured why do they have to constantly measure over again? Well...atleast I know what to expect