Height Restrictions

smiths02

DIS Veteran
Joined
Feb 13, 2009
Messages
6,026
I am taking my 4 year old in June...

He is currently just over 39 inches (yes, he is short)...I am not going to attempt to take him on Space Mtn or TOT or anything like that BUT I think he would love Soarin' and Star Tours

So do they measure the child with shoes on? He may be 40" in June with shoes.
 
Yes they do measure with shoes on so that may help. They are really strict with height requirements. My DD who was 3 1/2 at the time was I want to say if even an 1/8 of an inch too short for one of the rides. I should have put her thicker sneakers on to make her the 40" and they would not let her on with us.
 
They do measure in shoes, and the height check does account(somewhat) for shoes. Be prepared to be measured multiple times at the same ride, too. I've gotten DS through at the front only to be measured again before getting DS on the ride. They are pretty hard core about the height restrictions. DS was 48.5 inches last summer without shoes, and they would make him get measured, look really hard at it, etc., and sometimes they'd act like they weren't going to let him on or they were doing us a favor. It was probably the most frustrating part of our last Disney trip because I knew he was tall enough, he was clearly tall enough by their standards, but I guess we got some bored CMs or something who wanted to give us a hard time.

And here's a something about ToT (or at least the one at WDW). The first time we took DS, he was shorter than 40 inches, so we were going to do rider swap. We were allowed in to the queue, only to be told later that he wasn't even allowed to be in the line. The CM ended up taking DS and myself through the CM stairwell to the ride exit. Then the CM gave DS a mini CM outfit that had "Jr. Bellhop" on the nametag. When DH got off the ride, our then 3 yr old DS was standing there saying, "Welcome back!"
 
Last time we went my youngest was 4 and she was only 38 inches. Regular shoes usually add one inch, so we shopped for the thickest souled shoes we could find. We measured her at home and she came in at exactly 40 inches. Ironically they let her on soarin, but not Jumpin Jellyfish. If your son is already 39 inches and you find some thick souled shoes you should be fine. We found ours at payless shoe source so they were pretty cheap.
 

With any borderline-height child, be sure to practice standing straight and tall.

When DS was just at 40" he was rightfully measured as tall enough for Star Tours. At the second measuring area, before being sent to the seating "corrals" (where you go before you get on the ride), the CM was really rude. He pushed down on DS's shoulder and was forcing him under the measuring stick (if you picture an upside down L, if the child can get under the short edge, they are deemed too short), and DS wanted to please the CM so he scrunched down. CM put a piece of paper between that part of the stick and DS's head, and he and DH were sent out of the line. (adding insult to injury, while the CM focused on the "actually tall enough" DS, a tiny mite of a thing, wearing heels, waltzed past them)

So practice standing big and tall. Know that the goal is to NOT get under that part of the measuring stick (though not by standing on tiptoes). You be aware and vigilant that your child isn't cheating OR being scrunched by a CM's hand, and make sure the child knows to stand big and tall!

Different shoes do different things for us, but just remember it's all for safety, so don't go crazy with getting tall shoes. Disneyland will be there the next time!
 
My daughter was 3 1/2 last trip & was just at 40". She got measured 3 times in 3 different areas for Soarin'. They did this every time we rode. They must stand up straight & their head must touch the bar, otherwise they'll say no. They are very strict about it.
You've still got time, so hopefully some growth will happen before then!!!
 
To echo a PP, DD4 was about 39 inches last August. With shoes she scraped by at 40 inches or slightly under. At Soarin they were very nice......they measured her, they told her to stand up tall, probably her top most (fluffy) hairs touched the marker and they let her in. It was the same a few days later with differrent CM's. Both days we later worked our way over to Jumpin Jellyfish. DD must have come in at least 1 and 1/2 inches under the marker (40 inches for both Soarnin and Jumpin). DH flared up and said "she was just on Soarin", the CM said sorry and ignored us. I said "could your marker be off". The CM said "no". I said "how can she get on one ride, but not another". The CM said "Your lucky she got on the other one". We moved away to not upset DD (who was confused as we were). We then watched the CM give neat large stickers to other children who didn't measure up. He never offered stickers to DD, we obviously upset him for the questioning.We tried again a few days later, same CM :rolleyes1 , same result...he remembered us. We measured DD and left. No stickers.

So unless it's changed, if your DD or DS is close to 40 inches, don't set their hearts on Jumpin Jellyfish. We'll be back in 2 weeks and DD has grown a bit...curious to see if she'll get on this time.
 
Hey if he is tall enough take him on Space *if he wants too that is* it's great! At 4 years old my DD's faves were Splash and Thunder Mountains. I'm hopin' for her 7th B~day trip this July she's finally tall enough for Indy ~ I don't know, she's still pretty short, but she's been at least 40 inches for the past couple years.
 



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