height restrictions

[SunRay]

Doing Disney with brother and family, it;s their first visit , nephew is going to be just short of height restriction for thunder mountain, anyone know of heel lifts or something to put in shoes to give him a bit extra height, he will be desperate to ride, thanks

 

[zurgswife]

are you talking 1/2" or 1 or 2 inches...1/2" regular shoes should help...but other then that height restriction are made for safety reasons. I wouldn't push height restrictions as there is no telling when your breaking the rules could be the one time a tradgey happens....

I would just explain to the child that they aren't big enough to ride the ride.. That is what my chldren have had to do wait until they are tall enough...

 

[LibertyBelle]

Thank you zurgswife... having worked at Disney for 9 years this is the one question that bothers me the most...The height restriction is set for the safety of the child. If they do not reach the height restriction they can not be properly restrained in the seat. Height restrictions are not in place to ruin your vacation or to make your child miserable they are there to make sure that you go home with the same amount of people that you arrived with. If you were to "stuff" his shoes and he were to get hurt chances are you would not inform the media that you in fact were the one at fault you would turn around and say well Disney let him on. Please Please Please for the safety of your children... if they are not tall enough to ride they are not tall enough to ride...don't force it, even if they are dying to ride the attraction, explain to them that they could be hurt because the safety bar would not hold them in properly and that next time they come you promise you will take them on it... My cousin has a rare disease that stunted his growth, try telling a 22 year old man that he is not tall enough to ride a roller coaster, it's a lot harder than a child...All attractions that have height restrictions also have a certificate that they can issue to the child stating as soon as they are tall enough to ride they can present the certificate to the greeter and be brought straight to the front of the line (you just have to ask for it). I don't mean to seem like I am on a high horse here, but this question is very bothersome to me and it really hits home having been in attractions for as long as I have. Don't force the issue, if he is not tall enough find something else to ride.

 

[Gupsmom]

LibertyBelle....

I don't think you're being preachy at all. I understand exactly what you are saying. If someone is trying to find a way to sneak a child that is 2 inches too short onto a ride, then I absolutely agree with you. If someone is trying to find a subtle way to get a 39 3/4 in child onto a 40 in ride, then I think that's different. I don't see the harm in buying a sneaker that has a slightly thicker sole (BTW ...to the OP. They have cute sneakers at Target with a thick sole). We're not talking about elevator lifts here. I doubt the height restrictions are so percise that Disney set it at 40 inches because 1/4 inch shorter would be unsafe.

I'm not trying to encourage dishonesty. When my family bought our AP's my youngest was 2. The next time we went, she were 3 and I bought her AP (and she would have easily passed as 2) as well as all her food. I don't think these 2 issues are the same though. When my DD was an inch too short, we told her she would have to wait. When she was 1/4 inch too short, I compared sneakers/height. I didn't buy her platform shoes or anything...just a regular pair of sneakers with a slightly larger sole. Disney was free to measure my 39 3/4 inch child. If they had asked her to take her shoes off, I would not have argued the point at all. But, truthfully, they never even asked to measure her the whole time we were on our last trip. I cannot imagine the CM's were able to look at her and think "She's definately 40 inches." Yet she was never measured.

To the OP: I definately wouldn't push beyond 1/2 inch (if that). There are safety issues and they shouldn't be ignored. If you are just trying to get over that last 1/4 inch, then look for good sneakers.

Jess

 

[LibertyBelle]

Agreed Gupsmom...

If they are just looking for that little bit and the sole of a shoe will cover it (without going platform) then I have no problem but when you are looking for something to stuff inside the shoes then I have issues. I know you understood what I was saying but I will throw this out there. My point is make sure your child is SAFE first and foremost. If you are buying platform shoes and then stuffing them with tissues for an extra inch that is not safe for your child, if you are looking for a little bit of a thicker soled shoe to make that extra itty bitty bit then fine, just make sure those are the only shoes your child wears all week... Remember if you are making the extra in a pair of shoes and you change shoes you will not get on... Can't tell you how many times I got "but he rode yesterday" (come to find out yesterday he had on the sneakers and today it's the sandels... Just be safe, the height restrictions are there for safety not to be unfair to the younger crowd...

 

[G&J's Mom]

People really bring shoes with thicker soles and change shoes before riding??? Interesting......

My Dd is also 39 3/4 inches. That is barefooted. With either her tennies or sandals, she will meet the 40 inch height requirement. No tissues. Now DS is about 38 3/4 inches. He will not be ridiing this trip. One adult will ride with DD while the other does something fun with DS. Next trip it will be tons of fun when they both can ride.

Have great trips everyone!!

Denise

 

[Gupsmom]

People really bring shoes with thicker soles and change shoes before riding???

I imagine that people do. We didn't. The sneakers we had were just slightly thicker than a typical sneaker. They were still in the realm of normal shoes. My DD wore them as her everyday sneaker until she outgrew them (ie...not just on our trip). We didn't change into them just to gain height..lol. But, I'm sure there are people that do that.

LibertyBelle.....absolutely. No ride is worth risking safety (for height or any other reason).

Jess

 

[disneyatl]

My neighbors just went to Disney at the end of May. Their oldest daughter is 47" tall and the height restriction for several rides was 48" tall. She was not allowed on the rides even tho she was only 1" shorter.

 

[Mom2R&D]

I think Disney also "pads" their height measurements to take into account tennis shoes. My 6YO is 47.5" and with tennis shoes hits right at 48". When we went to ride Primeval Whirl in the Animal Kingdom he was measured before getting in line and was about 1/2" too short--just enough room to slide your finger between the top of his head and the measuring stick.

I won't say that I wasn't disappointed (moreso than my DS) and thought about stuffing his sneakers. But I considered that the restrictions are there for a reason and what would happen if we were caught? I'd be horribly embarrassed and it certainly wouldn't be worth it. Besides, he could ride everything with the exception of Primeval Whirl and RnR.

 

[legalkill]

we were just there last week and i remember a family trying to get the cm to let a child on khali river but she was a finger too short. I commend the cm for standing tough.

My middle one (6 on the 29th) is in between 40 and 48 so he did some and some he had to wait, though he is a bit scared of them anyway. The baby girl (3 in july) though wanted to go on everything. SHe is a daredevil.

 

[Disneyland_emily]

I agree wholeheartidly with LibertyBelle- I used to work R n R Coaster with a 48 requirement and I've seen every "cheat" in the system- Most leaves you wondering how stupid they think we are...

My son was 47 inches the whole year I was down there and did he ride Coaster? Eventhough I couldve got him on in a heartbeat? Nope- Cause I didnt want to live with it if he rode and got hurt-

With height also comes maturity (well supposed to) about just being "safe" on rides (ie not sticking hands/feet out etc)

Yes almost all Disney signs are padded a few millimeters to help weed out some of the "cheaters" but also to make sure they are 40 inches not 39 with huge sneakers and large hair-

-em

 

[madelyn]

We just returned from our trip this week and my almost 6 year old son was what appeared to be about 1 inch too short for Primeval Whirl. I thought he would be more disappointed because he was pretty close to the height requirement on our trip in March 2003 and I thought he would be tall enough. But when I measured him at the ride, he wasn't. Our next trip may not be for 2-3 years so I tried to encourage him by telling him that he could ride next time. The strange thing is that I thought Primeval Whirl and the MIB ride at Universal had the same height requirement and my son was able to walk right on the MIB ride last year.

 

[loriandmatt]

also understand that even though one would hope that the sticks used to measure kids for rides would be a universal size, they are not.

Prepair your not quite tall enough child that they may pass one hight inspector, and not get past the next one. (sometimes on the same ride and sometimes on different rides - have had it happen to us) Also, the measuring sticks at one ride with say a 40 inch height requirement may be slightly different than on another ride with the same height requirement. Getting onto one ride does not lock that you will get on another with the same height requirement. it is up to the individual sticks and the folks doing the measuring.

PLEASE prep your kids ahead of time for the possible disapointment. Most kids (if they are even slightly used to not always getting their own way) can deal with the facts as long as you prepair them.

- lori

 

[sherrycurl]

I understand the height requirement rules. I have a small 16 year who sometimes is not allowed to ride with her friends on some rides. She gets very upset because frankly she old enough to understand why but it does not make her feel any better. Some parks will allow her to show her birth certificate and let her on, but others parks, including Disney will not. I feel so bad for her, that we try and stay away from the rides that she can not participate.


sherry

 

[DAVSEAKAT]

Hi all

Can you tell me where I might find what the height restrictions are for the rides?

Not long now

 

[PrincessParent]

davseakat,

check out this link.....just plug in the child's height and it will list the attractions that they will not be able to ride, including the water parks and disney quest.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/height.htm

HTH

 

[suerob]

Isn't it funny how little kids, like 3-5 years old, are always trying to get on the big rides. I'm 33 and I look back at the rides I used to go on as a child. They were so lame but we thought they were fun. These days, you have 4 year olds upset because they can't go on a huge rollercoaster. The parents are just as bad too, always trying to get our kids onto bigger and faster rides. My 4 year old dd has no fear, she'd go on loop coasters if she could. I just think it's funny and wanted to share.

 

[April76]

No matter what the height requirement.... there will ALWAYS be a child that is "almost" tall enough --- unfortunately, "almost" is not good enough at WDW.

Yes, the rules are for your child's safety; and I've seen many parents "push the issue" mostly because they don't want their child disappointed -- I'm sure they are concerned about safety, but who wants to see their child sad??

I would like to pass along some advice for those of you with "just tall enough" kids ----- PRACTICE STANDING TALL!!!! Some kids just slouch or shy away from the stick. And tired kids can be a real challenge.

Even though they might be tall enough -- if the CM doesn't see them touch the stick with their head (and this means WITHOUT the parent holding them under the armpits ) they won't be allowed to ride. And, yes, they will be measured more than once on most attractions.

So...... Practice, Practice, Practice

 

[detroitdad]

Standing up tall can make the difference. Two of my sons were questionable for height this past trip. One just at 48" and one just at 40". We didn't promise anything as far as being able to ride. They got measured every time. The cast members were good about telling them to stand up straight. They were so used to it by the end of the trip it became second nature. They were very excited about being able to ride some new attractions but they knew before going down there that they might not be tall enough. If the child's height is questionnable, I think it is so important to prepare them before the trip that they might not be able to ride.

 

[robmary]

ok. Here is what happened to us. DD was 2 last July when we went. She was 38" tall. Yes that is tall for her age. We go to Carowinds near us here in Charlotte and she could ride some coasters and such. Our family loves that kind of stuff. So, for Disney I bought her Barbie sandals with 2" heels. Our thought was to just have her where them for those 40" rides. To see if they would let her on. First stop. Test Track. Not one person measured her or questioned us. She even sat in the front row and no one measured her. Stop 2 Splash Mountain. We are going to get Fast Pass. I ask them to measure her and they say she is ok. We get the fast pass and come back. We are about to step into the boat and the cm says I have to measure her. He says not tall enough. I can't let her on. We say they measured her outside and said yes. He says sorry. DD and I walk away. She is ok with it. I told her this could happen. Next ride Thunder Mountain. I have her measured and they say ok. No one measures her at the ride, just the entrance and we are on the ride. She loved what she could go on. We practiced the stand tall thing and everything. The need to do the wristband thing. You get measured when you come in and get a wristband for your height and no one has to measure you again, just look at the color of the wristband. No 2 sticks are the same height at WDW. It would be a simple process to implement and stop all the fuss at the rides themselves. By the way no one questioned the 2 in. heels either.

This year she is 41" so no problems with her. Now it is our 5 year old who is 47 1/4" tall. For 48" rides!!!!