Heights though out both parks

[darlenesmommy]

I have read somewhere that height sticks range between the rides. My 3.5 year old is right around (could be just under or just over) 40 inches with no shoes per my fabric measure tape. I'm hoping he can at least go on the cars ride while we are there. He loved the log ride at Santa Cruz so he may like Splash as well (not sure what the drop difference is). He may also like star tours if kids like that ride, we have not been on that before with my older daughter. Also wondering how kids do at this age on Big Thunder. He loves coasters like the one in toontown.



Just seeing if he is right on the height mark could we have a chance of not being able to get him on the rides?

 

[sonnyjane]

I have read somewhere that height sticks range between the rides. My 3.5 year old is right around (could be just under or just over) 40 inches with no shoes per my fabric measure tape. I'm hoping he can at least go on the cars ride while we are there. He loved the log ride at Santa Cruz so he may like Splash as well (not sure what the drop difference is). He may also like star tours if kids like that ride, we have not been on that before with my older daughter. Also wondering how kids do at this age on Big Thunder. He loves coasters like the one in toontown. Just seeing if he is right on the height mark could we have a chance of not being able to get him on the rides?

Yes it's possible he won't be able to, but if he is measuring 40" barefoot he should be ok at the parks. Don't promise it, just say you can try. Also try to go early in the day while his posture is the best.

 

[Peace.love.mickey]

When we were there last time in May, my daughter measured 40 with shoes at home... She was tall enough for Soarin by a lot, barely made ToT, and missed by a lot on RsR... I'm so nervous for this time! She has her heart set on Splash! She measures over 40 with no shoes!!!

 

[darlenesmommy]

I have never thought the posture could be different later in the day. I measured him at bedtime tonight. So crossing fingers his tall enough. If not he is used to one of us doing something else. This is his 3rd trip so one of us just does something else fun with him while we take my 7 year old on things he cant go on.

 

[LisaT91403]

When DS hit 40", he was fine for everything we tried...except Jumpin Jellyfish. He wasn't even close to making that one, even though it's supposed to be 40" as well. RSR wasn't open at that time, so I'm not sure how that one "measures up" so to speak.

 

[Malcon10t]

Just seeing if he is right on the height mark could we have a chance of not being able to get him on the rides?

A little over a year ago, I visited the park with my trusty tape measure (I think it was the Stanley.) I had fun going ride to ride, measuring the sticks. I even had Cast Members helping. Every ride was EXACTLY the height it should be, except Jumping Jellyfish which was 41" instead of 40". A couple things to remember... Measuring at home, make sure you are on a hard floor and use something to hold on the wall, not a pencil mark. Not sure why, but I have found pencil marks are usually a 1/2 inch off. Also, at the park, as you go through the day, you lose height. Children will be their tallest in the AM, and if they are close on the requirement, they will "shrink" by afternoon/evening. Be prepared for it.

IF your child is close, measure them at a height stick away from a coveted ride. I measured my granddaughter at Soarin', not at Racers. Then if we weren't close, she wasn't seeing the cars whiz by.

 

[bumbershoot]

I have never thought the posture could be different later in the day. I measured him at bedtime tonight. So crossing fingers his tall enough. If not he is used to one of us doing something else. This is his 3rd trip so one of us just does something else fun with him while we take my 7 year old on things he cant go on.

It's not necessarily the posture (though being tired can make you slouch), but the actual fluid that makes up the intervertebral discs. Those are the squishy little things in between each vertebra; there is liquid in there, and the liquid gets squashed out (not all the way) as gravity works on us throughout the day, and as stressors squish us down. Stressors like, say, rollercoasters or log rides.

So keep the kids well hydrated with WATER (no soda, no junk, just water! it's the best for us), keep them well rested! Getting in that solid 8-12 hours on the back/side (12 = my son, even still...if he gets that much sleep he's awesome the next day) helps mitigate the forces of gravity on our upright bodies.

Then go to the most wanted ride of the day FIRST thing! Make sure they stand straight and tall and help them understand that they WANT to hit that measuring stick. Hitting it means they get to ride! Slouching down out of concern of hurting their heads will cause them to not ride it.

And ultimately, if such a little dude can't make it or can't make himself not slouch to hit it, it's OK. When it happened to us (not his fault but a lousy CM, but I don't want to digress) and he couldn't ride Star Tours, ultimately we came to realize that a little one who is not mature enough to realize that doing this (hitting the stick) means doing that (riding the fun ride) probably isn't mature enough to deal with the ride.

Or worse, being on the ride, having it stop, and having to listen carefully to the CMs and follow mom/dad out of the ride, seeing backstage, etc etc.

So it'll be OK. Either way.

 

[disneydadazut2]

You could always stuff his shoes a bit Get some napkins and put them in the heel of the shoe... you can remove after RSR

 

[corinne76]

You could always stuff his shoes a bit Get some napkins and put them in the heel of the shoe... you can remove after RSR

I joke that I'm going to do this for my son. He's 3.5 now and last time I measured him with a soft measuring tape by hand, he was about 38.5". We will probably go in Oct 2015 so we have plenty of time, though the stories here about the inconsistancies make me nervous. He neeeeds to be tall enough to ride RSR and Splash!

 

[Malcon10t]

I joke that I'm going to do this for my son. He's 3.5 now and last time I measured him with a soft measuring tape by hand, he was about 38.5". We will probably go in Oct 2015 so we have plenty of time, though the stories here about the inconsistancies make me nervous. He neeeeds to be tall enough to ride RSR and Splash!

What inconsistencies? If he is tall enough that his head touches the stick (not hair, head) he rides, if not, he doesn't. My granddaughter hit the 40" mark at 2.5 years. Just because she is tall enough doesn't mean she is riding all the rides. We take her on most, but she won't be riding ToT until she is closer to 5.

 

[darlenesmommy]

What inconsistencies? If he is tall enough that his head touches the stick (not hair, head) he rides, if not, he doesn't. My granddaughter hit the 40" mark at 2.5 years. Just because she is tall enough doesn't mean she is riding all the rides. We take her on most, but she won't be riding ToT until she is closer to 5.

I have read that some kids can get on some but not others in the same height range. My 7 year old won't even ride tot. I mainly want to do cars with him and maybe the train, star tours and splash those 3 are a big maybe. Other then then those I don't want to take him other ones in those height ranges.

 

[corinne76]

What inconsistencies? If he is tall enough that his head touches the stick (not hair, head) he rides, if not, he doesn't. My granddaughter hit the 40" mark at 2.5 years. Just because she is tall enough doesn't mean she is riding all the rides. We take her on most, but she won't be riding ToT until she is closer to 5.

you yourself said that Jumpin Jellyfish was measured higher, and a PP mentioned measuring different for ToT and RSR. That doesn't seem super consistent to me. We opted to not go this year because he's still too short. So yeah, I want him to be able to ride the rides he'd like to go on next year. Also, no where in my post did I say he would ride ALL the rides he's tall enough for. I mentioned just 2, RSR and Splash mountain, both of which he would love. and btw, he will 4.5 when we go next year, quite a bit older, age-wise and maturity-wise, than a 2.5.

 

[Malcon10t]

I have read that some kids can get on some but not others in the same height range. My 7 year old won't even ride tot. I mainly want to do cars with him and maybe the train, star tours and splash those 3 are a big maybe. Other then then those I don't want to take him other ones in those height ranges.

The real thing is to teach them to stand up straight. Teach them to WANT to hit their head. Teach them to take a big breath in.

you yourself said that Jumpin Jellyfish was measured higher, and a PP mentioned measuring different for ToT and RSR. That doesn't seem super consistent to me.

Jumping Jellyfish was the only ride that was different than their listed height. All the other rides were exactly what the require. TOT and RSR both measured exactly 40". The issue I have found is people measure on a carpeted floor, and measure using a pencil mark on a wall. Even my granddaughter measures about a 1/4-1/2 inch taller for some odd reason.

So yeah, I want him to be able to ride the rides he'd like to go on next year. Also, no where in my post did I say he would ride ALL the rides he's tall enough for. I mentioned just 2, RSR and Splash mountain, both of which he would love. and btw, he will 4.5 when we go next year, quite a bit older, age-wise and maturity-wise, than a 2.5.

At 4.5, he should be tall enough. The average 4yo is 40". And I never meant to imply you shouldn't take him on a ride, I simply said because she was 2.5, we didn't take her on everything she was tall enough for. Her dad took her on Space and Star Tours a few months before she turned 3. *I* wasn't going to do it as I didn't want to scare her, we stuck to Soarin' and Racers. She is 3.5 years now, and while she is tall enough for Matterhorn, she won't be riding as we (my daughter, her aunt and I) don't feel comfortable with her in the seat alone. But she does love Grizzly and Goofy's Sky Skool.

 

[corinne76]

Sorry if I got a bit defensive. I do agree that measuring at home and getting measured at the ride can be totally different, and can make all the difference for those kids who are just at the min height.

I've never done Matterhorn ever actually. The line was just too long our last trip and I never rode it as a kid. I did get afraid of those rides where the kid sits alone. Even Splash moutain, I had DD (she was 5) in front of me and I kind of put my legs around her and my hands placed in front of hers to kind of hold her in.
I had forgotten about Grizzly! I'd love to take DS on that too. I think ToT would freak him out, I won't even go on it LOL. DD actually loved ToT Weird kid

 

[Peace.love.mickey]

I'm telling you my daughter hit the top on Soarin and was no where close on RSR only 1 hour later.....

 

[corinne76]

I'm telling you my daughter hit the top on Soarin and was no where close on RSR only 1 hour later.....

I do remember my friend's son, who juuuust made the 40", was fine on some rides no problem, but others they questioned his height and measured a couple times because they weren't sure. I don't remember specific rides, nor the time of day so IDK if he was slouching, shrunken, etc. But I do remember wondering how the heck he couldn't be measuring 40" on one ride when he made the height no problem on another with the same height restriction.

RSR is one I really want DS to be able to ride. He's a Cars fan and can do small coasters no problem. So I really hope he's well about 40" when we go again

 

[MermaidHair]

A little over a year ago, I visited the park with my trusty tape measure (I think it was the Stanley.) I had fun going ride to ride, measuring the sticks. I even had Cast Members helping. Every ride was EXACTLY the height it should be, except Jumping Jellyfish which was 41" instead of 40".

Mal - I have heard you tell of this before and I just wanted to say that I love the idea of you going from ride to ride to measure the measuring sticks! So cute - and a great service to these boards!

 

[Malcon10t]

Mal - I have heard you tell of this before and I just wanted to say that I love the idea of you going from ride to ride to measure the measuring sticks! So cute - and a great service to these boards!

I think I am going to do it again, and take pics of the tape, since some don't believe. I won't be back until November (going through withdrawals) but Nov-Jan, I will be there enough I can hit them all again.

I had more fun getting CMs to help hold the tape. The guys at Soarin' had a blast making a game out of it. (Soarin' was closed, this was when they had the DOSH close down.) They had 3 guys out front playing games, so they included "Helping the old lady hold the tape measure." The CM at Jumping Jellyfish helped remeasure it when we both saw 41", then commented something like "Well, I guess all the complaints are real!"

 

[corinne76]

I think I am going to do it again, and take pics of the tape, since some don't believe. I won't be back until November (going through withdrawals) but Nov-Jan, I will be there enough I can hit them all again.

I had more fun getting CMs to help hold the tape. The guys at Soarin' had a blast making a game out of it. (Soarin' was closed, this was when they had the DOSH close down.) They had 3 guys out front playing games, so they included "Helping the old lady hold the tape measure." The CM at Jumping Jellyfish helped remeasure it when we both saw 41", then commented something like "Well, I guess all the complaints are real!"

Do you know if you measure and prove it to be wrong, would the CMs let your 40" child on? Like at Jumping, if the child doesn't make the stick, but your measuring tape proves it to be 41", would they let the kid on?

 

[Malcon10t]

Do you know if you measure and prove it to be wrong, would the CMs let your 40" child on? Like at Jumping, if the child doesn't make the stick, but your measuring tape proves it to be 41", would they let the kid on?

No. The CM has to go by the measuring stick provided, regardless of the height.

They need to change the website to show 41".