How accurate are the height restriction signs at DLR?

[Misskitty3]

I just measured DD in her shoes and she is measuring 39 inches. I know she really, really wants to go on Splash Mountain when we are at DL next month and I believe the height restriction is 40 inches.

Anyone know for sure if those height measurement signs are super accurate?

Also, if a child is wearing a hat, do they make you take the hat off to do the height measurement?

 

[DizNee Luver]

They're pretty sticky on the measuring.... your child could make it thru the first measuring stop & then get told no at the next one.....
As far as we could tell, they are pretty accurate. The CM's are tough on these.....so be prepared to be told no. Some people were saying they'd slide a piece of paper between the measuring device & your child's head....if it goes thru, they don't ride.
Yes, they will ask for hats, crowns, etc to be removed so they can get an accurate measurement.

 

[mechurchlady]

Also you will need to teach the kid to stand up tall as possible and to not shrink down as they measure the kid. I have read of kids who as they are being measured will shrink down so much that they cannot ride. Heels are another trick parents use.

 

[marsrunner]

The one at Indy is not accurate at all. My daughter loves the Indiana Jones movies and was really looking forward to it. She stood up as tall as possbile with normal tennis shoes on and was a good inch under the 46" sign. At the doctor's office the week previous she measured 46.5" tall with no shoes at all, standing straight up. I'll take the doctor's measurement over Disney's.

 

[Misskitty3]

The one at Indy is not accurate at all. My daughter loves the Indiana Jones movies and was really looking forward to it. She stood up as tall as possbile with normal tennis shoes on and was a good inch under the 46" sign. At the doctor's office the week previous she measured 46.5" tall with no shoes at all, standing straight up. I'll take the doctor's measurement over Disney's.

This is exactly what I was wondering....

 

[Brady's Mom]

The measuring sticks are notoriously off. Our DS 4 measured just fine for Grizzly and was 1/2 inch too short for Mulholland Madness - which is the same height restriction - 40 inches.

 

[bumbershoot]

Sometimes they seem off, sometimes they don't. Doesn't matter at all what the doctor's office says, though, the only measurement that counts is what is happening right then at that ride in that moment. If there's a problem, encourage your child to stand straight and tall, but if they don't make it, it's done. At that moment for that ride, right then.

DS was fine at the outside stick on Star Tours, then at the inside stick he was pulled aside. The CM had his hand on DS sort of pushing down, and he had a piece of paper he was putting above DS's head...DS was new to all of this, and wanted to make the CM happy, so he scrunched down, and the CM was able to put the slip of paper between the stick and DS's head.

All that mattered was that CM at that measuring stick at that time...DH was upset, but took DS out of the ride.


FYI Grizzly is 42". Don't know about Mulholland though, haven't gone on it (it's like it's invisible when I'm there, I NEVER think of it!).

 

[Huff]

I have seen parents arguing LOUDLY with CM's over a child too short to ride after the CM noted thick soled shoes or child standing on tippy toes.

The ride heights are set for a reason....safety. If a child is 39" then they should not be on a ride that is 40". Thick shoes, hats etc. are cheating the safety features of a ride.

That said I do see the ride height markers aren't that accurate but within 1/2" or so. Maybe bring a small tape measure with you?

 

[momofgrace06]

We just got back from the parks today. My daughter measured 40.5 inches at the Dr.'s office in January....at the parks she didn't make it on ANY of the 40" rides. She was at least an inch "too short" on all of the measuring posts. I had warned her of this though, and she was fine with it. She did the Matterhorn and was happy about that.

 

[marsrunner]

That said I do see the ride height markers aren't that accurate but within 1/2" or so. Maybe bring a small tape measure with you?

It doesn't matter if the tape measure says you are 100' tall. If you don't measure to their sticks you don't ride. I'm fine with that. Its a safety issue. I get that. When my daughter didn't measure up nobody argued, threw a fit, or anything else. We said thank you, pulled my daughter aside, explained it to her (she understood, no problems) and moved on to the next thing.

The point is that they are not accurate. In our case it was at least 2" off on Indy. Again, that's fine, but the problem is that the sticks are not accurate even amongst themselves. She also barely scraped by on Space Mountain (40") (by about a paper thickness) but was a good half inch over the stick at Tower of Terror (also 40"). Its kind of confusing and not very reassuring. The whole idea is safety. So if the height requirement is 40", shouldn't that be the same at both places? Oh, and btw, both rides were the first ride of the day, same shoes, no hat, and she stood as tall as she could both times.

Seriously, at the end of the day these are RIDES. It isn't the end of the world is someone doesn't get to ride (or at least it shouldn't be) and in a lot of cases (not all of course) the child will only get as upset as the parents. Why get upset about not being able to ride one ride when there are so many other fun things to do. That said, it is a bit confusing and irritating on occasion.

Somewhat off-topic. Dinosaur at AK is 40". Indy is 46". Why the big difference? The ride platform is the same and I could swear the vehicles are the same.

 

[Quilter007]

Maybe bring a small tape measure with you?

DON'T DO IT!!!! It will NOT help. DH did this @ Big Thunder -- DS was tall enough at the first one, but not at the one at the loading area. The next day he brought a tape measure -- did NOT matter!!!! The next day DS had new shoes & all was right with the world. It's still his favorite ride!

Patience.....DS is now tall enough to ride Indy, but hates it! He runs around the treehouse while DH & other DS ride Indy and while I hang out @ bottom of the treehouse enjoying a few moments of alone time -- it's great! Saw Whoopi @ DL there the last trip a couple of weeks ago. That was a people watching bonus!

Katrina

 

[bluegrizzlies1]

there head has to touch the bottom of the stick for them to be able to ride.

A thick sole tennis show will help you out if they are only an inch away from 40.

My 3 yr old hit the bottom of the stick in oct and rode all the 40 inch rides she loved it soarin was her favorite.

 

[Misskitty3]

Somewhat off-topic. Dinosaur at AK is 40". Indy is 46". Why the big difference? The ride platform is the same and I could swear the vehicles are the same.

Maybe there are different regulations between California and Florida??? The seating configuration is also different between the Splash Mt at DL and WDW.

 

[adorelc]

I just want to add that if you have a child that is close, just prepare them that they might not be able to ride. It will save a lot of disappointment! Were were riding Test Track at WDW and my son was measured at the start of the line and before we entered the movie room. Each time the CM said he was good. Right before we go to sit on the ride they pulled my son aside. The CM there told him no so they had my husband take him thorough the exit. I was very surprised that he was fine on the first two sticks, but not the last. I was just glad that we had told him ahead of time that he might not be tall enough, but we would have him measured. With shoes he measured 41" at home, but it the sticks that matter!

 

[ThisLittleLightShine]

It doesn't matter if the tape measure says you are 100' tall. If you don't measure to their sticks you don't ride. I'm fine with that. Its a safety issue. I get that. When my daughter didn't measure up nobody argued, threw a fit, or anything else. We said thank you, pulled my daughter aside, explained it to her (she understood, no problems) and moved on to the next thing.

The point is that they are not accurate. In our case it was at least 2" off on Indy. Again, that's fine, but the problem is that the sticks are not accurate even amongst themselves. She also barely scraped by on Space Mountain (40") (by about a paper thickness) but was a good half inch over the stick at Tower of Terror (also 40"). Its kind of confusing and not very reassuring. The whole idea is safety. So if the height requirement is 40", shouldn't that be the same at both places? Oh, and btw, both rides were the first ride of the day, same shoes, no hat, and she stood as tall as she could both times.

Seriously, at the end of the day these are RIDES. It isn't the end of the world is someone doesn't get to ride (or at least it shouldn't be) and in a lot of cases (not all of course) the child will only get as upset as the parents. Why get upset about not being able to ride one ride when there are so many other fun things to do. That said, it is a bit confusing and irritating on occasion.

Somewhat off-topic. Dinosaur at AK is 40". Indy is 46". Why the big difference? The ride platform is the same and I could swear the vehicles are the same.

I have no problems with the safety aspect, however if they state the measurements for rides, they should adhere to the measurements and they should be accurate. Many people plan trips to DL based upon what rides their children will be able to ride, it is false advertising and as much Disneyland tickets cost, the least the could do if have accurate and consistent measuring sticks. We waited to book our trip until our youngest was over 46", if we get there and at 47" she can't ride, I will be a little annoyed, I won't through a fit but I will be talking to guests services.

 

[Misskitty3]

I just want to add that if you have a child that is close, just prepare them that they might not be able to ride. It will save a lot of disappointment! Were were riding Test Track at WDW and my son was measured at the start of the line and before we entered the movie room. Each time the CM said he was good. Right before we go to sit on the ride they pulled my son aside. The CM there told him no so they had my husband take him thorough the exit. I was very surprised that he was fine on the first two sticks, but not the last. I was just glad that we had told him ahead of time that he might not be tall enough, but we would have him measured. With shoes he measured 41" at home, but it the sticks that matter!

This is exactly the scenario I really want to avoid and why I asked the original question. If there is any question as to DD being able to ride something, we just wont even try.....it would be a huge dissapointment to her if she had to wait for her big brother to go on the ride but she couldn't. She tends to "dwell" on the negative and I really don't want her to remember her trip to Disney as the time she COULDN'T ride Splash Mountain!

 

[adorelc]

This is exactly the scenario I really want to avoid and why I asked the original question. If there is any question as to DD being able to ride something, we just wont even try.....it would be a huge dissapointment to her if she had to wait for her big brother to go on the ride but she couldn't. She tends to "dwell" on the negative and I really don't want her to remember her trip to Disney as the time she COULDN'T ride Splash Mountain!

I agree. It is heartbreaking to see them disappointed. That trip though, my son rode Soarin, Dinosaur and Splash Mountain all with the same height requirement. I guess I am just saying that if you have a child that is close to the line and want to try to ride, my best advice is to let them know that they will be measured and they might not get to ride even if they rode another ride with the same height requirement. I thought that we were fine after being measured the first day on Soarin, or for that fact twice on Test Track...I was wrong!

 

[bumbershoot]

Somewhat off-topic. Dinosaur at AK is 40". Indy is 46". Why the big difference? The ride platform is the same and I could swear the vehicles are the same.

That's the one thing that gets to me.


My family is lucky in that I'm a retired chiropractor, and know well that stresses on the spine can cause us to shrink through the day. And that's especially so if you go on xyz rides that day, then can't make it on another...those rides were what caused the shrinkage!

Lots of water (to replenish the body so it can easily replenish the fluid inside the discs), good night's sleep, practice standing straight and tall, and go for the rides that are make-or-break FIRST thing, to minimize the chances of gravity having worked on the kids already.

But if someone is too short, it makes for better FUTURE trips, because they know that nothing is a given. My little dude stands to be measured for every single ride, every single time, now...he still remembers that Star Wars problem that happened at 3.5, and thinks he might be too short, even for Star Wars, now at almost 5.

 

[bluegrizzlies1]

before you even get in line for splash go where the sticks are and have them measure to see if she is tall enough.

I know they have a few sticks along the way but it will save some time if you measure at the first one before getting in line.

 

[alvernon90]

The thing I find most loathsome about this system is that they will let a kid stand in line for an hour, getting his or her hopes up, and then kick them off the ride. If the person measuring at the entrance to the queue is getting a different result that the person at the ride vehicle, then DL needs to change something. One of the measuring sticks is inaccurate. Perhaps even dangerous!

If I spent a significant time in line after getting the go-ahead and then had to take my child out of line at the last minute, I would be right there at City Hall threatening to call in all kinds of regulatory agencies to come to the park and fine the company for having measuring sticks that make it possible that a too-short kid might skate through. In fact, I kind of hope it does happen, just so I can go make such a threat.

Safety first, right? Well, then Disney has an obligation to ensure that their safety measurement devices are accurate. If the same child yields two different results, then their devices are not accurate. If the kid "scrunching down" causes different results then their measuring method is not accurate. I'm sure a cash-strapped state agency would love to issue some fines to Disney for failing to take care of this problem.