How accurate are the measuring sticks?

[Sydnie]

My three year old son is exactly 40' with his tennis shoes on. We are going to Disneyland in two weeks and I was wondering how likely it is he will get on rides like Splash Mountain and BTMRR. He is dying to go on those rides and I want to kind of manage his expectations if Disney sticks tend to be a little higher than accurate for safety purposes.

Thanks!

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

They aren't particularly accurate. I'd teach him how to stand tall, his head needs to touch the stick (not duck under it). Have him try early in the day when we are taller. Also expect to be measured several times in the same line. They'll measure before getting in line and likely before entering the ride vehicle. If he gets past the first measurement, he may or may not get past the next one. The one at the ride vehicle loading is the only one that really counts.

 

[skiingfast]

I wouldn't get his hopes up. It's not like they use a buffer distance just in case but some of the mearsuing sticks are over uneven ground that can effect the outcome. Try riding in the morning when his spine is relaxed from sleeping and he is tallest.

 

[kailuagirl]

I agree with the 2 previous posts.

My DD3 last year was 40" with shoes and she wasn't tall enough for any of the 40" by their measurements and I'd say she had about a 1/2 or so more to fit, so I think they do calculate shoes somehow in the measurement. But I could be wrong.

At soaring (our 1st attempt) she made it past the first check, but on the 2nd marker, she wasn't tall enough. So not to disappoint her, we kinda made it a height check game on the different rides. And now even to this day, whenever she see's something that looks like a height measurement, she says "mommy let's see if I'm tall enough"

Even gadget's I think has different heights on their 2 measurements. The one at the entrance one year she totally cleared and then on the top they were like she's not tall enough, but it was all where she was standing, because she was over 36" for sure.

So teach him to stand tall and straight, and try not to get his hopes up too much!! Have fun!!

 

[larina]

Can you get him shoes with bigger soles. I did with my oldest when she was 5. She was 'just' there so we 'helped' her along!

 

[Malcon10t]

Jumping Jellyfish is way off on their measurements. (Allow an extra inch.) If he is "just barely" 40", be prepared that he may not make it. If he hits 40 pretty easily, he may be good to go.

Is he ready for the rides requiring him to be 40"? My nephew hit it at 4 years 3 mos, and he really loved the coasters (faster meant better) whereas I had a niece who hit them at 3 who was no where near ready for them. (She still doesn't like them at age 10...) Be forewarned MOST younger kids really don't like ToT. Even my fearless ones ride once, and say they are good til next year.

 

[starshine514]

They aren't particularly accurate. I'd teach him how to stand tall, his head needs to touch the stick (not duck under it). Have him try early in the day when we are taller. Also expect to be measured several times in the same line. They'll measure before getting in line and likely before entering the ride vehicle. If he gets past the first measurement, he may or may not get past the next one. The one at the ride vehicle loading is the only one that really counts.

Don't they all count? If your child fails to meet the requirement at any of them, he won't get to ride. So, if the first one is off, but the others are dead-on, that doesn't really matter because he won't make it past the first one (don't even get me started on Expedition Everest at WDW's AK...).

And, yes, teach him to stand tall and try to touch it. My DD4 is really good at standing tall, we've practiced.

 

[skiingfast]

Don't they all count? If your child fails to meet the requirement at any of them, he won't get to ride. So, if the first one is off, but the others are dead-on, that doesn't really matter because he won't make it past the first one

They do all count. This is what 3Minnies1Mickey was saying. If you are checked and allowed in at the first measurement, but not the later ones, you be directed to exit the attraction. You must measure up and be tall enough on each one as you progress through the line if there are multiple checks.

 

[IBLarsen]

My Daughter at age 3 for our first trip was right at 40 inches without shoes. I however didn't think she was ready for most of them, so told her I didn't think she was tall enough when she insisted on riding everything, and sure enough she WAS tall enough and did ride on everything, and loved it all. Every kid is different with what they like/don't like. But again, my dd was 40 without shoes, so I didn't even pay attention to how close she was on the sticks, but did clear them.
Good Luck!!

 

[quantumottle]

1. Stand Tall
2. Take a Deep Breath (fill your lungs) and Hold It.
3. Clasp Your Hands Together Behind Your back (throwing the shoulders back and chin up).

Those three steps will usually add a full inch to a kids height. Try it at home, make a game out of it, as if your kid is snapping to attention... It worked for us at WDW in 2009, like a charm. My daughter was asking to be measured every time we saw someone with a stick. She actually believed it was magic

Good luck!

 

[Hofmanns4]

I learned a tip from these boards when I was worried DS would be turned away even though he was tall enough.

I inserted Dr. Scholl shoe inserts to gain that tiny bit of height needed to pass the markers.

It worked great on the ones that were so close.

 

[MinnieMom13]

We took my daughter for her first visit at 4 years old. She was not 40" tall, but we had her wear her pink cowgirl boots for one day in order to ride the "big girl" rides (she is fearless). We have a great video of Pocohantas comparing her boots to my daughters.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

 

[sonnyjane]

Ugh, ditto!

I'm sure it won't matter, but I'll put out the usual PSA...

Remember that height minimums are in place for a reason - to keep the riders safe. Using different tricks like taller shoes or placing insoles in your child's shoes to give them a "boost" does two things: potentially endangers them and teaches them that lying and cheating is acceptable. I'll take no part in either of those things, but I certainly can't control what anyone else does! Just know that it's not recommended.

OP, just have your kiddo stand up nice and tall! Hopefully that's enough. Enjoy your trip!

 

[skiingfast]

Ugh, ditto!

Enjoying watching the rocket lift off?

 

[etemplet]

My Grandaughter was exactly 40 inches with her tennis shoes on. We measured her. I'm a machinist by trade so...we are accurate. lol We never had any problems with any of the rides. We did not coach her on how to stand tall and she kept ducking under the measuring device and the cast members waited while we coached her again and again (she was 4). We were only checked (twice in the same line) one time. We really had no issues at all with that.

One thing did happen though, she wore flat sandals one day and we had problems. She was that close to the height limit. With that in mind, I'd get some comfortable shoes that give him/her a little lift to insure there are not any issues.

Good luck and have fun !!

 

[Disney Dreams]

To the OP, the thing is... It doesn't matter if the stick is wrong or right, the stick is the only thing that matters.

I would suggest letting him know that he is "close and we will just have to see what happens at Disneyland."

Shoes that make a child taller, padding inside, etc... are all just tricks taht are going to put a child's safety in danger. If he's tall enough, he is. If he's not, he's not and will have something to look forward to next time!

The ONE straight-forward, factual tip I will give you is that we are ALL taller in the morning and gravity pushes down on us throughout the day. If he has a number one choice, go there VERY first thing. Just keep in mind, if he is "just" tall enough early in the morning, he may not be tall enough later in the day. And that's when it's a nice time for a physics lesson.

We took my daughter for her first visit at 4 years old. She was not 40" tall, but we had her wear her pink cowgirl boots for one day in order to ride the "big girl" rides (she is fearless). We have a great video of Pocohantas comparing her boots to my daughters.

Why put your daughter's safety at risk? Why teach your daughter how to break rules? I just don't get it. Safety rules are there for a reason. What if something awful would have happened during that ride to your daughter because she just was not tall enough, but you tricked the system with boots?
(There, I said it. Someone had to.)

Height restrictions are safety rules. They are there for YOUR safety.

- Dreams

 

[larina]

But in the case of the original OP the child IS tall enough, it is the measuring sticks that are off. Thick soled shoes help ensure entry to the ride for kids who ARE tall enough when the stick is different.

Using heels or big soles to help a child that isn't tall enough would be cheating, but in the case of kids who are tall enough, I don't see that as dangerous or breaking any rules.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

But in the case of the original OP the child IS tall enough, it is the measuring sticks that are off. Thick soled shoes help ensure entry to the ride for kids who ARE tall enough when the stick is different.

Using heels or big soles to help a child that isn't tall enough would be cheating, but in the case of kids who are tall enough, I don't see that as dangerous or breaking any rules.

Wearing thicker soled shoes like sneakers over saltwater sandals are fine. Sketchers tend to have thicker soles. Wearing "too talls" or "shape ups" or boots with heels or platform flip flops is not. If a CM notices the child wearing particularly chunky soled shoes they can ask them to remove them and measure them barefooted.

 

[larina]

My daughter wore Sketchers. I know the other shoes you are talking about. That would be cheating!