How Strict Are Height Requirements?

[ShayBells]

We are very strict. If there is even the tiniest of gap between the height stick and his head, we won't let them in. Don't spike the hair either, we push the hair down. If we can see space between the head and stick, no go.

With my DS you couldn't see space at all. He was essentially touching the bar and the CM told me he had to pass the bar not just touch it. Maybe CMs are different but I got a strict one.

A half an inch is a lot and very noticeable. I agree with everyone else have him stand up straight eyes looking forward and measure him.

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[DavidNYC]

I really wish Disney had a consistent way to do this. At Busch Gardens this summer they had a height check at the entrance and the kids were given colored wrist bands based on their height. It would be so much simpler to just do this once.

I too have a child who is very close the the height requirement. She needs to grow a half inch before February so she can ride the 44 inch rides. I know it's for her safety but its really frustrating for her to be let on one day or one ride and not the next.

Way too easy to come up with ways to circumvent bands and Disney takes this very seriously so measuring at each ride is the safest way.

 

[daytondisney]

As for shoes, we used timberland work boots.

yep, timberlands work:

 

[smitch425]

While I understand your concern, I am guessing that you have not worn work boots in a while, much less timberlands. Far from clunky, they are actually more comfortable and easier to wear than any sneakers I have ever worn. These boots are designed for people on the feet 12 hours a day carrying heavy loads, climbing ladders, etc... Sure they are not made for running or cutting back n forth in basketball, but for plain old walking and standing around, they are actually the best option. Since Disney last year, we have had to keep buying more work boots because that is what our DS loves as his everyday shoe. The only downside is they can be expensive if you pay retail, luckily we live a few miles from Timberlands HQ, so we can buy them at the factory store during friends and family sales for around $25.

I am familiar with the shoes and their comfort, but they look ridiculous with shorts and are hot. Not the best shoe for a Florida theme park, in my opinion, but that's just me.

 

[matthewhavens]

Our trip 2 trips ago I was all excited that my son had reached 40 inches on our wall at home. Upon our trip to Disney he was no where near the 40 inch sticks. We must be terrible measurers or something. Just be prepared to be off in your measurements. Our 40 incher appeared to be more like 38 inches according to the Disney sticks. Also, the rides with height requirements are pretty rough, and it's hard for little ones to hold themselves properly in the rides. Even at 41 inches, we constantly had to make sure we had arms behind my son's head or it would get smacked on the back of the ride vehicles. Or quick stops would send his face flying into the lap bars. Thunder Mountain in particular was rough for him, so I don't think it's only a height thing, but also a strength thing too. Little kids just aren't strong enough hold their bodies properly through the rough rides.

That's another thing I'm worried about. It sounds like Disney builds in a little extra for the shoe factor.

We last visited in February and DS2.5 (at the time) was at least 36.5 inches and was just clearing the 35 inch stick. I was shocked how close he was to it.

 

[s3ver1na]

My daughter JUST made 40" in her clogs. These are her everyday shoe and she refuses to wear anything else. She loves her Sanitas just like I love my Danskos. They do add about 1/4 to 1/2 more than a sneaker would, so I'm afraid they'll ask her to take them off, although they don't look ridiculously tall, they just look like regular clogs. We are still 2 1/2 months away, so I'm sure she'll grow another little bit before then anyway. It's not like they're wedge sandals, they're just the standard black shiny clogs. They're some of the comfiest shoes she's had (she says), and I agree.

I'm just excited that she's just barely hit over the 40" mark in them and there's still almost 3 months to go. Woo.

 

[Jewel3k]

Just wanted to add that you can be 40" at say Splash Mountain and not at Big Thunder Mountain 10 minutes later. My little guy (normal shoes, and good posture) managed to hit the bar at Splash Mountain and Soarin, but not at Big Thunder and Tower of Terror.

 

[mom2rtk]

Just wanted to add that you can be 40" at say Splash Mountain and not at Big Thunder Mountain 10 minutes later. My little guy (normal shoes, and good posture) managed to hit the bar at Splash Mountain and Soarin, but not at Big Thunder and Tower of Terror.

Just as you can be 40" at the entrance to Splash, but not at the ride platform.

 

[Jenny Sanders]

Height requirements are in place for a reason...to keep guests safe.

 

[bumbershoot]

They are TOO strict. Okay I might be a little mad lol. DS came up to the bar at space mountain. I mean you could MAYBE fit a piece of paper in between his head and the bar. And they said no. He was soo upset. :sad2

At Disneyland's Star Tours, my son did get a piece of paper passed between head and bar, and was not allowed to ride. He was fully, bonafide, tall enough, but the CM freaked him out. The CM also was pushing down on his shoulder. DS thought the CM wanted him to bend down a bit, so he did. DH was there and didn't have the words to stop it from happening at the time.

It was a bummer, but ultimately, IMO, a child who can't respond to that by standing straight and tall and showing their true, tall-enough, height, is a child that probably isn't mature enough for a big ride. I know that's how we ultimately felt with DS. Went back a few months later, he knew how to stand, and stay standing, straight and tall, and it all went well.

Except that little kids with Star Tours tend to slide down, LOL.

I really wish Disney had a consistent way to do this. At Busch Gardens this summer they had a height check at the entrance and the kids were given colored wrist bands based on their height. It would be so much simpler to just do this once.

People say they did this once. And parents started slipping the bands off of one child and putting them on another.

Our trip 2 trips ago I was all excited that my son had reached 40 inches on our wall at home. Upon our trip to Disney he was no where near the 40 inch sticks. We must be terrible measurers or something.

There's also gravity working on the body throughout the day. And levels of hydration matter, because fluid in our bodies goes to the intervertebral discs which are puffier in the beginning of the day than at the end. We quite literally shrink through the day.

So you get a child who isn't eating normally, isn't drinking enough water, is sweating in the sun all day and running around, who is also not sleeping (resting on their back, letting gravity pull on them differently) properly....it's no surprise there are differences in being able to ride rides!

With my DS you couldn't see space at all. He was essentially touching the bar and the CM told me he had to pass the bar not just touch it. Maybe CMs are different but I got a strict one.

That IS a too strict CM, if he was fully pressed up against the stick. You probably could have made a comment to guest services about that (just like we could have spoken to "city hall" at Disneyland about the CM that was pushing down on DS).

I laid DS3 on he floor and pulled out the measuring tape...39.5 inches.

Laying on the floor is so different, as a couple people have said. This is very inaccurate for in-park purposes.

 

[ttintagel]

The only time I've seen a kid asked to take shoes off was a girl in big, thick clogs.

Hit height-restricted rides in the morning before the spine has a chance to compress.

 

[tiggerdad]

When my daughter was four we went. More than once she was just that little bit short and we would hear the CM "Oh princess, let me see you stand on your tip toes! OK, you're good, go ahead".

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[mesaboy2]

When my daughter was four we went. More than once she was just that little bit short and we would hear the CM "Oh princess, let me see you stand on your tip toes! OK, you're good, go ahead".

I would assume those CMs were probably violating procedure, and would not expect other guests to be so "lucky".

 

[AuroraRora]

I would assume those CMs were probably violating procedure, and would not expect other guests to be so "lucky".

I agree, I've never seen a CM encourage a kid to make themselves taller than they are, but I've seen them send plenty wailing kids out the line for being too short. I'd say they err on the side of caution

 

[Gorechick]

When we took our twins in 2012, they were basically the same height. DS got to ride RNR and DD was told she was too short. She was short by a smidge.

 

[MentalVacation]

When we took our twins in 2012, they were basically the same height. DS got to ride RNR and DD was told she was too short. She was short by a smidge.

oh that Hurts!

Here's our experience, FWIW:

DD is just over 40 inches in shoes. We started practice measuring for this trip six months ago (in part because I also record their heights about every six months anyway, just for fun). We were VERY worried that our measure wouldn't stand up to DW measuring so we prepared her very well for NOT getting to ride.

She wore two different types of Skechers on the trip -- a brand spanking new pair of twinkle toes and a pair of what I'd call chunkier soled plain ones. She was a good 1/2 inch above the bar each time. Flat hair. Even the two days she wore flat soled mary janes we had no concerns. She rode ToT, Star Tours, Soarin', Test Track, BTMR, Splash. She was very good at standing up straight and looking forward because we practiced. No CMs ever put a hand on a shoulder or anything.

I would agree with the PP who said sometimes it is about other factors....my DH held my DD down next to him on BTMR and I kept my hand across her lap on ToT, just in case....she seemed SOOOOOO tiny by comparison....and on BTMR she moved around a lot when he wasn't holding her close.

My DS missed the 48 inch mark by about an inch, which was a serious bummer, but we'd prepared him for that pretty well. We'll just have to save RnR for next time.

 

[troll buster]

Height requirements are in place for a reason...to keep guests safe.

Exactly! These are the same people who would be first in line to sue if their child was injured.

 

[KatieCharlotte]

I would assume those CMs were probably violating procedure, and would not expect other guests to be so "lucky".

It happened with DD on Barnstormer years ago when she was a tiny two-year-old and daddy decided to take her on it w/o warning me. It was the highlight of her day.

Pretty much everywhere we've run into the strict and no-so-strict measurers. Nothing like beating your big brother at an obstacle course and then being told you're too short when the next teenager comes on duty. Just prepare yourself and your kid to handle it w/o tears.

 

[tiggerdad]

It happened with DD on Barnstormer years ago when she was a tiny two-year-old and daddy decided to take her on it w/o warning me. It was the highlight of her day.

Pretty much everywhere we've run into the strict and no-so-strict measurers. Nothing like beating your big brother at an obstacle course and then being told you're too short when the next teenager comes on duty. Just prepare yourself and your kid to handle it w/o tears.

This.

While we did get that experience on some rides, others did not. My wife did remind me after I made that post that on the second day at HS DD could not ride ToT because she was too short, but was allowed to the previous day. I agree you should prepare your children for either event if they are right on the height line for a particular ride.

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[reneaterry]

Took our 3 yr old on test track yesterday. We measured her out front at the sign and that was it. She wasn't measured by any cms. I was surprised.