How strict are they with height measurements? (For children right at the mark)

[atlbraves49]

Our child is right at the 40" mark (with shoes on; shorter without). Not sure how accurate the height markers are, or if they vary from ride to ride depending on installation. A little concerned that he will be tall enough when measured for some rides, and 0.01 inches too short at another. As we are organizing our multi-pass LL selections, just trying to determine if we should be more on the optimistic side, that he can ride, or pessimistic and assume he can't. Are they ultra strict with measurements?

 

[sponica]

I'd aim for the morning, we're taller in the morning and shrink throughout the day.

And make sure he stands up straight and doesn't duck under the bar.

 

[kdka421]

Ultra strict.
I'm also reasonably confident they account for shoes, so if your little one is < 40" barefoot, I'd definitely prepare for them to not hit the measurement.

 

[FuzzyPeach]

They are very strict, and his actual height will not overrule the height markers at the attractions.

Because your child is so close with shoes on, know that there’s a pretty good chance he may be able to ride some of the 40 inch attractions and not others, may even be able to ride some one time and not the next. Also be prepared that they measure the child at the entrance but also near boarding, so you may end up turned away near the front of the line even though you were already cleared at the entrance.

I’d personally book the LLs assuming he can ride, and go to a blue umbrella CM for assistance in switching if he cannot.

 

[scrappinginontario]

They are understandably very strict. Also, some have shared that their child meets the height requirement at an attraction in the morning but not in the afternoon. Same attraction.

Be fully prepared that things will change ride to ride, time of day, shoes, etc. If they do not meet the height requirement, they will not be permitted to ride.

 

[bffdisney]

I'd aim for the morning, we're taller in the morning and shrink throughout the day.

And make sure he stands up straight and doesn't duck under the bar.

Not trying to get around any height requirements, but this is important. Kids naturally duck under the bar when really you want them to hit their head on the bar. Just explain that to them beforehand.

 

[Dug720]

They are understandably very strict.

Yes. Wasn't it Chris Hemsworth who tried putting Snickers bars in his daughter's shoes at DL to get her on something a few years ago and was very public about how he regretted it because he spent the whole ride making sure she didn't fly out?

I get that it can be disappointing for the kid, but please don't yell at the CM and/or try and cheat the system. The restrictions are there for a reason. It doesn't matter if people claim they set them a couple of inches higher than what is really safe. It is to protect your child - and others on the ride.

 

[DisneyMom93]

Very strict. There’s no rule about wearing a thicker sole shoe though. Just remember it’s all about safety so don’t do anything stupid. Lol

 

[DisneyMom93]

And yes, the spine contracts throughout the day so your child may definitely be shorter towards the second half of the day. It happened to us with some friends we were with, and the child was devastated that he could not ride the ride again in the afternoon. And they don’t care if you have a photo of your child on the ride earlier… they go by what your child’s height is at that moment. Understandably so.

 

[godfather927]

I may or may not have purchased a pair of sketchers for my daughter who was a quarter inch above 48" already with normal shoes on, to be sure she'd clear it by at least 0.5" with the new pair of shoes on. This was for a DLR trip and she had been so excited to possibly be able to ride Incredicoaster.

Now, in my case, she was already tall enough, but I wanted to make sure to take into account any possible human discretion of the cast members at boarding if they thought she was too close and ended up turning her away. In the end, she was fine and they waved her on without issue but I wanted that extra piece of mind that we weren't gonna wait in line for 45-60 min and then get possibly turned away as we were about to board.

I know they have these restrictions for safety reasons but as an engineer, I know Disney is more conservative when it comes to acceptable tolerances and ratings for restraints design on a ride like Incredicoaster so I was never too worried about her safety. Now the swings at pixar pier, are another story entirely.

 

[godfather927]

Yes. Wasn't it Chris Hemsworth who tried putting Snickers bars in his daughter's shoes at DL to get her on something a few years ago and was very public about how he regretted it because he spent the whole ride making sure she didn't fly out?

I get that it can be disappointing for the kid, but please don't yell at the CM and/or try and cheat the system. The restrictions are there for a reason. It doesn't matter if people claim they set them a couple of inches higher than what is really safe. It is to protect your child - and others on the ride.

Yeah I think he did that for Tower of Terror which is just uses a single lap belt for restraints. Even I can feel myself lift up off the seat sometimes on that ride.

 

[Dug720]

Yeah I think he did that for Tower of Terror which is just uses a single lap belt for restraints. Even I can feel myself lift up off the seat sometimes on that ride.

Yeah. There is one sequence on Mission Breakout that had my butt out of the seat more than it was in it.

 

[RivShore]

Our child is right at the 40" mark (with shoes on; shorter without). Not sure how accurate the height markers are, or if they vary from ride to ride depending on installation. A little concerned that he will be tall enough when measured for some rides, and 0.01 inches too short at another. As we are organizing our multi-pass LL selections, just trying to determine if we should be more on the optimistic side, that he can ride, or pessimistic and assume he can't. Are they ultra strict with measurements?

One anecdote from many years ago - you could see no daylight between the top of our kid's head and the marker but the CM pulled out a piece of paper and ran it over the top of his head and denied him. So you never know...

 

[lovethattink]

Not sure if they still do this, but when my kids were right at the mark, we’d go to guest services and have them measured there. If they were tall enough, they had a wristband they would put on them that let cm know they were already measured.

 

[Joanna71985]

Not sure if they still do this, but when my kids were right at the mark, we’d go to guest services and have them measured there. If they were tall enough, they had a wristband they would put on them that let cm know they were already measured.

No. This hasn't been a thing in years

 

[Jacksonian]

My grandson who is 4 rode Space Mtn with all of us on Sun. He went back on Wed to ride again and was deemed ok to ride when measured at ride entrance, but was not tall enough when he was measured prior to getting on the ride. Go figure. This is not fair to the child who rode the ride previously, and was then let through at the ride entrance only to be denied a few steps from getting on the ride. Disney needs to do better. The idea of the wristband as mentioned above would solve this issue.

 

[Disturbia]

They are strict. If you have a couple of weeks try monkey bars (swinging on them) and pediasure shakes. If not, just make the best of it if he gets denied. Our son tends to do that and even when he was 40 inches tall the CM would be remeasuring him at rides that were 38 inch min. He got off ROTR and then was measured repeatedly at MFSR (they could see the LL on his account).

 

[Disturbia]

My grandson who is 4 rode Space Mtn with all of us on Sun. He went back on Wed to ride again and was deemed ok to ride when measured at ride entrance, but was not tall enough when he was measured prior to getting on the ride. Go figure. This is not fair to the child who rode the ride previously, and was then let through at the ride entrance only to be denied a few steps from getting on the ride. Disney needs to do better. The idea of the wristband as mentioned above would solve this issue.

There are way too many kids to do that and also wristbands can fall off or be shared.

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

My daughter has been kicked off rides for being too skinny for the restraints to fit her properly (not at Disney). She was understandably upset, but when I explained to her about the boy who died in the drop ride at a different park because someone felt bad and let him ride anyway she kind of understood how it was for her own safety.

 

[Bibbidi_Boo]

Ultra strict.
I'm also reasonably confident they account for shoes, so if your little one is < 40" barefoot, I'd definitely prepare for them to not hit the measurement.

Nope, all 3 of my kids hit height markers .5 inches shorter than the posted height barefoot. Every single ride every time. Just wearing normal sneakers. Same at other theme parks also.