How strict are they with height requirements?

[mdetloff]

My DS will be 4 the week after we come back from Disney. We measured him with his shoes on and he is 39 1/2 in tall. I noticed a lot rides have a 40 in requirement. If he wants to go on some of these rides will they let him? Anyone have any experience with being so close to the requirement but just not enough. We have 3 weeks for him to grow another 1/2 inch! Or do we need to find taller shoes!

 

[scrapbookjulie]

My neighbor's son was officially 47 1/2 inches on their last trip. (With shoes, they claim he was over the 48" mark.) He was able to ride RnRC successfully twice, but then got a cast member who refused to let him on for the third ride. The neighbors claim the bar was hitting him in the forehead, but she wouldn't budge. So I guess from their experience, it depends on who you get loading the ride.

Julie

 

[vicki_c]

Close is not good enough at Disney.

 

[RMulieri]

I am going to warn you in advance...This is a HOT topis and youwill probably get a lot of negative comments..I am goingto tell you from firsthand experience that they are VERY STRICT with the height req. In fact they measure 2x once at the beginning of the line and once before loading.If your child is too short, they are too short.Cms are also quite attuned to people "fudging" their childs height .Really the height requirements are there for safety and are in the best interest for you and your child.In some cases , just because your child may be tall enough to ride , it does not mean they should.

 

[sydconmom]

No they wont. My DD was turning 4 on our trip and on some she made it (you will notice not all height bars are created equally....nor are the CM's interpreting them). She was 40 on the nose by our measurements and still was below the bars on some 40 rides, like Thunder Mtn. and Stitch for sure! So, I wouldnt think you should get his our your hopes up! Have fun!

 

[bradk]

knowingly allowing a child under the height requirement is a terminable offense.

so the answer to your question is how much does the CM want to keep their job?

 

[dmccarty]

The CM's are strict but fair. Remember its for the child's safety. Our youngest could ride some rides this year for the first time but even meeting the height requirement she still had issues sitting in one of the rides. I can't remember which ride it was but she was "loose" in the ride unlike her sister.

The kids know there are height requirements. They know they can't ride if they are not tall enough. The ask us frequently to measure them. We also try to set their expectations so that if one kid can ride and another cannot we split up so that shorter child can do something special with the other parent. This has worked well except on the last trip at Primal Whirl we messed up because we thought our youngest could ride but was still too short. We had a Crying Child At WDW moment. Next trip she might be tall enough. We are still measuring her and we stretch her every night on the rack.

Later,
Dan

 

[DisneyWisher]

My daughters never had this issue. They were always tall for their age when they were children. Oldest was 3 when she rode Space Mountain for first time. It was a daddy and daughter only trip, I freaked when I heard he let her go on it. Youngest DD was 3 yrs and 4 months when she first rode Splash Mountain and BTMR. She could have ridden ToT but I thought it was too intense for her age. No flames here but the restrictions are for safety reasons.

 

[MKandy]

My DS will be 4 the week after we come back from Disney. We measured him with his shoes on and he is 39 1/2 in tall. I noticed a lot rides have a 40 in requirement. If he wants to go on some of these rides will they let him? Anyone have any experience with being so close to the requirement but just not enough. We have 3 weeks for him to grow another 1/2 inch! Or do we need to find taller shoes!

Our number 1 priority is guest safety. CMs should not allow children on an attraction if they do not meet the height requirement. As they say, we have to draw a line some where, and on some attractions it happens to be at 40 inches. I would not recommend just fitting your child with different shoes as this only puts your own child at risk. Most Cms are very strict and, unfortunately, will not allow your son in. Hope this helps.

Have a magical day.

 

[cap'njack.]

Like other have said the restrictions are there for your child saftey...lets just hope your child grows that extra 1/2 and inch and has no problems.

I'd rather not risk it. My little one was 1cm over the 90cm height restriction for some of the rides at Legoland Windsor last weekend and I still didn't let him ride some of them because I thought they were too much for a 2 year old.

 

[Bambi222]

I was just at a small amusement park near me and the kids get measured prior to entering the park since they charge based on height. Over 48" a higher price then Under 48". They give a different bracelet for each kind which makes it easier for the park personal to know if someone is not tall enough to ride the bigger rides. However, there is still a measurement for the 40"-44" rides.

My kids have been ok with the fact when they are too short to ride on something, thank goodness. Currnetly my 4 year old is 39-1/2 inches and my 7 year old is 47 1/2 inches, by March they should be over the 40" and 48" requirements respectively, which will be nice when we go to disney. My little one was very ok when her sister was able to ride something she wasn't able to ride. One of us would go on with DD 7 and the other would go on something else with DD4 or get Ice Cream or do something else.

I do believe they do have the height restrictions in place for a reason, and if your child is borderline, you should definitely prepare them and explain this to your child so it doesn't ruin their day if they aren't able to ride.

 

[JMD]

Depends on the CM you get. I've seen some let kids in that were just under the limit, but most are pretty strict.

 

[melser13]

We just got back with our kids. My almost 4 year old was measured constantly on every ride...she just became so used to it that she immediately walked up to the stick...on EVERY ride. She was borderline when we went and her head touched the bottom of the stick each time. On Splash Mountain they didn't even measure her! We even waited in line at test track, but she decided she didn't want to do it, so we didn't push it.

Good Luck and prepare your child to be used to being measured if he barely touches the bottom each time!

 

[JPN4265]

My DS will be 4 the week after we come back from Disney. We measured him with his shoes on and he is 39 1/2 in tall. I noticed a lot rides have a 40 in requirement. If he wants to go on some of these rides will they let him? Anyone have any experience with being so close to the requirement but just not enough. We have 3 weeks for him to grow another 1/2 inch! Or do we need to find taller shoes!

He will have to grow the 1/2" or with shoes on he will need to be 40". If his head does not hit the measuring stick, they won't allow him to ride. Sorry

 

[Mickeypooh99]

I'm worried about this now with my 7 year old. He is 48 1/2 inches with shoes on. I've heard a lot of people say the measuring sticks they use aren't all the same. My DS wants to ride rock n roller coaster so bad, but I keep telling him we will see. He has 3 more months to grow a little more.

The only thing I don't understand is why they measure 2 times. It is so unfair for a child to get stopped at the second measurement after you have already waited in line, and he was already told he could go.

 

[rolokime]

We just came home from a great 2 week stay and my son missed the 48 inch by literally hairs and we were told "sorry". In light of the monorail and bus accidents i fully understand....

 

[tony609]

knowingly allowing a child under the height requirement is a terminable offense.

so the answer to your question is how much does the CM want to keep their job?

that says it all. Why would you want to put a child at risk???

 

[Pirate1+Princess4]

The only thing I don't understand is why they measure 2 times. It is so unfair for a child to get stopped at the second measurement after you have already waited in line, and he was already told he could go.

I agree. But I also understand it's for safety.

At Kings Island, they have a central measuring station. The kids stands next to the stick and receives a colored wristband that corresponds to the height restrictions. Helps to know BEFORE you get in line and saves time at loading. Does Disney have something like this???

Count us in the very close crowd. My 7 year olds are 47", 47.75", 48.5", and 49". We too are hoping for a growth spurt before December.

 

[RMulieri]

I agree. But I also understand it's for safety.

At Kings Island, they have a central measuring station. The kids stands next to the stick and receives a colored wristband that corresponds to the height restrictions. Helps to know BEFORE you get in line and saves time at loading. Does Disney have something like this???

Count us in the very close crowd. My 7 year olds are 47", 47.75", 48.5", and 49". We too are hoping for a growth spurt before December.

No wristband system at Disney.Each ride with a restriction measures your child 2x.I think the problem with the wristbands, is that guests would be pulling them off the taller kid and taping them to the smaller kids wrists.I have seen this at local themeparks.Disney has to be cautious with how litigious society has become.We were so close last trip.My 4 yr old is very petite and was just under the 40" mark, and was unable to ride.We accepted it and moved on.Now we are just below 43" and our trip is in December..Hoping for a few more inches between now and then

 

[ShannonMB]

From my experience, they are very strict. When DD was 6, she decided it would be okay to ride Primevil Whirl (the kid will not ride ANY thrill rides). She was just a hair too short, literally. The CMs with the sticks were encouraging her to stand up as straight as she could, but she didn't get it, so they couldn't let her ride (now I think she might have been slouching a little on purpose ).

I don't know about the 1/2 inch, but if anyone is bringing a child who is right around the height limit, I would encourage them to practice standing up super-straight and tall before they go. It really makes a huge difference! I don't think that is trying to get around the rules at all, just maximizing that height!

BTW, DD did end up riding Primevil Whirl on our next trip, and now that's off the list again, too. Sometimes I WISH I had a daredevil who was just too short. The inches will come!