How stringent is the height requirement on Splash Mountain?

[HeatherPage]

My son who is 2 1/2 can squeak out about 38 1/2 inches maybe 39 depending on which sneakers he is wearing, are the CM's really strict on the height requirement on Splash? I figured he can handle it (I would never try to "squeak" him out past the height requirement for space mountain, rockin roller coaster, etc.

Thanks in advance for any input!

 

[Blueberry]

They have a measuring stick at Splash Mtn, looks like a tool, a pole with a rod across it for the right height, and the kids head has to reach the bar at the top to ride Splash Mtn. My DGS did not reach it one trip by just a hair and they did not allow him to ride, so I think you pretty much be that height..hopefully he will grown some before your trip....

 

[HeatherPage]

Thanks Wendy. Oh well, being that our next trip is in about 5 weeks (unless he has a serious growth spurt) I doubt he'll reach the 40 inch mark. That's okay, we're sure to be back next year!

 

[Blueberry]

Give it a try though with his tallest sneaker..you never know, pixie dust works wonders...

 

[Daxx]

You know, I really think it depends on the CM's working that day. We saw a CM tell parents that their little girl had to be measured w/o her platform sandals ... she didn't make the height requirement w/o them. Other days, we saw little girls w/ platforms go through.

Keep trying and keep your fingers crossed. Remember that you can always do parent swap if your child can't get through the height requirement.

 

[missypie]

Please no! Height requirements are safety requirements...they aren't a means to judge whether your child will be scared or not. Would you be willing to sign a release to say that you won't sue if your dear child falls out of the ride? Sorry to come down hard, but this issue always scares me to death!

 

[bytheblood]

Originally posted by missypie
Please no! Height requirements are safety requirements...they aren't a means to judge whether your child will be scared or not. Would you be willing to sign a release to say that you won't sue if your dear child falls out of the ride? Sorry to come down hard, but this issue always scares me to death!

I have to agree with this. I thank Disney for putting these rules in place and certainly believe they should be kept.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Originally posted by bytheblood
I have to agree with this. I thank Disney for putting these rules in place and certainly believe they should be kept.

Of course it all depends on the ride. The old Alien Encounter had I believe a 48" height restriction. There was nothing dangerous about the ride, just a scary theme (it moved a little, if I recall, but nothing that would make the 48" restriction a safety issue). I sure wouldn't push something like Space Mt, Big Thunder, or Splash Mt.

What is the height restriction for Kali River Rapids? My 4yo loves the raft ride at Islands of Adventure and was able to go on it the last 2 times, but the time before he wasn't tall enough. The silly thing is that his feet couldn't touch the floor of the ride any time he's gone on it, so the height restriction doesn't really make sense, from a safety issue. Bottom line is that they have to draw the line somewhere as far as the height goes.

T&B

 

[DebbieB]

Does Kali have a seatbelt? I can't remember. Splash Mountain does not, so height is more of an issue.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Not sure about Kali--It's been years since I've been on it. And of course one issue with Splash is that they've got to assume that the adult wouldn't keep a firm hold on a young child, like most of us probably would (many of us are hanging on to the railings for our life ) .

T&B

 

[Disney1fan2002]

Originally posted by DebbieB
Does Kali have a seatbelt? I can't remember. Splash Mountain does not, so height is more of an issue.

There are actually special seats on Kali for toddlers that are under 40 inches. I believe they have shoulder harnesses. (correct me if I am wrong people! LOL)It has been a couple of years, so I am not sure exactly how the set up is, but when my son was between 38-40 inches, they told me to put him in a specific seat. They get a special wristband indicating to the people loading the ride they are not 40 inches.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

Originally posted by Tigger&Belle
Of course it all depends on the ride. The old Alien Encounter had I believe a 48" height restriction. There was nothing dangerous about the ride, just a scary theme (it moved a little, if I recall, but nothing that would make the 48" restriction a safety issue). I sure wouldn't push something like Space Mt, Big Thunder, or Splash Mt.

What is the height restriction for Kali River Rapids? My 4yo loves the raft ride at Islands of Adventure and was able to go on it the last 2 times, but the time before he wasn't tall enough. The silly thing is that his feet couldn't touch the floor of the ride any time he's gone on it, so the height restriction doesn't really make sense, from a safety issue. Bottom line is that they have to draw the line somewhere as far as the height goes.

T&B

Kali is 38 inches.

About the height restriction for Alien, that was in place for the sheer terror factor. The only danger of this ride is your young child would have nightmares for the next 20 years. When Alien first opened, it was the only attraction in WDW that had an age restriction. You had to be 48 inches AND 7 years or older to go in. (this was in place in 1995), I don't know when they removed the age restriction, but the height restriction remained. Probably some parents complained that their 6 yo was tall enough for the ride, who was Disney to decide what they can handle emotionally? Who knows, but given the number of young children screaming bloody murder, and the adults laughing (yeah, it is fun to terrorize the littles ones, isn't it?) I think the age restriction should of stayed. But, we don't have to worry about that any more, unless Stitch plans on terrorizing the little ones.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I'd forgotten about the age restriction on Alien. Of course there are many very brave 6yo's and easily frightened 10yo's (or adults...). I'm hoping that they will remove the height restriction for Stitch, or have it be much less so my 4yo can go on it.

Good, he can go on Kali. He loves the raft at IoA and wouldn't like not being able to go on Kali.

T&B

 

[missypie]

When they impose "height" restrictions because of the scariness of the ride, they really confuse the issue. They should stick with age (Think how offensive it would be if you were an adult Little Person and couldn't go on a scary ride!)

Anyway, for the most part, the height limits come from the ride/restraint manufacturers...they are basically saying for what group of people their restraint system will work.

 

[Kapp]

Splash Mountain and Space Mountain were the most strick as far as the height requirement was concerned.

 

[stinkerbelle]

I believe the height restriction for Alien was NOT for the scare factor...it was for the shoulder harnesses.

if you were too short...you could get hurt if that harness hit you in a place it wasn't supposed to.

 

[BrianMonk]

I believe they have shoulder harnesses. (correct me if I am wrong people! LOL)

It's not so much a shoulder harness but a metal bar lap support. It's an "L" shaped bar that drops down over the childs waist. It's removable so it's only in place for the child that needs it and then it's removed once they are finished riding.

 

[WDWAurora]

Alien's height requirement was not for the "scariness" it was for the speaker system to fit properly...it could only come down so far. Nothing to do with the crazy level of scariness, or any physical danger. It was just that the sound wouldn't accomodate the smaller sizes.

 

[judykay53]

This is in reference to RNRC and their height requrement. My grandson who is 8 made the height requirement at RNRC and at the last minute decided he was going to be brave enough to ride it. He had never ridden any coaster that went upside down. I was proud that he got the nerve to actually do it. He came out crying his little eyes out! I felt so sorry for him. There was still a lot of room between his shoulders and the harness and he felt like he was going to fall out. I kept saying "Well at least you tried it. That was a big step " He immediately went to TOT and loved it.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I'm sure RnR was scary for your 8yo GS. Poor guy. How brave for trying it. I told my almost 11yo that I'm not bringing him back to WDW until he will ride RnR with me (he was almost 8yo when he was last there and he went through the queue with me and then chose not to ride it--his father was waiting at the exit of the ride knowing that he probably wouldn't ride it) . Just yesterday he told me he would ride it with me and begged me to bring him. Little does he know that I'm planning on bringing just him the end of January. I figure that even if he chickens out on the ride that he's old enough to wait at the ride photo place for me to ride, but I won't tell him that I'm letting him off the hook so easy!

T&B