How tuff are they on heigh restirctions?

[NCmom2NandE]

My dd is just under the 40'' mark, if you push her hair down. I don't want to put anything in her shoe or doing any thing. I also don't want her to go on ride that are unsafe for her size. Even if she was well over the 40" heigh, I still wouldn't do: Dinosaur or Tower of Terror. I would love for her to be able to do splash mt., body war/Star wars, and big thunder mt.

How strict are they?

 

[miste76]

Very, Very Tough!!! I've read many posts on the DIS boards about children that made the mark at home and then not at WDW... or even worse, they are tall enough at one ride and then not at the next.
Is dinosaur really that bad for children? I think it might be a little scary but it never occured to me that it's too much of 'thrill' ride for children.

 

[Laurajean1014]

If their the right height, their in. If not, they will suggest parent swapping.

 

[bicker]

Given the litigious nature of American society, they had better be very very stringent about the height restrictions, erring on the side of caution whenever there is any question!

 

[Aneille]

My daughter was just 40" when we went in May. If she was wearing sandals or even a different pair of sneakers she might not have made it because it was close.

They checked each and every time sometimes twice and they would push on her head/hair to make sure she wasn't standing and pushing herself up etc. But the CM's were good about making sure she was standing up tall. They were very fair I thought.

She was let on each time beacuse she did meet the requirement. The top of her head touched the bottom of the stick each time. But I was prepared that she might not make it at any time, and I explained this to her as well and she was okay with it. She's been turned down on rides before at other places.

She rode Big Thunder Mt, Star Tours, Soarin and Test Track. She was checked for height at Dinosaur and Splash Mtn, and decided on her own tha she wasn't going to ride but they were letting her on.

I don't remember them checking at all at Star Tours, or Soarin. I think they did but I think it was a visual as she walked by. She had a thorough check at Big Thunder Mtn, Test Track and Dinosaur.

 

[slo]

I had a pretty easy going CM at the front of Space Mountain. My 7yr old DD is very small for her age and every year we go to WDW she's unable to ride many rides. When we got to SM she was just barely making the height restriction and I told the CM, "for the sake for her self-esteem, please let her go" and he said okay.

This year, a little boy fell out of a carnival ride in our area and died. I have now learned that there are height restrictions for a reason, and I will never do this again.

 

[snowmouse]

My dd9 is also size challenged. She only weighs 43lbs. We're hoping she's out of the car booster for her prom Anyway, in March she went on Space Mountain, no problem. The next day at Rockin' Roller Coaster they said no way (same shoes). Her hear was just skimming the mark. Sometimes it depends on the CM.

 

[HayGan]

My dd9 is also size challenged. She only weighs 43lbs. We're hoping she's out of the car booster for her prom Anyway, in March she went on Space Mountain, no problem. The next day at Rockin' Roller Coaster they said no way (same shoes). Her hear was just skimming the mark. Sometimes it depends on the CM.

Space Mountain's height restriction is 44" and Rock N Roller Coaster is 48".

(We know all the restictions verbatim as DS#1 needs to know in advance which ones he can ride )

It is tough to say as often times kids clear one ride and are too short for others. We are in the same situation with DS#1 as he is hovering around the 44" mark and he really wants to ride the 44" rides (Space Mountain and Mission: Space.)

 

[DebbieB]

I've seen them remeasure on the platform at Space Mountain, that's how careful they are. I guess the cm thought it was questionable, but the boy did pass and was allowed to ride.

 

[snowmouse]

Well I guess that would explain it. DUH!!

 

[DisneyDotty]

My ds7 rode: TOT, SM, SplashM, BTMRR, Dinosaur, etc with no problem. He tried to do the new water coaster at Typhoon Lagoon--the CM wouldn't let him on.
I'm glad they check.

 

[crisi]

Not only are they strict, for Disney CMs letting kids on that don't meet the height restriction is a fireable offense. If you ask someone for "an exception" you are asking them to put their job on the line.

 

[Disney Doll]

This year, a little boy fell out of a carnival ride in our area and died. I have now learned that there are height restrictions for a reason, and I will never do this again.

I am glad to hear that.

 

[webray]

Dinosaur is calm compared to what you want her to go on. Wait until she grows up some, you would kick yourself if something happened to her.

 

[magicmato]

You know, it is funny. When we went in January for a day, my 3.5 year old was *just* 40 inches and was never measured by a CM. We took her on Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Railroad. I was surprised that no one even once asked to measure her.

 

[party of 3]

my son had a dr. appt right before we left and they said he was 40 inches. ok now we get there and he is just under to mark for btm and splash mt. so he could not ride. that's ok, because dh said "oh well buddy, next time!"
i was so glad to hear that, because that means we get to go back!!!!!!!
but back to original point. i would rather have safe than sorry.

 

[peter11435]

You know, it is funny. When we went in January for a day, my 3.5 year old was *just* 40 inches and was never measured by a CM. We took her on Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Railroad. I was surprised that no one even once asked to measure her.

Remember the height restrictions are not there to cause problems or prevent people from riding. They are there for yours, and your childrens safety. DO NOT put your child in that position, follow all height restictions, and listen to all ride warning. They are there to protect you, and ignoring them WILL put you and your child in danger.

 

[magicmato]

Remember the height restrictions are not there to cause problems or prevent people from riding. They are there for yours, and your childrens safety. DO NOT put your child in that position, follow all height restictions, and listen to all ride warning. They are there to protect you, and ignoring them WILL put you and your child in danger.

ROFL. Excuse me, but I would never put my child in danger. Thank you very much. To suggest I would is just rude. I have ridden those rides many times and we KNEW what they were like. We also know her and knew she would do fine on them.

I was commenting on the fact that we never were stopped to get measured, that is all. Sheesh.

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

They are fairly strict. If a child meets the requirement, they can go in. They do *eyeball* most kids, so if the child appears tall enough, they probably won't get measured. The ones that get measured are the questionable ones.

Prepare your child for the possibility of not riding certain attractions.

The most intense of all rides are: Rock N Roller Coaster, Test Track and Tower of Terror, I would say.

Dinosaur is fairly calm- the ride portion. I think the restrictions are because you are rocked so closely to these huge realistic dinosaurs. It's more "scary" than a physically intense ride.

They're only little once, so enjoy it! There are lots more rides that shorter children can ride, so it's really no big deal. As someone else said, there's always next time!

 

[mjmcca]

I do have a problem with the height requirements. They seem to be different even with in the ride. I am not talking about a different CM measuring a child and then someone else measuring and saying no I mean I have seen where at one measure a child is fine and the next they are too short. I think they are not uniform. If that's the case then how safe is the measure at all?