Inconsistent Height Requirements

[LongLiveRafiki]

We noticed that one of the height measuring sticks at BB on our last trip seemed way off. DD had measured about 1/2 an inch above the stick for RnR and Primeval Whirl (both 48"), but the big slide at BB (also 48"), she was a good 3" short. I get that she wasn't wearing shoes for that one, but her Frozen sneakers definitely do not add 3.5 inches to her height.

OP, write to Disney about your issues specifying which rides and if the stick was placed on uneven ground or the top part (that you hit your head on) was slanted. These are definitely issues that could make the measurement inaccurate and should be easy fixes for them. I would think they would want to know if there measuring procedures were inaccurate.

 

[parasail_of_congress]

NO FLAMES! This post is NOT about safety and security regarding height requirements but rather the inconsistency of certain requirements. No, we don't want children riding the rides if they DO NOT meet the requirements! We just returned from a wonderful week at WDW and our group included a 4 year old who is easily 40" tall. She wore the same shoes, hair style, sock style (lol), etc everyday so, her "actual" height never changed. In addition to many of the 38" ride requirements, she was also easily cleared under the 40" rule for Big Thunder Mountain, Soarin, Test Track, Tower of Terror, and Star Tours. However, she was said to be short of the 40" requirements for Spash Mountain, Dinosaur, and one other ride I can't recall! (Splash and Big Thunder measuring post are literally just feet away!) It was NEVER the case of one Cast Member "cutting her a break". It was always obvious! It's time WDW does what many other parks do - measure height at one central location and give the child a designated band so some sort of consistency can be followed throughout the park. It was a headache to adjust and plan for rider swap for those rides not to mention disappointing to a 4 year old ready to ride anything. (Additionally, you could easily see the SIGNIFICANTLY "UNPLUMBED" post level at Splash Mountain that probably precluded kids as tall as 41"-42" from riding.)
By the way...Millenium Falcon...AWESOME and only a 45 minute wait time this week!

When you measure your child at home, how tall is she? Anytime a child is close to the line, either above or below, there is going to be as slight variety of measurements. I'm not sure what "easily 40" tall" really means because if she wasn't allowed to go on Splash Mountain, it doesn't seem as if it were that obvious.

 

[Gooofy-Blade]

As stated earlier, it was obvious the post at Splash Mountain was very crocked and wrong. The other 2...who knows. She is 40.5 / 40.75 at home and was at most of the measuring post. no need to belabor the point. The original point has been made....there is significant difference among a few rides in regard to their posts.

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

No flames please - just bumping this post because I'm wondering if anyone knows whether the WDW posts are altered to account for shoes. My eldest has always been tall for his age so it's never been an issue getting him on rides he is daring enough to try as he's gotten older. His little brother is a bit of a shrimp in comparison and is 37.5" in bare feet with 6 weeks to go before our trip. I just want to be able to set expectations for which rides he can reasonably anticipate getting to experience. If he's wearing sneakers or Keen hiking boots, is it likely he will get on, or do they add a half inch or so to the sticks to account for shoes?

 

[dieumeye]

No flames please - just bumping this post because I'm wondering if anyone knows whether the WDW posts are altered to account for shoes. My eldest has always been tall for his age so it's never been an issue getting him on rides he is daring enough to try as he's gotten older. His little brother is a bit of a shrimp in comparison and is 37.5" in bare feet with 6 weeks to go before our trip. I just want to be able to set expectations for which rides he can reasonably anticipate getting to experience. If he's wearing sneakers or Keen hiking boots, is it likely he will get on, or do they add a half inch or so to the sticks to account for shoes?

I can't answer for WDW, but I can say at DL that the measuring stick does not seem to be raised to account for shoes (that is, the 42" stick is at true 42"). My daughter had visited the doctor and was measured at just over 42" and she easily cleared the 42" bar at DL in shoes, although she was measured by CMs at every opportunity. (Curiously however, on a subsequent trip to Six Flags she did NOT clear their 42" bar, so I have suspected that the Six Flags bars include additional height to account for shoes).

 

[AllieHutch]

I'm curious about this. My son was last measured at his doctor at 38.5 a month ago. Hes a peanut, and I was shocked that he made the 40" mark at every ride so far (star tours, soaring etc). He is very likely not 40" but since hes close, I figured what the heck, let's try it. He fit by A LOT!

Tomorrow is AK. I was looking forward to dinosaur with him.... but I guess we will see if he fits! I'll update you!

 

[eeyoreandtink]

When DD was young, we had an issue with star tours. She was more than fine at the first measuring point, but questionable at the second. They ultimately allowed her to ride, but there was definitely a difference in the two measurements, done only about 10 min apart. The one on the inside was on sloped ground. Once DD mover her feet, she was at the requirement.

 

[maxiesmom]

My 46" grandson was measured two times before Flight of Passage, once at the entrance and once before entering the theater. I guess they are afraid a child will slip by and be injured somehow.

Sure. And they also have to catch the ones that manage to sneak by the CMs doing the first measuring. I've seen parents do it--one grabbed the attention of the CM and the other ran in line with an obviously too short child.

 

[KrazeeK120]

No flames please - just bumping this post because I'm wondering if anyone knows whether the WDW posts are altered to account for shoes. My eldest has always been tall for his age so it's never been an issue getting him on rides he is daring enough to try as he's gotten older. His little brother is a bit of a shrimp in comparison and is 37.5" in bare feet with 6 weeks to go before our trip. I just want to be able to set expectations for which rides he can reasonably anticipate getting to experience. If he's wearing sneakers or Keen hiking boots, is it likely he will get on, or do they add a half inch or so to the sticks to account for shoes?

I don’t think the measuring sticks are adjusted. When we went last year, DS was barely 38 inches at home, but he easily cleared the bars for SDD and 7DMT with his shoes on. I can’t promise 100%, but I think they’re true to height.

 

[DisneyOma]

Well trust me, the difference was very significant on the rides mentioned and I'm confident it was basically structural regarding the post. While I realize the bands used at other places may be fallible, with WDW technology, they could make it part of the magic band or something of the sort...or to be cheaper, just measure their own post! lol

The posts do not change height, the ground under them is not always level. Just ask the CM to move the stick to a level spot (for the ones that are not permanently attached to something) and have the child remeasured.

Would be interesting if there was a way to measure and then instead of a band, they add a flag onto the child's MDE profile what height requirements they clear. They could have it at the front desk or concierge desk at the resorts for on site guests and at guest services for off site guests. They probably won't do that but would reduce all the measuring and remeasuring.

How would they do that for people who do not have an MDE profile? You don't need one to access the parks. Also, people would still try to cheat some way, or argue the CM to death about the "real' height of the kid.

I wonder how hard would it be to have a photo id type thing for the child. Get check and cleared at GS or resort and they get a photo id for the rides.

I find it really strange with the stories of child checks out in front of the ride, but doesn't pass inside the ride.

And what happens when the photo doesn't match the kid? Or would people have to queue up every single day for a new photo? ANd the extra cost - want to pay even more for that?

Dishonest parents could swap magic bands for kids of the same gender, though.

What does gender have to do with it?

She reached and even exceeded the 40" line on several rides but did not on 3 of them. It had nothing to do with gravity, the way she was standing, etc. As stated, for example, it was OBVIOUS the post at Splash Mountain was on a severe tilt which raised the bar. The other two posts, who knows. The issue is was making is the INCONSISTENCIES of the post and need to address it in some way to help parents better plan.

And what did the CM say to you when you asked to have that corrected?

We noticed that one of the height measuring sticks at BB on our last trip seemed way off. DD had measured about 1/2 an inch above the stick for RnR and Primeval Whirl (both 48"), but the big slide at BB (also 48"), she was a good 3" short. I get that she wasn't wearing shoes for that one, but her Frozen sneakers definitely do not add 3.5 inches to her height.

OP, write to Disney about your issues specifying which rides and if the stick was placed on uneven ground or the top part (that you hit your head on) was slanted. These are definitely issues that could make the measurement inaccurate and should be easy fixes for them. I would think they would want to know if there measuring procedures were inaccurate.

Really? 3" seems like quite a lot - I'm sure there would have been quite an uproar on social media by now if it was off that much?

 

[lcc2]

Moral of the story: if the child is within an inch or two, they may or may not be able to ride. Be prepared and plan accordingly.

 

[Cinderella94]

What does gender have to do with it?

You are correct - that cannot be assumed. Thank you.