Is there a way to avoid having your childs height checked at every ride?

[drgreene1096]

To All those who are high and mighty perfect parents....

The kids is on the cusp of a specific height. I simply suggested having him wear real shoes instead of sandals. They actually would be better for his health in the long term anyway. I don't think that him putting on real shoes will cause him to be thrown from a ride. It will ensure that he isn't going to get a yes from one CM and a no from another. Why should my kid with real shoes on get to ride a certain ride while this boy with sandals not get to ride it, when they may be the same height in their bare feet? Judge not......

To the OP, if the real shoes don't put your son at the perfect height, try stilts, or hide him under a poncho like others have tried.

No one suggested that they were high and mighty perfect parents. No one is judging anyone for having their kids wear real shoes. What they are saying is those shoes with 2 inch soles or heely's. And if you aren't smart enough to dress your child in APPROPRIATE footwear and they get denied boarding, then that the fault of the parent for not dressing their child appropriately. But no one should ever pump up their child's height with shoes just so they can ride a ride. When parents do this it is so they can ride, not the child. If they aren't meeting the requriement then they aren't meeting the requirement . . . don't teach them to lie and put them in a position that could allow them to be injured on the ride. That's not high and mighty pefect parenting . . . it is responsible parenting.

 

[DizCaptain]

I agree with some of things said. If you ever get stuck with not being able to all go on just do child swap if possible. They only check heights for safety issues. If you notice only on big thrill rides the seriously check height like Splash Mountain, Everest, Dinosaur, Mission Space, etc.

 

[BamaFan121s]

Putting on a pair of regular tennis shoes doesn't make it unsafe, but putting on a pair of tennis shoes with 1-2 (or more) soles does! If your child is 42.5 inches tall with regular shoes, but is 44 with other shoes, it is not safe for the child to ride the ride! And I don't believe that I said anything about this being the only criteria to being a responsible parent.

If you or anyone decides to stuff their child's shoes with toilet paper, or poof up their hair, or wear platform shoes just so they can ride a ride then they are putting their child in danger and teaching that child that it is okay to lie & cheat to get their own way. Oh wait . . . I guess that is responsible parenting! My mistake.

And I don't believe I was neccessarily referring to JUST you, I just referred to something you'd said--it seemd to be the opinion of several, not JUST you. In other words, I was commenting in response to LOTS of posts, so I'm afraid you can't take all the credit for that one.
I'm talking about tennis shoes. Plain old tennis shoes. The ones my DD wears everyday to school and elsewhere outside of Disney. That's it. My kids' sandles are very flat and in her STANDARD sneakers, she was fine. We'd have known has she not worn her sneakers and been given the OK first. Should I have not let her wear her sneakers (on a different day) ride because come to find out, she didn't measure up in her other shoes?

 

[drgreene1096]

DD was just at 48" on our last trip--in her sneakers--she slightly missed the mark in her sandles we took. So anytime we went to a park where there was a 48" ride requirement, we made sure she wore her sneakers. They weren't platform shoes...they were just sneakers! THIS is enough to make me an irresponsible parent?!? Give me a break!

No. Wearing just sneakers isn't what I was referring to. Wearing heely's or skechers with 2 inch soles is. If my daughter didn't meet the height requriement in her flip-flops, but did in her regular soled nikes, I am okay with that. However, if she didn't meet it in her regular soled nikes, but did in the 2 inch soled skechers, that is where I become irresponsible for letting her ride.

Everyone knows that there is a difference between flip flops and tennis shoes. If your child is at the cusp, then make sure they wear regular soled shoes and hopefully, they will be above the mark. If not, don't stuff their shoes, don't buy shoes with extra thick soles, plan your trip when they will be tall enough.

My dd is 42.5 inches tall. Do I hope she will be 44 before go in October? Sure, I do. But I will not put her in platform shoes to make it happen.

 

[Suzanne74]

I would NEVER put my child in tennis shoes or crocs instead of tiny 1/2 inch flip flops. That is JUST WRONG people, what kind of parents are you - what are you teaching your kids!!!!! I even thought about buzzing my childs head just because that 1/4 inch of hair could have made her go over the 40 inch line and that isn't right. She would be 39 inches barefoot and no hair which means she could technically slip out of that ride!!!! That is just bad parenting to let my daughters hair grow out. We are heading to Cartoon Cuts right now and she will be going into the parks barefoot from here on out.

 

[drgreene1096]

And I don't believe I was neccessarily referring to JUST you, I just referred to something you'd said--it seemd to be the opinion of several, not JUST you. In other words, I was commenting in response to LOTS of posts, so I'm afraid you can't take all the credit for that one.
I'm talking about tennis shoes. Plain old tennis shoes. The ones my DD wears everyday to school and elsewhere outside of Disney. That's it. My kids' sandles are very flat and in her STANDARD sneakers, she was fine. We'd have known has she not worn her sneakers and been given the OK first. Should I have not let her wear her sneakers (on a different day) ride because come to find out, she didn't measure up in her other shoes?

I guess I am missing something, because I don't intend to take credit for anything.

As I said, regular old everyday tennis shoes that are regular soled are great and appropriate. It is the thick soled shoes, heely's, stuffed shoes, etc. that I am referring to.

Those are the types of things that I (and apparently Disney) think are unsafe.

 

[peyjax]

WOWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!! I have always wanted to start a thread that would last a while. However not one that was pages of people judging one another! I asked a simple question and recieved my answer relativaly quickly. I did not ask when I should plan my vacation and if it was ok if my kid wore shoe with a higher sole so they could ride a certain ride. I did not ask for you to judge me or anyone else to see if you thought i was a respnsible parent. Give me a break! Why on earth would you think this is the time to state your moral thinking. I think I am a very fit parent. Perfect no, but I have no doubt in my mind that you probably do things with your kids that I do not think is good for my children. Yet I am not going to get on a forum and turn it into a debate and tell you how to raise your child or tell you or someone else that you are not a true and responsible parent. The sad thing is I really just wanted an answer to my question, yet had a feeling that somehow someone would turn this into some ugly thread that seem to be all too common on this site. Why can't we get simple answers so we can all have a good time at Disney.

 

[BamaFan121s]

I guess I am missing something, because I don't intend to take credit for anything.

As I said, regular old everyday tennis shoes that are regular soled are great and appropriate. It is the thick soled shoes, heely's, stuffed shoes, etc. that I am referring to.

Those are the types of things that I (and apparently Disney) think are unsafe.

In general, what I'm getting at is that people are very quick to jump in and preach that something is 'unsafe' and 'endangers the child' and 'that's bad parenting' and 'what kind of lesson are you teaching the child.' BUT, given a different situation (not involving rides), a different place. They do the same thing, I'm sure. We all do. Doesn't mean we don't love and care for the well being of our children. Just seems a little ironic that people to make such comments and very well turn around and to the same things themselves. That's all.

 

[BamaFan121s]

WOWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!! I have always wanted to start a thread that would last a while. However not one that was pages of people judging one another! I asked a simple question and recieved my answer relativaly quickly. I did not ask when I should plan my vacation and if it was ok if my kid wore shoe with a higher sole so they could ride a certain ride. I did not ask for you to judge me or anyone else to see if you thought i was a respnsible parent. Give me a break! Why on earth would you think this is the time to state your moral thinking. I think I am a very fit parent. Perfect no, but I have no doubt in my mind that you probably do things with your kids that I do not think is good for my children. Yet I am not going to get on a forum and turn it into a debate and tell you how to raise your child or tell you or someone else that you are not a true and responsible parent. The sad thing is I really just wanted an answer to my question, yet had a feeling that somehow someone would turn this into some ugly thread that seem to be all too common on this site. Why can't we get simple answers so we can all have a good time at Disney.

Precisely! On a positve note...at least you got your long lived thread!

 

[Suzanne74]

Why on earth would you think this is the time to state your moral thinking.

Because they are anonymous and sitting behind a computer - probably ignoring their kids.

 

[fun4disney]

We are so excited that my son is 39 and half inches. With his crocks he is just over 40. We really dread having his height checked at every ride. I am sorry those things just do not seem to be consistent. Can you go to guest relations and have him checked at the beginning of the day and him recieve a bracelet or something? I know they do that at the local amusement park here, just wondering if they had the same thing at Disney?

Can I just ask you a question.....I'm not trying to start anything by asking you this, I just want to know why you would DREAD having his height checked? This takes all of 1/2 of second when you are entering the ride.

Is there a certain ride that he wants to ride that has the 40 inch height requirement?

 

[Fuddrules]

To All those who are high and mighty perfect parents....

The kids is on the cusp of a specific height. I simply suggested having him wear real shoes instead of sandals.

That you did Coosmum. You should have just sent some people to this site: http://www.rif.org/

 

[peyjax]

Can I just ask you a question.....I'm not trying to start anything by asking you this, I just want to know why you would DREAD having his height checked? This takes all of 1/2 of second when you are entering the ride.

Is there a certain ride that he wants to ride that has the 40 inch height requirement?

I really did not want this thread to continue. However I will answer your question. As it has been stated in the experiences in previous posters. The measuring that takes place at each station can vary. According to one poster the child was tall enough at the beginning of the ride, yet once they actually reached the ride, they were not tall enough. Imagine how disheartened a kid can be once they stood through the whole ride only to be denied in the end. If they were consistent, the child could skip the ride if the were truly not tall enough and spend time in lines of rides that they can ride. It may take all of a half a second, yet as you can see from pp it is not consistent. This was the concern I had and the experience I wanted to avoid. So I guess I will have to stuff my kids shoes with tissue paper and put on his platforms to guarantee he will be able to ride. LOL Did I just type that?? Now what are they going to think of me??

 

[fun4disney]

your funny!rotfl:

I was just wondering if there was a ride in particular he wanted to go on.

When are you going? any chance he'll grow by then?

 

[grimley1968]

I really did not want this thread to continue. However I will answer your question. As it has been stated in the experiences in previous posters. The measuring that takes place at each station can vary. According to one poster the child was tall enough at the beginning of the ride, yet once they actually reached the ride, they were not tall enough. Imagine how disheartened a kid can be once they stood through the whole ride only to be denied in the end. If they were consistent, the child could skip the ride if the were truly not tall enough and spend time in lines of rides that they can ride. It may take all of a half a second, yet as you can see from pp it is not consistent. This was the concern I had and the experience I wanted to avoid. So I guess I will have to stuff my kids shoes with tissue paper and put on his platforms to guarantee he will be able to ride. LOL Did I just type that?? Now what are they going to think of me??

At any rides where there's a height requirement I have always seen the little height bars either out in front of the ride but away from the line, or placed in such a way that one can bypass a line to check to see if their child is tall enough. I've never had the experience of going through an entire line and THEN having height checked. It's always been near the back of the line that height is checked, in my experience.

 

[dqpowell]

Because we say this and agree with this, doesn't make us high and mighty parents, it makes us responible parents. Those who try to "cheat the system" aren't being the best parents you can be.

Complete and utter horsepucky.

If your child is 42.5 inches tall with regular shoes, but is 44 with other shoes, it is not safe for the child to ride the ride!

False.

If you or anyone decides to stuff their child's shoes with toilet paper, or poof up their hair, or wear platform shoes just so they can ride a ride then they are putting their child in danger...

False.

We've been through this before. Disney does not set height requirements right at the hairy edge for safety. If your child is tall enough to "slip by" the measuring stick by wearing shoes with a bit thicker soles, then they are perfectly safe on that ride. Disney knows that kids below the stated minimum height requirement will slip by for any of a number of reasons... momentarily inattentive CMs, thicker-soled shoes, etc. They will not take the risk for being liable when somebody too small to ride a given ride gets by.

The fact is that there has never been a reported case of an injury or death due to somebody being "too short" to ride a WDW ride doing so. It is hopelessly naive to believe that if (for example) 44" is "safe," that 43" is unsafe.

If engineering tests demonstrate that 100% of riders 40.7 inches or taller within a given tight confidence interval will be safe on a given ride, Disney will not set the minimum required height to 40.7 inches, or even 41 or 42 inches. They would likely set the minimum required height for that particular ride to 44". This allows for even somebody who is 2 inches "too short" to ride safely, in the unlikely event that somebody that short gets by.

It is not irresponsible for a parent to know and understand how and why things are the way they are.

David

 

[peyjax]

your funny!rotfl:

I was just wondering if there was a ride in particular he wanted to go on.

When are you going? any chance he'll grow by then?

Well really my husband wants to ride Splash Mountain with him! I think he will love TOT. He has no fear. We still have about a month to go. So he might grow a little by then. With kids it seems to sometimes be overnight. He really is almost 40 inches. I just wanted to try to avoid the uncertainty at each ride.

 

[BamaFan121s]

Complete and utter horsepucky.

I'm not sure I know what horsepucky is, but I like your way of thinking!

 

[Robo]

I'm not sure I know what horsepucky is, but I like your way of thinking!

 

[dqpowell]

I'm not sure I know what horsepucky is, but I like your way of thinking!

It's a "safe" alternative for a stronger word. Kind of like how "gosh," "heck," "darn" and "sweet patootie" are all alternatives to more 'severe' words and phrases.

I don't take too kindly to nosy strangers implying that I'm not a good parent.



David