Kids height?

[CalDisneyMomof2]

Sounds like he's the same age as my son. He turned 3 in December. We, too, just had his checkup and he was 38 inches (which is strange because when we measure him at home he's closer to 39). With his shoes on he's right about 40 but not sure about Disney's measurements Our trip is in 5 weeks. Maybe we can get another 1/2 inch out of him! Kids go through growth spurts WHENEVER their little bodies feel like it. He could grow 6 inches until then or 2. Good luck!

 

[doctornick]

My oldest is short (consistently around 10th percentile his whole life) and he hit 40" with shoes around age 4 1/2. My second son is around average height, slightly above (I believe he was 55th percentile last doctor's exam) and he was at 41-42" on his 4th birthday -- we were in Disney for the birthday, so I know that for sure. I would think any "average" height child should hit 40" by their 4th birthday.

 

[delmar411]

My tall kiddos were over 40" at age 2. My average kiddos weren't 40" until they were 3. I'd say the OP's nephew is definitely on the lower end of the scale to be 36" at age 3. I just looked it up and he would be in the 25th percentile so on the shorter side actually. It's not likely he will make 40" by Dec unless he has a solid growth spurt.

 

[Princess Melody]

My son is really tall for his age (DH is 6'7"). He was 35" on his 2nd birthday (tall enough to ride the barnstormer), but is just shy of 40" and he'll be 3 next weekend. You'd be surprised at how long it takes to get that last few inches. We thought he'd be tall enough to ride Splash Mountain last October, but even with thick tennis shoes he was a little too short. My point is, it's hard to tell how long it will take to grow a few inches. Good luck though!

This. My daughter has always been tall for her age (75-99%). She was 35 inches & able to ride the Barnstormer less than a month after her 2nd birthday. She will be 3 next month & while she is still considered tall for her age, she is not quite 37 inches yet. She was stuck at just a hare under 36 inches FOREVER! (36 inches is the requirement for rides at most standard places like fairs & it was so frustrating!). Kids go through growth spurts but you never know when or how much. The older they get, the more growth usually slows down. I think the average height of a 4 year old is 40 inches but that does not necessarily mean they'll hit 40 inches around their 4th birthday. If he is tall he might but assuming my tall daughter continues her growth pattern of 2 inches/year she'll only be 39 inches on her 4th birthday. (And I highly doubt that will be the case...she goes through spurts where she shoots up 1-1.5 inches in a month but then might stay at that height for the next 4-5 months). It is just too hard to predict!
Keep in mind too that Disney measurements can be a tad higher at rides. She was actually almost 35.5 inches before she could do the 35 inch rides according to the height sticks at Disney & Legoland. I think they allow a small difference to account for shoes.

 

[triana00]

My daughter will be four in June and was well over the 40 inch requirement last week

 

[madthemouse]

First I concur with Flutterby. Just because you are tall enough for an attraction does not = temperament to handle said attraction. Example; About 20 years ago I brought my daughter to WDW (First Time), at age 4. We spent our 4 days for the most part in the Fantasy Land area. We skipped going at age 5. Even though she was tall enough. I knew that she was not ready to advance onto the attractions that require a taller person.

At age 6, she had grown emotionally, to where I felt comfortable to take her on the "Big Person" attractions. Albeit, she was still apprehensive or I should say, "inquisitive". She would ask, "Is everything going to be okay?". That was her way of overcoming her fears/phobia's.

You know you have arrived at that point, when they ask to ride SM 4 times in a roll. Or ToT, 6 times in a row. You just have to know and understand the young one's, ability to handle the unknown. One caveat. We all misjudge things from time to time. What we perceive they can handle. Then reality steps in and we are reminded.

I had such an experience. For those of us that recall the AI attraction. I brought my daughter on that at age 6. Not my best moment/decision. I horrified her for years to come. I did try to make it up to her with presenting her with a "Skippy" doll. Even when she was age 9, she still would not go on it again. Many years later and many trips back to our "Happy Place" we're able to laugh and recall a time when I misjudged the situation.

My next plans are to take my grandson to WDW in early December. He will be 15 months. In dog years he will be adolescent. But he is most indeed human. So, we are planing on seeing the lights and beauty of the Christmas season. With maybe a ride or two. "It's a small world", Prince Charming Regal Carrousel, Enchanted Tiki Room and the spirit of Christmas. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. Just kidding. Maybe for me or my daughter and Son In-Law.

Anyway, good luck on your coming trip.

That's My 2cnts.

 

[DentalDana2]

We were there in August and my son had turned 4 in May. He was 42" and is approximately the 75th percentile. He isn't gung-ho on the more adventurous roller coasters just yet,o he didn't care that he couldn't go on EE, RR, SM and MS. But, 4" is a lot in 10 mo and if you really want him to be able to go on TT, Soarin, BTMRR, Splash, etc, I'd personally give it more time. He will have fun either way though. GL with your decision!

 

[gtpoohbear]

Aw that's cute. We love going in dec, and want to go all out for this birthday for him (it will be just me my dad and nephew) he gets screwed every bday so far. It's 2 days before christmas. His family just can't afford much ;( to due both in a row.. When he is older they are going to do half bday party's for him but right now he doesn't notice (and I spoil him to make up for it lol)

My brother's birthday is right before Christmas, and mine right after. So I definitely knew as a kid what that was like! Very cool of you to do something special just for him. Regardless of what he can ride, that will make very lasting memories, I'm sure.

My DS is just barely 3.5, and right at 40 in with shoes on, maybe 40.5 if he stands really tall. (The Dr measured him at 39 3/4 a couple of months ago without shoes) He has always been a little taller than average, but not at the very top of the charts.

We are hoping he is able to ride Soarin' and Test Track when we go in a few weeks, but I know it is going to be close.

From the height chart I am looking at, it appears that 40-in is the exact 50th percentile for 4 year olds, so if he is even slightly taller than average, I think he has a good chance anyway.

 

[Bertnie20]

This. My daughter has always been tall for her age (75-99%). She was 35 inches & able to ride the Barnstormer less than a month after her 2nd birthday. She will be 3 next month & while she is still considered tall for her age, she is not quite 37 inches yet. She was stuck at just a hare under 36 inches FOREVER! (36 inches is the requirement for rides at most standard places like fairs & it was so frustrating!). Kids go through growth spurts but you never know when or how much. The older they get, the more growth usually slows down. I think the average height of a 4 year old is 40 inches but that does not necessarily mean they'll hit 40 inches around their 4th birthday. If he is tall he might but assuming my tall daughter continues her growth pattern of 2 inches/year she'll only be 39 inches on her 4th birthday. (And I highly doubt that will be the case...she goes through spurts where she shoots up 1-1.5 inches in a month but then might stay at that height for the next 4-5 months). It is just too hard to predict! Keep in mind too that Disney measurements can be a tad higher at rides. She was actually almost 35.5 inches before she could do the 35 inch rides according to the height sticks at Disney & Legoland. I think they allow a small difference to account for shoes.

I agree with this, he is deff a kid that when he has a growth spurt, he goes like crazy. He is in the 45th percentile from his doctors office charts, but at his 2 yr old apt he was in the 75th. He does seem to be stuck. He's got long legs and a short torso. Depending on the type of clothes he either wears a 24 month/2t/3t shirt and is almost out of 3t pants

 

[2Tiggies]

Allears.net has a great height requirement table. You can measure him (in inches) and look at the table to see which rides he is tall enough for. I just did this with my DS today. He's so excited to do EVERYTHING, I thought it wise to prepare him for possible disappointment.

I did that for my DD in the 6 months running up to our first trip. When we moved house last year I had to paint over the markings we had made every month on the door frame of the spare room It was funny to think of her as having been so little!

I prepared her for not being able to ride anything I wasn't sure of. When we got there she had just had a growth spurt and actually cleared all the height restrictions at the parks, to her sheer delight. It's always best to prepare them for the probability of not being able to ride, even if you think they might just make it, to avoid disappointment. I was worried she might feel she had let me down if we turned up for a ride and she was too short so I didn't even plan to take her to anything to be measured if I wasn't 100% sure myself.

 

[Tinknalli]

There is such a wide range in heights and how fast kids grow. It will be hard to tell. My kids were both tall enough to ride the rides mentioned at 3. That said, taking my son on TOT at 3 (even though he wanted to ride) kind of ruined some of the other rides for him. He did not enjoy dark rides like Haunted Mansion after TOT.

 

[Gillyrose779]

We are going in 55 days and my boys are 39 and 36 inches without shoes. We have prepared them to not be able to do the bigger rides so they will be okay with it BUT we do tell them during meals the only way they are going to possibly get bigger for rides is to eat all there fruits and vegetables. Works like a charm.

 

[Sleepy425]

Here is my experience with my son

Dec 2012 (age 2y 6m), just made it on Goofy's Barnstormer (35")
May 2013 (a week before he turned 3) just made it onto Kali (38")
Sept 2013 (3y 3m) just made it onto all 40" rides with a good sized sole on his sneaker

So he grew 5" in 9 months. I was sweating bullets when it got close to my trip. We had a 40" measuring post we had him practice on, just like in Disney. He was told if he didn't stand "Disney tall" he wouldn't be allowed on the good rides. We seriously practiced for months to make sure he understood his head needed to hit the bar.

The first day in the park we were in AK. I didn't put him in his taller shoes, and he wasn't tall enough for Dinosaur. He took it like a champ, thank goodness!

 

[practicallyperfect77]

We are going in 55 days and my boys are 39 and 36 inches without shoes. We have prepared them to not be able to do the bigger rides so they will be okay with it BUT we do tell them during meals the only way they are going to possibly get bigger for rides is to eat all there fruits and vegetables. Works like a charm.

That's what I tell my niece and nephews too. Also works to get them to bed at night and take naps b/c sleep helps your body grow too!

 

[Manders77]

It's curious how old were your kids when they were finally able to ride some of the bigger rides (splash, btm, soarin) and were they normal height taller or a little shorter (or what size clothes lol) were planning on booking for my nephews first trip, and I really want him to ride some of our favs but worried about the height issue, he's 3, and will be almost 4 when we go (looking at dec 3rd, he turns 4 on the 23rd) since this may be his only trip I want him to be tall enough for most
Stuff... He is a taller 3 yr old but want to see what you all think

Like everyone said, it really depends on the child. I have two kids, DD6 and DS3. DD is just over 41 inches and DS is at 36. Last trip to WDW DD was 4.5 and she was 38 inches. We are looking at going back 2015 so we are hoping DS is 38 inches. He may have another growth spurt, but we don't count on it. Whatever we give our kids to eat, they eat it, no whining (only exception is when they feel sick), so they eat fruits/veggies like crazy. Good Luck. If you want your nephew to enjoy those rides, maybe wait a little longer and go when he's tall enough.

 

[WantToGoNow]

I'm not sure how old ds12 was when he could ride tje 40" rides because he wouldn't ride anything but dd10 was 3.5. We went again at 5.75 and she could ride anything including Primeval Whirl which is 54". Then she stopped. She turned 10 in December and is 4'7". Ds will be 13 in May and is only 5'2" (which is taller than I am so they probably will not be tall - dh is 5'11").

 

[Gracie09]

I have two 4 1/2 year olds. One is just under 44 inches and one is just under 40 inches. The smaller one actually grew almost eight inches in the last two years. It comes in spurts. I swear she goes to bed with pjs that fit and the next morning they are short. The taller one is slow and steady. Her height creeps up on you.

When we went in sept 2013, the smaller one just made 35 inches and the taller one was just under 40.