measuring for rides

[twinsmom&dad]

Hi! We will be at wdw the end of august. Our ds is close to the height requirement on some rides and we were wondering if you can get "officialy"(sp.) measured at disney. We were at Hershey park 2 weeks ago and he was close to the minimum for some rides and he was saddened not to ride(he is daredevil and ride anything!!) some coasters. A friend of ours was there a week later and there daughter was close and the ride attendant said it was too close and had them go to customer service at gate and be measured officialy.They were given a wrist band of her height and which rides she qualified for(they use cady names for ride heights i.e. twizzlers, etc...). Is there a place at disney to do this so ds would be able to ride all he can?? Sorry for the length and the spelling!!
Thank you!!

 

[Kendra17]

This isn't what you asked, but I thought I'd share it, anyways. When my son was three, he was just a hair shorter than whatever height he needed to be for most of the rides. So, I went to the shoe repair shop and got lifts put on his shoes. With girls, they make platform shoes, but obviously, I didn't want to put a pair of platform sketchers on him!

Anyways, the shoe repair guy put the lifts on the inside, and he was about a half inch or three-quarter inches taller.

Funny thing is, when we got there, he really towered by a couple inches over their measuring stick. I don't think he grew, I think the measuring sticks they use are a bit shorter than what they say.

Just a thought. . .

 

[2tinksmom]

We experienced some discrepencies in measuring over New Year's. My DD was just right at 48" when we measured at her pediatricians. On RnRC, she passed the front stick, was told no at the second stick (right before you go into the studios) but they let her go with us saying we could take her out the chicken exit, but passed as we got on! This also happened at Primeval Whirl in AK. She went with my DH and was told no. We went back later, a different CM was there, and she passed. We immediately got off and got back in line to ride again, was told no. We told the CM we had just gotten off, and they let us on. Thankfully, she is over 48" now and we don't have to worry if we can get on or not. It was really dissapointing for her when we told her she could ride based on our doctors measurements, and then she was told no.
Michele

 

[bubba's mom]

maybe a guest relations spot could help with this one....nothing more disappointing to a kid than being a hair too short and being denied a disney ride

 

[poohkinandpiglet]

My DD is 39-3/4 inches without shoes. Her shoes have an 1-1/2 heel and I'm hoping with a hat she'll be able to make the 42" requirement. Of course, by November she'll probably by past the mark anyway.

Just to clarify, from a safety standpoint, we won't be riding any scary rides at all.

 

[Geebs]

I think that you might want to check with the guest relations area to see if they offer it.

Now..I must put my two cents in... and I don't want to cause a huge battle here. Never my intention to argue with DIS fans!!
But, I have a hard time when people try to "fudge" their children's height on rides. The limits are put in place there for a reason....safety. Is a ride as important as your child's safety?? I doubt it. While I understand that people want to get their moneys worth, but really.
During this past April, I was trying to get into line for BTMRR and this man pushes between our group to bring his son to be measured...he was clearly several inches too short. The father kept yelling at thekid to stand up straight and then proceeded to yank and "stretch" his neck. We were appalled. He was clearly too small. Plus, he was tiny in frame too. Not on;y, could he have fallen out, but I think one rough bump on the ride would get hime all bruised up.
Now, I know that many people will be mad at me for saying this, but I just don't think that it is a good example for kids by saying that they can "lie" about it, just to get on a ride. I know that many parents don't want to have to tell the kids that they can't go on something because they are too small, but with all of the descriptions of the rides, with the height requirements, can't they prepare them before hand...or better yet, don't even bring them in the areas of the rides that they can't go on. I know a friend of mine who is doing just that. The son is too short for splash mountain, so they aren't even going in the area.
I remember being little, when my parents took me to WDW and I was too small for something, they said something great to me. "How about when you grow a little more, we can come back and you can try it."

I don't know....I worry about people's safety on rides and I wouldn't want anything to happen to anyone.

 

[bubba's mom]

Originally posted by Geebs
Now..I must put my two cents in... and I don't want to cause a huge battle here. Never my intention to argue with DIS fans!!
But, I have a hard time when people try to "fudge" their children's height on rides. The limits are put in place there for a reason....safety. Is a ride as important as your child's safety??---
I don't know....I worry about people's safety on rides and I wouldn't want anything to happen to anyone.

I agree 100%...but i personally don't think any ~responsible~ parent would put their child's safety at risk for a ride!! ....but, i DO understand the kids who are "that close" ".... big enuf for some, but not others. i have often thought those measuring sticks cannot ALL be correct..and, apparently, they are not. i am all for "cheating" for and inch or so, but if they can walk under that measuring stick and still have room to see daylight or put your hand, then, NO....the safety risk is not worth it!!

 

[twinsmom&dad]

I agree geebs safety is no. 1. We were at disney in march and i think the ride height minimum is 40?? inches for bmtrr. The twins were at the pediatrician 2 or 3 weeks before and ds measured like 40 1/4". We went to check the height stick they had outside the ride and he wasnt close, so we may have been wrong on the 40" min.??. But it was disappointing. I just want to get an official measurement so we are sure what is ok for him to ride. At hershey he was not allowed on the big swinging pirate ship, but has been on the same rides numerous times at dorney park and knoebels.We do not really want to "fudge" his height but would like to let him ride on anything he is eligible for. Such as i dont think we would have put him on the super-duper rollercoaster at hershey if he did not fit right in the seat even if he was "tall" enough. I dont thiink it is a matter of getting our moneys worth,but more in he love to go on rides. Our dd is just the opposite, she is tall enough to ride alot more than ds, but doesnt like to, which is fine, she rides what she likes(takes after me(dad)) Ds takes after dw(she rides anything). Thanks for listening and your comments.

 

[bubba's mom]

Originally posted by twinsmom&dad
We were at disney in march and i think the ride height minimum is 40?? inches for bmtrr. The twins were at the pediatrician 2 or 3 weeks before and ds measured like 40 1/4". We went to check the height stick they had outside the ride and he wasnt close, so we may have been wrong on the 40" min.??. But it was disappointing. I just want to get an official measurement so we are sure what is ok for him to ride. Thanks for listening and your comments.

**just checked All-Ears website for you....BTMRR height is 40". if he measured 40 1/4" at a doctors office, those measuring sticks are not correct. a thought: twisting them on the ground back and forth while they measure the kids, wouldn't that wear them down? (or are they not wooden?) if your son was "legite" at the doctor's office, that 1/4" is being a problem and in my opinion if you tried to 'fudge' that 1/4", i believe he would be completely safe.....JMHO.....but, i'm sure you have many more memories to make in the coming years......

 

[Daxx]

But, I have a hard time when people try to "fudge" their children's height on rides. The limits are put in place there for a reason....safety. Is a ride as important as your child's safety?? I doubt it.

I totally agree w/this! Think of how your vacation would be ruined if something happened to your child while on a ride. Sure, it might be a "hair" ... but that hair could make all the difference in the world. Think about it.

If your child meets that height requirement and are receiving a difficult time, I would head to guest services and ask for assistance.

 

[bubba's mom]

Originally posted by Daxx

If your child meets that height requirement and are receiving a difficult time.....

that's the dispute. at the doctor's office the kids are meeting the requirement and at SOME rides....another ride with the same height req. is not passing--the question is: why? i agree there should be somewhere to get a "legit" measurement.....if there are 4 rides with a 40" requirement and your child passes 2 or 3 of them, then something is wrong with those sticks. i am in agreeance....go to Guest Relations!! not really fair to the poor child!

 

[Kendra17]

Originally posted by Daxx


I totally agree w/this! Think of how your vacation would be ruined if something happened to your child while on a ride. Sure, it might be a "hair" ... but that hair could make all the difference in the world. Think about it.
If your child meets that height requirement and are receiving a difficult time, I would head to guest services and ask for assistance.

Well, I have no bad feelings about fudging my son's height years ago--though I'm not surprised that some are against it. He was--literally- maybe a quarter inch too low when I measured him at home. The lifts brought that up to the minimum height requirement. Also, he WAS ready, emotionally, to ride. Furthermore, as I --and other posters --mentioned, the measuring sticks the cms use aren't calibrated correctly, anyways. The sticks were really a couple of inches too short, since my son towered over them.

Also, girls are often in platform shoes--they are even sold for young kids! Boys' fashion is different. Girls often get that extra inch just by wearing the shoes they normally wear.

 

[2tinksmom]

A quarter to a half inch is not going to affect the child's safety on the ride. I also don't think that using thick soled shoes to get that tiny edge is teaching your child to lie. That's ludicrous. My problem is the fact that my daughter was so pumped up to finally get to ride a certain ride, and then being turned away because she didn't measure up with a certain CM, even tho you know she meets the requirement and later in the day she does.
Michele

 

[Daxx]

girls are often in platform shoes

Be careful ... depends on the CM at the ride ... we saw some CM's ask little girls take their platform sandals off to be measured at BTMRR and at the entrance of SM.

 

[JPN4265]

Look at the ground before you get measured. We have noticed that some of the time, the measurement is taken on a slope. Even the smallest of slopes can cost you a 1/4" or more. When you get measured, stand on the high side or make sure that you are on level ground.

 

[2tinksmom]

Ahhh, that makes sense!
Michele

 

[Pea-n-Me]

The comment about seeing if Guest Services could help in a discrepancy made me think about what happened to us.

My 5 y.o DS was just about tall enough to ride SM and had looked forward to it all year (couldn't get on the previous year, didn't even try). DH took him on no problem. The next day I took him on and the CM said no - he was just under the stick. I politely asked for the GM of the ride and a lengthy discussion ensued about safety, etc... The thing that angered me and left a bad taste in my mouth is that the GM didn't seem to believe DS had gotten on the day before. He asked DS "How did you like the loops?" to which my son (who was wide-eyed and unsure of what was happening) replied, "Good". The GM curtly replied, "Well there are no loops on SM so he obviously didn't go on before"!!

Bottom Line: I believe any CM will be supported from Guest Services or management if they refuse a child admission based on height. Best bet if it's that close is to just try to again (though we didn't because we didn't want my son to go through whole ordeal again). The next trip he was very proud to just walk on.

 

[bubba's mom]

your story is why there should be an "offical" measurement. doesn't hurt and will save a bunch of heartaches. besides, you are paying all that money for him to ride (since you knew he'd be tall enuf), the TIME you spent in line (or waiting for FP return), and he's excited....then, one says ok to ride, another, no. they need to have an offical measurement area and give wristbands or handstamps to those who offically meet height requirements.......IMHO

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I think that's an excellent idea. The only time I've seen it done at WDW was at Kali River Rapids and I guess that was only so they could make sure to get the kids on a raft which had seatbelts for small riders. Having wristbands with "official" height measurments already taken would make it pretty easy. The GM told me that day you wouldn't believe what they see, people doing outrageous things to get their kids on the rides, so it's understandable everyone's frustrated.

 

[btass]

I just called WDW information (407-824-4321) and the lady I spoke to said there is no "official" way to get an exact hieght from a CM. She did say that the highest hieght requirement in Magic Kingdom is 52" to drive one of the cars in Tommorrowland Indy Speedway but the passenger does not have to be 52".