My DD is 39 1/2 inches in shoes

[MommiePrincess]

So how strict are they with the 40 inch requirement???

In all honesty, there are some of the 40 inch rides that we will wait until next year to do. But I think she would love Soaring Over California, and possibly Splash (we'll wait on Thunder Mountain as that pulls me off my seat). It's hard to tell a 3 year old to "stand tall and still". But she will push up off the ground a tad if she thinks it's "for a Disney ride". So.....if she wears her taller play shoes (does anyone go to the extreme of changing from lower sandals to higher play shoes??? I feel crazy even asking that). She is just SO close to the 40 inch mark, I'd hate to see tears for 1/2-1/4 inch. Although I know it is for safety and they shouldn't make exceptions..but do they when it is that close?? I know last year she did the little roller coaster with DH in Toon Town (I forget what the height is on that) and I watched them as 3 CM's came over at once to see if she hit the marker. DH said she made it by "her top hairs".

Any stories or thoughts?

 

[Sleepless Knight]

In the end, what will really matter is how she measures up to the signs in each individual attraction and what the CM says. I've heard of people whose child was literally tall enough to ride an attraction in the morning and when they returned to ride that very same attraction later that day, this same child was no longer tall enough. Each time I've seen a child stand up, the judgment call is made entirely by the CM.

I would say prepare her as best you can that she may not be tall enough to ride an attraction. If she is, great, but if not, hopefully it's not the end of the world. Good luck.

 

[MommiePrincess]

Replying to my own message

I just read that children very close to the minimum can visit guest relations to be measured and get an arm band that let CM's know they are passing. Anyone do this? Is it for one day/one park only?? Will they remeasure them anyways at each ride (shouldn't be an issue you would think with the arm band). I'm thinking of a taller play shoes measurement first thing at guest relations then a change into comfy flats.


An friend of friend told me they made her DD take her shoes off....anyone hear this?? I just don't want to get my DD's hopes up because without shoes she is about 39 inches.

 

[iheartdisney]

I *have* been known to have a child wear his cowboy boots to DL. But, the measuring sticks seem to vary at each attraction as well...there was a good half inch between the stick outside space mountian and the stick inside where you load. (luckily,that was not when we were at the "pushing it" phase or we wouldn't have made it)
But I'll let you know after friday...my DD3 is soooooo close to 40 inches, and the bigger kids are big enough to know its her fault we can't ride Splash Mountain, so we are going to see if it works.
FYI- DS was never told to remove his boots for a measure.

 

[specialks]

We had a similar situation when we went to Legoland in England. There is something about those British and they do everything by the book! I feel bad even posting this but after my daughter "missed" the mark by a hair on one ride, by husband went to the bathroom and stuffed her shoe heels with toilet paper. Then we went to Guest Services (they had the same thing there) where she was measured and given the mark to allow her to ride at that specific height. I wouldn't hesitate to do it if it is that minimal. 1/2 inch is actually quite a bit of height at that young age so I would think you should use your mommy judgment on whether it is safe for her to ride. The guest service stop would be a huge help as it keeps you from playing the "yes or no" game at every ride.

 

[Silly Little Pixie]

I am one who had a child "pass" on one ride but not on another. Yeah, that's hard for little ones to understand! And frustrating. I have seen CMs ask a little girl with taller sandals to take them off to measure her. And, when my DS was on the bubble with the height, they would even push down on his spiky hair with a piece of paper! So, in my experience, they have been very picky about the height.

I didn't know about the measuring at guest services. What a great idea! And well worth a try. Good luck!

 

[disneyfaninaz]

DL tried the measuring thing and the wrist bands for a while a couple of years ago, but I don't believe that they do it anymore. As previously posted, it depends on the particular CM at any given ride with a height restriction. The CMs know all the tricks.

Tell her to eat her vegetables and maybe she'll grow the extra 1/2 inch between now and then!

 

[ykmom]

I was in line behind a family with a child who was very close to the height limit on soarin. They actually measured her at 3 different points, the last one being right befoer we got on. The last CM said he had the final say and it didn't matter that the last 2 let her through and so she was unable to right. I would err on the side of caution in order to avoid a really disappointed child after seeing that

 

[tiffntwins]

I bought my daughter a pair of new tennis shoes to definitely push her over the 40 inch mark last winter.My son (her twin brother) already had shoes that gave him that little extra they both needed. When it came to measuring up for rides, my daughter's hair and hairstyle(one big,high ponytail) always visibly put her over the mark, while it was always alot closer with my son and his short hair and involved me asking him to stand really straight up.Those were tense moments. When they were both right at the 35 in mark,my son was denied riding Gadget's Go Coaster right after watching his sister ride it.

 

[bumbershoot]

There is no central measuring area. People, they say, started moving the wristband from the child who measured up to a too small child. Seriously unsafe.

Put the child in shoes he's used to and is comfy in. Don't switch out shoes, they might see you do it and you'll be sent out of line.

My son measured up for Star Tours at 3.5. When they got to the loading area, the CM pulled him aside to remeasure. The short story is that the CM was able to put a slip of paper between DS's top of head and the stick, and DS was denied the ride.

(the long story is that the CM was pushing down on DS's shoulder and squashing him, DS was only 3.5 and knows that CMs are good guys, and was trying to do what he *thought* the CM wanted him to do, and hubby is easily run over by authority figures and didn't remind DS to stand big and tall. and while all this was happening, a girl in heeled shoes and a high ponytail, that was probably 2 and NOT tall enough, went through)


They are strict 99.9999% of the time. It's for safety (they don't allow adults who are very small to ride either...the actor who played Mini-Me, for instance, would not be able to ride anything with a height restriction).


iheartdisney, if you have another adult with you, just do Rider Switch!



Hopefully, OP, you can go relatively often, and so can have trips in the future where he will be tall enough. We live in WA, but we go as often as we can. So the September trip with the Star Tours incident was made up for that December. Then a trip in May '08, DS was just too short for Grizzly and the two height restricted attractions in the Redwood area (where we took him, not knowing they were the same height minimum as Grizzly, to help him feel less sad, WHOOPS), but in December '08 we made up for that by going on Grizzly a total of 10 times with him.

Right now DS is "eating to get big for Indy". He's done the "eating to get big for" thing since the Star Tours experience, since we didn't want to tell him that it was the CM's fault for pushing down on him... And for any ride that he's just big enough for now, we say "let's see IF you measure tall enough this time", and it works a lot better than if we were to just assume he was.

Lastly, as a (retired) chiropractor I know that gravity and the forces acted upon us at theme parks with the walking and the jouncy rides do cause us to shrink through the day. So one ride on Big Thunder can indeed take a just tall enough kid to a not tall enough kid. and that's how kids can measure differently from time to time, and even day to day.

 

[DisneyLover111]

I'm not sure I understand what higher play shoes are?

You mean like dress up shoes with heels?

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

This one's tough. At our local amusement park my DD has been turned away one time for a ride sh ewas OBVIOUSLY tall enough for, and then allowed on the next time. It's hard for them to understand.

Honestly, the height restrictions are put in place for a reason...and I really would rather my kid be the right height.

That said, even tho DD2 was tall enough for Matterhorn. NEVER AGAIN. lol ok..not for a WHILE anyway

 

[keptwoman]

DD is going to be pushing it to get on Indy this time. We will put her in her highest pair of comfortable shoes, and cross our fingers. We will do the straight and tall thing and practice it, but she will be well prepped that she may not get on.

 

[Marciern22]

I used to take the park maps and fold them up till they were about a square inch and put them in my daughter's shoes. Or I went to Home Depot once and bought her 2 brown rubber door stops to put in her shoes too. mmmmsneaky but it worked.

 

[dangerkitteey]

I saw these at the skechers store. Supposedly add an inch. Might be worth it for a kid thats so close.
http://www.skechers.com/shoes-and-c.../product/pretty_talls_-_prisms/whpk/#readmore

 

[disneydance]

I think it really depends on the CM...
We were in-line for Splash last month when the CM at the bottom said a boy who looked about 10 was tall enough to go on the ride who was just barely right there...
When we got to the top the CM told the boy he was too short and the boy said but the CM at the bottom said I was tall enough...
The CM would not let the boy go on the ride...
So I really think it comes down to the CM and their decision...

 

[Mugglemama]

I saw these at the skechers store. Supposedly add an inch. Might be worth it for a kid thats so close.
http://www.skechers.com/shoes-and-c.../product/pretty_talls_-_prisms/whpk/#readmore

for any parents considering this type of thing....please be extra careful, and pay extra attention to the restraints on the rides. adding height to their legs isn't going to make them any safer on some of the rides, because the restraints are designed to hold them in while in a sitting position, so it's the length from waist to shoulders that really counts.

believe me, i have 4 children and i KNOW how frustrating it is when they are THIS close to being able to ride, but then can't (our last trip was the FIRST trip to DLR in 12 years that our whole family was FINALLY able to ride some of the rides all together as a family - so please understand that i KNOW what a hassle it is to have to wait with one kid while everybody else goes on the ride, and then ride with only one kid, etc.).

i don't see the danger in rides like Soarin. but when it comes to things like GRR, BTMRR, and space mountain....those things don't feel like they hold a kid in very well even when they have just reached the required height...so i can't imagine how faulty they might be if a kid truly wasn't tall enough to be on the ride.

so please take extra care....here's hoping everybody has very safe visits to disneyland!!

 

[carole88]

for any parents considering this type of thing....please be extra careful, and pay extra attention to the restraints on the rides. adding height to their legs isn't going to make them any safer on some of the rides, because the restraints are designed to hold them in while in a sitting position, so it's the length from waist to shoulders that really counts.

I understand what you are saying here, but it does not make sense. Kids are measured from head to toe, not waist to shoulders for the rides for a reason. For some kids there height is all in their legs and for others it is in their torso. I can't even imagine the nightmare it would be if parks started measuring from waist to shoulders. This would effect many adults too.

 

[Ken2Blitzkrieg]

Some Ace Frehley from the Love Gun 1977 tour boots might work .. but might be a lil too hot and not go with the clothing so well

 

[DizNee Luver]

Our DD was 3 in March & just over the 40" mark. She got measured EVERYtime & on some rides measured again in the que line. On Soarin' she got measured at 3 different areas. She learned the drill & automatically walked up to the measuring pole & stood under it by day 3. Make sure your child stands up nice & tall each time.