Reason for height requirement on waterpark slides?

[deedeetoo]

I have read that the bigger slides have a height requirment of 48 inches. Does anyone know the reason for this? I know that for many of the park rides the height requirement is there because the restraints are designed for a certain size person and it would be unsafe for a smaller person to ride but this can't apply to a slide.

My dd will be 8 on our trip but she is only 47 inches tall. Her favorite ride is ToT so I know she would love the slides. She swims well (can do laps of crawl, breaststroke, sidestroke and backstoke) and was tested at our pool to tread water for 2 minutes (that's when they stopped the test, she could have done more), so why can't she go on the slides? Does anyone know the reason? Do they really enforce this like they do on park rides?

 

[sameyeyam]

Unless we ask WDW we will probably never know for sure. But my 7yo DS goes on some of the slides and because of his small body/weight he flies down them way faster than I do.

I would think that the height requirement is for safety due to the smaller bodies going faster on the water slides. Some of them really jerk you around and up onto the sides. If you're not very tall I could see how you could possibly come out of a slide, or perhaps someone shorter could have their body turn around sideways or backwards easily on a slide.

I could also see where a younger child might panic on a water slide if they got scared, try to stand up, etc... And you're not strapped in like you are on most theme park rides.

There are a lot of slides that she can go on. Actually, the majority of them she can probably go on. My 14YO DD who is an extreme roller coaster, upside down, scariest ride I can find type of person still hasn't gone on a couple of the big water slides!

We were at TL & BB in April and there will be plenty for her to do. Only the very biggest slides will probably be off limits to her.

Enjoy your trip - we love the water parks!!

 

[dwtootles]

When I worked at BB our managers told us if we were asked this question to tell them that it is the specifications the manufacture of the attractions designated for that type of slide. The above poster is right as well in saying that there are only a couple of slides that have restrictions :Summit Plummit, Slush Gusher and Downhill Double Dipper at BB and Humunga Kowabunga and Crush n Gusher at TL.