Ride height checking??

[robmary]

Have they been real picky lately about checking ride height requirements? Our DD is a little short for 40". We were hoping she could go on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. We have a real similiar ride at the park here in Charlotte, NC and she loves it. I bought here some shoes to give her a little lift. Do they look at that? Do they only check just before you get on ride or do they also check before you enter the line for the ride? Hate for her to stand in line and then get turned away.

Thanks for the responding.

 

[Geoff_M]

They will check you at the entrance to the queue and may also re-check you at the boarding platform.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by robmary
Have they been real picky lately about checking ride height requirements? Our DD is a little short for 40". We were hoping she could go on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. We have a real similiar ride at the park here in Charlotte, NC and she loves it. I bought here some shoes to give her a little lift. Do they look at that? Do they only check just before you get on ride or do they also check before you enter the line for the ride? Hate for her to stand in line and then get turned away.

Thanks for the responding.

They check for puffed hair and anything other than normal shoes and they are really picky about height. If she is not 40" in her barefeet, don't even get in the line.

 

[ryley26]

I agree my ds was exacly 48 inches some rides he was measured at least twice if not three times. we did the same rides twice on occassions and the same cm's measured him again.

 

[bobri]

We just got back and my daughter is 41 inches tall and was measured twice on most rides. She was able to keep her shoes on while they checked her.

Bob

 

[punkin]

My 39" daughter in 3" platform sandals was able to go on body wars (DH carried her and no one even tried to measure her), TT (6 times at least - sometimes measured, sometimes not), star tours (3X she was measured each time), and BTMRR.

 

[Daxx]

DS is almost 7 and well over 40" (48 to 50" to be close) and they measured him on every big ride (ToT, BTMRR, Space Mtn., Splash Mountain, etc.). I mean, as he'd walk up, you could see that he was tall enough w/o using the stick. They were measuring a lot of kids when we were there (mid-June).

And, they did check the heels of the little girl trying to get on before us and determined that w/o them, she wouldn't be able to get on. The mother was mad, stating that she's the right height ... but they said not w/o the sandals, she isn't.

Seems that everyone has had mixed experiences. All I can say is good luck!

 

[undertheradar]

The danger on BTMRR is that the lap bar and car surrounding you are hard. The smaller bodies bounce around within these cars and that is the DANGER. Added height by using wedge heels does not make your child sit taller in the seat. It is not worth the trouble or the risk to try to make your child appear to be taller than they are. The lap bars are solid and children "bouncing against them do get hurt.

 

[gepetto]

The height restrictions are there for safety reasons, not to disappoint the smaller children. If you child is under the height limit, it is not safe for them to ride.


They check before you get in line and again before you board.

 

[beattyfamily]

The OP isn't suggesting doing anything bad like puffy hair or platform shoes, they just wanted to know how strict they are and when do they check; at the beginning of the line or right before boarding. That's all. They didn't want their child disappointed right before they get on the ride.

I think there's NOTHING wrong, though, with making SURE your child won't get turned away by putting them in high shoes to make SURE they're well OVER 48 inches. It would only be as a precaution so as not get turned away by a faulty stick like I've read here can happen.

My DD is currently 471/2 inches without shoes. We still have till December. I'm pretty confident she'll be 48 inches by then so putting her in higher than normal shoes would just be to make sure there's no room for error with those sticks. I got this advice here, and in my senario, it's just a precaution. I don't want the "each stick measures different" kind of problem. BUT if my DD were only 46 or 47 inches at the time of our trip, I wouldn't do the higher shoes. I'd tell her she's still too short. I wouldn't want to risk her injury and I wouldn't want any kind of "cheating the system" message for her to learn either.

I've also heard you can have your child measured once at City Hall and get a wristband for the day. I'd LOVE to do that for her instead. I just don't know for sure if it's true. We really only need this for RnR at Disney Studios. It's the only one she's shooting for.

Wish us luck and lots of growing going on thru December so she'll be all set with NO doubts!

 

[chb]

The OP did say her dd was a little short of 40 inches and that she bought her shoes to make her taller. I don't think anybody is blasting her, just making sure she understands that the rides are not as safe if she is shorter than the requiremnent.

 

[Jordan's MOM]

robmary,

We are near Charlotte and assume you are taking about the run away mine train at Carowinds. Not that I would ever advocate putting a child on a ride that she was too short for, but telling you only so you can make the comparison between the two rides. The BTM is a lot smoother and I think has less steep drops than the RAMT at Carowinds.The safety bars fits better on BTM and the overall experence is so much better. We like RAMT, but we love the BTM. If your DD is tall enough to ride, I am sure she will love it.
If she is too short, llet her ride Goofy's coaster in toon town and remind her there is next trip.


Jordan's mom

 

[tar heel]

I'm not sure that I agree that Big Thunder has fewer steep drops than the Goldrusher. Big Thunder is a so much bigger ride that I think everything is bigger, including the drops.

One important difference between the two rides is that the cars themselves are much bigger on Big Thunder. There is plenty of room for two average-size adults and a small child, which is how I recommend sitting since you do slide around a lot.

BTW, we call the Goldrusher "Little Thunder."

 

[JVL1018]

Originally posted by beattyfamily


My DD is currently 471/2 inches without shoes. We still have till December. I'm pretty confident she'll be 48 inches by then so putting her in higher than normal shoes would just be to make sure there's no room for error with those sticks. I got this advice here, and in my senario, it's just a precaution. I don't want the "each stick measures different" kind of problem. BUT if my DD were only 46 or 47 inches at the time of our trip, I wouldn't do the higher shoes. I'd tell her she's still too short. I wouldn't want to risk her injury and I wouldn't want any kind of "cheating the system" message for her to learn either.

I've also heard you can have your child measured once at City Hall and get a wristband for the day. I'd LOVE to do that for her instead. I just don't know for sure if it's true. We really only need this for RnR at Disney Studios. It's the only one she's shooting for.

Wish us luck and lots of growing going on thru December so she'll be all set with NO doubts!

My daughter is 40 and a half inches in bare feet(with another couple months to go before our trip) I am a little concerned about them hiking the stick up to make up for any shoes she has on, and saying she isn't tall enough, even though she truly is.
Has anyone had that happen? Should I insist on them remeasuring her? I am not one to make a scene, but I made sure to measure her(quite a few times) before telling her about the rides she could go on now, and I won't be happy if they measure her incorrectly.

 

[beattyfamily]

Originally posted by JVL1018
My daughter is 40 and a half inches in bare feet(with another couple months to go before our trip) I am a little concerned about them hiking the stick up to make up for any shoes she has on, and saying she isn't tall enough, even though she truly is.
Has anyone had that happen? Should I insist on them remeasuring her? I am not one to make a scene, but I made sure to measure her(quite a few times) before telling her about the rides she could go on now, and I won't be happy if they measure her incorrectly.

This is what I'm afraid of too!

I have read here on these boards of the sticks being off or measuring wrong depending on how your child stands etc... and that is why I'm a bit worried too. I'm afraid that even if my DD is 48 when we leave for our trip, she'll still be turned away. That is why I may have her wear sneakers with a bit more of a heal.

I will also check with City Hall and see if they do, indeed, do the measuring and then give a wristband so my DD won't need to be measured again. I read this on another height thread as well.

Oh, and I also read of some mom bringing her own measuring tape and pulling it out if her child meansured wrong!

Good luck!

 

[undertheradar]

From our own personal experience, the measurements do vary. Unlike many theme parks that use a stationary platform to measure height( Kings Island for example), WDW uses the moveable stick. We had our daughter measured before MVMCP 2 years ago, right before dinner at LTT. She was tall enough before dinner, but shrank while eating her meal. After dinner she was short and screamed for an hour! The castmembers do not measure from a fixed spot, that is why you have variation. My daughter was measured on a spot lower than the cast member. When I pointed this out, I was informed that I could be requested from the park. Guest Relations clarified the problem with having a non-fixed platform to measure and having seasonal help for the holidays. The space within the cars on BTMRR allows that the smaller kids do move around on the seat. Taller hair or taller shoes will not correct the body size of smaller children.

 

[MelanieC]

Last year my DS (5) was just at 42 inches, exactly. The first time we went on Space Mountain, they measured him and he was fine, the stick hit the top of his head. Immediately after, we went to ride it again and this time there was a different person there and they wouldn't let him go on it. I have measured him at home several times and he was 42 inches exactly. He had no problem getting on BTMR, SM, TOT. Just that one time at Space Mountain. Most rides they measured him several times.

Melanie

 

[jacksonsmom]

Originally posted by MelanieC
Last year my DS (5) was just at 42 inches, exactly. The first time we went on Space Mountain, they measured him and he was fine, the stick hit the top of his head. . He had no problem getting on BTMR, SM, TOT. Just that one time at Space Mountain. Most rides they measured him several times.

I thought Space Mountain had a 44" height requirement?

My son is 43" inches & was able to get on ToT, BTMRR, Splash, Test Track, etc.

I didn't even try Space Mountain since I was told it was 44". We will wait until next time.

 

[Stimpy]

Space Mountain is 44". My DS is trying to stretch that extra 1/2 inch by September. He is very aware of the fact that he may have to wait for our next trip. He's not happy about it, but he knows it's the rules.

 

[Geoff_M]

...WDW uses the moveable stick. We had our daughter measured before MVMCP 2 years ago...

When we were there last month the sticks and plastic L's appear to have largely disappeared. They are now mostly using rigid metal stands that are much more accurate. Two years ago we had an experience where our son lost one inch by riding RnR. When I went to take him a second time after doing the baby swap the CM measured him again and at first said he was too small... even though he had just been tall enough 10 minutes earlier.