Shoes to give a toddler a little extra height?

[princessmom29]

So (not being snarky here) what would the explaination be for being allowed in at the line entrance and turned away at the ride?

Exactly. I know for a fact the one outside star tours was about an inch shorter than the one inside when we were there. I had a messenger bag that would touch the ground when hung from the one outside, but cleared the ground by a good inch hung from the one inside. DD measured good by an inch outside. hHer head would not even go under the bar, but was almost turned away inside. She was BAREY tall enough inside, and obviously over height outside. The DO measure differently. I have first hand experience. I just couldn't believe it the first time, so the second time on the ride we used the bag to check and sure enough they were different.

 

[CheshireSmile]

So (not being snarky here) what would the explaination be for being allowed in at the line entrance and turned away at the ride?

I actually answered this earlier in the thread, but I'll repeat. The second height check is to catch anyone who had made it into the line with a child who is below the height requirement, either because the CM out front didn't notice or because they physically pushed past the CM. Thanks for not being snarky, believe me I do understand (and have seen!) how frustrating this is when it happens to your family.

And if you mean why did your child make the first mark but miss the second? I actually do not have an answer to that. If I had to guess, my only guess would be the surface the stick is placed on, and how level it is, or how your child stood to be measured the first time. I can assure you though, it's not some massive conspiracy by Disney to ruin your child's day, especially since Disney is not behind the height requirements, merely enforcing the rules set by the ride's maker.

 

[RMulieri]

So (not being snarky here) what would the explaination be for being allowed in at the line entrance and turned away at the ride?

The child is not standing straight and tall, the ground is not even, or the child is TOO short and made it past the first cm without measuring or by fudging heights.Sometimes the Cm is wrong. Politely ask for a re-measure.If you are polite and nice and avoid getting argumentative and confrontational you will have much better luck getting the Cm to listen to you.The minute you get loud and confrontational, it is over for you.I stopped listening to anything a person says the minute they get loud and in my face. I am not trying to be argumentative..But I worked as a ride Cm at a local themepark ,and can tell you people pull all sorts of stunts to get on.I have had people stuff their kids shoes at the first checkpoint and remove it it before they got to the 2nd checkpoint( not realizing there was a 2nd point) .I have had people split up and distract the 1st ride cm while the rest of the families slip past.I can tell so many storiesabout people trying to pull on over it would make your head spin.

 

[Cinderellabride]

Thanks for all your answers I was not talking about people who try to beat the system, I do understand (and saw the earlier post) that is the purpose of the second check. I am referring to the people on here who say their kids are ligitamantly tall enough and pass at first check and not at second check. The unlevel ground makes since, although I do not think it's right they should be sure they are on level ground. Now I know if this ever happens to me (when they are ligitamantly tall enough), which I still have at least another year before I have to worry about it as my oldest is only 20 months and 32 inches, I'll be sure to politely request a remeasure on level ground.

 

[Cinderellabride]

Exactly. I know for a fact the one outside star tours was about an inch shorter than the one inside when we were there. I had a messenger bag that would touch the ground when hung from the one outside, but cleared the ground by a good inch hung from the one inside. DD measured good by an inch outside. hHer head would not even go under the bar, but was almost turned away inside. She was BAREY tall enough inside, and obviously over height outside. The DO measure differently. I have first hand experience. I just couldn't believe it the first time, so the second time on the ride we used the bag to check and sure enough they were different.

What did the CM's say?

 

[princessmom29]

What did the CM's say?

They never gave a straight answer. I got a lot of "I just can believe that" but no one was willing to move to actually look at both sticks. I did physically measure both of them, and they WERE different!!

 

[Cinderellabride]

They never gave a straight answer. I got a lot of "I just can believe that" but no one was willing to move to actually look at both sticks. I did physically measure both of them, and they WERE different!!

That's crazy, I def believe you. I would have asked to speak to a manager.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

They never gave a straight answer. I got a lot of "I just can believe that" but no one was willing to move to actually look at both sticks. I did physically measure both of them, and they WERE different!!

Same deal at Test Track.

 

[Blurrysmom]

Height or not, just choose rides wisely. Remember that whiplash and other soft tissue injuries can occur on these types of rides, especially for younger riders. We have all read the news stories and heard the cautionary tales. Just use good judgement and remember those hieghts are the MINIMUM, not the safest. Also, if something were to occur (God forbid) and something were to happen, you would have some serious issues with liabilty.

For what it's worth, I'm sure the "minimum" height requirements reflect a good cushion beyond the actual minimum. Disney has many, many lawyers working on those figures to avoid liability, and they would never use the actual angineering minimum figure because they know people will fudge and others will accidentally get through, etc. So while the spirit of the requirement is of course a good thing and should be respected, I'm willing to bet that a smidgen of an inch (probably even two inches) would not in fact matter for safety.

 

[Blurrysmom]

This thread is making me think I have a VERY tall 2 year old! At Chaeli's 2 year check up she was 35 inches tall.

Just had my 18-month-old son's check-up yesterday and he is 35 3/4 inches tall and 34 pounds. Mommy needs a chiropractor.....

 

[maxiesmom]

For what it's worth, I'm sure the "minimum" height requirements reflect a good cushion beyond the actual minimum. Disney has many, many lawyers working on those figures to avoid liability, and they would never use the actual angineering minimum figure because they know people will fudge and others will accidentally get through, etc. So while the spirit of the requirement is of course a good thing and should be respected, I'm willing to bet that a smidgen of an inch (probably even two inches) would not in fact matter for safety.

You would be willing to bet your child's safety on that? I don't know, but even the smallest chance that you could be wrong is to big of a chance. The ride will be there when your child is taller.

 

[Drusilla]

My dd8 is 47.5 in. and dd5 is 43.5 in. Both are 1/2 inch too short for their next height requirements. I'm not worrying about it. Either we won't do those rides or do the child swap thing. I'm not going to go out and search for tennies with a big heal on them so they can reach the height requirement. We'll do those rides on our next trip.

 

[RMulieri]

For what it's worth, I'm sure the "minimum" height requirements reflect a good cushion beyond the actual minimum. Disney has many, many lawyers working on those figures to avoid liability, and they would never use the actual angineering minimum figure because they know people will fudge and others will accidentally get through, etc. So while the spirit of the requirement is of course a good thing and should be respected, I'm willing to bet that a smidgen of an inch (probably even two inches) would not in fact matter for safety.

Would you be willing to take that chance? I am not willing to gamble any kids life on a 1/2 inch.Disney will ALWAYS be there

 

[Colleen27]

Exactly. I know for a fact the one outside star tours was about an inch shorter than the one inside when we were there. I had a messenger bag that would touch the ground when hung from the one outside, but cleared the ground by a good inch hung from the one inside. DD measured good by an inch outside. hHer head would not even go under the bar, but was almost turned away inside. She was BAREY tall enough inside, and obviously over height outside. The DO measure differently. I have first hand experience. I just couldn't believe it the first time, so the second time on the ride we used the bag to check and sure enough they were different.

We've never encountered ones that were THAT different, but my shorty wasn't interested in Test Track and didn't even go with us to MGM on her barely-40" trip. At Splash, the difference was probably either uneven ground or the CM's judgment, because she was barely tall enough at the first check and barely too short at the second.

 

[Blurrysmom]

I'm just offering an objective point-of-view regarding the "mimimum" height requirement. If you really believe allowing a 39 3/4" child to ride will jeopardize his/her safety then I don't see how you can also believe 40" is somehow magically secure. That was my point. Obviously no one advocates gambling with children's lives.

 

[my2minnies]

Like someone else said the cheaper spiderman sneakers that light up give over an 1 inch of height. My twins wear these sneakers everyday, but most of the people on here make it seem like I should have bought different shoes so as not to fool the system. My boys had just turned 4 and were right at 40 inches when we went to WD. Those sneakers gave them a huge height advantage and they were able to go on all the 40 inch rides. They LOVED them and I was not the least bit nervous taking them on.

We go every year and I have never seen them ask a child to take off their shoes. Hats need to be removed and a ponytail has been squashed down, but shoes always stay on.

Good luck! Hopefully your ds grows a bit more and can enjoy all the rides.

 

[CheshireSmile]

but most of the people on here make it seem like I should have bought different shoes so as not to fool the system.

No, I don't think that's the case. I think people on here are advocating not going out and buying new shoes SO that you beat the system. There's a whole difference of intention involved.

 

[QVCshopper]

As the mother to a 4-foot-tall 4-year-old girl, I think parents also have to judge what's appropriate for their child. While I am pretty sure she can go on almost all the rides at Disney, she only goes on ones she want to. Rock N Roller or Everest would scare her way too much. She's blessed in height, but is still a little girl. I can always do a child swap, or not ride at all.

 

[my2minnies]

No, I don't think that's the case. I think people on here are advocating not going out and buying new shoes SO that you beat the system. There's a whole difference of intention involved.

I just do not see what the difference is though. If someone wants to buy the cheapo sneakers that adds an extra inch and a half to their kids height then why do so many people on this board get so upset.

Many kids are wearing these same sneakers anyways. Many are arguing that the rides are not safe for those kids who are 39 3/4 inches. So those kids that are wearing the sneakers that the parent bought for the trip are at risk, but my kids who already had them are not.

If a kid is not borderline there is no way someone is going to be able to add multiple inches so that the kid can ride.

 

[Adrieske]

My almost 5 yo is 39.25 inches. Anyone know of any growth-spurt inducing foods I can shove down her for the next month?