strict on height?

[MelodyMack]

My DD had just turned four when we went in Feb, and she was 39 1/2 inches....no big deal for us because we really didn't "sell" any of the big rides to her, and she didn't ask (THANK GOODNESS). The only ride we did try to get her on was Splash Mountain because I knew she would love it, and she could sit on my lap. No one asked or measured her and we rode it three times in a row.

I agree, depends on the CM...I also agree that your childs safety should come first....I also agree that 1/4 of an inch isn't a big deal. If the difference between my child slipping through a ride is a quarter of an inch then Disneys got some problems, right?

Mel

 

[littlelaura]

i hope i haven't given the wrong impression. i would never endanger my ds safety just so i could go on a ride. what kind of parent would that make me?? he is desperate to go on SM after seeing it on a singalong songs video, and i wouldn't want to dissapoint him, but don't worry, safety is a big issue for me

 

[littlelaura]

My son will be 2.5 the end of September and is almost 40 inches without shoes. of course I would never put him on anything that he could possibly slip out of . I know we will skip BTMRR but what about soaring or Test Track. I have never been on Soaring so I don't know if it would be safe or even good for him at this age. Test Track I know he would love.

i don't know if there is a height restriction for soaring. it doesn't mention it in the guide i have, and lists all the others. it doesn't look too bad,was on tv last week, and is a bit like a simulator, didn't notice any restaints

 

[becca011906]

soarin you must be atleast 40 inches to ride, i've never rode yet so no more info then that! http://www.allearsnet.com/tp/rr.htm

 

[Stimpy]

For Soarin, they have an extra restraint for kids that meet the height requirement but are still small (under 45"?) It's seatbelt that comes between their legs and attaches to the bar across the seat that holds everyone in.

Remember that the CM has the last word. If they let a child on that is under the height restriction, they can lose their jobs! It's for the child's safety and to help protect Disney from liability. Alot of the parents that try to sneak pass the CM's or try to make their child appear taller would probably blame and sue Disney in a second if something happened to the child.

 

[pixiepower1971]

Soarin is fine if they meet the height requirement-even with the help of shoes. There is a seatbelt(between legs) that they have to use until they are pretty tall. My 9 year old 55" daughter is still too short to ride without. You can also ride in the lower car if you are worried about how high up you are. It is a very smooth ride.

 

[madge]

omg, my dd is so tall. At her 3 yo well visit, she was 42 inches!!!

I thought mine was tall, LOL...she measured 41 inches at 3...90th percentile in height and weight

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

If their head does not touch the height stick with their feet planted on teh ground.

The key is--where the same shoes each day.....don't where a pair of sneakers with a relatively high sole--then put her in flip flops the next day and expect her to ride if she is barely touching.

Usually when they are at height--they are measured at the start of the line--and then again before boarding the ride.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

He was able to get on Big Thunder Mtn several times with no problem, but at Splash Mtn the CM doing the measuring was standing on a bit of a slope, and she held the stick a little uphill, and with my son a little downhill he measured too short.

They are measured on a platform now--and the stick is actually a permanent fixture.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

My DD had just turned four when we went in Feb, and she was 39 1/2 inches....no big deal for us because we really didn't "sell" any of the big rides to her, and she didn't ask (THANK GOODNESS). The only ride we did try to get her on was Splash Mountain because I knew she would love it, and she could sit on my lap. No one asked or measured her and we rode it three times in a row.

I agree, depends on the CM...I also agree that your childs safety should come first....I also agree that 1/4 of an inch isn't a big deal. If the difference between my child slipping through a ride is a quarter of an inch then Disneys got some problems, right?

Mel

I just cannot resist-- --you cannnot ride with a child on your lap on Splash Mountain. The ride is not meant to be ridden that way--and on that drop, your child could have very well flown off of your lap.

The measurements are there for a reason.

For that matter a 39 pound child should not ride in a booster for a 40 pound child in a car.

The limitations are there for a reason. Be thankful nothing ever happened to your child.

 

[MelodyMack]

I just cannot resist-- --you cannnot ride with a child on your lap on Splash Mountain. The ride is not meant to be ridden that way--and on that drop, your child could have very well flown off of your lap.

The measurements are there for a reason.

For that matter a 39 pound child should not ride in a booster for a 40 pound child in a car.

The limitations are there for a reason. Be thankful nothing ever happened to your child.

Lisa, you tried to flame me on this on another thread (two bites from the same woman....I'm loving this). She lived - she laughed - she enjoyed herself. I would NEVER put my kid in a situation where I was concerned for her safety.

Take a deep breath and relax!
Mel

 

[TiggerPU88]

Although your child may technically be tall enough for some of the rides, remember that these can be scary to a small child, even if they want to go. My DH took our then 3-y-o son on BTMRR last year. At just over 40", he was okay, but he cried most of the time and was very scared. He was fine on the Barnstormer, but scared before we got on it b/c of BTMRR. This year -- at 4 -- he is much more excited and ready to go.

YMMV, but consider more than just the height requirement. These rides are different in person than on the videos.

-- Adrienne : )

P.S. Be sure to take a photo of your child at the height stick outside the rides. It makes for great scrapbook pages.

 

[littlelaura]

he's been on a runaway mine train before at a theme park earlier in the uk earlier this year. he loved it and went on 7 times in a row, as we were the last train of the day. so i know he should like the bmtrr, although i appreciate mk's might be a bit faster

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Lisa, you tried to flame me on this on another thread (two bites from the same woman....I'm loving this). She lived - she laughed - she enjoyed herself. I would NEVER put my kid in a situation where I was concerned for her safety.

Take a deep breath and relax!
Mel

I would love to see the link b/c I have no recollection for ever flaming you for a height restriction.

I do challenge you though to ask Disney what they think about a lap riding child on Splash Mountain. That is what I primarily disagree with.

ETA: Funny how in 297 posts....I have yet to locate anywhere that you have said something that I could have remotely even closely flamed you. After searching your user name and the phrase "splash mountain"--4 threads came up--and this thread was the first time that I even responded to you.

So please do not accuse me of "biting you" twice. It is wrong to accuse other posters of something they did not do.

 

[Stimpy]

YMMV, but consider more than just the height requirement. These rides are different in person than on the videos.

-- Adrienne : )

I do agree that you should also consider other factors beside height. DS has always been tall for his age (another 90%er ) but he's very skinny. His first trip on Splash Mtn at 3yrs old, he was tall enough but he was so light that he came out of the seat on the big drop! Alot of people come up a little bit, like on roller coasters, but he literally came about 5 inches off the seat. Scared both of us! I had to quick swing my arm across his chest to hold him back.

He's now almost 6yrs old, 47" (and 40lbs) ....and trying to grow that extra inch before our next trip so he can go on R&RC. We've already explained to him that there is a really good chance that he still won't be tall enough this trip. He is very aware of the fact that the CM's have the final say....if they say "No", that's it. We've been through it before and he's been really good about it. I think explaining ahead of time that he may or may not be able to ride really helps.

PS...I really like the idea of a pic by the height stick! That's a cute idea.

 

[tlbwriter]

Lisa, you tried to flame me on this on another thread (two bites from the same woman....I'm loving this).

Simply disagreeing with you is not "flaming." Don't be so sensitive.

She lived - she laughed - she enjoyed herself.

Hmmm. Using that same logic, it was perfectly safe for me to drive stinking drunk when I was a stupid teenager. I lived, I laughed, I enjoyed myself. Party on!

I would NEVER put my kid in a situation where I was concerned for her safety.

Of course not. But the point is that you should have been concerned for her safety.

 

[InderellaCay]

I never knew so many live to break the rules until I joined the DIS. I thought I was the only one who believed that the rules are just for others.

 

[MelodyMack]

Everybody has a right to their opinion. If by allowing my daughter to ride Splash Mountain at 39 1/2 inches I have violated some unspoken mommy code and caused some of you to become enraged by my lack of skills as a parent, first allow me to say , with a closing remark of

I ALSO BOTTLE FED HER!!!

Have a great day!
Mel

 

[tlbwriter]

Everybody has a right to their opinion. If by allowing my daughter to ride Splash Mountain at 39 1/2 inches I have violated some unspoken mommy code and caused some of you to become enraged by my lack of skills as a parent, first allow me to say , with a closing remark of

I ALSO BOTTLE FED HER!!!

Have a great day!

It's not the height, it's the fact that you held her on your lap. One half inch might be an opinion/judgement call. Holding a child on your lap is different. It's not an "unspoken mommy code," but it's almost certainly against the *written* rules. Now, perhaps you know more than the engineers who designed that ride, but I don't, so I tend to believe them when they tell me something is safe or not. And unless a CM steps forward to tell us it's safe, I'm going to assume they tell you "one person to a seat" for a good reason. It's also setting a good example, unless you want your child to ignore rules in the future simply because they're inconvenient or not fun.

And I bottle-fed too, so I suppose I'm going to Bad Parent Hell right along with you. But at least I'll know I always *tried* to do the best thing.

 

[Eeyore4me]

Wow! You all have some tall kids! My DS just turned 5 two days ago & is now 40 1/2 inches! We are certainly at the other end of the ruler at the 5th percentile.
Last year he was 39 1/2 inches & just missed all the really cool rides he wanted to do. The CM's at Test Track & Splash Mountain gave him cute little cards with Mickey on them that say "This is to certify that you will be fully qualified to experience the high-speed thrills of Test Track when you can stand as tall as the posted signs. I was tall enough to ride on___."
And " This is to certify that you are a valued member of the Fraternity of Future Splash Mountaineers and will be able to experience the spine-tingling thrills and spills of a more than 50 foot drop down Splash Mountain just as soon as you are as tall as the posted signs. I was tall enough to ride on ___."
My Little guy was SO PROUD of these cards. I was also told by the CM that they entitle us to go to the front of the line. Don't know about that yet! Will find out in October!
So, if your little ones aren't tall enough be sure to ask about these cards!

Lauren