Tall toddlers?

[Daisy-J&D]

Does anyone else have a tall toddler? My daughter is in the 99th percent for height and is 37 inches at only 22.5 months old. We're heading back to the world next September and I feel like it will be easily possible for her to have grown the 3 inches needed to get her on TT, Soarin, etc. She'll be 3 months shy of 3 years old.. she may reach the height but is she too young for the 40 inch rides? Has anyone else taken 2 year olds on these? She LOVES rides so I'm not worried about the fear factor. I'm more worried about the safety of it.

 

[john1928]

She'll be 3 months shy of 3 years old.. she may reach the height but is she too young for the 40 inch rides? Has anyone else taken 2 year olds on these? She LOVES rides so I'm not worried about the fear factor. I'm more worried about the safety of it.

Our 2.75 year old was ~41" when we were down there last September. He rode (and loved) Splash, Big Thunder, Soarin, and Test Track. None of those seemed risky or dangerous. My wife would not let me take him on ToT, so not sure if he'd have liked that or not, and for some reason on Dinosaur he always measured 1"+ shorter than any other ride, so he never went on that one either.

The whole point of the height limits is to have a more objective (if questionable) measure of safety. If she makes the cut she should be well beyond the safety margin already built into that number (assuming normal muscle control, body shape, etc.).

 

[MrRomance]

The height limit is the height limit I don't think they apply an age limit to it as well. If you're confident that she'll enjoy the rides then I can't see a problem with her going on.

My nephew is gigantic too, he's off the charts (but his brother was 12 in July and is 6'1) he turned 2 in April and he is 39 inches. My sister would let him ride anything that he would like I'm sure. I don't think Disney would prevent it and I think it would be safe if above the height requirement. The only question is whether any of the rides would scared the child

 

[amzking]

I would not take her on Dinosaur. Too scary. The rest of them, no problem. You may also want to consider bringing her birth certificate in case they challenge you on her age. My sister had an off-the-charts toddler and that is what she did.

 

[Akwafunk]

I get it. Our 2 year old was tall enough to ride on one of the rides at WWOHP earlier this year, but I rode it first with our older kid and literally sprinted and yanked him out of line. I had some concerns about his neck strength relative to head weight with all the forces at play. And I am fairly relaxed when parenting and the physical stuff my boys do.

I'd start fairly tame and see how she is able to manage her body against the Gs. I think at that age, being tall enough might not necessarily be enough.

 

[kohlby]

Our oldest's first trip was right after his 3rd b-day, so not 2 but pretty close. He love BTMRR and TT. He refused to try some of the tamest rides and attractions. We had no clue what he would and wouldn't do. He freaked out and would even go in the Little Mermaid building! So, we used him as a guide. We tried ITTBB, which does not have a height limit, but had to carry him out screaming. Soarin' wasn't open yet. He hates getting splashed at all so the name splash mountain meant he refused to do that. At 3.5, he hit the 42" mark easily and did Men In Black at Universal and loved it.

My middle child is fairly average height, but is bolder than her brother. She barely hit the 40" mark at 3.5 years old and loved TT and BTMRR as well. She did not love ToT. But unlike her big brother, she wanted to try it at that age while he wouldn't try it until his little sister said she wanted to do it too. She did do Soarin at 3.5 and wasn't all that impressed with it. There's an extra part of the seatbelt for the shorter passengers which is very helpful. (Even for some of us tiny adults. . .)

We avoided Dinosaur. My daughter would have done it had we let her once she was tall enough. But the dinosaurs at Ellen's Energy Adventure scared her so that was out of the question.

 

[summermac]

I have no advice in re: to your actual post. But can you send a few inches my way for my daughter? She's 38 inches at FOUR AND A HALF! We're hoping she grows 2 more inches before we go in May. LMAO!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

My son was 100% for height. I wish I remember how tall he was.

According to the growth chart we have (that is quite difficult to read with a bunch of kids on it)...he was slightly over 38 inches at just over 3 years old and shot up about 2.5 inches 6 months later.

He is now 4.5 and has fallen to 75% for height. I hadn't been asking lately, so I don't know when he dropped from 100%. But he was 100% for a really long time.

So I will say it is totally possible for her to grow 3 inches in the time frame you have.

But I offer no guarantees. But at least my sons 2.5 inches of growth in 6 months helps you to be hopeful.

 

[Scrappy_Tink]

It's amazing how quickly a baby's body can grow...I swear when my 21 yo was 6 months old he grew 2" in a week. You'd think that'd hurt!! My youngest topped out at 6'2" when he was 15, he always had growing pains in his legs. Once I had to show his military ID (has his birthday on it) when we went to the buffet in our hometown because they didn't believe he was under the "free buffet" age limit!!

 

[AnjieNet]

When DD8 was 2.5 we went to WDW and she just came in at 40 inches and she rode everything she could possibly ride. Loved everything except for Dinosaur which she still wouldn't ride again last year. She did enjoy ToT, the ride but did not like the preshow/atmosphere. It wasn't bad enough to keep her from riding two more times. She kept her eyes closed as we walked through. Haunted Mansion wasn't her favorite but it didn't scare her. She loved BTMRR, Soarin and Test Track. And cried because she couldn't ride Rockin' Roller Coaster and Expedition Everest even though she'd already been warned she couldn't ride the biggest coasters.

Oh, and FYI, if your child is just at the height mark, ride the must dos for that height requirement at the beginning of the day. By the end of the day, they may not make the mark. We went back to Test Track after already riding twice that day only to get told that DD was too short to ride. DD was not a happy camper trying to appeal to the CM "but I already rode this one 2 times" to no avail. Came back the next morning and rode with no problem.

 

[summermac]

Oh, and FYI, if your child is just at the height mark, ride the must dos for that height requirement at the beginning of the day. By the end of the day, they may not make the mark. We went back to Test Track after already riding twice that day only to get told that DD was too short to ride. DD was not a happy camper trying to appeal to the CM "but I already rode this one 2 times" to no avail. Came back the next morning and rode with no problem.

This is why I wish they had some kind of height check thing where you get a bracelet or something like other amusement parks I've been to.

 

[ZehnJahren]

If they're tall enough, they can ride. I am of the mindset that just because you CAN doesn't mean you SHOULD. If a child can't articulate why they would want to ride something in full sentences, I don't think they should ride. Why? Because that means, if something scares them, they can't adequately tell you why so that you can address it. That also means that the fear sits and festers and could manifest later.

And you know kids - the weirdest things scare them ("help! a butterfly!"). You may have a good idea how your child would react, but if he or she can't tell you properly how they feel besides "I like that" or "I want" - I would just use caution.

 

[AnjieNet]

This is why I wish they had some kind of height check thing where you get a bracelet or something like other amusement parks I've been to.

Yes, I like those as well. Seaworld had them ages ago. Haven't been for a while to know if they still do or not. I'm sure Disney is staying away from them because there are always people that try to cheat the system even if it means endangering their child.

 

[debrapagliasotti]

My # 3 kiddo is turning 3 this weekend and he is 39 1/4" right now. He has always been pretty tall for his age considering he was born early.

My # 4 kiddo on the other hand...he is turning 2 in just over a week and measures several inches shorter than # 3 did at the same age, so, I'm not so sure he will make that 40" mark when we go to WDW next year.

 

[summermac]

I do agree w/ that re: can ride vs. should. My son will be tall enough for Mission:Space this trip and I am not allowing him to ride it. No way.

 

[Mama Who]

Does anyone else have a tall toddler? My daughter is in the 99th percent for height and is 37 inches at only 22.5 months old. We're heading back to the world next September and I feel like it will be easily possible for her to have grown the 3 inches needed to get her on TT, Soarin, etc. She'll be 3 months shy of 3 years old.. she may reach the height but is she too young for the 40 inch rides? Has anyone else taken 2 year olds on these? She LOVES rides so I'm not worried about the fear factor. I'm more worried about the safety of it.

With a child that young I think I'd ask a pediatrician before taking her on the rougher rides. Even if she's tall enough and brave enough, I'd be concerned about muscle development- like the reason even tall infants should not be front facing, KWIM? I'd worry that her muscles might not be up to some of the stresses yet.

 

[Scrappy_Tink]

With a child that young I think I'd ask a pediatrician before taking her on the rougher rides. Even if she's tall enough and brave enough, I'd be concerned about muscle development- like the reason even tall infants should not be front facing, KWIM? I'd worry that her muscles might not be up to some of the stresses yet.

Sound like some wise advise! Some parent's think it's "cute" to throw their babies in the air and catch them (and yeah, it can make the baby giggle and be adorable), but it can also cause shaken-baby syndrome. Not that a mother would let their little one ride R&RC, but that thing gives ME a headache from bouncing around that headrest that's suppose to support your head. I hate that ride!

 

[FallenAsh]

At what age would you all say Haunted Mansion is ok for kids? Also ToT? Pretty sure ODS will be plenty tall enough for both of those ride because he is HUGE for his age too.

 

[Daisy-J&D]

At what age would you all say Haunted Mansion is ok for kids? Also ToT? Pretty sure ODS will be plenty tall enough for both of those ride because he is HUGE for his age too.

We took my DD one Haunted Mansion (no height restrictions) at 21 months and she loved it. She also loved Pirates and asked for more!

 

[Daisy-J&D]

Thank you for the responses!! I think if she makes the cut we'll
stick to Soarin' and maybe the new barnstormer ride. No way to TT!!