Tiny 4 Year Old

[trauva]

We're going to Disney next month (35 days from now!!!) with my DS, who is our only kid. He's 4 years old, but he's currently 39 inches and change with shoes. When I made Fastpasses, I had assumed he'd be at 40 inches, but I'm not sure that we'll get there. So my question is, do I assume that we'll do Test Track, Star Tours, and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (the only 40+ stuff I chose, but also that I have FPs for) or do I cancel these FPs and find something else?

I know I have time, but I don't want to avoid having something because I didn't book something "better" earlier on.

Thoughts?

 

[Mom2SamandJames]

Disney is very strict about their height policy. We watched several families with children close to the line get turned away because the child wasn't tall enough. I wouldn't assume because your son is only an inch too short that he will get to ride the "big" rides. I wish I could offer a solution, but as a mom to two boys, I know my boys have hit growth spurts and shot up an inch very quickly so your son could grow that last inch.

 

[trauva]

Disney is very strict about their height policy. We watched several families with children close to the line get turned away because the child wasn't tall enough. I wouldn't assume because your son is only an inch too short that he will get to ride the "big" rides. I wish I could offer a solution, but as a mom to two boys, I know my boys have hit growth spurts and shot up an inch very quickly so your son could grow that last inch.

Oh, absolutely. We're not pushing it. If he's not 40 inches, he's not going on the rides. It's more of a question of "do I hold onto the FPs hoping that he'll have a growth spurt" or is there something else that is better for us to get FPs to now... I know that in Epcot, we won't need FPs for Living with the Land, so i'll leave that as is. But in MK or HS -- anything else worth getting FPs for that I'm not thinking about?

 

[disBEAST]

I would hang onto them, especially TT because if he happens to be the correct height and you want to ride those attractions you won't be able to book them later, although Star Tours and BTMRR should be available. If he can't go on them you can rebook for something less in demand.

 

[Mom2SamandJames]

I agree with disBEAST. Hang on to the TT fast passes!

 

[kohlby]

Hang on to your Fast passes. You can change them to lower height rides much more easily.

As for being almost 40", you have a better chance if those fastpasses are for the morning. My middle child has a talent for our trips lining up when she's borderline. She does better in the morning making rides. Prepare your child for not being tall enough. We did the "let's measure you to see how much you need to grow for when we come back." Also, make sure the child is aware that it's possible to make it outside but not inside the ride. One day, my daughter make TT twice in a row and did it. This was before the update and they were having everyone skip the pre-show, so it was super fast. The third time in a row, she measured tall enough outside but not inside. The person who measured her had measured her probably no more than 15 minutes before that. But she wasn't able to do it.

 

[Tara1988]

He's pretty tall for a 4 year old. My 5 year old just hit 40". He never felt like he was missing out on the things he wasn't tall enough for, probably didn't even realize they were there with everything else he could do. If you haven't already told him about the things he might be able to do, just don't.

 

[MomTo3PrincessesInNJ]

Also, some rides might give you a FP for when he's tall enough if you measure him. My tiny 4 y/o got one at Tower of Terror when she burst into tears after finding out she wasn't tall enough. It's a cute pass and it says something about looking forward to seeing you when you are tall enough.

 

[Mousemommy1]

If he's not tall enough, he's not tall enough. Period.
Our middle child is super tiny - she is 9 yrs old and only 48" (exactly) and 46 lbs. She was not tall enough for Space Mountain until she was 6 or 7, lol. Meanwhile our oldest was riding Rock n Roller Coaster at age 5!!

But when she finally was tall enough, man, How awesome was that?!?!?!

That being said, she is now tall enough for Rock n Roller coaster and is all of a sudden wishing she was a little shorter, lol

 

[DSLRuser]

We rolled up napkins inside the heals of my daughters shoes. Got her the extra 1/2 inch she needed to make sure there was no issue.

I am sure I will get flamed for it. But that is what we did. Worked like a charm.

 

[tzolkin]

If you're measuring 39" there's a good chance he will make the bars at the attractions.

The one trip my youngest was "around" 40" he was able to get onto most of the attractions. One day he was too short for Soarin (rode it the day before with no problem) and one day he made the height requirement at the entrance to TT, but was denied at the boarding area. Other than that he was admitted onto all the other 40" attractions multiple times during our trip.

He went to the doctor a week or so after the trip and only measured 38.5" there.

 

[Thing 1]

I agree to hang on to them but I would not even tell him riding these might happen. If he grows that inch, great.....if not, the two adults might want to try to do these one at a time while the other does something else with your child.Space one parent right as the window opens and there should be time for the other one after that. Also be aware that even if he is tall enough, TT and BTMR can look a bit intimidating to a little one and he might decide he does not want to try them anyway. I was sure our youngest DS would love TT at that age but after watching it fly by over head he said no way. He did BTMR at that age but did not like it. Oldest DS was too short for any of those at 4...or 5!

 

[imthemamahere]

I'd keep the FastPasses if you two adults want to ride those rides. That's what child swap is for - if he measures under the line and the CM says your son's a no-go, the adults can swap out waiting with him while one rides, then switch. Just don't get your son's hopes up too high about going on those rides, because he may well be disappointed. Tell him you'll see how it goes, and that you have to follow Disney's rules for safety... (at least, that's what worked with my son - knowing the rules weren't MY rules just for him, but the rules for everyone who went to Disney World, made it a bit easier to swallow being told "no"). In the meantime, hope for a growth spurt. It could happen!

 

[krm222]

At Busch Gardens last summer there was an official height measuring station. Any kid who was under 5' would get measured and received a bracelet of a particular color. Then that color corresponded to what category of rides he was allowed on.

At Disney they could even have these stations at the hotels. Seems to make a bit more sense than a kid making height at the from if the line but not making it ten minutes later. My son is VERY tall for his age (44.5" at 4) but I still held my breath a bit when he got measured for some of the bigger rides. I knew he was tall enough but was worried he'd get turned away midline. A bracelet would have eliminated that worry.

 

[krm222]

But to address your FastPass+ question: keep them! As others have said, he might be tall enough OR you could do rider swap and odds are the rides with no height requirements are going to have shorter lines anyway (exceptions: TSMM, Peter Pan, and Winnie the Pooh).

 

[SmallWorld71]

You may already have FP+ for these, but at MK Anna/Elsa, 7 Dwarves Mine Train, and Peter Pan are all good uses of FP+. If you are all set on these, then I would keep the BTMRR.

 

[squirrel]

When he gets measured remind him to stand tall that his head needs to hit the bar. I recall someone posting their child would shrink a bit as they didn't want to touch the bar with their head and then were denied.

 

[DisneyOma]

We rolled up napkins inside the heals of my daughters shoes. Got her the extra 1/2 inch she needed to make sure there was no issue.

I am sure I will get flamed for it. But that is what we did. Worked like a charm.

heals - love it, it's fitting!

No flames, but you reap what you sow.

 

[mcjaco]

We rolled up napkins inside the heals of my daughters shoes. Got her the extra 1/2 inch she needed to make sure there was no issue.

I am sure I will get flamed for it. But that is what we did. Worked like a charm.

You should get flamed. There's a reason for the height requirements. They're not only set by the State of Florida, but by the manufacturer as well for the safety of everyone.

 

[piccolopat]

We rolled up napkins inside the heals of my daughters shoes. Got her the extra 1/2 inch she needed to make sure there was no issue.

I am sure I will get flamed for it. But that is what we did. Worked like a charm.

Height requirements are set for safety purposes. I'm curious why you would risk the life and safety of your child just to be able to get on a ride?