Trip tip: Height requirements

[BarryHom]

ISLANDS OF ADVENTURE

Jurassic Park
Jurassic Park River Adventure: 42”
Pteranodon Flyers: 36” to 56”
* Note: Guests over 56 inches tall must be accompanied by a child 36 to 56 inches tall to ride Pteranodon Flyers

The Lost Continent
Dueling Dragons: 54”

Marvel Super Hero Island
The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man: 40”
Dr. Doom’s Fearfall: 52”
The Incredible Hulk Coaster: 54”

Toon Lagoon
Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls: 44”
Popeye and Bluto’s Bildge-Rat Barges: 48”


UNIVERSAL STUDIOS

Production Central
The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera: 40”

Woody Woodpecker’s Kidzone
Woody Woodpecker’s Nuthouse Coaster: 36”

World Expo
Back to the Future: The Ride: 40”
Men in Black: Alien Attack: 42”

Barry Hom
Moderator, Universal and Sea World Boards

 

[jay-nee]

This was needed information that I had on my list of things to find out!

Other than Hulk and Dueling Dragons, my 7 yr old daughter makes all other height requirments - WAHOO! (we weren't going to do Dr Doom's Fearfall anyway)...

Thanks again...

88 - FW
92 - Offsite (Holiday Inn Main Gate East)
93 - Dixie Landings
96 - CBR
97 - All Star Sports (Basketball)
98 - All Star Sports (Surfing)
99 - Disneyland!!!
99 - All Star Music (Calypso)
00 - All Star Movies (Love Bug)
01 - All Star Music (Calypso again?)

 

[gsn]

Thanks for the information.
Could you please tell me how keen they are with the Hulk and Duelling dragons, as my 8 year old son is just 54" tall with his new "high heeled trainers" and he will be upset if they make him take them off to measure him.

We will be over there in 3 weeks and 6 days and counting.

Is there anything for an 18 month old baby?

Thanks again
Gary

 

[Triton]

Isn't there a way to ride Hanna Barberra if you are under 40"? I believe I read something about either a booster seat or non-moving seating.

 

[eltz1]

My daughter was so dissapointed the first year that last year I bought a set of sneakers at K-Mart with three inch heels. I still needed to put some inserts in them for her to be tall enough. We carried these shoes with us and she changed before we went on rides. It worked like a charm for us. My wife was concerned about safety features but there were none. I am only telling you what we did. I am not recommending this for folks who take issue.

 

[triciamc]

I also used the high platform tennis shoes for my daughter but I also bought a hat. I did not get on too obvious just a lampshade or sailor looking hat. That added another inch!!

 

[pathubia]

we did the same with my 7 year old daughter, plus she has long hair, which we put "up" for some added height..

 

[KHansen454]

I work for Universal and would just like to give everyone a warning about the height requirments... The height requirments are are tailored specifically for each ride. They take into account not only the speed of the ride, but how each vehicle is built. Example - On the Jurassic Park river adventure, the lap bar is built for a certain height ( out here in CA the requirment is 46 inches. We have had children that are too small slip by the ride ops and ride the ride- only to come off with broken jaws/teeth from slamming face first into the lap bar. A child can always slip by the height checks- especially is a parent is trying to sneak them by. Out here in CA- we make children wearing hats take them off, kids with hair up in huge hair- we look at the base of the head- not the hair!!!! Also if a child has stuff in his/her shoes or shoes with huge heels- we do make them take it out/off. As a ride operator, As a ride operator, it is our job to make sure that safety comes first. If you are ever unsure of why a height requirment is in place, ask the operator!!! Usually when we explain the specific reason, parents are not so willing to risk their childs safety for a ride - especially since usually the reason for the height requirment is different from what the parent assumed in the first place. Honestly, I would advise parents to wait until their child is a inch or two over the height requirment. The requirments are based on minumum safetly- to allow more people to meet the requirment to ride. If your child is under the requirment, please wait until they reach the proper height. A sad child, is much better than an injured one!!! - Karen

 

[pathubia]

thanks for the info...fortunately she has just hit the 54 inch mark and whe wont be "at risk" on our next visit in august

 

[KHansen454]

Happy to hear she made the requirment!!! Have a great trip!!! Karen

 

[joe]

If I have to wait until my child is a couple of inches over the requirement to feel like she is safe, then Universal should be ashamed that they are putting a child at risk so they can get more people to experience their rides. What on God's earth is "MINIMUM" safety anyway? If there is any risk at all then the requirement should be higher.

 

[KHansen454]

The height requirments are set by the engineers of the rides. Most people who are at the height requirment, will be safe riding the ride. However, the height is the lowest (minumium) it can be and still be considered safe. On the jurassic park ride out here in CA- if a child is right at the 46 inch requirment- they will barely be clearing the top of the lap bar. Most children who are 46 inchs and ride are safe- however, sometimes a child will bend down or slouch during the drop and ram their mouth into the lap bar, injuring themselves. This is a good reason why it is not safe for children under the height to go on and why I believe it is better to wait until children are a good inch or two over the height. Also, all small children are seated in the middle of the row- if they are under the height or right at it, they will have a hard time seeing the ride because of the lap bar and adults surrounding them. Universal and Disney have strict safety standards- most children that meet the height requirment will be perfectly safe on the ride. I am just giving my opinion based on seeing thousands of people ride a day- and having to deal with situations ( including accidents). The safety restrictions are set for very specific reasons, please make sure your child meets, if not exceeds the requirments. Also, be sure to ask the reason for the requirments at each ride you are considering going on- even if everyone is your party meets the requirment. This goes for medical conditions as well as height requirments. It's important to understand what you will be experiencing, before you experience it. Hope this clarifys!!! - Karen

 

[Robinrs]

Thank you Karen!

I am a strict fanatic about "safety" coming before "fun"...

My son is 53 1/2 inches tall as of Saturday. We went to Six Flags Over Georgia and the 54" requirement is for the Batman ride. I told him he couldn't do it just like he can't for the Hulk and Dueling Dragons.

I know these requirements are meant for our children's safety and, heck, they have to wait till they're big enough or OLD enough for ALOT of things, this is just one of them.

My son skipped away from Batman saying "cool, 1/2 inch to go!"

We must, as parents, let them know that rules are made to be followed, not broken.

I'm stepping off my soapbox, now.... <IMG WIDTH="15" HEIGHT="15" SRC="/infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif" alt="razz">

-------------------------

MOM
Mother of Michael
Proverbs 3:5-6

<font color=purple>Co-Moderator of the Community and Universal/IOA Boards</font color=purple>

 

[padams]

with our DSs by saying that it (being too short on a trip for a certain ride) is a great reason to come back to the park in the future (when they are big enough). DSs have never been disappointed because they are excited about the possiblity of another trip. Knowing younger DS was too short for a roller coaster recently, we had the ride operator measure him to determine how much he needed to grow. The ride operator was great with DS and made a big deal about it. DS was thrilled that he only had to grow about 1.5 inches- he's eating his veggies now!

 

[BarryHom]

Bump!

Barry Hom
Moderator, Universal and Sea World Boards

Click HERE for interesting Universal Orlando information!

 

[eltz1]

Now I don't want to go on a rant or anything but...We measured our kids up until the time we left and one was to short. I rode the rides the year before and told our daughter she could not ride then until she was bigger. She cried for a little bit and went on. This year, I determined that she would be fine, stuck some stuff in her high heels and went for it. This is not recommended but it was what we wanted to do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think some folks are the type who wait patiently in the traffic line on the highway that is merging into one lane and some will drive on ahead and merge in at the last moment, cutting a bunch of unneeded waiting time.
Some folks are safety nuts and they miss out on so many things in life. TO EACH HIS OWN! I am not cutting on anyone! I am not trying to stir anyone up so don't take it the wrong way. This is just my opinion. And as Dennis Miller says, "I could be wrong."

 

[JenC025]

"I think some folks are the type who wait patiently in the traffic line on the highway that is merging into one lane and some will drive on ahead and merge in at the last moment, cutting a bunch of unneeded waiting time.
Some folks are safety nuts and they miss out on so many things in life. TO EACH HIS OWN! I am not cutting on anyone! I am not trying to stir anyone up so don't take it the wrong way. This is just my opinion. And as Dennis Miller says, "I could be wrong."

OK comparing the two are apples and oranges. Fudging a little on the height is nothing comapared to the ignorant people who merge at the last minute. Those people are rude and outright obnoxious. While everyone waits patiently through the long wait of traffic- here comes some jerk that thinks she/he is going to zip right up cut me off. They think they are above waiting like everyone else. Don't get me started.
As for the height I think maybe an inch is ok but certainly no more than that. It's just not worth risking the safety of the child for a three minute thrill ride.

 

[acmepreach]

I think eltz1 has the right idea. Jenco25 needs to take more risks in life. Some people have trampolines in their back yard and folks drive by and say I would never let my child....
There's just more to life - time is short - seize the day!

 

[JenC025]

When someone drives all the way up inside of waiting in traffic and then wants you to let them go ahead of you. That makes me really mad. We have two roads we travel on where people do this all the time- then they get mad when you honk your horn and tell them forget it get in the back of the line (does that make sense? I'm trying to word it right)

 

[eltz1]

Jenco25 why do you wait? Why don't you be the one to drive up and merge in at the front. I didn't say to be rude. I am not rude but I think there is more to life than waiting for an hour in a line. I didn't mean to make you mad. I spent a lot of money on a trip to a park and when I realised that the safety issue was gone for my children I went for it. Not rude but simply realising time is short. You tell your child to come back next year and what if you don't have next year?