What to do about height?

[Fenchurch]

Hmm. I wonder if the CM's are more lenient on the rides where 1" might not make as big of a difference (like Splash). I can see on RockNRoller Coaster that they would have to be sticklers because of the restraint system, but Splash is only a seat without even a belt. I wonder . . .

 

[snocrossmechanic]

We went through this last year. We felt that Disney used my son as the marketing boy because as soon as we hit 40" we hit 3 and we started to pay for his admission.

They are getting very strict on the height measurements. You may find that the entrance "stick" is different than the one they use as you enter the actual ride. Many times they asked my son to have his back against the post with his feet together and to stand up straight. They were encouraging him to make it on the ride but he did need to hit the top stick to make it. They also press on his hair too just in case it added height. 40" does not mean its correct everywhere. He would hit his head on the top bar on some measuring sticks and hardly touch others even if the height was the same. I think Soarin was the highest of the 40"ers.

Shoes will make the most difference, if you are within 1/2". We did not research it at all but once we came home from the trip we realized that tennis shoes will add much more height than sandals or flip flops.

Best you can do is hope for a little growth between now and when you go.

Mark

 

[Silly Little Pixie]

They are getting very strict on the height measurements. You may find that the entrance "stick" is different than the one they use as you enter the actual ride. Many times they asked my son to have his back against the post with his feet together and to stand up straight. They were encouraging him to make it on the ride but he did need to hit the top stick to make it. They also press on his hair too just in case it added height. 40" does not mean its correct everywhere. He would hit his head on the top bar on some measuring sticks and hardly touch others even if the height was the same. I think Soarin was the highest of the 40"ers.

I found the same thing to be true at Disneyland. Maybe it's the same inaccurate sticks?! I recall Soarin' being way off from the other measuring sticks.

One trip when DS was finally 40 inches (and he's a tiny guy, like the OPs daughter, so he'd been waiting awhile), we were all so excited. Only to discover that while he "hit" the bar for rides like Splash and Star Tours, the CM would try to pass a paper between the bar and his hair for BTMRR or Soarin'. It was very inconsistent, and one of them was at least a good inch taller than the other sticks. VERY frustrating.

I would definitely try the first-thing-in-the-morning trick though. I think there's probably some truth to that.

Good luck!! I'll be crossing my fingers for you that the Splash Mountain measuring bar IS the short end of the stick!

 

[RMulieri]

MY DD is soon to be 6 yrs old and is BARELY hitting 40 inches....I hope that she is tall enough come December 12th.The poor kid couldn't go on Splash LAst year either...COME ON GROWTH SPURT

 

[ShannonMB]

I would echo a couple other posters -- definitely try early am, because the spongy stuff between the vertebrae actually compresses throughout the day, making us shorter as the day goes on! And the standing up straight thing is a biggie, too. Teach her to take a deep breath in and stand up as absolutely straight as possible. In my experience, that makes a big difference! My DD was just shy of riding Primevil Whirl on our first trip, and I could tell if she stood up straighter she would have made it. The CM even told her to stand up straight and tall, but she didn't get it (either that or she was secretly hoping not to be tall enough!). Train her to be as tall as possible!

Best of luck to the little pixie!

 

[Iwant2BAprincess]

rolled up socks over here too. We were missing the marker by about a quarter of an inch. If I felt it was truely putting my child in harms way I wouldn't have done it but I figured it was no different than if he had on a pair of shoes with that little extra height. flame me if you must

 

[Wall-E1]

With all this talk about early morning and spines being longer then, I was thinking... why not have her get spinal surgery and have an extra vertebrae placed in her spine. There's your 1 1/2 inches. Problem solved.

 

[princessmom29]

Op, there is hope. My DD had just turned 5 when we went last Nov. and was 40" without shoes. She is now 45" without shoes. Yes, she grew 5 inces in a year!!! We went form a 4T to a 6/6x and from a 8.5-11.5 in shoes!!!

 

[richmo]

I think there's a surgical procedure where they break your legs and put them in a brace and they stretch you by turning some screws every so often. That might work.

But...as others have said, one good growth spurt and you're there. I did notice on my last trip that CM's seem to be more aggressive about checking height than they have in the past. The height restrictions are there for a reason and if he's under height, be prepared to not ride.

 

[Wall-E1]

One other suggestion - I think I heard somewhere that Disney has either a baby swap or child swap for some of the attractions that have height restrictions. Perhaps you could just swap out your child for a taller one.

 

[JeffGoldblum]

Everyone is focusing on the wrong thing. Why make her child taller when you should be making everyone else shorter? Invest in a shrink-ray and mount it to the moon

 

[princessmom29]

Everyone is focusing on the wrong thing. Why make her child taller when you should be making everyone else shorter? Invest in a shrink-ray and mount it to the moon

Ohhhh! I like the way you think! Short people of the world unite!!!

 

[Mickeypooh99]

One other suggestion - I think I heard somewhere that Disney has either a baby swap or child swap for some of the attractions that have height restrictions. Perhaps you could just swap out your child for a taller one.

 

[djblu883]

I know someone who makes torture instruments for Renaissance Festivals. I will check to see if a Rack is available.

I was already laughing as I was reading this thread but you made it even mote funny!!! Keep it up!!

 

[itchin2go]

Hope for the best, but prepare your daughter for either outcome.

Don't try to circumvent the safety rules. Bad idea from a safety standpoint. Bad idea because of the example you're setting.

Rules are rules in our family. I am appalled by people who think the rules don't apply to them. (Not that the OP does, but there are always some yahoos in these threads ....)

 

[brymolmom]

To the poster who thought they might be more lenient on Splash Mtn. This was not my experience (but it was a year and a half ago). My dd measured JUST 40 inches with shoes on at home. But when we measured her there - the CM put a PIECE OF PAPER, yes THIN PAPER between the top of her head and the top of the measuring stick and said 'she's not tall enough'.

Definitely tell your dd that you can do something else fun IF she doesn't make it on the 40 inch rides. You don't want it to ruin the trip!

 

[Jasperann]

Our 5 year old is an inch below 40" too... We are going in March as well and are hoping for a growth spurt...especially because her younger brother (will be three) is taller than her.

 

[mjkacmom]

I remember I had these ridiculous flip flops that dd13 wore to Hersey Park years ago - she could barely walk in them, so we would put them on her before she got in line. I don't think Hershey is as strict as WDW. However, after hearing horror stories of children injured or killed on rides that they were actually an inch too short for, we stopped.

The last time we went to Hershey, ds6 wore his crocs instead of sneakers, and he had to watch his twin sister, exactly the same height, go on rides they said he was too short for (I should've checked his feet).

 

[tink20]

Prepare her for the fact, she might not be tall enough, but I will say, when my DS was 6, he grew 3 inches in 6 months, I know this for a fact, because he went to the Dr. in April and then again in Oct., I was shocked he grew that much in such a short time.

 

[Wall-E1]

Hope for the best, but prepare your daughter for either outcome.

Don't try to circumvent the safety rules. Bad idea from a safety standpoint. Bad idea because of the example you're setting.

Rules are rules in our family. I am appalled by people who think the rules don't apply to them. (Not that the OP does, but there are always some yahoos in these threads ....)

It's not that we think the rules don't apply to us. They apply to everybody. Our household just happens to be a rule breaking family. We choose to break rules that apply to us. Please see the list below for other rules that we have broken.

Broken Rules List

1. We have raised our arms in delight while on various Disney roller coasters, even though we were informed to keep our arms in the vehicle.

2. When asked to turn my cell phone off, I don't. I simply switch it to the silent mode.

3. My son and I have split various snacks that we have purchased with the dining plan, even though it specifically states that snack credits are "one person servings".

4. While on Mission Space, and being the commander, I did not push the required button when told to do so. This could have had a disastrous effect on the entire Mars mission.

5. I have ridden on the resort monorail loop while not staying at a monorail resort, even though the sign states that it is for guests at the monorail resorts.

Please understand that this is not an all inclusive list of the many rules that have been broken by our family. I won't mention the resort mug crimes that are committed by our family, for fear of going to Disney jail.