39.75 Inch Tall Kid???

[PintoColvig]

I actually have a problem with the way the minimum heights are set. The height is measured while a child is standing up but they won't be riding while standing up. He or she will be sitting down. That means that a 39" tall kid could be as tall as a 40" kid if both were sitting down.

This applied in my family. My daughter is almost two inches taller than her brother when standing up. But sitting down, his long torso makes him taller than his sister.

So here's my point, is it negligient to let a child ride an attraction who does not meet its minimum height if he or she is as tall while sitting down as a child who meets the minimum height standard? Is the first child less safe than the second?

Before you ask, I'll tell you. The shorter child in my family made it onto the same rides as his sister. And he was completely safe. If you don't agree, I don't care. :kiss:

 

[bladerunner]

My dissapointment with the system has been that my twin boys can ride Test Track one day but not StarTours the next and even had a problems such as that they have been denied entrance on the same day to go on a ride a second time around. I'll be glad when they are well past the 40" mark so there is no confusion in measuring them. But we have never argued with the CM's - we understand they need to make sure everyone is safe.

 

[blackerbys17]

This is a really good thread! I was just wondering the same thing about my almost 3 year old. He is tall for his age and surely looks more like 3 1/2. I've been waiting to take him on more rides for what seems forever! I measured him thw other day and I'm pretty sure he is 38 1/2" tall (was kind of hard to tell since he was wiggling so much) and that was bare-footed.

I am almost 100% sure he can go on Kali River Rapids which is cool cause I've never been on it so we'll get to experience it for the 1st time together! But what I REALLY want to get him on is my favorite ride, Soarin'. So, can anyone confirm that he may be able to go on even if he is shorter than 40"? One of the posts mentioned it may be possible with the use of a special belt? :veryconfu

And also, is there a place at the front of the park where we can measure him to see how tall he is? It might be easier then disappointing him by trying at different rides.

Thanks for the help everyone, we are going this Sunday and I can't wait!:sohappy:

 

[shari71]

My experience: the height markers are at least 1/2 to 1 inch taller. How many times I measured my daughters before we went to see what we could plan on and then get there and the marker does not say the same thing.

What I really dislike is the multiple measurings. One lets you in, then another makes you get out. It is very subjective. I would prefer they have a measuring station at the entry of the park. They measure your child and give them a color coded wristband. That way CMs could look at the wrist band and know they can get on or not. No more subjectivness - you know what your child can and cannot ride.

Last May, our youngest wanted to ride TT. She kept squishing down to get under the height bar and would not stand up straight. I did not argue, I just took her away. When she realized what that she was not going to get to ride, she stood up straight. Her head just touched the measuring stick...she was supposedly 41 inches according to our doctor....

I don't argue over any of it. I just get annoyed with the hassle of my child being measured in three spots along the way with the CMs trying to tell if their heads touch the stick or not. Gets fustrating for the child to get so far and then have to be taken out. Luckly this has not happened to us.

I remember riding RnRC and a kid had made it through the first measuring spot. I was there and saw him, but when we got to the FP area, they measured him again and he did not make it. Why the difference in the two spots?

Restrictions are needed, that is not what angers me. It is the differences in measuring spots and what one CM allows and another doesn't.

 

[zeroFantasy]

He will have to touch the bar. If he does, he's good. If he doesn't then he won't be let onto the ride. Also remember that there are several height check points on the rides, so even if a person in the front of the building lets your child on, a person inside might not... and that's a waste of your time, or at least it would have been in the summer. If his shoes make him 40+ inches tall then he will be let onto the ride.

 

[JimboJones123]

Anybody ever hear of "Sock Stuffing"?

 

[blackerbys17]

Yeah, I'm with you Jimbo. I wouldn't do it for more intense rides like Splash Mountain but for Soarin', I think DS will be wearing his boots and extra cushy socks and we'll hope for the best. Worst case scenario, we will do the child swap thing but I hate having to split up the family. I'll let you guys know how it went on Monday! :wave:

 

[Highland_Holly]

My son was at the Dr's office yesterday and he just passed 48"!!! He actually measured at 49.25". He's a bit of a ______-wee at 9 yrs old and had to sit out on some rides last time, but we are all set for this year! YAY!

As for the close to 40", I agree that the rides are most likely engineered for safety a few inches shorter than the requirement. They'd have to be... since so many people will stretch (and stuff shoes, and spike hair, etc.) to meet that minimum. Tell your son to think tall thoughts and have fun!

 

[Highland_Holly]

How funny that the world "P" was edited out... LOL I guess I never think of that as profane...

 

[Montu]

Totally don't agree here. A child 39.75 inches is at absolutly miniscule percentage higher risk of injury as a 40 inch child.

Plus, these rides are built with a buffer in them. Rides that have a 40 inch requirement are probably engineered for safety of a 37 inch person, or something similar. They don't design rides to border on safety using the height requirement number.

Let kids be kids. Find me even one 39.75 inch kid that got on a 40 inch ride and was injured based on that .25 inch difference. Come on people. Be reasonable.

Try to get him on. If it's that close, and a cast member doesn't let him on, wait till later when someone else is height checking. If the kid wants to go on a ride, try to make it happen without worry or prejudice as long as you aren't breaking the rules. Nothing wrong with that. And you'll be thankful down the road when he's talking about that trip you took to disney and he wanted to ride "so and so" and had to be height checked 3 times, but finally made it on, and it was the best ride of his life.

I find your post to be unbelievably ignorant. The bottom line is, if the kid should be allowed to ride, then the height requirement would be 39.75, not 40. I'm always shocked and amazed by people like you who have no regard for your child's safety, and make it clear that all that matters is that *you* get on the ride you want (regardless of if the child even wants to ride).

No one is out to "screw" you. If they tell you your kid is not tall enough, it is because he *is not tall enough* to ride. If you have a problem, write a letter to the company that designed the ride system / restraints, do NOT fight with a cast member or a theme park manager who has NOTHING to do with setting the height requirement. And just because your kid was sneaked onto a ride once is not your golden ticket to take him on every single time. "But he rode it yesterday" does not make him the proper height requirement, period.


The bottom line here is that the numbers are all about safety. The beauty of it is that you don't need to understand it, you just need to follow it.

For the original poster, if your kid is 39.75, I'd say there's a chance that with shoes your kid will be 40, but if they are even a hair under 40" then they are not 40", remember that. I'm pleased to see that, at least here, you say you would never aruge with a cast member over that - I just hope you stick to that once you arrive in the park

 

[mgraef]

Yeah, I'm with you Jimbo. I wouldn't do it for more intense rides like Splash Mountain but for Soarin', I think DS will be wearing his boots and extra cushy socks and we'll hope for the best. Worst case scenario, we will do the child swap thing but I hate having to split up the family. I'll let you guys know how it went on Monday! :wave:

That is the point of why I started this whole discussion. I would love to receive an email when you get back to see how it all went. I swear my son was tall enough at home for the ride.

Maybe I will bring a measuring tape with me to check the height of the testing stations.

 

[mgraef]

Maybe I will bring a measuring tape with me to check the height of the testing stations.

Quoting myself :zipit: - I agree with others that consistency in application of the rules would be great, but I also do not think MK wants a big to do with a measuring station at the front gate with parents arguing that their children should be tall enough, while Mickey looks on in astonishment. Too much friction too early.

Peace

 

[Jorden]

I will admit I haven't had too many problems with guests arguing with me... yet. The exceptions are the consistancy standards everyones mentioning, wither it's the childs 2nd ride of the day, or they've ridden all of the other 44 inch attractions and I deem them too short to ride. I make sure their skull touches the bar (this is how I was trainied and I'm not waivering), not their hair or whatever some other CMs use.

Oh and working at the only 44 inch attraction at Epcot gives me a few interesting moments when a child comes up, that I know is too short. I tell the parents I have to measure them and they start to flip out about how they'll be fine since they just met Test Tracks (at 40 inches). They calm down pretty quick when they see the large 44 on the stick.

 

[mrerk]

But what I REALLY want to get him on is my favorite ride, Soarin'. So, can anyone confirm that he may be able to go on even if he is shorter than 40"? One of the posts mentioned it may be possible with the use of a special belt? :veryconfu

He still needs to be 40". Once you sit down there is a mark on the back of the seat that indicates whether or not you need to use the crotch belt.

 

[blackerbys17]

Well, it's official, he's not 40" tall yet.

We tried to go on Soarin' (didn't try to pad his shoes or anything) and he was about 1" too short. However, he was tall enough to go on Kali River Rapids and of course, the Barnstormer, both rides he had never been on. All in all, we had a great time and since there was NO wait on Soarin' (I know, hard to believe) both DH and I got to enjoy the ride with no wait! :sohappy:

 

[Nemo14]

Well, it's official, he's not 40" tall yet.

We tried to go on Soarin' (didn't try to pad his shoes or anything) and he was about 1" too short. However, he was tall enough to go on Kali River Rapids and of course, the Barnstormer, both rides he had never been on. All in all, we had a great time and since there was NO wait on Soarin' (I know, hard to believe) both DH and I got to enjoy the ride with no wait! :sohappy:

Glad he got to do some new things - now start stretching him for your next trip!