How strict is Disney on height requirements for rides?

[DisneyDad1964]

Ride height requirements at WDW

I'd like to think (Hope!) that those designing/testing the rides know the safe heights and enforce them- with good reason. I'm sure not going to question them- there's too much at stake. I do think they should measure when you go in to the park (when in question) and give a wristband, stamp etc. so you don't wait in line just to get turned away.

My 7-year-old was furious at Universal IOA when he was too small (about 1 1/2 inches) for Dueling Dragons & the Hulk coaster. I explained that it was for his own safety, but that didn't really make him feel better. Gives him an incentive to finish his veggies so he can go on next year!

 

[DisneyJoe]

The state amusement safety commission (whatever it is called) sets the height regulations, not Disney.

 

[DznyGrlSD]

Disney does not care what we do!

Post of the day!! EPIC WIN :sohappy::sohappy:

 

[hardcard]

Um, HELLO - it's for your kids' SAFETY!!!

I don't want to start a flame-war but what kind of parent are you?? (and I'm not just calling you out MyLittleAngels - this is directed to ANY parent trying to get their child around a height requirement)

Having worked in attractions at an amusement park (Not Disney) where there are minimum height requirements - they're set for a reason. Usually it's because anyone shorter than the minumum height requirements could possibly slip out of the safety restraints and be injured or possibly killed. I don't want to imagine the lawsuit that some parent would bring on if their child got injured or killed on a height requirement ride because they 'cheated' the system.

I've seen parents make their poor children walk around an amusement park in heels, if seen parents stuff their child's shoes with paper, I've seen it all and it's just NOT SAFE!! I know vacations are expensive, if your kid isn't going to be tall enough - hold off another year - the rides will STILL BE THERE!!

Call it pent-up aggression from being called every possible 4-letter word in the book, being split on and once even shoved for not letting your little "angel" on a roller coaster....but c'mon people.

The NICE thing about Disney is that there are MANY MANY alternatives to the "big kid" rides that your too-short child will enjoy and most of the time forget about the one they can't ride.

*steps off of her soapbox*

she wasn't advocating cheating the system... She was simply stating that it's ridculous to ask guests to disbrobe in any way.... Sorry, but you don't go to disney to be strip searched.. I don't care if you worked at Wally World or Six Flags, or whatever.. I understand your desire to keep others safe, but basically, as long as they are within tolerance, the rider assumes the risk on riding ANY attraction anyway..

I understand the safety regarding heights, and with an engineering background, I understand tolerance and constraint, and compensation..

FYI, the height requirement on everest is set where it is for 'fear' reasons, not for retraint reasons ... Space mountain would be a minimum of 40, except for the fact that it's difficult for a parent to monitor their children in the toboggan seating... Stitch has a height requirement for the 'fear factor' alone..

My point is, if the child is tall enough in shoes, they are tall enough.. don't wear stilts, but the inch or so extra is not going to be a life and death difference.. Any engineer designing restraints with that close of a safety tolerance would be idiotic to say the least..

Again, not advocating cheating, but if the shoes add an inch to the height.. whats the difference?

Hey, heres a weird question.. What do you do with a amputee (legs) for height req? they obvious have the stock to hold onto the restraints appropriately... ??

 

[MyLittleAngels]

Um, HELLO - it's for your kids' SAFETY!!!

I don't want to start a flame-war but what kind of parent are you?? (and I'm not just calling you out MyLittleAngels - this is directed to ANY parent trying to get their child around a height requirement)

Having worked in attractions at an amusement park (Not Disney) where there are minimum height requirements - they're set for a reason. Usually it's because anyone shorter than the minumum height requirements could possibly slip out of the safety restraints and be injured or possibly killed. I don't want to imagine the lawsuit that some parent would bring on if their child got injured or killed on a height requirement ride because they 'cheated' the system.

I've seen parents make their poor children walk around an amusement park in heels, if seen parents stuff their child's shoes with paper, I've seen it all and it's just NOT SAFE!! I know vacations are expensive, if your kid isn't going to be tall enough - hold off another year - the rides will STILL BE THERE!!

Call it pent-up aggression from being called every possible 4-letter word in the book, being split on and once even shoved for not letting your little "angel" on a roller coaster....but c'mon people.

The NICE thing about Disney is that there are MANY MANY alternatives to the "big kid" rides that your too-short child will enjoy and most of the time forget about the one they can't ride.

*steps off of her soapbox*

Don't you dare presume to make assumations about what kind of parent I am. I wouldn't remove my children's shoes for anyone, much less some rude ride op. Theme parks are disgusting, and there isn't any chance in hell that I would remove my children's shoes to make you, or any other op happy. Show me where I said I was bumping their height ... All I said is I wouldn't remove their shoes. Unless you make every single person remove their shoes to be measured, don't think for a second I'm going to allow myself to be singled out.

And for the record, especially at Disney, several of those height requirements are not due to safety, but because of attrations being "too scary" for someone "shorter" (SGE, anyone?).

Also, the 1/2" shoes provide will not make or break the engineers' allowed heights for the ride. If it was that sensitive, the height requirement would be even higher, providing a large buffer room for safety.

You need to consider your posts very seriously before attacking someone for no damn reason. You don't know jack about me or my children, and have no reason or right to assume I would risk my children for a stupid ride.

 

[markjohns1]

Don't you dare presume to make assumations about what kind of parent I am. I wouldn't remove my children's shoes for anyone, much less some rude ride op...

Relax on the cast members. It is their job, and for consistancy it should be strict. It's really sad, too, because I've seen many adults throw tantrums way worse than their children ever do. Just be prepared that if you sweet talk, or yell at, the entrance cast member, you'll likely have to do it all over again before boarding.

The fact remains that every time a cast member lets a child through they put their job on the line, which most guests don't understand. If an accident occurs on an attraction with a height requirement and a child is involved, and that child is below the height requirement, those cast members who had the capability to check will not have jobs anymore. No matter how much money you spent on a vacation, it's not worth more then that cast member's livelihood.

That being said, I have never had anyone remove shoes before. That is a bit excessive. I've actually never witnessed that before, but I'm sure it happens. Pushing the hair down, sure, but that happens when they step under the bar anyways.

 

[chwilson88]

Can't we all just get along?

 

[WDW_Emily]

It depends on the CM and the Ride itself. my cousin was about an inch to short to ride sorin'(40in) but they still let him. Later that day he tryed to get onto Test Track and wasn't allowed. Its all for safety. when ever someone asks something like this i think of the 4 year old on Mission:Space.

 

[NewfieFan]

Don't you dare presume to make assumations about what kind of parent I am. I wouldn't remove my children's shoes for anyone, much less some rude ride op. Theme parks are disgusting, and there isn't any chance in hell that I would remove my children's shoes to make you, or any other op happy. Show me where I said I was bumping their height ... All I said is I wouldn't remove their shoes. Unless you make every single person remove their shoes to be measured, don't think for a second I'm going to allow myself to be singled out.

And for the record, especially at Disney, several of those height requirements are not due to safety, but because of attrations being "too scary" for someone "shorter" (SGE, anyone?).

Also, the 1/2" shoes provide will not make or break the engineers' allowed heights for the ride. If it was that sensitive, the height requirement would be even higher, providing a large buffer room for safety.

You need to consider your posts very seriously before attacking someone for no damn reason. You don't know jack about me or my children, and have no reason or right to assume I would risk my children for a stupid ride.

Whoa, whoa, calm down! Somebody else needs to consider their posts very seriously as well!

I can only imagine what CMs have to put up with in the run of a day. And asking a child to take off their shoes is not that "off the wall". If you don't want to do it... fine... but you may be refused to ride the attraction! CMs are just doing their job and that is following the rules and trying to keep everyone safe. And why is the CM some "rude ride op" now? You are now making assumptions... the same thing you accuse the poster of!

And by the way... you have to remove your shoes in airport security and I'm sure their floors are no more cleaner than a theme parks!!!

 

[hardcard]

Whoa, whoa, calm down! Somebody else needs to consider their posts very seriously as well!

I can only imagine what CMs have to put up with in the run of a day. And asking a child to take off their shoes is not that "off the wall". If you don't want to do it... fine... but you may be refused to ride the attraction! CMs are just doing their job and that is following the rules and trying to keep everyone safe. And why is the CM some "rude ride op" now? You are now making assumptions... the same thing you accuse the poster of!

And by the way... you have to remove your shoes in airport security and I'm sure their floors are no more cleaner than a theme parks!!!

Removing shoes at an airport to make sure you aren't a moron with c4 heels is completely different than this situation..

Either way.. Don't cheat the system.. and CM's don't need to be about it either.

 

[MyLittleAngels]

Relax on the cast members. It is their job, and for consistancy it should be strict. It's really sad, too, because I've seen many adults throw tantrums way worse than their children ever do. Just be prepared that if you sweet talk, or yell at, the entrance cast member, you'll likely have to do it all over again before boarding.

I also never said I'd go afte the cast member . .You people read WAY too much into nothing. If they told me to remove my kids' shoes and put their feet on that dirty ground where they could step on who knows what that someone else dropped, I'd just leave the attraction and come back later.

I'm simply saying that no one dictates what I do with my children. If I don't like what you say, I'll leave. In the case of a cast member, they'll be switched out to another position later.

And for the record, some cast members ARE rude and obnoxious. I had one person, years ago, yell at my daughter, grab her arm and yank her around, and scare her out of riding Body Wars, because she wasn't standing up properly under the measurement stick. This was when she was just 40", and they wanted multiple measurements before she rode. I complained about her, and then ran into her again later .. And she was rude again.

I had another CM grab my youngest when trying to measure her for Goofy's .. She was going through a terrible stranger fear stage, and anyone touching her but me could set her off (so bad, even my parents couldn't come near her without hysterics .. thanks, Katrina).

In my experience, some CMs think they're the end all be all because of their positions .. But I wouldn't remove any part of my children's clothing for any person. If we don't ride, so be it.

 

[MyLittleAngels]

Whoa, whoa, calm down! Somebody else needs to consider their posts very seriously as well!

AfterI was "called out" for her perceptions, she deserved such a response. If she doesn't like it, maybe she should reread my original post and see if I ever said, "Sure, boost your kid up, it's great!". And read my pervious post for my experiences with some less than stellar CMs .. That happens, too, you know. It's not always magic and rainbows.

 

[NewfieFan]

After being called out for her perceptions, she deserved such a response. If she doesn't like it, maybe she should reread my original post and see if I ever said, "Sure, boost your kid up, it's great!". And read my pervious post for my experiences with some less than stellar CMs .. That happens, too, you know. It's not always magic and rainbows.

I'm well aware "it's not always magic and rainbows" but to call any CM or any other ride op rude b/c they may ask your child to take off his or her shoes is generalizing in my books! Not every CM/attraction operator is perfect but what they have to put up with in the run of a day would boggle the human mind!
If my child was asked to remove his or her shoes and I didn't want to do so... then fine that's my choice but I wouldn't take it out on the CM or call them rude!

 

[NewfieFan]

Removing shoes at an airport to make sure you aren't a moron with c4 heels is completely different than this situation..

Either way.. Don't cheat the system.. and CM's don't need to be about it either.

I was refering to the cleaniness of the floor in places where you are asked to remove your shows! Go reread my post!!!:brick:

 

[Uncle Lupe]

Thick shoes, thick socks and do a lot of stretching exercises before and during the vacation.

 

[MyLittleAngels]

I'm well aware "it's not always magic and rainbows" but to call any CM or any other ride op rude b/c they may ask your child to take off his or her shoes is generalizing in my books!

If you single out one person to take shoes off, and let tons of others flow by, then it's rudeness. My children ride in tennis shoes or crocs, depending on what they've worn for the day. I will not remove these for the purposes of height measurement. If that particular CM decides that they have a right to demand I DO remove them, than we'll move on. I never said anything about sticking kids in heels or whatever to raise their height.

In fact, my daughter does occasionally wear heels to the park, because she's just that kind of a girl, and I will not allow her to remove her shoes there. She very clearly is above the height limit for everything she'd like to ride atm, but I would still not remove her shoes for measuring.

I never condoned heels for height boosting, or attacking CMs for doing their jobs. But, I also won't stand by and allow unfairness to be heaped upon one person for no reason. And I have absolutely zero tolerance for being called a bad parent because someone got their panties in a bunch for no reason.

 

[ryno1982]

It depends on the CM and the Ride itself. my cousin was about an inch to short to ride sorin'(40in) but they still let him. Later that day he tryed to get onto Test Track and wasn't allowed. Its all for safety. when ever someone asks something like this i think of the 4 year old on Mission:Space.

Ugh. I hate the CMs that let the kids on even if they're too short. The parent will say "But he just rode Big Thunder!" when they are rejected at Splash and it's hard to explain that they never should have been able to ride to begin with.

The four year old was tall enough. There are no measurements for heart defects, which is what the kid had.

 

[I_heart_Tigger]

If you single out one person to take shoes off, and let tons of others flow by, then it's rudeness. My children ride in tennis shoes or crocs, depending on what they've worn for the day. I will not remove these for the purposes of height measurement. If that particular CM decides that they have a right to demand I DO remove them, than we'll move on. I never said anything about sticking kids in heels or whatever to raise their height.

In fact, my daughter does occasionally wear heels to the park, because she's just that kind of a girl, and I will not allow her to remove her shoes there. She very clearly is above the height limit for everything she'd like to ride atm, but I would still not remove her shoes for measuring.

I never condoned heels for height boosting, or attacking CMs for doing their jobs. But, I also won't stand by and allow unfairness to be heaped upon one person for no reason. And I have absolutely zero tolerance for being called a bad parent because someone got their panties in a bunch for no reason.

If your dughater is well above the height limit then no worries, you wouldn't be asked to remove her shoes but there are kids below the height limit that will be wearing heels or platforms as well and they may be asked to take off their shoes.

If the parent doesn't want to, fine, don't ride the ride. Just get out of the way and allow other kids to be measured. Maybe another CM will let them in another day but hopefully not, if they are under the limit they should not be on the ride.

Have you actually seen a CM randomly ask someone well above the height limit to remove their shoes and then randomly allow others who are below the height limit, to go by. If so, then I agree that would be a problem.

If not then you have no worries since your daughter is above the limit and you have the right to not have them remove their shoes. Perhaps you have come across CM's who were very rude...in my numerous trips at Disney parks I have never experienced that so I agree that would be a shocking experience and possibly traumatic for your child but having a CM confirm a childs height by asking them to remove heels is not being rude at all.

 

[MyLittleAngels]

Again, I absolutely never said anyone should be allowed a ride if they don't reach the stick.

Also, I find Disney has good height measurements, in that their sticks are consistent. Seaworld, OTOH, is terrible. Every stick is a different height. I measured my daughter at their guest services, and she was above the 40" mark (by just a hair, but still above). At Journey to Atlantica, she was several inches below the 40" mark, as well as varying amounts below throughout the children's area (I found the marker by the carousel to be grossly off). She was definitely above 40', having measured her regularly to make sure she would be able to ride things once she got there.

Aquatica, also, has a problem, IMO. They have measuring stations, where your children can get a wristband, but they were measuring in the sand. they said my daughter was 3" shorter than she really is. I pulled the bracelet off after we left the station because it prevented her from going on slides she regularly used ... consistency, again, is a key problem.