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View Full Version : Disneyland's kids age limit has spread



Darkbeer
01-17-2003, 07:00 PM
I remember when Disneyland was the only park that kids became adults when they were 10. Alas, that has changed!

Well, looks like other theme parks have finally jumped onto the age limit that Disneyland lowered a few years ago!

Universal Studios Hollywood is now age 3-9 for a Child's admission

Sea World of San Diego also now calls kids 3-9.

Knott's still uses the 3-11 age limit.

San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park also uses the 3-11 ages for kids.

Legoland California has the best, calling kids 3 - 12.

Magic Mountain uses the height requirement of 48", but allows 2 and under kids in for free. Actually, I like this breakdown, since kids under 48" are limited as what they can ride at the park.

And looking at Florida

Sea World of Orlando also now uses the 3-9 age limit for kids.

Universal Studios Orlando and Islands of Adventure also now use the 3-9 limit.

As does WDW. I remember that WDW used to use the old 3-11 limit, while Disneyland over here in Southern California used the 3-9 limit. Alas, looks like it has become the new standard.:(

AVP
01-17-2003, 08:00 PM
Originally posted by Darkbeer
Magic Mountain uses the height requirement of 48", but allows 2 and under kids in for free. Actually, I like this breakdown, since kids under 48" are limited as what they can ride at the park.(

I think Magic Mountain's admission policy is the best for a lot of reasons. People who can do less, pay less. ANYONE under 48" gets in for the reduced rate, which means that very short adults, (lacking the current politically correct term), who can't experience many of the rides don't pay full price.

They also had various discounts for guests with disabilities, based, (once upon a time, this might have changed), on the nature of your disability and what physical restrictions you have. When Tony and I went a few years ago, his admission was free, (because he uses a wheelchair, he can not go on the inverted attractions, and many of the attractions are not easily wheelchair-accessible). My ticket was 50% off, (because I was the poor soul who had to push his own wheelchair around that No-So-Magical-After-12-Hot-Hours-Mountain). The rest of our group paid full price.

Not sure what the current policy is, but we very much appreciated the discount. The price we paid was comparable to the amount of the park accessible to us, and took into consideration exactly how miserable that park is to navigate from a wheelchair.

AVP

MouseWife
01-17-2003, 08:08 PM
Aw, that's too bad.

Wasn't Universals age just recently 15?

And Legoland used to maybe be the same???

Thanks for the information. I will be more careful about what plans I throw about.

Darkbeer
01-17-2003, 08:30 PM
MouseWife, yes, you are correct, last year, Universal limit was 15. Both Sea World and Universal changed their limit the first week of 2003. Sea World used to be 3 thru 11. I don't remember the Legoland limit.

And, Magic Mountain also offers a Seniors rate (55+) - same price as the 48" and under ticket, also taking into consideration how many "xtreme" rides they will ride, though I hope to still be a roller coaster lover when I turn 55!!!

marciemi
01-18-2003, 04:12 AM
Just a funny note on the topic. We were looking at prices on the Disneyland website for our trip next month. My 10 year old was astounded that he was an "adult" (although I notice Disney now lists those tickets as adult/junior), and how much more his ticket would cost (3 day) than his brothers. He then asked me if I was going to just say he was 9 so we didn't have to pay more. I told him no, by the time he went he'd be almost 11 so how could I say he was 9? He then asked if I would say his brother was still 9. I told him that since, yes - his brother would be 9 when we went, I was going to say he was 9!

I'm surprised Knotts uses the 3-11 category since they are affiliated with Cedar Fair. We're using our Cedar Point passes there which are done by the anyone over 48" is an adult so my kids have been adults since they were 6. I'm curious if I bought season passes at Knotts instead (about the same price as CP), if Cedar Point would honor the "kids" one for my 11 year old next summer! (or even my 9 and 7 year old!)

Darkbeer
01-18-2003, 07:59 AM
marciemi, great idea! Yes, Knott's AP have worked as Cedar Fair passes in the past. I will check into the current policy.

driftwood714
01-18-2003, 01:23 PM
You'll notice that all mention of the words Adult and Child are removed from current ticket media... Now, it just mentions the price based on age rather than saying Adult and Child. Look at the DL website "Ages 10 and over 47 dollars. Ages 3 to 9 37 dollars." When you call the Info Recorded line, it says "Guests ages 10 and over". Little changes here and there...

I would ultimately want to see the height restrictions in DCA be more aligned to DL's. For example, the 42 inch rides be set to 40 inch. The 48 inch rides be set to 46. So that way they could charge based on a measuring system. It seems more fair. I'm sure if Disney did it, several other parks that didn't would probabyl join in. Who knows..

marciemi
01-18-2003, 02:11 PM
In my AAA book, Disney lists them as "Adults/Juniors". But I know at Cedar Point, Kings Island, Six Flags around here, they never list ages or "adult" type headings, just Over 48", under 48", etc.

As to changing height restrictions, I think they'd be much more likely to raise the DL ones UP to match the ones at DCA. Many of the parks around here seem to be raising their restrictions from year to year. Some at Six Flags in Chicago that were 42" now went to 48", and many at Kings Island went from 42 to 44. Cedar Point changed one from 46 to 48, another from 48 to 54. I don't know if it's a safety, liability issue, or to reduce crowds on some rides or what. But it was really frustrating when my son was 42 inches one year and could ride 2 roller coasters that the next summer when he was 44 inches (& they went to 48) he couldn't!

driftwood714
01-18-2003, 03:21 PM
Sometimes certain states require Parks to change their rules like that. I'd prefer to have the DCA ones lower to match's DL's cuz they're so close (like within 2 inches) for the majority of them.. Also, the elimination of the Adult and Child terms started in early January. As I'm sure that book you have was probably published and printed before then, that's why.

cindanzr
01-18-2003, 03:33 PM
Originally posted by marciemi
Just a funny note on the topic. We were looking at prices on the Disneyland website for our trip next month. My 10 year old was astounded that he was an "adult" (although I notice Disney now lists those tickets as adult/junior), and how much more his ticket would cost (3 day) than his brothers. He then asked me if I was going to just say he was 9 so we didn't have to pay more. I told him no, by the time he went he'd be almost 11 so how could I say he was 9? He then asked if I would say his brother was still 9. I told him that since, yes - his brother would be 9 when we went, I was going to say he was 9!

As part of my job, I bring children and youth groups to the park on occaision (yep, that's right, I get paid to go to DL!). Two years ago, I had my middle schoolers with me, all of whom were above the age of eleven. As I was getting them through the process of purchasing their tickets, I noticed that one of my charges, a boy of twelve and quite tall for his age, was taking longer than normal. Stepping up to the window, I was informed by the CM that although the boy in question could not prove he was nine, the CM would sell him a child's ticket. Yep, the boy was trying to pull a fast one on the CM who knew there was no way this boy could be nine. The CM went on to say that the boy would be stopped at the entrance however and probably not allowed in. I won't bore you with the talking to I had with the boy in question, but I have since then supported the pricing according to height system. It prevents the above from happening and is the most fair system around.

-- Edited to correct vBscript error - Tony.

Morrigoon
01-18-2003, 05:32 PM
Agreed, it's just in general a much more fair system, based on what attractions they are able to use. If you're a 40-year old adult who happens to be a little person*, you're getting charged full price when you can't even ride all the rides!

(*last I heard, this was considered the acceptable term for those of extremely short stature)

DisneyGuy03
01-18-2003, 09:07 PM
(yep, that's right, I get paid to go to DL!)
I want to get paid to go to Disneyland (not working, but get paid to be a guest ;-) )

gr8onesgir1
01-19-2003, 06:37 AM
If you want DCA to change their rides from 48" to 46" then changes must be done to the ride. For example, California Screamin' the reason it's a 48" ride is cuz of the velocity and of course the loop. It's safety reasons why the kid has to be at least 48".

DisneyGuy03
01-19-2003, 08:32 AM
Yeah, the 48" is definitely a requirement on California Screamin' and our new little safety commision may want them to raise it (as pointed out earlie they had others raise thiers, my guess is that theese were on ones with loops, but they raised them to 48", so maybe we'll be fine leaving it alone, who knows,)

cindanzr
01-19-2003, 12:47 PM
Originally posted by DisneyGuy03
I want to get paid to go to Disneyland (not working, but get paid to be a guest ;-) )

I know it sounds great, and I love my job, but it means taking at least a dozen or more hormnally challenged 6th, 7th and 8th graders with you. I then become that dreaded park patron, the woman trying to keep young teenagers in line, trying not to be the dreaded "stop in middle of traffic with my group" person, trying to keep the girls from doing their cheerleader stuff and the boys from climbing on every available surface, getting them to walk not too fast nor slow and in general getting them through the day with annoying as few people as possible. Definitely not a job for the faint of heart :D