I've been reading the unofficial guide to Disneyland, and one of the suggestions was if a child wasn't going to be tall enough for one of the rides - get them shoes with built up heels or an extra thick sole on to take them upto the minimum height req. Does anyone know if this is safe?
My 4 yr old is 40.8inches and for a lot of the rides she'd need to be 42inches - if we do get her shoes to take her to the required height, is safety going to be compromised????

There are height restrictions for a reason. Safety. I wouldn't do it. But that's me.

Personally, I wouldn't do it...the height restrictions are generally so that the seatbelts fit correctly or the person fits in the seat correctly. Having taller heels will not help the seatbelt position correctly or make sure that you are tall enough in the seat. My almost 4 year old is also 40"...it's tall enough for her to go on almost all the rides she wants to...Splash, Matterhorn, Tower of Terror, Soarin'...she is dying to go on Screaming...but needs another 8" for that one!

My family has a few ironclad rules that we live by in any amusement park:

1) No one is ever forced to ride anything. If you decide you don't want to ride, you don't have to, even if you are on the platform, and next to load, after waiting in a one hour line.

2) If you aren't tall enough to ride, you don't ride this visit. We'll be back someday.

3) Take an afternoon break away from the park, even if we are "not tired". Amazingly, my kids are always "not tired", but always manage to at least unwind if not outright sleep.

There are tons of things for anyone to do in Disneyland, no matter how tall/short. Plus, it's not necessarily a bad thing for kids to be told "not yet."

I've been reading the unofficial guide to Disneyland, and one of the suggestions was if a child wasn't going to be tall enough for one of the rides - get them shoes with built up heels or an extra thick sole on to take them upto the minimum height req.

Wow, the unofficial guide actually RECOMMENDS that? How sad.

I've been reading the unofficial guide to Disneyland, and one of the suggestions was if a child wasn't going to be tall enough for one of the rides - get them shoes with built up heels or an extra thick sole on to take them upto the minimum height req.Seriously, which guidebook is that?

Repeating the line that one of my friends wants to use whenever a parent tries to "modify" their child's height to get them on a ride:

"As a parent, the last thing I would want to teach my children is that it's OK to lie to get around a rule that is inconvenient for them. I would use this opportunity to demonstrate honesty, patience and good citizenship to my child, while enjoying another ride. But the decision is always yours."

Also, be aware that cast members are "on to" the trick of stacked heels and soles, and may ask your child to remove their shoes to be measured. This is especially true on rides where they may have to remove their shoes - the Maliboomer comes to mind. Since some types of shoes are not allowed on the Maliboomer, your child may be re-measured after they take the shoes off.

AVP

I'm surprised a publisher would take on the liabilty of actually making that suggestion.

Repeating the line that one of my friends wants to use whenever a parent tries to "modify" their child's height to get them on a ride:

"As a parent, the last thing I would want to teach my children is that it's OK to lie to get around a rule that is inconvenient for them. I would use this opportunity to demonstrate honesty, patience and good citizenship to my child, while enjoying another ride. But the decision is always yours."

I wish I was the friend you were referring to. I'm not, but I totally 110% agree with this statement. It's right on the mark! I pay for my 3-year-old to get in the park and my children wait until they're tall enough to ride. The 3-year-old thing isn't a danger to my child's safety and well being, but nothing is worth risking that. Nothing.

I also have 5-point-harness carseats and booster seats for my children, not just because they're the law but because they're the safest on the market.

Telling a white lie is one thing, but when it comes to safety, it's just not worth it to teach my children that these rules are optional. And I really like Brian's reply. They need to learn patience and self-discipline. This is a great opportunity to practice these skills.

Adrienne

Now that I've read the replies to my query and can see safety could well be compromised, I won't consider letting her ride on any of the rides she doesn't qualify for. I just thought she'd like to ride the Grizzly River Run (we went on a very large white water raft ride in Majorca last year and she loved it) as shes our very own little daredevil. However, I do take exception at the insinuation of bad parenting for even considering putting her in shoes that would make her an inch higher - I certainly don't equate it to riding in a car without a properly fitted car seat - (a thing which I would never do) or to make it a point of principle to - my daughter has only just turned 4 and would be completely oblivious to the reasoning behind a particular pair of footwear.
By the way, the suggestion is on pge 105, point 7, of the Unofficial Guide to Disneyland, published by Frommers.

Please do not worry, we do not think you are a bad parent! Believe me when I first came here and asked a question I walked away slinking. Asking is wonderful and we do not want to in any way make you feel like a bad parent. The best part is you ask us questions, thats why we are here right gang? to answer questions and relay why we love disneyland? I am new to Disneyland and asked the question " can I let my daughter go on the rides by her self while I watch" I did not know you can not see the people on the rides, I am from a small town and so the biggest thing in my city is a carnival. You can stand and watch your children ride the rides and know they are safe. I remember the answers were pretty harsh and all thought I had just asked a simple question I got rough answers back.But they did explain that there is ques,lines behind the scenes. and parents would not be able to see if there childen are safe. Some times I think people believe you should know these things, and get harsh, but just let is slip off like water on a ducks back :)
Once I asked if I could bring a chair in to the park with me to sit on ( a folding chair) boy did I get the answers LOL! and some one even gave me the thumbs down sign LOL!
Good to see you here and good to see your questions. we do not learn if we do not ask right? Have a great week **Karla

I didn't mean to imply that I thought you were a bad parent...I just wasn't sure if you knew how some of the safety restraints worked...being too short and riding on Screaming could mean that you slip out of the harness. I think you are a great parent for inquiring!

If you want to be safe, you'll have to add an inch of padding to the buttocks as well. For sitting rides, it's the torso that has to conform to a minimum length.

Safest choice: wait until she gets taller.

Thanks everybody for not making me feel so bad!
You will have to excuse me asking any questions which may seem soooo simple to regular Disneyland visitors - it'll be my first time in America as well as the first time in Disneyland and the only things I know about it is what I read - both on the internet and in guide books.
I do pride myself in trying to be a good parent (has to be the hardest job going!) and it seemed as though insinuations where being made as to how any parent could consider taking the advice about "elevator shoes". To be honest, it didn't even cross my mind that it would compromise safety until my mum mentioned it. Thats when I asked the question on the site. Was slightly stung by the harshness of some of the replies, but I understand now how strongly people feel about "cheating the system".
Feel a lot better now though and am glad I asked because I was just going to take the advice of the book and buy her some thick soled shoes. Who knows - by the time we get there (6wks & 4 days - not that I'm counting!!!) she might have had a growth spurt and be tall enough after all. Heres hoping!

Please keep asking questions, you will sure learn a lot here, and no question is to small for the mighty mouseers here. There great and helped me a bunch so far. I will be going for the first time and feel like an old pro LOL!

A message of hope from the mom of an almost-4year old: She did indeed grow nearly an inch in the few months we spent planning our trip this year! I measured her with my son when I got the guide book (also Frommer's, and I read the suggestion too!) and was bummed that she was just a hair over 39". I checked her with her 'chunky' sandals and she was not quite 40" and I had the same exact thoughts you did - is this okay to fudge?? But, halleluah, she was raring to go on Big Thunder Mt. RR and when she stood at the bar her head touched and they waved her in! Granted, she was double & triple checked at pretty much every ride with a restriction but she made it and loved it all (except Tower of Terror...I think it was mostly the creepy atmosphere leading in).

So, chin up :) And here's hoping for that growth spurt.

I am not to worried aobut the 40 inch ride thing, my 3 year old is a hair over this barefooted now. He just hates " scary rides" He has never been on any, so I am assuming he has a little fear factor and so will let him pick out the rides he wants to go on and enjoy our days. After all , I do not want him to go on anything he will not walk right up to and agree to. He says to me all the time " I am the big cheese" ! So I will let the big cheese decide what looks fun and ok for him. I told my daughter if we have to wait until next time to go on any bigger rides we will try to bring some one along to watch him while we ride.

I found that going through the guidebooks with my kids before the trip helped a lot in selecting rides. The Birnbaum's guide (even though Disney-sanctioned and a tad biased) was good because it has colorful pictures and brief but detailed descriptions of rides - we read through each together and made a list of "must rides" along with "maybes."

This helped when we got to the park and the kids were just plain overwhelmed with the choices - we referred to our list for focus, and I reminded them of some fun features we'd read about with the rides they were on the fence with...

Have fun!

Okay, well I have been wondering about Splash Mountain. I understand height restrictions for rides with safety harnesses, but Splash Mountain does not have them. I have a petite 4 year old, who, if I am very lucky, may hit 36" by the time we go. She would LOVE Splash Mountain, but due to height restrictions, will likely not be able to get on. Has anyone had experiences where they have waived the restriction on this particular ride? And any explanation to why so high? If the child is able to sit on the bench, feet planted firmly on both sides and a parent present......where's the problem? :confused:

My situation is this...

My seven month old was something like 27 1/2 inches tall at his last doctor's appointment. He is likely going to hit the 36 inch mark much sooner than when he turns three.

The feeling I have is that the limits are for safety reasons. I won't take my son on rides before both of the limits are met. He will have to learn that rules are not to be broken just because he wants to go on something.

Okay, well I have been wondering about Splash Mountain. I understand height restrictions for rides with safety harnesses, but Splash Mountain does not have them. I have a petite 4 year old, who, if I am very lucky, may hit 36" by the time we go. She would LOVE Splash Mountain, but due to height restrictions, will likely not be able to get on. Has anyone had experiences where they have waived the restriction on this particular ride? And any explanation to why so high? If the child is able to sit on the bench, feet planted firmly on both sides and a parent present......where's the problem? :confused:

With the refurbishment to the ride vehicles last year, Splash Mountain now has individual seats for each rider, with fairly tall dividers inbetween. Would you really want your 4-year-old to ride with no restraints and with no way for you to hold on to her during the ride?

The height restriction on this ride is likely primarily to increase the liklihood that the child will be mature enough to sit still through the ride.

-Jeff

I'm just trying to figure out what the reasoning is. My daughter is a very agile child and controls her body well. I would think that even being a few inches shorter, she would do better than a child that is younger, but taller. I am wondering when there are no safety harnesses, where they came up with 40". Although I appreciate how you plan to teach your child, that wasn't really what I was asking. I was wondering if it sometimes can be discretionary. I think I am a good parent and a good judge of my child. Obviously, I would not put my child in a situation that would risk her safety. That is why I am trying to find out from their point of view, the reasoning for 40" height restriction on this particular ride. I mean, There are adults out there that don't reach 40". This is the only ride I'm curious about, Thunder Mountain, Space Mountain, really are not rides I am even considering for her. They are way beyond what I think she can handle even for the next several years, but this one is very "family" and not a thrill ride until the very end. I am not trying to circumvent their procedures, just trying to do a little research before going. Thanks for the help!

They have to set some form of measurable, objective standard for whether or not to let a child ride. Really, the only reasonable options for that measurement would be height or weight. Since there is likely to be less varience between heights and age/maturity level than there would be with weight, that is the obvious choice. While it might seem more obvious to have an age restriction on a ride like Splash, that really isn't measurable. Most small children do not have ID cards with their birthdate and the parents aren't apt to carry around birth certificates either.

Obviously, there are going to be cases where height isn't a perfect measurement. If your child is small for her age, then it probably is going to be a bit longer before she is able to ride. Similarly, my child is tall for his age, so it will be up to his mother and me to use good judgment about when he really is mature enough to ride. Obviously, though, Disney has done analysis that has shown that the vast majority of kids are mature enough to ride this ride safely once they are 40-inches tall.

From everything I know about the policies, there is no flexibility in the height restrictions. To be honest, how could there be? Even if you know your child fairly well, how does Disney know that your kid is going to be able to ride more safely than other kids the same height? Even if you insist that she is, how do they know that you really know their ride well enough to make an accuarate judgement? If they let the policy slide for your kid, how would they be able to enforce it for the next kid in line?

My advice is to make sure your child is aware of what rides have restrictions and focus your effort into playing up the numerous rides that she will be able to go on. Assuming that this isn't a once-in-a-lifetime trip, you can even play up the idea of Splash being something for the child to look forward to during a future visit.

-Jeff

JeffG, we must have been typing at the same time. I have not had the pleasure to be at DisneyWorld since 2001, so I was not aware of the new seating arrangements. When last I went it was set up like most log flume rides everywhere with the one long bench. My vision was that I would be holding her, so to answer (what I am hoping was only rhetorical, but in case not) - No! Of course I would not want my child out of my reach. Thank you for the clarification - it all makes sense now. Who knows? Maybe she'll somehow grow half a foot in 4 months, but then I'd have to spend a fortune on a new wardrobe! Thank you! :)

JeffG, we must have been typing at the same time. I have not had the pleasure to be at DisneyWorld since 2001, so I was not aware of the new seating arrangements.

It looks like we've continued to be typing at the same time. :)

Just as a bit of clarification, my answer was actually accurate for Disneyland rather than Walt Disney World. At WDW, their Splash Mountain has side-by-side bench seating instead of the traditional front-to-back log flume seating. If I remember right, I think there are either lap bars or seat belts as well. In that case, the height restriction may very well be related to the safety restraints, just as it is on most rides.

Have a good trip!

-Jeff

I believe that Splash Mountain at WDW has always been side-by-side seating. I can confirm for certain, however, that there are no lap bars or seat belts on Splash.

Kismet ~

I think I have the scenario to answer all of your questions since we just got back from Disneyland a couple of weeks ago. My daughter just *barely* hit 40" and was still 3 (turned 4 today!). On every ride with a height restriction, she was measured at least twice.

For Splash Mt, which I hadn't been on myself in seven years, they checked her at the front, in the middle (with our Fast Pass) and then at the log the CM made her step across to the platform to measure again. I was feeling a little snippy because 1) she'd been checked twice already, 2) I know she is a very responsible & reasonable little girl ;), 3) she had ridden Tower of Terror the day before!, and 4) I was hot and getting grouchy...HOWEVER! I didn't realize they had changed the seating and once we sat down with those big ol' dividers between us, I was a little freaked out that she was separated from me. Even throughout the fun family-oriented stuff I was leaning forward, holding her against her seat divider and on the plunge, holy smokes - I really thought for a moment she could just fly right out of there...So. I'm not sure her height was a big help but I guess like Jeff said, it's more measurable and reliable than anything else for kids.

best of luck!