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baileykat
12-09-2001, 06:56 PM
I read on another board(sorry) that Dland had or would be trying out a new height check system..it was to move around from Indy, to Space , to Big Thunder then end up at the info board...it stated that this new device would be electric and would electronically tell you exactly how tall you were and issue you a color coded wrist band...then you would know exactly which rides you were eligible for and the attraction CM's would know right off if the child was tall enough to ride without having to measure again...Has anyone seen this, is it up and running....it's optional and only in test process right now..you don't have to get a wrist band...

But I do have another question...How strict are CM's on the height restrictions...if my daughter is like 1 inch shy of the requirment...will she be able to ride....or should I just invest in some really thick socks...

bluepearl
12-09-2001, 07:03 PM
I have seen the CMs at Indy and Big Thunder do the height tests and give out wristbands. I have passed by a few height check-ins where CMs have had to turn away younger children because they couldn't meet the height requirement.

As far as I know, they're still testing it out because there are signs around the area that says they're testing this new system.

mousey_girl
12-09-2001, 07:11 PM
We measured Nickolas (the boy) on Tuesday, before we left. I was so excited that he was 47 inches, that meant he could ride Indy. On Friday we got up to Indy and they used that new height check on him. I was irate when it said he was under 46 inches!! I am ashamed to say that I turned into one of "those parents." I, ummm... well, to quote the hubby, "ripped the guy a new one." I KNEW their height check was wrong. I felt guilty for my behavior until Saturday. They had moved the height checker to Thunder Mountain. I asked the CM if he would mind checking the boy's height for me again, he said no prob. IT WAS GREEN!!! I was right, he was tall enough for Indy. They gave him a green wrist band and we hobbled off to Indy. (after 4 days in the parks hobbling was about all I could do) When we got there, the CM at the front of the ride saw the green band and still made him stand by the "cobra" just to make sure he was tall enough. He was better than an inch taller than the cobra. I don't understand why they couldn't have done that on Friday.

The height measurement is a good idea, but the CM's need more training. Then only thing I can think of is that the first CM tilted the paddle. If you know your child is a certain height and the new system comes back with the wrong color (each height level is a diff color, green meaning they can get on everything in DL), go to City Hall, or another ride and have them measured again to make sure.

LIMANDL4EVA
12-09-2001, 07:44 PM
how exactly can they digitaly detect your height? cant your hair or something confuse the machine?

mousey_girl
12-09-2001, 07:51 PM
They had him stand up next to a post, and they placed some sort of paddle on the top if his head. There was a light near the top of the post that would show a color corresponding with the wrist bands, to show what rides he could ride on. The paddle resembled a ping pong paddle. I am assuming that the post has some sort of metal or magnet that reads where the paddle is.
He was wearing the same shoes and same style socks on both days. The only thing I can think of is that the first CM tilted the paddle a bit in the back, not holding it straight. I like the concept of the wrist bands even though the boy hates anything on his wrists. I just don't understand why the change. Most of the rides have a board or marker in place and if the child's head doesn't touch they don't ride. There is no real room for argument. This new system seems to have room for error if the CM doesn't have a steady hand.

driftwood714
12-09-2001, 09:46 PM
This is NOT a required service. You can still do it the "old fashioned way" by having the child measured at each attraction. Right now this is in it's testing phase. Before they started the testing phase with guests, I've tried myself messing it up. No matter how you tilt it, it's still accurate.

When being measured, the top of the machine sends ulta sonic waves down to the paddle which bounce back up to the source. It then measures the time for the distance between the top of the child and the bottom of the sensor. It's rather ingenious, the same system you'd see being used at the doctors for pregnant women(sorry the exact term escapes me currently).

cryan71
12-09-2001, 10:38 PM
I hear if the digital height detection device works, they are going to adapt it to find out how much money is left in your wallet!

TinkR
12-09-2001, 10:54 PM
My two boys were measured at Thunder Moutain on Saturday morning using the new device and they both got wrist bands. They were happy to get their bands and it does seem like it could be a good system, if the proper training is provided for the castmembers.

I can sympathize with mousey_girl on the height dilema. We measured my six year old and he measured 48 inches. He was thrilled that he would be able to ride Ca. Screamin' at DCA like one of his female classmates. When we got to the ride the marking showed that he was close to 1/4 inch too short. I think the darned thing was wrong!! Too many of us measured him at home to have all been wrong, especially not when we knew how important it was to him. The gal let us on that first time and as soon as we exited we went on again since the same gal was working. I didn't know if another castmember would let us on. I have to admit though, the next time we went he was wearing two pairs of socks and a little help from folded up cardboard. He made it right to the line that day.

I think it would be interesting to bring a tape measure to the park and check to see if there measurement lines are correct. I wonder who is the head of Weights & Measures in Anaheim? lol!

TinkR

donkthemagicllama
12-10-2001, 07:20 AM
You are generally tallest in the morning, then shrink during the day. It's not a huge difference, but when your getting down to where an inch one way or the other matters, it could be a big factor. Try it yourself. Measure your height when your first get up, then again just before you go to bed. Your spine expands at night when you lay down, and is compressed throughout the day as you stand/sit.

ralfrick
12-10-2001, 04:29 PM
I, too, question the Indy Cobra, my kid was short by the thickness of a postcard, but I took a tape measure when buying his shoes to make sure he was tall enough.

mousey_girl
12-10-2001, 06:54 PM
By the cobra he was more than tall enough. We had him measured at the same time of day, both Friday and Saturday. Don't know why the paddle read him 2 different heights. We did get him on the ride on Saturday, and he loved it.

MammaSilva
12-10-2001, 08:04 PM
as much as I sympathize with all the parents of the "not quite tall enough" to ride some of the rides, take a minute to stop and think of why there are height restrictions....for your childs safety. Finding ways to beat the system so your child can ride can actually put them at risk. I've BTDT and I know that when it's "your" turn to have to comfort a disappointed child for a few minutes it sucks, but is the risk of injury worth it?

mousey_girl
12-10-2001, 08:12 PM
Please don't get me wrong, I know why the restrictions are there. I would not have been upset if he was truly too short to ride, but he was over the height limit by an inch or more. I did not get upset when he could not get on the Zinger in DCA, because I knew that was a long shot. I just didn't like the fact that we were told that the machine said he was too short and that was it. We were, at no time, told that the new system was voluntary. We were not given any other options. The very next day, just 24 hours later, the machine, located in a different area said that he WAS tall enough. Friday, he was upset, and we distracted him by going over to take pictures with Aladdin and Jasmine. I would never intentionally put my son in danger, I just don't think that they have the bugs worked out of the new system yet. Again, had they put him up to the cobra and not the new system they could have seen that he was tall enough. I am not trying to be rude, I just want other parents to be aware that the new system has flaws.

MammaSilva
12-10-2001, 08:18 PM
see that is the difference...you weren't trying to "beat" the restrictions if he is tall enough, it was a flaw in the system, but I have seen people go to extremes like buying stacked tennis shoes with 2 inch soles and then adding the extra socks and a hat stuffed with polyfluff to get "tall" enough and it will/would be those same parents screaming to the heavens if their child got hurt on that ride...

Jim
12-10-2001, 08:34 PM
Hello All:

Overall, this system will be a true asset to Disney, setting itself apart from other theme parks. (Although I don’t know if other theme parks have installed similar systems.) I will enjoy the change of pace for measuring systems at attractions, however, I sometimes think of the potential problems:

I can just see it now... A black-market for these wristbands, parents trying to sneak their kids onto attractions that the child is not tall enough to ride, putting the child's safety at risk. Cast Members trying to sneak wristbands out of the resort and selling them on E-Bay.

Don’t take this post the wrong way; I love the idea of the new measuring system, however, I also think that it has potential problems, especially with resort guests. With good planning and proper training on the new system, I believe that Disney will overcome any of these potential problems and end up setting a new industry standard like it has done with so many other ground-breaking ideas.

All for now.

- Jim

zerodahero
12-10-2001, 08:35 PM
just remember that the new system is still in it's test period. this is where they work out all the bugs, and errors it has.

Bill Catherall
12-10-2001, 09:02 PM
mousey_girl - It sounds like one of the machines wasn't calibrated correctly and was giving a wrong reading. So you were right. The CMs should have been properly trained to not rely so much on a potentially flawed system. Just because a machine is hi-tech doesn't mean it's perfect. Too many people rely too much on technology and less on their brains. :rolleyes:

mrfantasmic
12-11-2001, 08:37 PM
They'll probably blacklite encode the bands so that every day it shows a different image. That would take the black market down.