Measuring 40 inches

[Hezzy04]

I have 2 daughters. My older is 4 and just over 40 inches without shoes. However, my 3 year old is basically just barely 40 inches IN shoes.

I am just wondering, how precise are the measurements taken at Disney? Do they account for shoes and have their measuring done accordingly? Or will my daughter be able to ride at 40 inches even though part of that is bc she is in shoes?

Also, have you found that it seems toeasure pretty spot on? Or do the measurements there seem to vary a lot from what you have all gotten when you have done your own measurements?

I'm just being curious! If she can't ride, we are completely fine and prepared for that. With her being so close though, it just makes me wonder if there is actually a chance she will make it!

 

[rlovew]

If she is just wearing normal shoes (no platforms or really thick bases) then she will be measured in shoes. Practice having her stand up straight- she will need to stand up and hit the stick above her head to measure up- if she slouches down to not hit it then she will not be able to ride.She will be measured at the beginning and ending of every line and must pass both times without so much as a slip of paper passing between her head and the stick. If they measurements are off at all it will be towards needing to be taller not shorter because it has to do with safety measures.

 

[Ava]

Disney's measurements account for the fact that the child will be wearing shoes on the ride, so if she is 40" IN shoes, she may very well make it! Have her practice at home standing up tall, and use a book or something else hard. Hold the book at 40" high against a wall, and have her practice standing against the wall and touching the book with her head. A lot of kids slouch under the measuring stick, but the top of their head needs to touch it firmly for them to pass. If there is any space between their head and the stick, they won't be allowed to ride. So have her practice!

Also be prepared that even if she passes outside of the ride, she may be measured again at the loading area and it is possible to not pass the second test. Have her walk through the line, don't carry her. It seems that if CMs see a child being carried to the loading area, they're more likely to measure them that second time. If you can, get FP+ for the 40" rides so you won't waste a lot of time in line just in case she doesn't pass the second measurement.

Good luck!

 

[skuttle]

My 4yo just measured 40 inches. He was able to ride every 40in ride last week. He was measured every time (twice per ride), but always passed. That was with shoes on (crocs). They never made him take his shoes off. He always slouched to try to fit under the stick, but you could tell he was hitting the stick with the top of his head.

 

[JZCubed]

My 4yo just measured 40 inches. He was able to ride every 40in ride last week. He was measured every time (twice per ride), but always passed. That was with shoes on (crocs). They never made him take his shoes off. He always slouched to try to fit under the stick, but you could tell he was hitting the stick with the top of his head.

As rides increase in intensity, scrutiny increases as well.

 

[tstottle]

I *think* that at Guest Services you can have your child measured and get a wristband if they are above 40 inches (I could be confusing this with an Ohio park, but I really think we did this at Disney). It may save you some measuring at lines, or make your DD feel a little better that she will "make it." They can still measure you at the rides though, but seeing the wristband makes it a little less likely. HOpefully someone will confirm or dispute!

 

[Shrimp332]

Yes and we had some problems back in September. 1 daughter was able to ride some 44 inch rides but not others Expedition Everest but not Space Mountain. She actually made it past the first one check point but not the one at the front of the line. and my youngest was able to ride Seven Dwarfs Mine Train with a FP the first morning there but not other nights. Be prepared you might get some yes and some no depending on the time of day. I would recommend doing any rides where the height requirements will be close first thing in the morning because by later in the day you can shrink just enough where they don't pass.

 

[CarolynFH]

Unfortunately, it's the park in Ohio, not WDW, that measures at GR and gives wristbands. Kids are measured at each ride at WDW.

 

[LaurenT]

I *think* that at Guest Services you can have your child measured and get a wristband if they are above 40 inches (I could be confusing this with an Ohio park, but I really think we did this at Disney). It may save you some measuring at lines, or make your DD feel a little better that she will "make it." They can still measure you at the rides though, but seeing the wristband makes it a little less likely. HOpefully someone will confirm or dispute!

They don't do this at WDW. I believe they tried it at one point, but parents were slipping the band off the taller child and giving it to the shorter one...
This is why we can't have nice things....

 

[Hezzy04]

They don't do this at WDW. I believe they tried it at one point, but parents were slipping the band off the taller child and giving it to the shorter one...
This is why we can't have nice things....

It's too bad dishonest people have to ruin it for us all It would be nice to be measures once and just know what she was ok to ride!

 

[taffy]

Its really hit and miss when you hover at the 40 inches. On our recent trip our 4 year old was just measuring 40 inches and he got on a few rides but most they decided not to let him on. We even had one ride where he passed at the start of the line only to be pulled up at the ride to be re-measured and to be turned away. After that experience we just decided not to try so we avoided any more disappointment.

 

[tstottle]

Sorry I posted misinformation! Good luck to OP and those little ones who are close! That would really stink making it through the beginning of the line and being turned away at the end! (But I get it...safety first and it's those boarding CMs who are on the hook to make sure all safety measures are followed)

 

[DreamIsaWish]

The measuring sticks aren't precisely the same. On one trip my son was tall enough for Soarin' but not for Test Track. And one ride at California Adventure used to be known for having a measuring stick nearly an inch higher than all the others. I remember one board member actually took her tape measure to that stick and it was like 41 inches (for a 40-inch ride). But the number of inches doesn't matter. The measuring stick is the "truth" for that ride.

 

[Carnator]

Also on attractions that might be close, go earlier in the day. You measure taller in the morning than later in the day. Something about your spine decompressing while you sleep.

 

[disnut8]

One thing to remember is that the measurement is not the parents' measurement or the doctor's measurement. It's Disney's measurement. And that can change from attraction to attraction and even if the first measurement says "OK", the second one might not. It's basically a roll of the dice.

When my granddaughter was "at that certain height", we cautioned her that she could be turned away even inside the attraction at that second measuring point. She understood and we had fun with it. If she didn't make it, she got to pick out something inexpensive she liked. If she did make it on the attraction, we all did high fives and cheered! And then she got to pick out something inexpensive she liked. It wasn't the end of the world for her and we turned it into something fun so she liked when the sticks came out. And you don't have to buy something there - you can take a bag of candy or treats with you.

 

[disneyworlddreaming]

They will measure at each ride and depending on their shoes. The one year my 4 yo (at the time) wore platform flip flops & they would make her slip them off before measuring! HTH

 

[jaman12]

My niece was allowed to ride RnRC on her first trip to DHS but was not allowed to ride it two days later. They tried to get the CM to agree...even had their camera to prove she rode it two days prior and it was a no go. She wore a different pair of shoes on each day. The first day she had more of a sole on her shoe and the next time was a flat shoe. That had to be the culprit. So it will depend on the shoes and the CM if you are close. Stand tall!