Small Children ?

[sm4987]

Has anyone ever tried to make a small child taller? My DD will be 4 in April, but has taken my side of the gene pool. She is small. She is missing the height requirement for a couple of ride by 2 inches. She loves roller coasters (kiddie ones rode the barnstomer 10 times!) and loves the log flume rides at six flags.

 

[inaminute]

2" is an awful lot to try to make up. You might hate it that she's small, but ask yourself if her safety is really worth it? Height restrictions are there for a reason.

We had the same problem with our five year old grandson. He knew before we went that there would be some things he wouldn't be able to ride. He was perfectly fine with it. One of us (usually me) would go with him on something he could ride while the others went on the "big" rides. We had some wonderful quality time together. It sounds like you'll have to explain to her that, sometimes, we have to be patient and wait.

On the other hand, maybe she'll have a growth spurt and you won't have to worry about it.

 

[CarolMN]

Originally posted by sm4987
...(snip)... I hate that she might be the only one not to ride these 3 rides.

You'd hate it a lot more if she was injured on one of the rides. The height requirments are there for a reason. Since I can't believe your daughter's safety isn't very important to you, it would be better if you just prepared her ahead of time, or decided that the family would only the rides that work for her height.

Best wishes.

 

[cleo]

I agree...2 inches is an awful lot to try to fudge for the sake of a ride. Disappointing as it is, the result of an accident would be far worse. It may be little consolation at this point, but by next year she might meet those requirements and you won't be taking the chance of putting her in harms way.

Is there some other special thing she could do that might make up for having to wait? Maybe having something planned just for her will help ease the disappointment and give her something to look forward to until she can safely enjoy the bigger coasters.

 

[gepetto]

they are really strict about enforcing the height requirement.

 

[sm4987]

Of course I don't want to see her hurt. What mother would? Her safety is definately more important than a ride. I am totally surprised that some of you think that I would put her saftey at risk for a roller coaster. They allowed her to go on Kilimanjaro Safaris last year and she was only 36". I'm sorry I asked the question.

 

[CarolMN]

Originally posted by sm4987
Of course I don't want to see her hurt. What mother would? Her safety is definately more important than a ride. I am totally surprised that some of you think that I would put her saftey at risk for a roller coaster. They allowed her to go on Kilimanjaro Safaris last year and she was only 36". I'm sorry I asked the question.

Kilimanjaro Safaris does not have height restrictions. We took my 16 month old nephew on that ride on our last trip. They do suggest that young children ride on the inside, though.

 

[cleo]

Let me offer my apologies for having misunderstood the intent of your post. I thought you were asking how to get a child on to a ride when they don't meet height requirements.

What was the correct intent of the post? I'm sure people would be more than willing to offer their thoughts if they understand the question correctly. For my part there was certainly no harm meant, I just misunderstood what you were asking if it wasn't how to get a child on the attraction.

In all fairness, the last part of your post was edited out after the first three replies, so I think that might have been the part that lead us to believe you wanted to get her on the Test Track, Splash, and Big Thunder Mt. which were the ride you mentioned you hated to see her miss.

 

[sm4987]

What I would love to have more is a substitue if she is not able to ride these by the time we go. I was more or less venting. She is so distraught. Not angry, but what 31/2 yeay old doesn't want to be bigger. You know the whole I want to be big thing.

I did notice that I put the wrong ride under my listing. Not the safari, but Kali River Rapids. She was too little, by an inch and they let her on anyway. I don't want to cheat the system, just hoping.

 

[Gone Disney]

I'm in the same place as you. My little girl is just an 1" or 2" too short for Primeval Whirl in AK. She has been wanting to go on it since before it was even open. Everytime we go to AK we have to go back to Dino land first thing to see if she is tall enough. I told her by this summer I'm sure you'll be tall enough. We then head out to play the carnival games and since she's heart broken she gets to play them all a couple times. Always take cash to AK, is what I say.


If you figure out how to "make her taller" let me know cause I hate being the shortest person at my daughters High School. Least I feel small.


I don't think there is much you can do. Just stay away from those rides altogether or be prepared to take her into the gift shop to wait for the others that are riding. Some rides may have another ride or ice cream shop near by. That kind of stuff will help. But let her know that it is for safety reasons. I think she will feel much better if you tell her the ride isn't as safe for little ones and that noone wants to see her get hurt. I know that my little one wouldn't think twice about it then.

Good Luck,

Gone Disney

 

[catwho]

I can understand your frustration. Thank goodness for Baby Swap (especially if you have older kids who will get to ride the second time through with the Swap parent) Here are some suggestions based on experience by park


AK
****************
Kilamanjaro Safaris - if your party has FP's then wait up on the bridge and try to shoot your party with the elephant squirters (my kids thought this was a blast and one actually skipped riding it a second time in order to get ME!)

Dinosaur (although I can't think that a kid would feel they were missing out on that one LOL!) go to the Boneyard for a while

Primeval Whirl - go do TriceraTop Spin again


Epcot
****************
Test Track - Head over to Mexico and do Rio Del Tiempo and get an order of sopapillas (even with FP's this ride tends to break down often giving it a long wait time even when you are buckled in ready to go)

Body Wars - Cranium Command and/or Making of Me (and then spend some time doing all the wonderful hands on things)


Magic Kingdom
*****************

BTMRR and Splash - Go to the Laughing Place, head over to TSI or (depending on show time) catch Country Bear Jamboree. If your party is going to do both (we FP one and go get in the line for the other) and your kid is tired a ride all the way around the park on the railroad is a great break from the day.

Space Mt. or Extra Terrorestrial (ditto Dinosaur on ET LOL!) - there are lots of things to do here: Buzz, Indy Speedway, TTA, Teacups.

These are all the height restrictions in this park. I listed things that were close by the other rides, but there is no reason that you couldn't hang out in Fantasyland and let your party come to HER since SHE is the one that is "missing out" on the "big rides" This may even be a prime time to go meet some characters, do some shopping or get a special treat (Dole Whips, Mickey Bar, Cookies, Ice Cream sundae, etc.)


MGM
****************

Star Tours - Muppet 3D

RnR or TOT - Playhouse Disney or BATB Live on Stage.

This is a small enough park (IMO) that there shouldn't be anything that you can't get to in a short amount of time, so letting her decide what SHE wants to do might be a fun thing to do. She might like to go to SciFi theater and get a treat or perhaps go hunt for some characters over at Pizza Planet.


Hope you have fun!

 

[catwho]

Originally posted by Gone Disney
I'm in the same place as you. My little girl is just an 1" or 2" too short for Primeval Whirl in AK. She has been wanting to go on it since before it was even open. Everytime we go to AK we have to go back to Dino land first thing to see if she is tall enough.

Instead of checking at AK, what about putting a mark on your wall where that "magic height" is. Show her where she is. She can measure herself all the time if she wants. I find it less disappointing for my kids if they know ahead of time what they can and can't do. Our first year at MK, our then 4 yo wanted to ride BTMRR sooooooo badly she could taste it. She begged us to let her ride it. We said ok, went to go do it and the CM said that she was 1/2" too short. She was sooooooooooooooooo (is that enough o's?) disappointed and had a near meltdown. Fortunately the CM was so nice to her and told her that he *knew* the next time she came she would be tall enough!

 

[Gone Disney]

Around here it's a must to check height while we are planning and before we go. But she has to go over there just to make sure. She always tells me "You never know until you try". How is it those words of encouragement can always be used against us?

Her disappointment is usually short lived. By the time we've playe dour first carnival game shes forgot about the ride and now concentrating on how many stuffed animals she can win.

We when went to RNR to see if she was able to ride, of course she was too short and still is, the CM gave us 3 fast passes with no time stamp on them and told us we could use them anytime and he gave her a certificate that said something like she was not tall enough then but would be a FP certificate when she is tall enough. CM"S can be great if you catch them at the right time.


Thanks for the advice though.

 

[sha_lyn]

Has anyone ever tried to make a small child taller?

I am totally surprised that some of you think that I would put her saftey at risk for a roller coaster. They allowed her to go on Kilimanjaro Safaris last year and she was only 36". I'm sorry I asked the question

Well the first quote answers the first part of your second. So what was it that you were asking if it wasn't for a way to make your DD 2 inches taller to get onto the rides?


As for Kali River rapids ...

Did they actually check her height on Kali River rapids and she wasn't tall enought? Sorry, but I seriously doubt anyone risked their job to let your child on. Anyway they usually check the height 2 times anyway. did she pass both times?

 

[sm4987]

The guy at the first station gave her a wrist band so that she could get on. Yes he used his measuring stick and she was under it. He let her go anyway and no harm was done.

I am not guessing what the harm is for asking. I know that people have done it as I have read post about it before. I'm not saying that I would my question was have you ever tried. I'm not sure that anywhere on there did I say I was about to, I asked TRIED! Big difference.

 

[inaminute]

They check her height on Kali River to see if she can sit in a regular seat or if she needs the raft with the special seat for small children. The wrist band was so the CM loading the rafts would be aware of that.

They did the same thing with my grandson.

 

[sha_lyn]

The guy at the first station gave her a wrist band so that she could get on. Yes he used his measuring stick and she was under it. He let her go anyway and no harm was done

He "let her go" because she was tall enough for the seat with the bar on it. That is what the wrist band is for.

 

[djjsb]

My boys are 16 months apart in age and yes, one over 40" and one 39.5" when we went last june. The younger one stood tall and got on most rides(he's actually the braver one). Some rides neither could go on. I told them it meant we'd have to go back to Disney again once they grew!!! They were actually excited as they had something to anticipate. I guess I got lucky, but it's all in the way you present it!!! Of course I have to measure them every month now!

 

[cgajdzisz]

Some of the rides do give certificates that entitles the child to go to the head of the line when they make the height requirements. My DD got one for Tower of Terror and Rock and Roller Coaster. She was about half an inch too short! We told her before we got there but she was still disappointed. The certificates helped to cheer her up. They make a cute souvenir. Just ask the CM at the entrance to the ride. They will tell you who had them.