any word on height requirement yet?

Lee, are you talking about BIOKINETICS (or something like that). I agree with you.

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MANTIS ROCKS 2002 & 2003

The reason height limits are there is that it was determined that the probability of inadaquate reatraint is within reason. They didn't just pick a number out of a hat, there are many analysis that back up the numbers for the height restriction.

When it comes to policy, a fundamental law of human nature holds true: "Give them an inch, they take a mile." If we make one exeption, then they are likely to come back around and EXPECT the same again.

In your case, oldCPer, your son may have been perfectly restrained, but thats not for certain. There is a point where safety is crossed, but there has to be a cutoff line. Given the policy a height restriction, it must be strictly enforced. Any exeption to safety is unacceptable. I would much rather disappoint a thousand kids that are too short even by a little than have a kid seriously injured or killed because of it. The only thing you cheated was the safety of your son.

Steel Monsters (or anyone else for that matter), I would like to eyeball any such analysis that exists. Suggestions as to how I would do that? Perhaps you have hyperlinks to share, or would these be on paper somewhere?

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Doug Rowe said:
Steel Monsters (or anyone else for that matter), I would like to eyeball any such analysis that exists. Suggestions as to how I would do that? Perhaps you have hyperlinks to share, or would these be on paper somewhere?

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Don't wear thick soled shoes. Boy, do I feel sorry for your feet at the end of that day. Some nice, thin soled sandals would be great. Of course, they would need good fasteners.

Ok, now, there is info on this site for our taller riders. :-)

I guess my problem comes with the innacuracies of what is the proper height or not.

For example...I've seen one ride op indicate a child is okay to ride when the bar brushes the top of the youngsters head.

And then another ride op says "no...the bar cannot swing freely across the head"

What is the difference between a child who is wearing flat soled shoes and thick soled tennis shoes? Enough to make that bar swing freely or not.

If my son was in danger, then so are hundreds of kids depending on the shoes they wear.
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I'd rather die living than live like I'm dead
http://www.webtechnik.com/ebony/CPLady.htm

I feel badly for those who are too big to ride. The kids will grow but some of the newer rides exclude a significant number of large people. I have thought that it would be a good idea for these coasters to have one seat designed for larger people. The height requirement for this seat could be 54" or 60" so that it would not effect capacity. They could also have a smaller seat or special "booster seat" that would make it possible for the braver youngsters to ride. They could do this on all trains, or just one. At least everyone that wanted to ride would be able to.

Any parents with concerns about their child's height can get an official measurement done for the child at the Park Operations Office, Town Hall, or Resort Gate. When your child is measured, s/he will be given a wristband for his or her height that s/he can show to the employee at a ride's entrance; you will be able to bypass worrying about whether your child will get on a ride or not since s/he has been measured officially -- s/he can show their wristband and as long as it matches the minimum height for the ride, they can enter the queue. Getting a wristband is quick and easy and free; do it first thing in the morning and you'll be set for the rest of your day.

This is especially helpful when your child is at the point where his or her height is borderline; although both admissions and ride operations staff are trained in how to measure children properly, inconsistencies do occur from time to time, especially when the employee is going by sight with a "candy cane." (Measuring by the swingbar is more accurate).

Just in case anyone is interested, a child meets a height requirement if the swingbar for that requirement touches their head (that is, the employee moves the bar and the child's head stops it); tall hairstyles (i.e. spikes, ponytails on top of the head) do not count. The park reserves the right to ask your child to remove his/her shoes when s/he is being measured (usually if the child is in tennis shoes -- not thick-soled tennis shoes -- they can leave their shoes on). If the bar swings freely over the child's head -- even if it brushes his or her hair -- the child is too short to ride.

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~Lee~

Group Sales ATL '01
Group Sales TL '02
Park Admissions Supervisor '03
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"The greatest leaders don't take credit for their actions; they don't have to."
*** This post was edited by Lee 3/21/2003 4:17:54 PM ***

On launch coasters tall people have problems. If a person's neck goes above the headrest then they can't ride, because of wipelash.
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Top Thrill Dragster
The fastest and tallest coaster ever built on the Planet!!

I totally back you up jdubya, that accusation of child endangerment was rediculous. You cannot seriously think that anything less than 1/2 of an inch is going to make the ride any less safe. I'm sure thousands of kids have done this, and I've yet to hear of one flying out of the train because he was .32892 inches too short. But maybe I need to read the news more often...

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Enjoy your ride on the big bad bug

Finally, as a "not so tall guy", I finally have an advantage over all those smug tall guys out there.

I can ride any coaster I so choose ! !

Wooooooo Hoooooooo

(PS, this was meant as a joke, I really do feel for those that are bigger and can't ride some of the newer designs.)

As far as being too large to ride it, do you guys think that if someone can ride MF with no problem then they should be able to ride TTD as well?

Where do you draw the line, Mantis Man? First, it's one inch, you're okay. Then it's two, and you're fine. They have to have a definitive height restriction without any grey area to avoid that sort of confusion, or potential danger.

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The InCrowd™
http://www.theincrowd.tk

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Front Seat Rider said:
I have thought that it would be a good idea for these coasters to have one seat designed for larger people.

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While at Busch Gardens a few years ago I noticed there where signs in the queue that instructed larger people to sit in a certain row of the train for certain coasters. I can't remember if this was for height or chest size though.

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~Cody
Mantis Photo Crew 2002 "Welcome back Mole Riders!"
Raptor Photo 2003

I have kids. They bug me all the time about riding things they aren't big enough to ride. If they aren't tall enough, they don't ride. There is no "close enough," since close only counts in horseshoes, hand grenades and drive-in movies. They whine, moan, and complain, and I explain that its not safe and is against the rules. They don't like me when I do this. That's okay. I'm the parent, not the best friend.

This is also why, in addition to trips to Cedar Point (which really does have a lot for the under 48" and even under 42" set to do) we plan to take trips to places like the Disney parks or Idlewild where most rides are within their reach, so to speak.

Of course, when I'm with the kids, there isn't much room for power-riding the E-ticket rides. You know what? I wouldn't trade it for anything. Riding the yellow 4x4 in Kiddie Kingdom with my son (his favorite color) isn't nearly as thrilling as Millennium's first drop, but it is even more fun.

He even got a re-ride, because no one was in line: an enthusiast in training. :)

We'll be going to Cedar Point for many many years, and these coasters are probably not going anywhere. There will be plenty of time to ride the bigguns. In the meantime Mom and Dad sometimes leave the kids with Mana, so that we can go on a date in the park.

There's one other benefit to having to wait. Last year, my son hadn't crested 36", but really wanted to ride the motorcycles. He still talks about them, and our last visit was in August. I can't wait to see his face when he finally gets to ride them this season.
*** This post was edited by Brian Noble 3/22/2003 11:34:42 AM ***

yep, my summer trip to cp will be ruined, last year i was about 6'4 and i fit into everything ( i didnt try to ride corkscrew though), allthough i havent grown much, im sure wt and the ride i have been anticipating since last june- ttd i wont be able to ride...btw, im not really a smug tall person, i dont like being tall at all

You might be okay on Dragster. I'm guessing that the seats and restraints will be nearly identical to Xcelerator's. Those headrests are taller than you think; I'm 6', and had a large margin before my head was completely above the headrest. The lapbar/seatbelt setup are very similar to Millennium's.

Please Please Please DO NOT put anything in your child's shoes!!! We have those rules for a reason and we have to enforce them strictly. Trust me I hate being the bad guy just as much as a parent would. But I do not want to jeopardize any child's safety just so they can have a minute and a half thrill that they may not remember in 10 years. I'd much rather have them stuggling to remember if they were even at Cedar Point then to have on my mind for the rest of my life that I injured or did worse to a child because I didn't do my job properly. We have so many other options for children that they can have a full day at the park and not even miss the fact that they didn't get to ride Mine Ride or Gemini. And to insert my opinion i personally think Woodstocks Express is a much more thrilling coaster than Mine Ride or Iron Dragon. We have your child's safety foremost in mind. We want your family to have a fun day but we also want them to be safe!!!!!Ok, off my soap box now!

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Park Op Jen
2003 Park Op Office
2002 Park Op Office
2001 TL Swings and Swans/Monster Triangle
1999 TL Peanuts Playground / Kiddy Kingdom
1998 Kiddy Kingdom/ Bear Country/ Iron Dragon/ Disaster Transport

Okay, for those tall folks, this is how it was like on Xcelerator. You could ride as long as your neck/whole head weren't higher than the head rest. I'm 6'1" and they had no problems with letting me on, some taller people just made sure their whole head wasn't over the rest and they were good to ride. Keep that in mind when you ride Dragster, and you'll probably be good :)
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Kara (car-uh)
Magnum Crew '03
1024 Laps on Timbers
621 in '02

im probably going to slouch as much as possible and not have my knees totally crunched...lol...i will ride ttd...somehow

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parkopjen said:
"...i personally think Woodstocks Express is a much more thrilling coaster than Mine Ride or Iron Dragon..."

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Park Op Jen
2003 Park Op Office
2002 Park Op Office
2001 TL Swings and Swans/Monster Triangle
1999 TL Peanuts Playground / Kiddy Kingdom
1998 Kiddy Kingdom/ Bear Country/ Iron Dragon/ Disaster Transport

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Hmmm, I guess I'll have to check it out this year! ;)

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42 days to my first ride on TTD