Height Measurement Process

I have a burning question from a recent experience that perhaps some of the more active veterans or CP employees in this community can answer. Before I ask my question I want to make clear that I know: CP can do whatever they please. I would never want my child to be on something that is unsafe for them. People sometimes do stupid things to game restrictive systems.

First the setup - I took my son to Cedar Point for the very first time recently to celebrate his birthday as well as finally being officially over the 48" mark from his recent annual medical checkup. We knew and were willing to accept it may be a risk going in that the park might have their own slightly skewed measurement standard and he might not make it by their tally, which is really the only one that matters. We were relieved to find that the wristband measurement at the front of the park lined up exactly with our expectations and my son was given an over 48" band. What we did not expect was for nearly every single ride op, front of line op, and merge point op for the day to measure him with the height stick, bend down, grimace a bit, and say ok it looks like he just makes it. To some degree it is what it is, and at the end of it all we were not turned away from a single 48" ride.

What i would like to know is why the double standard of an official wristband and a sea of secondary checks? If the goal is to trust ride ops and their discretion, then do away with the wristband. A few mentioned that it was pretty close, but my thought was "yeah we knew it was close, that's why we stopped for an official measurement and the wristband". People that clearly exceed a level aren't stopping to get a wristband, so those with a wristband should always be somewhat close. If a "close enough" or a "tie" in a ride op's mind goes to the wristband, then just go with the wristband in the first place without all the bending down and scrutinizing. This process was annoying as a parent and i would have to imagine would put a ride op in a really tough spot if they felt the need to rightly reject a child with a wristband and then have to argue against the issuing of the wristband. Absolutely no fault here lies in the ride ops, it just seems the administrative policy simply lacks clarity from a guest's perspective.

I have been to at least one other amusement park where the child's official measurement is done by a supervisor at guest services on a very precise looking scale with a sliding bar and a red line across the ruler. The wristband was then given a thumbs up the rest of the day. Any thoughts or inside knowledge you have on the process at Cedar Point would help ease my mind on why it is the way it is. It seems like an undue burden on the ride ops and parents alike. Thanks!

Some things apparently never change. We went through this same procedure with both of our girls (now 12 and 16) at different height milestones.

And you're correct; the only people getting the wristbands in the first place are the parents who know their kid is on the border. Most ride ops were pretty chill, but there were some who would act like they were analyzing important crime scene evidence.

Like you said, I never faulted the ride ops; they're just doing their job, but it was always annoying and stress-inducing for the kid who early in the day was excited and proud to be able to ride.

Our weirdest experience was with our now oldest. She got the 54" band, and was mostly looking forward to Raptor. She made a point to show the band to every front-gate ride worker, and everything was cool until we made it to the top of the stairs ready to board her goal ride, Raptor. The worker made quite a scene, and told Kylah she was too short after checking and rechecking her about 6 times. Of course dad had prepped her telling her this could happen but she had nothing to worry about since we had the band (which is what the band people also tell you when you get them); which of course led to confusion and tears for the kid.

Again, ride ops do your jobs, but this guy was clearly getting into his role, getting a little loud and acting like he was saving a life. In fact he always reminded me of this:

Mom and dad stayed calm and I kept reminding him that she had the band, and everyone behind us was like..."dude, let the kid ride" (he argued it was her "hair" that was over the height, and not her actual head, which was not true). Thankfully someone who was apparently in charge of Officer Krupke (kudos if you get that reference) tapped him on the shoulder and said she could ride.

After all that.

When I worked there, we honored the band as long as it was close. Technically though, the ride is supposed to have the final say even if there is a wristband because there might have been a shoe change, a shoe enhancment used earlier, etc. I am not sure if there as been any change to the official stance. Heck, for all I know this might be something that IROC audits. Give a 46 inch kid a 48 inch band and see if they get caught. There might be reasons for the employees scrutinizing that aren't just them on a power trip

I've encountered a few issues with my own kids and relatives at various rides. In most cases, they had the wristband and were given a hard time here or there by a ride or two, the most recent being Cedar Downs earlier this summer. Sometimes the stands aren't exact, the platform is angled, or the height sticks are not uniform. I do agree, it can be a bit annoying, but thankfully kids keep growing and you get over it eventually.

One of my kids had a similar experience on Wildcat. He had the wristband and had ridden it a few times earlier in the day. He wanted one last ride before we went home. They measured him at the ride, and with him being tired he was slouching so he did not pass the height test.

I wonder if the ride ops have to check this because people get a kid measured and get the wristband and then figure a way to get the band off and then put it on a shorter sibling. It has been a long time but I seem to recall my kids could both get the band off on their own if they tried.

If it is ultimately up to the discretion of the individual ride host, they shouldn't do the wristband. It literally serves no purpose except to disappoint.

True. But it does serve as a big souvenir for the kid when they finally hit the height mark.

But if the day included being turned away at the entrance for a ride the wristband said they could ride, seems like its a souvenir with some negative memories and disappointment attached to it.

My kids shot past the height thresholds in the off seasons. So we never had an issue with getting height measured. I also built them up to the bigger rides. I figured I rode the rides (after Blue Streak and Mine Ride anyway) as they were built and not in the same season for the first time. Putting them on all the 48" rides would spoil them for some of the smaller 48" rides. I think they have an appreciation for the smaller rides at this point as a result. Son anyway who rides anything. Daughter still working her way up to bigger rides.

I’m with Jeff here. Don’t waste the time on issuing wristbands if each host will just have to measure again and could even prevent a ride. I’m sure most supervisors would side with their staff and deny a ride even with a wristband anyway. Maybe they can still measure guests for informational purposes but the wristbands are a waste.

I feel like you're just opening yourself up for some sort of liability if you have two employees of the same company saying two different things. I'm kind of surprised they let any of this happen in the first place.

This reminds me of going to Comerica Park in Detroit for a concert when I was 21 and seeing a booth that would check your ID and give you a wristband to "avoid the hassle of showing your ID whenever you purchased an alcoholic beverage". Needless to say every employee at the drink stands still ID'd us with each purchase regardless of the wrist band. Some of them didn't even know the wristbands were offered.

Why waste your employees time and staffing to offer a service that actually serves no purpose?

Cedar Point did that exact same thing with Frontier Fest before it was abandoned. When you showed up at the booth to get your drink/tasting tickets, they would ask if you want ID checked and would give a wristband so each booth wouldn't have to check your ID. And then.. each booth would check ID anyway and said it was "policy."

The wristbands were often a nightmare. Far too many times parents would get their taller child measured, rip the band off, and then put it on the shorter child. Then they would get mad if you tried measuring their child by saying “bUt ThEy hAvE a wRiStBaNd”. As a ride host that works entrance or crowd control, you eventually get in the swing of noticing sketchy behavior from the kid or parents when they know their kid is too short.

To this day, I remember a kid’s shoe being stuffed with Johnny Rockets cheeseburgers to make them tall. Their ankles were awkwardly higher than the rim of their shoe. Blows my mind. Not at all because Johnny Rockets is good…I just couldn’t fathom wasting that much money to put your kid at risk.