Height restrictions

We went to CP Friday with our 5 year old who I thought was 48 in. We went to get him officially measured and it turns out he is 47 and 3/4. I probably couldn't have even slid 3 pieces of paper between his head and the bar it was that close. So he couldn't get a wristband. We then, for the heck of it thought we would just try a few rides and see what happened. Cedar Creek Mine Ride he got on all 3 times we walked up. Gemini he got through one of two times (which is his new favorite ride). And Blue Streak he got through once but he didn't want to wait in that long of a line and the second time he got turned away. I got to thinking, it would be nice if they could have it so if the kid was within a 1/2 inch it could be left up to the parent. Now I know that would open up a whole can of worms and I'm sure people would abuse it. But as a parent I know what my kid is ready for and what he can handle. A 1/2 inch cant improve safety all that much.

I agree with you. I know it is for saftey purposes, but if they are that close to 48 inches it should be the parents descision. Ride ops have to go by the book, or they could get sued if god forbid anything happened. So they can't let it slide. But if it were up to the parents, im sure 1/4 of an inch would be fine.

Glad to hear that your son had fun though. :)

Tippy Toes. :)

Potential lawsuits drive everything. If the manufacturer won't stand behind it, neither will CP.

I didn't want to start a new thread so I googled this one.

What is the point of having your child Officially measured if the Ride Ops are going to ignore it? My 4 year old daughter is 43 inches tall. She needs to be 42 inches in order to ride alot of the kids rides and quite a few of the bigger rides (with an adult).

When getting measured they move the little 42 inch thing over her head and it's not even close. Both at Kings Island and Cedar Point they see that the bar won't pass over her head with an inch or more to spare and they instanly give her a 42 inch braclet. Both parks even check the next higher bar. Kings Island being 44 inch bar and CP being the 46 inch bar.

At Kings Island they would each time check the 44 inch one multiple times and have her stand up straight and so forth but she was just a tad short.

With that being said, why do we bother with getting our child officialy measured if the ride ops are going to ignore it? Each and every ride they measure her which is fine, it doesn't take that long. She rode Trokia with her mom, got off and her and I got in line. We got up to the ride op and he measured her, said she was too short. I told him she just rode it and she was officialy measured. Showed him the braclet to no avail.

@#$*(&@?

Because it is still the ride-ops ass if something should happen. The bracelet basically means that if it is close, the op should let it go. It is still up to them to ensure that everyone meets the height requirements.

And don't think that parents haven't tried having their taller child get "officially" measured and then moving the wristband to the shorter child.

I know the feeling, my son is right there at the line as well. He's been on magnum and gemini still though. He's dying to get on Millie but I don't want to wait in line to get shot down at the station. He's only got about 1/4" to go as well.

When we went on Thursday there a teenage girl in line for the Wildcat with her two (I assume) younger sisters. After waiting in line for close to 45 minutes they got to the station and the ride op measured the littler one and found she was too short. Nice way to waste time in line when there was one of those swinging measuring thingies at the front of the line!

I know how frustrating it is when your child is so close to the limit! My youngest son is now 13 and last year he finally made 54 inches! I know it is frusterating to get the stick every time he rode last year. I am glad that CP wants to keep everyone safe!!! I know I would wait until he or she is at height for some of the rally big rides! I have a picture of my son on the Dominator from last year and he looks so small in the seat. I think if anyone tries to sneak them in when they are really too short, there could be a problem. But again I know that everyone has a right to what they feel is right for their child!

In the ride host's defense, it is really quite frightening putting someone so young/small on a big coaster. I remember on MF, we had a few people who were barely 48", and the crossbar that holds the yellow lap bar, would push all the way into the seat (as far as it can go) and still not be touching the child's legs. We would pull the seatbelt as tight as possible, and you knew they were secure, but you were still nervous.

The wrist band they get, should take the pressure off of the ride op. I agree with detriot b on that.

What really concerns me is the swimming areas at these parks. I used to belong to a swim club and every year before I was 9 I had to swim a lap in the pool to prove I could swim well enough to go in the deep end. I understand they make the kids under 48" wear the life jackets but just because a child is taller than that it doesn't mean they can swim. The last horror story I heard a toddler fell face first in a wave pool and he didn't survive. I don't know if a life jacket would have even helped there. No adult should be leave a child that can't swim unsupervised. If they had a swim test of some sort those kids could get a wrist band. If the kid couldn't get the wrist band he would have to be with someone who could swim at all times reguardless of a life jacket.

^ - so what do you do about the "parents" who have the tall enough kid get measured, and then slide the wristband off him and onto the kid who isn't tall enough?

Death penalty?

^ lol. Your rite Jugga they sould make it a stamp instead of a wrist band. If a stamp doesn't work they can just brand the kids like cattle. I could just imagine it's gotta be tough for the ride op to tell someone thier to short when they got measured at the official measurement place and it said they where fine.

mariace said:
I could just imagine it's gotta be tough for the ride op to tell someone thier to short when they got measured at the official measurement place and it said they where fine.

Not only that but she just rode the ride with her mother.

Let me guess - your child was under 48 inches when it was time to pay for the ticket, but as soon as she walked into the park, she grew so she'd magically be able to ride the big rides.

I do like the idea of an official stamp or something that couldn't be easily transferred from one person to another, but I'm sure they'd eventually be abused (much like Freeway Stamps were) as well.

Most ride hosts don't get off by telling kids they can't ride. You guys are criticizing ride hosts for doing their job as they are instructed to do it - remeasure kids even if they have a wristband (and if it's close, honor the wristband, but if it's not, take the wristband off). I know being an eighth of an inch short isn't going to cause instant death, but they are just doing their jobs and you should learn to follow the rules like a grown up. The ride will still be there for your kid next year.

cplover said:
A 1/2 inch cant improve safety all that much.

But the second something happens to your kid you will be first in line to sue the park,, manufacture, or the ride host. I deal with this all of the time! Parents trying anything and everything. It is bad parenting in my opinion. What are you teaching your kids? To lie, cheat really smart. The rules are made for a reason and people need to learn to respect them.

^Jump to many conclusions there? No I wouldn't "sue" anyone. My kids been riding coasters since he was 3, and I've been by his side every step of the way. I personally think Zack's Zoomer at MA is more aggressive ride then CCMR. I'm not looking to throw him on Millennium or Mean Streak, just the smaller big ones that I know he can handle. We were just at the doctor on Monday and according to their measurements he is 48" which i stated in my original post that I thought he was 48". I not teaching him to lie and cheat. I am well aware that the rules are there to keep people safe and I not about to put my kid in danger. To me it looks like getting them "officially measured" doesn't do the kid any good if he is right on the line , like I thought it was for. So think what you want, but you should check yourself before you start accusing other people of things.

If my kid is 47 inches, and the height requirement is 48 inches, there is no way I will try to cheat CP to get him to ride a coaster. But cplover's child was only 3/4 of an inch away from making it.

I guess for safety purposes, it is good that they have to be 48 inches But why not at least try to let the child sit in the seat. If he or she is still too small for the restraints to properly work, then don't let him/her ride. That's where I think it should be the parents choice.

But yet again there are a lot of scum bag people who would take advantage of it and let their kid ride. Then if their kid even got the tiniest of scrapes, they probably would end up suing. So I see where CP can't let this slide. They are just trying to save their butts.

If the manufacturer thought it was safe for a 47 and 3/4 inch kid to ride then that would be the height restriction. Like Matt said your kid was probably 47 inches at the gate when it came time to pay but when it comes to rides he/she is 48 inches. If you are not teaching him to lie and cheat then why are you even taking him to rides that he was already told no for? This is what makes my employees job's so hard! Kids are told no then parents get there child's hopes up and then make the person at entrance feel bad when they do there job properly.

Trust me we want your kid to ride more than anything but if they are not tall enough then it is not safe, and if you are getting your child on rides with a 48 inch requirement then you are putting them in danger.

Safety is the number one concern and that is all we try to do.