Shoot the Rapids - Height Limits

Well, Congratulations CP, you've managed to disappoint me again, but this time it's my 5 year old I have to explain it to. He's 43 inches tall and was looking forward to riding Shoot the Rapids. Now he's going to have to wait until he's 46 inches tall. I don't think it's much of a family ride when the average 5 year old can't ride it. (and yes, my son is in the 50th percentile) Does anyone remember what the height limit was for White Water Landing?

46 inches for WWL.

http://pointbuzz.com/Forums/Thread/24496.aspx

Parks don't set height restrictions. Manufacturers and insurance companies do.

I remember one year they raised the height restriction on Cedar Downs. I had ridden it the past couple years before the change and we were very surprised when I was turned away at the front of the line.

Then, 15 seconds later I was way over it and had a great day.

I doubt any 4,5,6-year-old kid is going to be very concerned... that doesn't mean it is going to be any easier managing your group, though... now somebody has to wait with him or something.

If only you could sign an extra-wordy waiver when you got to the park, making Cedar Point immune from liability if something were to happen to you or your family, and to hold you entirely responsible if your family does something to directly/indirectly cause injury to someone else, etc.

Encouraging parents to sign away the court rights of their small children? Sounds wonderful! It's totally in keeping with public policy as well!

Sounds like a great learning opportunity for you and your child.

And Jam, that's about the worst idea I have ever heard.

The best course of action is to put on some Rolling Stones and give your kid a great life lesson.

sorry, winking smiley and/or eye roll was inferred.

Riders must be 46" inches tall or accompanied by a responsible person. From a 2005 rider guide I have laying around.

jam said:
I doubt any 4,5,6-year-old kid is going to be very concerned... that doesn't mean it is going to be any easier managing your group, though... now somebody has to wait with him or something.

No, my 4 year old was excited about this ride. And even more excited that he could ride. I explained to him that he'll have to wait until next year to ride (he's 44 inches), he was bummed, the same way he was about not being able to ride Magnum, Gemini, or Dragster. He'll get over it though.

However, in all honesty. This sucks. I understand the manufacturer sets the height limits and this is out of Cedar Fair's control. However, Cedar Fair did have the option to have a different manufacturer with a proven design and track record to build a similar ride in which the whole family can ride. I'm glad they tried to replace WWL but seeing that the ride is a soaker and not little kid friendly like WWL was I'm highly dissapointed in StR, even though I haven't ridden it yet. I'm dissapointed in the simple fact that this isn't a replacement of WWL but just an extension of SRF and Thunder Canyon.

~Rob

According to the CDC growth chart I looked at, the increase of 42" to 46" basically means, on average, a young rider will need to be 6 instead of 5. There are plenty of exceptions, but we're basically talking about one year. A 4-year-old who could ride at 42" would be in the 90th percentile for height.

Although affected people will be disappointed, it's essentially only pushing the age limit up one year. I'd say a ride that, on average, can accommodate most people ages 6 and up satisfies the requirements of a family ride.

And I'm sure it's a nice family friendly ride for those 6 and up. However, considering that they had a log flume that could accomodate those as young as 3 is where the source of my dissapointment lies. Again, my son will get over it, I'll get over it. But I do think that this isn't that great of a replacement of WWL if that's the direction CP was trying to go. And this goes with much of the other attractions that have gone away and not replaced with anything similar over the last two decades that makes me frustrated, but we've hashed that subject over and over that it really doesn't need to be discussed further.

Sure, the thrill rides added over the last 20 years are awesome and have put the park in the national spotlight, but has it really improved the overall park experience for a family? I think this is another telling sign that the decision makers aren't really taking the overall family experience into account.

~Rob

I'm really more dissappointed with the fact that the height requirement was changed after it was publically announced. If it is the manufacturers and lawyers setting it, why was it changed? This sort if thing should have been figured out months ago. Maybe the NEW boats were manufactered correctly to fit the troughs this time, but the seats got screwed up. Instead of delaying it further, CP just said "raise the height requirement". :)

Wtf???

They raised it back up again?

I thought they just announced it was going to be 42' to ride? My daughter is all excited and worked up to ride this ride, and now I have to tell her it's yet another ride at cedar point she can't ride. She is 42' tall, and the current rides that she can ride are all kiddie rides. She is bored with those rides.There is not much at this park that we can ride together. I can't fit in the kiddie coasters with her, I can only handle a few spin and puke rides, so that leaves the train, space spiral, and the river boat and maybe acouple of other rides.

We have been to amusement parks all over the united states, and she has been on corkscrew coasters, log flumes,bigger flat rides like the gravitron and much bigger better rides than str. Cedar fair parks are the WORST when it comes to height requirements.

You mean to tell me that she can ride these rides....

http://rcdb.com/3.htm?p=0

http://rcdb.com/41.htm?p=0

http://rcdb.com/37.htm?p=0

http://rcdb.com/129.htm?p=0

http://rcdb.com/282.htm?p=0

And, she can ride the log flume at almost any non cedar fair park. She can even ride the snake river falls type rides. But she can't ride str?

This is just stupid. We went to six flags in chicago, and she rode the demon(with her hands up btw), the whizzer, the dark knight coaster, both log rides,the condor,and lots of other rides. But she can't get on smaller rides at cedar point? How can she ride the bigger avalanche bobsled at kings dominium, but not disaster transport? How can she ride the great american scream machine, but not mine ride? How can she ride ninja at magic mountain, but not the much slower iron dragon?How can she handle the demon ride at six flags, but not the smaller corkscrew at cedar point? She can also ride the mine ride coasters at almost any other park except cedar fair parks. She is even tall enough to ride mindbender at six flags atlanta, but she can't even ride wildcat.

I am done taking her to cedar point.

i'm glad to see that your concerned with your children's safety, that is the point of a height requirement. There are plenty of other things for kids to do in the park other than ride Shoot The Rapids. Yes, it was annoying for then to change it, but if they did i'm sure it was for a good reason. So what, they have to wait another year, i would rather my kids be safe than sorry.

I'm pretty amused at reading posts from people who, a few years ago, were all about the thrill rides but are now dealing with the reality of a family of their own.Don't get me wrong, I know both CH and Rob from years past. I just find it an interesting social shift from my end of the spectrum. I had to deal with these same problems in the past with my daughter, as has everyone else.Trust me guys, it'll all work out. You'd be surprised how understanding your kids will become.

newyorkmom said:
i'm glad to see that your concerned with your children's safety, that is the point of a height requirement.

I think you're missing the point. It's not that they want to endanger the child... it's that this ride was billed as a family ride and therefore it was designed poorly. For me at least, a family ride is one that the ENTIRE family can ride together.

I still don't see how this ride can be billed as a WWL replacement.

Wow, they really did change the height requirement before opening. Simply unbelievable. If CP is anything but furious with Intamin they must be crazy.

I don't recall CP ever billing this ride as a replacement for WWL. The only people who did that are on here. And wasn't WWL's height limit 46 inches as well?

LiveEJon said:
For me at least, a family ride is one that the ENTIRE family can ride together.

Then Cedar Point has no family rides. I am coming to CP with my family later this year, and my niece who is 13 months old isn't going to be able to ride a thing! Stupid height limits..... :)