Any way to make my son 1 inch taller?

[traviesojmt]

My DD just turned 3 a few weeks ago. Right now, she is one inch shy of 40". Ever since we were at Disney last summer, she has talked of getting to ride Big Thunder Mountain. I really doubt that she is going to grow the needed inch by our trip at the end of Aug. Right now, I keep telling her that she won't get to ride it this trip. If by some miracle, she gets tall enough then it will be a wonderful surprise. I don't want her going thinking that she is going to ride though. I also keeping stressing things like, "Yeah, you get to try Kali River Rapids this year". I am not going to do anything to attempt to make her look taller.
A litte OT, but related: I wish that they had height measuring sticks at the entrance of the park so that you can check your child's height without having the disappointment of trying at the line of the ride. If my DD doesn't meet the stick test at the entrance, then I know to not even bother trying to get in the line with her.

 

[bahsdad]

My 5-year-old wants to go on EE (and all the other 44 inch rides) when we go this December. We have over 4 months, but right now, he's solidly 43 inches tall. I don't think he'll grow a whole inch in that time, but I'm not sure. If he doesn't, are there any shoe inserts I can buy for him? I want him in comfortable shoes, so no wacky shoes...just a padded insert maybe. Of course, he may chicken out anyway, and I will not pressure him to ride anything. He's just my daredevil and is very excited. We've never been and probably won't be back for several years at least.

wow harsh comments, I feel bad. Maybe a little spinach or broccoli

 

[babynurse1]

Do they really make your kid take off their tennis shoes? My son was 47 1/4 at his last check up, but a solid 48 with shoes. I DONT want him to ride if its unsafe, but I've never seen a CM tell a kid to take off their shoes, and I was just checking as sombody posted earlier that they will do that. Thanks.

 

[SueM in MN]

Do they really make your kid take off their tennis shoes? My son was 47 1/4 at his last check up, but a solid 48 with shoes. I DONT want him to ride if its unsafe, but I've never seen a CM tell a kid to take off their shoes, and I was just checking as sombody posted earlier that they will do that. Thanks.

They are not going to do it with 'average' appearing shoes, but I have read posts where people said they had seen it with children who appeared to be wearing shoes with very thick soles or things like little girls with wedge heels. There have been some posts from CMs in the past that said they occassionally ask for kids to remove shoes if they appear to be wearing ones to make them taller.
I have seen CMs make kids take off hats or push down girl's hair.

 

[Dcanoli]

Even though I was one of the ones that posted that information, I'll have to be honest here and say that I MYSELF have not seen a CM do this. I have heard, as the poster said above, that sometimes CMs make children wearing shoes that are obviously put on to make them taller (such as wedge shoes that are popular now), slip them off.

I don't think, IMHO, they'd EVER make a boy slip off tennis shoes. The goal is to make the lines move along smoother and FASTER...seems like that would take too much time and trouble!

Just my two cents!

Deb

 

[tjmw2727]

I have actually seen a CM ask a child to remove obviously high shoes 3x now. Two were girls and one was a boy, one of the girls had super high sketchers (not the normal kind of sketchers most kids wear) and the other had platform flip flops. The boy was wearing heelies which have very thick soles. It was during a trip when my youngest dd was just over the 40" limit so she too was being measured multiple times per ride. The CM at the entrance to the line will ask a party with a borderline looking child to step aside to measure the child, this was the line isn't held up.

In my experience the CM will move the L stick over the childs head and if it dosen't pass over but touches the head they will allow the child on. Hats must be removed and hair won't be an issue as the L has to actually touch the head.

With a borderline child you can also expect them to be measured again at boarding if the CM loading is unsure they meet the restriction. I have seen a few families pass by the first CM with a child too short only to have them meausred and turned away at boarding. Its sad because the child has waited in line, somtimes for a long time and can't ride. In my experience they are very strict on the height restrictions.

TJ

 

[graciespeaks]

In 4 months its almost certain your DS will grow 1 inch.
Just in case this is for him....

 

[luvmyboys]

How about a rack? That wouldn't be against the rules.

Seriously though, kids do grow quickly, but I have to agree with the poster/s who advised you not to set your DS up for disappointment. No matter what you try to "make" him taller, you always run the risk of a CM catching on & saying no. If you are anything like me, you would feel even worse if you had told DS he would be able to ride everything & it turned out not to be the case...

 

[wrldpossibility]

Hi all,

I'm the OP, and I guess I should have waited to ask this question after my DS's 5 year checkup, because we just got back, and according to the doctor's measurement (as opposed to mine), DS is 43 and 3/4 inches without shoes. I'm sure that in 4 months, and with normal shoes on, he'll make the 44 inch mark. Doctor is confident he'll make it too.

Of course, he may be measured slightly differently throughout the parks, so he'll be prepared for the worst case scenario too! We'll hope for the best!

 

[maxiesmom]

That sounds good! I will keep my fingers crossed for your son!

 

[smschex]

Glad to hear your DS will make it!

My kids are all on the vertically challenged side (not a tall gene in the pool!) When we were riding EE at the end of June, they measured DD6 at the entrance and when she just passed, they gave her a "Yeti" stamp on her arm. At boarding another CM reached for the measuring stick then saw her "stamp of approval" and waved her on. She was very proud of her stamp!

 

[taximomfor4]

Glad to hear your DS will make it!

My kids are all on the vertically challenged side (not a tall gene in the pool!) When we were riding EE at the end of June, they measured DD6 at the entrance and when she just passed, they gave her a "Yeti" stamp on her arm. At boarding another CM reached for the measuring stick then saw her "stamp of approval" and waved her on. She was very proud of her stamp!

I am glad to read that they used this method. What is the ht requirement for EE?
I am thinking my dd8 won't be tall enough.

 

[vellamint]

I had problems the first time we went because my TWIN daughters were different heights (fraternal twins)...one made it and one didn't. I think we actually may have told them both they were too YOUNG. No way could I have let one on and not the other.

I have been known to put the shorter one's hair in a high ponytail when the community pool changed the rules from one year to the next and she was just under the height requirement. (mind you we spend a lot of time on that slide the year before without incident).

 

[smschex]

Taximom (I love your screen name BTW, it describes me as well!) The height requirement for EE is 44 inches.

 

[taximomfor4]

Taximom (I love your screen name BTW, it describes me as well!) The height requirement for EE is 44 inches.

Thanks....she is RIGHT on the edge then, depending on who measures her and what they are using.

Now back to the regularly scheduled debate,....er.......I mean THREAD!

 

[Dcanoli]

OP,

Did you EVER think your original post would turn into a FIVE-PAGE THREAD? Good Grief!

Once you get us Moms going......nothing can stop us!

 

[Dcanoli]

UH-OH! MY post just made it a SIX-PAGE THREAD!

 

[dementia412]

Most parents follow the rules to keep their kids safe, and so will I BUT, I have to say that usually those rules are way above what's actually needed. Someone said something like Disney needed to add an extra inch to account for the people who will try to sneak smaller kids threw, but the thing is Disney already does that. It's like adding loss from theft into the budget. All buisnesses do that before having things stolen because you have to account for those who won't follow the rules. I'm not saying letting the kid ride an inch short is right any more than taking the hotel towels is right... all I'm saying is they know it's gonna happen so they do figure that into their calculations.

 

[sully7]

I haven't read all the posts. The first page was enough!

I say "Feed him well, have him stand tall and have him ready to not go on the ride!!" That way if he gets on it will be a big suprise and he'll remember it for a long time.

Set it up for him that he won't be able to go on the rides he is not tall enough for...and you still try what you feel you need to to get him on without him realizing it! That way you are the only one hugely disappointed if he doesn't get on!

Good luck! This is my strategy for my DS in Sept!

 

[welovedis]

f he doesn't, are there any shoe inserts I can buy for him? I want him in comfortable shoes, so no wacky shoes...just a padded insert maybe.

I think this is the part of your first post that worried me....

I really wasn't asking for ways to make him inches taller

But then you said this later, so I'm not sure what you were hoping for in posting this....

I really didn't see any flames, but have to admit I didn't read the whole thread. Obviously you won't do anything to put your child in jeopardy and from what you said he knows that if he isn't tall enough, then that's the end of the discussion.

From my own experience with my DS wanting to ride RnRC, he got a magical moments certificate and a fastpass with no expiry date from a nice CM who saw him come back day after day during one trip. Very cute and is in our scrapbook from that year.

For those who think EE is tamer than other coasters, I would say it is at least on the level with BTMRR and, IMO, a bit worse. My skinny 9 yr old got thrown around quite a bit on it, and even asked me to "hold onto him" during the backwards part. He liked it enough to ride it a couple of times during our recent trip but it does jar you around quite a bit and is pretty fast.