Child tickets & height - a question

[CarrieR]

Although I'm not a huge KIC poster, I do lurk regularly, and visit KI several times a season so I consider myself relatively well-informed... but I have a question that has me stumped. Hoping someone here can help. (I checked with Guest Relations at the park, but they weren't particularly helpful and I figured there may be some firsthand experiences here.)

I'm taking some kids to the park with me later this week, and in preparation for our trip, I've been keeping track of their heights on a doorjamb in my kitchen. I have two who I thought were going to make the 48" cutoff, but when I measured them the other day, I got 47 1/2 and 47.9" on them, LOL. That is to say, just shy of that 48" cutoff.

It's not a big deal, really; I've explained to them that I'm not sure on which side of the line they fall, and that they may or may not be able to ride certain things. They would only ride a couple of 48" attractions anyways (Adventure Express, BLSC etc,) so no problem. Where a bigger challenge lies for me is in the tickets. The child ticket is for 'under 48"' and the adult is for 48" and up. I'm not in any way trying to cheat the system, but if they're not 48" (and therefore not going to be able to ride the adult rides,) then I don't want to pay for an adult ticket for them. (I'm paying for a whole group of kids and a couple of chaperones to go, both tickets and food, so although the price difference is small, every little bit helps.)

What I'm wondering is, has anyone ever taken a child who is around/at the 48" line in with a child ticket, had them get tagged at the gate for measuring, and then been forced to upgrade at gate price? If I could pay the extra $5 to upgrade to the web price, I wouldn't sweat it, but it's going to be $23 to upgrade to gate price. (It's worth a note that I do plan to re-measure the kids the day before I go, and if I get them at 48" I'll buy the adult ticket --I'm not trying to 'squeak' a kid in who is just over the line. I have a 49 incher I'll be paying for, no problem.) All that Guest Relations could tell me is that they "probably" would make me pay gate, so since they didn't have a firm answer, I was hoping to get some firsthand accounts or anecdotes from anyone here who may have had this situation or seen it applied at the gate.

Also, on a totally separate topic... what side dishes are there at the Backyard BBQ? I'd like to take the kids, but I don't eat meat and the only veg dish I saw on the whole list was potato salad. Call me cheap, but I'm not paying $14 for potato salad and pop (LOL!) Again, asked at guest relations and they didn't really have an answer for me. I'm going to call the park to find out, but thought I'd ask here while I was posting a topic.

Thanks to all who read my ramble here... (and even more thanks to those who reply!)

Carrie

[standbyme]

I have never seen anyone height checked as they enter the park...I am not saying it might not actually happen...but I have never seen it. I would say that you should buy the under 48" tickets.

As a side note, when you do get them height checked for a bracelet, the "stand" in NU is a LOT more accurate than the one near the park entrance...they have a steel plate on the one in NU, the one by the front entrance is just sitting on asphault and can vary a little by where your child stands. We were SURE my Nephew was tall enough to move up to the 42" bracelet because of several measurings at home...but when we got to the park and had him measured inside the entrance (By the photo booth) we were told he fell short, we couldn't figure it out...later in the day we had him stand on the steel-plated one in NU...he was EASILY tall enough over there.(Which is what we had determined at home with a tape measure countless times...and yes we always "squished" his hair down flat!)

[CarrieR]

Ahh... thanks for the info on the height stands. It was definitely my plan to measure the kids just as soon as we walked into the park, so it's good to know that it's better to do it at the stand in NickU. However, although I know where the stand is at the main gate, I'm not sure where the one in NU is -- can you describe it to me?

I guess I'm a little neurotic about measuring the kids... I've always felt like it's really important to prepare kids before we do something like this (for many kids it's their only trip of the year) and a big part of that is talking to them about what they can and cannot ride. It eliminates a lot of tears and also allows the kids to gear up for some things they wouldn't ride without preparation. So I'm familiar with hair-squishing lol! Just checked them again and the .9 one looked to be above the line, the .5 closer to it but still below lol. I guess I need to find out from their parents what shoes they're going to be wearing... ha ha!

Thanks for the info.

[standbyme]

Hi,

It is just a brightly colored free-standing sign...it is just like the one by the photo-booth to the left of the fountain as you enter the park. (It is no more than 3 feet wide and 7 feet tall...usually 2 employees are standing by it to measure your child and give you a bracelet. The one in Nick U. is near the Blues Clues ride...you shouldn't be able to miss it.

I know what you mean about getting your child prepared for what they can and can not ride...there is nothing more heartbreaking than seeing a kid dissapointed.

As for your Picnic question...the last time I went it seemed like vegetarians had very little choice.

[teenageninja]

I would say for the $5 dollar upgrade, go for it. However, I'm not really familiar with the process. If you buy a child's ticket and they are tall enough to ride rides, what prevents them from doing it?

[Avatar]

[LaurAsh]

I work at the park. If the child is borderline, they are likely to charge you the child price because if they are borderline on many of the rides, they will not let them on.

[BavarianBeatle]

It's nice that you don't want to cheat the system, as far to many people in today'sworld are willing to do.... But if you have measured the children honestly immediately prior to purchasing the tickets, which you OBVIOUSLY have (to the tenth of an inch nontheless), I think you can purchase the lower priced tickets without any issues with your conscience....

Edit: The park, and the world, need more people with that level of integrity.....

[BoddaH1994]

Backyard BBQ Menu: southern fried chicken, hamburgers, hot dogs, baked beans, potato salad, unlimited soft drinks, and ice cream treats!

Add the Backyard BBQ to your daily admission ticket here.

[CarrieR]

Thanks to all for your help.

Standbyme -- Ah, near Blues Clues. I know exactly what the sign looks like (the one Avatar posted,) I just didn't know where it was located in NickU. Makes sense; although I do spend time in the kids' area even when going with my friends (I have some who aren't too crazy about heights, LOL,) Blue's Clues isn't usually a ride we hit.

TeenageNinja -- I'm not sure that there is anything that 'prevents' it, since there's not a wristband/stamp system of any sort that shows what your gate is. And certainly, although I strive to be honest, if I buy a child's ticket because I truly measure them 1/2 or 1/4 inch short at home, and they pass for 48" at the park, I'm not going to hold them back for riding for that reason. I personally fall in line with BavarianBeetle's mindset of intent; my concern is if the park does the same or if I'd have to pay a $23 (!) upcharge if my measurements were off by a half inch.

LaurAsh -- Thank you... that's exactly the insight I was hoping for. That seems like a reasonable policy to me. Although I'm hoping the girls will be tall enough to ride, I'm expecting that they won't be -- and if they're not, that's ok with me. I'd rather them be safe. (Major pet peeve is the parent who goes off on a ride op who turns away their child... I'd rather be safe than sorry. There's always next year.)

BavarianBeetle -- I'm not a saint; I was raised not to cheat people and even more importantly in this instance, I want to teach the kids right from wrong. While they may never know the difference, if I had to explain it to them under some odd circumstance, I'd want to be able to do it clearly and truthfully. As hard as I work with these kids to teach them honesty (HARD at an age in which they've figured out that lying sometimes lets you get away with stuff,) it's crucially important to me to do as I say, and lead by example. Anyways... soapbox. I'll get off of it now. LOL.

BoddaH -- thank you. I saw that list on the website (should have noted that in my first post.) Do you know if that's the exhaustive list? I thought I saw an 'and more' indicated somewhere, although I don't see it on that page. I'm going to presume it is, in which case I guess we'll pass. $13 is a little steep for potato salad, LOL.

Okay, enough rambling from me. Thank you again to all for your help -- it's very much appreciated.

[XGatorHead 8904]

I went to the Backyard BBQ on July 4th... and what is listed is all they had. Unless the "and more" refers to the onions and pickles they had to put on the burgers!