Height Restrictions

[jdawg1998]

This is something I've complained about all the time - the height restrictions at Kings Island. It makes me angry how strict they are, because my little sister loves roller coasters, but is not even 4 feet tall. I feel really bad for her, because one day one of her other friends (a year older) could ride The Racer, but my sis couldn't.

Examples are Adventure Express (48"). How is this 48"? It may be a bit rough, but it is just like Big Thunder Mountain at Disney World, but BTMR is 40"! Congo Falls - 46". At Universal Studios, Jurassic Park River Adventure has a very steep drop that is 85', and the restriction is 42"! One that I really don't understand is Zephyr...48"? How!? You sit in chairs and spin around! I don't understand the restrictions one bit.

Now to a question; does anyone here know (striked out, for you know why) what decides the height restrictions for rides? The park, the company, the state, etc. I would think it is somewhat the state's decision or some park board, or whatever, I don't know these things, but seeing how most rides at the major theme parks in Florida have very low height restrictions, it's weird how different it is at Kings Island.

So, who decides it? Is it based on the restraints, the airtime, the intensity of the ride?

Answers, please, because I've been wondering this for awhile!

Edit: Oh, and also, might I remind you that Big Thunder has NO seatbelts, just a lap bar that gives you a ton of room! Same goes for Expedition Everest (ONLY A 44" height limit!)

[PhantomTheater]

The height restrictions are determined by the ride manufactures. They give a recomendation on what they belive is safe, which in Ohio the park must follow excactly.

[markr]

It is mind boggling that parents would care more about getting their child on a ride over their safety.

[slitthythroat]

Yeah, I'm curious also, when I was at the park Friday, my 3 year old cousin was literally an inch away from being able to ride Surf Dog & they let her on, but the next day, they said no...I was totally confused.

[The Interpreter]

Ohio is a bit different than most states, in that ride operators must follow manufacturers' recommendations for the rides to be licensed. Florida is on the other extreme, in that the large theme parks are, in essence, self policing.

[Fear the Four]

So, who decides it? Is it based on the restraints, the airtime, the intensity of the ride?

As PhantomTheater said, Ohio parks must follow manafactur recommendations, but height restrictions are based off of a few different things. I wouldn't really say it's based off intensity and the different forces being applied on the rider. Many intense rides have a height restriction of 48" (such as Voyage).

Many manufactures preform analysis on rider restraints and how patrons are contained in their seats. The analysis determines the height and size requirements of the guests for each ride. Manufactures have to follow a number of different standards when preforming these analysis. For instance, ASTM F 2291 Standard practice for design of Amusement rides. I would guess to say it's mainly based off the restraints.

[RideWarriorNation]

So, who decides it? Is it based on the restraints, the airtime, the intensity of the ride?

I wouldn't really say it's based off intensity and the different forces being applied on the rider.

I wouldn't be so quick to say that. Height requirements are based off, obviously the type of restraint the ride has, and that is determined by the forces that are being applied to the body. Let's look at 3 different types of restraints that are needed depending on what kind of forces are being applied to the body...

Base Case (class 4-5 restraint) - This type of restrain provides support to the lower body in all directions, and maintains the riders contact with the seat at all times. AKA, the notorious lap bar. So the height restriction would be somewhere around 48".

Over-the-shoulder (class 5 restraint) - This enables support of the upper body. The height restriction with this kind of restraint would be around 51-54".

Prone restraint - This is the standard flying coaster restraint. It allows the patron to accept higher acceleration in the -Gx (eyes). Also designed for the rider to be oriented face down during the ride cycle. With this restraint the height requirement is around 55".

I hope this clears some confusion.

-RWN-

[Fear the Four]

Nice try Trevor

http://nolimits-exchange.com/news/g-force-lesson/35

And to those who are wondering what the different classes are for http://i.imgur.com/J6xCw.png

Now I'm kind of confused by where you got these height requirements you listed from?

Whether it be class 4 or class 5 restraints, base case restraints can range any where from 36 to 54 inches for height requirements.

For OSTR's... most Arrow loopers are 48"

Premier's I think are usually 48" and 54"

Vekoma SLC's and Intamin's are usually over 52"

[RideWarriorNation]

Nice try Trevor
http://nolimits-exch...force-lesson/35

And to those who are wondering what the different classes are for http://i.imgur.com/J6xCw.png

Now I'm kind of confused by where you got these height requirements you listed from?

Whether it be class 4 or class 5 restraints, base case restraints can range any where from 36 to 54 inches for height requirements.
For OSTR's... most Arrow loopers are 48"
Premier's I think are usually 48" and 54"
Vekoma SLC's and Intamin's are usually over 52"

What do you mean, "Nice try Trevor"?
Honestly, I can't tell anything from that picture.
[1]This, however has a pretty straight forward definition of what "classes" are. I got the height requirements from the minimum height requirement average for each restraint. Your standard lap bar restraint can have a height requirement from 48-52". For the OTSR's I was just counting inverted coasters; which was foolish of me. But, Vekoma's SLC coasters have a height requirement of 1.3m (or 51") not more than 52" like you're claiming. I also looked at B&M's inverts which have a height requirement of 54". Which is where I got the "51-54", but yes, it would be 48-54" for OTSR. Last but not least I got the prone restraint height requirement from looking at both Vekoma, and B&M. Which are oddly both 55" (thinking they would be different).

But yeah, thanks for correcting me on the OTSR height requirements, and of course I should have listed sources .

-RWN-

[CoasterGeek101]

They are there for a reason. That reason is obviously safety. I am sure the park can't change these restrictions.

[KIfan1980]

IIRC - Iron Dragon is a 46" requirement and Flight Deck is 48". This was the one that always surprised me as the car and restraints seem the same although the FD ride is more forceful.

[jdawg1998]

So, who decides it? Is it based on the restraints, the airtime, the intensity of the ride?

I wouldn't really say it's based off intensity and the different forces being applied on the rider.

I wouldn't be so quick to say that. Height requirements are based off, obviously the type of restraint the ride has, and that is determined by the forces that are being applied to the body. Let's look at 3 different types of restraints that are needed depending on what kind of forces are being applied to the body...

Base Case (class 4-5 restraint) - This type of restrain provides support to the lower body in all directions, and maintains the riders contact with the seat at all times. AKA, the notorious lap bar. So the height restriction would be somewhere around 48".

This is what I don't get, referring to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad again, it is a lap bar, and a lap bar only, and no seatbelt. But Adventure Express has a lap bar and a seatbelt!

[jcgoble3]

^ Perhaps the seatbelt, for some reason we don't understand, actually forces a taller height minimum?

As for OTSRs, not only is Iron Dragon 46" (side note: IIRC, ID does not have a belt connecting the OTSR to the seat like FD does, which may partially confirm the above hypothesis), but Flying Ace Aerial Chase has OTSRs (albeit a different variety) and a belt and is only 44".

[PhantomTheater]

This is what I don't get, referring to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad again, it is a lap bar, and a lap bar only, and no seatbelt. But Adventure Express has a lap bar and a seatbelt!

Thunder mountain is in Florida where the park has much more freedom, as AE is in Ohio and must adhere to Arrow's recomendation on height.

[PKIVortex]

Interesting note, AE and Racer used to only have a 44 inch height requirement. Both rides were changed to 48 inches in the early 00's.

[markr]

I remember that during the 2000 season at CP when Millenium Force opened , the height requirement for the ride was 54 inches, During its second season in 2001, the restriction was lowered to 48 inches,.

[PhantomTheater]

Witches wheel use to be 60" in the 90's. Today its 54"

[Oldiesmann]

Interesting note, AE and Racer used to only have a 44 inch height requirement. Both rides were changed to 48 inches in the early 00's.

In 2005, the height requirement for what was then Beastie (now Woodstock Express) was raised from 36" to its current 40". I wonder if the changes you mentioned happened the same year.

[homestar92]

^Hard to say. in NC/SC, I don't know of any such law, yet Carowinds' Woodstock Express (Identical to ours) has a requirement of 40" as well.

This brings up another, semi-irrelevant question, say one of the Carolinas passed a law like the one in Ohio (but not both Carolinas). Would ALL of Carowinds have to follow it, or only on rides physically located in the state where the law was effective?

EDIT: I thought that by "changes", you meant the Ohio law that requires parks to adhere to manufacturer guidelines. My mistake.

[Oldiesmann]

Because Carowinds' official address is in Charlotte, NC, I would imagine that the law would only apply if it were passed in North Carolina. It depends on which state takes responsibility for inspecting/certifying the rides though.

[The Interpreter]

The law for where even portions of rides are located applies. This has caused problems in the past. You will note no other interstate parks have been built since. Even revenue has to be apportioned between the two states.

[PKIVortex]

Interesting note, AE and Racer used to only have a 44 inch height requirement. Both rides were changed to 48 inches in the early 00's.

In 2005, the height requirement for what was then Beastie (now Woodstock Express) was raised from 36" to its current 40". I wonder if the changes you mentioned happened the same year.

It's possible, but I could have thought that the requirments were changed in either 2000, or 2001, as I worked at the park those years. When I worked at AE in 1999 I know the requirement was only 44 inches. We need to find some old park guides that that have the requirements listed. LOL

[Oldiesmann]

The law for where even portions of rides are located applies. This has caused problems in the past. You will note no other interstate parks have been built since. Even revenue has to be apportioned between the two states.

Thanks for the clarification Terpy. It is odd to see anything built across state lines, though they did it with an elementary school near Oxford (which apparently has also caused problems for the school district - I found an article from 1989 saying that Ohio was threatening to stop subsidizing the district because their high school is in Indiana).

[darkmarkman]

At the moment, my 6 year old is 47.5 inches, with shoes he is right at 48. He is very excited to try racer and blsc. He may grow a bit before we can get to the park later this summer, but if he doesn't, do you guys think he will be able to ride or will we have issues getting on some rides?

[jcgoble3]

At the moment, my 6 year old is 47.5 inches, with shoes he is right at 48. He is very excited to try racer and blsc. He may grow a bit before we can get to the park later this summer, but if he doesn't, do you guys think he will be able to ride or will we have issues getting on some rides?

I don't have kids, but some of the parents on here that have experienced that with their own kids can give you tips on getting him to maximum height (posture is important!). The one thing I will point out is that rather than being measured at every ride, when you arrive you should go to the height measurement station just inside and to the left of the front gate. They will measure him once and give him a color-coded wristband indicating his official height, and that can then be shown any time a ride op questions his height (or more likely, the ride ops will see the wristband and not even ask).

[Jr for Birdy]

I always get a wristband for the kids when you walk in Planet Snoopy and a lost parent wristband for my kids, better safe than sorry.

[darkmarkman]

Glad to hear about the wristbands, that will help. We won't have one ride op let him on, and then come back to the same ride and be told he can't get on. I want him to be the proper height so he is safe. If he doesn't hit 48 inches, we will stick to Planet Snoopy.

[Oldiesmann]

There's also Monster (no minimum height), Scrambler (36") and Shake Rattle n Roll (42"). It might not be worth the hike from Planet Snoopy to Coney Mall just for three rides, but those are always an option as well.

[Jr for Birdy]

I bring my two year old on Monster with me and she absolutely Loves it! I had no idea she could ride it until I asked a ride-op after reading the sign wondering "I think she can ride with me!" I limit her to two rides on it since she's only two I'm nervous that she might puke, otherwise she wouldn't ever want off the ride.

[OldieButGoodie]

The wristbands are a great deal. I'm on son #2 now, who is just cresting 54". He gets a 54" band some days, and they won't give him that other days - owing to the 1/16" of difference in posture alone. Upsets him, but he gets the taller band more often than not, it's just the discretion of the measurer and whether the 'bar' stops or not on his head. It helps if he knows that he needs to 'stop the bar', without lifting his feet/heels of course.