Height Restrictions

[Voicetek]

I believe that those height restrictions are put into place for our safety and I, for one, don't mind them at all. My niece and nephew, who are 10 and 5, are with me quite often. My niece is tall enough to ride anything in the park, however, she is very skinny with hardly any mass at all. She wants to ride Diamondback, but I'm very concerned that she hasn't filled out enough to safely fill in that gaps between the seat and the lap bar. That ride has a lot of air time and I worry about her fitting tight enough in the seat. If the ride had a seat belt, perhaps I would feel differently about it. I would rather wait a year or two and let her fill out a little more than to be unsafe and put her on a ride just because I want her to ride it. She can ride most everything else, and Diamondback will still be there to ride later. I just can't see sacrificing safety just to ride a ride. When you put things in perspective, it's really not worth getting hurt over.

[medford]

My 4 year old is currently around 47" with shoes on (hard to tell exactly last time he was measured), so we've gone thru the paces the last 3 seasons, from getting on Woodstock express and Viking Fury (both 40") shortly before his 3rd birthday (late June birthday), to working his way up to Shake Rattle & Roll (42") to working his way up to 46" (congo falls, white water canyon, surf dog & Flying Ace Arial Chase).

A couple of notes, he was awefully dissapointed when he missed the 48" mark on our first trip this year, he really wanted to get on The Beast, racer and the helicopter ride (Backlong stunt coaster; he mainly just wants to see the helicopter and fire flames as he loves looking at those from the tower). Its probably best not to build up the coaster too much if there is any questions that they won't make the 48" mark.

The people who measure are generally pretty good at helping you get your kid to stand as tall as possible, feet all the way back and together, straight back, head up, etc...

the measuring stick up front isn't always the same as the one in kiddie land. I had my son miss the 42" mark one day at the one up front (a mark he had hit prior on the same stick earlier in the season, wearing the exact same shoes) however, at the measuring stick in kiddie land, he made the mark with ease. They've moved the location of the one up front, have it under a protected area just past the fass pass lane (its kind of hard to see, so take note) however, the last 2 years, some times they'd have the stick in side the guest relations office, just after the ticket gate, and sometimes it would be out by the photo booth. So you may want to peek your head into guest relations when you first get into the park if you don't see the measuring stick out past the fass pass booth (to your left as you look at the tower)

Even if your kid doesn't make the 48" mark, there is still a ton of options. As mentioned, shake rattle & roll, monster, scrambler, & viking fury all make a nice path from festhaust, thru coney mall as an alternate to Planet Snoopy. Inside of Planet Snoopy, surf dog and flying Ace arial chase are fun for both mys on and I (or mom), wood stock express, the bumper cars, boo blasters, etc.. are all still great options.

Have fun.

[medford]

I believe that those height restrictions are put into place for our safety and I, for one, don't mind them at all. My niece and nephew, who are 10 and 5, are with me quite often. My niece is tall enough to ride anything in the park, however, she is very skinny with hardly any mass at all. She wants to ride Diamondback, but I'm very concerned that she hasn't filled out enough to safely fill in that gaps between the seat and the lap bar. That ride has a lot of air time and I worry about her fitting tight enough in the seat. If the ride had a seat belt, perhaps I would feel differently about it. I would rather wait a year or two and let her fill out a little more than to be unsafe and put her on a ride just because I want her to ride it. She can ride most everything else, and Diamondback will still be there to ride later. I just can't see sacrificing safety just to ride a ride. When you put things in perspective, it's really not worth getting hurt over.

For whatever its worth, one of my nieces (must be about 12, its my brother in laws step daughter, so I don't know here that well) is as skinny as can be, and safely rode Damondback several times when she was 10. Its hard to imagine me thinking a girl could get much skinnier than this girl, so your niece is most likely safe.

With that said, just because your kid is the approriate height, using sound judgement is still wise. My son will likely hit the 48" mark by or around his 5th birthday, I'm waiting a couple of years for Vortex, just too much head rattling. The Beast, Racers, Adventure Express, etc.. will all suffice for this season.

[dare-to-fly]

The requirements are designed for a reason. There is no question that if someone is tall enough to meet the height requirement, they are perfectly safe. Vortex is often much easier on those who are shorter due to the ears being slightly below the top of the restraint. If the kid meets the height requirement, they are safe without question.

My only other thought on the matter is this - there is no "S" anywhere in The Racer.

[jdawg1998]

I just hate how short my sister is..she's seven and only 44"....but still, some of the restrictions are ridiculous.

[Coaster.Rider.Kings Island]

I think some of the height restrictions are a bit much, but I've never had this problem. I could ride The Beast and Vortex when I was 4.

[dare-to-fly]

I just hate how short my sister is..she's seven and only 44"....but still, some of the restrictions are ridiculous.

They are designed to make sure everyone is safe. They have to draw the line somewhere. That's where they drew it. It's not the park's fault that your sister is short I know of someone that is a full grown adult with two teenage kids that was too short for a round-up at a park that shall remain nameless. They drew the line, she was under it. Sorry.

[tjpavlik]

My six year old was thrilled to ride FoF (Front seat!) on Saturday. She returned on Wednesday and was denied. Now she knows she needs her hair braided on top and what shoes to wear!

[The Interpreter]

And that is safe? Really?

[dare-to-fly]

I'm sorry to say some people value the experience more than safety, Terpy. That's why we need height requirements at all.

[darkmarkman]

Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with the height restrictions on the rides. My concern was more with being able to get on a ride and then coming back later and being denied. Even though he may be able to ride The Beast, I may not let him because it's a bit rough.

[jdawg1998]

I know it's for safety, but going back to my original post, I don't understand how at Disney World, my sister can ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, or even Space Mountain, but at Kings Island she can't ride Adventure Express. Another comparison is that my sister can ride Jurassic Park: River Adventure at IoA (42") - it has an 80 ft, very steep drop, but she can't ride Congo Falls. She can also ride Popeye and Bluto's Bilge Rat Barges, which is just like WWC - but she can't ride WWC.

I'm not complaining about the height restrictions alone, just in comparison to other amusement parks.

Also, that was the main point of my original post anyways.

[The Interpreter]

Florida isn't in Ohio. And that's truly most of the difference.

[Creed Bratton]

There's a difference in standards by the states. In Ohio, parks have to follow manufacturer guidelines. In Florida it's probably different. I understand your frustration though, it'd make much more sense if everything was across the board.

[The Interpreter]

In Florida, the large parks in essence regulate and inspect themselves. It's a very different world.

[jdawg1998]

Okay, thanks. I understand safety, and I don't make my sister wear different shoes or different hair to get on rides...was just wondering why it's different.

Although I still don't get Congo Falls, at all...

[Jr for Birdy]

Congo Falls= Best airtime in the park with no seatbelt or restraint. I can see why.

[benred23]

I just wanted to chime in real quick. My Daughter is about 47.5" without shoes. We have a pair of shoes that put her right at 48 that she wears. she also has a pair of flip flops that put her right to 48. When we took her last time to get measured, she was wearing the flip flops and they made her take them off before the measured her. Therefor, he was just under the 48 for a wristband. I however put the flip flops back on and we promptly got on racer after a height measurment with flip flops on and she was good to go..If your wearing shoes, they dont make you take them off. So if your son/daughter is right at the 48" mark, Make sure they wear shoes with a little bit of a sole in them so they can make the mark..

[medford]

They have never once made my son take off his shoes to get measured. Just one man's story, but I've never seen any child take their shoes off to get measured regardless of flip flops, shoes, etc..

[Creed Bratton]

I just wanted to chime in real quick. My Daughter is about 47.5" without shoes. We have a pair of shoes that put her right at 48 that she wears. she also has a pair of flip flops that put her right to 48. When we took her last time to get measured, she was wearing the flip flops and they made her take them off before the measured her. Therefor, he was just under the 48 for a wristband. I however put the flip flops back on and we promptly got on racer after a height measurment with flip flops on and she was good to go..If your wearing shoes, they dont make you take them off. So if your son/daughter is right at the 48" mark, Make sure they wear shoes with a little bit of a sole in them so they can make the mark..

Consistency between associates. One way to avoid "she rode __ but she couldn't ride __" is to have your child measured in Planet Snoopy and get a wrist band.

[kblanken]

I've never really studied this, but I have heard that people are taller after sleeping than they are at the end of a day. Not a large difference, like less than half an inch, but it could explain the not being able to later in the day.

[The Interpreter]

Another reason to get the kiddos measured and with height wristbands.

[Guest Department47]

Regarding employees having children remove footwear before measuring them, from the 2013 park map...

Kings Island reserves the right to ask that shoes be removed to ensure that a child's height is not being artificially enhanced or manipulated.

Also, worth noting, height wristbands are great in the amusement park, but they're not valid in the water park. Measurements are done without shoes there, so a 40" wristband from International Street is meaningless when trying to get on Zoom Flume.

[PKIVortex]

I always thought in the dry park measurements were made with shoes, and in the waterpark barefoot?

[fossilizedtreesap]

I Think They Reserve The Right To Measure Barefoot Because Some Shoes Add Height. I Used To Have Sneakers As A Kid That Had About 2 Inch Spikes All The Way Around.

Funny Thing Is,I Just Saw A Pair Like Then In Walmart Yesterday!

Lets Also Not Forget That Some Parents Will Stuff The Heels Of Shoes So Kids Appear Taller.

I Don't Know If That Happens At KI, But That's A Common Passed "Trick" On Disney Forums.

Seems Silly To Me. My Parents Just Didn't Take Us To Theme Parks During Those Iffy In Between Years.

[fossilizedtreesap]

Soles Not Spikes

[OldieButGoodie]

They have never once made my son take off his shoes to get measured. Just one man's story, but I've never seen any child take their shoes off to get measured regardless of flip flops, shoes, etc..

I have... so I know it happens - one of my sons wore heelies to CP a couple of years ago (and they were doing the same for some of those chunky 'flip flops' that were popular for a while). They didn't make us remove the wheels, they made him remove the shoes.

The 'right at the mark' months are the toughest - getting on one day and off the next due to differing opinions (especially when it's a pencil or pen or other subjective device, rather than the gizmo with the bars on it). The wristbands are awesome - you get one or don't, and your child knows what it's gonna be that day.

I'm in agreement that state laws and insurance companies dictate the requirement, and the park is trying to be objective to avoid the parents who think they can yell their way onto the ride for their kid. There has to be a safety margin built in, since torso lengths and such vary, so if 1/8" is the difference between safe and not it's an instant 'fail' that the park has to avoid. That said, shoes do make a difference. Chuck Taylors won't help... but most running shoes or hiking boots will.

[Adventuro]

The height limit is there to keep children, or anyone to short to ride safe. They could potentially fall out of the restraint if they don't have a substancial lower portion of their body. Safety comes first, one day they will be tall enough, there should be no debate.

[jasonondropzone]

A few years ago, my cousin had went to Kings Island and was either a) too short for the big rides, or b ) too tall for the smaller rides. She refuses to go back even three plus years later, and I keep trying to tell her, "You've grown, you can ride nearly everything there now."

[The Interpreter]

A few years ago, my cousin had went to Kings Island and was either a) too short for the big rides, or b ) too tall for the smaller rides. She refuses to go back even three plus years later, and I keep trying to tell her, "You've grown, you can ride nearly everything there now."

Isn't she still too tall for the smaller rides?

Terp, who likes to ask questions