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How does Disney check height?

Disney measures the height of children with shoes on. Therefore, shoes count towards the total – helpful for children close to the height requirement. However, high-heeled shoes or overly chunky shoes do not count toward the total height measurement.



Disney takes safety very seriously, and they check heights using a standardized, two-step "station" procedure. At the entrance of any ride with a height requirement, a Cast Member will ask the child to stand against a permanently mounted metal post that looks like an upside-down "L" or the Greek letter Gamma. For the child to be cleared to ride, the top of their head (not their hair or hat) must physically touch the bottom of the horizontal crossbar. If the child meets the requirement at the entrance, they are allowed into the queue. However, a second check is almost always performed right before boarding the ride vehicle to ensure no mistakes were made. Cast Members are trained to be very strict; if a child is even a fraction of an inch too short, they will be denied entry for safety reasons, as the ride's restraints are engineered for specific body sizes. It is a grounded "pro-tip" to have your child wear the same shoes they will be measured in all day and to remind them to "stand up tall and proud" without standing on their tiptoes, which is an immediate disqualification.

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Height requirements are a really big deal in our house! I would have to say that the measurement posts are fairly accurate. If your son is a solid 44 with his shoes on, than you should have no problems. Just be sure to direct him to stand tall!

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Luckily, there are no rides in Magic Kingdom Park, Epcot, Disney's Animal Kingdom, or Disney's Hollywood Studios that have a maximum height restriction. There are minimum height requirements on many of the more thrilling attractions, but the list of attractions does not state a maximum for any of these.

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Little ones who are under 3 years old are special Guests of Mickey Mouse and will receive complimentary admission to the Walt Disney World Resort theme parks. You do not need to provide documentation for your little one's age, so your little prince or princess will be able to enter the theme parks with you.

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Unfortunately, there are no height wristbands available for rides and attractions at Walt Disney World Resort! However, the children are measured at the entrance of each ride, and a cast member will be available to assist. It is truly a quick and easy process.

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Most Walt Disney World Resort attractions are suitable for Guests of any height, but there are some Disney thrills worth growing up for. With a minimum height requirement of 48 inches, TRON Lightcycle / Run in Magic Kingdom Park is one of those thrills.

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If you are staying at a Disney World Resort hotel and will be able to use your Magic Band several times, then the answer to the question “Are Disney Magic Bands worth it?” is definitely YES! You will love the convenience of being able to open your hotel room and charge purchases back to your room with your Magic Band.

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Disney Bands are given to guests who are either staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel or are an Annual Pass-holder. If you are staying outside of a Walt Disney World Resort you can still buy your band at the park.

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Or their birth certificate. Can you lie about a child's age at Disney? Sure, ages two and under get in free so you could always say a just turned three year old is still two and get in free.

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Bear in mind that Disneyland tickets are free for those under 3 years old. We went to Disneyland with a two-year-old Arlo, but it was just a week before his third birthday, which saved us a lot of money! Also, you don't have to prove the child is under three, so make of that what you will!

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Guests of Disney do not age during their visit, so your little one will remain his guest during your entire trip. You do not need to purchase a ticket or make park pass reservations for children under 3.

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Pocahontas was the first Disney Princess to have a visible tattoo!

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Disney goes to great lengths to keep their guests safe inside their parks. From security to not running in the parks and especially on-ride safety. Sadly, there has been a rise in safety issues with Disney rides. Because of this, Disney is increasing the minimum height requirement for all Thrill Rides.

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