Disneyland ultrasound beam measures height for kids tall enough to ride

I find it sad that Disney cuts park hours and lays people off, but has the money to add these gimmicks.

Rob, SF always has upcharge attractions fully staffed, even when flats/coasters are down due to "staffing issues"...sometimes folks just don't understand that the bottom line tomorrow may require a little financial sacrifice today in order to maintain a postive image in the mids of consumers.....
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PoTP acolyte - remove fear to reply
Son of Drop Zone - PKI CoasterCamp I Champions!!!

Jim Fisher said: "People find it harder to argue with a machine."

Spoken from a man who obviously doesnt watch talk show when they have polygraph/DNA tests "NO, I *swear* that I never cheated on you. That baby aint mine!" :)

RGW: But the funny thing is, not only are these upcharge attractions staffed, but the are also patroned. Maybe people really *do* want to do the climbing wall and Euro-bungee. Perhaps there would be just as many people mad that the SkyCoaster is closed that b1tch and moan about the Breakdance being down. I'm sure there is a risk/reward algorithm that they go though. Honestly, from the outside, I dont see it, but it *must* exist!
jeremy
--"The truth is out there..." *** This post was edited by 2Hostyl on 12/21/2001. ***

SOBKI2k2: I take serious exception to your exception. It's not your job to decide if someone is "close enough" to the height requirement. The manufacturers and the park are careful to decide what is realistic, and you're undercutting engineers and experts who design this stuff for a living.

The limits exist for the safety of guests and for an absolute standard that prevents anyone from playing favorites.

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com, Sillynonsense.com
"As far as I can tell it doesn't matter who you are. If you can believe, there's something worth fighting for..." - Garbage, "Parade"

Hello all,

I agree with everyone else that this is a wonderfull idea, and all the parks should do it. But, it won't solve the problem that people just don't read the signs at the ride enterance.

For example, take the American Eagle out at SFGAm. The min height requirement was 42 inches. But last season (or the one before that) the height requirement was changed (don't remember why or who said it needed to change) to 48 inches tall to ride. So, here's the problem that I saw many times the year that this changed. Little Timmy was 44 inches the year before this happened, and was able to ride with no problem. Now, the next year, height requirement changes, and Timmy is now to short to ride by 4 inches.

What happened at the platform was a screamfest between the parents and the ride ops. Security was evently called, and they escorted the guest away. Now, if the guest would have read the sign, they would have noticed the height requirement, and not had that problem. So, in this case, the story of "He was able to ride last year" no longer applies.

My point here is that no matter what system is in place, if people don't read the signs before they get in line, there is still the chance that an argument will happen between the guests and the ride ops over the height of their kid.

--Brian Plencner

Parents wouldn't have to wait in the entire line and then find out about their kid being too short if they would just check the height restrictions before they get in line and not wait until an employee tells them.  I hate it when guests blame the employee for not telling them, when it is clearly marked outside the attraction/ride.  I like this new idea because it will reduce the problems of the dumb guest that blame others for their own stupidity.

Either that or make all the parents sign waivers at the front and let them take their short kids on if they want....

Better yet, equip rides with booster seats....

(bad joke)

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"I'll bet that thing hits 5 Gs going through that loop.....faaar ooouut!"

jeff i respect that.   I was told from day one it was a judgement call and if i wasnt sure ask another crew member. 9/10 ive asked. if it was disputable.  On rare ocassions has someone gave me crap for a long time over somthing simple like a flat ride with little to no wait that I gave up or was told to give up the pointless argument.  I never just used the stick if I was really in doubt I went to the measument device that is more accuate that a rake pole with tape. I went to the metal measurement. Im all for what disney has done. PKI has posted measument places at each entrace and at the big attractions a greeter.  I use judgement when its not entirely accurate but i also use common sence ive been going to theme parks since i was 3.  Guests say the customers are always right especally at son of beast, but on rides the operator is right and what the operator says goes This is a situation where the employee is trained and knows his/her  ride. I went above and beyond by reachering my ride to the MAX before day one. 

 I also look at from a guest of the parks. I get pissed if my little cousin or someone is too young and i spent money on getting there I throw a fit. I try to keep it fun and most people are smart some just cant read

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The height restrictions come from the manufacturers of the ride.  What they say goes!  If the company that runs the ride lets a small child on, if the child gets hurt not only can the guest sue the company but the manufacturers will fine and bring charges against anyone involved in the matter.  As for parents signing a waiver, it won't work.  The company signs an agreement with the manufacturer stating that they will NOT allow children under a certain height to ride and if they do they will face serious charges.  I've worked in the industry for many years and this is the main reason we have to maintain the regulations of the manufacturer.  If any parent ever had a problem with it, I just told them flat out "your kid WILL get hurt and I won't let that happen even if you are so HEARTLESS and don't care about your childs well-being."  I think the guests just lose track of whats important when they go into an amusement/theme park.  My philosophy is "A guest always leaves their brain at the front gate!"

No, the manufacturer doesn't always set the guideline. Cedar Point used 54" for Millennium Force when apparently Intamin suggested something like 46" as a minimum.

Regarding what someone paid for their kid to get in, death and injury is hardly worth $40. The rules are what they are, and if your kid is very close, that's the risk you knowingly take that their height might not be enough.

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com, Sillynonsense.com
"As far as I can tell it doesn't matter who you are. If you can believe, there's something worth fighting for..." - Garbage, "Parade"

Yo the height system is to old to work anymore.  It should be measured up to your neck and not the head.  one my cousins could not ride a coaster because of that with his other cousin.  Both are the same height at  the neck but his head is rounder and not block headed like his cousin.  if you think about your head does not keep you in the ride.  your thickness of the lap and on sometimes shoulders.  You can see how the system is outdated.  Rideops need to measure to the neck and not the head.  It is wrong.  Little kids with big heads are the lucky ones.  Do not forget about Little round head kids.

Limwarrior, you're correct about the mechanics of securing riders, but wrong about the way the height limits work. In many cases, the height limits are not based on the restraint requirements. That's how the height requirement ("must be able to straddle the seat with feet flat on the floor") works on the TOGO Astro-Comet coasters, for intance, but that's not always the case.
For example, at Cedar Point, they have a ride called the "Witches Wheel." It's a Huss Enterprise, and if you've ever ridden an Enterprise, you know that there are NO active rider restraints on that ride. But Cedar Point has a height requirement of 60" to ride alone, or 48" to ride with a parent or other responsible person.
That is because the manufacturer's height requirement, at least according to the chart I have, is "14 years old, 8-14 years with adult, under 8 years excluded."
Now, if I look at a chart of anthropomorphic data, I learn that at Age 8, the 50%ile boy is 50.4" tall and his twin sister is 50" tall. At age 14, that boy is 63" tall, the girl is 62.3" tall. Given the granularity of the age/height chart, the 60/48 height requirement comes pretty close to matching the manufacturer's recommendations.
So at least part of the height requirement is a reasonable way to get around having to check ID's at the gate!

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

This is the dumbest idea yet thrown out into the amusement park industry... I see a wristband lying around I put it on my son, now he can ride space mountain when he's actually 2 inches shorter then what the band permits... But how can I be wrong?? The Machine gave him the right wristband... so he can ride...

This idea stinks, and should get canned!

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It's not about having contacts in the amusement park industry, It's about knowing you stuff!!! With a degree to back you up :)

...I believe that is the reason that Kings Island at least, possibly some other parks as well, uses a hand stamp in addition to the wristband. Band and stamp must match to be valid.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Outsider:

Most wrist bands are constructed so that removing them requires breaking them.  I'm sure sometimes they are put on too loose and can be slipped off, but usually you cannot do this.  And of course the ride ops are always a final backup if the child is obviously short.

Limwarrior:

The actual critcial points of the anatomy depend on the dynamics of the ride and the construction of the restraints.  On most rides this really amounts to a measurement from the hips to the neck or head, though leg length is critical to the design of some restraints.  Parks obviously want to avoid measurements from sensitive parts of the anatomy (crotch, hips) or parts that are difficult to locate exactly (neck, hips).  That is why they use total height. 

my issue with this system has never been the system of measurement, for a good portion of my life i was never tall enough to ride the coasters, in 8 grade i still couldnt get on B&M's. Now i am 5'5'' (and growing) and think that parks and manufacturers should come up with a better sytem,

there are people on these boards that complain cuz certain rides dont let them on cuz they are too tall or too fat, i shall thus be the voice for the little guy (no pun intended), seeing as if they cant get on coasters in the first place they wouldnt come to boards like these and would not be able to have a voice in the matter.

The solution: Just as some rides have fat people seats or tall people seats, have small people seats, with everything scaled down. These would be of a huge use because not only are there shorter kids that want to ride, but height has very little do with safety. If your shoulders arent broad enough to hold the otsr's thats worse than being 1 inch too short and thus more petite people could make use of smaller seats. Also a likewise "Large"group of seats could be used not for those who mytre be extra large, but to those who can fit in normal seats but myte be a lil more comfortable and safe in a larger seat. If i ever do start a coaster company i will make this a priority as it may be profitable at such family oriented parks.

Back on topic: if there must be a way to turn away guests i feel the disney one is a fine achievment. No kid wants to be rejected by a real human in front of people. It is infrared, and to kids, and many adults, the technology is taken as law, a kid never questions why he cant drive, or cry cuz he cant because of the fact that it is stated at the beginning it is the law created by the infamous "they." Plus there is no rejection, no matter what you get a wristband, its not you DONT get ride these rides. its you DO these rides.

Thanks ill be here 'til thursday.

Disneyland has always had information posted as to what height you need to be to ride any particular attraction. If the parents are stupid enough to wait in line anyway and try to get away with it, they deserve having their kids yell their head off. Serves them right! (Not to mention knowingly putting them at risk)

And as for height, my son, who's tall, at 4 was just a bit over the minimum heigh requirement for Space Mountain. He absolutely loved it, but I spent the whole ride twisted with both arms on his shoulders holding him down - Once we got on I didn't feel he was tall enough after all.

Either way, I think this is a great idea.