Are There Any Height Requirements for Disney World Rides?

June 12, 2016

When most of us think about a trip to Disney World, it conjures up images of family friendly attractions like It’s a Small World or Dumbo the Flying Elephant. Though most of the attractions found across the four theme parks do cater to Disney-lovers of all ages, Disney World does have its fair share of attractions that are a”no-no” for tiny tots. Whether it’s creating a touring plan or managing the expectations of your little ones, here’s our list of attractions that may be out of the question for tiny-travelers.

Magic Kingdom

The Barnstormer– Riders must be 35″ or taller.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – Riders must be 40″ or taller.
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train – Rider’s Must be 38″ or taller.
Space Mountain – Riders must be 44″ or taller.
Splash Mountain – Riders must be 40″ or taller.
Stitches Great Escape – Riders must be 40″ or taller.
Tomorrowland Indy Speedway – Riders must be 52″ tall to ride by themselves or 32″ if riding with an adult.

Epcot

Mission SPACE – Riders must be 44″ or taller to ride.
Soarin‘ – Riders must be 40″ or taller to ride.
Test Track – Riders must be 40″ or taller.

Animal Kingdom

Dinosaur– Riders must be 40″ or taller.
Expedition Everest– Height requirement of 44″ or taller.
Kali River Rapids– Riders must be 38″ or taller.
Primeval Whirl – Riders must be at least 48″ to ride.
Avatar Flight of Passage – Riders must be at least 44″ to ride.

Hollywood Studios

Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith – Height requirement of 48″ or taller.
Star Tours- The Adventure Continues – Must be 40″ to ride.
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror – Riders must be 40″ to ride.

Blizzard Beach

Chair lift- Must be 32″ or taller.
Downhill Double Dipper- Must be 48″ or taller to ride.
Slush Gusher – Must be at leas 48″ to ride.
Summit Plummet – Must be 48″ or taller to ride.
Tikes Peak – 48″ or UNDER to ride.

Typhoon Lagoon

Bay Slide – 60″ or shorter.
Crush ‘n’ Gusher – Height requirement of 48″ or taller.
Humunga Kowabunga– Must be at least 48″ to ride.
Ketachakiddee Creek – Must be 48″ or under to ride.

Disney Quest

Buzz Lightyear’s Astroblasters – Riders must be at least 51″.
Cyberspace Mountain– Must be 51″ tall to ride.
Mighty Ducks Pinball Slam – Guests under 48″ must ask for assistance.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for Buccaneer Gold– Must be at least 35″ to ride.

What if I’m not sure how tall my child is? If your children are anything like mine, they seemingly grow over night. Sometimes it’s hard keeping up with what they can and can’t ride. If you get to the parks and you think they may be near the height requirements but aren’t sure, head over to the attraction. At every ride with a height requirement there will be a board that measures how tall your child is. The cast member will measure the height of your little one before making a decision as to whether or not they are okay to ride.

Is there a way I can ride these attractions even if my child can’t? Yes! Disney has a Rider Switch policy that allows parents to take turns riding the thrill rides with height restrictions while the other parent sits it out with the little one. It is available on select attractions across the four theme parks. You can find more info on Disney World’s Rider Switch here.

What happens if I want to get Fastpasses for these attractions? When you are making your Fastpass reservations for the thrill rides with height requirements, it is possible for only half of your party to book Fastpasses for the thrill ride while the other half books a Fastpass for something else. Recent upgrades to the Fastpass system means that for both groups of Fastpasses you can pick the hour that you want the FP’s for. This makes it possible to sync up the time you’re apart quite nicely.

So whether you’re hitting the parks for the first time with your wee ones or they’ve grown since the last time you’ve been to Disney leaving you unsure of what attractions they can ride, keep this list handy. A basic understanding of height requirements stops you from trekking across the parks for an attraction your little one is too tiny to ride.

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