Do shoe lifts work for children? I read this in a Walt Disney World guidebook.?

Question

I read in a Walt Disney World guidebook that you can buy lifts for kids shoes so they can grow one inch to meet the height requirement for rides. Does this work? Where do you buy shoe lifts?

In the guidebook it said adding a 1/2 inch won't make that much difference. Disney over compensates for safety. What if you have a short child who can never ride the rides until they are in junior high??

Also...how is this different than when people have their kids where heeleys or high heeled shoes?

Ok Thanks for you opinions. How about for the slide at Sea World?

My main reason is because my son is right at the height requirement. At the doctors he is an inch past. Each time we go he get's re-measured. He rode one ride and then a month later when he wasn't standing up straight they almost didn't let him on. Then after I told them he had already been on several times in the last month they let him on. I have never seen them have anyone take their shoes off. I know they don't count hair though. I know someone who wore her mom's shoes with heals to get on and they allowed her on.

At Disneyland they allow heelies. They told kids to make sure they are kept inside for the Star Wars show.

I think I am on my 5th guidebook...so I can't remember which one. I have read the Unofficial Guide, Walt Disney World with Kids, Birnbaums, and a few others.

Answer 1

id say if they are within an inch go ahead and put high shoes on them. if its more than that than its probably not safe. also think about how big you child is not necessarily height wise but if they are just a really tiny boned kid they probably shouldnt go.

Answer 2

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RE:
Do shoe lifts work for children? I read this in a Walt Disney World guidebook.?
I read in a Walt Disney World guidebook that you can buy lifts for kids shoes so they can grow one inch to meet the height requirement for rides. Does this work? Where do you buy shoe lifts?

Answer 3

If the Castmember is doing their job like they are supposed to, they will be very picky. Disney is liable for each guest in the park, they put the age restrictions in for safety reasons. The height the put in determines if it is going to be safe for that child or not. Smaller children can slip out of safety equipment easier and be harmed because of it.

If they are really close to the height they will check to make sure they are the right height. They are supposed to make sure that the shoes they have on, and in some cases they will even check the if they have spike hair or something (lots of stories where parents would comb the kids hair to make them tall enough to ride the rides) and if they don't meet the requirements, they can't ride. Even the smallest difference can harm a child and then Disney would be liable. So, they are very careful with who they allow on the rides.

That being said, there are only 18 rides in Disney that have height restrictions on them. They try to have rides that just about any age can enjoy, but still have a few that are a little more for old kids and adults. Of those 18 rides, your child may be able to ride four of them (Tomorrowland Speedway smaller kids can only ride in the car) Of the remaining rides, five of them you have to be at least 44 inches, so those would probably cause the most problems.

Most of the rides that have height restrictions would not only be unsafe for a smaller child to ride, but I think they may be a little too young for them as well. Rock n roller coaster, Tower of Terror, Space Mountain, etc. are all more for the older goers at Disney than the younger ones. Unless an older child is short for their age, I don't think these are rides they would really want to ride.


I will include a link with the restrictions for you to look over. Looking at the rides and thinking back to trips that I've taken with children that were too small, there are only a few that they may be interested in.

In my opinion, I would wait a while for them to ride these rides. If you wait a few years they will be old enough to ride safely on the rides and be old enough that they won't scare them too much.... If you really want them to ride, then the best thing to do is try it and see what happens. If it isn't much difference, some castmembers may let your child go right through, but, there are a few that may stop them and not let them ride. It is just one of those things where you never know. I'd definitely hate to tell you that they would allow you to ride, if it is such a small difference, and then you wait in line and find out they won't. It really is just a matter of luck and which cast member that you will get that will determine whether you get on or not. A lot of the rides that have height restrictions are also the rides with the longest at Disney, so you want to be sure your kids will be able to ride before having the long wait.


There is a ton to do at Disney, your child may be a little young for a few rides. There are so many more rides for them to enjoy that they won't even miss the one's they can't ride yet. Plus, that gives them something to look forward to on the next trip!



To be honest I'm a little surprised that a guidebook would recommend this. Most people that visit Disney regularly have witnessed kids being sent away when they are too small to ride, and they spent all the time to wait and didn't get to ride. Not to mention that it can be very unsafe to do. I'm not sure what guidebook you have, but you may want to check that you are not getting other ideas that may cause you some headaches on your trip. I've even seen a lot of (rather big) mistakes in some of the most popular books, like Passporter. I still think that one of the best books is Birnbaums, they always seem to be pretty accurate.

Answer 4

Regardless of safety reasons (which you should consider anyway - a two minute ride versus someones potential life).

The people monitoring should be (and will be where its questionable) measuring people without their shoes. I have seen many people/kids that were either close or look suspicious been asked to remove their shoes prior to measurement to ensure they are of adequate height.

Disney and Six Flag Parks are especially good at this while doing it with a smile; they are surprisingly good at evaluating a person who is close to the requirement and determining if High-Heel shoes, lifts etc. might be in play - and ask you or your child to remove their shoes.

I would be prepared to be measured without shoes and deal with the consequences - asked to leave the ride, ride without the child, have a screaming child due to disappointment after waiting an hour and up for ride they cannot get on.

Answer 5

Well those "wheelies" shoes are NOT allowed inside any Disney parks so you can't compare those. The BEST rides at Disney don't have height requirements anyway. Pirates, Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise, Country Bears.. there are plenty of things to ride with out endangering your child.


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Answer 6

Like everyone else has said they are there for a reason. You are better off going by the rules. And like someone said..some of the best rides at Disney have no height requirements at all. There are plenty of attractions for smaller children to enjoy.

Answer 7

Tech_fanatics answer is right on the mark. I have seen this discussed on a cast member site and the restrictions are there for a reason. Dont push it, there is pleanty to do at all Disney parks for younger, smaller kids.

Answer 8

Agree with answerer # 1.

They are there for a reason.

Just think a second,

at the speed they travel..

and the actual weight and height of a child...

safety doesn't sound like a result..does it?

Answer 9

The height requirements are there for a reason so your child will not slip out of the restraints that the rides use. How horrible would you feel if you were able to slip your child past the height requirements and then the child slips out of the restraint and falls under the wheels of the ride and dies or permanently injurers them self.

Answer 10

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