Whilst Disneyland is a great vacation for the whole family, there are a few rides that have Disneyland height requirements. Some rides are considered too scary or fast for small children, and the way the straps work on some rides mean it’s not safe for smaller children. The Disneyland height requirements are there to keep people safe and make sure that only eligible people can go on the ride.
What are the Disneyland height requirements, and what do they mean for you? What happens if someone in your party doesn’t meet the requirement? These are all questions which we will answer below, as well as introducing you to rider swap – a helpful hack to allow everyone who meets the height requirement a chance to ride.
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Understanding Disneyland Height Requirements
How Strict Are The Height Restrictions At Disneyland
Very. But that’s a good thing. The Disneyland height requirements are in place for the safety of everyone on the ride, so if you don’t meet the height requirement you won’t be allowed to ride, with no exceptions.
Cast members at the ride entrance will measure anyone they don’t think is tall enough to ride and there are also signs up where you are able to measure yourself. This is so you don’t end up queuing for a while, only to be told you’re not tall enough to ride. Although the cast members on the ride platform also have measuring sticks so may wish to check you again.
Parents can sometimes try and fool the cast members by stuffing kids shoes or getting them to wear high heels, but cast members are trained for this tricks and know how to spot them. The Disneyland height restrictions are there for the safety of the child so it’s not a good idea to try and trick the system and risk the health and safety of those on the ride.
What To Do If Someone In Your Party Fails To Meet The Disneyland Height Requirement
If someone in your party fails to meet the Disneyland height requirement, there are a few options for you to choose from. You can simply not ride at this time and go to a different attraction with a lower or no height requirement. You could split your party, and those who want to, and meet the requirement, can ride while the rest go elsewhere or wait for the rest. Or you can utilise the rider swap which Disneyland offers so that everyone who can ride gets the chance without queuing again.
How To Use Rider Swap/Rider Switch At Disneyland
Every ride at Disneyland that has a height requirement offers rider swap, sometimes called rider switch. This allows everyone in your party who meets the Disneyland height requirement to go on the ride, without leaving the person who doesn’t, unattended.
To use rider swap, your party needs to have at least two adults as well as the person who doesn’t meet the height requirement. Approach the cast member outside the line and tell them you would like to use the rider swap. The people who can ride should then be split into 2 groups.
The first group will queue up for the ride, while the second waits with the person too short. The cast member will scan the tickets of the second group and give them a return pass similar to a Fastpass.
When it is the second groups time to ride, the first group will stay with the person too short and the second group will enter the ride typically through the fastpass entrance or the exit route, using their return pass.
If you are wishing to use rider swap in conjunction with a fastpass then all members of the group will require one, except the person too short to ride.
Do All Disneyland Rides Have Height Requirements?
No. Some rides are suitable for people of all heights, meaning only some rides at Disneyland have a height requirement. It’s all to do with how the ride operates, and how you will be strapped in.
Disneyland is a great vacation for people of all heights and some of the best rides have no height requirement at all. Here is a list of some of our favourite rides with no height requirements that are sure to be a hit with everyone. We’ll break down the Disneyland height requirements for the other rides below.
- Peter Pan’s Flight.Location: Disneyland, Fantasyland | Height Requirement: None
- Haunted Mansion. Location: Disneyland, New Orleans Square | Height Requirement: None
- Monsters Inc. Mike & Sully To The Rescue. Location: California Adventure, Hollywood Land | Height Requirement: None
- It’s A Small World. Location: Disneyland, Fantasyland | Height Requirement: None
- The Little Mermaid – Ariel’s Undersea Adventure. Location: California Adventure, Paradise Gardens Park | Height Requirement: None
- Toy Story Midway Mania. Location: California Adventure, Pixar Pier | Height Requirement: None
- Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin. Location: Disneyland, Mickey’s Toontown | Height Requirement: None
- Pirates of the Caribbean. Location: Disneyland, New Orleans Square | Height Requirement: None
- Mr Toad’s Wild Ride. Location: Disneyland, Fantasyland | Height Requirement: None
- Storybook Land Canal Boats. Location: Disneyland, Fantasyland | Height Requirement: None
Disneyland Park Height Requirements
Over 70% of the rides in the Disneyland park do not have any height requirements, in fact every single ride in Fantasyland is available for all heights. But there are a few rides that do have a height requirement. We’ve got the full list for you here.
- Indiana Jones Adventure Height Requirement: 46 in. or taller
- Matterhorn Bobsleds Height Requirement: 42 in. or taller
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Height Requirement: 40 in. or taller
- Gadget’s Go Coaster Height Requirement: 35 in. or taller
- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run Height Requirement: 38 in. or taller
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance Height Requirement: 40 in. or taller
- Autopia Height Requirement: 32 in. or taller
- Space Mountain Height Requirement: 40 in. or taller
- Star Tours The Adventure Continues Height Requirement: 40 in. or taller
California Adventure Height Requirements
The rides in California Adventure are more restricted by height and the Incredicoaster has the highest restriction with 48 in. There are still 8 rides that have no restriction whatsoever and the majority of the rides become available to you when you hit 40 in. Here is the full list of the California Adventure rides with Disneyland height restrictions.
- Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters Height Requirement: 32 in. or taller
- Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree Height Requirement: 32 in. or taller
- Radiator Springs Racers Height Requirement: 40 in. or taller
- Grizzly River Run Height Requirement: 42 in. or taller
- Soarin’ Around the World Height Requirement: 40 in. or taller
- Guardians of the Galaxy Mission: BREAKOUT Height Requirement: 40 in. or taller
- Goofy’s Sky School Height Requirement: 42 in. or taller
- Jumpin’ Jellyfish Height Requirement: 40 in. or taller
- Silly Symphony Swings Height Requirement: 40 in. or taller
- Incredicoaster Height Requirement: 48 in. or taller
The Disneyland height requirements are there to keep people safe, not ruin anyone’s fun. So it’s a good idea to know these requirements before you go so you can plan which rides are suitable for everyone in your party, to avoid undue disappointment. Keep in mind though, no matter what your tape measure says at home, the cast members’ decision is final whether someone is allowed to ride or not. If you’re still in the planning phase then you can check out the Disneyland Crowd Calendar so you know when it’s a good time to book your trip, and may give the kids a little more growing room too!
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