You would think measuring a kid’s height would be a pretty cut-and-dried process.
And yet, more often than you might imagine, theme park ride operators and attendants have to be the bearers of bad news for kids who don’t quite measure up to an attraction’s minimum height safety requirement.
It’s a disappointing—or character-building, depending on your outlook—rite of passage for young thrill-seekers. But at least one American theme park reportedly offers a clever consolation for kiddos who have some growing left to do before safely enjoying a ride.
Travel journalist Tarah Chieffi recently posted on Instagram about her family’s positive experience receiving a “Future Rider” pass, which is an open secret of sorts at Universal Orlando Resort.
“When we were measuring my oldest son for [The Incredible Hulk Coaster] and a Team Member saw he was upset because he wasn’t quite tall enough, they gave him a special certificate to skip the standby line when he was tall enough to ride,” Chieffi captioned the post.
“We brought it back on our next trip and they let us all ride together without waiting in line!" she continued. "It was a really cute way to celebrate a special milestone.”
That account tracks with others we’ve seen for rides like Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure.
So is this real?
Yep, a Universal Orlando PR rep confirms that it is.
“If a guest just misses the height requirement to certain attractions," reads a statement sent to Frommer's, "a Team Member can issue the child a height certificate to use on their next visit when they meet the height requirement.”
“They will then be able to use the Express queue one time at the same attraction by presenting the height certificate at the attraction entrance."
Note that this perk is for a kid who "just misses" the height requirement—in other words, don't expect anything if your little Minion is a foot-and-a-half off.
Note also that the pass for the future isn't guaranteed. Dispensing a pass is up to the ride attendant's discretion.
Universal Orlando wouldn’t confirm a full list of which rides the "Future Rider” certificates are offered at, but the park did confirm the passes are “typically” given at rides that accept Universal Express Passes, the resort's skip-the-line program, which is not available at all attractions.
And, of course, you'll still have to endure the hassles and expenses of a return visit to Universal in order to redeem the pass. But hey, you'll have one less line to stand in once you get there.
Neither Universal Studios Hollywood in Southern California nor Disney Parks responded to our request for comment, but we have seen anecdotal reports of Disney handing out similar line-skipping future passes in certain circumstances.
We have been unable so far to confirm whether Six Flags parks have a similar offering.
Reps with Ohio's Cedar Point, which is now part of the same corporate empire as Six Flags, did tell Frommer's that park at least has a system to set expectations early.
Near Cedar Point's main gate, you can get your child's height taken right away and staffers will provide a wristband for those who meet the minimum for rides.
That seems like a good idea. Getting the measurements taken care of at the front of the park might lessen a kid's disappointment later on, such as at the ride entrance, where excitement is at its height.
Or you can take things into your own hands and measure your kid's height before you even leave home in order to figure out which rides might be off-limits.
Most theme parks list rides' requirements online, usually on an all-in-one dedicated page. (For instance, here's Universal's list of height requirements.)
Don't get any funny ideas about sneaking a kid who doesn't meet the requirement past the ride entrance. Those rules are in place for guests' safety.
So keep the platform shoes and gravity-defying hair gel at home.
Frommer's Disney World, Universal and Orlando
Preparing for an Orlando vacation can be a full-time job, and it costs a small fortune. Most other books on the market make the problem worse, burying vacationers in endless pages of pointless details unquestioningly cheering for the high-priced theme parks and resorts. But this lightweight, fact-pa...
Get the bookFrommer's Disney World, Universal and Orlando
Preparing for an Orlando vacation can be a full-time job, and it costs a small fortune. Most other books on the market make the problem worse, burying vacationers in endless pages of pointless details unquestioningly cheering for the high-priced theme parks and resorts. But this lightweight, fact-pa...