Height Requirement Guidelines For All Disney Theme Parks (Plus Everything You Need To Know About Ride Switch)

Disney is designed to give people of all ages a magical and memorable experience. However, there are rules and requirements in place to ensure all guests are both happy and safe. One of these rules is the height requirement for rides. There are some rides, like Splash Mountain and Tower of Terror, that are not suitable or safe for riders under a certain height.

There are height indicators at the start of every line to help you determine whether or not you or your family member meets the height requirement. Here is a breakdown on the height requirements for all of the rides, in all of the Disney parks.

Later, we will discuss how Ride Switch works and why it is an excellent option for families.

Magic Kingdom

Most of the rides in this park do not have a height requirement and only a handful do. The rides that do not have a height requirement are:

• Astro Orbiter 

• Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin

• Casey Jr. Splash’  N’ Soak Station

• Country Bear Jamboree

• Dumbo the Flying Elephant

• Enchanted Tales with Belle

• Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade

• The Hall of Presidents

• Haunted Mansion

• “It’s a Small World”

• Jungle Cruise

• Liberty Square Riverboat

• Mad Tea Party

• The Magic Carpets of Aladdin

• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

• Mickey’s PhilharMagic

• Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor

• Peter Pan’s Flight

• A Pirate’s Adventure ~ Treasures of the Seven Seas

• Pirates of the Caribbean

• Prince Charming Regal Carrousel

• Swiss Family Treehouse

• Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover

• Tom Sawyer Island

• Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid

• Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress

• Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room

• Walt Disney World Railroad

There are only six rides in the Magic Kingdom that do require riders to be a specific height. These are the park’s five roller coasters and Tomorrowland Speedway (only because drivers need to be able to see over the ceiling wheel)

• The Barnstormer – Guests must be 35 inches or taller

• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – Guests must be 40 inches or taller

• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train – Guests must be 38 inches or taller

• Space Mountain – Guests must be 44 inches or taller

• Splash Mountain – Guests must be 40 inches or taller

• Tomorrowland Speedway – Guests must be 32 inches (82 centimeters) or taller

Epcot

Epcot doesn’t have as many rides as the Magic Kingdom, but most of the rides here are suitable for riders of any height. The rides that do not have a height requirement in Epcot are:

• Advanced Training Lab 

• The American Adventure

• Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival

• Frozen Ever After

• Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros

• Impressions de France

• Journey Into Imagination With Figment

• Living with the Land

• O Canada!

• Reflections of China

• The Seas with Nemo & Friends

• Spaceship Earth

• Turtle Talk With Crush

There are four high-intensity rides in Epcot that do have height requirements. These rides are:

• Soarin’ Around the World – Guests must be 40 inches or taller

• Mission: SPACE – Guests must be 40 inches or taller

• Soarin’ Around the World – Guests must be 40 inches or taller

• Test Track – Guests must be 40 inches or taller

 

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Disney’s Hollywood Studios is a popular park for guests who love live shows and entertainment. However, seven of the nine official rides in Hollywood Studios have specific height requirements. Muppet Vision 3D and Toy Story Mania are the only two rides without height requirements. The other rides and their height requirements are:

• Alien Swirling Saucers – Guests must be 32 inches or taller

• Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run – Guests must be 38″ or taller

• Rock’ n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith – Guests must be 48 inches or taller

• Slinky Dog Dash – Guests must be 38 inches or taller

• Star Tours – The Adventures Continue – Guests must be 40 inches or taller

• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance (opening on December 5, 2019)– Guests must be 40″ or taller

• The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™ – Guests must be 40 inches or taller

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park

Because the Animal Kingdom is a combination of the theme park and a zoo, much of the draw to this park is seeing the exotic animals. Of course, these animal exhibitions are suitable for all ages, and there are no height requirements.

Animal Kingdom features a dino themed playground, petting zoo, trails, and shows that are perfect for kids and adults. The rides and experiences in Animal Kingdom that do not have a height requirement are:

• Affection Section 

• The Boneyard

• Conservation Station

• Discovery Island Trails

• Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail

• It’s Tough to be a Bug!

• Kilimanjaro Safaris

• Maharajah Jungle Trek

• Na’ vi River Journey

• Tree of Life

• TriceraTop Spin

• Wildlife Express Train

The five rides in Animal Kingdom that do have a height requirement are:

• Avatar Flight of Passage – Guests must be 44 inches or taller

• DINOSAUR – Guests must be 40 inches or taller

• Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain – Guests must be 44 inches or taller

• Kali River Rapids – Guests must be 38 inches or taller

• Primeval Whirl – Guests must be 48 inches or taller

Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park

Safety is a priority in all of Disney’s Parks, but when you combine fast paced water slides and deep pools, height requirements and safety guidelines become even more important. Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon has areas that are perfect for the littlest swimmers in the family, but most of the thrilling water slides and attractions have specific height requirements.

There are six rides or attractions that do not have height requirements at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon:

• Castaway Creek

• Gangplank Falls

• Keelhaul Falls

• Mayday Falls

• Miss Adventure Falls

• Storm Slides

• Typhoon Lagoon Surf Pool

Typhoon Lagoon water slides and attractions that do have height requirements are:

• Bay Slides – Guests must be 60 inches or shorter

• Crush’ n’ Gusher – Guests must be 48 inches or taller

• Humunga Kowabunga – Guests must be 48 inches or taller

• Ketchakiddee Creek – Guests must be 48 inches or shorter

Notice that some of Typhoon Lagoon height requirements require riders to be a certain height or shorter. This is because the specific attractions and rides are designed for smaller children.

Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park

Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park offers an entirely different waterpark experience. However, similar to Typhoon Lagoon, height requirements and safety standards are in place to keep everyone safe in the water. 

The rides at Blizzard Beach that do not have height requirements are:

• Cross Country Creek 

• Melt-Away Bay

• Runoff Rapids

• Ski Patrol Training Camp

• Snow Stormers

• Teamboat Springs

• Toboggan Racers

There are five rides at Blizzard Beach that have a specific height requirement. These rides are:

• Chairlift – Guests must be 32 inches or taller

• Downhill Double Dipper – Guests must be 48 inches or taller

• Slush Gusher – Guests must be 48 inches or taller

• Summit Plummet – Guests must be 48 inches or taller

• Tike’s Peak – Guests must be 48 inches or shorter

Ride Switch Service

So what happens if your family goes to Disney and everyone meets the height requirement except little Susie?  Does this mean parent number one has to stay behind while everyone else enjoys the rides? Thanks to Ride Switch, the answer is no. Ride Switch is a policy designed to let the whole family enjoy every ride in the parks without having to wait in line twice. Here’s how it works:

The entire family enters the line together for a particular ride with a specific height requirement, like Tower of Terror. As you enter the line, inform a cast member that you will be doing Ride Switch.

One adult and the child too little to ride, in this case, Susie, will be given a ride swap designation and directed to a separate waiting area. This group is “Party 2.”

The other members of the family, “Party 1” wait in line as usual and board the ride. After the ride, Party 1 and Party 2 are reconnected. Then, someone from Party 1 takes over watching over Susie while the adult from Party 2 boards the ride without having to wait in line.

The rider from Party 2 can bring up to three guests from Party 1 to ride the attraction again.

That’s it! Everyone in the family gets to ride the falling elevator, Susie is safe and happy, and the family can maximize their time spent at the parks.

Every Disney theme park is designed to give guests of all ages a magical and unforgettable experience. To do this, guidelines must be put in place to make sure that everyone can experience the attraction safely. As you continue your Disney theme park planning, knowing and understanding the height requirements can help you plan your day more effectively and maximize your time.

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