Water Park height restrictions

[RBrooksC]

We are in the infancy of our 2011 Disney Vacation planning. One of the things we are considering is adding Water Parks and More to our ticket since it would be less expensive than buying a one day pass.

My question is this... before we spend the extra money, I have read in some planning guides, that there are height restrictions on the slides.

Now, are those restrictions hard restrictions like Space Mountain or RNRC where they will use a stick to measure child prior to riding or are they suggested ages/heights?

My son will be five and he is a decent swimmer, and I am not saying that as a proud father. He has been in a pool since he was less than a year old and he has no problem going down to the bottom of the 8 foot deep deep-end, with my help, and swimming back up to the surface.

I don't want to go to the park only to relegate him to the "kiddie" area when he is capable of swimming in the other areas.

Any guidance would be helpful. Thanks.

[SBETigg]

He won't be relegated to the kiddie area. There are plenty of attractions that he can enjoy at both water parks at any height outside the kiddie areas. Blizzard Beach's Teamboat Springs is one of my family's favorites.

But on the areas that do have height restrictions, they are equally strict on the restrictions as they are in the other parks. You'll find that the restrictions are mostly on the curvier, steeper slides that would put a smaller body frame at greater risk, and not due to swimming ability.

[RBrooksC]

Ok. Great. That is what I wanted to know. I figured some of the more "thrilling" slides would be out of his league but I was hoping that the depth of the pool wasn't a factor.

And I am quite sure he would enjoy the kiddie area I just wouldn't want to pay all that money if that was the only thing he could do.

[buzznwoodysmom]

We just got back from WDW and did both waterparks while there. My youngest son is right at 48 inches, was finally able to ride RNRC!!! Anyway, since at the waterparks he didn't have shoes on he did not meet the 48 inch markers and was not allowed on any of the slides with that requirement. We found that there was much more for him to do at Blizzard Beach than at Typhoon Lagoon, althought at TL all both boys wanted to do was stay in the wave pool. Blizzard beach has sort of a pre teen area that's not too kiddie, but still tame enough for smaller swimmers. Both my kids had a blast in that area, and DH and I did the slides in that area with them as well. This is the first year we do both waterparks during our WDW vacation and both of our boys loved going to the waterparks.

[nicjohn3]

Hello-Just got back from both waterpartks. Sons are 48 inches and that is the min on most slides.-

They will check at bottom and again at top. If your son meets ask, for a wristband so they dont check every single time. They will see it and not bother you.

I think typhoon is bigger, however have to carry your tubes on most rides up the hill which was an issue for my sons because the tubes were bigger than them and after the 2nd flight of steps and having to go up 3 more, hubbie and I carried 2 the rest of the way. :mickey:

[nicjohn3]

Forgot to mention before...My sons are 8 and 6--never imagined that they would LOVE the big slides because we can not get them on Space Mountain or Thunder Railroad, but they went on slides 100's of times.

Once they went on the first time, they loved them--I totally underestimated them. Did not think they would enjoy them.