How strictly enforced are water slide height requirements?

[LStepp84]

We will be cruising on the Magic in about a week. My son is only 41.5 inches and the requirement for the slides is 42 inches. Does anyone know how strictly enforced the slides height requirements are? With water shoes on he would most likely hit the 42 inch mark but I saw online that they say the measurement needs to be with bare feet. 

[Shmoo here]

12 minutes ago, LStepp84 said:

We will be cruising on the Magic in about a week. My son is only 41.5 inches and the requirement for the slides is 42 inches. Does anyone know how strictly enforced the slides height requirements are? With water shoes on he would most likely hit the 42 inch mark but I saw online that they say the measurement needs to be with bare feet. 

I would think, if the rules say "must be with bare feet" they probably mean it.

[jbethel11]

14 minutes ago, LStepp84 said:

We will be cruising on the Magic in about a week. My son is only 41.5 inches and the requirement for the slides is 42 inches. Does anyone know how strictly enforced the slides height requirements are? With water shoes on he would most likely hit the 42 inch mark but I saw online that they say the measurement needs to be with bare feet. 

Just don't cut his hair before you go, and he should be fine, lol. But in all seriousness, it is solely up to the discretion of the waterslide attendant. 

[Stick93]

I was on the Magic and my daughter was under 42 inches with no issues she went down the slides. Just don't stop and ask them!

 

They are very strict on the ropes - she missed by 1/2 an inch and they said no way! she was devastated.  Should be better this summer!

[Nic6318]

Hi

 

I am not a child and I don't travel with children. I do like going on waterslides, and I have seen many children shorter than the posted sign being allowed to use them.

 

So it's either carelessness on the part of some or some who feel they are allowed to use their discretion. Either way a 1/2 in. is hard to notice, they don't measure everybody. I am sure if you go with him the first time nobody will say anything.

 

have a great cruise

 

 

[LStepp84]

Thanks for all the responses. I am a stickler for rules but my husband has been wanting to let our son try the big slides. My son is a dare devil and really wants to do them. Sounds like I might as well let him try!

[Flytko]

We were able to sneak one of my boys, they didn't meet the height requirements, through once.  The attendants did catch on by the second time and let us know that they were too short to ride. 

[Aplmac]

[jessencaitly]

For a 1/2", I would think he should be fine. Just don't catch their attention.

Just tell him to stand up straight and proud, and I bet he'll have that half inch of height.

 

[Aplmac]

You didn't say how old the kid was

but they go thru a stage where they grow like a weed.

He'll grow that 1/2 inch in a week.

 

Tell him Stand up straight -like you're in the Military!

.

[klfrodo]

Just make sure you don’t bring a lawsuit against the cruise line if something goes sideways.

Thats on you.

[mdsgu]

Not very strict on the slides.  VERY strict on the ropes courses.

 

That's been our experience across 3 cruise lines.

[Kermarkim]

also get him some thick water shoes that might give him a little more height

[LStepp84]

1 hour ago, klfrodo said:

Just make sure you don’t bring a lawsuit against the cruise line if something goes sideways.

Thats on you.

Would never do that! I understand why they have the requirements. Even if I got hurt as an adult I wouldn't sue. 

[LStepp84]

5 minutes ago, Kermarkim said:

also get him some thick water shoes that might give him a little more height

We have some. Just wasnt sure if they would make him take them off to measure him. 

[CheckersMidwest]

Hate to be the bearer of bad news....but......a kid that was too short was at Schlitterbahn in KC Kansas and was allowed to participate anyway. He was decapitated on one of the raft ride/slides.  The height requirement usually has to do with the way rides are designed. Like not flying over the side on the turns or not staying firmly against the slide itself while going down. Before that accident, I probably would have my let kids go too if I thought it was ok. Definitely second guess now.

[LStepp84]

5 hours ago, CheckersMidwest said:

Hate to be the bearer of bad news....but......a kid that was too short was at Schlitterbahn in KC Kansas and was allowed to participate anyway. He was decapitated on one of the raft ride/slides.  The height requirement usually has to do with the way rides are designed. Like not flying over the side on the turns or not staying firmly against the slide itself while going down. Before that accident, I probably would have my let kids go too if I thought it was ok. Definitely second guess now.

 

That is a very horrific situation. However, from what I read about that incident he actually was the correct height (they had previously had an age restriction but had lifted it before he went down the slide). The slide was the worlds tallest water slide and has since been shut down/demolished. Not saying that I do not recognize that the height requirements are there for a reason but I do feel like the situations are different. 

[coevan]

They have to draw the line somewhere, pardon the pun

[IPlayWithString]

Also...IIRC, you're not allowed to wear water shoes or any kind of shoe for that matter on the water slides. The explanation given to my husband was that the sole of the shoe (being grippy and all) could grab onto the side of the slide accidentally and rip your leg out of the socket. 

[Chrystine5]

On the Breeze, our GS was 1/2” too short and they wouldn’t let him go. It’s really up to how strict the attendant is. I wouldn’t get his hopes up, just in case.

[IPlayWithString]

Also....OP, when is your cruise? Your kid could grow a half inch in between now and the time y'all cruise. Kids grow ALL the time. 😄

[LStepp84]

Our cruise is next week.  We thought he would have grown enough when we booked 9 months ago but he has only grown 1/2 inch in the past 9 months! 

 

We are getting him hyped up for all the other things on the ship like the arcade, kids club, mini golf, etc. 

[Jim and Monika]

He could always try hanging from the swing set, can't remember if that worked for Bobby Brady or not...

[Stick93]

On the magic there are two slides and two different height requirements. So they don't always check unless they are under both.

 

On our cruise in January on the magic my daughter was under one but over the other and they didn't care which one she went on.

[LStepp84]

1 hour ago, Stick93 said:

On the magic there are two slides and two different height requirements. So they don't always check unless they are under both.

 

On our cruise in January on the magic my daughter was under one but over the other and they didn't care which one she went on.

Good to know. I thought both of the bigger slides were 42 inches. Is this not the case? If not, do you remember what the requirement was?