Walt Disney said he dreamed of a place where parents and children could have fun together. We are grateful that this dream came true in Disneyland. We return to Disneyland Resort again and again, because it is place where we can all dream, explore and, yes, have fun together. This has been true since our children were very young, even though there are select attractions with height requirements at Disneyland. Fortunately, we think even with these height-restricted rides, we spend more time together at Disneyland than apart. We credit this to the wonderful Rider Switch service and lots of all ages attractions and entertainment.
We are going to answer the question in the post title right here. Yes, your child is tall enough for Disneyland, even if they are not tall enough for all of the attractions. While the shortest members of your group may need to skip some attractions, there are ways to make this almost painless for everyone. Keep reading for insight into how height is checked at Disneyland Resort, and how we sometimes sit things out without feeling like we are missing out.
Disneyland Resort Attractions with Height Requirements
Let us start right it with a list of Disneyland Resort attractions with height requirements. Most of these attractions have minimum height requirements. Some have a sort of two tiered height requirement: guests may ride if they are over a certain height, and they may ride alone if they are over a greater height still. The last entry has some particular requirements around minimum and maximum height as well as age.
Listed below are the attractions with height requirements at both Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park. We have included some (hopefully) helpful commentary as well. At the time of writing, any attraction not listed here has no height restrictions listed on the Disneyland website. This list is current at the time of writing, but please consult the Disneyland website or app for the latest list. The attractions are listed in order of height requirements:
- Autopia (Disneyland Park): riders must be 32” or taller to ride with another rider 54” or taller, and 54” to ride in a car alone. Kids can do the driving here as long as they are at least 32” but they will need a person 54” or taller beside them if they are not themselves 54”
- Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! (Disney California Adventure Park): riders must be 40” or taller. Be prepared for a rather ominous queue area and then a fun ride with BIG drops. During Halloween, this ride has a “Monsters After Dark” variation, but the height restriction remains.
- Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters: (Disney California Adventure Park): riders must be 32” or taller. This ride has seasonal variations, but the height restrictions remain the same.
- Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree (Disney California Adventure Park): riders must be 32” or taller. This ride also has different seasonal versions, but the height restrictions remain the same.
- Gadget’s Go Coaster (Disneyland Park): riders must be 35” or taller. This is a popular first roller coaster for many young kids.
- Goofy’s Sky School (Disney California Adventure Park): riders must be 42” or taller. The kids in our family love this attraction, and the adults think it is the scariest ride in all of Disneyland Resort. Don’t say we didn’t warn you…
- Grizzly River Run (Disney California Adventure Park): riders must be 42” or taller. You will almost certainly get wet.
- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run (Disneyland Park): riders must be 38” or taller. Keep in mind that seats are individual, so you will not be within very easy reach of young children.
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (Disneyland Park): riders must be 40” or taller.
- Jumpin’ Jellyfish (Disneyland California Adventure Park): riders must be 40” or taller.
- Radiator Springs Racers (Disney California Adventure Park): riders must be 40” or taller. For those meeting the height requirements, we think this is a can’t miss attraction!
- Silly Symphony Swings: (Disney California Adventure Park): riders must be 40” or taller to ride in a tandem swing and 48” or taller to ride in a single swing
- Soarin’ Around the World (Disney California Adventure Park): riders must be 40” or taller. There is a seasonal version of this ride called Soarin’ Over California, the height requirements are the same.
- Space Mountain (Disneyland Park): riders must be 40” or taller. This ride is almost entirely in the dark.
- Star Tours – The Adventures Continue (Disneyland Park): riders must be 40” or taller. Motion sickness can be a problem for some riders on this screen-based attraction
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance (Disneyland Park): riders must be 40” or taller. Nervous riders can preview this attraction on Disney+
- Tiana’s Bayou Adventure (Disneyland Park): riders must be 40” or taller. You may get very wet.
- Matterhorn Bobsleds (Disneyland Park): riders must be 42” or taller.
- Indiana Jones Adventure (Disneyland Park): riders must be 46” or taller. This ride is intense. It is also, even decades later, some of Disney Imagineering’s best work.
- Incredicoaster (Disney California Adventure Park): riders must be 48” or taller.
- Redwood Creek Challenge Trail (Disneyland California Adventure Park): this adventure and play area is open to all with some height restrictions. Guests must be 32” or taller for the Hoot n’ Holler Log Slides. Climbers must be 42” or taller for the Cliff Hanger Rock Climb. Guests must be between 42” and 63” for the Sequoia Smokejumpers Training Tower as well as under thirteen years old.
How Disneyland Measures Height for Rides
So how does Disneyland administer these height requirements? The short answer is: with cast members and signs.
When you first approach an attraction with a height restriction, you should see a height-measuring station at the entrance to the queue. These stations are posts or stationary sculptures that are often lightly themed to the attraction. They function as both a sign to state the height restriction and the means of measuring potential riders.
Before you enter the queue, have your children step-up next to the station. If their heads clears the height marker, they are okay to ride, and you can get in line together. If they do not meet the height requirement, it is time to ask about Disneyland’s Rider Switch service. A cast member should be nearby to assist with the measurement and guide you to a Rider Switch pass.
Even if your child clears the measurement at the queue entrance, do not be surprised if a cast member asks to measure your child again at the boarding area. Disneyland places a premium on safety, and the height restrictions are all about rider safety. In our experience, we have never had a child get turned away in the boarding area who met the height requirements at the entrance. We just quickly cooperate with the request and are just as quickly measured and sent on to the boarding area. We have never lost our place in line while this was happening.
Why We Appreciate Height Requirements at Disneyland
It is in your best interest check to your child’s height before entering an attraction. First and foremost, because the height requirements are all in service of safety. The rides and their restraint systems are designed and safety-tested for riders of a certain height, so you do want to make sure your child meets those minimum height requirements.
Additionally, you do not want to skip the first height check and wait in the queue only to get to the boarding area and find out your child cannot even ride the attraction. What a waste! Take that first height check seriously and save yourself the trouble.
On the Accuracy of Disneyland Resort Height Restrictions
You might be wondering about the accuracy of those height checks at Disneyland. We have not actually walked around the resort with measuring tape, but we can give you insights from our personal experience.
If your child meets a certain height when measured carefully at home, you can expect your child to meet that height at Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park. It is not our experience that these height checks err on the side of being too high. (In fact, they do not seem to take shoes into account.) In other words, our child who just barely hit 40” in stocking feet at home, was able to pass the height check at all 40” attractions with no trouble (Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Radiator Springs Racers, etc…).
We are not advising you to take a child who is just short of a minimum height requirement to a restricted attraction and hope for the best. Rather, we are sharing this anecdotal experience to encourage you to breathe easy if your child just makes the height minimum: you do not need to worry about suddenly “growing shorter” at Disneyland.
Also in our experience, these height checks seem to be uniform across the resort. What we mean by that is, once your child passes the height check at Radiator Springs Racers (40”), that child should pass the height check at all 40” minimum attractions (like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Space Mountain etc.) We have not found there to be discrepancies between the attractions, but you should expect the cast members to frequently ask to measure your child: that is what they do, and we appreciate them for it!
Other Ride Restrictions and Advisories at Disneyland
Outside of height requirements, there are a few other considerations which might keep someone from riding a Disneyland Resort attraction. So let us quickly look at those as well.
Kids Under 7 Must Ride with Adults at Disneyland
First, children must be seven years of age or older to ride an attraction alone. Effectively, this mean that cast members will not allow a child six years old or younger to board an attraction without an accompanying adult (“adult” here actually means 14 or older). This also means that cast members will arrange ride seating so that children under seven are seated with an adult from their party.
In our experience, cast members ask how many people are in our party and then ask the children their ages (if they seem to be close to seven). The cast members will then make sure that the children under seven are seated beside someone over thirteen from our group. This can get a little fuzzy on some rides if young children outnumber adults or if seating is more unconventional.
For example, on Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, all seats are individual seats, six in each cabin. Some cast members have wanted little ones in the engineering seat (that is in the back) with an adult in the other engineering seat. Others just wanted an adult behind or across the aisle from the under-sevens. We have never had to skip an attraction because of seating arrangements; cast members try for the best safe arrangement in each circumstance, and we have always been happy with what they offered. If you want to explore this more, we wrote about ride boarding procedures here: What It’s Like to Board a Ride at Disneyland.
Disneyland Attraction Health Advisories
In addition to height requirements, Disneyland Resort also attaches health advisories to some attractions. These alert you to concerns around conditions like motion sickness, high blood pressure and pregnancy. You can find these advisories on each attraction page on the Disneyland app and on the Disneyland website. These advisories are also physically posted at each attraction in the queue area.
You can use these advisories to help you decide whether an attraction is right for the members of your group.
Accessibility and Disneyland Attractions
Alongside information about height restrictions and health advisories at each attraction, you will also discover advisories about an attraction’s accessibility. You can find information about audio description and handheld captioning as well as advisories about how guests with mobility devices might access a ride.
For example: some attractions have ride vehicles specifically meant to accommodate wheelchairs and others have transfer devices available. Some attractions offer alternative experiences. To see a run-down of attractions and their accessibility as well as other guidance, we suggest this page on the Disneyland Resort website: disneyland.disney.go.com/guest-services/guests-with-disabilities/
And Every Ride is Not for Every Person
We also want to reiterate that it is perfectly respectable to opt out of a ride for reasons we have not yet shared. Not every Disney attraction is for every person. Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park should be fun!
If you have a child who is tall enough to ride an attraction, but does not want to do so, you can still use the Rider Switch service. We have done this before when a child (who was way too young to be left alone) was not developmentally ready to experience an attraction, even after clearing the height minimum. The rest of us still wanted to ride, so we asked the cast members at the attraction entrance for a Rider Switch pass.
If you wish to read some of our own advice (from experience) around emotional readiness for Disneyland attractions, see: Too Afraid to Ride: How to Handle Scary Disneyland Rides
What Happens If Someone Cannot (or Will Not) Ride a Disneyland Attraction
So let us explore that Rider Switch service right now. Rider Switch is a free (with admission) service for guests at Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park. We think it really takes the sting out of some kids not meeting the height requirements for certain attractions.
With a Rider Switch pass, those who are not riding an attraction are able to stay with an adult while the rest of the group waits for and then rides the attraction. Fortunately, the supervising adult does not need to miss out on the attraction nor hold-up the rest of the group while waiting to ride the attraction as well. Once the first group rides, the adult who stayed behind gets to take the Rider Switch pass and enter the attraction through a priority entrance (aka skip the standby queue). Even better, that person does not need to ride alone but can take one companion along.
We do not want to lose you in our description of this great service, so here is an example of how Rider Switch would work.
An Example of Disneyland’s Rider Switch in Action
Four people are visiting Disneyland together; let us call them Luke, Rey, Grogu and Mando. These four have decided to ride Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run. When they approach the attraction entrance, they discover that Grogu is too short to ride the attraction! Grogu is pretty calm about it… this is the way, after all. So Mando volunteers to stay behind with Grogu while Rey and Luke wait in the thirty minute queue and then ride Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run.
The problem is that Mando would like to ride the Millennium Falcon as well. He could always wait until Luke and Rey finish the ride and are then available to keep an eye on Grogu. Then Mando could get in the queue himself, wait thirty more minutes and then ride. Sadly, this would take another good chunk of time out of the group’s day and lead to them spending an awful lot of time apart. Mando would also have to ride alone.
Luke has an idea, and no mind tricks are needed. He asks the cast member at the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run entrance for a Rider Switch pass. The cast member asks who will be riding first (party 1) and who will be staying behind with The Child (party 2). Since Mando will be staying behind, the cast member uses a mobile device to scan Mando’s ticket and add a Rider Switch pass to it.
Rey and Luke enter the queue, wait in line and then ride the attraction. While they are doing all this, Mando takes Grogu for a character meet and greet. When Rey and Luke exit the ride, they join back up with Grogu and Mando.
Now, Mando gets to use his Rider Switch pass to ride Millennium Falcon while someone else keeps Grogu out of trouble. Mando gets to take one companion with him on the ride.
Luke volunteers to take Grogu for some blue milk, so they leave to do that. At the same time, Mando and Rey take the Rider Switch pass to the entrance for Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run. They scan their pass and enter the accelerated priority queue. Mando and Rey quickly board and ride the Millennium Falcon before returning to Luke and Grogu. The four are reunited and head out to ride The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh together.
Why We Like Rider Switch Disneyland
Let us point out several reasons we like using Rider Switch by continuing to use the example scenario above.
First, we love that Grogu did not need to wait in the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run queue. Kids might already be disappointed about not being able to ride certain attractions. Now imagine those kids waiting in a long queue, approaching the boarding area, seeing the exciting ride vehicles or pre-show… and then getting left behind!
With a Rider Switch, Grogu never waits in a line for an attraction he cannot experience. He also does not need to wait on a bench next to the attraction. Instead, Grogu gets to have his own special adventures with both Luke and Mando. With our own kids, we found that these “special adventures” seem to make-up for any attractions they cannot ride. We like to take advantage of these times to take our younger children to do things the older ones might not a particularly enjoy, like see a Disney Junior stage show.
We also love that the group does not need to stay separated for too long. If Mando decided to wait in the standby queue for Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run after Luke and Rey returned, he would have been spending a long time by himself. Plus, the group as a whole would be spending a lot of time dedicated to one attraction they could not even ride together!
We think the Rider Switch service really helps fulfill that vision of Disneyland as a place where kids and their adults can have fun together. Mando, Luke and Rey all get to ride an exciting thrill ride with a friend. Grogu gets to spend some fun quality time with Luke and Mando. The group is quickly back together with Winnie the Pooh.
Who Can Use Rider Switch at Disneyland?
So, we have established that we think Rider Switch is wonderful, but who can use it?
Remember we said that we have also used Rider Switch when we had a young child who was not emotionally ready for a ride? The cast members at the entrance were happy to issue us a pass in that situation. Here is the language Disney uses on their website regarding eligibility for the Rider Switch service:
Rider Switch is appropriate in the following situations:
–A Guest in the party either does not meet the boarding requirements or does not plan to ride but cannot wait outside the queue alone.
-A Guest has a service animal that cannot board the attraction, or they do not wish to use a provided kennel.
-A Guest is unable to experience the queue based on the nature or condition of the queue at a particular attraction in light of the circumstances and the Guest’s specific needs.
How to Use Rider Switch at Disneyland
So, here is how you would use the Rider Switch service at Disneyland. (And, keep reading for Rider Switch FAQs.)
- Approach the entrance for the attraction and inform a cast member there that you would like to use the Rider Switch service. This cast member will be able to help you or point you to another cast member better equipped to do so.
- The assisting cast member will ask you who in your group will riding first and who will be staying behind with the non-rider. Let us call the guests riding first party 1. Let us call the one or two riders staying behind with the non-rider party 2.
- Party 2 should provide their admission media (usually a ticket barcode on a mobile device screen) to the cast member. The cast member will scan the admission media and issue an electronic Rider Switch pass.
- While party 1 experiences the attraction, party 2 and the non-rider can go do something else like have a snack, meet a character or even ride another attraction.
- After party 1 exits the attraction, they will stay with the non-rider. Party 2 can now take their Rider Switch pass back to the attraction entrance and scan into a priority queue to ride. They will have a short wait before riding the attraction.
- If party 2 consists of two riders staying behind with the non-rider, they will both use the Rider Switch pass. If party 2 consists of only one person, they may choose one additional person as a companion to use the Rider Switch pass with them. It does not matter if that companion was also a member of party 1.
- Once the Rider Switch pass is used to scan into the attraction, it disappears.
- After party 2 rides, everyone can reunite and move onto their next attraction.
Experiencing Disneyland with People of Varied Heights
Now that we have given you an overview of height requirements at Disneyland, a look at how they are administered and information on how to use the Rider Switch service, we are very near the end of this article and some quick FAQs. But before we wrap things up, we wanted to share our own approach to height requirements at Disneyland Resort and experiencing the parks with people of varied heights.
We know that some folks might choose to delay a trip to Disneyland Resort until their kids can experience all of the rides. With current height requirements at Disneyland, this would mean that everyone in the family would need to be 48” or taller. With many families, this means waiting until the youngest child is in first or second grade and the other children older than that.
We understand the desire to make sure everyone can ride everything, and if this is a once-in-a-lifetime trip, that choice could very well be the right one for your family. You know what is best for you. We just want to provide a little perspective on why we did not wait in order to help you make your best decision.
Why We Go to Disneyland with Kids Who Are Too Short for Thrill Rides
For us, Disneyland Resort is less about doing every attraction and more about experiencing the transportive (dare we say “magic”) nature of the parks. We certainly do pack our days full from open to close at Disneyland, but in the end, we are not keeping score of how many rides we boarded. Rather, we know how we feel when we are there, and there is something incredible about being at Disneyland with children who truly believe in the magic.
The children who are too short to ride thrill rides are often the same children who believe that is actually Mickey over there behind his actual house. Toddlers and preschoolers are breathless at the prospect of meeting “the real Moana” or flying through Neverland on a pirate ship. Experiencing that magic through their eyes is more thrilling for us than any roller coaster.
Thankfully, there are so many all ages attractions we can experience together. (See our top Disneyland picks here, and those for Disney California Adventure Park here.) We also find that Rider Switch lets older children who want to experience those roller coasters do so while younger siblings rock out with Disney Junior characters. Even with the minimum height requirements at Disneyland, we always end a day there feeling satisfied.
Thank you for reading this article on height requirements at Disneyland Resort.
We hope you have found this article useful, and we have some FAQs in the next section that we hope might clear-up any lingering confusions. If you are in the midst of planning a trip to Disneyland Resort, please make use of our free and complete Step-by-Step Disneyland Prep and consider subscribing to our newsletter below. Thanks again for reading!
Frequently Asked Questions About Rider Switch and Height Requirements at Disneyland Resort
Can I use a Rider Switch pass for any ride at Disneyland?
A Rider Switch pass is issued for a specific ride, and it will be labeled with the name of the same attraction where you acquired it. If you want to use your Rider Switch pass, it must be for the same ride where you got it.
Most rides at Disneyland Resort have the option for Rider Switch. If you are not sure about a particular attraction, ask the cast member at the attraction’s entrance.
Can I use a Rider Switch pass more than once at Disneyland?
Each Rider Switch pass is good for only one use. It can be used for up to two people at a time, but once you scan into a queue with it, you cannot use it again.
How many Rider Switch passes can I get at Disneyland?
You can get as many Rider Switch passes as you wish following the procedure outlined above. However, it is our experience that you can only hold one Rider Switch pass at a time. If you get a new Rider Switch pass while still holding one, the older pass will disappear and be replaced by the new pass.
Can I get multiple Rider Switch passes for the same attraction at Disneyland?
Yes, if you get them one at a time. If you use a Rider Switch pass on a particular Disneyland attraction and then want to re-ride that attraction, you may get another Rider Switch pass on the same day. Each time, you will need to go through the process we outlined above.
How long can I wait before using my Rider Switch pass?
You may use your Rider Switch pass as early as party 1 returns from their ride and the pass becomes active.
The language on the Disneyland website indicates that you should use your pass as soon as party 1 returns and before proceeding to another attraction. In our experience, a Rider Switch pass remains valid until it is either used or replaced with a newer Rider Switch pass. So, we do not always use it immediately.
Can I only ask for a Rider Switch pass if someone in my group is too short to ride an attraction?
No. There are other reasons you may be issued a Rider Switch pass. See: Who Can Use Rider Switch at Disneyland?
Can three people use Rider Switch at Disneyland?
In the past, Disney often allowed three people to use a Rider Switch pass together at Disneyland. The current policy is that only two people may ride together on a Rider Switch pass.
Are there other names for Rider Switch pass at Disneyland?
Rider Switch is the official name for this free service at Disneyland Resort, but you may hear others refer to it as Child Swap, Rider Swap or Child Switch.
Can I use Lightning Lane and Rider Switch together at Disneyland Resort?
Yes you can use Rider Switch and Lightning Lane together at Disneyland. Just let the cast member arranging your Rider Switch know that you will be using Lightning Lane to enter the queue. This will allow party 1 to have a short wait as well as party 2. The cast member will ask to scan your Lightning Lane and then issue the Rider Switch. The cast member can also talk you through the process.
What happens if I forget how Rider Switch works at Disneyland?
Do not worry! There is no test, and you have lots of help. You can pull up this guide or just ask a cast member for help.
Thanks again for reading!
