Hi, Amy! Welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel and thanks for your question. I distinctly remember the day my daughter hit the 40" mark. We celebrated like it was Christmas! Ever since her first ride on Splash Mountain, she has been hooked on all the thrill
attractions.
The measuring guides at the Disneyland Resort are totally accurate and must be for safety reasons. So, if your daughter is exactly 40" tall she should be good to go, but here are my tips:
-Measure your daughter at home wearing a few different types of shoes and on a few different surfaces (carpet, concrete, etc.). Children will be measured with their shoes on at the parks, so it's important that you factor that into your measurement. If she is under 40" tall for any of these measurements, you will probably want to hold off on the thrill rides until your next visit.
-When doing measurements, have her place both heels up against a wall and ensure she stands up straight with her feet flat on the ground
-Prepare your daughter for being measured at each attraction. Let her know that having her head touch the measurement guide is a good thing. Some children think that they have to duck under the measurement guide which would result in an inaccurate measurement.
-Be ready to have your daughter measured twice at each attraction. There will be a check when you enter the queue and likely again before you board the attraction vehicle. She will need to pass both height checks in order to ride.
When you arrive at the parks, I recommend heading straight to an attraction that has a 40" height requirement. If she passes there, then she is likely to pass all the checks throughout your trip. I hope you all have a blast at the Disneyland Resort and if you want any recommendations on some thrill rides perfect kids, please stop by again!
-Linda M.