To think this is a silly rule?

[Babyzoo]

Went to a theme park this week with 8 year old.

It's a theme park but there wasn't absolutely loads of proper rides, a lot of big parks, giant soft play areas and farm animals.

Some of the rides had a height restriction of between 110 and 140cm, however parents can ride with their child. They weren't really baby rides, for example a ferris wheel, some flying aeroplanes, a pirate ship.

I'm not sure exactly how tall my 8 year old is but we checked on the height chart and he was just under, but when he went to go on they wouldn't let him on for being too tall (he's probably just over if you include his hair!). He was of course disappointed.

I think it's really silly, we'd paid to get in and it's not as though there were that many rides that he could go on. He's only just 8 but tall for his age so it's hardly like a big group of teens taking gate crashing the kids rides.

It wasn't busy, no queue and empty seats. There's obviously no safety issue because adults can ride with their children. I don't know what would happen if I needed to take my younger child on, the 8 year old would just have to wait at the side.

I can understand minimum height requirements for safety but this was not that.

[VioletBam]

You're the one being silly I'm afraid OP. The height restriction is there because a child under it, won't be properly secured by the restraints.

Having an adult with them means nothing. Did you not see the accident where the boy was recently beheaded because he was too light to ride but they let him?

You say you can understand min heigh restrictions for safety "but this was not that"...then what was it? Of course it was safety!

[Babyzoo]

No they wouldn't let him on because he was too tall.

[Babyzoo]

A child could ride if they were between 110 or 140cm. Ds is just below 140cm but they said he's too tall, yet parents were allowed on with their children.

[Babyzoo]

I'm of course way over 140cm but I'm allowed to take a small child on but ds was too tall to ride.

[bumsexatthebingo]

I read it as the child was just over the maximum height because of his hair? That does seem silly op if they let adults on (who will generally be well over the maximum height!)
I'd email them and complain.

[hownottofuckup]

I agree OP if adults are allowed on it doesn't seem to make much sense.

[Mummyme1987]

That's stupid! Surely the parents are too tall too?

[amprev]

Sounds nonsensical!

[LostSight]

Violet, I think you misread. The OP said her son was considered slightly too tall for the ride. If she flattened his hair, he was just under the upper height limit, so technically. Had her son been an adult, he could have accompanied his younger brother, so it can't be a safety issue.

They sound a bit like jobsworth types O.P., though maybe they have been told it's very important to stick to the height restrictions and don't have sufficient authority to implement common sense. Were they teens in summer jobs running the rides by any chance. There are sometimes young temporary staff in a small theme park near where we live and some of them seem to unthinkingly follow exactly what they've been told, even where others have obviously figured out more efficient and / or fair methods for dealing with things.

[Babyzoo]

I can only think that they don't want big kids using the little kids rides, but they weren't tiny rides by any means, perfectly suitable for an 8 year old.

I might send them a quick email.

It meant that I could take my smaller child on but leave ds waiting at the side

[VioletBam]

Oh I see! Well yanbu! That's beyond stupid

[DesolateWaist]

The height restriction is there because a child under it, won't be properly secured by the restraints.

It wasn't a minimum height, which is understandable, but a maximum height.

I'm not sure exactly how tall my 8 year old is but we checked on the height chart and he was just under, but when he went to go on they wouldn't let him on for being too tall
So you checked his height on their height chart? Could you not just show them they he was the correct height according to their chart?

[Babyzoo]

Thanks for replying, I thought it seemed a daft rule.

We did point out on one of the rides, they had a height chart and then they were using those measuring sticks when you were about to get on the ride. The guy actually checked his stick against the height chart and the weren't accurate but he said he had to go by the stick. It seemed a bit pointless arguing with them as I guess they are only doing their job so we moved on and used the other things.

It just seemed odd that ds be sent away for another child to go on with their 6 foot tall dad!

[DesolateWaist]

As you say Baby, the staff member had to go by the set rules. There have been accidents and what have you lately and I'm sure they are under strict instructions to follow the rules to the letter.

However I personally would be inclined to email and complain.

[Rubies12345]

I would ask for a refund - can't do any harm

[PersianCatLady]

It would be interesting to know what the place was?