Disney World Ride Height Requirements

There is no doubt that Walt Disney World is the most magical place on Earth, and a big part of that are all the attractions. Even though the majority of the rides are accessible to all guests, some Disney World rides have height requirements for children to meet.

Speaking from experience, it can be extremely disappointing for a child to get to the entrance of an attraction, only to be heartbroken when they find out they aren’t tall enough to ride.

That’s why we’ve put together a complete list of all the rides at Walt Disney World with height requirements and how tall you need to be for each one. If you know what to expect ahead of time, you can save yourself and your child a lot of disappointment.

In this post, we will answer all your questions about height requirements at Disney World including a full list of all the rides that require a minimum height and those that don’t. We will cover:

• Magic Kingdom Height Requirements
• EPCOT Height Requirements
• Hollywood Studios Height Requirements
• Animal Kingdom Height Requirements
• Rides without Height Requirements
• What to do if your child doesn’t meet the minimum height requirements

Our suggestion to parents is to measure the kids in your group when you are at home, before your trip starts. That way you can look at the list and will know which attractions they can ride and which ones will have to wait until next time.

Also, don’t forget to sign up for our FREE Weekly E-Mail Newsletter. There we bring you the latest updates to ride height requirements as well as our best Disney vacation planning tips. You can sign up here: Join our E-Mail Newsletter!

Why Do Rides Have Height Requirements?

The main reason for height requirements on rides at Disney World is for guest safety. Disney takes safety very seriously in its theme parks and that is especially the case when going on a ride, making sure people are safe at all times.

One of the ways they do this is by restricting access to certain rides to guests who are big enough to go on them. Some rides are faster, go upside down and have more thrills than others, therefore needing extra safety measures for guests. These rides have been vigorously tested under specific parameters to make them safe, including guest height.

If a child who is not tall enough tried to go on one of these rides, they could end up getting hurt because the vehicles were not designed to constrain children under a certain height.

That’s why it’s always important to listen to the rules and follow the height requirements given by Disney, even if your child wants to ride an attraction they are not big enough to go on.

Disney World Height Requirements By Park

Below we’ve created lists with height requirements for each Disney World park. Height requirements are for traditional rides only and not non-ride attractions, since the latter do not move and are accessible to all guests.

That means rides like Flight of Passage and Space Mountain are included, but attractions like the Carousel of Progress and Muppet*Vision 3D are not.

If you do not see a ride on this list, then that means it doesn’t have a height requirement and is accessible to all guests.

Magic Kingdom

Disney’s Magic Kingdom has by far the highest number of rides of any Disney World theme park at 23. However, since many of the rides are geared toward children, only 6 of them have height requirements and 17 can be ridden by all guests.

One of the stranger cases at the Magic Kingdom is the double-height requirements for the Tomorrowland Speedway (one for driving solo and one for driving with an adult or to be a passenger).

Here are the height requirements at the Magic Kingdom:

• TRON Lightcycle Run – 48 inches (122 centimeters) or taller
• Space Mountain – 44 inches (113 centimeters) or taller
• Tiana’s Bayou Adventure/Splash Mountain – 40 inches (102 centimeters) or taller
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – 40 inches (102 centimeters) or taller
• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train – 38 inches (97 centimeters) or taller
• The Barnstormer – 35 inches (89 centimeters) or taller
• Tomorrowland Speedway – 32 inches (81 centimeters) or taller to ride; 54 inches (137 centimeters) to drive alone

In 2023, Disney’s Magic Kingdom added a ride with the highest height requirement in the park when the TRON Lightcycle Run roller coaster opened up. This is one of the fastest rides Disney has ever built and it was a sure-thing to have a height restriction.

The requirement for TRON Lightcycle Run at Disney’s Magic Kingdom is 48 inches (122 cm) which is the same as the original version at Shanghai Disneyland we anticipate it to be the same at the Magic Kingdom.

Read our Magic Kingdom Rides & Attractions Guide for more information and tips.

EPCOT

EPCOT has a total of 9 rides in the park and only 4 of them have height requirements while 6 of them are without. Non-ride attractions like The American Adventure and Impressions de France are not included.

Here are the height requirements at EPCOT:

• Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind – 42 inches (107 centimeters) or taller
• Mission: SPACE – 40 inches (102 centimeters) or taller
• Soarin’ Around the World – 40 inches (102 centimeters) or taller
• Test Track – 40 inches (102 centimeters) or taller

One of the newest rides in EPCOT, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, does not have a height requirement and can be ridden by all guests.

The new Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind coaster on the other hand is a thrill ride and has a requirement of 42 inches. That height means it’s thrilling, but still ok for the whole family.

Read our EPCOT Rides & Attractions Guide for more information and tips.

Hollywood Studios

Disney’s Hollywood Studios has 9 total rides and 7 have height requirements while only 2 of them don’t. Non-ride attractions like Muppet*Vision 3D and Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy are not included.

Here are the height requirements at Hollywood Studios:

• Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith – 48 inches (122 centimeters) or taller
• Star Tours: The Adventures Continue – 40 inches (102 centimeters) or taller
• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance – 40 inches (102 centimeters) or taller
• The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror – 40 inches (102 centimeters) or taller
• Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run – 38 inches (97 centimeters) or taller
• Slinky Dog Dash – 38 inches (97 centimeters) or taller
• Alien Swirling Saucers – 32 inches (81 centimeters) or taller

There are no height requirements for Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, the park’s newest ride and it can be enjoyed by anyone.

Read our Hollywood Studios Rides & Attractions Guide for more information and tips.

Animal Kingdom

Disney’s Animal Kingdom has 8 total rides, 4 with height restrictions and 4 without. We did not include non-ride attractions like It’s Tough to Be A Bug or any of the walking trails.

Here are the height requirements at the Animal Kingdom:

• Avatar Flight of Passage – 44 inches (113 centimeters) or taller
• Expedition Everest: Legend of the Forbidden Mountain – 44 inches (113 centimeters) or taller
• DINOSAUR – 40 inches (102 centimeters) or taller
• Kali River Rapids – 38 inches (97 centimeters) or taller

Read our Animal Kingdom Rides & Attractions Guide for more information and tips.

Typhoon Lagoon

Typhoon Lagoon is the oldest water park at Walt Disney World and there are only 3 slides that are intense enough to have a height restriction.

Here are the height requirements at Typhoon Lagoon:

• Bay Slides – 60 inches (152 centimeters) or shorter
• Crush ‘n’ Gusher – 48 inches (122 centimeters) or taller
• Humunga Kowabunga – 48 inches (122 centimeters) or taller

Blizzard Beach

Blizzard Beach is the second-built water park at Walt Disney World Resort and has slides slightly more intense than the ones found at Typhoon Lagoon. 4 of the slides have height requirements and so does the chair lift.

Here are the height requirements at Blizzard Beach:

• Chair Lift – 32 inches (82 centimeters) or taller
• Downhill Double Dipper – 48 inches (122 centimeters) or taller
• Slush Gusher – 48 inches (122 centimeters) or taller
• Summit Plummet – 48 inches (122 centimeters) or taller
• Tike’s Peak – 48 inches (122 centimeters) or shorter

Disney World Height Requirements By Minimum Height

The majority of rides at Walt Disney World are accessible to guests 40 inches or taller so if you are wondering if your kids are big enough, that is a good benchmark to go by. Below we’ve organized all the Disney World rides according to height requirements:

54 Inches / 137 Centimeters (1 Ride)

• Tomorrowland Speedway – (Magic Kingdom): Solo drivers on the Tomorrowland Speedway must be a minimum of 54 inches (137 centimeters). Otherwise smaller children between 32 inches and 54 inches can drive with adult supervision or ride as passengers.

48 Inches / 122 Centimeters (2 Rides)

• Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith – (Hollywood Studios)
• TRON Lightcycle Run – (Magic Kingdom)

44 Inches / 112 Centimeters (3 Rides)

• Avatar Flight of Passage – (Animal Kingdom)
• Expedition Everest – (Animal Kingdom)
• Space Mountain – (Magic Kingdom)

42 Inches / 102 Centimeters (9 Rides)

• Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind – (EPCOT)

40 Inches / 102 Centimeters (9 Rides)

• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – (Magic Kingdom)
• DINOSAUR – (Animal Kingdom)
• Mission: SPACE – (Epcot)
• Tiana’s Bayou Adventure/Splash Mountain – (Magic Kingdom)
• Soarin’ Around the World – (Epcot)
• Star Tours – The Adventures Continue – (Hollywood Studios)
• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance – (Hollywood Studios)
• Test Track – (Epcot)
• Twilight Zone Tower of Terror – (Hollywood Studios)

38 Inches / 97 Centimeters (4 Rides)

• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train – (Magic Kingdom)
• Kali River Rapids – (Animal Kingdom)
• Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run – (Hollywood Studios)
• Slinky Dog Dash – (Hollywood Studios)

35 Inches / 89 Centimeters (1 Ride)

• The Barnstormer – (Magic Kingdom)

32 Inches / 81 Centimeters (2 Rides)

• Tomorrowland Speedway – (Magic Kingdom): As a passenger or driver with an adult in the car
• Alien Swirling Saucers – (Hollywood Studios)

What Rides at Disney World Have No Height Restrictions?

While some of the more thrilling attractions have a height requirement, there are still plenty of fun rides for your little ones to go on if they don’t meet the minimum height. Besides the rides, there are also many entertainment options, shows, character meets, and other experiences that don’t have any restrictions.

Here is a full list of all the attractions at Walt Disney World that do not have a minimum height requirement and can be enjoyed by all guests:

Magic Kingdom

• Astro Orbiter – Any height
• Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin – Any height
• Casey Jr. Splash ‘N’ Soak Station – Any height
• Country Bear Jamboree – Any height
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant – Any height
• Enchanted Tales with Belle – Any height
• Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade – Any height
• The Hall of Presidents – Any height
• Haunted Mansion – Any height
• “it’s a small world” – Any height
• Jungle Cruise – Any height
• Liberty Square Riverboat – Any height
• Mad Tea Party – Any height
• The Magic Carpets of Aladdin – Any height
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh – Any height
• Mickey’s PhilharMagic – Any height
• Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor – Any height
• Peter Pan’s Flight – Any height
• A Pirate’s Adventure ~ Treasures of the Seven Seas – Any height
• Pirates of the Caribbean – Any height
• Prince Charming Regal Carrousel – Any height
• Swiss Family Treehouse – Any height
• Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover – Any height
• Tom Sawyer Island – Any height
• Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid – Any height
• Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress – Any height
• Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room – Any height
• Walt Disney World Railroad – Any height

EPCOT

• Advanced Training Lab – Any height
• The American Adventure – Any height
• Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival – Any height
• Frozen Ever After – Any height
• Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros – Any height
• Impressions de France – Any height
• Journey Into Imagination With Figment – Any height
• Living with the Land – Any height
• O Canada! – Any height
• Reflections of China – Any height
• Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure – Any height
• The Seas with Nemo & Friends – Any height
• Spaceship Earth – Any height
• Turtle Talk With Crush – Any height

Hollywood Studios

• Muppet*Vision 3D – Any height
• Toy Story Mania! – Any height

Animal Kingdom

• Affection Section – Any height
• The Boneyard – Any height
• Conservation Station – Any height
• Discovery Island Trails – Any height
• Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail – Any height
• It’s Tough to be a Bug! – Any height
• Kilimanjaro Safaris – Any height
• Maharajah Jungle Trek – Any height
• Na’vi River Journey – Any height
• Tree of Life – Any height
• TriceraTop Spin – Any height
• Wildlife Express Train – Any height

Typhoon Lagoon

• Castaway Creek – Any height
• Gangplank Falls – Any height
• Keelhaul Falls – Any height
• Mayday Falls – Any height
• Miss Adventure Falls – Any height
• Storm Slides – Any height
• Typhoon Lagoon Surf Pool – Any height

Blizzard Beach

• Cross Country Creek – Any height
• Melt-Away Bay – Any height
• Runoff Rapids – Any height
• Ski Patrol Training Camp – Any height
• Snow Stormers – Any height
• Teamboat Springs – Any height
• Toboggan Racers – Any height

Make sure to read our guide to the Best Rides at Disney World for Toddlers for more info and which attractions you should prioritize on your trip.

How Strict is Disney on Height Requirements?

From our experience in the theme parks, Disney is very strict on height requirements. If your child is close to the minimum height requirement, they will be measured every time they get on that ride.

The Cast Members stationed at the entrance of an attraction watch all guests that walk by and if there is a child that looks borderline tall enough, they will stop you and measure your child.

The Cast Member will ask your child to stand with their back against the measuring bracket and to stand up straight facing forward. It is easy to tell if your child meets the minimum height requirement as it is clearly marked.

All measurements are taken with shoes on. No wristbands or stamps are given to children who pass, they are measured on every appropriate attraction.

There is often a second measuring location further into the ride queue near the loading area. A second Disney Cast Member will measure your child to double-check that they meet the minimum height needed. As long as they meet the minimum height, they can proceed through to the attraction.

As upsetting as it may be if they cannot ride, there is always the next time. It isn’t worth it to argue with the Cast Member. Just thank them and come back when your child is tall enough.

We’ve seen parents tell-off Cast Members for not letting their child go on a certain attraction. Honestly, there is no reason to get angry with a Cast Member for not letting your child ride, they are just trying to do their job and keep everyone safe.

Common Disney World Height Requirements FAQs

Before we get to the full list of height requirements, here are some common questions people have on the subject:

Do All Disney Rides Have Height Requirements?

No, not all attractions at Walt Disney World have height requirements. In fact, the vast majority of the rides are accessible to all guests, tall or short, young or old.

Of course, the rides with more thrills are limited to guests meeting a minimum height requirement established for that attraction. Those heights vary from ride to ride.

Can You Be Too Tall for Disney World Rides?

In theory, you can’t be too tall for Disney World rides. There are minimum heights for some rides, but Disney does not have a list of maximum heights.

That being said, if you are extremely tall, like a basketball player, there will be some rides that feel much more cramped than others. The first one that comes to mind is Space Mountain.

The coaster trains themselves are not very big, so if you have extremely long legs you will have to squeeze them in. You also might have the tendency to duck down on that ride, especially since it’s in the dark and you can’t tell how close your head is to the metal supports passing overhead.

Are there Weight Limits on Disney World Rides?

While there are height restrictions on some rides at Walt Disney World, there are NOT any weight restrictions.

The only issue a person of size might run into is the guest restraints not fitting properly on certain rides. Lap bars are generally not an issue, but the overhead chest restraints could be depending on how you carry your weight. This is rare, but it occasionally does happen.

If you have any doubts, there are sample ride vehicles outside of certain attractions and you can test them out before potentially wasting time waiting in line only to find out you aren’t comfortable. If you have an issue with a certain type of restraint system, you may have a hard time with other rides that use the same system.

How Thrilling are Rides with Height Requirements?

This question varies and depends on your definition of a thrill ride. Some people (like my wife), find some of the rides on this list too scary and intense to ride. Others who are used to theme parks will find the majority of the rides with height requirements tame compared to big roller coasters you find in other parks.

In any case, the rides at Walt Disney World with height requirements have them because they are in a group of rides that are more intense than rides deemed safe for very small children. Some have big drops, inversions, and go fast.

Again though, it’s all relative and what you may find intense, another guest may think is mild.

Options if Someone In Your Group Isn’t Tall Enough to Ride

It’s always frustrating when your kid isn’t tall enough to go on a specific ride. This is true both for the child and even the parents. It can turn into a problem though if the adults in the group still want to go on that ride even though not all the kids can. What can you do in this situation?

The normal reaction would be for one of the adults in your group to stay back with whatever children are too small to ride that attraction. That’s fine if that adult has no interest in riding the attraction. But what if they want to ride too? If the ride has a long wait, let’s say one hour, you aren’t both going to want to wait in a line that long.

Thankfully, there are a few solutions to help you out.

How to Use Rider Switch (Rider Swap)

The best solution if one of the members of your group is too small to go on an attraction but all the adults still want to ride is to use the Rider Switch service.

Rider switch allows one group of people in your party to go ahead and ride the attraction while at least one adult stays behind with whoever isn’t riding. The second group in your party gets a special pass to “cut the line” once the first group is done riding. That way you don’t have to wait the whole time in line.

Here’s how to use Rider Switch at Disney World:

1. The entire group shows up at the entrance to the ride and requests a Rider Switch pass. Everyone is given a Ride Switch pass (this is electronic and is loaded into My Disney Experience).
2. Group 1 then proceeds to ride the attraction while group 2 stays behind with the child not riding.
3. After riding the attraction, an adult from group 1 stays with the small child not riding, and the adults/other children from group 2 proceed to ride the attraction. (The adult from group 2 can bring up to 2 guests with them, including children that already rode as part of group 1.)
4. Group 2 finds a Cast Member at the entrance of the ride who then validates the Rider Switch passes. Group 2 proceeds to ride the attraction.

We highly suggest you use Rider Switch if you have children not big enough to ride some attractions. It works amazingly, and it will save you some serious time!

Single Rider

Another option is to use the Single Rider line. Some popular attractions at Disney World have a Single Rider Line, which is perfect if you are riding alone or if you and the other members of your riding party don’t mind getting split up.

Instead of waiting in the regular line with most guests, single riders are put through a special line where they jump to the front of the queue. This is a good option that will save time if one of you rides first while another adult watches the small children, and then you switch.

It also is a time-saver if you want to ride the attraction quickly while the other adult goes shopping or goes to grab a snack with the child. Single Rider also is a good option if you can’t get a Genie+ reservation for that ride and don’t mind being split up from other members of your group.

Just ask a Cast Member at the front entrance of an attraction if they have a single rider line and they will send you through.

Come Back in the Future

If worst comes to worst and your child just isn’t big enough to ride a specific attraction, you can always do it on a future trip to Walt Disney World when they are a little bigger. You may want to try the Rider Switch or Single Rider, but if they are not an option it’s a good excuse to start planning your next trip.

Rides with Age Restrictions

Some rides at Disney World are not only restricted by height, but guests also need to be a minimum age. Here is a list of the Disney World Height Requirements by Age:

Magic Kingdom

• The Barnstormer – at least age 3
• Big Thunder Mountain – at least age 3
• Space Mountain – at least age 3

Hollywood Studios

• Star Tours – at least age 3
• Twilight Zone Tower of Terror – at least age 3

Typhoon Lagoon

• Castaway Creek – Adult supervision required
• Shark Reef – Children under 10 years of age must be accompanied by an adult

Blizzard Beach

• Chair Lift – No infants may ride

Following the minimum height guidelines at Walt Disney World can be a pain, but ultimately, it is for the benefit and safety of your child. We hope this post helped you to understand which attractions your kids can ride. And remember, if there are some rides they want to go on but can’t, it’s always a great reason to book another Disney vacation in the future!

For more reading on the attractions at Walt Disney World check out:

• Best Rides at Disney World Ranked
• Best Roller Coasters at Disney World
• All the New Rides Coming to Disney World

Don’t forget to check out our Disney World Vacation Planning Guide which covers everything you need to know before planning your trip. Our Disney World Crowd Calendar is also useful for finding the least-crowded dates to visit.

Your Thoughts

I want to know what you think about the height requirements in Disney World…

• Do you think the requirements are assigned correctly?
• What do you do if your child is not tall enough to ride?

Let us know in the comments section below!

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