I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that the majority of us have been to at least one theme park in our lives. They are the best, eating junk food, going on rides, throwing up the junk food. It’s an experience that is very enjoyable, but for some people it isn’t all that fun.
I was pretty young the first time my family decided to make a trip over to the “Happiest Place on Earth”. I had heard a lot about this place from all of my older cousins, and I remember being quite excited to go.
When we got there it was better than I could have imagined, all of my favorite characters running around, and junk food around every corner. The rides however, weren’t all that magical. I was too short to go on all the rides my older siblings were going on. I remember waiting at the exit wishing I was just an inch or two taller. Well it took some time, but my wishes finally came true. Two years later we went back and I was the perfect height to enjoy the magic of Disneyland.
The feeling that I had when I was told “you’re too short for this ride” wasn’t all that pleasant, but I can’t imagine what it would be like to be told “you’re too tall for this ride”. For a lot of people that’s a real life reality.
So why the restrictions? Theme parks set height requirements to ensure the safety of the rider. If you’re too short, you are likely to slip out on the turns and if you are too tall, you might end up like the headless horseman. Height can be a cruel thing; if you are playing basketball it’s great, but if you are trying to cram yourself into a ride that seems to be made for the smurfs, it’s terrible.
If you are too tall for certain rides, just remember that it’s better to be too tall for a ride than too heavy…
