While theme parks are generally designed to be fun for the whole family, there’s no denying that kids are usually the ones that get the most out of them. Unfortunately, those same kids can often run up against a wall when it comes to experiencing many attractions, as height can be a factor. Luckily it appears that Universal Orlando Resort has a solution for kids that aren’t quite tall enough, and it’s now going viral on TikTok.
It can be heartbreaking if you’re a child and you have your heart set on an attraction, only to realize you’re not quite tall enough to do it. But Universal has an option that will likely prevent a few frustrated meltdowns. In a viral TikTok, it’s revealed that kids who don’t measure up on Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, and apparently other attractions as well, can be given a certificate that will give them front-of-line service on a future trip once they are tall enough to ride.
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Dealing with height requirements at theme parks is always a struggle. We've seen parents go to extreme lengths to get their kids on rides. A family went viral at Universal Orlando last year for trying to make their kid taller in order to go on the Spider-Man ride. Even Chris Hemsworth admitted to stuffing his kid's shoes to make her tall enough to go on the Tower of Terror.
While it's perhaps understandable that some parents would want to do this for their kids, height requirements exist for a reason, and thus this should not be condoned. This option might perhaps help convince parents to not try to put their kids in modified shoes to go on Disney World rides.
As somebody who has never been tall, and thus had to deal with exactly these sorts of issues during early trips to Disneyland, I can appreciate the frustration that comes with being kept off a ride for a reason that you have zero control over. And with a ride like Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, which is one of the best coasters around, it's going attract a lot of young kids because of the Harry Potter connection. I’m sure there are a lot of smaller kids who want to ride it but can’t.
Universal isn’t the only theme park resort that has this sort of an option. We’ve seen similar videos from Disneyland that offer short kids access to the Lightning Lane on a return trip. In the case of the Disney offer, and likely the Universal one as well, this isn’t something that’s offered to every kid who comes up short on the measuring stick, but it’s a nice way to help out those kids who need it.
And of course, it’s going to incentivize those future trips to the parks, and that’s never a bad thing. Not that you need an excuse to go back to Universal Orlando Resort.
