Indy vs. Dinosaur

[Nephythys]

Inspired by another thread-

I have been on Indy several times, but my daughter is still too small to go on the ride- yet when I took her to WDW last year when she was 4 and a half she was big enough to go on Dinosaur. I understand that the ride systems are the same- and Dinosaur was by no means a gentle ride.

It makes no sense for her to be too small for one and big enough for the other- it certainly is not an attempt to edit content because Dinosaur was IMO potentially more frightening that Indy is.

I also do not get why three year olds can go on DL's Space Mountain (I suppose that could change with the refurb) but the WDW has a height requirement that Rose barely met when we went. It turned out to be one of her favorite rides but it still makes little sense to me.

Does anyone else have opinion or insight on this?

[Club 33]

I agree, 3 and four year olds shouldn't be riding Dinosaur and Indy. It's actually kind of funny the difference between young children and adults in ticket prices vs. ride requirements.

[Nephythys]

Actually that is not what I said at all. Rose loved going on Dinosaur- and she is looking forward to Indy when she is tall enough. Her favorite ride at age 3 was Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Her favorite at WDW was Space Mountain and Tower of Terror. She also loves Splash and the ToT in DCA as well. She's a thrill seeker-

It's not about if kids that age should or should not go on the rides- the question is, why are they any different? Same ride system, almost equal thrill factor- so what makes one ok for kids her size, and the other not? Does anyone know more about the ride systems?

[EmeralineDragon]

I wonder if it's a difference in state regulations?

[Bacon]

Regarding the difference between the Space Mountains, entirely different ride at WDW than Disneyland. WDW's Space Mountain is the same ride system (different track layout) as the Matterhorn. Disneyland's SM has (had) a height restriction. Matterhorn USED to have no height restriction, just the 3 year restriction, but that changed a couple years ago to a height restriction.

Differences between Indy and Dinosaur may simply have to do with the different litigation climate between Florida and California.

[AP2CM]

I don't understand why the height restriction for indy and dinosaur would be any different -- in fact, if either should be MORE restrictive, it should be Dinosaur, because it's a heck of a lot "scarier" to most people! Some times, Disney bases their height restrictions on safety as well as mental preparedness for the child. I remember when Soarin' had a 48 inch height requirement when DCA opened because the safety team thought that children under that height wouldn't be mentally prepared for the ride. They've since lowered it to 40 inches I believe.

As far as SM, I CAN offer an explanation. The ride system for the DL and WDW version of SM are quite different. The truth is, in WDW, SM is basically an indoor Matterhorn. The "rockets" are lower profile and have a less restrictive restraining system. This, coupled with the number of wicked DROPS that take place again and again on SM in WDW probably persuaded the team in orlando to make the ride for bigger kids only. In DL on the other hand, the "rockets" are higher, with a more secure bar. Additionally, there is an emphasis on sharp turns rather than vertical drops. This led them to make the ride less restrictive for little ones. I hope you find this explanation sufficient.

[The Mad Hatter]

Ok I'm slow....dinosaur? can you fill me in?

[Nephythys]

Rose was big enough for Matterhorn at age 3- SM WDW at 4 1/2. But your explanation on those is great-

The Indy vs. Dinosaur thing is still a mystery though.

Dinosaur is an attraction at Animal Kingdom in WDW. Same kind of ride as Indy- time machines instead of jeeps- but same ride system. The idea is that you are going back in time to rescue a dinosaur and bring it forward in time. Of course something goes wrong- big bad scary dinosaurs...etc. It's awesome. IMO.

[XterraceEmp]

Also....the age at which your child reaches these height requirements may be different than say another child who may not reach that height until age 4 or 5? I was always a tall kid and able to get on the rides fairly early.

Perhaps in addition to children riding and reaching a certain height, a weight limit too. I was just thinking a tall lanky kid on indy wouldn't necessarily have much body mass, if they did have growth spurts, making them more suseptible to injury. Where as a child with normal height growth will be more filled in with denser bones.

[CaptainCM]

I wonder if it's a difference in state regulations?

I believe this is the case. CAL-OSHA is a might more restrictive than it's counterpart in Orange County, FL (if there even is one). You guys might have noticed that the buerocratic grip is much less tight in florida from everything to the Fire marshall controling crowds, to the envoronmental players controling fallout and smoke. I remember watching Illuminations at EPCOT when it was windy, and I could feel the burning fallout hit my face and arms... don't think that would happen in CA... they make us go to stage 2 or 3, where we rope off an the entire small world mall, to keep guests away from possible fall out.

[Jspider]

I believe this is the case. CAL-OSHA is a might more restrictive than it's counterpart in Orange County, FL (if there even is one). You guys might have noticed that the buerocratic grip is much less tight in florida from everything to the Fire marshall controling crowds, to the envoronmental players controling fallout and smoke. I remember watching Illuminations at EPCOT when it was windy, and I could feel the burning fallout hit my face and arms... don't think that would happen in CA... they make us go to stage 2 or 3, where we rope off an the entire small world mall, to keep guests away from possible fall out.

possibly, it seems to me that the laws regarding special rides like Indy are strickter in California but obviously rides that are roller coasters at WDW have higher requirements there?

[Ghostbuster626]

Indiana Jones Adventure > Countdown to extinction > Dinosaur

[Nephythys]

Indiana Jones Adventure > Countdown to extinction > Dinosaur

eh?

[Skippy]

The size restrictions are a safety issue, not a "scariness" issue.

Perhaps the Indy jeeps jostle around more than the Dinosaur jeeps? That is adjustable isn't it? Didn't they turn down the bumpiness on Indy not long after it opened?

[CaptainCM]

possibly, it seems to me that the laws regarding special rides like Indy are strickter in California but obviously rides that are roller coasters at WDW have higher requirements there?

true, but a lot of the height requirements are derived from how the safety harness is setup. For instance: Screamin' has a shoulder type restraint that little kids would easily slip through...but Dinsoaur has seat belts...while Soarin' has seat belts with loops to keep kids from sliding out. I think the final verdict is that disney makes a judgement and OSHA can either confirm it, or ask Disney to reevaluate again... this might have been the case with Indy.

[Bacon]

It's not just about the restraint system, it's about things like where head rests are. Someone who is too short won't get the right head and neck protection in an accident (or even in normal operation for a ride with as much motion as Indy) if their head doesn't reach high enough for the head rest to support it.