Height requirements are worth checking out if you’re taking children with you to the parks. It would be a shame to get there and realize that your child can’t get on a bunch of the rides. Unlike the Magic Kingdom, many rides at Universal Studios have minimum height requirements. That being said, kids under 48 inches can still ride many of the rides provided they are supervised.
Things to keep in mind…most of the rides have something called “Rider Swap.” You all get to experience the ride line together (which sounds weird but if you’ve been to Universal you’ll know that some of the lines are as cool as the rides), then one person(s) from your group ride while the other(s) wait in a room. Then you switch and the other person(s) get to ride without waiting in line again. A very nice perk for those with children or people that can’t/don’t want to ride certain rides but still want to come for the experience.
As mentioned briefly above, many of the ride lines are an experience in themselves. So, even if some in your party are not interested or able to ride, it’s still worth walking through the line and waiting in the rider swap area. Added bonus…you’re often waiting in air conditioning with a movie related to the ride playing. A nice way to entertain little ones or get a break from the heat if you need it!
Here are the ride height requirements from tallest to shortest…
54 Inches
- The Incredible Hulk Coaster
52 Inches
- Doctor Doom’s Fear Fall
51 Inches
- Hollywood Rip Ride Rocket
48 Inches
- Revenge of the Mummy
- Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
- Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
44 Inches
- Dudley Do-Right’s Rip Saw Falls (supervised under 48″)
42 Inches
- Men in Black Alien Attack (supervised under 48″)
- Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts (supervised under 48″)
- Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges (supervised under 48″)
- Jurassic Park River Adventure (supervised under 48″)
40 Inches
- The Simpsons Ride (supervised under 48″)
- Transformers: The Ride 3D (supervised under 48″)
- Despicable Me Minion Mayhem (supervised under 48″)
- Race Through New York with Jimmy Fallon
- Fast & Furious Supercharged (supervised under 48″)
- The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman (supervised under 48″)
36 Inches
- Woody Woodpecker’s Nuthouse Coaster (supervised under 48″)
- Flight of the Hippogriff (supervised under 48″)
- The Cat in the Hat (supervised under 48″)
- Pteranodon Flyers (supervised under 48″)
- The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride! (supervised under 48″)
- Skull Island: Reign of Kong (supervised under 48″)
Note: Pteranodon Flyers – guests over 56″ must be accompanied by a rider under 36″
34 Inches
- E.T. Adventures (supervised under 48″)
Many of the rides have a minimum height requirement that’s lower than 48 inches to ride but those under 48 inches must still be accompanied by a “Supervising Companion.” Universal defines a Supervising Companion as “someone who is 14 years of age or older and meets all other attraction ridership requirements.”
All of the rides have height requirement signs and measuring sticks and many have “test seats” outside the entrance of the rides. The hight requirement signs will let you know how tall you need to be to ride and how tall you need to be to ride alone. If your child is close to the minimum height, measure them before you enter the line and have them sit in the test seat to make sure they feel comfortable and secure. Even if you meet the height requirement, the “test seats” are a great way to ensure you will be comfortable on the ride before you’re boarding, if you’re unsure, give them a try!
Keep an eye out for more detailed posts about individual rides including how kid-friendly they really are!
