Most people, it suffices to say, are definitely not too tall for roller coasters. But what if you’re well over 6 feet? Could your height prevent you from getting the full theme park experience?
Different theme parks—and different rides within each theme park—all have their own height limits and restrictions to ensure the safety of their users.
Let’s get into the specific reasons why someone might be too tall for roller coasters because there are multiple reasons.
Can you be too tall for a roller coaster?
You can definitely be too tall for a roller coaster. For example, even if there’s no height limit on a particular ride, tall individuals might feel extremely uncomfortable in the naturally small compartment of a roller coaster carriage.
Also, if a certain ride doesn’t have a lot of head clearance (or if it seems that way while you’re riding it), that can result in a very unnerving (or downright terrifying) experience. This is why some tall people actually duck their heads while riding roller coasters.
Next, the safety bar. If you have really long legs, then the safety bar may not physically fit over your legs. Or, if it does, it might cause you to sit right on the edge of the seat, which can give you the feeling that you’re falling out of the ride!
Additionally, even if the safety bar does go over your legs, the discomfort might not be worth the thrill. A good alternative in this regard is to choose rides where your legs dangle so that your lower body doesn’t feel cramped.
Can you be too tall for Disney World rides?
Can you be too tall for Disney World and Disneyland rides? At the time of writing, it doesn’t appear that there is an upper height limit for Disney World or Disneyland rides.
Restrictions can change, so you should check their website or ask their customer service representatives before your trip to be sure.
Still, it seems like the consensus is that very tall people can go on Disney World rides. The main issue is that they might feel a bit cramped if they’re really tall (let’s say over 6’4).
How tall is too tall for a roller coaster?
It really depends on the type of ride, but in general, heights over 6 foot 4 are often considered too tall for roller coasters, at least in the sense of riding one comfortably.
Of course, many rides allow people taller than 6’4. But the taller that you are, the more uncomfortable the ride will be, especially considering that you’ll be traveling at speed.
Some more modern rides might be more comfortable, but even then, people over 6’6 will still feel cramped and uncomfortable under the restraints.
People who are just fairly tall but have very broad shoulders can also face a similar problem when the restraints are pushed down.
The verdict: What should you do if you’re too tall for roller coasters?
Let’s say that you love riding roller coasters but are really tall, what should you do? My best advice is to look on the official websites for each theme park/ride that you intend to go to.
You can email the theme parks directly to get a personal response based on your height, weight, and build. This is what I would do.
It’s unlikely that you’ll be too tall for every roller coaster, but, at the very least, you’re probably going to be a bit uncomfortable on some of the rides.