Islands of Adventure Height Requirements – What You Need to Know

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As it says in the name Islands of Adventure, Orlando has tons of, well… adventure. The park is packed with 18 different rides to go on.

But before buying park admission it’s important to know that of the 18 rides at Islands of Adventure, 14 have height requirements.

Yes, 14!

And of those, 4 have not only a “you must be this tall to ride” but they also have “you must be this small to ride”.

Sounds confusing?

Don’t worry, we break it all down for you here so you’re fully prepared before you arrive at the park.

Why are there height requirements?

Although sometimes all these rules might seem restrictive, there is a good reason.

The answer: For your safety.

Islands of Adventure is known for its incredible rides that get you zipping from here to there. Up, down, and all around. The thought of this much fun gets many of us buzzing with excitement.

But any cautious theme park goer will remind you: Make sure you’re strapped in tightly.

And in truth, it’s really about making sure you’re strapped in correctly (not just tight). This way it’s not just about holding you in, it’s also about making sure you don’t get jostled around too much.

What to do if your child is not tall enough?

Okay, so it’s a good thing that you’re checking out the requirements before you arrive at the park. This way you and your child will know what rides they can go on.

If you know your child is not tall enough to ride but you still want to enjoy the attraction, consider one of these two options.

Child Swap

When you’re a group of 2 adults and a child, using the Child Swap is a great way to ride.

With this process, the three of you will head to the ride. When you’re at the front of the line, one adult hops on the ride. The other heads to the Family Room with the child(ren) who is not going to ride.

When the ride is done, the adults switch places (one staying with the child(ren) in the Family Room while the other goes on the ride.

Here are the rides at Islands of Adventure that have the child swap.

• The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man
• Doctor Doom’s Fearfall
• Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls
• The Incredible Hulk Coaster
• Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges
• Skull Island: Reign of Kong
• Jurassic Park River Adventure
• Velocicoaster
• Hagrid’s Magic Creatures Motorbike Adventure
• Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey

Pteranodon Flyers – really this isn’t a Child Swap as adults can only ride with a child. But this Adult Swap still works the same way – it allows two adults to experience the ride whilst the child can go on twice.

It’s good to know that every ride at Islands of Adventure has a Family Room for Child Swap.

Related: Harry Potter Gringott’s Ride – What You Need to Know

Single Rider Line

The other option is for an adult to hop on the Single Rider Line while the other adult stays with the child(ren). The Single Rider Line usually means it’s a much shorter wait time so hopefully the adult will be through in no time.

• The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man
• Dr. Doom’s Fearfall
• Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls
• Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
• Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
• The Incredible Hulk Coaster
• Jurassic Park River Adventure
• Jurassic World Velocicoaster
• Skull Island: Reign of Kong

Could you be too big to ride?

Going in the opposite direction, there are a few rides at Universal Islands of Adventure that have a maximum rider size.

As safety is a priority, every rider must properly fit in and be restrained by lap bars, harnesses and/or seatbelts. So, it’s possible that larger-framed riders may not be able to fit in some of the rides’ restraint systems.

If you’re concerned that you might not fit, don’t worry!

These rides have test seats at the entrances to try out. This way you can see if you’re able to ride before getting up to the front of the line.

These include:

• Doctor Doom’s Freefall
• Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls
• Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
• Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
• The Incredible Hulk Coaster
• Jurassic World VelociCoaster

Related: Cabana Bay Resort – Is this the Best Hotel at Universal for Families?

Attractions with no Height Requirements

There are some attractions with no height requirement. Although it really is important to know that the majority of them do.

Here is a list of the attractions throughout the park that have no height requirement:

• Camp Jurassic
• Caro-Seuss-el
• Jurassic Park Discovery Center
• Frog Choir
• Hogwarts Express
• Oh! The Stories You’ll Hear!
• One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish
• Storm Force Accelatron
• The Mystic Fountain
• Triwizard Spirit Rally

Rides with no height requirements

Of the attractions listed above, a bunch are rides that don’t have a minimum height to ride. It’s important to note that guests under 48” (122cm) must have a supervising companion to ride these. But once they have their big buddy, they’re free to ride.

• Hogwarts Express (Park-to-Park ticket required to ride)
• Caro-Seuss-el
• One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish
• Storm Force Accelatron

Rides with height requirements

There are a total of 14 rides at Universal Islands of Adventure that have height requirements. Here we break down the exact height needed to ride each one.

• The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man Minimum height of 40″ (102cm). Riders between 40″–48″ (102cm-122cm) must ride with a supervising companion
• Cat in the Hat – Minimum height of 36″ (92cm). Riders between 36″–48″ (92cm-122cm) must be accompanied by a supervising companion
• Doctor Doom’s Fearfall – Minimum height of 52″ (133cm)
• Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls – Minimum height of 44″ (112cm). Riders between 44″–48″ (112cm-122cm) must ride with a supervising companion.
• Flight of the Hippogriff – Minimum height of  36″ (92cm). Riders between 36″–48″ (92cm-122cm) must ride with a supervising companion.
• Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure – Minimum height of  48” (122cm).
• Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey – Minimum height of  48″ (122cm).
• Jurassic Park River Adventure – Minimum height of  42″ (107cm). Riders between 42″–48″ (107cm-122cm) must ride with a supervising companion.
• Jurassic World VelociCoaster – Minimum height of  51” (130cm).
• The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride! – Minimum height of  36″ (92cm). Riders between 36″–48″ (92cm-122cm) must ride with a supervising companion.
• The Incredible Hulk Coaster – Minimum height of  54″ (138cm).
• Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges – Minimum height of  42″ (107cm). Riders between 42″–48″ (107cm-122cm) must ride with a supervising companion.
• Pteranodon Flyers – Designed for children 36″–56″ (92cm-143cm) tall. A child meeting this requirement must accompany guests over 56″ (143cm) tall. Children between 36″– 48″ (92cm-122cm) must ride with a supervising companion.
• Skull Island: Reign of Kong – Minimum height of  36″ (92cm). Riders between 36″–48″ (92cm-122cm) must ride with a supervising companion.

What is a Supervising Companion?

On a number of rides (9 to be exact), you’ll see the requirement that children between a certain height range can ride but are required to be accompanied by a supervising companion.

So, what makes a supervising companion different from another rider? This person must meet the following requirements:

• 14 years old or older
• Can help a child who is under 48” get into and out of the ride
• Can help a child comply with ride instructions

This means that older siblings, cousins, and friends can help younger children as they both enjoy these awesome rides. And it also means that a parent can take a pass on some of the rides if needed. Phew!

Closing

There you have it: all of the Islands of Adventure height requirements. As you can see, when it comes to visiting a theme park, there’s a lot to consider when it comes to the right height to ride the rides.

Especially at a park like Islands of Adventure where the majority of rides have height regulations, it’s very important to know before you go.