Disneyland is the original happiest place on earth. It opened in 1955 thanks to Walt Disney’s incredible imagination and innovation. The first time I went to Disneyland was the summer after 1st grade in 1997, 4 years before Disney California Adventure Park would open expanding Disneyland. Because I was so young, I don’t remember much but I do remember riding Peter Pan’s Flight over and over again. When I went back to Disneyland this last October, the ride was just as magical as I remember.
Maybe one reason that is the main ride I can remember is that I was a very short 6-year-old. Although Disneyland is the happiest place on earth, you do have to be at least a certain height to enjoy all the magic. Below I take you through all the rides and their height requirements at Disneyland Park and Disney’s California Adventure Park so you and your family can take advantage of as much magic as possible.
Table of Contents
Disneyland Park
Opened in July of 1955, Disneyland is the only Disney park designed and built to completion under the direct supervision of Walt Disney. Walt first came up with the idea after visiting a series of amusement parks with his daughters. He dreamt of a theme park where adults and children could go to have fun together. It was so popular on opening day with 28,000 attendees, it actually led to negative reviews because the park was so packed. Walt decided to have a second opening day so invited guests could enjoy the park properly.
The park would go through numerous expansions and renovations over the years to become the park it is today but many original rides still remain. Because it is not aimed solely at children, some rides may be more focused on older children and adults which is why some have height requirements.
Main Street USA
Disneyland Railroad: No minimum height requirement
Main Street Vehicles: No minimum height requirement
Adventureland
Indiana Jones Adventure: 46”/117cm or taller
Jungle Cruise: No minimum height requirement
Tarzan’s Treehouse: No minimum height requirement
New Orleans Square
Haunted Mansion: No minimum height requirement
Pirates of the Caribbean: No minimum height requirement
Critter Country
Davy Crockett’s Explorer Canoes: No minimum height requirement
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: No minimum height requirement
Splash Mountain: 40”/102cm or taller
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run: 38”/97cm or taller
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance: 40”/102cm or taller
Frontierland
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad: 40”/102cm or taller
Mark Twain Riverboat: No minimum height requirement
Pirate’s Lair on Tom Sawyer Island: No minimum height requirement
Sailing Ship Columbia: No minimum height requirement
Fantasyland
Alice in Wonderland: No minimum height requirement
Casey Jr. Circus Train: No minimum height requirement
Dumbo the Flying Elephant: No minimum height requirement
“it’s a small world”: No minimum height requirement
King Arthur Carrousel: No minimum height requirement
Mad Tea Party: No minimum height requirement
Matterhorn Bobsleds: 42”/107cm or taller
Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride: No minimum height requirement
Peter Pan’s Flight: No minimum height requirement
Pinocchio’s Daring Journey: No minimum height requirement
Snow White’s Scary Adventures: No minimum height requirement
Storybook Land Canal Boats: No minimum height requirement
Mickey’s Toontown
Chip ‘n Dale Treehouse: No minimum height requirement
Gadget’s Go Coaster: 35”/89cm or taller
Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin: No minimum height requirement
Tomorrowland
Astro Orbitor: No minimum height requirement
Autopia: 32”/81cm or taller and accompanied by another rider 54”/137cm or taller
Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters: No minimum height requirement
Disneyland Monorail: No minimum height requirement
Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage: No minimum height requirement
Space Mountain: 40’/102cm or taller
Star Tours – The Adventure Continues: 40”/102cm or taller
Disney California Adventure Park
In 1995, Disney Park executives discussed the idea of an additional park to expand Disneyland. They came up with the idea of a park dedicated to California, reminiscent of the California of 1955 when Walt opened the first park. Disney California Adventure opened in February of 2001 to expand Disneyland into 2 parks.
Although high attendance was projected, a series of preview openings lead to negative reviews and the attendance projections were never met. Over the next few years, Disney would incrementally add new rides, shows, and attractions aimed at boosting attendance. After Bob Iger helped Disney acquire Pixar in 2006 they started to plan the addition of Buena Vista Street, Cars Land, and Pixar Pier helping turn the park into a success. In 2018 it would become the 12th most visited theme park in the world.
Disney renovated each district of the park, turning it into a romanticized, idealized version of California. The new rides were designed with older kids in mind because most Disneyland Park rides accommodated much smaller children so there are quite a few more height requirements than in Disneyland Park.
Buena Vista Street
Red Car Trolley: No minimum height requirement
Hollywood Land
Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!: 40”/102cm or taller
Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!: No minimum height requirement
Grizzly Peak
Grizzly River Run: 42”/107cm or taller
Redwood Creek Challenge Trail: No minimum height requirement
Soarin’ Over California: 40”/102cm or taller
Paradise Gardens Park
Golden Zephyr: No minimum height requirement
Goofy’s Sky School: 42”/107cm or taller
Jumpin’ Jellyfish: 40”/102cm or taller
The Little Mermaid – Ariel’s Undersea Adventure: No minimum height requirement
Silly Symphony Swings: 40”/102cm or taller
Pixar Pier
Games of Pixar Pier: No minimum height requirement
Incredicoaster: 48”/122cm or taller
Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind: No minimum height requirement
Jessie’s Critter Carousel: No minimum height requirement
Pixar Pal-A-Round (Swinging and Non-Swinging): No minimum height requirement
Toy Story Midway Mania!: No minimum height requirement
Cars Land
Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters: 32”/81cm or taller
Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree: 32”/81cm or taller
Radiator Springs Racers: 40”/102cm or taller
What Can’t My 5-Year-Old Ride
The average height of a 5-year-old is 43 inches and below are all the rides at Disneyland that have a height requirement of 40 inches or taller.
- Indiana Jones Adventure: 46”/117cm or taller
- Splash Mountain: 40”/102cm or taller
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance: 40”/102cm or taller
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad: 40”/102cm or taller
- Matterhorn Bobsleds: 42”/107cm or taller
- Autopia: 32”/81cm or taller and accompanied by another rider 54”/137cm or taller
- Space Mountain: 40’/102cm or taller
- Star Tours – The Adventure Continues: 40”/102cm or taller
- Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!: 40”/102cm or taller
- Grizzly River Run: 42”/107cm or taller
- Soarin’ Over California: 40”/102cm or taller
- Goofy’s Sky School: 42”/107cm or taller
- Jumpin’ Jellyfish: 40”/102cm or taller
- Silly Symphony Swings: 40”/102cm or taller
- Incredicoaster: 48”/122cm or taller
- Radiator Springs Racers: 40”/102cm or taller
What Can’t My 10-Year-Old Ride
If you’re kid is the average 10 year old, most of Disneyland is their oyster as the average height of a 10-year-old is 56 inches and there aren’t any rides with height requirements over 56 inches. Just in case, below is a list of all rides with a height requirement of 46 inches and over.
- Indiana Jones Adventure: 46”/117cm or taller
- Autopia: 32”/81cm or taller and accompanied by another rider 54”/137cm or taller
- Incredicoaster: 48”/122cm or taller
Disney is constantly expanding, renovating, or innovating for all of its theme parks which means rides and requirements can change. During your next visit, I highly recommend downloading the Disneyland Mobile App. Not only does it have an interactive map, wait times for each ride, and fast pass reservations if you have Disney Max Pass, it also lists all the height requirements for each ride and a detailed description with age recommendations as well.
