Planning a family trip to SeaWorld Orlando in the future? Then you’re going to the right place because, like Walt Disney World, this Central Florida theme park has a lot to offer both families with kids and groups of adults. And we aren’t just talking about the park’s many animal exhibits, like Wild Arctic or Dolphin Cove. Although there are tons of attractions around the park that wildlife enthusiasts are sure to love, when the folks at SeaWorld aren’t busy saving animals, they’re designing rides for little ones and thrill-seekers alike.

Needless to say, if this ocean-inspired theme park is on the itinerary for a future family vacation and you’re going to be traveling with kids, then you’re definitely going to want to familiarize yourself with the various SeaWorld Orlando ride height restrictions. Lucky for you, we’ve got you covered with this comprehensive guide.

So, buckle your safety belt, grab hold of the lap bar and let’s get going!

You Must Be This Tall to Ride: FAQs About SeaWorld Height Requirements

Unlike the Walt Disney World theme parks, which are known for their family-friendly rides, or, conversely, the parks at Universal Orlando Resort, which are heavy on heart-pounding thrills, SeaWorld offers a little bit of both. Not only will you find tons of kid-friendly rides starring some of television’s most beloved characters at Sesame Street Land, but SeaWorld is also the park with the most roller coasters in the city, earning it the title of the Coaster Capital of Orlando.

In short, if you’re going to be heading to the park with a toddler or other small child in tow, there will almost certainly be a ride or two (or three) that not everyone will be able to go on. But don’t worry! We guarantee that you and your family will still have an oceanful of fun at SeaWorld Orlando. As long as you have an idea of which SeaWorld rides your kiddos can go on and which ones they aren’t tall enough to experience, you’ll be able to set you and your crew up for vacation success.

However, before we dive into the details and the many, many numbers you’ll need to know, we’re first going to tackle some commonly asked SeaWorld height requirement questions.

How tall do you need to be to go on rides at SeaWorld Orlando?

With the rides at SeaWorld Orlando running the gamut from Sesame Street Land attractions that are made with little ones in mind to pulse-racing roller coasters that are some of Florida’s steepest, tallest and fastest, it’s no surprise that height requirements vary greatly.

Aside from a few attractions with no minimum requirement at all, the SeaWorld ride with the lowest height restriction is Elmo’s Choo Choo Train, a slow-moving ride in Sesame Street Land that children must be at least 36 inches (91.4 cm) or taller to go on without a supervising companion present. On the opposite end of the spectrum are four of SeaWorld Orlando’s most intense roller coasters—Pipeline, Manta, Mako and Kraken—which require riders to be at least 54 inches (137.2 cm) tall.

All that being said, many rides at SeaWorld are certainly within reach for young parkgoers, with soon-to-be 13 attractions with a height requirement of 42 inches (106.7 cm) or less. That even includes the highly anticipated Penguin Trek, an Antarctica-inspired family coaster that is set to open in 2024.

Can you be too tall to go on a ride at SeaWorld Orlando?

Actually yes! While most people (rightly) think of minimum allowable heights when it comes to height restrictions, some rides at SeaWorld Orlando even have a maximum allowed height, too. Fortunately, unless you’re topping out at more than six-and-a-half feet tall, this isn’t something you should really have to worry about.

Here are each of the SeaWorld Orlando rides with maximum height restrictions:

• Infinity Falls – Must be shorter than 77″ (195.6 cm)
• Penguin Trek – Must be shorter than 77″ (195.6 cm)
• Pipeline: The Surf Coaster – Must be shorter than 78″ (198.1 cm)

Is SeaWorld Orlando strict on height requirements?

Sorry, folks! Although some rules are made to be broken, minimum height requirements definitely aren’t one of them. These ride restrictions are there for the safety and security of riders, with each taking into account aspects like the design of the ride vehicles, the attraction’s top speed and the exciting twists and turns that happen throughout the ride journey. As a result, SeaWorld Orlando ride attendants are understandably strict in terms of height restrictions. So, while you might want to keep your kiddo from being disappointed and avoid a stressful vacation situation by adding little lifts to their shoes, resist the temptation and keep your little one safe instead.

Are there any SeaWorld Orlando rides without a height restriction? What about a roller coaster?

Actually yes! From hands-on play areas to the classic Sky Tower, a handful of rides at SeaWorld Orlando don’t have any height requirements at all. They include:

• Rosita’s Harmony Hills
• Rubber Duckie Water Works
• Sky Tower

There are also a handful of rides around the theme park where the minimum height requirement only applies to kids who want to go on alone. In these cases, shorter children can still go on, but they must be accompanied by a supervising companion who meets the physical criteria and is at least 14 years old. (Note that, unless otherwise noted, this does not include handheld infants.) These are:

• Elmo’s Choo Choo Train
• Abby’s Flower Tower
• Cookie Drop!
• Slimey’s Slider
• Sunny Day Carousel (handheld infants may ride with a supervising companion on a bench seat)
• Flamingo Paddle Boats

Can you try sitting in an attraction’s seat before getting in line?

As much as we love a good roller coaster ride, depending on your body size or shape, some restraint systems used can be uncomfortable at best and unbearable at worst. Not only can they make you feel unsafe, but worse still, their design might even make it impossible to be securely fastened, leaving some unable to experience some of SeaWorld Orlando’s most popular rides. Luckily, several SeaWorld roller coasters with restrictive seating have sample seats located outside the queue, allowing aspiring riders to test them out before they jump in line.

Not only does this save time and stress by negating the possibility of waiting in line unnecessarily, but it also avoids a potentially embarrassing situation come boarding time. SeaWorld Orlando rides with test seats include:

• Ice Breaker
• Kraken
• Mako
• Manta
• Pipeline: The Surf Coaster

Be aware that some guests might also find the seating on Journey to Atlantis and some Sesame Street Land rides to be restrictive as well. However, pre-ride sample seats are not provided.

Can you still go on a ride even if your child is too short?

For those who will be traveling to SeaWorld Orlando with a little one who is too small to go on popular rides like Ice Breaker or Journey to Atlantis, don’t despair! There is still a way for you and the other tall-enough guests in your group to have fun on these and other can’t-miss rides. Available for free, SeaWorld Orlando’s child swap system (also known as rider switch) allows members of your party to switch places with each other, ensuring that everyone who meets the physical criteria and wants to experience an attraction can go on without having to wait in the standby line more than once.

To take advantage of it, all you need to do is inform the ride attendant at the attraction entrance that you want to do a rider switch. Those who will be riding later will be directed to wait near the exit with the little one who is too short or too scared to go on. Then, after the ride is done, the first rider should request a rider switch pass from the attraction attendant standing at the unloading area. After that, it’s the other riders’ turn to go on while the original rider takes over watching the child. All they need to do is go to the Quick Queue entrance and show their child swap pass to the attendant, after which they will be able to bypass the line and experience the attraction.

SeaWorld Orlando rides with rider switch include:

• Ice Breaker
• Infinity Falls
• Journey to Atlantis
• Kraken
• Mako
• Manta
• Pipeline: The Surf Coaster

SeaWorld Orlando Height Requirements by Ride Type & Minimum Height

With all that out of the way, it’s time to take a look at all the ride height restrictions at SeaWorld Orlando. To make things simple, rides are arranged by both type and minimum height allowed, starting with those in Sesame Street Land and ending with all of the roller coasters. We’ve also included other important things to keep in mind, like thrill intensity and a brief overview of the ride experience. Let’s dive in!

Sesame Street Land Rides

Rosita’s Harmony Hills

• Height Requirement: None
• Intensity: Minimal
• Ride Type: Outdoor, music-inspired interactive play area

Rubber Duckie Water Works

• Height Requirement: None
• Intensity: Minimal
• Splash Level: Drenched
• Ride Type: Aquatic playground with bubbling fountains and jets

Elmo’s Choo Choo Train

• Height Requirement: Must be at least 36″ (91.4 cm) tall or accompanied by a supervising companion; hand-held infants are not allowed
• Intensity: Minimal
• Ride Type: Slow-moving train ride for tiny tots

Super Grover’s Box Car Derby

• Height Requirement: Must be at least 38″ (96.5 cm) tall; riders between 38″ and 41″ (104.1 cm) in height must be accompanied by a supervising companion
• Intensity: Kid-friendly thrill
• Ride Type: Kiddie coaster with miniature dives, bunny hills and fun-sized twists and turns

Abby’s Flower Tower

• Height Requirement: Must be at least 42″ (106.7 cm) tall or accompanied by a supervising companion; hand-held infants are not allowed
• Intensity: Kid-friendly thrill
• Ride Type: Kid-sized tower ride that turns and offers bird’s-eye views at the top

Cookie Drop!

• Height Requirement: Must be at least 42″ (106.7 cm) tall or accompanied by a supervising companion; hand-held infants are not allowed
• Intensity: Kid-friendly thrill
• Ride Type: Pint-sized drop tower attraction

Slimey’s Slider

• Height Requirement: Must be at least 42″ (106.7 cm) tall or accompanied by a supervising companion; hand-held infants are not allowed
• Intensity: Kid-friendly thrill
• Ride Type: Topsy-turvy “boat” ride that swoops and swivels

Sunny Day Carousel

• Height Requirement: Must be at least 42″ (106.7 cm) tall or accompanied by a standing supervising companion (one supervising companion is required for every child less than 42″ in height); hand-held infants are only allowed on bench seats
• Intensity: Kid-friendly thrill
• Ride Type: Classic merry-go-round

Other Family Rides

Sky Tower

• Height Requirement: None
• Intensity: Kid-friendly thrill
• Ride Type: 400-foot tower, the tallest observation deck in Florida, with a panoramic bird’s-eye view of the park and beyond from the ride’s double-decker viewing platforms

Flamingo Paddle Boats

• Height Requirement: Must be at least 56″ (142.2 cm) tall or accompanied by a supervising companion; hand-held infants are not allowed
• Intensity: Kid-friendly thrill
• Splash Level: Just a sprinkle
• Ride Type: Old-fashioned, free-floating paddle boats on the central lake of the theme park

Water Rides

Infinity Falls

• Height Requirement: Must be at least 42″ (106.7 cm) tall but shorter than 77″ (195.6 cm); guests between 42″ and 48″ (121.9 cm) in height must be accompanied by a supervising companion
• Intensity: High thrill
• Splash Level: Drenched
• Ride Type: Whitewater-style river raft ride with geysers, waterfalls, plumes, chutes and the world’s tallest river-rapids drop

Journey to Atlantis

• Height Requirement: Must be at least 42″ (106.7 cm) tall; guests between 42″ and 48″ (121.9 cm) in height must be accompanied by a supervising companion
• Intensity: Family-friendly thrill
• Splash Level: Drenched
• Ride Type: Log-flume-like water coaster themed after the legendary sunken city

Roller Coasters

Penguin Trek (Coming 2024!)

• Height Requirement: Must be at least 42″ (106.7 cm) tall but shorter than 77″ (195.6 cm)
• Intensity: Family-friendly thrill
• Ride Type: Indoor-outdoor, snowmobile-inspired launch coaster with a 43-mph top speed, culminating in a penguin habitat

Ice Breaker

• Height Requirement: Must be at least 48″ (121.9 cm) tall; guests between 48″ and 54″ (137.2 cm) in height must be accompanied by a supervising companion
• Intensity: High thrill
• Ride Type: Roller coaster with four airtime-filled launches, including a reverse launch leading into the steepest beyond-vertical drop in the state and a top speed of 52 mph

Pipeline: The Surf Coaster

• Height Requirement: Must be at least 54″ (137.2 cm) tall but shorter than 78″ (198.1 cm)
• Intensity: High thrill
• Ride Type: World’s first surf coaster, with dynamic stand-up seats, a high-speed launch, one inversion and a max speed of 60 mph

Manta

• Height Requirement: Must be at least 54″ (137.2 cm) tall
• Intensity: Extreme
• Ride Type: Flying roller coaster inspired by the movements of a manta ray, with 56-mph top speed, four inversions and deep dives, including a 113-foot nosedive

Kraken

• Height Requirement: Must be at least 54″ (137.2 cm) tall
• Intensity: Extreme
• Ride Type: Floorless roller coaster, the only one in the city, with a 65-mph max speed, seven inversions and a 144-foot drop

Mako

• Height Requirement: Must be at least 54″ (137.2 cm) tall
• Intensity: Extreme
• Ride Type: Mako-shark-inspired hyper coaster, and the fastest and tallest roller coaster in Orlando, with high speeds of up to 73 mph and multiple airtime hills

Well, folks, that brings our guide to the Orlando SeaWorld height requirements to an end. Which SeaWorld Orlando attraction is your little one finally tall enough to ride? Let us know in the comments! Then, find out how you can make your family vacation more affordable with our discount SeaWorld tickets.

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