There's nothing like the hoppy feeling of finally being tall enough to ride a new ride! And on the other side, it's toadally sad to be turned away when your little tadpole just doesn't quite measure up. When you are making that family trip to any theme park, including SeaWorld San Diego, it's smart to arrive prepared by knowing the SeaWorld height requirements for rides so you can set the right expectations and avoid disappointment.
We always familiarize ourselves with the height requirements before we head to a new theme park. That way, we know which rides Lily won't be able to go on and how the park's child swap works. This is why we've put together the list of SeaWorld height requirements for San Diego for you and your family.
Head's up! There are a few new rides, and a few of these height requirements have changed. Some have changed in your shorter tadpole's favor, as long as you ride with him or her! It can be a little confusing because the height requirements below are for riders riding alone. For example, SeaWorld San Diego lists the Journey to Atlantis and Shipwreck Rapids height requirement as 42 inches. However, riders between 42 and 48 inches must have a supervising companion. So we listed them as 48 inches to ride alone so you do not run into any problems if you weren't planning to ride with your bigger tadpole.
Some rides, especially the ones designed for small tadpoles, allow much shorter riders to ride as long as they are accompanied by a supervising companion age 14 and up. Be sure to look through all the rides to find these exceptions. All of those cases are noted below so you'll know when your shorter tadpole can ride along with you! For most rides, the child must be able to walk in order to ride.
The Sesame Street Bay of Play has has been refurbished into Rescue Jr. It has the same rides but under different names. They may look different than pictured as the theme is now marine rescue. The Sesame Street characters have moved to Sesame Place, about 20 miles away. So the good news is you can still see them, and ride Sesame Street rides and water rides there!
Plus there are a few rides and air bounce that are also great for small children outside of Rescue Jr. You can find them between the park entrance and Electric Eel.
The Tadpole Play area (love the name!) is for toddlers under 39 inches tall. It has a soft mat and soft blocks for your small tadpoles to run, play and build. It's sunken, shaded and surrounded by benches for parents to rest and supervise.
SeaWorld San Diego Height Requirements
These are the height requirements for riding alone, and we've noted the exceptions with an asterisk (*); your shorter tadpole may be able to ride as long as there's a supervising companion.
31 Inches (79 cm) or Taller
- Octarock
36 Inches (91 cm) or Taller
- Aqua Scout* (or accompanied by a supervising companion)
- Sea Dragon Drop* (or accompanied by a supervising companion)
42 Inches (107 cm) or Taller
- Tidepool Twist (formerly Abby's Sea Star Spin)* (or accompanied by a supervising companion — no hand-held infants; kids must be able to walk)
- Rescue Rafter (formerly Oscar's Rocking Eel)* (or accompanied by a supervising companion — kids must be able to walk)
48 Inches (122 cm) or Taller
- Rescue Riders (formerly Elmo's Flying Fish)* (or accompanied by a supervising companion — no hand-held infants)
- Journey to Atlantis* (guests between 42 inches to 48 inches must be accompanied by a supervising companion)
- Shipwreck Rapids* (guests between 42 inches to 48 inches must be accompanied by a supervising companion)
- Manta
- Skytower* (or accompanied by a supervising companion)
- Tentacle Twirl* (guests between 40 inches to 48 inches must be accompanied by a supervising companion and use the double swing)
- (New) Arctic Rescue
50 Inches (127 cm) or Taller
- Riptide Rescue* (guests between 45 inches and 50 inches must be accompanied by a supervising companion)
52 Inches (132 cm) minimum and 78 inches (198 cm) maximum
- Emperor
54 Inches (137 cm) or Taller
- Electric Eel
56 Inches (142 cm) or Taller
- Bayside Skyride* (must be 3 years old; under 56 inches must accompanied by a supervising companion)
SeaWorld San Diego Child Swap
While SeaWorld San Diego does not list details of its child swap program online, parents don't have to miss out on the fun! If you and your party wish to ride an attraction that your child doesn't meet the height requirements for (or just doesn't want to ride), let the ride attendant know. One of you can wait with the child, while the others ride. When your first group is finished, the one who was waiting can have a turn without having to stand in line again!
We hope you find this post outlining SeaWorld San Diego's height requirements helpful. Now it's your turn. Share with us any tips or tricks you've learned for handling height requirements, scary rides and rider swap at SeaWorld San Diego! If you are heading to SeaWorld, be sure to check out our great deals on discount SeaWorld San Diego tickets.
Related: When to Visit San Diego
Related: Tips for Taking Toddlers and Small Children to SeaWorld San Diego
Hoppy planning!
