Sea World Rides Have High Height Requirments

Recently someone asked me why it seems like the height requirement on all the rides at Sea World are so high? For a kid friendly theme park, she expected much more rides that a toddler up to kids 30 inches or shorter could ride. Well, when Sea World first opened they did not have hardly any rides at all! Sea World was made to be primarily an aquatic animal and sea life park.

All of the animal shows and exhibits anyone can go and see, even toddlers. But down the road Sea World decided to start making a few rides so they could attract a wider audience. Since they were making rides one by one, each one had to be a thrill ride, made to attract most people, from teens to adults.

Because a thrill ride throws you around and even turns you upside down, you have to be tall enough for the shoulder harness and seats to hold you in place. A short person or child could slip under the harness, or be thrown or bounced right out of their seat. Since all the rides they made so far are thrill rides, the height requirement has been on the high side.

Basically the reason why they don't have lots of rides for little ones is because they never intended for Sea World to have rides. They do have Shamu's Happy Harbor, which is a kids play area. It has 8 or so rides, climbing nets and activity spots. But even most of those has a height requirement of 42 inches. Here's the height limits on the other rides.

Journey To Atlantis
Part water ride and part roller coaster, this has fast twist and turns, with a big, wet drop at the end!
Guest must be 42" inches tall to ride.

Kraken
An extreme roller coaster that hangs under the rail with no bottom, Kraken throws you through loops, spirals and curves. (tip, if you wear sandals, take them off and sit on them or you will lose them)
Guest must be 54" inches tall to ride.

Wild Arctic Ride
This ride is a simulator, where you sit in what seems to be a helicopter as you fly over, and into, the arctic. It shakes you around as you watch the front screen.
Guest must be 42" inches tall to ride

Manta
Sea Worlds newest and best thrill ride yet! Manta is a roller coaster where you hang under the rail. But once your in your seat, it retracts and swivels until your almost lying flat down, in the superman position. Lots of loops and spirals, with your position making it seem your going much faster.
Guest must be 54" inches to ride

So there you have it. If you have kids that really want to go on rides and they are under 42 inches tall, Sea World might not be the best park for you. But I highly recommend it for the fantastic animal and sea life shows. :)