Your Child Hit 90cm — Here's Every Ride That Just Unlocked

The 90cm Milestone

If your child has just measured 90cm, you've reached the biggest single step in UK theme parks. More rides in our UK data have 90cm as their lowest way in than any other height, and the same is true in France. It's the line most toddler coasters, pirate ships and family dark rides are set at.

In numbers: across the 1146 UK rides and attractions we track, a child of 89cm can go on 572. At 90cm that becomes 767. No other single centimetre adds as much.

We count a ride when your child can board it either alone or with an adult riding alongside. That matters at this height, because most rides that open at 90cm still need a grown-up next to them.

Why 90cm Is the First Big Line

Ride heights cluster on round numbers, and 90cm is where many parks draw the first line. Below it, a day out is mostly carousels, play areas, train rides and boat rides with no minimum at all. From 90cm, the gentle "first proper rides" open.

The ladder shows how the UK count builds from here:

Two things stand out. The jump from 89cm to 90cm is bigger than anything that follows. And from 90cm to 99cm the count rises only a little, because few rides set a limit in between. The next real step is 100cm.

The UK Parks That Gain the Most at 90cm

This table compares each park just below the line (89cm) with the line itself (90cm), assuming an adult rides along where allowed.

Parks that already cater well for under-90cm visitors, such as Drayton Manor and Crealy Adventure Park, gain only a little here. That's good news, not bad: much of what they offer was already open.

Here's what opens at some of the parks near the top.

Gulliver's Valley, South Yorkshire

At Gulliver's Valley a child goes from 18 rides to 30 of 35. Most of them, including The Wriggler coaster, Ghostly Galleon and T-Rex Tower, are with an adult until 120cm. A few can be ridden alone from 90cm, such as Tree Top Drop and Prairie Ponies.

LEGOLAND Windsor, Berkshire

At LEGOLAND Windsor a child goes from 11 rides to 23. The park's two gentlest coasters open here: DUPLO Dino Coaster and Dragon's Apprentice, both with an adult (130cm alone). Thunder Blazer and Scarab Bouncers can be ridden alone from 90cm. L-Drivers is for children from 90cm up to 110cm.

Alton Towers, Staffordshire

Alton Towers is better known for its 140cm coasters, but 90cm is a big day there too. A child goes from 12 rides to 23, including two coasters (Octonauts Rollercoaster Adventure and Bluey the Ride: Here Come the Grannies!) and the indoor dark rides Hex, Gangsta Granny: The Ride and The Curse at Alton Manor. Most need an adult alongside until 110cm or higher.

Chessington World of Adventures

At Chessington a child goes from 12 to 22 rides. Every ride that opens at 90cm here needs an adult, including Chase's Mountain Mission, River Rafts and Griffin's Galleon. Many become solo rides at 110cm, which is the next thing to look forward to at Chessington.

Twinlakes Park and Paultons Park

Twinlakes Park and Paultons Park are already two of the best parks for small children, and 90cm makes them better. Twinlakes adds the Mercury Mini Coaster, Bumper Boats and Davey Jones Barrel Run, taking a child to 36 of 47 rides. Paultons adds Cat-O-Pillar Coaster, Buffalo Falls and the Pirate Ship, all with an adult, taking a child to 32 of 41. Paultons also says children under 8 must ride Cat-O-Pillar Coaster with a responsible adult, whatever their height.

Thorpe Park

Thorpe Park is not a toddler park, but 90cm still matters. A child goes from 3 rides to 7, with Flying Fish, Depth Charge, Mr Monkey's Banana Ride and High Striker, all with an adult. If you're choosing between the two big Merlin parks for a small child, our Alton Towers vs Thorpe Park comparison helps.

The First Coasters

For many children, 90cm is the height of their first roller coaster. These are the UK coasters whose lowest way in is exactly 90cm:

A dash in the "With an adult" column means there's no lower height with an adult: your child can ride on their own from 90cm. Where both columns show a height, they need an adult with them until they reach the higher one. Our guide to with-adult and ride-alone heights explains the difference.

Where to Go With a New 90cm Rider

For the most to do on the day, rather than the most new rides, this is the ranking that matters:

The parks near the top are mostly ones built around younger children, where a 90cm child can already ride most of the park. If you want a big-name park instead, LEGOLAND Windsor and Alton Towers both gain plenty at 90cm, but leave more for later.

France at 90cm

90cm is just as important in France. French parks go from 545 rides at 89cm to 729 at 90cm.

At Parc Astérix, 90cm opens Les Espions de César and several family rides with an adult. Walibi Rhône-Alpes adds the Coccinelle coaster and Gold River, and the Jardin d'Acclimatation in Paris adds two small coasters, Le Fort des Pirates and Les Souris Mécaniques.

Disneyland Paris isn't in the table at all. None of its attractions starts at exactly 90cm: most can be ridden at any height, and its next height steps come just above 100cm. Our Disneyland Paris vs Parc Astérix guide compares the two for young children.

Spain at 90cm

Spanish parks go from 215 rides at 89cm to 252 at 90cm.

At Isla Mágica in Seville, 90cm opens the El Tren del Potosí coaster, Capitán Balas and ¡A los cañones! with an adult (alone from 120cm), while Sapo Saltón, Crisálida and Caimán Bailón open at 90cm with no lower height with an adult (on Sapo Saltón, children under 4 need an adult). In Nickelodeon Land at Parque de Atracciones de Madrid, the Patrulla Canina and Padrinos voladores coasters open at 90cm with an adult (alone from 120cm). At PortAventura Park, Street Mission (alone from 120cm) and Tea Cups (alone from 130cm) open at 90cm with an adult, as do Champions Race and Junior Championship at Ferrari Land (alone from 120cm).

The UAE at 90cm

In the UAE, 90cm is a smaller step. Parks there set more rides at 105cm to 120cm, and 120cm is the most common lowest way in. UAE parks go from 115 rides at 89cm to 137 at 90cm.

Yas Waterworld gains the most, mostly junior slides such as Al Sahel Junior and Dawwama Junior. At SeaWorld Yas Island, Eel Racer and Jelly Plunge open with an adult. Our Dubai and Abu Dhabi height guide covers every UAE park.

What's Still Out of Reach, and What Comes Next

At 90cm your child still misses many bumper cars, log flumes and bigger family coasters. The next milestone is 100cm, the second-biggest step in UK parks: a child goes from 806 rides at 99cm to 905 at 100cm. Our 100cm milestone guide shows what opens park by park.

Here are the UK rides that open between 91cm and 100cm, the ones your child will grow into next:

After that come 110cm (a smaller step, but when many rides can be ridden alone) and 120cm, the last big jump before the headline thrill rides. Our 120cm milestone guide covers that one.

Tips for a New 90cm Rider

• Measure in the shoes they'll wear. Parks usually measure children with shoes on, so measure at home in the same shoes. If they're 89cm at home, expect to be turned away. Our guide to being just under a height limit explains what genuinely helps and what doesn't.
• Plan on riding together. Most 90cm rides need an adult alongside. If you have two small children and one adult, check the seating before you queue.
• Look for a rider switch. Many parks offer one so a parent can wait with a younger sibling while the other rides. Ask at the ride entrance.
• Check age rules too. Some parks add an age rule on top of height, like Paultons Park's under-8 rule on Cat-O-Pillar Coaster.
• Plan the day by height. Enter your child's height in the planner to see exactly what they can ride at any park.

Frequently asked questions

What age is a child usually 90cm?

Most children reach 90cm somewhere between their second and third birthdays. Our heights by age guide puts the median 2 year old at about 87cm and the median 3 year old at about 96cm. Measure rather than go by age.

Can a 90cm child go on a roller coaster?

Yes, several. Octonauts Rollercoaster Adventure at Alton Towers, DUPLO Dino Coaster at LEGOLAND Windsor, Chase's Mountain Mission at Chessington and Cat-O-Pillar Coaster at Paultons Park all take riders from 90cm with an adult. The coaster table above has the full current list.

Can a 90cm child ride on their own?

Only on a few rides. Most rides that open at 90cm need an adult with them until 110cm or 120cm, and some until 130cm. A few, such as Thunder Blazer at LEGOLAND Windsor, can be ridden alone from 90cm.

Which UK theme park is best for a 90cm child?

For the most to do on the day, look at the top of the ranking above, where small-children's parks such as Twinlakes Park, Paultons Park and Gulliver's Valley lead. For the most new rides compared with 89cm, Gulliver's Valley, LEGOLAND Windsor and Alton Towers gain the most at 90cm.

Do theme parks measure toddlers with shoes on?

Usually, yes, so normal shoes count. A few check points ask children to take their shoes off, so know the barefoot figure as well.

My child is 89cm. Is it worth going?

Yes, but plan around the rides they can do now and treat any 90cm rides as a bonus. Height checks are strict, and staff go by the line on the measuring post. Our just-short guide has practical advice for the day.