Shoes or Barefoot? Int'l Child’s 1cm Ticket Clash

Source: OT-Team(G), 光明网

A 1cm height difference sparked a ticket dispute for a child at a Shanghai theme park.

Recently in Shanghai, Ms. Chen took her 10-year-old daughter and the daughter's foreign classmate's family to visit the Global Harbor Theme Park in Putuo District. What was meant to be a fun summer outing turned into a ticket dispute over height measurement, sparking widespread discussion on how children's fares should be determined.

According to the park's policy, children between 1.1 and 1.4 meters in height are eligible for discounted tickets priced at 98 yuan. Ms. Chen purchased two tickets accordingly. At the gate, however, the foreign classmate was measured at 141 cm while wearing Crocs—just 1 cm above the limit—and was asked to pay the price difference.

The child's mother questioned the measurement and requested a barefoot recheck, which showed the girl's height at 138 cm, within the threshold. The park supervisor insisted that height must be measured with shoes on, asking rhetorically, "Would you take off your shoes to play inside?" The dispute stalled at the entrance.

To avoid delaying the group, Ms. Chen returned one child ticket and purchased a 158-yuan student ticket on the spot. Feeling the incident spoiled their experience, she later filed a complaint with the shopping mall that houses the park. Following mediation, the park agreed to a barefoot remeasurement confirming 138 cm, and refunded the student ticket fee.

For decades, children's discounts in China have been based on height: free admission for those under 1.2 meters, half-price for those under 1.4 meters. This system was originally designed to align with age groups—free for children under six, and half-price for those between seven and 14—reflecting social care for the younger generation.

However, with rising living standards, children's average height has increased significantly. Today, the average height of 12-year-olds is already close to 1.5 meters, meaning many primary school students quickly exceed the 1.4-meter limit and lose eligibility for discounted tickets. This has made the traditional standard increasingly outdated.

To address this shift, sectors such as high-speed rail and airlines have adopted age-based ticketing: free for children under six, and half-price for those aged six to 14. This approach streamlines the process and ensures fairness. Yet many tourist attractions and amusement parks still rely on height measurements.

Should children's ticket discounts be based on height or age? The debate continues.