Knott’s Reverses Children’s Height Admission Policy : Recreation: Protests sparked by angry mother causes amusement park to return to discounts based on age.

Surprised by objections to a new admissions policy that limited children’s discounts based on height, Knott’s Berry Farm said Friday that it will again take most young customers at their word when it comes to proof of age.

“Effective immediately, Knott’s Berry Farm children’s admission price applies to all children ages 3 to 11,” said Bill Dayton, vice president of marketing, in a prepared statement released at the Buena Park restaurant and amusement park. Since the park was closed Friday because of rain, the old pricing policy will return today, weather permitting.

Park officials said from now on, the age of customers generally will not be questioned at admission gates, although in rare instances someone whose stature seems sharply incompatible with his or her stated age may be asked to show a birth certificate.

On Feb. 5, a height limitation of 54 inches was instituted at the park as the eligibility criterion for the $15.95 child admission price, compared to $25.95 admission paid by adults.

Dayton said the policy change was intended to curtail a loss of perhaps hundreds of thousands of dollars that the park sustains each year because of children who lie about their age to get the lower admission price. The 54-inch standard was designed to provide an “objective” cutoff that, based on medical height charts, would include all or most 11-year-olds, he said.

Dayton said he planned to give the new admission policy a 30-day tryout but that he had not anticipated opposition because the 54-inch height standard is already used to allow admission to “adult rides” at the park such as the Boomerang and Montezuma’s Revenge. Moreover, he said, Magic Mountain in Valencia has enforced a 48-inch height limitation on children’s discounts.

However, about a week after the new admission policy started, a Mission Viejo woman complained that it discriminated against taller children, including her own 11-year-old daughter, already over the 54-inch mark.

The mother, Thomasina (Tommie) Pagliarulo, angrily canceled a birthday party she was planning at Knott’s for her daughter’s girlfriend, who was turning 11, when she learned of the pricing change. The new policy would have denied both girls the children’s discount, Pagliarulo said.

After Pagliarulo’s complaint was publicized, Dayton said, others expressed concern that the park might be trying to “gouge” its customers for more money--which, he stressed, was never the intent.

The new policy “was innocent and noble of intentions, and it didn’t work,” Dayton said in an interview, adding that the potential savings to the park were not worth risking the goodwill of loyal customers.

Pagliarulo was ecstatic Friday to learn her protest had helped change park policy.

“I’m surprised, but I am glad,” she said. “I had strangers call me to say they were so glad I said something. . . . We have to stand up.”

Pagliarulo said she plans to take her family to Knott’s as soon as the sun comes out.