Help with a list of Scary (creepy) rides and Shows

[1hero2princesses]

Going in September with a 5 year old, 3 year old and 17 month old. The 5 year old boy and 3 year old girl are my concerns (the 17 month old won't know what the heck is going on)...
My DS(5) and DD (3) are not scared by height or speed, but by scary or creepy things .. so I am trying to figure out what we can/should skip in each park. Would appreciate thoughts or suggestions. For example.. I think my son would like Test Track, BTMRR etc. but hate Tower of Terror for the themeing not the drop.

MK - thinking of skipping Haunted Mansion, Snow White's, Stitch's Great Escape.

Epcot - Maybe Honey I Shrunk the Audience? I am not sure about this one?

Animal Kingdom - thinking of skipping Everest, Dinosaur and maybe It's tough to be a bug? Thoughts on this one anyone? Seems like this might freak little guys out.

HS - Tower of Terror , not sure about Sounds Dangerous? Or the Great Movie Ride???

Also, I am thinking of doing MNSSHP ? I think they would really like the trick or treating and dance parties. I have read there is not too much real "scary" stuff??

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[iReverb]

Going in September with a 5 year old, 3 year old and 17 month old. The 5 year old boy and 3 year old girl are my concerns (the 17 month old won't know what the heck is going on)...
My DS(5) and DD (3) are not scared by height or speed, but by scary or creepy things .. so I am trying to figure out what we can/should skip in each park. Would appreciate thoughts or suggestions. For example.. I think my son would like Test Track, BTMRR etc. but hate Tower of Terror for the themeing not the drop.

MK - thinking of skipping Haunted Mansion, Snow White's, Stitch's Great Escape.

Epcot - Maybe Honey I Shrunk the Audience? I am not sure about this one?

Animal Kingdom - thinking of skipping Everest, Dinosaur and maybe It's tough to be a bug? Thoughts on this one anyone? Seems like this might freak little guys out.

HS - Tower of Terror , not sure about Sounds Dangerous? Or the Great Movie Ride???

Also, I am thinking of doing MNSSHP ? I think they would really like the trick or treating and dance parties. I have read there is not too much real "scary" stuff??

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Just a thought. But sometimes as parents we think our kids are more fragile than they are. All it takes sometimes is for your child to see other children his/her age getting in line to ride, and they become very excited to ride too, despite it being scary. (I'm talking more specifically about the non-thrill rides). When I took my three-year-old twin daughters, they really surprised me by wanting to go on every ride, even if had a scary theme!

Also, they were looking for my reactions, too. If I wasn't scared, they were more relaxed. Just one opinion.

On the other hand, I took my girls on a small coaster at 5 years old and they completely panicked.

 

[disneyag]

Honey, I Shrunk the Audience has a huge 3D snake that creeped out my DD until she was about 9.

Stitch's Great Escape gets dark.

MNSSHP is really not scary. The Haunted Mansion CM's dress up kinda like zombies, but other than that, no really creepy costumes.

 

[Sleeping Becca]

Never underestimate Disney's ability to turn a seemingly innocuous kiddie attractions to a scare fest for kids.

HM-obvious
Space Mountain-dark-fast
Snow White-that pesky witch
Stitch- dark and loud
Tikibirds-the tiki god is loud and scary
Pirates- can be scary for preschoolers
HISTA-snake-lion-mice-loud
Imagination-train dark loud (haven't done it in a while don't know if this is still the case)
Dinosaur-dark-loud-scary
Everest-loud-fast-dark-scary
ITTBAB-dark-loud-scary-spiders-hornets
TOT-obvious
Sounds Dangerous-dark
Great Movie Ride-alien and the witch
RNR-fast-dark
Fantasmic-dragon

You know your kids best, the key is preparation. Show them the ride videos before you leave and talk them through the attractions. If they know in advance what happens it is not nearly as bad. Most kids can do it all with advance prep. continually reinforce that it is pretend, or silly, or make believe, and that nothing can hurt them at Disney.

 

[Hmbldr]

You'll have to judge by your own kids, but we always did Haunted Mansion with our kids when they were young, and they've all gone from 2 y.o. and up. I think this is easy to set up as more 'fun' than scary. I missed Stitch this time but if it's as I remember it or alien, it is pitch black and can be very frightening. Snow White is very quick and there are lighter moments to play with, like going through the dwarfs mine.

EE and Dinosaur, they might be too small anyways. Dinosaur scared my kids when they were young, but that was probably at 6 y.o., 4 y.o. was too small.

HISTA, is a bit scary when the mice swish by, but their legs might miss this feature. The snake thing is a little creepy for some. Otherwise it might be OK.

ToT, might be too intense for the interiors or the drop. For the Alien portion of Movie ride, we basically 'hid' them from this when they were real small. Most of the rest is fine and the Oz sequence is really something for them to see.
Never been down for MNSSHP.

 

[Wendybird55]

Here's what I can tell you base on my experieces:

MK:
Tikki Room - Basically fun and harmless. There is a part when the Tikki Goddess comes out of the fountain and she has red glowing eyes and there's some thunder and lightning. Maybe if you prepare your kids they might be OK.

BTRR: When you first move out you go thru this short tunnel where there are glowing bat eyes and noises -it's pretty quick.

Havne't been on Snow White in awhile - but there are scenes with the witch. But if you have a DVD or video of the movie and they are OK watching it with the witch they shold be OK with the ride.

AK:
A BUGS LIFE: Definately scarey parts with a big exterminatr can and spiders.

FLIGTHS OF WONDER: Great show if your kids like animals, but the boards do swoop (fly) over the audience and some people get scared.

DINOSAUR: Loud and scary

DH:
LITTLE MERMAID: There's a scene where Ursula comes out and she's very big (puppet) and loud and sings her menancing song and there's thunger & lightning. If your kids saw the DVD it might help, but it is more scary in a stage show.

DREW CAREY SOUND SHOW: The film breaks and you sit in a totally dark theater listening to the movie. You're not missing much with this one.

GREAT MOVIE RIDE: There's a section with a scene from the movie Alien where the monsters comes down from the ceiling and out from the side.


EPCOT:
MALSTROM (Norway) has some trolls, but not that scary.

Haven't been to Universe of Energy in a long time - but I think the dinosaur part it OK, but it is a long ride - kids might get bored.


For the Thrill rides - Space Mountain & Rockin Roller coster are in the dark.

If you go to youtube you may will be able to see videos of some of the rides. For some if your kids know what to expect they may not be so scared.

For the 17month old you may want to watch out for loud sounds in rides - some kids are sensitive to them.

 

[cmac609]

Going in September with a 5 year old, 3 year old and 17 month old. The 5 year old boy and 3 year old girl are my concerns (the 17 month old won't know what the heck is going on)...
My DS(5) and DD (3) are not scared by height or speed, but by scary or creepy things .. so I am trying to figure out what we can/should skip in each park. Would appreciate thoughts or suggestions. For example.. I think my son would like Test Track, BTMRR etc. but hate Tower of Terror for the themeing not the drop.

MK - thinking of skipping Haunted Mansion, Snow White's, Stitch's Great Escape.

Epcot - Maybe Honey I Shrunk the Audience? I am not sure about this one?

Animal Kingdom - thinking of skipping Everest, Dinosaur and maybe It's tough to be a bug? Thoughts on this one anyone? Seems like this might freak little guys out.

HS - Tower of Terror , not sure about Sounds Dangerous? Or the Great Movie Ride???

Also, I am thinking of doing MNSSHP ? I think they would really like the trick or treating and dance parties. I have read there is not too much real "scary" stuff??

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Hi

It all depends on the child, really. We were in Disney 2 years old and my boys just turned 3 and 14 months. My oldest didn't like the Haunted House..left in the beginning. But he did like Snow White and Stitch's.

At AK, we didn't do much but he absolutely loved the Tough to be a Bug? show. However my 14 month old didn't too much. My oldest did like Honey I Shrunk the Audience too.

We also saw the Great Movie .... it was a little boring for him at the time but it was good for us.

It really all depends on the child and what he?She sees.

Caroline

 

[MK4ever]

The one attraction where I always see little kids crying and their parents carrying them out is It's Tough to Be a Bug. I cannot remember one trip where this did not happen. The spiders are definitely creepy.

I think Stich comes in a close second in terms of kids screaming to get out before it is over.

Snow White is not as scary as it used to be. I remember being terrified on that one when I was a kid - I was even afraid to go on 20 years later , but it is better now that it has been changed.

It all depends on your kids though. I agree with everyone else, try and show them videos so they can decide before or know what to expect.

 

[SmallWorld71]

FWIW - DD5 was 4 1/2 on our last trip. She does fine with fast but does not like monsters and that sort of thing. Her absolute favorite rides are Splash and Soarin. Anyway, your list pretty much summed up the rides she did not go on. Keep in mind that she was only 42" so anything above that height was out of the question. This is what she skipped:
MK - Stitch, Snow White (we all think this one is a waste of time so I didn't even mention it to her); Haunted Mansion was closed for rehab. She was fine on Pirates. (She likes Pirates and actually chose to be a pirate for the P&P party.)
Epcot - She went on everything she could. We did not get to Honey I Shrunk the Audience but 3-D movies generally do not bother her. Test Track was great.
DHS - We skipped TOT. She was fine on Star Tours and the Great Movie ride but I hid her eyes at the Alien part. None of us have any interest in Sounds Dangerous so I can't comment on that.
AK - Skip Dinosaur! This is the only ride DS9 says is scary! I would also skip ITTBAB. DD really wanted to try it. She didn't cry. But she spent the whole time on my lap and we both had our eyes closed and told DS9 to let us know when it was over.

My best suggestion would be to start slow. Peter Pan was DD's first ride of the trip and she thought it was scary. Well, once she got used to going on rides, she was going on things much scarier and thought it was very funny that she thought Peter Pan was scary. If you start slow and then build in intensity, you will probably have your best luck. I agree that every kid is different. But, just figured I'd let you know my experiences with DD who sounds similar to your kids.

 

[Figment's Friend]

I was just reading this thread, not intending to reply because I don't have kids of my own at all, but then I thought of one!

It's Tough To Be A Bug I think could really creep a little kid out!! Every time I've ever gone into that attraction, I see at least 3-4 parents taking their scared, screaming children out the doors. If I had been under 10 when this attraction came out, I would have really flipped out.

 

[Tinkertini]

MK: Obviously skip Haunted Mansion, it scares me, especially the beginning. I never really thought Stitch was creepy - but I guess the ride being in the dark could be scary for children. Pirates might be scary during the beginning w/the darkness & the tiny drop, but other than that it's not bad. Might be one to consider passing though.

Epcot - Maelstrom is for sure creepy in my opinion. And Mission:Space is really closed in & intense, and bothers me, I don't know about children. Actually, I'm not even sure what age you have to be to ride that.

Animal Kingdom - skip it's tough to be a bug - the stinging in the back & the spiders are scary. Dinosaur is probably also one to skip - w/the giant dinosaurs roaring everywhere.

HS - Skip Great Movie Ride, there's a bunch of scenes w/old horror movies. The Alien scene always gets me. Skip Tower of Terror too, it's very creepy.

You should be safe w/the Halloween activities. It is more of the characters dressed in their halloween wardrobe, and mickey shaped pumpkins than it is anything scary.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Generally speaking, WDW is a pretty 'safe' place. It's not like other amusement parks. Walt was very keen about making movies and rides that wouldbe suitable for the whole family. Eisner got away from that a bit, but most of the folks who work their aspire to preserve Walt's intentions. I've enjoyed it since I was very little myself. Disney uses good taste. The things I list below take into consideration what you said. Mostly, except where listed - I would and HAVE taken small kids on each.

Here's my take:

HM has a certain amount of creep to it. It is one of my favorites, and I've been riding it since I was two. The effects still stand the test of time. Amazing.

I don't think Stitch is very creepy. Maybe a little, but not like the ride that used to occupy that same space. Not my favorite ride. Nogreat loss if you decide to skip it.

Snow White is really pretty tame. There is a skeleton in one scene, but it's pretty obviously just painted cardboard. There's also a 'scary' tree forest, but again, it's obvious to small kids that's it's just cardboard. Still, I kind of like this ride. I think the name is misleading though. I don't think the witch is scary looking at all - but maybe it would be good to see the movie ahead of time.

PotC - has probably as much 'creep factor' as any of the above. Mostly it's singing and fun, but the start has skeleton's on a beach and there's a short dark part of the ride. Again, I've been going on this since I was an infant, and it never bothered me. then again, they did change it recently. It used to start with singing and they removed it, so that right there makes it more scary. The tiny kids in our family still love it though and it's one of the best rides at WDW. If they cope with PotC fine, then they can certainly handle Snow White!



Epcot - Maybe Honey I Shrunk the Audience? I am not sure about this one?

That movie has a snake and mice. It's one of my least favorite attractions. Not because It's creepy, I just don't find it entertaining. If they love Philarmagic at MK - then this one falls in tothe same category. In order to see most of the effects though you need your 3-d glasses. Close your eye or take them off and they won't bother you. It's also a little loud.

Animal Kingdom - thinking of skipping Everest, Dinosaur and maybe It's tough to be a bug? Thoughts on this one anyone? Seems like this might freak little guys out.

EE is not so much creepy as thrilling. The small ones will be too short to go on it. The Yeti effect is pretty cool, but you barely see it. If you aren't up front, you may not see it at all, and you could certainly close your eyes for that part.

Dinosaur - again the little kids can't go on it. It uses strobe effects. not creepy, but things jumping out at you.

ITtbaB is one of my favorites, but every time there's a little kid crying because they are scared of bugs and/or spiders. That one you might want to skip if your kids are timid.

HS - Tower of Terror , not sure about Sounds Dangerous? Or the Great Movie Ride???

YEah, skip ToT. the kids can't go anyhow. Sounds Dangerous I've never done.

The Great movie ride is pretty tame overall. Ther'es one room about Alien, but it's pretty tame and you have LOTS of warning that you are entering the 'Alien' room. You could easily close your eyes for that part. (the alien drops down - that's it) There is one other part where you are in a pyramid scene - like Indiana Jones. If you REALLY hate snakes then I suppose it might bother you, but the kids in our family have never been remotely phased by it. It's not like the snakes move or anything, they are just backdrop. Your attention is on the show not the backdrop. Alien is the only horror movie. In the Pre-show theater room, you will see 'previews' I think of just about all the flicks they show on the ride. Mostly they are older movies like Casablanca, Mary Poppins - think MGM.

Also, I am thinking of doing MNSSHP ? I think they would really like the trick or treating and dance parties. I have read there is not too much real "scary" stuff??

I've never done this party so I can't say. Mostly though, Disney doesn't do things to freak little kids out.

Passporter has a great guide book to help withthis sort of thing that lists each ride and what phobias might be triggered by each. IT used to be called Passporter for Special Needs, but now they call it something else becsue everyone though it meant special needs as in the education sense of the term. the book is really for every family. It's a great guide.

 

[tchrrx]

Only 2 things at Disney scared my 7 year old & it wasn't things I would've thought of as problems.

1. The GMR. The witch & alien she was fine with. Having our tour guide get burned as she reached for the jewel was way too much for her.

2. DeVine.

 

[snickerboo]

My dd is a real daredevil (has done BTMRR, Splash, Space, Soarin', Star Tours, etc) and the only thing that scared her at the whole WDW was Dinosaur at AK. Apparently, at one point, it seems as if you're going to go into the dinosaur's mouth.

 

[LuvN~Travel]

Hi

It all depends on the child, really. We were in Disney 2 years old and my boys just turned 3 and 14 months. My oldest didn't like the Haunted House..left in the beginning. But he did like Snow White and Stitch's.

At AK, we didn't do much but he absolutely loved the Tough to be a Bug? show. However my 14 month old didn't too much. My oldest did like Honey I Shrunk the Audience too.

We also saw the Great Movie .... it was a little boring for him at the time but it was good for us.

It really all depends on the child and what he?She sees.

Caroline

I would definitely have to agree on this. My kids have never been scared on any rides, even the dark rides. Though they may have had a strange look on some of them! My son's face on his first ToT ride was classic!
However, my sister's kids definitely had a problem with dark rides when they were little, and my niece who is now 13 still hasn't ridden Dinosaur again!lol

You might want to practice with your kids in dark rooms before you go and see what their reactions are to any dark areas.
Kim

 

[BTown]

No one said It's a Small World. Easily the most terrifying thing in all of WDW...

 

[DisneyFan83]

I don't like Honey I Shrunk the Audience at all... and I'm 24 y.o. None of the other 3-d shows bother me, but I would say you might not want to take them to this one.

 

[LoveGoofy91]

I went on Honey we shrunk the kids when I was little, and I didn't mind it because I was little and didn't know much of what was going on. I was about 5 or 6.

Now it would probably scare me though because I don't like being blasted and sprayed.

I HATED snow white, and I still don't like it. It's very creepy for kids. I think it's creepier than the haunted mansion, but that's just my personal opinion.

Also, the tiki room has a creepy tree goddess, and It might scare little ones in the front row.

The ones listed here by everyone pretty much sum it all up.

 

[Kellylynn3]

I was about 8 or 9 years old last time I was at WDW and, although I was a bit of a wimp back then I will say this. I did not want to go on Honey I Shrunk The Audience but my mom thought I was overreacting so off we went. Well all I can remember was crying as we walked out and my mom apologizing. It may not be quote on quote scary but the images and effects are pretty intense. Just something to think about.

 

[ReadingMama]

Whenn we went two years ago, my DD (6 then) did not like Little Mermaid at DHS AT ALL? The Sea Witch is HUGE and scary. And she loves the movie, all the princesses, etc. And DS (2 then) also did not like it at all. DD did like Pirates though, I think a lot of the theming was over her head, we went on it twice. We did not go on any of the other rides you have listed for DHS or MK then. Think we will try HM and Great Movie Ride this year.