Matterhorn

[foleyfun]

I noticed the height requirement for Matterhorn is 35". I was just wondering how young have been your kids when they first rode it? My DD is 3-1/2 and she meets the height requirments. She loves rides, especially the coaster in toon town so I am debating on whether to take her on it. I would love some thoughts/opinions ...

 

[DisneyMom70]

My DH took our daughter on when she was just shy of 3 years. She absolutely loved it. As soon as the ride ended, she said "Again, Again!" My DH did cover her eyes when they got to the abominable snowman.

If you ask her now, she will say Matterhorn is her favorite ride.

 

[dismom73]

My youngest DD(4) is now tall enough to ride it and I can't wait to take her on it, she loves rides, just like my oldest DD(14), but I still can't get my middle DD(9) anywhere near any ride that drops, loops, or is in the dark.

 

[bumbershoot]

My guy was 3+ when he first went on it, and he hated it.

Then we went again at 4.5, and he enjoyed it, but didn't feel like going again.



First time, he was in the very front of the "car", sitting with hubby, who tends to just be stoic and silent, and doesn't anticipate what's coming to help DS.

Second time DS sat with me, behind hubby (so hubby was in the front and we were "protected" by hubby), and I sort of talked him through, saying "now let's say wheeeee! OK now let's say yip yip yip yip!". I completely by chance got DS to growl loudly JUST as we whipped around the corner to see Harold the abominable snowman which was really good timing. I also squeezed him tight if I felt like he was getting worried, and just tried to make sure he was having FUN instead of just being scared.


So there was age and also our whole approach to it.

But every kid is different, and you won't know until you know!

 

[bigpuma]

I took my son a week shy of his 3rd birthday. I asked him about 7 times if he was sure he wanted to go and he always said yes. At the end he said "I didn't like that," but otherwise it was fine.

 

[wendylady36]

My niece went on when she was 2.5 yo and she loved it!

 

[SurfinStitch]

My youngest DD(4) is now tall enough to ride it and I can't wait to take her on it, she loves rides, just like my oldest DD(14), but I still can't get my middle DD(9) anywhere near any ride that drops, loops, or is in the dark.

Try taking her into Peter Pan, we made the mistake of taking my 4yr old sis on space mountain (the original version) as our VERY first ride in disneyland... after that she didnt want to go anywhere NEAR anything big, dark, or "scary".... We finally managed to get her onto Peter pan, which is dark and has a few tiny dips and she LOVED IT. then she wanted to go on all the big rides and loved matterhorn, in fact... that was the most popular ride that trip.

I'd say if your kidlet wants to go on it, let them just be sure to be right there to make sure they arent scared by the snowman and drops... I think they will have a blast

 

[dznee]

My DS just turned two when he was able to ride it. It's by far his favorite ride!

 

[cccdisney]

We took our youngest on it for the first time last March when he was a little over 2 - he didn't cry but looked a little shocked!
Last weekend we took him on it again. He just turned 3. He screamed and hated it! Guess we will have to wait a little longer again. He also hates Pirates - too dark and scary.

 

[Brady's Mom]

We took our 4 and 6 yr old DS's on it just this past December. My 6 yr. old is pretty timid and so he can get a little scared - plus he rode Space when he was 4 and was very freaked out. So, we talked about it and how "Harold" the abominable snowman doesn't speak English - he just knows "Monster" and so his growling is how he say's HI. I did remind them that it would be dark and they would see Harold - but we tried it anyway. DS 4 with me and DS 6 with DH. They both really liked it. I like that they can sit with you in between your legs so you can hold them tight and talk to them like Bumbershoot did with her DS. We also roared back at Harold when we saw him and we were really loud. Which helped offset any scary feelings anyone might have had. My DS 6 did tell me that Harold looked really creepy with his red eyes - as we were back in line to go again.

"Harold" the name for abominable came from Danger Mouse - if I recall correctly! Thanks DM! It really helped my kids.

 

[DangerMouse]

"Harold" the name for abominable came from Danger Mouse - if I recall correctly! Thanks DM! It really helped my kids.

It didn't actually come from me. It really and truly is his name:

http://www.davelandweb.com/matterhorn/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matterhorn_Bobsleds

We all love Harold and always make sure we are polite and say hello back to him in his native language. GROOWWWL! Afterall, it is his mountain and we are just visiting.

 

[DahliaRW]

My ds was 3 1/2 when we went last Fall. He was 41" tall, so not only could he do the matterhorn, he could also do things like Space Mountain. He was not scared at all and loved every minute of it!

His biggest gripe about the whole trip was that he wasn't tall enough to ride Screamin!

 

[angelhair45]

We took our son on it when he was 3.5, but he had been on Goofy's Barnstormer and Gadget Go Coaster many times before he was 2. He really liked it and asked to ride a couple more times.

 

[foleyfun]

Thank you everybody for your responses! We went to DL this past Saturday and had a blast. The crowds were great and the weather was perfect, it was a great day. We did the coaster in toontown first to make sure she liked it ans she loved it so we went ahead an took her on Matterhorn ... she loved it!!!! We were at the park from 9:00 am to 5:30 and we rode Peter Pan, the carousel, Dumbo, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, the coaster in Toontown, we visited Mickey Mouse, Autopia, Buzz Lightyear, Matterhorn, Jungle Cruise, Pirates, the rockets (I don't know the real name of that ride) and we visited Tinkerbell in Pixie Hollow! We bought AP's so we are already planning our next trip in a couple of weeks.

 

[bumbershoot]

We took our youngest on it for the first time last March when he was a little over 2 - he didn't cry but looked a little shocked!
Last weekend we took him on it again. He just turned 3. He screamed and hated it! Guess we will have to wait a little longer again. He also hates Pirates - too dark and scary.

FWIW, the 3s can be weird. I've heard SO many people talk about their fearless ones suddenly changing when they became 3, and then changing back after 4. My guy did that too, changed back. Exactly AT 4, since we were there for his b'day this year!

Thank you everybody for your responses! We went to DL this past Saturday and had a blast. The crowds were great and the weather was perfect, it was a great day. We did the coaster in toontown first to make sure she liked it ans she loved it so we went ahead an took her on Matterhorn ... she loved it!!!! We were at the park from 9:00 am to 5:30 and we rode Peter Pan, the carousel, Dumbo, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, the coaster in Toontown, we visited Mickey Mouse, Autopia, Buzz Lightyear, Matterhorn, Jungle Cruise, Pirates, the rockets (I don't know the real name of that ride) and we visited Tinkerbell in Pixie Hollow! We bought AP's so we are already planning our next trip in a couple of weeks.

I'm so glad you guys had such a great time!!!!!

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

I took my 2 1/2 year old who is 36 inches. She LOVES fast rides, really brave..LOVED IT

but I, as the parent riding with her FLIPPED OUT and REFUSED to allow her to go on it again. I had to hold her head down to my chest. I'm not anal about that type of stuff normally but I just wouldn't take her a second time. I hurt MYSELF trying to keep her from getting hurt by softening the turns with my body lol.

Anyway, Our 4 year old (5 a couple months later) did great on it sooo yeah.

 

[dirtbikebride]

My DD was a week shy of being 2. She is tall for her age and just made the height requirement. She wasn't scared at all but we just took her on it once. I was more scared than she was because she kept putting her hands on the outside of my legs and I was scared I was going to smashed them going around corners.

 

[romymichelle21]

My niece will be 3 next week and has been waiting for her first DL trip for a long time! She knows all about the rides and what to expect. I recommend, as I did for her, showing the kids YouTube videos of the rides!

I also tell her things like, "There's a big snow monster! But he's not scary, right?". And she goes, "Yeah and he jumps out and goes RARRR! But I'm not scared."

Kids only believe things are scary when they've been told so at some point in their lives