May Be Too Frightening...Huh?

[inkkognito]

DH just came home from DHS (left me home to work, the bum), and there is a new symbol on the park map (an exclamation point) that is put by rides and attractions that "May be frightening for children." Thing is, Disney's selection on which rides to designate or not designate is strange. For example, Tower of Terror is NOT designated, yet the Great Movie Ride is. I know GMR has stuff like Alien, but I've seen a heck of a lot more kidlet freak out on ToT than GMR. Heck, just tonight DH said some poor woman had to push her way through the line to get to the chicken exit because her child was freaking out in the "basement" just waiting. Indy is not designated, but I saw it a couple days ago and the poor kid behind me was beside herself when the stunt man got "punched out." She was convinced he was dead, despite her mom's reassurances, till he finally got up. At least Fantasmic is designated...I'll never forget the night when an anxious little boy said, in all seriousness, "Mom, that was a stunt Mickey, right?" at the scaryt dragon part.

 

[GatorLady]

My DD6 must have the same off kilter fright meter as Disney. One trip after she had just turned 5, she insisted on doing ToT. She loved it! Same trip, Snow White's Scary Adventure brought her to tears.

 

[nroush313]

It all depends on what they are afraid of. I know many adults that more scared than the children who go on ToT.

 

[Bunch24]

You have to keep in mind that kids are usually scared by things jumping out at them, or monsters, or loud noises. Kids aren't generally scared by rides that spin them around, or lift them high.

Remember, when you were a kid, you probably liked it when your dad grabbed you by the arms and swung you around in a circle or lifted you on his shoulders.

Those kind of fears are something you develop over the years. But all kids are afraid of the dark, afraid of the "boogeyman", afraid of things jumping out at them.

I know when we go in July, my DS5 says he wants to ride ToT and Expedition Everest, but says he doesn't want to go on Haunted Mansion. Myself, I'm the opposite. But adults can tell the difference between make believe and real. Kids still struggle with that concept.

 

[LadyZolt]

But adults can tell the difference between make believe and real. Kids still struggle with that concept.

Thanks for posting this -- I think this makes a lot of sense. Kids often learn fears from adults, too, so having adults scream on a roller coaster, for example, might then result in a child not wanting to ride it.

I think that really they could put the symbol on every ride because someone somewhere is likely to have a fear about that ride. LOL! So I guess whoever got to make this decision just used his or her best judgment to sort of give people a warning. (Oh, and many very young kids don't meet the height requirements for TOT or roller coasters, so that might be another reason why thrill rides might not have a symbol.)

-Dorothy (LadyZolt)

 

[Bunch24]

Thanks for posting this -- I think this makes a lot of sense. Kids often learn fears from adults, too, so having adults scream on a roller coaster, for example, might then result in a child not wanting to ride it.

That is so true. My oldest son will NOT get on a ferris wheel to this day because we rode one when he was younger and had a bad experience. He somehow convinced my dad to ride with us and my dad has an extreme fear of heights (I guess that's the price grandparents will pay for their grandkids)

Well, wouldn't you know we were the basket that gets stuck at the top while they start unloading and reloading. To make matters worse, the ferris wheel was on a boardwalk overlooking the water, so when you looked down to your left, it was nothing but blue water. My dad started to freak out, and in turn, my son started to panic too. It took my wife and I steadily comforting the two of them to get from the top to when we unloaded.

And like I said, to this day, my son refuses to go on a ferris wheel, but will tackle just about any roller-coaster or spinning ride you throw at him.

 

[disnut8]

Twilight Zone has a height requirement so maybe Disney is figuring that kids who would be frightened aren't going to be on it anyway. As for Indiana Jones, it's just like any other stunt show really so putting a warning label on that seems a bit silly.

"May be frightening" is so subjective for anyone. I've read on here of people who absolutely hate snakes and have to be warned about The Great Movie Ride and not for the alien affect. I think the designation Disney has on its map is strictly a CYA thing in case some parent decides to sue because their child was traumatized by something.

And I'm a proud member of the You Aren't Going to Get Me on a Ferris Wheel team.

 

[hgoff79]

Ooh, on the ferris wheel. We went to Dollywood for a day last June to prep the kids for WDW last Oct. DD 4 insisted I go with her on the ferris wheel, and I hadn't been on one since I was like 10. Of COURSE, while we were up there it starting to storm, so they unloaded by counterbalancing, so we were stuck at the top for several minutes. I have never prayed so much in my LIFE, and my kid asks, "Mom, why are you asking Jesus to protect us"? How do you answer that?! I think I just told her that it's good to pray when you have a minute of free time!

 

[khertz]

It sounds like they are designating things that parents who don't know any better (haven't ridden the ride, etc.) may not consider scary, like the Great Movie Ride. Reading the description of the ride, it doesn't sound scary at all, so some unsuspecting parents take their 2 year old on it, and the kid freaks out during the Alien scene or when the gangster takes over the ride vehicle. Tower of TERROR will send up red flags to any parent, regardless of whether they have ridden themselves or not. The name itself gives you an idea of what to expect. At least, I would hope so. And as someone else said, young kids probably wouldn't meet the height requirement anyway.

 

[jen-y]

I think every kid is different. When my daughter was 5, she went on TOT with no problem. Some parents were looking at me like "I can't believe you are taking your kid on that". But she was scared of its tough to be a bug and the muppet movie thing. Makes no sense, but like I said, every kid is different.
We are going back in 59 days, and my daughter is now 7, and it will be my 3 year old son's first trip. My husband and I are wondering what he will tolerate. Since he is 40 inches tall, technically he is tall enough for some of the bigger rides, but that does not mean he is ready for them.


so there in 59 days!

 

[Mackwell]

I think every kid is different. When my daughter was 5, she went on TOT with no problem. Some parents were looking at me like "I can't believe you are taking your kid on that". But she was scared of its tough to be a bug and the muppet movie thing.

My son, at 7, had no problem with the Alien portion of The Great Movie Ride. But when we got to It's Tough to Be A Bug, he had a major freak out. I think we'll try it again this year when he'll be 10.

 

[freewill]

Ooh, on the ferris wheel. We went to Dollywood for a day last June to prep the kids for WDW last Oct. DD 4 insisted I go with her on the ferris wheel, and I hadn't been on one since I was like 10. Of COURSE, while we were up there it starting to storm, so they unloaded by counterbalancing, so we were stuck at the top for several minutes. I have never prayed so much in my LIFE, and my kid asks, "Mom, why are you asking Jesus to protect us"? How do you answer that?! I think I just told her that it's good to pray when you have a minute of free time!

Your response to your DD's question is truly priceless!! I wish I thought so quick on my feat (or seat).

 

[traviesojmt]

It sounds like they are designating things that parents who don't know any better (haven't ridden the ride, etc.) may not consider scary, like the Great Movie Ride. Reading the description of the ride, it doesn't sound scary at all, so some unsuspecting parents take their 2 year old on it, and the kid freaks out during the Alien scene or when the gangster takes over the ride vehicle. Tower of TERROR will send up red flags to any parent, regardless of whether they have ridden themselves or not. The name itself gives you an idea of what to expect. At least, I would hope so. And as someone else said, young kids probably wouldn't meet the height requirement anyway.

I remember the first time we took then DS3 on The Great Movie Ride. My wonderful DH grew up going to Disney but had a bit of a memory lapse regarding the Movie Ride. "Not Scary At ALL", my DH said. In the ride, I could see his face. Oh, Crap!!! "I forgot about the Alien scene", he says. We then pretended that we had seen money on the floor of the ride and got my son to put his head down and start looking for it. He would have freaked out at that scene. We kept him completely occupied so he wouldn't notice what was going on around him.

Now, my daredevil DD rode ToT at age 4. She was tall enough and wanted to ride it at 3 but I wouldn't let her.

 

[Cinderella94]

I remember the first time we took then DS3 on The Great Movie Ride. My wonderful DH grew up going to Disney but had a bit of a memory lapse regarding the Movie Ride. "Not Scary At ALL", my DH said. In the ride, I could see his face. Oh, Crap!!! "I forgot about the Alien scene", he says. We then pretended that we had seen money on the floor of the ride and got my son to put his head down and start looking for it. He would have freaked out at that scene. We kept him completely occupied so he wouldn't notice what was going on around him.

Now, my daredevil DD rode ToT at age 4. She was tall enough and wanted to ride it at 3 but I wouldn't let her.

 

[chocovrdmicears]

I We then pretended that we had seen money on the floor of the ride and got my son to put his head down and start looking for it.

A truly brilliant parenting moment.

 

[airoh13]

I have a 11 year old DS who is terrified of roller coasters. He will not go on them at all. I once forced him to go on one (he was crying the whole time). When we got off, he begged to on it again & again. I keep reminding him of that, but he still wants no part of the coasters.