1 Yr. Old and Dark Rides?

[Marthasor]

Hi! We are taking our DS1 to WDW in Oct. and I would love to ride Haunted Mansion - just wondering if anyone has had experience with young children on this ride? I am thinking that, since he isn't young enough to know what ghosts are yet that he won't be scared, but I'm a first time mom and totally clueless as to how he might react. Would love to go on Spaceship Earth as well. Does anyone have any experience with this situation? Thanks so much!

 

[Brer Brett]

Guess it might depend on the kid. But I would advise against it.

We tried to take my nephew, who was about 22 months at the time, on the Snow White ride - which is in the dark often, and it was probably a bad idea. I mean he wasn't screaming bloody murder or anything, but you could tell he didnt like it.

He did a little better on the Nemo ride in Epcot (also in the dark), but I think he knew Nemo.

Probably also depends on the tone of the parent who is riding with the child. If the parent holding the little one is whispering to the kid, "ooh - oh no!" kind of things, the kid will probably pick up the fact that the ride is scary, and so he should be scared!

Good luck - have fun!

 

[frtchr]

We took our DD to WDW when she was 11 months and 16 months. She had no problems in the dark rides. She rode Haunted Mansion, Snow White, Pirates, Spaceship Earth, Great Movie Ride, Ellen's Universe of Energy, etc. I never acted like it was a big deal or scary, so maybe she picked up on that. She's pretty fearless overall; I'm sure it just depends on what kind of disposition yours has. Have a great time!

 

[mrs.explorer1977]

We've taken DS at 6.5 and 10.5 months old, and we haven't had any problems. Granted, his first time on HM, he was sleeping in the sling, but the second time, he was fine with it. He liked Spaceship Earth because of the new touch screen in the seats and all the stuff to look at.

He ADORED Nemo, and when it was on Magical World of Disney last night, he sat watching the tv until the first commercial break ABSOLUTELY transfixed by it. When it started, he was very excited and waved his arms up and down. It was the cutest thing!

I think as long as you don't "play it up" as being scary, you'll probably be okay. Just make sure to have a comfort object (soother, blankie, lovey, etc) just in case! It never hurts to be prepared!

 

[megal0331]

My ds was 16 months the first time he rode HM an he loved it. He is a little daredevil, though, so I think that helps! LOL. He loved all the rides we went on and we did Pirates, HM, Tea Cups, Snow White, Peter Pan....

It really depends on your little one, though. My dd, who is 5 is so much more cautious of rides, but that's because she really knows what is going on...

 

[SueM in MN]

I am thinking that, since he isn't young enough to know what ghosts are yet that he won't be scared, but I'm a first time mom and totally clueless as to how he might react.

You have probably figured out the difference right there.
Many infants and toddlers are not afraid of the dark rides, as long as they are being held by someone they care about. They might not like the dark, but as long as someone is nearby to comfort them, it doesn't bother them. They are not really afraid because, they don't really know (for example) that the Evil Queen in Snow White is scary, but the 7 Dwarves are not.

The older toddlers or pre-schoolers do have some idea of those things and they start to have an imagination about what those 'scary' things could do. That's when they start being scared in rides.
Sometimes it's on rides that do have scary things, like Snow White and being afraid of the Evil Queen (or the Heffalumps in Winnie the Pooh if they haven't seen the movie that includes a 'good' Heffalump). Sometimes, for those little older ones, it's scary if it's dark because they can imagine things that might be in the dark. Also, some things (like the 'pop-up' ghosts in the graveyard scenes at Haunted Mansion) might seem funny to a toddler who likes Jack-in-the-Box toys, but might be terrifying to an older toddler or child who is not quite sure whether or not those are real ghosts.
I remember my older DD as a 5yr old was afraid on Haunted Mansion of those and of the last scene where a 'ghost' is in your car with you and the narrator says it will follow you home.
And, my nephew at 5 was afraid of Pirates of the Caribbean because at the beginning it says, "Dead men tell no tales." He understood the language and that was enough for him to be scared.

That's also why you will see posts from people who took a younger child on rides and the child was not scared of anything, but when they were older and went on the same rides, they were scared.

I'd look more for his general reaction to dark - is he OK with being in the dark if you are holding him?
Also, Spaceship Earth and Where's Nemo don't have anything that pops out at you or happens suddenly. So, I think they would be a better choice for a first try than Haunted Mansion, which has a lot of those. Or Pirates, where it looks like you are going thru a wall of water and you go down a small falls in the complete dark.

 

[Hoosier Mom]

Our 18 month old did all the dark rides just fine. He only got scared at the Indiana Jones show where they were firing guns. Also he did not enjoy the teacups but my husband was twirling us too hard.

The people mover (TTA) is great for putting little ones to sleep! Our biggest problems on our trip were the heat (September trip) and so much carrying our son around. I think my arms were longer by the end of our week long trip! There are several places in Epcot where you have to leave your stroller outside. There are some pics in our trip report below in my signature. Be sure to visit the UK toy store at Epcot. Pooh, Tigger, & Eyrore visit there several times per day. Take your camera. Also we got to meet Mickey, Pluto, Chip & Dale at the Garden Grill for lunch one day.

Have fun!

 

[bangzoom6877]

Taking our kids next month. Big one is 3 and a half, little one is 13 months. SHowed the big one a video of Snow White on You Tube, and he got scared and told me he does not want to go on it. We were not planning on Haunted Mansion anyway, but definitely not now.

It really depends on the kid, but I wouldn't. My older one is not afraid of the dark but did not like the video of Snow White anyway. I would imagine that Haunted Mansion would have scarier stuff in it.

I also remember being scared of Snow White when my parents took us on our first WDW trip when I was 8, and I had my eyes closed and turned into my mother for the remainder of the ride, just after seeing the wicked queen at the beginning!

-Bonnie

 

[hippiechick72]

the only dark ride that my 17 month old didn't like last week was at Epcot. it was the water ride in Normandy. I can't remember what it was called. He was unphased by all other dark or light rides and shows.

 

[hippiechick72]

i should've said that we went on the Haunted mansion as well with no problems!

 

[katied]

Just came back with DS (13 months) and DNiece (23 months)

Spaceship Earth - was great. Both kids loved it. We rode it multiple times
POTC - was great. Both kids loved it.
Haunted Mansion - 1 kid slept thru (DS), DNiece did just fine and liked it.
Mickey's Philharmagic - too loud, did not go over well w/ kids.

Also - no trouble w/ either kid in Norway or Mexico rides.

Can't think of any other darker ones - generally, we learned to skip the movies, the kids were too young to enjoy. Otherwise, everthing went very well.

Overall, it depends on kids, but we had very little problems.

 

[SmallWorld71]

Just my personal experience with siblings, niece, own children etc...

*Up to 3 did fine in dark rides as long as the person holding them was relaxed and upbeat about the ride.
*After 3, it depended on the child.

As was mentioned already, a child that old doesn't know enough to be afraid and generally trust their parents completely. Unless there are already fears there for another reason, you will probably be fine. I think kids that age are more likely to be bothered by sudden noises than anything else. I would try dark rides like Winnie the Pooh and Peter Pan 1st to see what kind of reaction you get before trying something like Haunted Mansion.

 

[Wendy*Darling]

I think it totally depends on the kid. My middle son was 1.5 on his first trip and he rode anything and everything without fear. My youngest was totally enchanted by POTC on his first trip at 4.5 months but screamed through IASW. On his 2nd trip at 14 months, he rode everything with no problem. We just got back and he is now 19 months. He was really scared on the dark rides at first. We took him on Pirates and he screamed while my mother was holding him. When she gave him to me I sat him on my lap facing me and he hid his eyes through most of the rest of the ride. He peeked out a bit at the end but was still obviously nervous. We thought it might just be Pirates so our next ride was Peter Pan and he cried and held on to me for dear life through the whole thing. By the end of our 10 day stay he had decided that the rides were OK (they were all "Choo-choo trains" to him) as long as I held him very firmly through them. There were a few where he was fine no matter what. He LOVED the Nemo ride, IASW and ironically Toy Story Mania (I say ironically b/c he had to sit alone, it whirls around between stops and because he wouldn't wear the 3D glasses. He loved it though!

You'll probably be fine but you won't know until you try!

 

[Redbudlover]

Went with my daredevil dgd when she was 19 months. She loved twirling hard in the tea cups, was bored in It a Small World, terrified in Pooh - whom she loves at home and was afraid in every dark ride we tried until we stopped trying. And she was held by her Mom. She surprised us all by her fear. She is not afraid of the dark at home. But she is very imaginative. I had brought a flashlight - from a disser's tip - and so made it through a couple of rides without a total breakdown, but she was frightened and unhappy. Each child is very much an individual - and they change. I am going to try again with her this fall at 2 1/2 and see how she does - carrying my trusty little flashlight.