1adult 2kids ride question

[cpdisney]

I have a 9 & 4 year old who just made height requirements. Do any rides fit 3 across, or would 9 year old need to sit by himself? Is there minimum age a child must be to sit alone? Specifically worried about coasters.

 

[nilla]

Not only did our 9-year-old daughter sit by herself on Everest last year, she did when we all used the Single Rider line, so she wasn't really near my wife or me. No problem. I've also walked her to the ride at RnRC when I was too sick to ride, when she was 8. I just met her at the exit. Worried a little, but no big deal.

If you say you are a party of 3, they'll at least seat your son directly in front of you. The only ride we were ever that concerned about was BTMRR, because you get thrown around a lot, but even on that, a 9-year-old should be ok by himself.

As for rides that seat three across, I've seen people squeeze 3 into a row on Splash Mountain, but it didn't look comfortable. Beyond that, most of the bigger rides seat 2 across.

 

[ArielSRL]

There's been a few other threads on this. I'm wondering the same because my mom doesn't ride any thrill rides or rides that go around. My dad will be with us but may not make the rope drops we plan. I heard Dumbo, BTMRR (I think). Hmmm...there are several others...I just can't remember what they are. I thought I could be helpful. Oops, sorry.

ETA: Disney's policy seems to be that they must be 13 or 14 to ride "by themselves" but if you are sitting directly behind them, it is allowed. Or so I have read in my research.

 

[BrianL]

Many rides seat 3 across. Most of the dark rides will accommodate an adult with 2 children easily, like Haunted Mansion, Pirates, small world, Peter Pan, and Little Mermaid (and many others). For the coaster type rides, BTMRR and Splash can seat 3 in a row on the bench seats. Others have bucket seats and only seat two (Everest, 7DMT, Barnstormer). Test Track seats 3 across. Space Mountain only seats 1, but it's 3 in a single file per car so you are all still together.

 

[HopperFan]

There's been a few other threads on this. I'm wondering the same because my mom doesn't ride any thrill rides or rides that go around. My dad will be with us but may not make the rope drops we plan. I heard Dumbo, BTMRR (I think). Hmmm...there are several others...I just can't remember what they are. I thought I could be helpful. Oops, sorry.

ETA: Disney's policy seems to be that they must be 13 or 14 to ride "by themselves" but if you are sitting directly behind them, it is allowed. Or so I have read in my research.

No, under age 7 must ride with someone 14 and older. Some rides are strict about it being the same seat.

7 and older can sit by themselves so OP your oldest should be fine in the few situations where the car only fits 2 of you.

We are often odd groups and one of my kids (20's) will usually sit alone and with a stranger, often a tween kid. They do their best to make them comfortable and the ride fun. We have some great photos of the them and the kid making faces for the camera. Not unusual for them to get off, high five the kid and tell them "coolest kid ever". It's a great way for those tween kids to practice their stranger/social skills with a parent close by.

OP you will be fine.

 

[mjkacmom]

There's been a few other threads on this. I'm wondering the same because my mom doesn't ride any thrill rides or rides that go around. My dad will be with us but may not make the rope drops we plan. I heard Dumbo, BTMRR (I think). Hmmm...there are several others...I just can't remember what they are. I thought I could be helpful. Oops, sorry.

ETA: Disney's policy seems to be that they must be 13 or 14 to ride "by themselves" but if you are sitting directly behind them, it is allowed. Or so I have read in my research.

It's 14 to enter a park alone, 7 to ride alone.

 

[ArielSRL]

No, under age 7 must ride with someone 14 and older. Some rides are strict about it being the same seat.

7 and older can sit by themselves so OP your oldest should be fine in the few situations where the car only fits 2 of you.

We are often odd groups and one of my kids (20's) will usually sit alone and with a stranger, often a tween kid. They do their best to make them comfortable and the ride fun. We have some great photos of the them and the kid making faces for the camera. Not unusual for them to get off, high five the kid and tell them "coolest kid ever". It's a great way for those tween kids to practice their stranger/social skills with a parent close by.

OP you will be fine.

It's 14 to enter a park alone, 7 to ride alone.

So sorry...you guys are correct. Mixing up numbers in my head!

 

[BrianL]

As I understand it, the under 7 must ride with someone 14 or older "in the same car" meaning individual vehicle (regardless of coupling to other cars in the train). Most of the coasters have two rows per car, so even if it is two rows of two seats, the parent can sit with under seven children directly in front of them. On Space Mountain, everyone would have to be in one 3-seat, single file car. The problem arises on the Barnstormer, in which each row is a single ride vehicle and only seats 2.

OP, in your case your 9 year old is old enough to ride alone regardless if need be, so no worries.

I have only learned this from reading here, no first hand experience. For some reason I find the topic fascinating even though I don't have kids. The safety protocols of a theme park are quite interesting to me.

 

[gzmtlock]

You might want to prep your 9-year-old that he will probably be seated with someone next to him (but right in front of you). I know this happens on 7DMT and EE. As a PP said, if there are bucket seats, the CMs will look to fill all open spaces. If bench (like BTMRR), they will not combine parties.

 

[ChristophersMom2]

I took my 6 year old niece at Christmas and she had to ride with me on most rides. She got on Barnstormer and BTMRR with my 13 year old son, and both times they made her move and get with me, even though I was right there with them.

 

[HopperFan]

Several times on 7DMT have seen them refuse to allow a younger child sit in front of parent. Each time they were firm that sitting in front of the parent was not okay. It's the only ride I have consistently seen this enforced.

One family had two younger kids, one looked over 7 and two parents. They told the parents to split up and each sit with a child - that the older of the two was not old enough for the younger to ride. Parents objected. Train left without them as CMs were not going to let they ride until they split up.

 

[twinsmama]

Several times on 7DMT have seen them refuse to allow a younger child sit in front of parent. Each time they were firm that sitting in front of the parent was not okay. It's the only ride I have consistently seen this enforced.

One family had two younger kids, one looked over 7 and two parents. They told the parents to split up and each sit with a child - that the older of the two was not old enough for the younger to ride. Parents objected. Train left without them as CMs were not going to let they ride until they split up.

This makes me worried, I am a single mama going alone with my two 5 year olds. They meet the height limit. Would they really not let us ride??? Doesn't seem to make sense.

 

[HopperFan]

This makes me worried, I am a single mama going alone with my two 5 year olds. They meet the height limit. Would they really not let us ride??? Doesn't seem to make sense.

Some have reported not having an issue, but I've seen it quite a few times (and even with a scene they did not give in) so my guess is that it is the policy but some CMs don't enforce it.

 

[Ensusieasm]

Several times on 7DMT have seen them refuse to allow a younger child sit in front of parent. Each time they were firm that sitting in front of the parent was not okay. It's the only ride I have consistently seen this enforced.

One family had two younger kids, one looked over 7 and two parents. They told the parents to split up and each sit with a child - that the older of the two was not old enough for the younger to ride. Parents objected. Train left without them as CMs were not going to let they ride until they split up.

Good for the CMs! What is wrong with parents that think they have to ride together and let two very young children fend for themselves? Weird! Glad the train left without them.

 

[HopperFan]

Good for the CMs! What is wrong with parents that think they have to ride together and let two very young children fend for themselves? Weird! Glad the train left without them.

I agree. I think what people don't get that even in the same car, but seat behind, you are not physically able to assist or console a child in event they get upset or an emergency (on 7DMT due to constraints and a few others). Disney has made the decision that 7 is the age they feel the average child is mature enough to be without an adult (14 or over). These two kids looked to be about 8 and 5 maybe ... there was no rationale to not split up as parents.

 

[Ensusieasm]

Some have reported not having an issue, but I've seen it quite a few times (and even with a scene they did not give in) so my guess is that it is the policy but some CMs don't enforce it.

Yes, they really will not let you ride if you can't fit three, so you will have to choose those rides you can ride and when your kids are old enough go back again. There will be several things you cannot do, but many attractions you can enjoy together. Of course you can try to find an adult or teen friend to go on this vacation with you, but that's the only way.

 

[twinsmama]

Good for the CMs! What is wrong with parents that think they have to ride together and let two very young children fend for themselves? Weird! Glad the train left without them.

I think it's weird the parents put up a stink when they still would have gotten to ride but yeah, as a single mom whose 5 year olds both surpass the height requirement by 2 inches, I will be very upset if we are told at the end of the line that we can't ride because I don't have another adult with us. They should raise the size limit if they aren't going to let kids that size ride with a parent right behind them.

We don't have FPs but we're going to do Mine Train at rope drop in a few days, I'll update with how it goes for us.

 

[Ensusieasm]

This makes me worried, I am a single mama going alone with my two 5 year olds. They meet the height limit. Would they really not let us ride??? Doesn't seem to make sense.

Yes, they really will not let you ride if you can't fit three, so you will have to choose those rides you can ride and when your kids are old enough go back again. There will be several things you cannot do, but many attractions you can enjoy together. Of course you can try to find an adult or teen friend to go on this vacation with you, but that's the only way.

 

[Ensusieasm]

I think it's weird the parents put up a stink when they still would have gotten to ride but yeah, as a single mom whose 5 year olds both surpass the height requirement by 2 inches, I will be very upset if we are told at the end of the line that we can't ride because I don't have another adult with us. They should raise the size limit if they aren't going to let kids that size ride with a parent right behind them.

We don't have FPs but we're going to do Mine Train at rope drop in a few days, I'll update with how it goes for us.

In the case of a child's age it is not how tall they are, but the level of emotional maturity and reasoning they have achieved. Disney is correct to assume that a 5 year old, no matter how tall, is not ready to deal with riding alone.

 

[HopperFan]

I think it's weird the parents put up a stink when they still would have gotten to ride but yeah, as a single mom whose 5 year olds both surpass the height requirement by 2 inches, I will be very upset if we are told at the end of the line that we can't ride because I don't have another adult with us. They should raise the size limit if they aren't going to let kids that size ride with a parent right behind them.

We don't have FPs but we're going to do Mine Train at rope drop in a few days, I'll update with how it goes for us.

This is where the dual requirement comes in to play, and some of us have seen it enforced at 7DMT. It's not just that you are tall enough, you also have to be old enough to ride without someone 14 or older.

Again, many have gotten by with no issue. If I had only seen it once I probably wouldn't have thought twice but I've seen it many times (and we ride a few times every trip since the day after it opened) including the one huge scene that left that family standing there. No telling what will happen in each case, as it probably depends on CMs at the time.

But also to note that they are to fill every seat. When you enter final room you either go in the odd or the even line. This way they put odd groups together, so one child will probably ride with a stranger. Sometimes by the end of the car they are out of matching groups and time (got to keep it rolling) so a few trains may get off with empty seats. It would be good for your child to know in advance they might ride in with someone else.