1adult 2kids ride question

[twinsmama]

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.

How are they alone?? They are together and I am right behind them? I just looked on the website and I do see where it says "under seven must be accompanied by an adult". How does that not qualify as being accompanied?

 

[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.

Please rethink this plan. 5 years old is very young, even if a distracted CM, not taking their job seriously, let's it happen.

 

[Ensusieasm]

How are they alone?? They are together and I am right behind them? I just looked on the website and I do see where it says "under seven must be accompanied by an adult". How does that not qualify as being accompanied?

Two 5 year olds don't have any more maturity by being together. It's not like
5x2=10

 

[twinsmama]

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.

By this it sounds like we can't even ride barnstormer, which they did and loved at only 3 years old. This will just be really disappointing, they are so looking forward to these two rides.

I am glad I saw this thread...is there usually a CM at the beginning of the line who could tell me if we need to not bother?

I wouldn't mind them riding with a stranger though, they wouldn't either.

 

[Ensusieasm]

By this it sounds like we can't even ride barnstormer, which they did and loved at only 3 years old. This will just be really disappointing, they are so looking forward to these two rides.

I am glad I saw this thread...is there usually a CM at the beginning of the line who could tell me if we need to not bother?

I wouldn't mind them riding with a stranger though, they wouldn't either.

Ok, this could work if a stranger will sit in the seat in front of you with one child and you behind them with the other child. On the Fantasy Cruise they have a slide called the AquaDuck. One day it was too windy at sea and the rule was you couldn't ride in the two man inflated coaster alone , no matter what your size. That meant I couldn't ride because my cruise mate would not ride the slide. Just then a father with two girls, 4 and 6 arrived and heard the same new rule. They were all upset, but he would not leave a child unattended in order to take them one at a time. They were too young to just ride together. So, I made an offer to help. It was a win win situation. Each child wanted to ride with their new "friend". We all got several rides. So perhaps you have found a solution! Enjoy,

 

[twinsmama]

I guess I do get it--that two small kids wouldn't be trusted to follow the rules of stay seated, keep your arms in, etc. Well...hopefully they will be so excited with everything else they will forget! And we can ride BTMRR together right?

 

[Ensusieasm]

I guess I do get it--that two small kids wouldn't be trusted to follow the rules of stay seated, keep your arms in, etc. Well...hopefully they will be so excited with everything else they will forget! And we can ride BTMRR together right?

I don't know much about Big Thunder Mountain. Is it 3 to a seat on that ride? But I know for sure you can ride the Railroad Train all around MK. Have fun!

 

[DreamIsaWish]

By this it sounds like we can't even ride barnstormer, which they did and loved at only 3 years old. This will just be really disappointing, they are so looking forward to these two rides.

I am glad I saw this thread...is there usually a CM at the beginning of the line who could tell me if we need to not bother?

With Fastpass+, I think all rides have a CM at the line entrance so you can ask there before getting in line.

But I know for Barnstormer you won't be able to ride. I've seen many cases of folks having to shuffle or be denied. And my 9-year-old (who was 54 inches tall at the time) still got asked his age on Barnstormer. That's consistently the ride that gets people on the age requirement. He's been seated in separate cars from me on other rides with no questions but Barnstormer still asks. Must be super training on that one!

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

Please rethink this plan. 5 years old is very young, even if a distracted CM, not taking their job seriously, let's it happen.

So this is rather strange. We had no idea there was an age limit in addition to the ht restriction and just asked the CM if it would be ok if DN8 and DD6 could ride together. She told us yes as long as we went behind them. In our particular case, DD6 is an oldest child and very rule bound. If there is even the whiff of a rule, she will follow it. And we were right behind them. In our case there would not have been a safety issue. Even if the ride stopped. That said, I don't blame Disney at all for setting a min age they are comfortable with. What's true for us is not true for everyone (and even in our family, DS will not get the same leeway at that age - he's defiant and anti rule). If the CM had said no, we would not have done it end of story, no stink made about it (it was pure ignorance on our part). It does seem the policy is inconsistently applied or our CM wasn't well trained.

 

[HopperFan]

I guess I do get it--that two small kids wouldn't be trusted to follow the rules of stay seated, keep your arms in, etc. Well...hopefully they will be so excited with everything else they will forget! And we can ride BTMRR together right?

BT will fit 3 across with them that age just fine. It's a single cross bar.

I think it's also part if the child gets upset etc, there is no way for you to physically move yourself let alone reach forward and try to tend to them. I had my (much older) son on RnR, which he had been on many many times, and out of no where he began to have a panic attack. He was next to me and it was difficult to try to calm him down, hold on to him so he knew I was there. Afterwards it was a reality check that had he been in front of me on 7DMT or SM ... I don't know what would happen. (I won't take him on SM anymore.) Smaller kids getting upset could even wiggle out of restraints. I think they want you to have hands on in any event of things going wrong.

 

[Ensusieasm]

BT will fit 3 across with them that age just fine. It's a single cross bar.

I think it's also part if the child gets upset etc, there is no way for you to physically move yourself let alone reach forward and try to tend to them. I had my (much older) son on RnR, which he had been on many many times, and out of no where he began to have a panic attack. He was next to me and it was difficult to try to calm him down, hold on to him so he knew I was there. Afterwards it was a reality check that had he been in front of me on 7DMT or SM ... I don't know what would happen. (I won't take him on SM anymore.) Smaller kids getting upset could even wiggle out of restraints. I think they want you to have hands on in any event of things going wrong.

Thanks for giving some sage advice! Disney doesn't make theses rules for no reason. They are the experts. Follow the rules for your own children's safety for goodness sake everyone! Kids grow up very fast. It's ok to make accommodations for what a 5 year old can't do! They will be grown up and riding rides and driving their own car soon enough.

 

[NanDoodleBops]

This thread has been really helpful but I'm still not sure how to handle this issue for our upcoming trip. We went to WDW last year and my then 7 and 4 year old loved the mine train - it was their favorite ride by far and they still talk about it. This year, I'm solo taking my young 3 year old (will have just had b-day), 8 year old, and 5 year old. The 8 and 5 year old will be right before their b-days so practically 9 and 6. We are a very tall family so they are tall and also plenty mature for their age. I booked fastpasses for the mine train for 2 days for our trip because my two older kids loved it so much, but I'm wondering if this is too risky a move for our fastpasses because maybe we won't get to ride? I'm wondering about the ethics of telling my 5 year old to say she's 7? Or should I try to have a random adult sit with her? Or go all the way to WDW and have them skip their fav ride because we aren't able to have another adult with us? Ideally, I would ride with my 3 year old next to me and the 5 and 8 year old in front of us - just seems like it could go either way regarding whether CMs will allow that?

 

[BrianL]

I guess I do get it--that two small kids wouldn't be trusted to follow the rules of stay seated, keep your arms in, etc. Well...hopefully they will be so excited with everything else they will forget! And we can ride BTMRR together right?

BTMRR can easily seat 1 adult and two children across.

 

[twinsmama]

BTMRR can easily seat 1 adult and two children across.

Thanks, we are going tomorrow! So I actually posted the question about can I ride SDMT alone with them on the Disney Mom's Panel and the answer was "sure!!!" :-/ but I really do get the whole thing where if the ride stops, they could easily slither out of the car...I definitely don't want that to happen! We will find a nice stranger (new friend!) to ride with us.

 

[BrianL]

Thanks, we are going tomorrow! So I actually posted the question about can I ride SDMT alone with them on the Disney Mom's Panel and the answer was "sure!!!" :-/ but I really do get the whole thing where if the ride stops, they could easily slither out of the car...I definitely don't want that to happen! We will find a nice stranger (new friend!) to ride with us.

They will most likely seat a single rider with you on 7DMT or group you with another odd-numbered group. They always want to fil the seats on that one.

The reason it wouldn't be a problem on 7DMT as opposed to the Barnstormer, is that 7DMT seats 4 to a car, in 2 rows of 2. This is still the same "ride vehicle."

 

[ktate82]

So just to clarify, it's UNDER 7 right? Not 7 and under? Taking our 7 year old nephew in Oct. My kids will 11 and 10 so if it's 7 and under, one of us will have to ride with him. That's not a big deal to us, but it will seriously disappoint the nephew and my son.

 

[famy27]

Thanks, we are going tomorrow! So I actually posted the question about can I ride SDMT alone with them on the Disney Mom's Panel and the answer was "sure!!!" :-/ but I really do get the whole thing where if the ride stops, they could easily slither out of the car...I definitely don't want that to happen! We will find a nice stranger (new friend!) to ride with us.

I have been that stranger so many times and am always happy to help. My DH will ride with younger DD, older DD will ride by herself, and I'll step in and ride where I'm needed. I do this at our local park where they have similar requirements and have done it at WDW as well. We always seem to end up behind a group that isn't going to be able to ride. I made a new friend on Barnstormer on our last trip. He was very glad to be able to ride and chatted with me the whole time.

I would be surprised if you have a hard time finding someone to step in if needed. I definitely would keep all FPs for the rides you want to do, as I am sure you'll be able to work something out.

 

[NanDoodleBops]

Thanks everyone! Based on your advice, I'm going to keep our fastpasses and go for it We will hope for some kind strangers/new friends if needed. Thanks!

 

[ToothDoc4]

We are here now with 4 little ones (5, 4, 2, 1), only the youngest doesn't a meet the height requirement for SDMT. We have had NO problem all week going with one adult and my three little ones (one adult stays with the baby). They let us go with the 4 and 2 yr old together, with me sitting behind with the 5 yr old or ANY combination! When I've gone with just 2 little ones they have either ridden together and me alone OR me with one kid and the other with a stranger no problem! Just my experience this week, we have ridden about 10-12 times this way, with my husband and I switching.