4 Year Old on Splash Mountain?

[Kayla's Mom]

Has anyone had any experience with taking a 4 year old (or any young child for that matter) on Splash Mountain?

My daughter is about an inch shy of meeting the height requirement right now and we aren't going until November. I realize every child is different, just wondering what everyone else has experienced. I can barely handle the last drop!!

I figure I will let her watch people going down the drop and see then if she wants to do it.

 

[gene751]

My daughter got on when she just turned 3. Her birthday was in August and we went in December 2004. She loved it! She even got on BTMRR. She's looking forward to getting on Tower of Terror and The Matterhorn in a couple of weeks. She's unusually tall for her height. I think she's around 44" Just enough to get on.

Then again, this is the same child who raises her hands on the kiddie roller coaster the whole way. Just like her daddy.

 

[Kae]

My DS did Splash when he was 4 at WDW & loved it. But did not like the little mermaid show at MGM-go figure.Ursula freaked him out.

Kae

 

[B9erSteve]

My son turns 4 in Aug. He is just shy of 42" so I took him on Splash Mountain this week for the first time. Casey Jr. Circus Train used to be his favorite ride and now it's Splash Mountain. (close second is now Buzz Lightyear Astro-Blasters with Casey taking a third!) The only scary part is the drop, which I hold on to my son tight so he feels safe. Before this trip we did the Brer Rabbit story at bedtimes to let him in on the story behind the ride.

 

[tinkerbell13]

sorry double post

 

[tinkerbell13]

My 4 y/o old went once and doesn't want to go again, same with Matterhorn(it's the snowman that scares her), BTMRR, and TOT. She loves Gadgets go coaster, but no more on the big rides. BTW she's immature for her age and a bit of a chicken.

 

[TinkBoo&ElliesMum]

We didn't do Splash at DL but we did at WDW, DD was 5 weeks shy of 3 when she went on it and she loved it! We went 4 times, the last time she got her 8 year old brother to finally go on it and he liked it too! We didn't go at DL because it was either down or had a wait of 70-90 minutes, we weren't up for that long of a wait!

 

[disneydreamer98]

My DS went for the first time (at WDW) when he was 2 1/2. He was JUST tall enough. He loved it! He even put his arms up into the air on the last drop like his Daddy always does. Our picture was so cute! He is now 4 1/2 and he even puts his arms up in the air when we are listening to our WDW CD in the vehicle and the song gets to the part where the log is being taken up to the top for the drop. It is so funny! I think that the anticipation is the worst for anybody, but usually once you've done it and discovered how much fun it is then you will want to do it again and again and again!

 

[Kayla's Mom]

Thanks everyone!

 

[Blndiebby25]

Yes thanks everyone. I wanted to bring my 4 year old on Splash Mountain but was having second thoughts, now that I know there are a few out there I won't hesitate.

 

[drgalyen]

Just a little tip to make it easier on the little ones. As you are coming up to the big drop tell your child to scream as loud as they can as soon as you drop. It helps to releave the feeling in the stomach.
We took our youngest when she was barely tall enough and she loved it but our middle daughter had the trouble, when everyone wanted to do it again she didn't want to go. We were able to talk her into it when I told her to scream and that Mom was right there behind her. She was so glad she did it again. She said it was lots better the 2nd time. BTW she held her breathe the first time- not good. Let it out!!!!

 

[Blackunicorn]

My DD was 3 when we went the first time, and she rode BTMRR (loved it!), but she didn't ride Splash Mountain until the second time we went when she was 5. I thought she wasn't tall enough, but if she rode BTMRR then she had to have been--maybe it was too cold for us. Anyway. She loves it. She loves all the thrill rides! I'm scared for when she's older! She's still trying to talk me into going back on TOT.

I don't know about everyone else's kids, but I wanted to mention that my kids enjoyed the rides a lot more if they knew the story behind them.

 

[abby]

We went to DL last month, my DD is almost 5, she did matterhorn and it was ok, and BTMRR, but wouldn't do Splash. One of the problems is the current logs mean you can't sit with them in the same seat, there is a barrier between seats, If I could have assured her I could hold her like matterhorn she might have gone. But I will concede she is shy and somewhat of a chicken on new things. Have a great time.

 

[CalGal]

My DS was 4 the first time he rode Splash. He was pretty brave, and had done everything else at DL by that time except Indie and Space Mtn. He did not love it. Our photo looks like it could be used in a court of law as evidence of child abuse. When we came back the next trip, he did not want to ride Splash again. I suggested that "since he was now 5, it might not be so bad". He agreed reluctantly to try it again, and it soon became his favorite ride.

 

[Kayla's Mom]

Oh my gosh CalGal, you have me cracking up over your description of your photo! Glad to hear he likes it better now!

 

[spendleb]

We took Tyler on last week (after realising he made the 40" requirement on our third day!), he loved it and also loved Thunder Mountain but even more so he thought TOT was brilliant and he's only 3, even I was scared!

Just wish Disney would give kids that make 40" a badge or something, they end up getting measured about 3 times on the same ride and the same happens on every ride with a restriction.

 

[Disneyland_emily]

They did do that but it was getting really really abused so they stopped it (among other reasons) but I'm with ya- I wish theyd get a park wide system of height check going- but thats just one of my soap boxes...

My kids rode the big kid rides when they were almost 5- We only took them on Splash though as my oldest was fighting Leukemia and it was the only one she wanted to ride- Couse she freaked half way though.. But she ended up enjoying it...

-em

 

[Snurk71]

It probably depends on your child's personality and sense of excitement and adventure. Our kind of shy and not so adventurous 4 yo DD did not like it and does not want to go on it again (she didn't like the drops - said it made her feel like she was pottying). She didn't care for TT at Epcot either (too fast and herky jerky for her). But she did like Kali at AK.

She also tried the Matterhorn at just over 3 and screamed and cried the whole ride. So it's probably the personality of your child more than anything.

 

[MrsMork]

We have a photo like that of DGS at 4. Eyes big as saucers. Frozen look of fear on his face. The rest of us laughing and screaming. He is 5 now, we are going again in June and he is debating with himself as to whether he is going to try it again. We will use the "you are so much bigger now" line and try to get him to try it again.

 

[dreamingdisney]

My DD4 has been on Splash Mountain at DL about 5 times and she just went on it at WDW last week. She loves the ride - but is always afraid of the "big drop". We usually make a game of it by ducking our heads down and holding each other's hands and screaming as we go down. We get a kick at viewing our pictures after the ride - we're usually the only ones with our heads down!