4 year old on these crazy rides!!!!!

[KristiMc]

My neighbors were at Disney this summer and their 4 year old daughters favorite ride of all was Space Mountain. We are going in February and my 4 year old son will not be tall enough for Space Mountain but if he was - I don't think he woud want to go on it.

Each child is different and each parent knows their child best.

Kristi

 

[VirtuallyMe]

All my kids have ridden big rides early... all only if they wanted to but some with just a little encouragement.

My oldest is now 17 and really doesn't enjoy the big rides- they don't scare him he just doesn't get the same feeling everyone else does so doesn't ride much.

My 2nd child is now 13yrs loves the big thrill rides- always has- but doesn't like the sudden drop feeling- and at one time even had a problem with splash mountain.

My 3rd child is now 8 years. She went to WDW for the first time at 3yrs and again at 4 years. The first time- she road everything she was tall enough for except tower of terror- because her big brother opted not to ride and offered to take her to a show while we waited in line- and our older daughter surprised us by wanting to go on it too... Now she has always been a little aprehensive but she is usually fine with the rides- we are totally open about what to expect but say it in a non-scary manner- so like on Space mountain she knew ahead of time that it would be dark and lots of twists and turns but no big drops and nothing would jump out at you. On that trip she road BTMR with her hand up in the air because she saw all the big people doing it lol. And Splash mountain is her favorite. Now I think I remember her refusing to do Dinosaur at AK because older dd scared her telling her the dinosaurs grab you -so we child passed- on that one...

I actually have a 4th child who hasn't yet made it to any of the parks at 1 1/2 years old- but from experience with my own kids and others- I find most to be more frightened by characters than by rides...

 

[MommytoMJM]

My almost 5 yo isn't allowed on any of those rides.

 

[tjmw2727]

It think each parent has to make a decision based on the child and the height restriction. This is where the guidebooks can come in handy as they often address the fear factor whereas the height restriction is a safety factor.

My youngest rode TOT when she was 4 and LOVED it whereas my older dd was 6 and wanted nothing to do with it. Obviously they were both tall enough but had different comfort levels. My oldest didn't like the ghost family and the feeling of free fall so we separated. OTOH my oldest loves roller coasters and will ride the tallest, fastest she can now that she is 11 but she still won't go anywhere near TOT.

My 4yo nephew absolutely loves Splash Mountain but after once on the Barnstormer he was scared silly, you just never know!

I would never force my kids to ride but if they meet the height restriction I will let them ride if they want to.

TJ


TJ

 

[vic32]

When my son was 41/2 I begged hime not to ride tot, he was tall enough and wanted to. Dad took him, and we could barely get him out of the park that night. He LOVES thrill rides. My DD does not, it's all good.
I hope this is not inappropriate but I have to share. That night, after riding tot for first time we were talking in the room, I asked him what his favorite part of the ride was. He said the way it tickled his (you know) haha. We still laugh about that!

 

[Nancyg56]

My oldest son, now 30, was not going on any of the amusement park rides when he was a child. He hated most of them. He still does. My younger 2 were daredevils, and rode anything they could. Now that my DD has a little one of her own, 4 years old, she keeps her off any that may frighten her. When she is ready, she will ride them. This fall I rode with her when she asked for me, and we will continue this way. I cannot understand forcing children, but I think that if the child wants to try, and is tall enough.....why not?

 

[Ava83]

DD3 loves all rides she is tall for her age and wants to go on anything she could (she was only 40 inches though, so she could no go on SM,TOT and RnR)

She did do BTM, Soarin, Test Track etc and LOVED Them. In fact anyone we shared a ride with commented on how much she enjoyed herself. You all should have heard her "WHOOO-WHOO"

But that is DD, another child may react differently.

 

[TiggerPU88]

Our 4 y.o. DS LOVES the Frog Hopper rides, which are very similar to the drops in ToT, so we will probably try that. He likes flumes, too. But we probably will only do Barnstormer and perhaps BTMRR for the roller coasters. If he meets the ehight requirements, it's really up to him.... He's pretty brave!

 

[NashvilleTrio]

When we ask our DS5 what his 3 favorite Disney rides are, his answer is ToT, BTMR, and Splash Mountain!! He really likes almost every thing that he is tall enough for!

 

[PrincessLindy]

It depends on the kid. I would never force or encourage a really young child to ride once of these rides. You should also work your way up to the scary rides. A kid that freaks out on Goofy's Barnstormer will probably not like Tower of Terror. Having said that, our daughter loves rides. She was 4 when the following picture was taken. This was her second or third time ever on ToT. She is the little girl in the back row on the left side. She looks pretty terrified to me. (just kidding! ) She heard the screams, looked up and said, "I want to go on that!!!" This was the first major ride she was tall enough to ride. She can't wait to go back as she is now tall enough for every major ride specifically RnRC. We had fun telling the terrified teenage boys that this little 4 year old girl was going on it for the third or fourth time.

 

[tjevans]

Parents that force children onto any ride really upset me... not only for the child's sake but darnit for MINE! (and other guests)

I guess I would upset you then. I "forced" my DS (then 6) on many rides at WDW. He makes things in his mind worse than they really are. For example, he was scared of Buzz Lightyear at MK, but after being "forced" on it, he loved it so much that we rode it over ten times during our stay.

That being said, even while he was "forced" to go on some rides, he wasn't crying and screaming in frightful anticipation like the child you described.

 

[_Snow White_]

I've been thinking about what to do with my DBF's neice (who is 5) when we go in January. I'm going with DBF's family, but since I'm a Disney "expert" and they've only been once, I know they're going to ask my advice on whether or not we should let DN go on the "scary" rides. I'm hoping she just won't want to go, so I don't have to offer any advice!

I wanted to go on BTMR when I was 5, so my dad and grandfather took me on, I hated it, and I have never ridden a roller coaster since. However, I am facing my fears and riding Space Mountain with my DBF when we go! I hear it's relatively tame...he's trying to work me up to RRC, but I don't see that happening!

 

[Lord Fantasius]

O.k., but how many parents won't let their children ride on a ride they really think they want to? And how do you parents deal with that...put up with the same ranting and raving they would have in a line for a ride they really don't want to go on, or take them on the ride to teach them a lesson?

We're hoping to go down with our DD in another year when she's 4 and if she's still like she is today, she won't be scared a lick by Big Thunder but will really won't to go on Snow White, etc., which will scare her for the rest of the day.

-R

 

[Raevyn_Wolfe]

like another poster said. . .
parenting is not a simple thing

I think every parent should use their best judgement when it comes to the rides, if the kid is mature enough, tall enough, and the parent goes on it with him/her. . .then why not?
Within reason. I think there are some parents who make us other parents of "smaller" children look bad by either a) taking a four year old on a ride as intense as Mission Space regardless of being tall enough and b) making their child go on a ride they really don't want to.

Now, there is a BIG difference between forcing your 3-4 year old onto a ride they don't want to and "forcing" (I think persuading would be more of an appropriate term) a child older than that, especially when you REALLY know they would like the ride or they are old enough that the term "need to try everything at least once" really fits.

Boy, I'm facing the "should I let him" dilema right now too.
My 4 year old is going to be tall enough (barely) this time. I am for sure taking him on Splash Mountain. But he really wants to go on BTMR and Tower of Terror this time. (He wants Test Track too, but it'll be closed ) I think I might let him go on BTMR, but Tower of Terror has me torn. I LOVE that ride, but am still unsure of whether or not to let him go.
Not only do I have to consider him and his experience. . . I am also afraid of what other people will think or say if I go ahead and let him go and then he HATES it and cries. . . . they'll probably all assume I made my poor son go on this big scary ride. . . they won't know that after watching countless Disney planning videos and travel channel programs my son has been begging and pleading to go on it.

Like I said. Parenting is complicated.

 

[CinRell]

I guess I would upset you then. I "forced" my DS (then 6) on many rides at WDW. He makes things in his mind worse than they really are. For example, he was scared of Buzz Lightyear at MK, but after being "forced" on it, he loved it so much that we rode it over ten times during our stay.

That being said, even while he was "forced" to go on some rides, he wasn't crying and screaming in frightful anticipation like the child you described.

No you wouldn't upset me because you knew what your son's reaction would be... I am pretty sure this ISN"T the first time this kid screamed throughout a ride.. not even just a ride but a movie which really isn't fair to those around them... they were even chuckling over her reaction. It really upset me because it was our last day at the park and our last ride of the day. Way to end it!

 

[lassiem1127]

I never forced any of my kids to ride any rides....however I did bribe my daughter with 5 dollars to ride space mountain with me (she is 11 and will not ride ANY thrill rides.) She rode space mountain and loved it sooo much she wanted to ride it again. My 4yo son loves dinosaurs. I had no idea what kind of ride it was so we let him ride it. I wish I hadn't. He says he liked it but he was sooo petrified during the ride I felt awful. But then again for that matter....a simple 3D show like the one in Animal Kingdom scared all three of my kids more than any ride could have.

 

[Sandcass]

I never forced any of my kids to ride any rides....however I did bribe my daughter with 5 dollars to ride space mountain with me.

I bribed DD10 with $5 to jump off the high dive this summer, but it didn't work! That's how I KNEW she wasn't ready for sure.

I just know I was always too chicken to do stuff as a kid, and I regretted it. I don't want my kids to be that way.

 

[VSL]

Within reason. I think there are some parents who make us other parents of "smaller" children look bad by either a) taking a four year old on a ride as intense as Mission Space regardless of being tall enough...

Please don't tell me that this is a reference to that poor boy who died.. he was the exception and it had nothing to do with his age. There are many many parents here who have taken their 4yr olds on M:S and they've loved it.

If you're tall enough, then it is safe (unless you suffer from some kind of problem as stated at the beginning of the rides - whether known or not).

 

[sacall]

Have two daughters, one 9 and one 7. DD9 rode all the thrill rides at WDW starting at age 4. She was on the ToT with a 15 year old boy, who after the ride (she lifted her hands and I guess he was screaming his head off), told her how brave she was because he was scared out of his wits. She then rode ToT two more times. She once went on Space Mtn 9 times in one day. This is the same girl who at the pool jumped off the 10m board when she was 6 telling me "Mom, I just had to do it and a girls got to do what a girls got to do". I almost had a heart attack. She loves Cedar Point and goes on every ride that she is tall enough to go on. She fears nothing!

Now, DD7 won't go on any thrill rides. She did go on Thunder Mountain, she wanted to, cried the whole ride and at the end said "I love that ride". We tried to go on Splash Mountain, but had to take the chicken exit. I hate rollercoasters, so I can understand, but I at least have tried them once and that was all for me.

Now, we are going in May and I am trying to convince her to at least try some of the easier rides, like Test Track, Space Mnt, Splash Mnt. - these are all rides that I would go on without a problem. These are also rides I think she will like once she tries them. We will see what happens. I won't force her if she is screaming and crying, but I might give her some gentle prodding

Now the thing I really hate are the people who are in line for the Haunted Mansion and their kids are sobbing and the Dad is saying "quit being such a big baby" My kids didn't want to go the last two times we were there, no big deal, we did the parent swap!

Stacy

 

[FlowersChild]

My 4yo son loves dinosaurs. I had no idea what kind of ride it was so we let him ride it. I wish I hadn't. He says he liked it but he was sooo petrified during the ride I felt awful. But then again for that matter....a simple 3D show like the one in Animal Kingdom scared all three of my kids more than any ride could have.

lol I don't blame him. I go on that ride and yes I love it but I am still scared of those dinosaurs and I am a 28 year old male. I will say if those flesh eating dinosaurs are on the other side of where my seat is it's not so bad but when I am right next to them me kinda scared lol