4-yr old on roller coasters

[quick2blush]

This topic is timely. We're going next week, and Go Go Gadget coaster is down for refurb. Which would be the next (or closest) "small" coaster? DD is 3.75 years, and about 42" tall. I don't want to take her on a ride that's too big for her, but I know she'd enjoy a smaller coaster.

 

[disneynerd420]

Gadget's Go Coaster is the only "kiddie" coaster. The next one up would be thunder mountain or matterhorn. Both of which can be scary to a small child.

 

[foleyfun]

The Gadget Go Coaster was my daughter's first coaster and she rode it right after she turned 3 and loved it! We rode it 4 times in a row and she was even putting her hands up. About 6 months later she was tall enough to ride Matterhorn so we did and she said she didn't like the bad snowman, but she said she would just close her eyes because she liked the ride. A couple weeks after her 4th birthday we were planning to go to DL and I knew she was tall enough to ride Space Mtn and everything else. To prepare her we went on you tube and found videos of people riding all of the different rides so she could see what to expect. When we finally went we rode Star Tours, Space Mountain, Big Thunder, and Soarin. She loved them all!

Each child is different so start little at the Go Coaster and move up from there.

 

[annacali]

In July, my DD4 rode BTMRR, Splash, ToT and pretty much anything else I would let her ride. We didn't do Space because I don't like it...it gives me a headache, lol. BTMRR she loved, Splash was an OK, but I don't want to ride again, ToT she was terrified and said she would ride it again when she was 12. Soarin was her absolute all time favorite ride of the entire trip and she wanted to ride it again, and again and again.

My DD6, who has been on rides since she was 2, and been on big roller coasters at other places, has evidently reached the "scared of everything" phase and wouldn't ride anything the least bit dark. Even the tunnels on BTMRR were too much for her.

 

[Mugglemama]

Gadget's Go Coaster is the only "kiddie" coaster. The next one up would be thunder mountain or matterhorn. Both of which can be scary to a small child.

yep, this is true! both have dark portions of the ride, and matterhorn has that roaring abominable snowman. you might want to "ride" both rides on youtube to guage whether or not you're own child might enjoy them.

none of my kids have ever been frightened of BTMRR (although i don't think they particularly enjoy the pitch black tunnel when everyone screams at the top of their lungs). and my kids have all been riding matterhorn since they were under 3 years old, and although they don't love the snowman, they still always want to ride matterhorn over and over and over and over....

 

[LVdisneyChick]

wow... included in this list is tower of terror. I would be one mean mommy letting him on that!!!

 

[Sara*s_Mommie]

My ds who is now 19, was able to all the rides in DL except Indiana Jones at age 3 and he loved them all. I even convinced him to hold his hands up on Thunder Mountain...he didn't know any better...and we had a great time. He's never been afraid of any ride. But you know your children best - some kids just don't want to ride and they shouldn't be forced (a little coaxing is ok). I took a 10 year old nephew a few years back and he wouldn't go on any coasters or Tower of Terror. I don't think age has anything to do with it....it's all in the makeup of the child.