Afraid to ride Dinosaur

[doombuggy3]

I'm going to go with everyone else and say don't make her ride it if she's afraid.

You don't want to ruin the rest of her day or your day. Keep everything magical and happy.

 

[RedRover]

The very first Disney trip we ever went on with our daughters (who were about 4 and 8 at the time), we rode that Dinosaur ride. It was the very first ride on our very first day. You see, we had not done our homework. Big boo-boo. 4 year old was so traumatized that I thought we were going to have to go home. She thought every ride in Disney was going to be like that one. She eventually came around. 8 year old was freaked out but game to go again.
We went back 2 years later, and the youngest was ready this time. She knew what was coming and we rode it 4 times. She found out she loved the rough stuff. She barely met the height requirements for TOT and we rode it 4 times, too.
But if yours says she doesn't want to go, do not make her. It's one hairy ride!

 

[Rowlf]

I'm 37 and I still close my eyes for the majority of Dinosaur. Sad, but true.

 

[TMJR]

I think Dinosaur is the scariest ride at Disney...and I have my eyes closed tight the whole time!

 

[Ilovestitch]

Well the ride is designed to be scary but also fun.

The difference is that as an adult you know its just a ride and the dinosaurs aren't going to eat you but little kids might think its real.

I would just ask your daughter what scares her about and explain to her than its just pretend - the ride is foam rubber and chicken wire. The dinosaurs will never touch you or hurt you no matter what.

Dinosaur is really not much of anything- you aren't going fast, big drops, etc.- its the DARKNESS that creates the illusion.

 

[maddhatir]

I am 35 and when i rode it...and (as my husband says that i do).... "i screamed like a little girl!" But it was fun scary- maybe not for an 8 yr old.

(i also "scream like a little girl) when i ride tower of terror. one time i was behind a little boy- about 10 and when we finally stopped and were getting off the ride- he had to make a point to turn around and see who it was that was screaming behind him the whole time

.....hee hee its fun to be scared and scream!

Maddhatir

 

[Ilovestitch]

Hee hee I found our ride photo from Dinosaur. My bf and I are the ones in the front row reading the park map. Notice how no one on this ride looks scared- it looks like the couple in the back row are having a nice conversation... lol...

My bf and I rode Dinosaur about 15 times that day b/c there was no line. The best people to ride with are the brazillian tour groups- they scream non stop- its so funny!

 

[SeaChristine]

If she's at all sensitive to really loud noise and nervous in the dark, this is not the ride for her! I ride it simply because it's the closest thing to Indiana Jones I can get, but I absolutely hate the gigantic dinosaur that looms over you when they take the picture! My friends and I have an amazing picture of me with my eyes screwed shut and my fingers in my ears. That's the reaction of a 29-year-old. At 8, I would've had nightmares for ages.
As a former CM, please listen to your kids when they say they're scared to ride. Anyone remember Alien Encounter? That put a lot of kids off any ride that took place in the dark. Kids seem to be pretty good at knowing what they can and can't handle.

 

[wdwdavem]

When we went down in august I wouldn't let my DD7 ride it. I love the ride but felt it was a bit to intense for her even though I had already let her ride Rockin Rollercoaster. This isn't a fast ride, but it's very bumpy and the effects are very realistic, loud, and intense. If she is showing hesitation don't force it. She could be so frightened that she may not want to do any other indoor dark rides after it.

 

[Arielle22]

When it first opened I was there with dh, dds then about 5 and 7 plus 3 of my sisters and a bil. We thought my dds were too young so we split the group. Dh,bil and 1 sister went on first. They said it was nothing so another sister and I went on 3rd sister didn't want to go. I was so scared that I screamed throught most of it. My sister said she didn't know how I could practically sit in her lap when I was belted in. My sister had imprints from the pocketbook bag on her knees for hours. When we got off the other 3 thought it was funny. They knew it would scare us but lied to be funny.

Fast forward to this past Nov. It was just Dh and I. We tried it again and I loved it. We rode three times. We bought the picture and in ours there is a girl about 9 who is bent over in her seat so far that at first I didn't notice her there.

We go again in August with dds who are now 10 and 12. They both want to try it I wouldn't have allowed it when they were younger but now I have no problem. We'll have to see who yells louder me or dd12.

 

[DebbieTN]

If she doesn't want to ride it then don't make her. It's one of my favorite rides so we took my niece on it when she was 9. She screamed and cried through the whole ride. I felt so bad for her because I thought she would really like it. I hate it when I hear the CM's tell people with small children that the ride 'isn't really that bad.' They should really tell people how intense it is and have lots more warning signs. It is a lot more scarey than Mission:Space and look at all the warnings they have on that ride. Of course, if you do love Dinosaur, ask to sit in the back row. You'll get a great ride.

 

[cjb71870]

I'm 35, it scares me.

 

[Rachie0507]

I rode it when I was 20 and never plan on riding it again. It was just too real for me and I was majorly freaked out . When we went with DD5, she didn't want to ride anything even remotely scary. I didn't care. As long as she was having fun, it didn't matter if we went on every ride.

 

[kmkja1]

I agree with most of these other posters. It scared my kids silly!

 

[TSirgey]

My dd 5 wanted to ride it in the worse way when we went in April. She said she loved it and didn't cry, but did not want to go on again

Maybe once is enough?? It is such a jerky ride that you almost feel like you are going to fly out at times. Although, the jerkiness depends on where you sit. I believe the middle is much more tolerable than the front or back.

If she doesn't want to go, I wouldn't push. There are so many different attractions to visit. I'd hope that Expedition Everest is open and go for that!

 

[patsal]

I'm 30 years old and a scaredy cat. Went on this once and after the second or third dinosaur grabbed my DH and buried my head. Never saw the last and final big dinosaur, but I will never go on that again!

Yup, same here and I'm 38. Yes I know athese Dinosaurs are not real but they scare the heck out of me. I ride it becasue we are a family, but I have never gotten past the second dinosaur with even peeking through my hands. My heart skips a beat everytime we are in line and a parent is forcing a small child to ride.

 

[Sleepy]

This ride really scares me. I think the reason it is so scarey is because of how loud the sound is and the fact is sounds sooooo real. The second time I rode this (when the name was changed to Dinosaur), there was a couple in front of us who had 3 very young girls. We shared a car with them. As we entered the car, I tried to warn the parents to PLEASE, if you insist on being in the front of the car, at least don't make the girls sit alone.....you know, one parent sit between 2 girls in the first row and then the other parent with the other child in the second row. I explained that the ride was very dark and is frightening. They refused to listen to me. Well, during the ride, things came to a complete stop. Total darkness and that loud sound of dinosaurs roaring and snapping twigs, etc. It was like that for over 10 minutes. The poor girls....screaming and crying and all the parents could do was just sit there telling them everything would be alright. I tried to warn them. The ride finally started and as we all got out of the car, I looked at my husband and told him "Maybe ONE day people will listen when you try to give them advice for the sake of the CHILDREN". The parents gave me a glare, but they knew I was right. Those poor girls. I doubt they will ever go on that ride again....even as adults.

 

[MrsTink04]

If she says she's scared, bypass it. I rode it and though some of was really cool, it was also scary at the end. In the picture, I have my head shoved under my DH's armpit!!! (Glad he remembered to wear deodorant!) I am an admitted coaster scaredy cat, but Dinosaur shook my nerves, too!

 

[Sleepy]

.......explain to her than its just pretend - the ride is foam rubber and chicken wire.

And some kids are scared of Santa Clause. Obviously telling them it's just a man in a suit does not change how they feel.

 

[jaletu2000]

Don't let her ride it! Man, this ride scared me. I went on it the first time with my 14 year old son and was surprised how real and scarey it was. Last summer I decided that it was just silly to have such a reaction to a ride - it wasn't real!

So I tried it again, this time sitting next to hubby. Surely it would be better. I really like the ride vehicles and the movement - it's exciting. But then the noise starts and the dinos roar. Forget it - I have a really visceral reaction. Maybe I was chased by a dino in another life!

I cowered next to hubby the whole way! I will never ride this again. It isn't the fun kind of scare. I kept thinking the dinos would really pull you from the car and eat you. Don't take a child on this unless you're sure of the reaction.