Age for single rider?

[TDC Nala]

Kids must be 7 to ride alone. to use the single riders line, you must acknowledge that you will probably be riding alone. Therefore, if your child is under 7, you can't use the single riders lines.

I'm not going to get into whether "10 days under 7 equals 7." Legally it is possible that if something happens, for which legal action becomes necessary, 10 days under 7 will not equal 7. Use your judgment.

 

[mesaboy2]

I might get hell for this but he is 7, 10 days from 7 is 7 years old.

When did he turn 7 then?

 

[tefrench]

On our last trip, we saw a mom and her son try to do this on TT. The CM asked how old the son was - he said ---- (I think it was six.) The CM told the mom the child could not ride, and he had to exit. The mom wound up arguing that she would be in the same car, but the CM politely repeated the child was to leave.

The mom would up handing off the kid to whatever appeared to be the dad, but being very combative about it.

My thought was, I would not expect someone else to fasten his seatbelt if he couldn't do it himself correctly. He might have been quite capable, but what if he wasn't?

 

[bumbershoot]

I have only seen this on Barnstormer and Big Thunder and Splash. I just assumed it was because the parents were behind the kids and could touch/control them at all times. In Dumbo or Peter Pan, or any of the other rides where the parents are in a separate vehicle, who is to stop a young child from jumping out?

I agree with your take on it.

I might get hell for this but he is 7, 10 days from 7 is 7 years old.

I know that I wouldn't have been comfy asking my son to lie about his age in that way. He wouldn't have agreed, even if it got him on a ride more times, but if he did, my own personal kid would internalize it and decide that not telling the truth was OK in other ways. And then our family life would slide towards something I don't want our family life to become.

Maybe another kid is different.

 

[Eliza'sMom]

My son and nephew rode Goofy's Barnstormer together when they were 5. I was with my 3 year old in front of them, my brother with his daughter behind them. So this rule seems new to me, or perhaps this is a different application of the rule. I've been a few times since, and don't recall it being a problem, but I'm also not positive my kids rode anything separate from my husband and I those trips. And if they did, we would have been with them, in an adjacent vehicle. I wouldn't send them on a ride alone yet.

Now that my son is 7 daughter 5, would they still be allowed to ride next to each other if I were behind them? I will be at MK with them alone on 2/19, husband doesn't join us til 2/20. They love the darn barnstormer. All fabulous 30 seconds

Maybe they will let you since you're all in the same car? If not, your 7-year-old could sit alone in the seat in front of you, if he was willing. My 5-year-old was definitely not allowed to ride Toy Story Mania with her 7-year-old cousin in October.

 

[Minnesota!]

FTR - I would never ask (or condone) my kid to lie. He is 6 until the last week of March. He, in no way, looks 6 or 7, at that. If someone asked, I would tell them he is 6.

He can fasten his own belt, and I am comfortable with him riding with people other than myself.

I am also comfortable with getting in the single rider line, being asked his age, and responding correctly, and being turned away. If it is that important to him that we ride a 2nd (or 8th) time...we will hop in standby. He is a pretty easy going kid, but I know that since it is our only Epcot day, and really, Epcot has crap for rides, he will want to do TT at least 2x.

I appreciate all the responses!!!! 32 days!!!

 

[stormer]

A few years ago...I was alone in MK with my kids who were 5 and 7 at the time. I HATE spinning and tried to have them ride teacups alone (not knowing the rule). I waited in line with them and since it's open I could see them the whole time - I just walked right to the exit instead of getting into their cup with them.

A minute later I saw a CM speaking with them and then they pointed to me. CM said I had to ride with them or they had to get off.

Ah the sacrifices of a mom...I practically got sick but we all rode it.

SO HAPPY that they're old enough to ride alone now.

Same exact thing happened to me. My son is now 12 so it must have been about five years ago.

Something i always thought about when they were old enough to ride alone was how would they handle it if the ride broke down and they were stuck without me. I used that to help me decide when I felt they were ready to ride alone.

 

[SmallWorld71]

FWIW - the signs in the single rider line specifically state that a rider must be at least 7 to ride alone. I noticed them when we used single rider last year. So, if your DS can read, he may notice them and say something to you.

The CM's at the ride repeatedly (to the point of it being annoying) walked up and down the line letting people know they would be separated. Having read many of the stories on here about some guest flipping out, I understand WHY they had to say it repeatedly. Just wasn't fun to hear over and over.

I did not hear them ask any child their age, but I don't recall seeing anyone that looked much younger than my 10 year old.

 

[china mom]

A few years ago, when my kids were 6 & 8, they were supposed to wait for me while I grabbed our FPes. I ended up finding them at the exit of Tower of Terror. When I questioned them about it, my son told me that they got in line and when a CM asked them their ages, he responded "6 & 13" (he could easily pass for 13 at the time). The CM responded by letting them go and telling them "Next time, you're 7 & 14".

And, yes, they got in trouble with me for lying and disobeying but at least we learned the magic numbers.

 

[Suellen]

My DD rode RnRC via single rider several times after she turned 6. She was never questioned.

Now my youngest is 6 and my oldest is 8 and they ride together alone often without being asked.

 

[Tres Vegas]

In 2009 I took my two boys 7 and 9 and we used the single line often on that trip. As a cautious Dad I would make sure it worked out that either they rode the same coaster or they were on the very next. I would wait for them at the exit so they would be the next car in if they did not happen to ride the same car.

 

[PatMcDuck]

Well, I will get flamed for this, most likely.

When DD was 8 or so, I let her ride Test TRack as a single rider. It was shortly after it FINALLY opened, after 18 months of delays or whatever. We just were SO excited that it was finally finally opened. We (me and 3 kids, 2 boys 12 and 14, and DD 8)went on single rider. DD had to ride in the middle of 2 strangers, in the back seat. It was ok, they were adult women, and DD said later they had to help her with her seatbelt (!)

Later I thought about this, and was thinking, what if she was with some weirdo, who reached over and grabbed her in an inappropriate way on this ride? She would have been helpless to stop it. What was I thinking?? And I am NOT over protective, at all, and I do not worry about this sort of thing all the time. But something about the way the TT cars are set up, makes me uncomfortable with single rider for younger kids. Something like ToT would not make me worry, for example.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

My son and nephew rode Goofy's Barnstormer together when they were 5. I was with my 3 year old in front of them, my brother with his daughter behind them. So this rule seems new to me, or perhaps this is a different application of the rule. I've been a few times since, and don't recall it being a problem, but I'm also not positive my kids rode anything separate from my husband and I those trips. And if they did, we would have been with them, in an adjacent vehicle. I wouldn't send them on a ride alone yet.

Now that my son is 7 daughter 5, would they still be allowed to ride next to each other if I were behind them? I will be at MK with them alone on 2/19, husband doesn't join us til 2/20. They love the darn barnstormer. All fabulous 30 seconds

I don't know how new it is, but in May my dd was a few days shy of 14 and DS was 5 and they couldn't ride dumbo together. We had to all rearrange to have an adult with the 5 yr old. After that she was suddenly 14.

 

[DebbieB]

I witnessed an incident in the single rider line for Soarin out at DCA. A woman was in the single rider with a 5 year old girl and an 8 year old boy. The cm at the bottom of the ramp asked her how old they were and when she said 5 and 8, he said she (the little girl) has to be 7 to be single rider. What confused the cm was how she got by the cm at the top of the ramp. He called went over and got on the phone, I don't know what the explanation was. The mom acted like she had no idea what was going on, I had a feeling she did. Finally the cm said he would let all 3 ride together but next time they can't do single rider with the 5 year old.

 

[bumbershoot]

Later I thought about this, and was thinking, what if she was with some weirdo, who reached over and grabbed her in an inappropriate way on this ride? She would have been helpless to stop it. What was I thinking?? And I am NOT over protective, at all, and I do not worry about this sort of thing all the time. But something about the way the TT cars are set up, makes me uncomfortable with single rider for younger kids. Something like ToT would not make me worry, for example.

Everyone is on video. Everyone is watched. CMs see all.

People, get your kids into martial arts. Not so they can take someone down, but to gain a sense of inner strength. So if someone touches them, they YELL and SCREAM and call attention to it. None of this going silent stuff.

In DS's aikido class they practice yelling. And yelling LOUDLY. They practice and practice and practice. I once walked up behind DS, he didn't know I was there, I touched him on the shoulder, and he nearly broke my elbow. And he was only 7 at the time. Oh and we were at home, not in some place where he might be expecting it...they had practiced it so often it was just second nature to DO something. I learned quickly to make sure he knows I'm behind him.

If you're that worried, there are two choices. Don't let her ride things alone, or get her into some classes that will help her not be a silent victim.

All that said, it's time for me to suggest the excellent book The Gift of Fear by Gavin deBecker. Lots of statistics (so much more likely for anyone to be molested by family or family friends than random person at a themepark), good info, and nice help for us to go back to having an intuition. And the "permission" to say "no"...as in, if your DD got up to the TT car and saw the people and got a bad feeling, she could just say "nevermind, changed my mind" and go to the exit. (I wouldn't tell the CMs I don't want to be in the car with them, because they would likely just think it's because she wants to be with family...there's no time in the loading area for long conversations about feelings and intuition, so in that case, just protect yourself and get the heck OUT)

A few years ago, when my kids were 6 & 8, they were supposed to wait for me while I grabbed our FPes. I ended up finding them at the exit of Tower of Terror. When I questioned them about it, my son told me that they got in line and when a CM asked them their ages, he responded "6 & 13" (he could easily pass for 13 at the time). The CM responded by letting them go and telling them "Next time, you're 7 & 14".

And, yes, they got in trouble with me for lying and disobeying but at least we learned the magic numbers.

A few years ago, while the age of 7 was still accurate for single rider, there was no age of 14 needed to be a watcher-over-kid. It was far more liberal.

A few years ago, a 7 year old could walk in the gates of a park alone. About a year ago (maybe 2) that changed.

 

[aubriee]

FWIW - the signs in the single rider line specifically state that a rider must be at least 7 to ride alone. I noticed them when we used single rider last year. So, if your DS can read, he may notice them and say something to you.

The CM's at the ride repeatedly (to the point of it being annoying) walked up and down the line letting people know they would be separated. Having read many of the stories on here about some guest flipping out, I understand WHY they had to say it repeatedly. Just wasn't fun to hear over and over.

I did not hear them ask any child their age, but I don't recall seeing anyone that looked much younger than my 10 year old.

When we were doing single rider line in early Dec a CM did ask the two kids right in front of us their ages. They were 11 y/o and 6 y/o. I really would have thought the six year old was closer to 7 1/2. He was a fairly big kid for his age. He was told he was too young to ride alone and had to leave the line. His response was, "I'm 6 and 3/4's. I'll be seven this Friday and I'm not alone, my brother is with me." The CM reminded them they were in the single ride line so would be separated. The kid's response to that was, "then don't separate us." The kid was again told that he had to leave the line. We couldn't help but laugh. They were adorable.

 

[torontominnie]

Just in case the mom who hoped her kids could ride together on barnstormer comes back, I can say with authority that they will not be allowed. In 2011 and early 2012 we used rider swap on barnstormer. We had our oldest (4 and 5 at the time) ride ahead of us by himself, while my daughter and I rode behind him. ( my husband was with the baby). This time 2014 we had to assure multiple cm that our oldest is 7 before he could ride in front of us. Apparently they didn't use to enforce it, but it has always been the rule. We were lucky he is seven. Had he not been, only one kid would have been able to take advantage of the rider swap and ride twice. Needless to say, I would not count on having anyone under seven ride alone on barnstormer even if you've been allowed in the past. Good luck!

 

[SmallWorld71]

When we were doing single rider line in early Dec a CM did ask the two kids right in front of us their ages. They were 11 y/o and 6 y/o. I really would have thought the six year old was closer to 7 1/2. He was a fairly big kid for his age. He was told he was too young to ride alone and had to leave the line. His response was, "I'm 6 and 3/4's. I'll be seven this Friday and I'm not alone, my brother is with me." The CM reminded them they were in the single ride line so would be separated. The kid's response to that was, "then don't separate us." The kid was again told that he had to leave the line. We couldn't help but laugh. They were adorable.

LOL I hope they got to ride TT at some point.