Age for Tower of Terror?

[bumbershoot]

I can't remember if DHS's version has the same "look in a mirror, see yourselves, hit by lightning, turn into blue skeleton" thing that DCA's has, but it was that that got my then 4 year old son.

He quite LOVED the drops (or pulls, rather...the mechanism is actively pulling you down, you aren't dropped, you aren't out of control, at all) and the ups. But he HATED that "we died".

He was 9 when he rode it again happily, and now he loves it. But it took him 5 years of kid-imagination feeling very very certain that we had died on TOT. Despite the fact that we were walking around and going home and learning and doing dance class and all the rest.

NOTE! DHS has at least one TOT employee that likes to scare the crud out of people. We were there at a time when DS wouldn't ride, so we were going one at a time with FP. (b/c DS was very much tall enough and despite what the website says, NOT eligible for rider switch) It was dusk, and I went up through the line and into the building, and just as I got inside this tall thin CM moves out from where he had been standing (just inside the door, on the left), and said "good evening". That's all he said, but it was low and deep voiced, and I hadn't known he was there, and it was quite startling. I rode, met up with the family, and warned my husband. He went through the line, got spooked by the guy even though he was expecting it, and as he went to say "good job" to the CM, he bumped into a stanchion or something and nearly fell over LOL.

If a CM up to spooky hijinks might ruin it for your kidlet, either don't have them go on it OR keep them very very entertained so that they don't really notice any startling moments in line.

Ya just ask them if they want to ride.

Ah, yes, because 4 year olds are such good little decision makers. And are always rational. And always want what they said they wanted 20 seconds ago.

 

[pmaurer74]

my dd wants to ride it this year, age almost 10 but she has autism and is afraid of lighting and thunder affects and the dark. I think it is a bad idea for her to go. I had her watch the video and she says she wants to. She loved Splash.

 

[jon18uk]

I can't remember if DHS's version has the same "look in a mirror, see yourselves, hit by lightning, turn into blue skeleton" thing that DCA's has, but it was that that got my then 4 year old son.

They have added the guest disappearing effect, but it appears on one of the TV screens as you are moving forward so it is a less noticeable effect than at DCA.

 

[cjparker0110]

It really depends on the child. Some kids do great with these sorts of rides while others don't. Perhaps try some of the other dark rides first and see how they do in the dark. Maybe POTC or Haunted Mansion. After that you will know how she handles the dark part of the ride. For the drop...well there's not much I can tell you here. It's a freestyle drop that, as others have said, is random so you don't know how many times or how big they will be. You'll just have to have an idea of how she might handle or wait and see!

 

[DSNY4ever]

My son rode it on his 4th birthday and loved it, but we have yet to find a ride he doesn't like. He also loves elevators so we told him it was a fast, "spooky" elevator ride and he was thrilled. We never use the word scary.

 

[Mousemommy1]

Both of our girls were 5 when they first rode ToT and both were terrified but absolutely wanted to do it again. It's still one of their favorite rides! (It's my absolute favorite!)

 

[nilla]

Our daughter is 10 now, and STILL refuses to ride ToT. She's been on it several times (mostly after being bribed to go on), but won't step foot on it now. Conversely, she loves RnRC, EE, Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, and basically every other big ride at WDW. She even loves the roller coasters at Dorney Park (our local, Cedar Fair-owned park), which dwarf everything at WDW.

I think it's the combo of darkness and the drops that bother her.

Our son is a different story, though he was apprehensive when he was younger. He backed out of it at age 5, but rode at age 6. As the CM was closing the door, he told her, "I'm really scared!"

Her reply? "It's only going to get worse." (doors shut)

Bottom line is every kid differs, but ToT does seem to be too much for some kids who otherwise love thrill rides.

 

[PlutoFan10]

I think it depends on your kids. I was lifted off my seat with each drop (more of a pull down than drop). You would know best if they would be freaked out by this.

 

[ees96]

My son hated it! He loves roller coasters and rode Barnstormer over and over when he was 2 (almost 3). He was 4 (almost 5) on our last trip and he rode SM, BTMRR, and EE during the trip. He also rode Haunted Mansion a number of times. He wanted to do TT and I didn't think anything of it. He cried...sobbed...the entire time! I felt SO bad! We are going back this summer (he's 6) and he has already refused to go on it.

 

[EllieBride]

I recently took my son at age 3 yrs, 3 months (he's tall!). He had already ridden and loved Big Thunder and Seven Dwarfs Mine Ride, so this seemed like the next thing for us to try. He LOVED it and still talks about it all the time. However, when I watched our Photo Pass video, I could see that he was shaking the entire time and looks petrified. I felt like the worst parent ever when I first saw that, but since he's still talking about it on a daily basis, I can tell that he really did love it. We plan to take him on it again in a couple of weeks. His twin sister did not ride it. Even though she loved the roller coasters, she hated Haunted Mansion because it was in the dark and there were "bad guys." We've been trying to feel her out to see if she wants to try it with us next time, but I'm guessing she'll sit it out. Every kid is different.

 

[TXStormtrooper]

My son was 4 on our last trip, and TOT was one of his favorite rides. Every child is different.

 

[texasroni75]

None of my kids would get on it until about age 8 or 9. Youngest DS(4) was tall enough for it during our December 2015 trip but we ended up leaving via the chicken exit because I could tell he was too scared to get on by the time we got to the loading area. We'll give it another try this June but I'm doubtful he'll be ready for it by then. FYI DD's 20-something fiance rode it once and will never ride it again (something about the drop just terrifies him, but he loves coasters with inversions, so it's not really just an age thing).

 

[popeboy]

Depends on how adventurous your kids are. My younger one (who is the thrill seeker) rode it as soon as he was tall enough, I believe at 4. My older son (who is 2 years older) and is not a daredevil had to be conned into it after his younger brother had ridden twice without him.

 

[PSUGuy]

Our first grand daughter was weeks shy of 4 when she first rode with us. She seemed fine but as we walked out she said, 'Pop, I don't ever want to go on that again!'. Next year she couldn't wait to ride it again.

Bill From PA

 

[DSLRuser]

5-6 for my girls

 

[epcotty]

Still DS and DD don't want to go on it yet, none of us have actually rode it yet

 

[Mikie]

My oldest, 13, rode and liked it. But when I tried to describe it to the younger ones (9 and 7) for them to evaluate, I was emphasizing a description of the ride portion(mostly drops). Daughter overrode me and insisted that part is easy and fun, but it's the queue and pre-show that's really creepy and scary! Much scarier than Haunted Mansion in her description. In her picture she's smiling, but once per trip is her limit and the others won't ride at all yet. Hubby rode it once and never again, so that means once per trip for me. . . For now!

 

[michelepa]

I don't think anyone can answer this question since it's so subjective.

I rode it the first time on my honeymoon when I was 29 and I was freaked out.

At 50, I took my daughter, 11, to Disney for her first visit and she begged me to take her on it.

She loved it. However, I still had to close my eyes and tighten my stomach muscles to get through the ride~ all five times we rode it this trip. I guess I am a big chicken.

As we left the ride I looked around in awe of these little kids getting on and getting off excited to go again and again!

 

[CarolinaDD1997]

My brother was 8 when he ride it. He hated it. I think he didn't like that feeling in your stomach when you drop and the fact that it was quite scary for an 8 year old. He recently went on it again (except it was the one in Paris), now being 13. It was alright but he still says he wouldn't ride it again when we go back this summer. I think some people just can't handle drops, doesn't matter how scary the ride can be

 

[Lynzer4]

I think as just there in September with my 8 yr old nephew. He loved it so much we rode it 6x. I was never a big fan of it but after 6 rides I enjoy it slot more. Lol

I leave in 2 weeks for another trip and this time my aunt and her grandkids will be there... 5-10. I know that the 10 won't ride. He is a fan of rides. Lol. But I think the 5 ur old will love it. She is crazy! My aunt made me get fastpasses for everyone and said that everyone's got to ride bc it's her favorite and she paid for the trip. lol. We will see what happens but I will say. It's looks much worse then it actually is.