Animal Kingdom rides with a 5-year-old

[marcar12]

My daughter will be 5 when we take our vacation in March. Right now she is 42 inches, so I think there's a chance she might be 44 inches (especially with sneakers on) by the time we go.

I am wondering what others' experiences have been with taking a 5-year-old on FOP, Expedition Everest, and DINOSAUR? My daughter is a thrill-seeker and on our last trip to Disney World she cried and got so mad whenever she couldn't go on a ride (which was A LOT because she was 2 at the time, haha!) Anyway, I know she will want to go, but I also want to know what I am getting into before we take her on those rides. My husband has been on EE several years ago, but other than that we haven't been on any of those rides before.

Any input is appreciated! Thank you!

(ETA-- We are a family of 6, and the 5-year-old is the youngest. So it would be awesome if all 6 of us could ride and not have to rider swap... but we will definitely do it if it would be best for her!)

 

[Carla1183]

Last time we went my kids were 4 and 6 and both did EE and FOP. EE did scare them, but they arent usually thrill seekers. FOP was my 4 year olds favorite of the whole trip!

 

[Meriweather]

DGD was 5 last time we went.......she loved everything. All the thrill rides.
She loves them and has been riding them all since she was tall enough......multiple times.

 

[teach22180]

Dinosaur is really loud. I knew a 5 year old who wouldn't have minded the motion but would have disliked how loud it was.

 

[marcar12]

Dinosaur is really loud. I knew a 5 year old who wouldn't have minded the motion but would have disliked how loud it was.

Hm, that's good to know. Might sound silly but maybe we should bring some earplugs??

 

[Wild4Walt]

Hm, that's good to know. Might sound silly but maybe we should bring some earplugs??

Ear plugs may not be a bad idea. It's lots of roaring and the narration is loud because of that. I think as long as she is tall enough the rides are good if she likes thrills. EE and FoP are very smooth feeling. Dinosaur is very bumpy and sort of jarring at times but as long as she knows that going in she should be OK.

 

[MickeyWaffles]

My daughter turned 5 shortly before our last trip. She LOVED Dinosaur!

I had assumed she was too short for Everest and FOP (she had been a little over 43 inches tall at her well check a month before). When we got to FOP for all of the adults in our group to use our FP, we had them measure her and sure enough, with sneakers she was tall enough and her head hit the bar! I had booked an FP for her just in case. She was pulled aside for 2 more height checks in the line to ride. Because we had other small children with us we did rider swap and she got to ride again with the other adults in our group. She absolutely loved FOP.

A different CM who was measuring during our child swap return said she was too short and wouldn’t even measure her! I told him she has just gotten off the ride and had already passed 3 checks! I had her stand at the bar and showed him her head clearly hit it. He called another CM over who sent her through again, no problem. She did have to pass 2 more checks in the line again.

Just wanted to warn you that sometimes when it’s close, one CM may say the kid is good to go, another may not. She was basically exactly 44 inches.

FOP was our last ride of the day. I wish I had known she was tall enough for Everest or we would have taken her on that too! Next time

 

[gharter]

If she is tall enough and likes rollercoasters, then no issue with EE. FoP also should not be an issue.
Dinosaur really depends how easily she gets scared.