Anyone have kids who don't like rides?

[MissouriPrincess]

Hi,

I've been dreaming of taking a family vacation to WDW someday. My daughter just doesn't like rides. She is ten now, and I thought it might change, but it really hasn't. She doesn't like to try new things in general. We live about two hours from Branson, MO, and we visit Silver Dollar City several times a year. She only rides the kiddie rides and a couple of boat rides. She will not even consider riding anything that she thinks will be the least bit scary, i.e. something in the dark, something with a dip, etc.

We've watched a few of the planning DVDs together, and she heard that there was a dip on POTC. She says she won't ride the Haunted Mansion.
I guess I feel that it's a lot of money to spend when I have no idea if she would do any attractions. I could probably talk her into show-like attractions.

I just wonder what other families do when you have a less-than-enthusisatic participant?

 

[TBGOES2DISNEY]

From what you've said, your dd is the very opposite of a thrill seeker. I've never been a big thrill seeker, but I have to say, I'm much more of a chicken now than I was when I was a kid.

As far as the Pirate ride, I didn't even notice the dip. I didn't go on Mission Space, or The Tower of Terror, or Rock n Roller Coaster. I did go on Big Thunder Mtn Railroad and Splash Mtn b/c my 5 yo wanted to! I was nervous, but it was fine.

Even if your dd didn't go on those things, there is so much more that she can do. There are so many rides you can take a baby on, so it means there is plenty of non-scary stuff. And yes, there are plenty of shows too.

I think you could have a great time!

 

[Stephres]

I don't really like the thrill rides either. There is plenty to do, though. If she is still into princesses, there is storytime with Belle and meeting the princesses at Toontown Faire. There are the corny stuff that I like, like the Country Bears, the Tiki Room, the Jungle Cruise and It's a Small World. There are parades and fireworks.

Pirates really isn't scary, the dip is small and fast and then you get to the wacky pirates! Good luck with your planning!

 

[Dina]

My son rode Pirates when he was 4yo (he's now 7) and still won't ride it because of the "dip." Although he rode Splash Mountain last year

 

[princesssfws]

Having grown up in Springfield, MO and going to SDC many times you can't even begin to compare the 2. The big rollercoasters at SDC even scare me a little, I rode 2 of them -Thunderation (hmm, wonder how they came up with that name) wasn't bad but there is no surrounding atmosphere (besides the trees) and Powder Keg - was NOT fun in my opinion. The rides at WDW have so much more going on and to see that you forget about what the ride is doing.

My 6 yo doesn't like things that go fast or spin. We got her on BTMRR, Splash Mtn, Kali River Rapids, Dinosaur, POC, Haunted Mansion, Soarin', Test Track and Mission:Space (green). She loved Dinosaur and Kali River, was okay with the others but didn't like BTMRR. We had the policy that she needed to try things that we thought she would like once and then she didn't have to do them again.

If she doesn't like the rides there is so much other stuff to do. Shows, Character interaction, all the rides in Fantasyland should be okay but most are in the dark.

We had my son watch videos on YouTube so he knew what to expect. But this could also backfire.

Good Luck.

 

[MissouriPrincess]

Thanks for all of the input. Maybe we should just wait a couple more years. I know there's a lot of stuff to do, but it makes me crazy knowing that she won't ride things I know she'll love, such as POTC. I'd like to believe I could talk her into it, but it hasn't been the case at other parks. I just recently convinced her to try a rapids ride. What can I say

 

[Nom]

I hate to be negative, but based on your initial and second post, I would wait a couple years. My dd is much younger (3.5), but hates dark rides as well, and it is SO frustrating to bring her to WDW and have her just sit out all the rides that I KNOW she would love.

It was frustrating enough when she was a free admission (our last two trips), but her attitude towards rides is what led us to decide to trade our Orlando time share for a carribbean vacation for next year. It would drive me INSANE if I was paying all that money for dd and she refused to go on any rides.

My thought is that I will wait to visit WDW again until she is wanting to go on rides. I just can't tolerate the idea of spending all that money for just shows and the frustration I know I will be feeling. If that is years away, and I start getting the WDW urge, I will re-evaluate; but for now, we will wait a couple years.

I know some people say to force kids on if you know they would love it, but that would not work with my dd.

You know your dd best, and if you are leaning towards waiting a couple years, it is probably the best idea.

 

[hopare]

My DD7 is the same way. We are heading to Disney for the 3rd time next week. She has always managed to have a wonderful time. We just let her decide what she would like to do. She has never ridden anything but the carosel, dumbos, and Its a small world. Last year I could not even get her on Poohs adventure never mind POTC! She love the characters so she really has a great time getting thier autographs.
This year I have been showing her videos from You Tube of the rides. These are videos that people actually take while going on the rides. This seems to be helping because she claims that she will go on POTC and even space mountain! We will see for sure when we get there!