Are My Kids Too Young?

[SuzieQMomof3]

We have the opportunitiy to go to US for one day-February 2. Our kids are 8, 5, and 2. They are not very adventurous but not too picky either. We've only ever done WDW. Can anyone give me some feedback on some age-appropriate things to do at Universal Studios? Should we not even bother with Islands of Adventure?

Or should we spend the day at our WDW Resort?

Help! Please!

 

[robvia]

The 8 year old is probably tall enough to go on all rides.
The 5 year old can't go on the real big ones but will like the playground areas.
And then you're pushing the 2 year old in the stroller all day having to do baby swap.
If you've got the patience, then go. If there is a way to leave the 2 year old in the hotel room with a spouse or relative, that would make things easier. I don't see how people can enjoy the park pushing a stroller, and the 2 year old won't remember any of it.

 

[sha_lyn]

If there is a way to leave the 2 year old in the hotel room with a spouse or relative, that would make things easier. I don't see how people can enjoy the park pushing a stroller, and the 2 year old won't remember any of it.

I guess they should just leave the 2 yr in the room for the entire trip since they won't remember WDW either.

There is plenty that the 2 yr old will enjoy and remember too. Both parks have plenty that the kids can do, but IOA probably has more that the older 2 will want to do.

Give me an idea of what they enjoy at WDW to help you a little more. Here are a few things at each park that all your kids can do

US... (all of these my DD did at 3)
ET
Animal Plant live show
Earthquake
Wlid West stunt show
Fivel's Playland
A Day in the park with Barney (play area and a show)
Woodywoodpeckers Kids zone
Twister
Jaws (DD didn't like it but loved the now gone Kongfrontation which was scarier)


The older 2 could also do

Back to the Future
Men in Black
Terminator 3 D


IOA for all 3

One fish 2 fish
Caro Seuss el
If I ran the zoo
Cat in the Hat
Camp Jurassic
Me ship toe Olive
Poseidon's Fury Iffy for the 2 yr old, DD slept thorugh it at 3, liked it at 4)

For the older 2

Spiderman (my DD's favorite at 4)
Dudley do right
Popeye and Bluto's BileRat Barges
Jurasic Park river adventure

Hulk and Dueling Dragons maybe for the 8 yr.

 

[rangebob]

If the 8 yo is over 54" then they would be able to do Hulk or DD if not they will be able to do everything else. If they aren't a rollercoaster type of person then I would go over to Universal and skip IOA for a couple more years when the 6 yo will be big enough also and then almost the entire group can go on it at the same time.

 

[SuzieQMomof3]

Sha_Lyn, thanks for the imput.

All 3 of my kids really like the classic rides (Peter Pan, Pirates, Pooh) and they also like the shows at Disney, but since I've never been to Universal, I have no idea what to expect. The playgrounds sound fun, but this is a spur-of-the-moment trip and our budget is a little tight. My fear is that we spend $200 to get into the park and find out we have wasted our money.

My 5-year-old daughter used to be adventurous until we took her on Space Mountain in August (she swore she would be fine). Now she's even afraid of the monorail. I'm just over the bad parent feeling and don't want to scare her with something new.

Thanks again for any help everyone!

 

[sha_lyn]

My fear is that we spend $200 to get into the park and find out we have wasted our money.

This really depends on how you lokk at things. I use to one of those people that looked at play areas as a waste of our time. However the kids loved them. Even DS who was 11 on our first trip to WDW loved the HISTK and the AK play areas. I had to remind myself that they were having more fun in the play areas, than if I drug them off to ride another ride. On our first trip to US 2DD rode ET at least 5 times. She loved it and while at first I thought of it as "oh no not again" I started noticing things each ride that I hadn't noticed before. So if you can sit back and let your kids enjoy things at their pace, even if it means spending an hour climbing through each play area, or riding a few rides more than once, then you can feel you've gotten your money's worth.

The travel channel runs a behind the scenes show on universal fairly often. I found that watching shows like it help DD to get over her fears of certan rides. I also found that the US/IOA employess are very helpful. On our second trip DD rode Kong (which she loved the first trip) and was a little upset when we got off. The employee at the unloadign platform saw this and told me I could take DD to the control booth and look through the window so DD could see that kong really didn't throw the car and that he wasn't real. When we got up to the control booth they invited us in and let DD sit at one of the monitors.

I understand your situation with your DD and Sapce mountain. On our first trip to US I thought DD would be fine with Jaws. She had already rode everything at WDW that she could, BTTF, Earthquake and Kong at US. Jaws seemed like such a mild ride compared to others she enjoyed. However she freaked out. At US there are boats that take you to the hotels. Well we ended up walking to HRH because she wouldn't get on anything that looked like a boat. 2 yrs later and she still will say she loved monsters and ghost but hates sharks.

 

[harmony29]

I have to sort of disagree with sha_lynn on a few of the attractions for younger children. I do think that IOA is a better choice, there is so much for all ages there. But I was just at US and there is no way I would take a young child on earthquake or twister. I saw so many young children screaming and crying, but the parents dragged them on anyway. I cannot understand that for the life of me. I know all children are different, but if you know your child is timid, why would you subject them to that type of attraction?

 

[KimR]

A few years ago, we took our two DDs (at the time they were 8 and 2) to Universal and IOA and they LOVED it. There is plenty for a 2-year-old to do, especailly at IOA. And the best thing about IOA is that it's considered to be more of a park for older kids, so there weren't as many small children there and most of the rides for my 2-year-old had minimal waits. We went on Cat in the Hat over and over and over, she was in heaven! She also loved interacting with the characters and enjoying little things like playing under that (pouring? Squirting?) water...somewhere in Toon Lagoon, my memory is fuzzy because it's been a few years. Anyway, that park is so visually stimulating, if nothing else the little ones will just love looking at everything and you'll enjoy watching them watch. I think sometimes when we're bombarded with so much simuli we forget how the smallest things are so entertaining to toddlers and preschoolers. Take them and enjoy!

Kim

 

[BuzzLightYear3]

We took our 3 kids to both US and IOA about a year and a half ago when they were 7, 4, and 21 months and had a nice time. I agree with the other posters in that IOA has more to offer for younger kids. The 4yo and 21 month old liked Seuss Landing.....especially the carousel and Cat in the Hat ride. The playgrounds were also huge hits with all of them. The 4 year old also went on some of the smaller rollar coasters in the other areas. Although Seuss Landing was the main attraction, it seemed like in just about every area there was something for them to do, e.g., they played on Popeye's boat while waiting for their big brother and Dad to ride one of the water rides. There didn't seem to be as many things to keep their interest at US. We stayed at HRH to take advantage of FOTL, and they all absolutely loved the pool.....zero entry and lots of sand is a particularly big hit with 2 year olds, and the spurting water fountains were fun too. Have a great trip!

 

[kidzmom3]

we spent one day at each the week of Thanksgiving. My children are 5,6 and 9. I found US very difficult. I was not overly familiar with the park and with 3 picky eaters we had a very tough time finding a dining spot that all three liked. We did eventually find a very good pizza/salad/italian spot that was great. I wish I knew what it was called. You ordered your pizza and they brought it over to your table.

The layout at US is very confusing and causes a lot of walking. I also find this to be true at MGM. The things my kids loved were, the Fievel play area, but there are many exits and it is very tough to keep track of 3 kids here. My two youngest loved the Woody Woodpecker rollercoaster. it waa their first ever experience and it was great. They also like ET, and the Animal planet show. We got to watch Slime Time live being filmed and Dave (?is that his name) spoke indivdually with all 3 of my kids and was very nice. Otherwise most of the shows were pg or pg13, and the rides too scary. I must say we had the best face painting I have ever seen. A pregnant woman and delightful young man, near twister, did a marvellous job, were friendly and courteous and very quick. I highly reccomend it. My kids were soooooo happy, it was the best 10 bucks I spent that vacation.

 

[kidzmom3]

honestly though, I think we will not go back for quite a few years. Maybe if Jimmy Neurton and Shrek are geared toward kids, but it really is a park for the older set. jmho

 

[zaxmom]

I have taken my two year old there twice now and we are going to be there just before he turns three. I also have a four year old. I know my four year old like these parks better than Disney. The two year old seems to have just as much fun. We do baby swap, which is SOOOO nice. They usually have a nice area to wait with tvs. The boys are happy just to watch the roller coasters go by. My two year old could spend the whole day riding the unicorn or woody woodpecker. If they are a Barney fan, being that close to him is worth the price of admission itself. Animal Planet is a funny little show. If it is warm, take bathing suits for the Curious George area. My sons went on everything they were tall enough for at both parks. The older one wears daddy's sunglasses when there might be scary parts. He feels so proud of himself when he rides a big ride like Jurassic Park. I just tell them that what they are looking at are like big toys and that they are just movies or shows to scare us and make us laugh. If you only have one day, I would suggest Universal Studios and spending most of your time in the kids area. I would never go on a family vacation and leave out a member of my family. I look at it this way, we get our money's worth by how much fun they have, not how many rides they get to ride.

 

[sha_lyn]

a couple of poster just breifly touched on the Nick studios at US. My kids love the tour (when it is open) particpating in the games and watching Slime Time live. The tour is usually closed when they are not filming anything that week. I know last yr the off season was the beginning of Jan.