babies on the dark rides?

[canda]

I have not found any restrictions in my guide book on the dark rides about size or height restrictions. I will have a 1.5 to 2 year old at WDW this DEC.

Can he ride the (non coster type) dark rides like POC, HM, Snow-Wh-Sc-Ad, PPan, --- GreatMR--UniofEn, SpErth, LivSea.,. etc....

Or would they be to scary and or dangerous.?

 

[Rodrigo]

Here is a usefull page about the "Fear Factor" of the rides (just a little bit outdated, but it helps)

http://www.mouseplanet.com/dtp/wdwguide/7_Children/older_kids/fear_factors.htm

 

[MelAnderson]

Our family had a mini Disney vacation June 16-19, 2004. Our son was 23 months at the time and he rode the following dark rides: Pirates of the Carribean, Snow White, Peter Pan, Haunted Mansion & Spaceship Earth. He isn't afraid of the dark so I thought that he would be ok. Thankfully, he wasn't scared on any of the rides. At that age, I don't think that they "know" what they should be afraid of. However, if he had been scared, I was prepared to take him out as soon as possible. Have fun!

 

[canda]

Thanks for the info. My little boy is also not afraid of he dark right now. He loves and gets so excited and claps and laughs when riding the little rides at Chucky Cheese. He also loves to ride and look at everything that goes on. He could people watch for a while at the mall. He also will sit in stroller and look at the Disney Store window and laugh. (ours has Mickey & Fantasia stuff that spins around in one window and goofy, pluto and donald doing something in the other.) Thats why I think he would like it.

MelAnderson, you said you were preparde to get your child off ASAP if they got scared. How would you get off a ride in the middle if that is a problem. Are there workers in the ride you can flag down if they see a problem?

 

[MelAnderson]

Sorry, I didn't mean to be misleading. There is a pre show for HM that is dark before you get in the actual buggies. I would have left at that point if I noticed some sort of fear or distress. For the other rides, you are pretty much "stuck". Had he been afraid, I would have nixed any other dark rides.

On a side note, he loved Buzz. All of the colors are very stimulating for kids. I didn't plan to ride it because I thought that he was too little to enjoy the "game" part, but he really did.

 

[kyirish25]

The only ride that frightened my 2yr old was Snow White. That ride is all about the witch and she is around every corner. We didn't try HM after that but he did just fine on the others.

 

[canda]

Thanks again. I guess I will start with Dumbo and work my way up. I guess the first two Dark rides would be Pooh and Buzz and then see how he does and go from there. Thanks again. I can not wait.

 

[Geomich]

When DS was 2- Snow White scared him- of course that was the first day in the parks and it took us 2 days before he would go on another "dark ride". In talking with a few moms that trip apparently that ride scares kids more than the rest. He was great on the rest.

 

[InstImpres]

When my DD was younger we carried a "glo-belly" mini she could squeeze and it would light up. I also usually cazrry a small flashlight in my pocket for just such an occassion.

Last trip I rode HM with my 2yo DN, she freaked at the dark parts. We looked at my cell phone dancing mickeys. It served as both a small light and a great distraction.

 

[Alice28]

I have been to Disney parks 3 times with my boys at various ages between 4 mos-20 mos. None of the dark rides bothered either of them, and I think we went on all of them at one point or another!

 

[alloyd1170]

My 2yr old son wasnt afraid of the dark either, until the he saw the 3D movies (Muppets @ MGM, and Philharmagic at MK). I think what really scared him were the effects (water spray, air blowing in his face, then stuff looking like it was coming for him from the screen). He did try to grab the 3D bubbles though! On Haunted Mansion he cried the entire time. Thankfully it was loud enough that no one could really hear him, including us! Peter Pan didnt bother him at all. When we got home, he wouldnt go anywhere near a dark room (he freaked out when he shut himself in a dark closet), and wants his train painting light on at bed time. Hes getting better though!

alison

 

[Missy1961]

I've gone with different nieces & nephews. They all had different reactions!
1. 2 1/2 yr old boy twins hated the ride in Mexico at Epcot--because they said there was a "bad" man. (someone with a moustache) Couldn't get them on any other ride the rest of the trip.
2. 2 yrs later, their 1 1/2 yr sister rode everything! POC, etc. etc. without crying or anything. (as a 5 yr old was terrified that something would happen to us when we did baby swap on Space Mountain, however!)
3. On my last trip with another 2 yr old niece, she rode the same rides with no problems--and she loved Philamagic!
So I guess it depends on the kid.

 

[mrsR123]

They sense when parents are anticipating a problem, so play it cool. Also, they generalize pretty well. So, if one dark ride throws your little one, you may have to back off for a whole day or two.

On our first trip, my youngest was 18mos and freaked out in one of the theaters. I couldn't get him to sit in another for two days. I cannot remember what the first trouble was, but I surely do remember having to get up in the first two minutes of HIStA!

Come to think of it, I still haven't gotten to see that one!