Beware It's Tough to Be a Bug!

[alleghator]

Animal Kingdom was the first stop on our recent itinerary. My turning-7 year old daughter chickened out of It's Tough to be a Bug when the queue ventured too far underground for her taste. My up-til-then brave 4-1/2 year old went right in and sat down (thankfully we were right next to the exit!). He got stiffer and tenser throughout the production. I knew we'd made it almost to the end and hoped he'd laugh and get a thrill out of it ... when he freaked out. The virtual hornet attack did him in.

I whisked him right out of the theatre and he calmed down immediately. Unfortunately, the damage had been done. He spent nearly the entire rest of the week warming back up to theatre attractions. Anyone there that week ... we were the ones dragging a sobbing child into the Hall of Presidents. We knew if we showed him that not all theatre productions are the same that he'd begin to relax. *sigh* And, eventually he did ... Canada's and China's 360* movies were two of his favorites of the trip, as was the Carousel of Progress in Tomorrowland. We finally saw them on the last two days of the trip.

Anyway ... be duly warned. The 3D movies are intense and sometimes out-and-out frightening. We'd downloaded video of the 3D shows and the kids knew the plotlines fairly well before we left. But they were no match for the actual full sensory experience of the Disney 3D shows.

--Heidi

 

[mjmcca]

My kids (DS5 and DD4) didnt freak out in its tough to be a bug but they dont like it and wont go back.

 

[eeyoreiscool]

Ours just like to close their eyes and listen to everything.

 

[ntburns22]

All kids are different and you know them to make the right choice for your family. My DS2 and DD 5 at the time loved it. I did have DS on my lap so the hornets couldn't get him.

 

[pyrxtc]

all my kids loved it from my 11 yr old down to my just turned 2 yr old. it was one of my 4 yr olds favorite attractions. To each their own!

 

[Iluvpooh&mickey]

Thanks for the heads up. I agree that every child is different. I have twin boys who will have just turned 6 when we go and I am not sure how they will take this...honestly I am not sure how I will since I hate bugs...especially hornets!

 

[Stephres]

When Animal Kingdom first opened we went to see it. I don't know if the air conditioning was not on or what, but it was very stuffy and I ended up very dizzy and almost fainting (I was pregnant with our first). We finally found an exit and got out of there. DH cannot convince me to try it again and it sounds like the kids would be terrified of the attacking bugs anyway!

 

[momlvsdsny]

My daughter was 4 last year when we went, and she is usually not afraid of anything, she rode everything else, no problem, things I thought she would find scary, she laughed at. But this, she hated, ended up crying, and will never do it again. My 8 year old wasnt very fond of it either. But kids are different, but at least I know not to do that one this time around!!

 

[Hannathy]

My kids have always liked it starting at a little over 2 . We always made a point in line to talk about the "special effects" and that they were just "special effects" also if worried about the "sting", just a lite poke, have them sit forward in the seat then they won't feel it.(at least we didn't)

 

[jj13]

I can't remember how old my boys were when they first saw it - but it took 3 years to get them back in (and we tried every year .... bad mommy).

For some reason it totally flipped them both out - they survived but hated it, and as another posted said they were very apprhensive about any "indoor" type attraction for the rest of that first trip.

The other one they hated was "honey I shrunk the audience". I could NOT convince them to go on it the next year - so while hubby and the rest of our relatives went in I stayed outside with them 3 years in a row (finally got them in last year and they liked it).

They're all different......

 

[tcolbert]

DS5 has yet to stay for it. He usually freaks out at the last minute and we have to exit.

 

[tiff211]

Add my kids to the list of those who freaked out. It scared them so bad, they wouldn't even go to the movies when we came back home!!! We will definitely pass it by this year!!!!

 

[LegoMom3]

... I knew we'd made it almost to the end and hoped he'd laugh and get a thrill out of it ... when he freaked out. The virtual hornet attack did him in...
--Heidi

Ugh....how is that even remotely "entertaining"?!! All along I was worried about the big grasshopper and the stink from the Stink Bug....I had NO idea there would be something like hornets! I'm glad this was mentioned - thank you! I will definitely cross this off my list of "maybe's", as two of my three kids are absolutely terrified of hornets (both due to having been stung). I think there are plenty of kids out there who have a big-time fear of stinging bugs, that it would be scared to death by this!

 

[eeyoregon]

Been there, done that! Took my very mature 8 year old DS to this attraction and he is 13 years old now and STILL tells people how horrible it was and jokes that he will never forgive me!

The air jets and water squirts in the face did him in. He took his 3-D glasses off immediately and it was still waaaaaay to intense for him. We were so relieved that it was over when the unexpected seat wiggling took place and he lost it. And the grand finale (drum roll): we are exiting the attraction through the heavy, metal swinging hinged gates when the guy in front of us just lets it slam closed and it knocks my son to the ground...more tears and a HUGE bruise for weeks on his hip/stomach.

Oh the memories

23 days until 1ST DISNEY CRUISE

 

[HACAM]

My DD 5 did not like this as well. I don't think it helped that we had just got off Expedition Everest and right over to It's tough to be a bug. She was already freaked out enough from EE, then getting stung by the hornets...she blew a gasket, needless to say DH had to escort her out of the theatre early, she says she never wants to go back! Both my DS's 11 and 8 loved it though...thought it was great fun! Kids are all different that is for sure!

 

[antsss]

My kids (6,4,2) are major BUGS LIFE fans, but the older ones are particularly freaked out when it comes to real bugs, so I am grateful to be forewarned about this attraction!!!!!! Thank you.

 

[mouseplanner]

We'd downloaded video of the 3D shows and the kids knew the plotlines fairly well before we left.

Hornets? I'm 40 and I broke out into a sweat just reading that!! Does anyone know where I can download the video mentioned? Thanks so much.

 

[disneychrista]

My 13 (tomorrow) daughter refuses to go in any 3-D attraction, regarldess of what it is. Even muppets is out for her.

 

[zookeeper]

It's Tough to Be a Bug was the very first thing we did on our trip to Disney. I had read all the posts warning me about how scary it was,but I refused to believe it could really be that scary. Afterall, it's Disney right?
My DD5 screamed from beginning to end and it was so dark in the theatre we didn't know how to get out even if we could. After that she refused to go into any show, always asking "Are there going to be bugs?"
If you have ANY doubts at all I would suggest skipping it because it's just not worth it if your child has a horrible experience. It's not like your Disney experience will feel incomplete if you don't see it this time.

 

[Becky2005]

I feel for you! My kids survived but have requested to NOT do that again. THIS is why I love to read every & any spoiler out there. I have some kids with somewhat extra issues and having been prewarned I can usually talk them through anything if I'm unsure. Since sometimes what I think will freak them out they love and vice versa. My kids were 11, 8, 5 & 1 at the time - actually the 1 year old LOVED it but he was sitting on my lap and considering he broke the 3-D glasses at Muppets, I just never bothered getting him another pair after that. With the Grasshopper part, he just kept waving saying "Hi" . LOL!!!!! I had warned my kids about the stinging part and to sit forward. I don't think any of my kids had their feet on the ground so the end was not a big deal.

We didn't have any issues getting my kids into other rides after that but DID have the same problem for my 8 year old after Stitch! He refused to go into any ride that he could NOT see - or if there was any possibility of him getting sprayed with water at all. The CM's at Spaceship Earth had to convince him that NOTHING was going to unexpectedly do anything to him. So, I can sympathize with you that couldn't get your child(ren) into any 3D/dark things after Tough to be a Bug.