Big rides and little kids

[RuthLS]

My boys are 5 and 4 and are both 40+ inches. They love coasters, loved goofy barnstormer in Dis World. My oldest loves Pandemonium at Six Flags-calls it the panda ride. They also do other coasters that they are big enough for like Cat Woman's Whip (six flags), etc.

So I'm wondering what (supposedly scary) rides you've taken your preschoolers on that they just meet the height requirements for? I was thinking with prep we could do almost anything. DH, being the wimp that he is, is hesitant. He said goofy barnstormer was about his limit.

I'd like to try any of the rides they are tall enough for. Are there any we should definitely stay away from?

TIA!

 

[S. S. Columbia]

From the official DLR web-site: Height Requirements.

IMO they won't have any problems. The only ride that might take a little prepping is Twilight Zone ToT. JMHO.

BTW, they can ride Autopia with an adult, but they have to be 52" to ride by themselves.

HTH

 

[Jenn1116]

I got my 4 yr old on BTMR, then got her on SM but she hated it. Then she rode BTMR again, but didn't want to try Matterhorn. If your kids are into coasters, they'll do fine. Might want to prep for SM though if there are issues with being in the dark.

 

[Anater]

Our four year old is pretty fearless so we thought we'd try a coaster and see how he did. He totally surprised us. He ended up riding everything within his height range (42"). He went on Matterhorn multiple times with my husband. His favorite was BMTRR, and he even started throwing his hands up when we'd go over hills. I was terrified, having to grab him around the waist with one hand and loop my other arm around the bar. After we went on Space Mountain, we asked him if he had fun, he said "Yes, but not again". We went on a one day blitz last month and he went on Space Mountain twice, the second time he said he didn't want to go on again. I'd say that is the only one to look out for. We didn't try TOT - not sure if he would have liked that one because he doesn't like swings. Maybe the sensation of falling would have freaked him out a bit. I figure we'll try it on our next trip a few years down the road. Have fun!

 

[ShawnaF]

My 3 yr old loves BTMRR, Splash, and Matterhorn. Going to try Space Mountain this trip. She also met the height last time for Star Tours (what's with the height requirement on THAT?!) - HATED it, but then again I also don't care for that one. She wasn't particularly pleased with Soarin' but liked the sights and so did it several times, I think the motion thing was an issue for her.

 

[Dukland]

My dd was 5 last time we went. She loves fast rides, but not dark rides. She wanted to try Space Mountain and completely freaked. She's now 7, and doesn't want to try it this year.

 

[MinnieMouse73]

My dd was 5 when we went last year - she loved all the rides she was tall enough for (Star Tours, Space/Splash/Big Thunder Mountains, Matterhorn, Tower of Terror - anything else?! The only rides she didn't do were the couple she wasn't tall enough for (e.g. Screaming, but she would have done it if she could!).

She's a fearless kid though - she first rode ToT at WDW when she was 3

 

[RuthLS]

Okay, good, thanks!!

I thought we might be ok with prep. But the Unofficial Dis guide made me get a little worried. I know they have to gear it towards all families.

Last time we went to Dis world our oldest was 3 and youngest 15 months or so...so Soarin was the big one for my oldest. He wasn't big enough for the others.

I mentioned TOT and Haunted Mansion..and everyday like "Rainman" he says.."what's that ride again?" And makes me look up picts for him online. I think my youngest may not be ready for some things. I'll really have to prep him.

Is it end of May yet?? We are so looking forward to this trip.

 

[jjames]

We were just there, and our 5 yo rode everything he was tall enough for (he's 41 inches) and LOVED them all. I was worried after reading the guidebook, too, but I think its just being extra cautious. I think if you let your kids know that the rides are fun and safe, instead of focusing on how scary they are, you'll be just fine.

 

[CrAzY4DL]

My last trip was me and my almost 4 year old and she was 40 inches at the time and these are the rides I took her on:

-Space Mountain (but it was Rockin' Rollercoaster at the time, lights were on and rock music played and she LOVED that! Don't know if she would have liked it in the dark.)
-Big Thunder which we both hated. The train cars are open on both ends and it does NOT feel safe cos my little one went FLYING towards the open door on her side. Plus, she didn't like it at all.
-We had done Matterhorn before she turned 3 and she didn't care for that, said it was too jerky and the "guy with eyes" was too scary.
-Tower of Terror which she didn't like because the voice that talks to you in the ride is too loud. WHAAAAAA?!?!?! LOL
-Star Tours which she didn't like at all. I don't think she likes when something moves like that. But now that she has seen the Star Wars movies I think we are going to try it again in December.

Hope that helps!! And best advice, if they are freaking out crying just walk away. Not from them! From the ride, LOL. Didn't realize how that came out, hahaha!

 

[bumbershoot]

She also met the height last time for Star Tours (what's with the height requirement on THAT?!)

Completely totally 100% agree with that question.

 

[S. S. Columbia]

... the Unofficial Dis guide made me get a little worried. ...

The Unofficial Guide’s ride descriptions are the pits. They must have been written by a worry wart. Take nearly all of it with a grain of salt. Snow White’s Scary Adventures can be a bit too much for little kids, but that’s about it.

The UG to DL '08 still has a guest’s comment about the Rocket Jets, and the Rocket Jets haven’t been in Tomorrowland since 1997!

The UG to DL '08 has decent information about lodging and dining, but IMO their Ride Descriptions are weak and their Touring Information is too “commando.”

For better Ride Descriptions, check out the "Theme Parks" section from the DISboards/wdwinfo: http://www.wdwinfo.com/disneyland/disneyland-theme-parks.htm#gold-disneyland-themeparks.

For better Touring Information, check out the "HydroGuy Tips Compilation" (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1520483) and maybe RideMax (http://www.ridemax.com).

HTH

 

[ShawnaF]

Lol bumbershoot...yeah....and then there's Indiana, I so wish my 6 year old nephew had been tall enough, he'd have loved it but he's super short so it'll be a while.

 

[kaity230]

BTW If they liked Goofy's barnstormer there is a similar ride - Gadget's Go Coaster - in Toontown of DL.

 

[lindsnlogansmom]

We took our DS 3 on Matterhorn and he was petrified. He is still talking about it and that was last February. He says he doesn't want to go see that Yetti again! LOL

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

I took mine when she was three on Matterhorn - she loved it. I would only say to make sure the first dark rides you take your little ones on are fun ones - Buzz, Peter Pan, Alice -- not Snow White -- and once they see how fun they are they will most likely be more apt to go on the other ones. Also took mine on Thunder, Splash Mountain, etc.

 

[RuthLS]

Thanks again for all the thoughts and posts. Everyone here always makes me laugh.

We did Buzz in WDW and my oldest loved it. He keeps talking about legoland..we are going there too..and he saw the pict on their website..of a similar ride.

My youngest was only 15 months or so..so I don't think he really got the buzz game.

They are both boys boys (lucky me) and really into the whole shoot em up thing and DS1 is really into spooky stuff right now...soooo I think we'll be ok. We'll just do the tame rides first and then the bigger ones. Though I'm sure in passing the big ones the boys will be like "WHAT'S THAT???"

We haven't shown them Star Wars yet....we weren't sure if it's age appropriate for 5 and 4. But all their friends with older brothers know all about it. Would it help them to see it before Star Tours? I think the original 3 are pretty tame..but it's been a while.

Thanks again!

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

Since I don't handle big rides very well, I slowly wanted them introduced to our ds. At 4 the only "big" ride he went on was Gaget's Go Go coaster. LOL

Around 7 or 8 he started going on rides like Space Mountain, Matterhorn, GRR, Splash, Star Tours ect..

Last summer at 9 he went on Screamin for the first time, and this summer he plans on going on TOT. I like that we eased to it, making sure he could handle it, and enjoyed it. Height wasn't my only requirement.