Child Waiting Area

[Mr-D]

Was wondering if any of the bigger rides actually allow a child to wait in a safe place while an adult does the ride ?

I'm a single parent and there are of course certain rides I would like to go on but can't because my DD is either too small or not confident enough. If my DD comes to the front of the line can she then be placed at the exit point in view of staff while I do the ride ?

If it compromises her safety I give it a miss but was just wondering if anyone else had experience of this ?

D

 

[allie5]

I have seen this question asked on the US boards and the general consensus seems to be "no". You cannot ask a a CM to watch your child, as they have a responsible job to do already (load people safely on and off the ride). The legal implications would be serious, as I am sure you can imagine. What if your child fell onto the track whilst the CM was meant to be watching them (as an example). This is why they will not do it, even though it doesnt seem like a big deal to ask.

How old is the child? If they are of a responsible age (over 12?) then you could get them to line up with you, enter the ride but skip over to the exit to wait for you. Im sure the CMs would allow them to wait here whilst you rode. If you had walkie talkies and were confident they were not the sort to get distracted and wander off, then this is probably your only option.

If your child is very young then personally speaking, there is no way I would consider leaving her to ride anything. The exits are not a safe place as hundreds of people will be pushing and shoving their way out and it would be so easy for a small child to get caught up in this and get lost.

 

[angel659]

Hiya

I wouldnt of thought so. Seeing it from Disneys point of view they would not want to put any extra responsibility on CM shoulders. For many reasons like supervision of the ride, emergency or if they did take their eyes off the child and the child went missing by his or her choice or not. This isnt really fair on the CM or other potential riders!

Personally I would never leave my child unattended. As others have mentioned if your child was 12 or over perhaps you could ride. I wouldnt take any risks with younger children.

I travelled with my 5 year old last year and I was unable to ride bigger rides. There are so many rides and shows that Casey could go on I didnt even think of any other bigger rides that I was missing. This year all of us are going my dh, twin boys, Casey and I. my dh wants to use parent swap. I am not too botherd, as there are so much to see and do.

I hope you have a fantastic trip!

 

[Mr-D]

Thanks for the replies. I wasn't looking for a CM to actually look after her, but wondered if she would be allowed to stand at the exit point She is 9 ( going on 19 lol) and is sensible for her age.

The other point I didn't think of is that not all rides have the same entrance and exit points which of course would be totally out of the question anyway.

As I said any compromise on safety means I wouldn't go on the ride anyway. My DD is far too precious too put my thrills before her safety.


D

 

[disneyholic family]

Thanks for the replies. I wasn't looking for a CM to actually look after her, but wondered if she would be allowed to stand at the exit point She is 9 ( going on 19 lol) and is sensible for her age.

The other point I didn't think of is that not all rides have the same entrance and exit points which of course would be totally out of the question anyway.

As I said any compromise on safety means I wouldn't go on the ride anyway. My DD is far too precious too put my thrills before her safety.


D

if she's 9 that's really pretty old.....i once went to WDW without my husband....many years ago, when my son was only 6 (he's 18 now)....
he was afraid of certain rides (including splash mountain - he laughs about that now)...

at splash mountain he went through the line with us and then at the end there is a cross over bridge (from what i remember), and he sat on a bench right on the other side and waited for us....all by himself....no big deal...
of course, your daughter isn't going to be afraid of Splash mountain, but that's an example...

at space mountain, at the end of the first long line, you get to a split, where you go right or left (go to the left - it's the better ride in my family's opinion)...just as you're about to enter that left side (into a metal line area, where you can already see the loading track) there is an area straight ahead, where your daughter can sit on a bench and wait for you.

but really a 9 year old can ride space mountain....my daughter rode it at 6 (my son took longer....what can you say...boys are scaredy cats )

let's see......

there really isn't anything that she shouldnt' be able to ride....she's a big kid..

but....if she doesn't want to ride Rock and Roller coaster you can do one of two things....(the first is preferable in my opinion, since it leaves her alone for the shortest time)...
both of you should go through the line (and the preshow is cute, she'd enjoy it....)...
at the very very end,.....just as you're about to get into the coaster, there is a chicken out exit door....she goes through this door and down a hall and ends up at the exit point of the train (where everyone is getting off)...
she just has to move to where she sees everyone standing and waiting and wait for you there....(or you could probably go through this door, pick a spot for her to stand and then go back through the exit hall/chicken out door to get on the ride...

at tower of terror....she really should ride this....even my son rode it when he was 6 years old....it's an amazingly great ride.....and everything surrounding it is brilliant....wonderful theming.....ToT and Splash Mountain are my family's favorite rides in all of WDW...

ok...so at ToT....she can go through the entire line with you.....and then......you go through a study where there's a preshow...and then you get in this long line in the 'boiler room'.....at the very end of the long line you get to the elevator loading line....where the CM asks how many in your party....if your daughter chicken's out, you tell the CM that you are one rider and one not riding.....the CM will take your daughter to the chicken out exit elevator, where another CM will take her on that elevator to where you will come off your elevator....she just has to sit right there...along the wall, near where the TV screens show the pictures of people riding the ride....she'll see several people sitting there waiting (usually)...
and you should be along in a few minutes (about 10 minutes or so)...

but really, she should ride that ride...it's great fun..

finally, the only other ride that i can imagine she might not want to do is mission space....
that one's easy.....before you get on the ride, go to the left side of the building....(i think it's on the left....or you can ask a CM where the exit of the ride is).....take her over there....there's a whole area where this huge group game is played...you get in line for that....she can play the game or just sit and wait there....
you should go through the single riders line (find out how long the single riders wait is....if it's too long, than pass)...

as for test track.....it's an easy ride and she shoudln't think it's scary....my 77 year old mother rode it...after she'd had back surgery.....really a nothing nothing ride....though we love it....it's fun....but not scary or difficult....

that's really the only ones that might scare her that i can think of...
and she really should be able to ride all of those (except maybe mission space)...

star tours is just a simulator ride so she can do that no problem...
thunder mountain railroad is a very easy coaster....no problem there..
i'm trying to remember what else there is...
soarin's also very very easy....anyone can do it and it's not scary....

oh...in animal kingdom....
kali river rapids is lots of fun if you like to get soaked (cause you will get soaked.....totally).....it's not scary....just fun.....and wet...

dinasaur is a lot of fun.....she should do that without problem....
if you want scarier in terms of what you see, get the front row...if you want wilder ride, get the back row....(there are 3 rows in the car)...

that's all i can remember...

be sure to see Festival of the Lion King in Animal Kingdom...it's a show and one of my kids favorites..

 

[disneyholic family]

Thanks for the replies. I wasn't looking for a CM to actually look after her, but wondered if she would be allowed to stand at the exit point She is 9 ( going on 19 lol) and is sensible for her age.

The other point I didn't think of is that not all rides have the same entrance and exit points which of course would be totally out of the question anyway.

As I said any compromise on safety means I wouldn't go on the ride anyway. My DD is far too precious too put my thrills before her safety.


D

if she's 9 that's really pretty old.....i once went to WDW without my husband, with just my 2 kids....many years ago, when my son was only 6 (he's 18 now)....
he was afraid of certain rides (including splash mountain - he laughs about that now)...

at splash mountain he went through the line with us and then at the end there is a cross over bridge (from what i remember), and he sat on a bench right on the other side and waited for us....all by himself....no big deal...
of course, your daughter isn't going to be afraid of Splash mountain, but that's an example...

at space mountain.....she can ride this ride, but if she doesn't want to she should go through most of the line with you until the chicken out point......at the end of the first long line, you get to a split, where you go right or left (go to the left - it's the better ride in my family's opinion)...just as you're about to enter that left side (into a metal line area, where you can already see the loading track) there is an area straight ahead, where your daughter can sit on a bench and wait for you.

but really a 9 year old can ride space mountain....my daughter rode it at 6 (my son took longer....what can you say...boys are scaredy cats )

let's see......

there really isn't anything that she shouldnt' be able to ride....she's a big kid..

but....if she doesn't want to ride Rock and Roller coaster you can do one of two things....(the first is preferable in my opinion, since it leaves her alone for the shortest time)...
both of you should go through the line (and the preshow is cute, she'd enjoy it....)...
at the very very end,.....just as you're about to get into the coaster, there is a chicken out exit door....she goes through this door and down a hall and ends up at the exit point of the train (where everyone is getting off)...
she just has to move to where she sees everyone standing and waiting and wait for you there....(or you could probably go through this door, pick a spot for her to stand and then go back through the exit hall/chicken out door to get on the ride)...

alternatively, you can take her in the exit way....through the RNR coaster store, to just before the exit area and she can stand there and wait...there are many people crowded around there waiting....but this would mean that she has to stand there the whole time you're in line and in the pre-show....and anyway, she would enjoy the preshow....so the first option is better...and better yet, she should ride the ride....

at tower of terror....she really should ride this....even my son rode it when he was 6 years old....it's an amazingly great ride.....and everything surrounding it is brilliant....wonderful theming.....ToT and Splash Mountain are my family's favorite rides in all of WDW...

ok...so at ToT....she can go through the entire line with you.........once you get to the building (after a long line) you go through a study where there's a preshow...and then you get in this long line in the 'boiler room'.....at the very end of the long line you get to the elevator loading area....where the CM asks how many in your party....if your daughter chicken's out, you tell the CM that you are one rider and one not riding.....the CM will take your daughter to the chicken out exit elevator, where another CM will take her on that elevator to the area where you will come off your elevator....she just has to sit in that area...along the wall on built-in cement benches (built into the wall), near where the TV screens show the pictures of people riding the ride....she'll see several people sitting there waiting (usually)...
and you should be along in a few minutes (about 10 minutes or so)...

but really, she should ride that ride...it's great fun..

finally, the only other ride that i can imagine she might not want to do is mission space....
that one's easy.....before you get on the ride, go to the left side of the building....(i think it's on the left....or you can ask a CM where the exit of the ride is).....take her over there....there's a whole area where this huge group game is played...she can get in line for that....she can play the game or just sit and wait there....
you should go through the single riders line (find out how long the single riders wait is....if it's too long, then pass)...

as for test track.....it's an easy ride and she shouldn't think it's scary....my 77 year old mother rode it...after she'd had back surgery.....really a nothing nothing ride....though we love it....it's fun....but not scary or difficult....

that's really the only ones that might scare her that i can think of...
and she really should be able to ride all of those (except maybe mission space)...

star tours is just a simulator ride so she can do that no problem...
thunder mountain railroad is a very easy coaster....no problem there..
i'm trying to remember what else there is...
soarin's also very very easy....anyone can do it and it's not scary....

oh...in animal kingdom....
kali river rapids is lots of fun if you like to get soaked (because you will get soaked.....totally).....it's not scary....just fun.....and wet...

dinosaur is a lot of fun.....she should do that without problem....it's dark and a little noisy, but it is after all just make believe....sort of a typical dark ride but where the ride is a bit wilder....this is one of the best rides in AK.....
it's NOT a coaster....just a bumpy car ride......a dark ride on steroids perhaps.....and the pre-show is well scripted....
if you want scarier in terms of what you see, ask for the front row...if you want wilder ride, ask for the back row....not that you can really ask....they just put you in rows....but we usually ask them if they wouldn't mind giving us the back or front, depending on our mood.......(there are 3 rows in the car I think - 4 people in each row).....

that's all i can remember...

be sure to see Festival of the Lion King in Animal Kingdom...it's a show and one of my kids favorites..

have fun.....you're going to have a great time seeing it through your daughter's eyes....that's the best part..

 

[natalielongstaff]

beth
thats such a brilliant answer

 

[alisonbestford]

beth
thats such a brilliant answer

I have to agree
As we all know, every child is different but I'd certainly have felt confident leaving my DD (now 21) for a few minutes whilst I took a ride. Now, DS (18 next month) is another matter......Don't feel too confident leaving him now

 

[Mr-D]

Thanks for that answer Beth, lots to take in.

When we went to Paris my DD couldn't get enough of Thunder Mountain so that will give you an idea of what she will or won't do. I think her biggest problem is the indoor rides and the fact she can't see what they do.

I'm trying to rack my brains to remember if it was the Lion King show we saw there as well. Is that the one where they get the kids up playing all sorts of musical instruments or was that Tarzan. Whatever it was my daughter loved it lol

 

[disneyholic family]

Thanks for that answer Beth, lots to take in.

When we went to Paris my DD couldn't get enough of Thunder Mountain so that will give you an idea of what she will or won't do. I think her biggest problem is the indoor rides and the fact she can't see what they do.

I'm trying to rack my brains to remember if it was the Lion King show we saw there as well. Is that the one where they get the kids up playing all sorts of musical instruments or was that Tarzan. Whatever it was my daughter loved it lol

well, if she likes thunder mountain there's really nothing she shouldn't be able to ride...
by the way, space mountain in WDW is NOT the same as the Paris version...the WDW version is much easier....it's basically a wild mouse in the dark....
given that she loves thunder mountain, there really isn't anything she should stay off of......she'll love them all....

no need to read my other response, since you won't need to avoid anything...

and yes, festival of the lion king is where at one point they have kids get up with musical instruments....and there are acrobats (dressed as monkeys -called the tumble monkeys) and big floats like in a parade...

a nice show...

 

[Soprano]

Personally I would never leave my child unattended. As others have mentioned if your child was 12 or over perhaps you could ride. I wouldnt take any risks with younger children.

I couldn't agree more. Its beyond me why anyone would be prepared to take such a risk, however small.

 

[allie5]

there really isn't anything that she shouldnt' be able to ride....she's a big kid..

I think thats very unfair. All kids are different and I know plenty of teens / adults that wont ride the Mountains and coasters. Everyone has different tastes and you cannot generalise with things like rides. There are 3 year olds that have ridden TOT but Im 37 and would never ride it!

Dont pressure your kids to ride things you think they "should" be able to do. Let them decide and go with the flow.

 

[VSL]

Me too.

When I have children there is no WAY I'll be leaving them on their own in public - in another country, too.

I know one poster said she left her 6yr old son on his own - I know some children mature really young, but I just couldn't.

You never know WHO could be around, even in WDW.