Children and Everest?

[Leajess99]

My now 8 year old went on it back in October at 7. She loved it and made her brother ride it like 4 times in a row. She already plans on making her dad ride it with her on the next trip in June. She has not stopped talking about since that October trip either.

She also loved Space Mountain which she also road with her brother (I can't ride roller coasters anymore which makes me sad).

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

I have a fearless one too. He rode EE a month before his 5th birthday. As we pulled into the station he said, "I gotta do that again!" So we did. The next time around he said, "Let's go again and again and again and again!" So we went again! He loved it. He also loves Tower of Terror. Actually, he hasn't met a ride yet that he didn't like!

 

[ZellyB]

We just went recently with a group of 4 7 year olds. They are a mix of thrill-seekers, moderate thrill-seekers, and timid riders. All 4 rode it and all 4 loved it.

 

[troynkasey]

DD was 5 1/2 last summer and rode it. She loves Space Mountain and BTMR, so we thought she'd like it. She was a little nervous, but did it and then when we got done, she wanted to do it again. This year she's going to do RRC.

 

[puffkin]

My DS5 who is VERY tall likes it. He doesn't want to ride the scary train ride that goes up the mountain, but he will ride the ride with the yeti. He had just turned 4 the first time he rode it. He has yet to put together that they are the same ride. His absolute favorite ride though is Space Mountain.

He won't ride the Tower of Terror, but he will ride the other ride, the Tower of Fun and loves it. He has been doing that one since 2.5.

Kids can be so funny about stuff, but we have yet to find a ride that DS hates. I think because he is so tall, he gets to ride the rides so early that he hasn't developed a fear yet.

 

[cpthook623]

The thing about EE that makes it easy for children to warm up too I believe is the ride layout. Any nerves are immediately gone after the first few seconds of the ride. It starts out really nice,not alot of speed and great Disney scenery. Even when your climbing the mountain it is a very neat view at a slow pace. The thing that will freak out the children is the backwards in the dark part. The Gforces are so strong that it does feel intense. ,but once that part is over it is smooth sailing once again. Love this ride!!

 

[Pixie Princess]

Just returned from a trip with my nieces aged 6 and 9. Both rode it. The 9 yr. old was very aprehensive, and I had to explain to her what was going to happen on the ride. The 6 y.o. will pretty much try anything. After the ride the 6 y.o. stated she didn't like it and was never riding it again. The 9 y.o. said it was scary, but would ride it again with us. (it was walk on). Since not everyone was going to ride again, we needed to walk the younger niece back over to a nearby table where my SIL and MIL were waiting for us. In the two minutes it took us to walk to the table, the 9y.o. chickened out and the 6 y.o. had decided it wasn't so bad and she wanted to go again. Neither of them liked the backwards ride in the dark. I think it was really more the dark than the backwards.

My DD(11), who thinks she likes thrill rides (she doesn't really) rode it for the first time at 8. She did fine, but had no love of the ride, and didn't want to ride it again until she was 10. At that point she loved it.

 

[BigTikiDaddy]

Last year DD1 (one month shy of 6) was allowed to go on whatever rides she wanted with me or DW. We got her onto BTMR, as a test, and she felt it was too fast, so at that point, it was her own choice. Funny though, pretty much each day she would go onto most coasters and even ToT. Granted, she cried each time and never wanted to ride them again, but yet....she tried each one, I was proud of her, for facing her fears. Usually, she'd make the decision while one parent was riding. When it came time for Everest, she'd been freaked by BTMR, Space Mountain and ToT. When I came off, she had decided to ride with DW, and sure enough, she was crying in the end, scared. (We had watched videos of the ridefor months before hand too). I bought hera little yeti for her bravery, and thought that was that. Well, while we were talking last week about the upcomming trip, she wants to ride them all again!! Even ToT, which floored me.

Ultimately, it's all up to the child. I hope at least they will give it a try, and if it's too much, that's okay, facing fears is a part of growing up after all.

 

[2girlsmom]

The first time we went my kids were 9 and 7, and they both rode and liked this, though my oldest had to be coaxed into it. She is definitely the more timid of my children, and wasn't sure, but enjoyed it once on. She also rode BTMRR and Splash that she liked, and Space Mountain that she HATED. This past December, they were 12 and 10, and she remembered that she liked this one and rode it several times, also BTMRR. It was TOO cold for Splash, and she didn't want to try Space again, but I did coax her on RnR, and she goes back and forth on it, mostly she says she likes it but doesn't want to do it again. LOL.

 

[sanapp]

DD did it one her first trip to DW and she was 5 and she was petrified. She will not go on it again. We have been every year since and she will still not go on it. We went with Niece 12 last year and I did it with her twice right in a row with FP of course and I can understand why DD will never do it again. It was really way to much for her at 5. The going backwards in the dark was just to much. I would check it on you tube first as there are some really good clips that really show the ride quite well.