children: ride info?

[mkymouse4ever]

Wondering how much information parents usually give there kids about the rides prior to getting on? Would you tell a 9yr old that RR-RC goes upside down? Or about the several drops in the tower of terror? Just where does space mt. go to in the dark?

Taking nephew to wdw, and not sure how much info to give him. Don't think he will be as terriffied riding these rides but listening to gory details might be all and then he won't try them? How detailed is your explanations? Just its a rollarcoaster in the dark or its upside down, corkscrew, music, etc..... .

Thanks so much, Mky

 

[waltdisneyworlddreamer]

I researched all the rides and prepared my DS for everything because he is usually very frightened by surprises or loud noises. As a surprise to me he wasn't scared of anything. I even tried to warn him about Dinosaur and how realistic it was and what kind of vehicles he would ride in, which didn't bother him at all and he actually rode twice!! By the second day of this, it was going in one ear and out the other so I just relaxed and let him enjoy. I think a little background or just letting them know what kind of ride should be sufficient.

 

[Robo]

When we took our (THEN) 5 year-old nephew to Disneyland, he was scared when he saw the drop of Splash Mountain because he assumed that your log went UNDER WATER at the bottom (it does look that way).

He had tears quietly rolling down his cheeks in the queue.

Finally, we convinced him (showed him) that folks were "coming OUT and HAPPY (and SOMEWHAT dry) at the end".

That cheered him, and, of COURSE he LOVED Splash after we rode it!

So, you can TELL him as much or as little as you think he NEEDS to know (you know him better than someone out here in cyber-space).

But the deal-maker (for us) was to show the other happy riders emerging AFTER the ride to show that is not a "ONE-WAY TRIP".

BTW, our 5-year-old nephew is now 20 and his biggest wish is to come with us to WDW this spring.

 

[bcsmom]

I told my kids what they needed to know as well. I did tell them that Space Mtn was fast & in the dark. I also told them about the dropping on TOT, so my son still will not go on it, but I do not blame him He loved all the coasters, but he absolutely hates dinosaur. I think it was to loud for him. I agree with letting him see the happy people getting off.

 

[goofy's friends]

The perfect book for a 9 year old is the Birnbaums for Kids. it is a guide written for kids by kids and my 9 year old loved it. She also felt in control of her choices because she researched it all. She started off scared of everything and worked up to RnR at the end adn it was her absolute favorite!!! The important thing to her was that she knew which ride we were talking about and could tell us what other kids thought, so she then wanted to try it.
The book has good info. and games, too.

 

[mkymouse4ever]

goofy's friend: That is how we told him about the trip wrapped that book up for christmas and a note on a back of a postcard saying he was invited! So he has the book, and he has had the mk video game, so he is familiar with some of there rides through that. We have given him the promo dvd's and he frequently watches our vac. videos so he has somewhat of an idea of the main layout.

Robo: We hope our adventure turns out as well, and that (he and us) make it a yearly or somewhat freq. event. He is alot of fun. (and a little work).

I think (hope) he will be fine. My sister might not make it 2+ weeks without her baby though.

Thanks for the help everyone, mky

 

[Lizzybee]

I have always answered my kids questions about any rides they go on. I think of it like this I'd be at least annoyed and possibly irate if someone lied to me about an experience (ie "what meat is in the dish" "oh beef" "hmm funny tasting beef" "oh well it's venison but I figured you wouldn't try it if you did know"). There is no point to compromising my kids' trust in me by not being honest about an experience (rides, foods, movies, etc) especially when the world won't end if they don't ride. Let him see the ride and make his decision.

 

[Marseeya]

I agree with Lizzybee. Also, I think you can warn him what the ride will be like without making it sound so scary. When we went with my 9 yo DD last year, we told her what to expect on every ride. We'd made a deal with her that she'd try everything at least once, and then if she never wanted to ride it again, she wouldn't have to. We found out that she hated simulator rides, so we never did get to do Soarin'. She wasn't all that fond of ToT either (understatement).

 

[The Sweetness]

Like it or not, IMO, full disclosure is the way to go. If there were a new ride DH wanted me to try, I would want details, and Id be one pissed off little bunny if he didnt tell me the absolute truth. I think our kids deserve the same consideration. Then, if the child doesnt want to do it, they dont have to.

 

[mkymouse4ever]

Thanks for the responses. Don't worry, I would never lie or not tell him an answer if he questioned it. But my nephew, is the type not to ask and I was wondering do you just start telling them details or explanations even if he does not ask. Or just go in and say we are going on a rollar coaster and see if he ask? "does it go upside down" "how high is it" etc..... . I also believe that we should (and will not) force him to ride anything, with the exception of fantasyland he might not want to but he will ride those rides once.

 

[Lizzybee]

Thanks for the responses. Don't worry, I would never lie or not tell him an answer if he questioned it. But my nephew, is the type not to ask and I was wondering do you just start telling them details or explanations even if he does not ask. Or just go in and say we are going on a rollar coaster and see if he ask? "does it go upside down" "how high is it" etc..... . I also believe that we should (and will not) force him to ride anything, with the exception of fantasyland he might not want to but he will ride those rides once.

Come to think of it, I DID force my son to ride IASW in Fantasyland. LOL but I think the protest was fake...maybe because it's not "cool" to like that ride or maybe there were some cute girls nearby and he wanted to look manly. Actually I think he'd complain if we skipped the ride because he loves "family traditions" (shhh just don't tell the cute girls).

 

[d4est]

My DS 8 HAD to know everything. He has checked out each ride in detail on the net. Of course, he is a thrill seeker & that might make a difference.

 

[cleo]

If you're pretty sure you know what he will enjoy or not enjoy, I'd just answer anything he asks, maybe opening up some conversation by saying, 'do you have any questions about this ride?' He's old enough to let you know what he needs to know so I'd follow his lead, with just a little bit of a lead-in yourself.

My son always wants to know what a ride is going to be like and if I didn't give 'full disclosure' he wouldn't trust me again. But he really only asks about the 'thrill rides'. The rest he's fine with, without knowing what's going to happen.

 

[TDS373X]

Ok this is how I got DD prepped for our trips...Sing Along videos (of course she was still little) Home Movies...Vacation Planning videos...and also the Theme Park CD's they have the music from the attractions . This was especially helpful for Splash Mtn. Since I had been on it so many times I could tell her at what point in the music we needed to start screaming and made it a game we played as we were driving along in the car prior to our trips. Just the familiar sounds helped. This time when we went in Test Track for the first time ever she turned around "Mom I know this place" meaning I know this music she had no problem jumping in the car and taking off. Yes honesty is the best policy...Wish I could talk my brother in to letting us steal his kids away for our next trip. I fear they will never go if we don't

 

[urglewurgle]

definately tell him everything he asks... truthfully... imagine if you kinda lied, or rather, toned-it-down... then he goes on, is scared and hates it! he'd never trust you again!

there was a little boy in the queue behind us for Space Mountain Mission 2 (at disneyland Paris) and it was his 1st rller coaster! his parents had never been on so we told him what it was like... and gave him tips on how not to get his head banged on the seats (it STILL happens to me... blah)... and he made the decision to ride (we did encourage him by saying "imagine how cool you'll feel when you get back to school and you can tell all your mates what you did!") and he loved it! lol...