Concern about 2 1/2 yo DS on rides

[Bryn]

We took older DS when he was 2 1/2 and he adored all the rides. We're planning a trip for this Jan, when younger DS will be 2 1/2.
This past summer we went to a kiddie amusement park and DS was terrified of the rides. He was barely just 2 years old so we didn't really think anything of it.

Last weekend, we went apple picking and he was extremely hesitant to get on the tractor, wanted to get off the whole time and practically pushed people aside to get off first.

Rhetorical question - how can 2 brothers be so different?!?!

Real question - what do we do if he refuses to go on any rides while we're at WDW?!?!?!

 

[BevS97]

there is loads to do even if he won't go on any rides. you can see characters, watch the parades and street shows, soak up the atmosphere. It's hard to say specifically what, but we have loads of days in the parks where rides are not the major part of the day.

if Its a Small World wasn't closed I would suggest trying him on that, as that was the first ride my dd would ride - but unfortunatly it's closed. Pooh Bear might be a reasonable choice to try.

 

[Lollipop Mom]

Every kid is different so I don't know if yours will react the same way mine did but we took my oldest for the first time last year when he was 3½. He is a big chicken. :lol: Before we went he wouldn't even ride on those stationary ride things at the mall. The merry-go-round was about the only ride he would do and that's only if we rode with him. We really wondered if he would ride anything but thought it might be OK since the rides at Disney are "big" so we could ride with him on them. He did a total turn around once we were there. I'm talking total 180. He was INSISTENT that his first ride be Thunder Mountain! As we headed in that direction on our first day I tried to talk him into Magic Carpets of Aladin. I tried Jungle Cruise. I was so worried that he would flip out on BTMR and refuse to ride anything else. He flat out refused to get on anything till he rode BTMR. We stood there and I made him watch it. Did he see how fast it went? Did he hear the people screaming? Didn't matter, he wanted to do it. He was quite ready to get off when it stopped but it didn't deter him from riding other things the rest of the day. He's still a big chicken when it comes to fast rides but he will ride everything else. He even said Goofy's Barnstormer was too fast but he has agreed to give that one another try this trip. The friends we are meeting there have daughters the same age as him and they are both "brave girls" so he may have a change of heart when he sees them riding.

I have to say that my 2 boys are totally different too. For as big of a chicken as DS 4 is, DS 2½ is an even bigger thrill seeker. :lol He was SOOO mad that his brother was big enough to go on Splash last trip and he wasn't (big brother got on Splash happy and waving and got off sobbing ). We had to carry him kicking and screaming away from Goofy's Barnstormer after 3 rides in a row and he still wasn't ready to leave yet.

 

[Kevenswife2]

You can do a 'Kid Swap' on the rides he doesn't want to ride. That way your 'more daring child' can ride two times in a row, once with each parent.

 

[LisaZoe]

My DD did fine on the rides at DLR when she was 23 mo last year. She was a bit hesitant on rides that started in a dark area but wasn't scared. One our recent WDW trip, at 35 mo, she was still pretty game for most of the rides but seemed even more concerned about those that started in the dark.

We took it slow - the first couple of days going mostly on rides that are very basic, such as the AK safaris, MK Jungle Cruise, Epcot rides in Mexico and Norway, etc. as well as the really simple ones like Dumbo, Triceratop Spin and Aladdin's Magic Carpets. After DD had gotten a chance to see that they weren't too scary, we moved up to the more "intense" rides. She went on POTC and HM at MK and even said she wanted to go on Splash Mountain (but was too short). She also rode Goofy's Barnstormer but I think that was just a bit too fast for her and she didn't want to ride it again.

When my siblings, their families and I went to DLR 10 years ago, my nephew, then 12, was definitely not a ride enthusiast before we went. We were concerned about how he'd do at DLR because he wouldn't go on most of the carnival type rides his younger brothers loved. We kind of teased him because he'd go on the "kiddie" rides only. Luckily, when we got to DLR, he was very willing to go on all the rides with the rest of us. He later said that the rides felt safer than at the carnivals. I know your DS isn't at an age where he can make that kind of assessment consciously but it could be something similar. The canival type rides do "feel" different, less stable and sound, and lurch about a lot more than do those at Disney.

Good luck. As other posters have noted, there is always the option of doing a kid swap so older DS can still go on the big rides even if younger DS isn't ready.

 

[tinkernelllec]

There are so many other things to do than rides!!!! There are great shows to see at Animal Kingdom, and don't forget the animals, which are a great hit with kids of that age. Now there are rides at each pavillion in Epcot, but there is other things to do, other than the ride in many of them, Imagination, Land, Body, Etc., MGM has great shows too, and so does MK. If your still wanting the rides, start off slow, like the people mover. You know, kids are so in awe in Disney, that they aren't concerned with the rides, they just want to see the buildings and parades. Especially at 2 and 4.
Have Fun!!!!
Also the kidswap thing is a great idea!!!

 

[poohkinandpiglet]

My kids are like that. DD,3, will ride anything. DS, 5, is afraid of EVERYTHING. We just take it slow the first day and let him get comfortable.