DS age 3 rode Test Track!!!

[waltskids]

We just got home from WDW yesterday and DS can't stop talking about riding Test Track. He just turned 3 in November and is tall for his age. He just hit 40 inches so we thought he may not be able to ride, as he was so close to the height requirement, but he made it! He rode once in the morning earlier in the week, then again on NYE (with a fastpass of course, lol!) around 4pm. He loved it both times and is so proud of his first 'big boy' ride. We didn't try any other 40'' rides, but this summer we will try BTMRR and maybe Startours.

 

[kohlby]

Glad he enjoyed it! Test Track was the favorite ride for my oldest when he was a week after turning 3. His favorite changed to Men in Black 6 months later when he was barely 42" - so check that out if you're going to US/IOA for your next trip. He did like Star Tours at 3 as well. BTMRR was his second favorite ride at 3 and 3.5. We're going with a possibly 40" child in a few weeks and Test Track and BTMRR are the two rides I'm really hoping she'll be tall enough for.

 

[two-foxes]

Our oldest will be 3 on our next trip and it is interesting to hear what other 3 yo are riding....dh and I were just talking last night about this because DS is tall enough to do the Barnstormer already, and we still have 8 months till we go and he's growing like a weed! TT will be a good one to try with him, but he is pretty noise sensitive, so that may be an issue with some of the rides, too. Thanks for sharing!

 

[tartemis]

I have a VERY tall DD who is just 27 months old and already 40 inches tall. We are heading to Disney World next month, and I'm not sure how we are going to handle the "thrill" rides. If you had asked me last week, I said for sure I would not let her ride any. This week, however, she has gone down some pretty big (and fast) sledding hills by herself. I'm now thinking that if (and only if) she specifically asks to go on a big ride that I may let her go. But, I do worry about traumatizing her, since I'm not sure she would be ready. Any other experiences or advice out there?

 

[BellyBaby]

haha! That's so awesome! Good for him! My chicken and very short (38") DD4 didn't make the cut our last trip, but probably a good thing b/c Goofy's Barnstormer scared the pants off her!

"I thought I was going to fall out!" My poor baby.

Ahhhh! How do I convert this child?!! We can't have this!!

 

[Microcell]

Wowee!!! My DD went at age 5 with me (mom) and screamed the whole way "Daddy, Daddy, DADDY!!!!!"

She is almost 12 and still won't go back.

 

[puffkin]

I have a VERY tall DD who is just 27 months old and already 40 inches tall. We are heading to Disney World next month, and I'm not sure how we are going to handle the "thrill" rides. If you had asked me last week, I said for sure I would not let her ride any. This week, however, she has gone down some pretty big (and fast) sledding hills by herself. I'm now thinking that if (and only if) she specifically asks to go on a big ride that I may let her go. But, I do worry about traumatizing her, since I'm not sure she would be ready. Any other experiences or advice out there?

My DS also hit 40" very early. We were there when he was 2 1/2 and he did all the 40" rides except ToT and only didn't do that because the line was too long and no more FP's that day. He loved everything.

Went back at age 3 and he did everything including ToT. Liked pretty much everything. Just got back from a trip and he is 3 1/2 and now everything is scary to him. We made him do everything at least once (his 9 year old cousin was with and she wanted to ride with him and it was her first time), but we didn't push it after that. He still LOVED Test Track, Soarin, Dinosaur, and Star Tours but wasn't thrilled with Splash, Big Thunder, or ToT.

I think they are fine until they are 3, because that is when they "learn" to be afraid.

 

[mgsmom]

My daughter was 36" at her 2 year old dr. appt, so I'm guessing by the time we go she will easily be 40" tall. She has always been really tall for her age.
What rides should I try first to test her scaredness? I was thinking maybe Goofy's Barnstormer would be a place to start?
I don't want to freak her out - but I don't want her to miss out on something she would love either.
Oh, she will be 2yr 8 mo when we go.

 

[brergnat]

I totally agree with Puffkin. Have had a similar experience with both our boys at Disneyland. They are NOW 5.5 and almost 4. The older one spent the entire year from 2-3 years old REGULARLY riding Matterhorn. He loved it. Since he turned 3, though, he is scared of EVERYTHING that is "big". He will only ride "small rides" (i.e. slow moving, not visually intimidating rides).

My younger one is a daredevil in EVERY sense of the word, BUT when we are at Disneyland, he is suddenly a chicken. To his credit, he will try new rides (as opposed to older brother who will make up his mind and stick to it). He has ridden Star Tours and sat like a champ, but the SECOND it was over, he couldn't get out of there fast enough. He said it was "too scary". Also too scary: SOARIN!!! He got freaked out by the fireworks at the end...too loud. And PoTC. He is afraid of the dark, so this ride is torture for him. I took him a couple weeks ago (because last time he rode it he was around 2 and LOVED it). He sat in my lap with his head buried in my shoulder the WHOLE RIDE. He was also suddenly terrified of Toy Story Midway Mania a couple weeks ago. Can't tell you why. He has ridden it about 20 times, and all of a sudden, it was "scary". I think it's a phase, since lately at home he's wanted to fall asleep with his light on (and the closet door open...I think he fears monsters in there).

So, you really need to know your kids, and don't push it. Make sure they have a full understanding of what the ride entails, and work your way up (like, don't start with ToT). There will be YEARS ahead where all they will want to do is ride the thrill rides, and you will be begging for mercy.

We are going to WDW in March. I think we will try Test Track, since DS4 LOVES cars. But, it's very loud, and that freaks him out too, so we'll have to see when we get there what he wants to do.

 

[clutter]

My dd was a tall toddler, 41" at 3, when we went to Disney. As a baby, she could not swing high enough or fast enough. She loved slides. So it seemed that speed and motion was something she loved.

First stop was Goofy's Barnstormer. She loved it! So then it was on to BTMRR. As we pulled into the station, all you could hear was a 3 year old yelling "again, again!" There has never been a ride that she's been afraid of (she's now almost 13). There have been some she doesn't like, but she'll ride anything.