DS Tall Enough to Ride...But

[scanne]

OK. My DS is 40". Basically tall enough for LOTS of rides at WDW. But, he's 3 1/2. (He'll be 4 on August 8th). He LOVES Star Wars! He says he wants to go on Star Tours (yes, he's tall enough) but would you let a little guy of your own ride this? I am having a lot of conflict over this one. I've been on it myself, but it was jerky. Would I just be able to walk him through the queue to see all the cool Star Wars stuff then hit the chicken exit??

I'd love your thoughts/opinions! I don't want my little guy getting hurt. Just because he's tall enough still may not mean he's truly ready to ride some of these rides, you know???

THANKS!

 

[beattyfamily]

My DD is tall enough for lots of rides but won't ride them (ToT, Splash, Thunder...) but she has rode Star Tours and LOVED it. She is 6 now but she first rode it at age 4.

I personally think you son will love it!

Good luck deciding!

 

[scanne]

I personally think you son will love it!

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I do, too, but I just want to check that it's not TOO jerky. Your DD rode it at 4? She liked it was ok??? Thanks!!!

 

[beattyfamily]

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I do, too, but I just want to check that it's not TOO jerky. Your DD rode it at 4? She liked it was ok??? Thanks!!!

My DD loved it. She did fine. And this is a girl who is afraid of Splash!

 

[antree]

My DS is 4 yrs old and is tall enough since he was 3. Would I let him ride the bigger rides? NO. Being tall does not account for how they will handle the rides. With all the movements, jerking and stopping, I would think I was putting him in danger somehow. We know how to position our self during rough movement, how well does a 3 or 4 or even 5 yr old know how to or even when to do it. Do a baby swap, explain to him how rough some rides are and how fragile is body is. My son won't even think about asking to ride the bigger rides he knows they are for big kids. You can walk thru to the point of loading then I would use the chicken exit. Again this is my own opinion, I am not putting down anyone else's opinion.

 

[Marinerbaby]

We took our son last Summer. He had just turned four in July a few weeks before. He loves Star Wars and loved the ride. It was his favorite. Even if your son doesn't ride he can walk through the ship (ride) and wait with you on the other side for any of the other party members.

 

[Daydreamer64]

We let our just turned 3 yo ride and he was in awe! He loved it- a bit of advice though - this child was born wild and never was or is still -he loves any adventure he's old or big enough to try-

we were advised that the front middle seats were much smoother then any other rows were- we did test runs before he rode and found that the front was indeed much smother and less rough then the middle rows and back row seats- try to sit in the middle of the front row- explain to the CM that you will be happy to wait until the next "shuttle" to get tose seats for your little one. The CM's have never given us a hard time if we ask nicely.- have fun.

Oh, by the way, child #2 was very shy and quite and always fearful of new adventures BUT he also loved ST when he rode in the front middle- HTH

We are waiting to find out what kind of rider #3 DS is going to be!

 

[NotUrsula]

Let me tell you a story ...

My DS (now 9) had never heard of Star Wars the first time he rode Star Tours. He was 2 yo (he's tall for his age), not yet speaking very much, and *just* tall enough, but he happily skipped up the ramp and was rapt with attention at all the cool "droids" in the pre-show area. We got on the ride, in the back row yet, and strapped him in, telling him that it was a pretend spaceship.

Once the ride started, DH & I looked down to see his little hands gripped tight on the armrests, while he stared at the screen in unblinking silence. When the ride stopped, we were biting our lips, just *sure* that we had now managed to put the kid off simulator rides for life. He stayed still for a beat, then the most beatific smile you can possibly imagine bloomed across his face, and he looked up at me and said, "AGAIN!" We rode ST 10 times that day.

For us, that ride created a monster. For 4 years, the ONLY bedtime stories he wanted were readings from SW technical manuals; I'm so up on SW trivia that I can now win contests. (He still reads them constantly on his own.) We own EVERY book ever written about the films, characters and "The Star Wars Universe", including some written in Japanese that he wanted for the illustrations. He owns 9 toy lightsabers, models of every single ship seen in any of the films, and nearly every SW lego set ever made. There is a talking Darth Vader mask hanging over his bed. The only gifts he ever asks for on birthdays or Xmas are SW memorabilia. We just returned from our 5th Star Wars Weekends experience at WDW. Now, I happen to like SW myself, and I just thank my lucky stars it's not Yugioh he's obsessed with, but just remember that I warned you!

 

[scanne]

NotUrsula,

WHat a great story! Thank you for sharing! My DS loves all things Star Wars - like my DH - and reads all those kinds of books, too. I hope he will ride SW. I think if I sit him in the front middle like another poster recommended, he'll be fine. At the very least, we will walk him through the queue, but I'm hoping - after reading your story - that he will ride.

Thanks again, for sharing!

 

[WantToGoNow]

My son rode it at 3.5 and didn’t like it at all. I have heard that if you ask the CM if your child can do a “test flight”, they sometimes let them go into the ride and do it without the simulator on – this is usually for kids that don’t meet the 40” mark but would probably do it for someone right at. That way he would think he rode the ride, but you would know that he was safe.

 

[castleeto]

Sorry for the double post!

 

[castleeto]

I really think it depends on the child.

I know that I was afraid of EVERYTHING until I was around 7 or 8, but I was always on the short side so it wasn't an option very early on. My daughter on the other hand is tall and brave! She just turned 2 last month, is 35" and LOVES fast rides! Last week she rode the Matterhorn for the first time, since she's been riding Gadget's Go Coaster in Toontown, and and has been asking to ride the Matterhorn for a few months. (We're Disneyland passholders). I was a little nervous, but she sat with me and I held onto her very tight. I was afraid she would be scared, but when the ride ended she just said, "Cool ride! Fast!" and had a huge smile on her face.

I think part of the difference is that she has been going to Dland since she was 3 months old, and has even loved the drop on Pirates of the Caribbean when she first rode it at 6 months old! My first time at Dland I was 3, and I had never experienced anything like that before!

I never would have expected it, but I guess that some young kids do alright on the bigger rides. I still would be hesitant to let her go on some like Mission Space or Rock N Roller Coaster until she's quite a bit older though, even if she is tall enough. IMHO, Star Tours is probably fine for 3-4 yr olds. If it wasn't, it would have a taller height requirement, or an age requirement like some do. But you know your child better than anyone else. Some kids that age will be scared to death and others will love it!

 

[AdventurerKat]

My 3 year old (he turned 3 at the end of March) went on it with me in June and loved it. He loves Kali River Rapids too. That was his first "big boy ride". And this one is also chomping at the bit to ride TOT too...he's THREE! He's not quite tall enough yet but I don't know what I am going to do when he is because Star Tours is one thing...but TOT is definitely another. He's a little daredevil.

 

[va32h]

My ten year old is a major thrillseeker - she rode ToT for the first time at the age of 6, and finally got to add California Screamin' to her list of thrills this past month.

But Star Tours makes her sick as a dog. She isn't scared of it, but it makes her naseous and headache-y in a way no other coaster or simulator ride does. I also don't like the ride - it just feels a lot jerkier than any of the other Disney coasters.

 

[all4fun]

Let him go, if you think he's ready...

NotUrsula, Now you've got me scared. Ever since we let ds "play" with one of those talking Darth Vader masks (while riding around in the cart at Cosco last fall) he has been totally enamoured of everything Star Wars. Our last three Disney trips (see siggy) have been to DL and each and every time he's seen the Star Tours marquee he's wanted to ride, but alas he is too short. Now, he's 39" w/out shoes and we have been crossing our fingers that in three months he'll be 40" with shoes (& no, we're not going to do anything "extra" to boost his height, wouldn't think of it!). He just gets so excited about anything to do with Star Wars. On our last trip to DL, dh found a $4 plastic Darth Vader figure that ds clutched (along with his blanket, lol) throughout the park. He lost it somewhere so dh had to buy him another one (since it was *gasp* actually a cheap toy). The associations he makes are funny too. Today, he saw a picture of the space shuttle on the back of a magazine we got in the mail, pointed and said, "Star Wars!". Brennan is actually speech delayed and his language skills are just starting to blossum at barely three, so it's funny to hear him say words that have, well, nothing to do with real life.

And guess what, we're planning a trip for next year during Star Wars weekend, because of Brennan of course. I know, we're nuts.

Anyway, if that his how your ds reacted at age two, after one ride, then given how my ds is acting now, I just wonder what he's going to be like after he rides the ride. Now I'm really frightened! Like you, it's a good thing I like Star Wars.

 

[SueM in MN]

My son rode it at 3.5 and didn’t like it at all. I have heard that if you ask the CM if your child can do a “test flight”, they sometimes let them go into the ride and do it without the simulator on – this is usually for kids that don’t meet the 40” mark but would probably do it for someone right at. That way he would think he rode the ride, but you would know that he was safe.

The "test flight" is just running the movie without having any motion. They will do it sometimes for people with disabilities or things like motion sickness, who want the experience, but who could not otherwise ride.

Whether or not they can do it depends on how busy it is and their staffing. Since it takes one ride simulator out of commission for one cycle, they usually only do it when it is not busy. And, sometimes, if it's slow, they don't have extra staff to run another ride car without motion.
If you are interested in doing it, ask the first CM that you come to about it. That CM can advise whether or not they can do it that day. Often, they will give you a time to come back when you will be able to do it.

The ride itself is quite jerky. There are a lot of quick changes of direction. The story itself should not be that scary for a child who is familiar to the Star Wars "universe".
****SPOILERS AHEAD****





The story is that you are on a routine star trip with a new droid. He directs you to the wrong place and you end up in the middle of an asteroid field and then in a battle. That's where all the quick changes of direction come in. It ends up fine. If your child would have a problem with the idea of being in the wrong place or being in a battle, I would wait a few years.

 

[SarahKate]

We went in February and my daughter was about 3.5 at the time and like OP, she was BARELY 40 inches! DD had ridden "kiddie rides" up to this point, but no big rides, EVER.

She did Star Tours with NO problem at all and enjoyed all the theming. She wasn't CRAZY about the ride, but she wasn't terrified either.

She has ridden Test Track, Haunted Mansion as well as Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. We were very hesitant about BTMR, but as we walked off the ride she said - "it was a little scary, can we go AGAIN?!" My daughter has never been a wild child, and is pretty cautious about things, so I am VERY surprised that she has been into some of these rides - it's GREAT for us because then there's so muhc more we can take her on! And the kid has grown 2 more inches since Ffebruary so it will be great when we go NEXT FEb!

 

[kaysmommie]

Let me tell you a story ...

My DS (now 9) had never heard of Star Wars the first time he rode Star Tours. He was 2 yo (he's tall for his age), not yet speaking very much, and *just* tall enough, but he happily skipped up the ramp and was rapt with attention at all the cool "droids" in the pre-show area. We got on the ride, in the back row yet, and strapped him in, telling him that it was a pretend spaceship.

Once the ride started, DH & I looked down to see his little hands gripped tight on the armrests, while he stared at the screen in unblinking silence. When the ride stopped, we were biting our lips, just *sure* that we had now managed to put the kid off simulator rides for life. He stayed still for a beat, then the most beatific smile you can possibly imagine bloomed across his face, and he looked up at me and said, "AGAIN!" We rode ST 10 times that day.

For us, that ride created a monster. For 4 years, the ONLY bedtime stories he wanted were readings from SW technical manuals; I'm so up on SW trivia that I can now win contests. (He still reads them constantly on his own.) We own EVERY book ever written about the films, characters and "The Star Wars Universe", including some written in Japanese that he wanted for the illustrations. He owns 9 toy lightsabers, models of every single ship seen in any of the films, and nearly every SW lego set ever made. There is a talking Darth Vader mask hanging over his bed. The only gifts he ever asks for on birthdays or Xmas are SW memorabilia. We just returned from our 5th Star Wars Weekends experience at WDW. Now, I happen to like SW myself, and I just thank my lucky stars it's not Yugioh he's obsessed with, but just remember that I warned you!

I love this story it's too cute! You just never know how their going to react. Thanks for sharing that.

 

[Debbie6221]

We have gone to Disney with Grandma, Bappa, Mom, Dad, Daughter and Uncle every year since my daughter was born in 2002 and NOW she is tall enough for more rides! She is 3 (turning 4 in November)and is 41 inches tall. Any rides to avoid even though she is tall enough (besides the obvious like Tower of Terror)? Any other advice? I've read everything you guys have said about Star Wars but was wondering about other stuff too. I don't want to ruin her for life because she was thrown around too much. What do you guys think of Splash Mountain and Thunder mountain?
Unfortunately, someone will still have to sit out with the baby (who joins our gang for the first time)but I love the magic through his age too.
We go to WDW October 11th for an EIGHT night stay at the Grand Floridian and I CAN NOT WAIT!!!! My son will turn ONE there on the 12th and my parents will celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary there on the 15th. I am new to the boards and new to chat rooms so I will have to keep learning as I go. Thanks for listening to me ramble on!

 

[all4fun]

Just got back last week and ds (almost 3-1/2yrs) was just over 40" with his shoes on. He rode EVERYTHING with a 40" height limit at least once, even ToT. ToT was the only ride I felt was too much for him, but it wasn't really the ride, IMO. I think the other riders who were screaming bloody murder were what really scared him the most. Poor baby was shaking when we got off and then I felt like the worlds worst mom In my own defense, DH wanted him to try that ride much more than I did, but anyway... He rode Splash and BTMR twice and loved them. We bought the photo off of his first ride on Splash. He looked terrified! But when the big drop was over he was smiling and asked to go again, lol. Just today we were talking about the rides and he (surprisingly) said ToT was fun (and I'm positive he understood which ride we were talking about). He loved, loved, loved, Stitch's Great Escape - laughed through it in it's entirety - Test Track, and Star Tours.

Anyway, you just never know exactly what to expect. I was happy that he enjoyed most everything.