Expedition Everest & Space Mtn for a 5 yr old?

[magchavez]

I'm trying to decide if EE and SM will be too scary for my 5 (almost 6) year old. He loved Big Thunder Mtn and Splash Mtn last year. EE and Space Mtn seem a little scarier to me so I'm not sure how he'll do. Some friends of ours said their 4 year old loved EE but I'm not sure. Anyone else have young kids that went on these rides and enjoyed them?

 

[champagne27]

My DD was 5 1/2 when we went and we tried EE after she did well on Splash and BTMR. I think she did ok - not sure she LOVED it but she willingly went on it a 2nd time. I did prepare her that it was supposed to go backwards just so she knew that it was "ok" when then happened.

I would definitely try Splash and BTMR first again just to get back in the swing of things.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[Hannathy]

Why don't you let her decide? Let her look at it when you get there and then decide, she'll never know until she tries them. I never tried to make up my kid's mind.

 

[Nienor]

Depends on if they like roller coasters. EE wasn't open when my son was 5 1/2, but he loved BTMRR, Space Mountain, Primieval Whirl and RockNRollerCoaster. If your child likes rollercoasters at a regular amusement park, they'll loved the theming of the rollercoasters at Disney.

 

[mrs.beast]

my son is tall so he rode space mountain at disneyland in ca at 3 1/2 and loved it. he loves most coaster rides. we have great america, bonfante gardens, and marine world near us, so he rides coasters often and started early.

edit: sorry he had just turned 4

 

[3boyzmom]

My 3 (almost 4) year old rode SM on our recent trip to DLR. He wanted to ride, so we let him. He did OK. He wasn't too scared, and was laughing when he came off the ride. He also liked BTMR.

However ... 6 year old wouod not even consider riding SM.

 

[MickeyMinnieMommy]

My son had just turned six when he rode Space the first time. He still loves it and is almost 8--but he likes for me to hold on to him!

He loves Everest (I can't remember how old he was when it opened--6 1/2, maybe?) and so do I! It's amazing!

We've found what works best for him is to tell him what to expect. He rode Dinosaur with his dad when he was 4, declared it the scariest ride at Disney World, and has still not been on it--all because neither of us had done it before and so couldn't tell him what to expect.

On the other hand, our daughter who is 3 years younger than he is, only enjoyed Soarin' of the 40" or taller rides this spring (she will be 5 soon). She hated Test Track and would not even try Splash or BTMRR. Oh, well, maybe next time....

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

My kids have been doing SpaceM ever since they were tall enough to ride. The dark factor never scared them and they love it. That said, DD hates SplashM, but she rides everything and anything else in the parks. DS hates ToT, but rides everything else. EE doesn't phase my two oldest and my youngest is too young at 2 to ride just yet. You never can figure what will float a kids boat-I'd let them try and see for themselves. If they seem apprehensive, then err on the side of caution and skip the attraction.

 

[Kies99]

My 5yo daughter LOVED Space Mountain. Rode it three times when we were there last month. She also loved Splash Mountain and Big Thunder and rode those multiple times as well. She was bummed she couldn't ride EE (just a little bit too short).

 

[landsm99]

Our 5 year old daughter drove us crazy all day in AK...want to see the Yeti!!! We let her ride-it was a mistake. She did not like the weird feeling she got in her belly.
For the rest of the trip she was scared that the ride would make her feel bad. This coming from a kid who at 4 could not ride Splash Mountain and BTMRR enough. She was even worried about the dark rides.
She had gotten over it by our 2nd to last day-rode SM, BTMRR, Mission Space (green team), TT all in our last 2 days. She had been talking about ToT for a year but would not go near it after EE.
It all comes down to the kid.

 

[Starr W.]

My youngest wouldn't ride EE at Thanksgiving, but he decided he was going to be a "brave boy" and try Space Mountain this trip. He loved it(rode it 2x in a row) now he are going to have to do AK at Thanksgiving so he can do EE.

 

[Kellie-in-Texas]

We leave in 8 days for first family trip to WDW - myself and DH (47), DS (14) and DS (5). My husband and I haven't been since we were teenagers - when I went, the ONLY park was Magic Kingdom! My older son went three years ago with his grandparents.

For the five-year-old, the main ride I'm concerned about is Space Mountain because of the way you have to sit - one behind the other instead of side by side. Is Space Mtn. the only "big" ride with this kind of seating? At least in rides like Dinosaur, we could always put a hand over his eyes at the scary parts! Kellie

 

[Kellie-in-Texas]

By the way, there is a long thread on the Theme Parks and Attraction forum called "Which rides for a 5yo" and it's got a lot of good info too. Just been reading it myself.

 

[juligrl]

If your kid likes BTMRR and Splash then he'll probably be okay with SM. If you can sell him on the "it's just like BTMRR only space themed and in the dark" angle. Personally I find it rather a calm roller coaster myself.

If the dark is a no go try him on Primeval Whirl at AK. It's a step up from BTMRR with more motion to it, but it's not in the dark so you can sort of see what's coming next.

I haven't been there since EE's been open so no advice there.

 

[badblackpug]

My 5 y/o LOVED EE and SM, and prior to that he had never ridden a roller coaster before!

 

[lillygator]

my 4 year old DD loves Everest and Space Mtn...! I think he would be fine if he doesn't mind the dark.