Experience with Kali?

[tinkerbell6]

Does anyone have experience with kids on the Kali River Rapids? DD is 7, and is tall enough...just wondering about how kids do on that ride? I know we can expect to get soaked, so if the weather's not that great on our trip, we may skip the ride anyway. DD is pretty fearless, has gone on everything she could in the past. How secure are kids on this ride...no worries about falling out?

We didn't go to AK on our last trip 2 years ago, and DD wasn't big enough for KRR anyway. If the weather's good, we'd like to give it a try this time. Anyone with experience on KRR?

 

[DebIreland]

We loved it! It was my favourite ride in all of WDW - whatever it was about the combination of fun and the blessed relief of getting wet in 95 degree heat I really enjoyed it and so did my boys, 11 and 8. When we were on it there was a little girl who looked no older than 6 and she was fine - she was nervous at first but I think she had it built up in her head as a scary ride and really enjoyed it in the end. It's a lot milder than you'd expect and really is great fun. I'd describe it as one of the milder rides at WDW. There's two people to a seat, if that makes sense. Not that you're squished into someone else but people need to sit in twos fo safety but there's no fear at all of falling out, there's a strap (or a bar, can't remember which, but definitely something). We felt totally secure (and I can be nervous about the whole 'falling out' thing).

 

[auntyjenn]

You only have a lap-belt on, but you sit way down in the 'tube', so you never feel like you're going to fall out. The ride is really short. As long as your child doesn't mind being hit by a giant wall of water (you only see it coming if you're facing forward at the time, but then you don't get as wet) they should be fine. My DS8 was fine until we went to the super-air-conditioned Lion King show after.

 

[Jalva22]

We rode it (repeatedly) last June. DS was 5 and DD was 9 at the time. No problems at all. Your strapped into the seat with a velcro lap belt, if I remember right, and the thought of falling out never crossed any of our minds (at least no one ever brought it up if it did). Really, it's very tame except for the one drop, and it's not bad at all. I know people react differently to things, but that was our experience. Only complaint was that it was too short.

 

[aaroncg]

This is my families favorite ride. The last time we were there my youngest was 5. I am planning our next vacation for sep. and all my kids are excited about is this ride. of coarse it also has to do with the fact that I was the one to get EXTREMLY SOAKED and my familiy thought that was great. They still tease me. Have fun

 

[Horizons16]

this are also 3 seats on each raft that has a lap bar that can be used

 

[tinkerbell6]

I think we'll do it for sure, providing it's fairly warm outside. I also just double-checked the height req. for Kali, and it's only 38 inches! So DD would have been way more than tall enough last time, but we hadn't gone to AK anyway. I think the fact it's only 38 inches means it's pretty tame. Thanks for the reassurances!

 

[smileyk8]

Really not a very scary ride and altho some of the bumps do bounce you around a bit as you'll be sat with her (it's a lap belt if I remember rightly). You can keep hold of her if you want to! Altho I agree it's lovely to be soaked, once the humidity is nice and high you just feel sticky. Many people complain their legs rub in damp clothes so i would take a change of clothes unless it's the last ride you go on.

 

[PixiePop]

My DS rode it when he was four and loved it! Be warned you WILL get SOAKED!

 

[IwannaseeMickey]

My 5 yr old loved it...they were able to ride it 3 or 4 times in a row in Oct. He wore his rain poncho the first few times and then took it off for the last few rides. He had a blast! My 3 yr old rode it once and thought that was enough for her! He'll love it!

 

[kilee]

Just watch which shoes you wear. Your sneakers can get absolutely soaked and make it not fun to walk around all day. We always bring our flip flops in our back-pack just for this ride.

 

[digskat]

my kids, DS(6) and DD(8), have asked to go on it wice each trip. They absolutely loved it. There is little fear factor, so I don't think that will be an issue.

 

[CanadianPaco]

Our DD was 6 (on the petite side) when she first rode it! We all loved it and rode it 4 more times that day. On trip # 2, we rode it 7 times! When we go next year, we're going for 10!! As for the clothes thing, be safe and bring a change. We didn't the second trip and couldn't do A Bug's Life because we knew the air conditioning would do us all is for the rest of our AK day.

 

[Brianne]

No worries about the kids, but I'll ditto the "you'll get soaked" comments. I had the misfortune of being the one going down backwards, which is the worst seat (or the best seat if you're actually looking to get soaked, I think!)--I had a literal wall of water hit me from overhead. Of course I was thrilled about that. Really.

 

[Tiggernut_jadie]

Just to confirm that at 7 your DD will be fine - my DD first rode it when she had just turned 4 (and again last year at 5) and thought it was great. She couldn't wait to take her Godparents on it last year to get them soaked!!!!!

 

[ntengwall]

Would a rain poncho help you to not get super-soaked?

 

[tinkerbell6]

Would a rain poncho help you to not get super-soaked?

I'm hoping that's the case! Mind you, I don't really want to look like a complete dope being the only one wearing a poncho!

Also hoping the "wall of water" that may hit won't dislodge a contact lens!

I'd rather be soaked at WDW than sitting here in the rain today!

 

[Enchanted]

When I rode Kali, the entire boat was made up of various adults and one five year old boy. He seemed kind of nervous at first, but we all started talking to him and pointing out all of the great scenery and he quickly became excited about the ride. When we went down the "drop," which is more of a long ramp, he squealed with delight. Especially when my aunt and I got soaked. Everyone else was relatively dry, but we got it bad. We played it up and made him giggle. I think kids will love this ride. If they seem nervous, do like our boat did and chat him or her up to distract them. Hope that helped.

 

[helenm29]

Oh Yeah! we first rode it in May and it's a good thing that it was HOT outside because we all got DRENCHED! the worst drenching was when we went down backward under the water fall. Be prepared to get wet!

 

[mom23boys]

We did this ride on Jan 29th. My poor Middle DS (6) got the bad seat. Everyone gets soaked but one seat usually really gets it.

He was drenched. I had to get him a new shirt and shorts at the Kali kiosk outside of the ride.

His shoes were still we when we left for the plane the next day and he had to were his flip flops with socks.

I felt so bad for him. But he said it was second best to Everest.