Getting your kids to try new rides

[bella2117]

So with the new mine train opening I really want my son to try it but I know he will be apprehensive but I know he will love it when it's over. I know he's going to be weepy on line waiting to go on but should I try anyway? Does that make me a mean parent? How do you guys get your little ones to try new exciting rides? He likes all the other rides but this would be his first "roller coaster". Maybe it's to soon? :/ I'm torn so any advice would be appreciated.

 

[JaymeC]

I have a seven year old who hates coasters. Hates them. Hates anything with a drop or anything that moves quickly. He's fine with simulators (ie: Star Tours), but this kid is even afraid of Dumbo (because it goes up to high)

I've tried different strategies, and he's been a little trooper about trying new rides, but this trip we're just not doing it anymore. If he doesn't want to go, he doesn't have to. Including 7DMT. It'll be more work for our touring plans (or trade offs of only mom or dad riding with his brother). And you know what? He's much more excited about going this year because its relaxing to him to know he doesn't have to do anything he deems scary.

Now having said this, you know your kid. If you know he'll really like it in the end by all means go ahead. But I would hate spending the time in line for a popular ride like 7DMT with an upset kiddo. There's going to come a time when he's ready for it, it just may not be this trip. And there's plenty of non-scary stuff at WDW

Edited to add: My child has never cried in line or been terrified getting on a ride. I see that waaaaaaay too often on rides like ToT, and honestly I think that's usually a sign to skip the ride this go-round

 

[bigbabyblues]

How old is he?

There was the trip that my then 8-yo was afraid to ride Everest and RnRC; he thought he wanted to, but he was afraid to go. He also wanted a certain soccer jersey from a shop in Epcot that was $50, but he didn't want to spend his own money to get it. DH told him we would buy the jersey if he rode both rides, and he did. He is 13 now and still loves those rides! We've also done the "everyone rides once and if you don't like it, you don't ever have to ride it again" with things like HM or MS that aren't really scary--this applies to me as well, I'm a chicken. The same DS as above has ridden Splash twice and doesn't like it at all. He goes through the line with us and takes the chicken exit if we are waiting standby, or just waits for us somewhere if we use FP.

My youngest DS was the same way with ToT. He was only 4 though, and we weren't going to bribe him at that age for something that might scare him. We were getting ready to leave DHS one evening, and he asked what we were going to do now because he didn't want to go back to the room. DH told him that the two of them were going to go ride ToT by themselves, and he said OK, and off they went! I was nervous for him because I had never ridden ToT at that time, but he loved it! They ended up riding twice in a row with only a 10-minute wait!

 

[DisneyPhotographics]

MY 9 year old son is just now warming up to riding roller coasters.

He loves to design them on the computer with Roller Coaster Tycoon 3. I think by building them he is more interested.

You might try seeing if your child will try Sum of All Thrills in Epcot where they can make their own roller coaster. They can make it as tame as possible.

Watching ridethroughs on YouTube also helps.

He also rode Splash Mountain, his first big drop ride which helps.

Ultimately I don't pressure him because he would worry all day about it instead of having fun.

 

[PJBottoms]

His first coaster? I would take him over to goofys barnstormer or whatever they're calling that kiddie coaster these days. After he rides that( and lives) then ask him if he wants to ride 7 dmt. I wouldn't make a child go on something even if I was sure they would enjoy it. FWIW, my 10 year old is terrified of the characters and I sometimes feel sad that she's missing out on the breakfasts and the interactions but I would feel worse if I was one of those people who posts pics of their child screaming on santas lap. It's her decision and aren't the kids the reason we are there? Hope you have a great vaca!

 

[KimK2006]

We have used bribery, too. Just a little extra incentive if we knew they would like it if they tried it

 

[Tondee]

We also use the "try it once and if you don't like it you don't have to ride it again" approach. Maybe let him watch it online but that could cause more anxiety. If he truly flips out see if you can do rider swap. My child is very nervous about new things but he also loves everything after he tries them. Maybe tell him it is a lot like BTMRR.

 

[tnd]

We told my son we'd buy him a pin for any big ride he tried last summer. He rode Tower of Terror, Expedition Everest, and Space Mountain and got pins for each. Now he loves them and wants to ride them again this summer.

 

[disnut8]

So with the new mine train opening I really want my son to try it but I know he will be apprehensive but I know he will love it when it's over. I know he's going to be weepy on line waiting to go on but should I try anyway? Does that make me a mean parent? How do you guys get your little ones to try new exciting rides? He likes all the other rides but this would be his first "roller coaster". Maybe it's to soon? :/ I'm torn so any advice would be appreciated.

I'm assuming this will be your first time on the new ride as well? Why not join in his apprehension? Tell him you are a little scared too since you've never been on it yourself. Let him know he's not alone in his concerns but show him an example of trying something new.

 

[Mimarian]

We always watch the POV versions of the rides on YouTube. Then we bribe him.

 

[bella2117]

Thanks for all the ideas!! I've done the POV before and the only one he got scared of was splash. He did it!! But he didn't like it The drop is what did it but I don't see a huge drop in the new coaster. I guess I'll feel him out. I mean I can always snag a fastpass for me and my DH I just wish we could all enjoy it but I'll take anything since we will be disney World

 

[emilyyvic]

Great suggestions! I plan to use them on my DF who is a BIG chicken and doesn't want to ride RnR or Everest!

 

[bella2117]

just showed my son the POV of the mine train and he was so excited!!! He said he will go on it! So I'm pretty excited now i just hope my 4 year old is big enough to ride. For those who asked my oldest is 6 thanks again guys

 

[ponyboy]

My littlest one, Trevor, was 8 the last time we went. He rode TOT and RNRC but he refused to ride Everest. I got him on it by telling him that it was the mini-mine train.

He was fine in the beginning until we started going up the big hill and that's when he realized and he started yelling at me, "This is Everest! This is Everest!". Then once we made it up to the top where the tracks are destroyed he thought that the train stopped because the tracks were really broken then it took off backwards and he thought that we were crashing.

He was real mad at me for a little while and I felt bad for tricking him but I really thought he would like it after he rode TOT and RNRC but I was wrong. I bribed him to cheer him up afterwards. That said, I'd trick him into riding it again if I thought I could get away with it but I don't think he'll fall for it again.

Three of my kids love that stuff and the middle boy and youngest just don't really get into it. I'm hoping Trevor is a little more open this year when we go. He's grown up a lot in the last couple of years. If not though, I won't try to talk him into doing anything else he doesn't want to do.

 

[Jessicavoet]

This isn't at Disney World, but a few years ago when we took DS8 (he was 6 at the time) to Six Flags we bribed him and my nephew (same age) to go on roller coasters. We told them that if they were brave and rode "scary" rides they could have a Batman cape they were both dying to have from the gift shop. They rode the rides, and they got their capes. For the most part he now loves all rides, water slides, etc but he was a little scared by the Tower of Terror and Everest videos we watched once. So I told him I won't force him to ride anything he doesn't want to, it's his vacation too and I don't want to scare him on his vacation. But I did tell him that if he did choose to be super brave and ride the "Scary" rides, he could have a prize just like at Six Flags.

 

[evilqueenmindy]

Another vote for bribery. My nephew doesn't really have issues with rides, but when he was about 3 he went through a phase where he haaaated fireworks. We had him with us when we decided to walk over to see illuminations from BC, and promised if he was very brave, he could get a toy afterward. He was good, sat on his mom's shoulders (we were way back by the international gateway, not blocking anyone's view, I swear) when the fireworks had juuuust ended, there's just this split second of quiet before everyone hurries off to where they are going, this silence was broken by my nephew yelling "AND NOW I GET A PRESENT!!" It cracked everyone up.

 

[Disney Khaleesi]

Bribery works best, in all honesty. I went to Disneyland when I was 9. There were quite a few things I didn't want to go on, but I was a trooper and went on them anyway. I ended up liking the majority of the rides. However, all that apprehension built up. So, my cousins had finally convinced me (after a LOT of begging) to ride California Screamin'. I got in line with them, but towards the end of the line I started freaking out and crying. The CM up front said if I didn't like the ride, he'd buy me ice cream. Well, I ended up liking the ride, and the day was saved.

So normally I wouldn't recommend bribery...but hey, it's a Disney trip. Why not?