As is so obvious, every kid is different. And while it works for some to have their parents modeling how fun it is, one wonders what people think other parents are doing? I guarantee that the adults in my family have never acted scared of the HM, but our son just hates it. Has since he was two and few more and more anxious as the line for it at
Disneyland for us closer and closer to the ride vehicles. Took the chicken exit and that was almost worse. Dark long hallways.
The stretching room, or the way people behave in there, is awful.
Like many, my son loves fast rides, has seen many movies, loves many things that scare other kids and adults. But the HM at MK and at DL (when not overlaid with nightmare before Christmas stuff) are not enjoyed by the kid. Just the music sets him off. He's 10 and I make him go because I'm horrid like that (kept waiting and waiting for him to decide he likes it) but really, that rarely happens because it's just not worth it.
Alas, DS knows there are no guarantees. My mom died before I even met my husband, and his grandpa died when he was 2.5. He's already lost 3 cats that were important to him. Over the last two years he has seen the aftermath (and one in action) of 7 strokes that his living grandma has suffered. He has always known instinctively and from experience that stuff happens and that no one can protect everyone from everything, so clinging to us doesn't help him as much as if he were less of a realist.
Death is something that terrifies him, and that's what the HM is all about.
