Haunted Mansion with toddler?

[roserae]

Will the HM terrify my 27 month old? My dh and I just love that ride and would like to go on it with my dd, but we don't want to terrify her.

Has anyone taken there young child on this ride? And if so, how did you know that you weren't going to scar them for life?

 

[KatieKate16]

Took DD at 2. She had really been into Halloween a few months earlier and wasn't frightened. We always tell her that these things aren't real, and try to make a joke of it. She doesn't seem to get frightened at things like that. I may have scarred her at age 3 in the "Tough to be a Bug show"! She says she will NEVER see that show again. She did say she'd be riding Haunted Mansion again. Go figure....

 

[mommystieg]

We also took youngest DD on HM when she was 26 months old and she loved it. She was a little hesitant this year but she did ride it once. Like the previous poster, we may have scarred her for life with ITTBAB--we were only in there about 45 seconds before I had to make a quick exit. She stills talks about that being scary...

 

[TiggerPU88]

We dook DS at age 1 and then at 16 months. Both times he LOVED the HM. We watch the Disneyland Fun Sing-a-long video and we sing to the HM music. So, that may have helped. We're going again soon (almost time for our single-digit dance!), so we'll see how he feels then. I'll post when we return...

Hope this helps.

 

[Disneyolic]

We plan on taking our 2½ and 4-yo boys this November. I don't expect any problems with being afraid. Here's hoping...

 

[dcgrumpy]

I took DS at 11mo and 25mo, he had no problems.

 

[plutosmyfav]

I took DS last year at 2 1/2 and he did fine (I covered his ears for the whole ride).

This year he will be 3 1/2 when we go and I don't dare bring him! Every kid is different (and different at every age!)

 

[BevS97]

my dd was spooked by the singalong video and won't even walk past the HM, (we have to run), she saw the video at 3, and is now 5 1/2 and still won't consider going on the ride. Definitely a case of each child is different.
Be aware that even approaching the building is spooky, the music sets the scene and the whole thing is very well themed. I think my dd would be ok on the ride, but I would never be able to get her that far.

Bev

 

[Selket]

My 2.5 yr old son (at the time) was frightened by it because of the darkness more than the spooks I think. This time my 20 mo old was scared of any rides in the dark (even buzz lightyear or spaceship earth) so we didn't even try HM with him. However older DS (almost 6 now) was fine with HM. It really depends on your kid! Take them into one of the rides like peter pan or pooh, etc and see how they do. On the other hand, it didn't scar DS #1 for life either! He just closed his eyes and I talked to him through it. Not much fun for us though!

 

[roserae]

Thanks everyone!

my dd won't even walk past the HM, (we have to run)

This really tickled me. Just got a mental image of a family walking along and then suddenly running past the HM. Hee hee, just struck my funny bone. Anyway, good point that the HM is a little creepy just walking up to it. I can gauge her reaction at that time and just go from there.

Thanks again!

 

[cheeringmom]

I don't think I'll bring my almost 4 yr old when we go in Nov. I had forgotten how loud the ride is.

 

[tricia]

If you just lean forward on HM, or hold your little one on your lap it is not as loud, as the speakers are in the buggy.

 

[Disneyolic]

I'm glad someone reminded me how low it was in the buggy. My 4-yo is somewhat sensitive to loud sounds so I'll make sure we take that into consideration. Thanks.

 

[MinnieGi]

DD now three has never been on HM. We asked her last year at age 2 and 2 1/2 when we went and just seeing the house made her eyes get HUGE and say "no, not in there!" It didn't really surprise us as she will not even look at any of the "villians" in the parks or parades. If she spies one she just very calmy turns her head away until they are past us or we have walked past them! Now the "nice" characters she adores and runs and hugs.

 

[dsnylndmom]

Both of my boys love HM and have been riding it since they were 18mths/12 mths. BUT my little brother was scared of it until he was like 7 or 8!(but he'd ride ALL the fast rides) it totally depends on the kid. Oh they like Tough to Be a Bug too but the little on(almost 5 now)takes his glasses off whenever a part he doesn't like comes on! He's an expert nowadays!

 

[jaysue]

My 3 1/2 yr old DS wanted to go on this attraction in March and seemed to do ok but then in May, he wanted nothing to do with it - no chance!

Thanks
jaysue

 

[mcnuss]

My DD is the biggest chicken ever but she has been on HM since she was 2 and always gets a laugh out of it. I have personally never noticed it to be particularly loud in the buggy, but then again, to me, all of Disney is loud so it's just one more thing. Where we had a little moment was in the room (the holding pen as DH calls it) when they turn out the lights and then the guy is hanging. She was kinda freaked by that but since we had prepped her it only lasted a minute. One thing we've always done since she was that young was to remind her that part of going to an amusement park is being "scared silly", in other words, scared to laughing as opposed to scared for real, and that the little feeling of "fear" you get in your tummy is normal and part of the experience. This only goes so far with her though, and at 9 she will still go no where near that Snow White ride after her first trip on it at 2 1/2.

 

[FreshTressa]

I took my kids on it at 20 months and almost three the first time. They were fine and have loved it ever since.

They did get scared, however, in It's tough to be a bug and Honey I shrunk the audience. Go figure.