Hearing protection on rides

[EmJ]

Setting aside the the two Harry Potter rides, does anyone know whether hearing protection is permitted on some of the indoor simulator rides? I'm thinking specifically of Simpsons, Transformers, Spiderman, and (I'm assuming here) Kong. I remember those rides being SO LOUD, and am thinking of bringing ear plugs for myself. My son normally wears Banz earmuffs at really loud events, but should I be looking into earplugs for him also? If so, any recommendations for earplugs that don't bother the littles?

 

[skylock]

I would think the ear plugs would be the best idea. That way you would not have a problem.

How old is your son. That could make a difference.

Is there a way to add a chin strap type arrangement on the earmuffs? Maybe a head band type thing. ( on the rides maybe.) I am just thinking about them falling off on some of the rides.

The rides you mention are not overly rough, but there is sudden change of direction which could cause earmuffs to fall off.

 

[greg9x]

Disposable ear plugs would seem like best option.. Don't have to worry about losing them and not going to hurt anyone if come out during the ride.

 

[EmJ]

I would think the ear plugs would be the best idea. That way you would not have a problem.

How old is your son. That could make a difference.

Is there a way to add a chin strap type arrangement on the earmuffs? Maybe a head band type thing. ( on the rides maybe.) I am just thinking about them falling off on some of the rides.

The rides you mention are not overly rough, but there is sudden change of direction which could cause earmuffs to fall off.

He will be five at the time of travel, but enjoys roller coasters and I've shown him videos of all of the indoor rides and he is very excited to ride. Honestly, the Banz are quite tight on his head and are far less likely to fly off than my eyeglasses... but I know that may not matter if they are considered "loose articles". I wrote an email to Universal, but they responded with a form email about disability accommodations, so not super helpful for our needs. Maybe I'll get him earplugs and if he won't wear them AND doesn't like the noise, then he'll just have to set out those rides. I don't plan on taking him on Kong or Simpsons anyway, but he's a huge Marvel and Transformers fan and I think he will want to try those two.

 

[EmJ]

Disposable ear plugs would seem like best option.. Don't have to worry about losing them and not going to hurt anyone if come out during the ride.

Yeah, this is probably the right answer.

 

[skylock]

I think Kong and Simpsons would be fine for him as long as he meets the height requirements.

A 5 year old should be able to use ear plugs with no problem.

I don't have a specific brand to recommend, but the ear plugs I used to use were soft and squishy and came in a box. I suppose they could be trimmed down if needed. I used to get them about 6 pairs in a small plastic box.

I would take the whole box with me into the park (cut down if needed) because if one falls out, esp if it hits the ground, I would want to replace it.

 

[EmJ]

I think Kong and Simpsons would be fine for him as long as he meets the height requirements.

A 5 year old should be able to use ear plugs with no problem.

I don't have a specific brand to recommend, but the ear plugs I used to use were soft and squishy and came in a box. I suppose they could be trimmed down if needed. I used to get them about 6 pairs in a small plastic box.

I would take the whole box with me into the park (cut down if needed) because if one falls out, esp if it hits the ground, I would want to replace it.

Thanks! Do you think Simpsons and Kong are okay? I was worried they may might seem scarier, since he doesn’t know the characters (but has no doubt that Spidey and Bumblebee will save the day). He meets the height requirements for everything except Forbidden Journey and the Hagrid coaster.

I wear earplugs for sleeping so he’s familiar with the concept. We’ll get them ahead of time and “practice”.

 

[skylock]

Thanks! Do you think Simpsons and Kong are okay? I was worried they may might seem scarier, since he doesn’t know the characters (but has no doubt that Spidey and Bumblebee will save the day). He meets the height requirements for everything except Forbidden Journey and the Hagrid coaster.

I wear earplugs for sleeping so he’s familiar with the concept. We’ll get them ahead of time and “practice”.

Just tell him what to expect. Simpsons you are on a roller coaster and the seat moves, but you stay in the same place. Tell him he can shut his eyes if it looks too scary. Kong, is Kong. A big Ape that jumps around. Some big birds do pick up a woman. Just remind him it is all just make believe and everyone is fine. If it is scary to him, again, tell him to shut his eyes.

That is what I always told my son. It is all make believe and if it got to scary, shut his eyes, because no matter what it looks like, nothing was going to touch him. We started doing theme parks when he was 5. He is now 36, and we are still doing theme parks together, so it seems to have worked.

 

[EmJ]

Just tell him what to expect. Simpsons you are on a roller coaster and the seat moves, but you stay in the same place. Tell him he can shut his eyes if it looks too scary. Kong, is Kong. A big Ape that jumps around. Some big birds do pick up a woman. Just remind him it is all just make believe and everyone is fine. If it is scary to him, again, tell him to shut his eyes.

That is what I always told my son. It is all make believe and if it got to scary, shut his eyes, because no matter what it looks like, nothing was going to touch him. We started doing theme parks when he was 5. He is now 36, and we are still doing theme parks together, so it seems to have worked.

Thanks! He is familiar with theme park rides generally, but nothing quite this grown up. Though, I showed him videos of all the rides and he didn't seem scared; in fact, he was riveted by Kong and Transformers, and bored by Cat in the Hat, lol. I showed POV ride-throughs on YouTube, so we could talk about how people got on the ride, and how it was pretend like a movie, and then he could see them getting off the ride so that other people could have a turn. The POV videos are slightly blurry because they obviously aren't seen through 3D glasses, which, honestly, doesn't strike me as the worst idea. He said he wants to ride on Kong, so maybe I don't give him enough credit.

 

[skylock]

I forgot, when my son first started going to captain EO, it was scary to him when the woman hanging from the ceiling reached out to the audience, so he just didn't wear the glasses and it was just a blurry movie. Later he took the glasses off at that part. All was fine then. Then one year he told me he was wearing the glasses for the whole thing and when he did he was very proud he had overcome his fear.

On Kong, there is one part where it looks like you are on a kind of rope bridge that gets broke and the ride jolts a bit, one of my favorite parts, and then there is one part where Kong jumps from the right side to the left seeming to jump on top of your car in doing so to beat up a dinosaur, my very favorite part. I rode it 5 times in a row just to see that part again. I am still not sure why he jumped on the dinosaur and noone else in my group did either and noone else found it as funny as me, but, oh well. I still liked it.

 

[bumbershoot]

That is what I always told my son. It is all make believe and if it got to scary, shut his eyes, because no matter what it looks like, nothing was going to touch him.

I’m jealous. We said that to our son for haunted mansion, but he trusted the majority when they were screaming, and thought there was something wrong with us lol.

Some years later he was nervous at Disneyland to go on Ghost Galaxy, and I assured him it was fine. He sat with his dad and I was behind. And I reached out to touch his shoulder comfortingly.

Alas i touched him JUST as the ghost thing reached its hand out towards the ride vehicle. He’s 14 and is still mad at me for that.

 

[eargal]

*Audiologist/Ear nerd here* When my son was young, he became overwhelmed with the volume on rides. We used foam plugs BUT in order to insert those you need to roll them tight to compress them, pull up and back on the ear and quickly insert before they expand. It can take practice. I recommend a preformed filtered plug like E.A.R. brand which are filtered to attenuate the same amount of sound (approximately) at each pitch so that the fidelity is better through them and he will understand speech more easily. Also, they insert quickly and come in a little snap case on a key chain so that you can attach them to your lanyard. I use these for RIDICULOUSLY loud rides, like Transformers, myself.

 

[EmJ]

*Audiologist/Ear nerd here* When my son was young, he became overwhelmed with the volume on rides. We used foam plugs BUT in order to insert those you need to roll them tight to compress them, pull up and back on the ear and quickly insert before they expand. It can take practice. I recommend a preformed filtered plug like E.A.R. brand which are filtered to attenuate the same amount of sound (approximately) at each pitch so that the fidelity is better through them and he will understand speech more easily. Also, they insert quickly and come in a little snap case on a key chain so that you can attach them to your lanyard. I use these for RIDICULOUSLY loud rides, like Transformers, myself.

THANK YOU! I've been looking at the Alpine Pluggies Kids. Is this the right kind? He's only five, so his ears are still small.

I use the foam style earplugs to sleep, but I question my ability to get them in someone else's ears quickly and easily.

 

[eargal]

Those look fine. It's odd that they don't provide a noise reduction rating (NRR) in the description but from what I can tell they are the same filtered concept. The only noise reduction number I see in the description is where they say 30 dB but there is no way they have an NRR of 30dB. Still, even if they're an NRR of 12 to 22 (much more likely) they'll be fine. You'll still want to pull up and back on his ear to insert them but it should be much faster than foam plugs.

 

[EmJ]

Those look fine. It's odd that they don't provide a noise reduction rating (NRR) in the description but from what I can tell they are the same filtered concept. The only noise reduction number I see in the description is where they say 30 dB but there is no way they have an NRR of 30dB. Still, even if they're an NRR of 12 to 22 (much more likely) they'll be fine. You'll still want to pull up and back on his ear to insert them but it should be much faster than foam plugs.

I saw the 30dB as well. Their website provides this additional information:

EN 352-2: 2002 compliant
Nominal diameter: 7-10 mm
H=24 M=23 L=23
SNR=25
NRR=23,5-28,6

This is Greek to me, but maybe it makes sense? There is also a table of "Attenuation Values", but I can't copy it over nicely. The website is here: https://www.alpinehearingprotection.com/earplugs/pluggies-kids/ and you have to click on "Extra Information --> Description" scroll down about halfway.

We are taking a cross-country flight next month. Would you recommend having him try the earplugs on the flight? Would they help with pressures at all?

 

[eargal]

Those aren't US based standards which is not at all a big deal. The NRR of 23 sounds optimistic but possible. I would think they're fine. Regarding pressure (flights) I would suggest earplanes, which come in a pediatric size and are good for 4 total flights. The pressure regulation filters become less effective over many uses but earplanes are only $5-10. You need to insert them 15-20 minutes before take off and not remove them until you're at cruising altitude for about 15 min, then reinsert before descending and leave in after landing for 15 min. or so. OR insert before take off and leave in the whole flight until 15 minutes after landing.

 

[MichelinMan]

Those aren't US based standards which is not at all a big deal. The NRR of 23 sounds optimistic but possible. I would think they're fine. Regarding pressure (flights) I would suggest earplanes, which come in a pediatric size and are good for 4 total flights. The pressure regulation filters become less effective over many uses but earplanes are only $5-10. You need to insert them 15-20 minutes before take off and not remove them until you're at cruising altitude for about 15 min, then reinsert before descending and leave in after landing for 15 min. or so. OR insert before take off and leave in the whole flight until 15 minutes after landing.

EN standards are European Union standards which will be just as good (if not better) than US standards.

 

[VictoriaAndMatt]

My son is Autistic and gets very overwhelmed with too much noise/certain sounds. He wore his normal noise cancelling ear muffs on every ride we went on at both USO and US Hollywood. The only time we were questioned was once in Gringott’s. A manager had to come assure they were tight enough and approved them.