Height and Age requirement on Rides

[algamble]

So here is something I am concerned with... I have 3 kids, the youngest just turned four and is Fearless!! He is also a little big for his age, he is 45 inches tall in socks. My husband is all excited that he can ride Space Mountain now, but I'm not so sure, because if I remember correctly, aren't they single file seats? What about the Tower of Terror? In sure he would love it, but are they completely secure? Is it only the height that is a factor or is width a consideration also? I think he is pretty solid, he wears a size 5... What do you all think??

One more consideration from a paranoid mom: what are the room/balcony railings at the Disneyland hotel like? Did you feel secure that your little adventurers would not be squeezing their heads through the bars? (sorry.. Random thoughts)

 

[Kayla's Mom]

Space Mt is 2 seats side by side. Each seat has an individual lap belt. My thought is that if it wasn't secure, they wouldn't let kids that age ride the ride, but I understand your concern. When my DD turned 4 we went on Thunder Mt. and I was freaking out because she was sliding all around. My DD was 7 when she went on TOT and she HATED it. I would play it by ear and take him on other rides and build up to it. See if he likes the others. My daughter loves Thunder Mt, Matterhorn, Splash Mt -- but did not like TOT.

 

[algamble]

Thanks for easing my mind! Dad will be relieved about space mountail LOL we were in quite the "discussion" about my not wanting him on a single seater roller coaster

My 7 year old does not like TOT at all either, he went at WDW over a year ago. Our little one more or less just "comments" on things that would be scary to my older kids, like "mommy look a scary skeleton"

 

[goldies 5]

My second son is big for his age and rode TOT the first time when he was barely 3. He is 6 now and 55 inches. My third son is very thin and just made the height last November when he was almost 4. Never had any problems on either ride.
I really am paranoid also and I will say I don't care for the narrow raillings at DLH. My husband let one son out on it when he was 2. He is still with us today.

 

[bumbershoot]

Nope, no age limits on those things. DS still won't go on Space; he wont' even go up the ramp with us to grab a FP for it. Just too nervous about going inside buildings when he doesn't know what's going on. We finally got him into the Soarin' building, and he loves it, and I keep waiting for him to extrapolate that to Space, but it's a no go.

TOT...he went on his 4th birthday and liked the "action" of it. But he wont' go on it again...why? Because you turn into a skeleton and disappear. He knows we're not skeletons and knows we're not invisible, but he manages to hold those two things in his head. And he won't go. But the up/down was just fine for him.

Note: for Splash, since there are no seatbelts...well that freaked out my son! We are carseat/seatbelt-focused in our family, and it was interesting to convince him that it was OK. Just today I talked with my MIL, and she doesn't feel Splash is OK b/c of no seatbelts, so I guess it bothers more than just my kidlet. Anyway, at the last minute I remembered the very back seat; it's just a bit wider than the other seats, and can fit a child and parent. I requested that back seat, and not only did I like the ride much more, but he loved it!

45" at 4, my goodness. DS is still closing in on that at 5, and he's always taller than other kids even older than him! My guy is just yearning to go on Indy (despite the whole "won't go inside a building" thing, and despite not having even seen the movie!) and can't wait until he hits 46".

 

[pinktink83]

IME, Space Mntn is a very smooth ride. There arent a lot of bumps or sharp turns or jostling about like on Thunder Mntn or Matterhorn. The scary part is that its in the dark and goes super duper fast. But sitting next to Dad might make it "ok" especially if you pump him for it about how cool it is!