How do you feel about glow sticks on dark rides?

[chrissiecutie]

So, off topic, does anyone worry about the seats on Peter Pan. It has been a long time since I have ridden, but my memory just has a lap bar. My DH and I are Pooh Bear shaped, and DD quite small. I have this irrational fear of her slipping off the seat and falling onto London! Please tell me I am being stupid!

We love Peter Pan for the 3 of us, DS is a normal sized 7 year old, and we 3 fit quite nicely. Two Pooh's & a Piglet. The only problem we have is that with DH, the lap bar is obviously further out & doesn't really come to our lap (me & DS) so we just hold on to DS during the ride. But honestly, with the 3 of us- he's not going anywhere.

HM is another good ride for 3.

And glow sticks- I say yes but be mindful of others. Some rides are much better in dark like HM or POTC so maybe just cover the glow sticks with your sleeve or skip them.

 

[starshine514]

The only dark ride I could imagine them being an issue on would be Pirates, everything else, you're pretty well segregated from others. That being said, Pirates is one of the darkest rides, so if you want to ride it with a glow necklace, you may want to ride during the first hour, when crowds will be lower and you may get your own boat.

Regarding kids being scared on rides, different strokes for different folks. My oldest DD rode ToT with me at WDW when she was 5 (it was the first time for both of us). She didn't cry or anything, but I knew she was scared when we got off of it and I was fine with her not wanting to ride it again. Because she was so scared of it, I didn't even attempt to take her younger sister on it until she decided she wanted to try it. She rode it the first time two days before 5th birthday and it's one of her favorite rides (her older sister still doesn't ride it). My girls love Snow White, but Pinnochio and Mr. Toad give me the creeps!

 

[Eddygirl]

Glow stick bracelets would not bother me. They really do not put out much light. If kept in the lap would anyone even know? Now those flashing blinking things.....another story. Camera flashes are even worse! ESPECIALLY when the person keeps taking pictures! Gah!!!!

We made that awful mistake with our sometimes anxious 6 yr old DS last trip. Went on Snow White our FIRST ride in the park because it was a low line. Ya....that did not go so well! Poor guy! The rest of the trip he was not sure about any entrance that looked dark. He LOVED BTMR....and the gadget go-go coaster! We did coax him on some rides he was not sure about because we knew he would love them once on. And he did! So in our case I hope no one was judging us too harshly. The fun one was POTC....we got up the line twice to the entrance and he got nervous and wanted to bail so we did. The 3rd time he was just IN the front door and this other little boy came running screaming OUT!! It was not so funny at the time, but we laugh about it now. We got him on the ride the 4th time and it was a hit! The end of our trip he wanted to do TOT....my DH and I had to rock,paper scissors to see who "got" to take him. We both don't like heights and I hate elevators....I lost and took him. We had fun!

 

[rwhistler92]

I really don't mind people wearing the glow sticks. They really don't give off that much light. I have never been bothered by them on any ride including PotC and HM.

 

[DisneyDork712]

If I knew that a child was wearing glowing bracelets, holding a glow stick, etc. to help them in the dark, I would have no problem whatsoever. I would bet you wouldn't even notice it.

If it's just a bunch of obnoxious people flashing their glowing objects around, then yes, that would annoy me.

 

[sophies*mom]

In all the times I have ridden those rides I have never ever noticed any type of glowing object, and I'm sure there were some. That being said, I think you should go for it. If people are gonna get grouchy about a kid that is afraid of the dark, then let them!

 

[CDanger]

I think that if the child is not being intentionally obnoxious, then it's fine. Their enjoyment of the ride is a higher priority than myself.

 

[scoker]

The more glow the better. I'm going to order some bracelts from amazon before our next trip. Maybe 100 and pass them out to other kids. I can't imagine someone being upset about a glow bracelet on a dark ride. IMO if you are over the age of 8 you already have to "allow" yourself to really get drawn into the story of the ride. My husband is NOT a kid at heart and he can't see past the technology and ride aspect to get to that magical place. This is why we leave him home now.

 

[momrek06]

I SAY WEAR THEM!!!

 

[larina]

Another glow sharer here. We took tons of glow bracelets and gave them away at night (we give away Silly Banz type bracelets during the day, in December we had Cars and Tink). It was fun. I don't even remember them from the rides, but my youngest doesn't do scary/dark rides and my girls cover their glow things on rides (under their sleeves or shirts or put them in a pocket).

 

[Mugglemama]

Another point to consider...some of the dark rides actually are designed in a way that CREATES a glowing effect on riders (on Pinocchio our shoelaces, certain parts of our clothing, and even our TEETH glow!).

So...honestly...as long as you are being considerate (ie: not letting the child swing them around, etc.), I wouldn't worry at ALL about bringing the low-glow items onto dark rides.

The people who would tell you not to bring them are either assuming you will not handle it in as considerate a way as possible....or...they are the types to complain almost no matter what. Hey, don't get me wrong...I much prefer to get in a POTC boat where everyone is actually making it a point to talk in quiet voices only, and who refrain from flash photography. However, I can't even remember the last time I rode it when that was the case .

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

I think it's a great idea It's not like you're giving her a flashlight. They put off just a bit of light. I would much prefer a kiddo with a glowstick than a kiddo screaming through the whole ride..or even knowing that a kid was terrified. That's just sad

 

[LizzyS]

Honestly, a glow stick wouldn't bother me at all, especially if it was for a child that was afraid of the dark.

I was afraid of the dark myself as a kid, so I remember what that's like.

 

[CheshireGato]

Glow sticks for a scared 3 year old? Fine. Light up headband and necklace that blinks constantly many different colors? Eh...

I was on the Jungle Cruise at night once and the headband/necklace combo mentioned above was sitting directly across from me. Extremely distracting!

I think glow sticks would be just fine, just enough light to help calm fears, but not overly distracting to others. You'll be fine!

 

[AnneUCSB]

I'm totally going to over buy glow sticks and share them when we go in November. I love this idea My boys are 2, 5, and 7 and they will not only get a kick out of the glow sticks, but they'll love handing them out fun idea!

 

[SA mom]

We gave our little ones tiny LED ring flashlights to shine on their shoes only. We even practiced. They used it once or twice and then were okay on the rides. The glow sticks did little to ease their fears.

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

Before we went my mom bought my daughter twinkle toes. I didn't realize that all the rest of her tennis shoes didn't fit so guess what we took. Yeeeeeah. Didn't think that one through too well. I told her about how she could NOT make them blink on dark rides and she actually did really well. They never went off once. but I was TERRIFIED that they would LOL.

Now THOSE are bright and annoying.

 

[pixiewings71]

This reminds me of watching a man carry a terrified, screaming child who could not yet be 5 onto ToT. Why do people do that to young kids?

So, off topic, does anyone worry about the seats on Peter Pan. It has been a long time since I have ridden, but my memory just has a lap bar. My DH and I are Pooh Bear shaped, and DD quite small. I have this irrational fear of her slipping off the seat and falling onto London! Please tell me I am being stupid!

Never worried, remember that the boat does have a "floor" so even if your DS slipped he wouldn't fall out, he'd simply fall onto the floor. You'll be fine either way.

 

[Pesky]

As a young single, I would've been annoyed.

As a mom of 2 young kids, as long as they aren't swinging them around or they aren't flashing such that they are a distraction, fine. I'd much rather deal with noticing something glowing out of the corner of my eye in the car in front or behind me than deal with the annoyance of a child screaming and freaking out in a ride because what looked like fun at first turned into a scary dark-fest.

 

[MrsMears]

oo.. I usually wear two thin glow bracelets that I activate when we go back to the parks following our afternoon break. It never even occurred to me that they would bother anyone and I love to put my hands up during the drops. ooops!