How old were your kids when they started riding Space Mountain?

[dmonroe]

We will be going in September; and my 4 yo is going to be tall enough to ride this (and I suppose Mission Space, too). He's done everything, except TOT, that he's been tall enough for on past trips. He's been doing a lot of talking about SM--he's a bit of a thrill seeker, can't wait till he tall enough for RNRRC. The thing that bothers me is the seating arrangement of the ride. I'm thinking we may need to skip this ride for this trip. How old were your kids before they rode?

Also, anybody have kids this young ride MS? How did that go?

 

[beattyfamily]

My DD was 6 the first time. Even though we can't sit next to each other she made me hold her hand the first 2 times (killed my arm!)but then she was fine. She loves it but doesn't like the darkness.

I don't know if I waited till age 6 because of the height requirements or just because I didn't know she was tall enough when she was 4 or 5 but I think it was best that I waited.

She's been doing ToT since she was 4 though. She loves it but again hates the darkness and the ghosts.

She CAN't wait for RnR and that's her goal for our trip this December...to grow another 1/2 inch to make it.

Good luck deciding!

 

[gschmerl]

My nephew is also quite tall. He rode Big Thunder Mountain when he was three and did TOT and Space Mountain when he was four.

 

[NMAmy]

My daughter didn't ride Space Mountain until she was 10! She'd ridden other roller coasters and loved them, but because it was in the dark it scared her. I found that riding the Tomorrowland Transit Authority was really helpful since you get to look inside Space Mountain. That helped her decide that it looked like fun!

 

[CindyAnn]

DD went on Space Mountain at 5 and loved it (more than her 8yo brother did, in fact). I was able to sit behind my son and lean forward a bit to hold him by the shoulders, but I'm fairly tall. She also loved rock 'n' roller coaster at 6, but her brother wouldn't try it. On the other hand, she's freaked out by the spooky stuff, and refuses to go on Haunted Mansion, so go figure.

Cheers,

 

[Terry S]

Both my kids were 4 when they first rode SM and they got right back on and rode it again. They went with my husband since I don't care for it and he held their hands as well. When my son was 5 and daughter was 4, he thought he was such a big kid because he didn't hold anyones hand since he got to sit in the front with my daughter in the middle and my husband in the back.

At 5 and 6, they were both tall enough to be able to ride RNRRC this year and really loved that too!

 

[cindala]

My younger DD has always been tiny (and still is!). She was 7 years old before she met the height requirement, but she loved it, and was so proud that they stamped her hand showing that she was finally tall enough!

 

[SnowWhite33]

I say go for it!! My ds was 5 and was ready to go again and again after that first ride. RNRC was a different story but now he's ready for that and is all he talks about for our upcoming trip.

 

[Cindy B]

My son was 3 years old when he rode ToT and Space Mountain.. yes a very big 3 year old, but still only 3.

He is a big thrill nut.. now at 8 (almost 9), he rides everything, flying coasters, inverted coaster, super accelerated coaster,.. he can't wait to bungee jump and skydive.

And no I haven't put my kids on Mission Space yet... but I will put my five (almost 6) and the 8 year old thrill nut on it..

And in case you ask, we have never enhanced our kids heights by stuffing park maps or anything like that.. they have always been tall.

For example, I am 5 ' 7" and my son (the 8 year old) is about 56 inches.. (almost 5 five feet tall at 8 years old!)

My daughter is 47 1'2 inches... (she needs to grow a half inch in two weeks so she can go on RNR and Primevel Whirl)

 

[grinningghost]

When DD was 4 she was too short and cried because she couldn't ride. At age 7, she was tall enough and hasn't stopped riding since.

 

[Melora]

Where do you people get these daredevil kids????

We took the 7 year old on Space Mountain last year and even though he was OK, he was pretty sure he wasn't ever going on that again!

My teens LOVED those rides... rode them 10 times in one day last time we went.... but 3 and 4 year olds??? Oh my goodness!!!!

My little guy (2 1/2) is afraid of everything spooky so I am wondering if the trip this December is going to be a whole lot of one adult waiting while everyone else goes on things.. (Luckily we have the grandparents with us this time)

I do have to say that my 16 year old was the brave one and she went on everything sooner than any of the others.... but I don't think she was THAT young...

I can remember putting my oldest (now 17 and heading for the air force) on one of those really slow kiddie rides at the fair one year when he was about 3 and after the ride started I heard some lady say "Oh look dear, that little boy is crying" I searched to see what poor child was frightened of this slow moving ride and it MINE! I had to go and get the operator to stop the ride so I could get him off.. I must have passed my wimpy genes to my kids!!

 

[Rikku]

Our oldest DD was nine at the time she first rode Space Mountain and every other ride in the parks for that matter. Truth be known she enjoyed the coasters much more than most of the dark rides save for those in Fantasy Land. She didn't however ride ToT as she's not a fan of rides of that nature nor is her mother (although she did ride it once with me on our honeymoon).

 

[Disneymoon04]

I was 11.... had been able to several times before but did not have the courage yet.

 

[skoi]

DD was 7, but only because we hadn't gone back between the time she was 3 (too short) and 7. That was before we knew about this board, discounts, and DVC though. She wasn't crazy about it, and didn't want to try it again. She's willing to go again this year (9). Ds desperately wants to ride at 5. He wanted to ride at 3 and 4, but is still too short-- about 1 1/2 inches. With BTMRR closed during our stay, no coasters for him.

I always tell them, just try it. If you don't like it, you don't have to do it again until you're bigger. Works well for us.

Julie

 

[TheWho]

Just made the height requirement at 6.5 yrs old.

 

[bigsis1970]

My son had just turned 5 when he rode for the first time in 2001 and declared it his second fave ride ( splash being the first ) it took us 2 years to more to Dd to ride she is 9 and just rode for the first time this June .. ( oh and DS decided his 3rd fave is TOT - UGH i really don't like that ride ) Michelle

 

[dmonroe]

Thanks for your responses! It's good to see there are some other dare devils out there!

I think we'll do TTA again and let him decide if he wants to try SM or not. Because it is a dark ride, he may decide that he's not ready to ride it. He loves BTMRR (he's really ticked because it will be down for rehab on our trip!) and Splash. He would have loved to do PW and RNRRC (he wants to ride something where you go upside down ); but he's got a good bit of growing to do before he makes those requirements. He wants nothing to do with TOT though because he knows it's dark in there! HM is not his favorite either; and I don't know if he'll even do it this year. (Last year they stopped the ride while our doom buggy was in the cemetary, right where the thing pops up from behind a tombstone! I think that pretty much did him in for HM!)

Anyway, thanks for your help. I was glad to see that other "little" kids have ridden. Ultimately it's his decision to make. If not this year, maybe the next--or the next, or the next....

 

[Cindy B]

I guess I have a tall and brave child. We tease and say its in the genes.. (DH was a skydiver for many years!)


My DD who is shorter, is very much brave as well.

 

[lindsey]

My first child was 6yr old and loved it. My second child did not want to ride until he was 16. In fact, it was his 16th birthday!

 

[Katies Dad]

How do you feel about letting your kiddies ride this, but not being able to sit next to them. How are you actually strapped into this ride. DH will go on and DD most probably will want to, but I`m not sure if I want her to. Are they quite safe?