How scary is it really?

[safekids]

How Scary is Alien Encounter? I love almost all rides. Even the scary ones. But from what I read (in books) AE sounds extremely scary. I don't think I would want to be in the dark feeling some kind of Alien on my back. Also what about ToT?

If you haven't figured it out yet, this will be our first trip to WDW. Any advice for these ride's would be great. My DH, and DS's, 9, 8, and 3 will be with me.

Thanks in advance.

PS. I apologize if this has already been discussed.

 

[Selket]

First of all, I would NEVER take any young children on the AE. It isn't a ride - doesnt' move, but for kids I''d think it would be a nightmare. Teenagers could probably deal with it depending on your kids. I love scary movies (like the Alien series) and I didn't find this attraction scary at all really. The thing I couldn't stand was the seatbelt. Seems to me that if you try to adjust yourself at all the belt gets tighter - I think it goes across your chest too. The first time I did it I got myself to the point where I felt like I couldn't move. I was SO UNCOMFORTABLE!!!! Next time I think I remembered to give myself some slack in the chest belt by holding it away from me a bit with my hand. I don't know if that is still an issue with it, but it is my memory.

You will be in the dark - complete darkness I think. And the alien effects are just coming from your seat (puffs of air and mist) and from the sound system - making it sound like your fellow tourists are getting eaten - I kid you not! If that kind of thing scares you then don't do it! To me it just seems silly!!! Then again, I still go on it if the lines aren't long just to see if it is still as bad as I remember and to watch other people getting off

As for TOT, I felt quite secure in the seats. I do find heights disconcerting but you don't see outside much and when that bothered me I just closed my eyes. It was kind of cool getting that "free fall" feeling. I think this ride is less scary cause it is enclosed. The theming is very cool. My DH gets sick on motion rides and this made him queasy - FYI. He said he would never do it again. And I don't think I'd take a young child on it (my kids are 5 and 14 months so no experience with older kids).

Enjoy!
Carol G.

 

[thepoohbear]

I would never bring a small child in it either. Tower of Terror I'm not sure about but it's totally different. AE is psychological and once you are in there, you are kind of stuck there to endure the whole thing. I have seen children under 10 terror sticken once the lights go on. (I guess you are kind of stuck in TOT once it starts too but it's over pretty quickly and it is a physical expeience so, in my way of thinking, much less likely to cause nightmares.) Personally I still find AE frightening but I'm a big baby about horror movies.

 

[nowellsl]

I love alien encounter!! Definately do not take your 3 year old. She'll be scared. I probably wouldn't take your 8 and 9 year old either, unless you let them know ahead of time what will happen and see if they think they can handle it. I think the total darkness is the worst for me.

 

[disneyjunkie]

DON'T TAKE YOUR KIDS!!!

My son was 9 when I took him on AE. We talked about what was going to happen while we waited in line, a few CMs told us it wouldn't be to bad. He did fine with the preshow, but freaked after that. He held my hand very TIGHT during the show and cried. I felt awful.

AE was one of 2 rides I talked him into going on, the other was Space Mountain; which broke down during our only ride. We
had to wait about 15 minutes for a CM to come get us off and walk us out of the building. As soon as DS saw the light of day he looked at me and said I'm not getting back on that again.
He refused to ride RNR or Tower of Terror. He did the preshow for those two, but then made use of the chicken exit.

When we return this summer he'll be 11. He has said he'll try everything he was afraid of last time, but he doesn't want to go anywhere near AE. I'll let him do Buzz while I get my AE fix.

If I could do it over again, I'd let him pick which rides he wants to try. I was sure he'd love AE, but it was way to much for him. I don't think he'll ever try it now.

Maybe you and your husband can take turns doing AE while the other does something else with the kids.

 

[safekids]

I explained what I knew about AE to my boys and they were already afraid. I was wondering for me. Now I know. Maybe I will skip this one. I could never go on by myself. Sounds pretty cool, but I would probably end up regreting it.

Thanks again.

 

[KLR-wlv]

I was really expecting to be scared by it - I think I got more scared from Hopper in It's tough to be a bug!

I put my shoulders up a bit when the harness came down - so I may have missed some of the effects but I really thought is was mild. I wouldn;t take kids because their imaginations would make it terrifying for them, but I was kind of dissapointed when it was all over from what I had read about it...

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

From an adult standpoint, I don't think it is scary, although one of my coworkers (40ish) said it petrified him.

That said, my sister took her 9 year old son and 7 year old daughter on AE. The 9 year old ended up in tears and the 7 year old thought it was no big deal. My son is now 9 and his cousin has scared him away from AE probably for a couple more years. He's done every other attraction at WDW, but he refuses to even consider AE.

 

[tar heel]

I wouldn't take my 8-year-old on AE. No one in our family likes it any way, so he doesn't have to wait around for someone else to do it. My oldest teen describes AE as being too scary to be funny and too funny to be scary.

My 8-year-old loves ToT, but it took him a while to work his way up to it. He had skipped it several trips before finally deciding to do it last year when he had just turned 8. Most 8-year-olds probably would like it as long as you work your way up to it -- it's not something you do the first day!

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

About ToT...my son rode for the first time at age 4. At the end he grabbed my hand and we ran back up for a second ride, then a third. He keeps a tally of how many times he has ridden it now (at 9) and he's at over 40. If your child is afraid of heights, don't do it but otherwise give it a try.

 

[Millipore]

As a test, have your kids watch Alien or Aliens. If they can't handle these movies (or you won' let them watch) then there is no way I would take them on AE.

AE is the type of experience that could really have a lasting negative impact on a child with lifelong consequences. I'm not kidding about this!

 

[>>^..^<<]

My 8 year old DD (and I) Loved this attraction...

It is fun to be scared.. thats the whole point... she knew it was not real and they repeat the same show over and over... she figured out that everyone was feeling the hot breath and blood splatters were just water...

There was lots of screaming people..(mostly adults) . but this added to the fun - just try to remember this is for entertainment purposes and it is make believe.. people seem to take this attraction so seriously.

It is called Alien Encounter - so that what I expect - to encounter an alien... if it was Country Alien Jamboree with singing and dancing aliens - I would be really disappointed. LOL

>>^..^<<

 

[MOQ3424]

It really depends on you. I personally dont get scared and i think most people don't. And TOT is GREAT IT IS MY FAVORITE RIDE OF A TIME. Go on both you will have a great time!

 

[cindy_k]

It's funny but I don't find AE scary and neither does my 10 year old son.. However... I knew what the attraction entailed before me or my son walked into it.

I was also told a trick to make it not so scary. There is a harness that comes down over your head, much like a rollercoaster. The harness is lowered by computer, and stops when it hit resistance.
Just by holding your hands above your shoulders until the harness stops lowering, you don't get pressed into your seat and this seems to make the attraction less intense.

You will still be put in the dark and sprayed with liquid and stuff. The monster just won't step on you.

I would ride it first and then decide. When my son was 7, we made up our own parent swap. I took Son on Buzz Lightyear, rest of party rode AE. Grandma took Son on Buzz and rest of party rode AE again with me.

Hope this helps!

Cindy in NY

 

[CRB#33]

If you sit up really tall in your seat as the sholder harness is coming down, wait until it sets in and then relax, you have some moving room, but you may miss the effect.

I have to say, my 12 dd laughed through the whole thing. I giggled a bit too.

 

[Synonymous]

Somebody said to watch Alien first, and that's the best way to describe it- it's like being stuck inside that movie.