How scary would Tower of Terror be for 7 year old?

[ajgwin]

Does anyone have a child or know of a child who is 6-10 who has been on the Tower of Terror? My daughter is 7 and wants to know what other kids think about it. She is not afraid of roller coasters or the dark and she thinks she will love it. Also, I have read lots of explanations about it, but are you sitting or standing? Strapped in? Any other details? Thanks a bunch.

Allyson

 

[jpeltier]

My daughter rode TOT when she was 5 and loved it.She says that you sit down.
Julie

 

[pennst8r]

Last year--my (then) 4 yr old LOVED TOT and rode it over and over with DH. DS 9 wouldn't go near it, and DS 8, went once and wouldn't go back. (He also loved Mission Space, and it made the other 2 green!)

 

[undertheseas]

My DD was 6 and hates any kind of scary movie so the "show" where the family gets hit by lightning freaks her out. She closes her eyes for that but loves the falling part! Now I hate the falling but like the movie DS was 4 and loved it all!

 

[Soupermom]

We (DH, DD10, DS6 and myself) all tried TOT last year. DS was nervous, but didn't "chicken out". In the photo he looks terrified (well worth the $$), and is gripping DH and I for dear life, but he said he'd do it again. Maybe once per trip.
Not me. I thought being "shoved" up was way worse than the drop!

BTW...he did love Splash Mountain and BTMR; thought Space Mt. was okay. These are the only 'coasters we tried.

 

[Churro]

My son went on it when he was 8 . He didn't mind the drop but he was anxious in the dark library watching the tv show.You are seated and belted in. Reguardless he did ride it twice.

 

[2nd childhood]

I personally am terrified of TOT, but my DS loved it this past December and he is only 4. He is somewhat of a pint sized thrill junkie. My 17 year old DD wouldn't go near it nor my DH. So guess who had to ride it three times? It really depends on how much your 7 year old likes heights or doen't like heights. Going back next month and he'll drag me back to TOT. I just hope my nerves can take it.

 

[bonzarella]

My boys (4&6) did last month, both loved it. Me - NEVER again.

 

[MonkeyPants]

all depends on the kid, I remember when one of my sisters and I took our youngest cousin on it for the first time, he was either 8 or 9. He kept saying 'I'm not scared. I'm not scared.' We get into the car and he looks at me and says 'you know...I'm really scared!' but he didnt ask to get out, we rode it..and as soon as we were done 'can we do that again'

 

[Leigha]

My daughter loved it at 6. She wasn't crazy about the film you had to watch before you got on the ride - but she LOVED the ride!

 

[ReneeA]

Good question.

My DS is really, really tall for 3 (43") and can ride just about anything with the height restrictions. I wasn't going to let him ride TOT and a few others. Then one of the Disney specials came on a month ago and spent alot of time previewing TOT. DS insists that he's going to ride "Tower to Terror" Both DH & I are still thinking "No way!!" However, we are doing MGM on our last day in the parks (Aug 27th), so I think I'm going to play it by ear and see how he does on some other rides. At least if he's traumitized it will be at the tail end of his vacation and not ruin the whole thing!

 

[mmccan]

My oldest DS is now 6 and he first rode it at 4. This is one of his favorite rides. Closely tied with Splash Mountain, test track, BTMRR, and the 2 he was finally tall enough for this year, Mission Space and Space Mountain. Can you see he is quite the daredevil. Just the opposite of my 3 year old who freaked out on Goofy's Barnstormer

 

[i like stitch]

Our DD, now age 9, rode this last year---first trip to WDW and the first park to visit was MGM. ToT was the first ride she wanted to go on and had been planning this as she had seen it on TV. I knew my limitations and went the route of the chicken exit. Her DF went with her. Previously, she'd been on some milder amusement park rides here locally that involved some drops.

She screamed the entire time on ToT and emerged in tears. She was so traumatized by it, that she didn't want to ride any other rides the rest of the trip that even remotely involved mild speed or thrills.

Almost a year later, she's beginning to change her mind about never riding it again ("maybe when I'm older"). We go to WDW next month and although she'll unlikely ride ToT I wouldn't be surprised if she tries Splash Mountain.

Your DD may really enjoy the ride. If she has some concerns but really wants to do it, perhaps doing this later in the trip would be a better option than what my DD did.

 

[bdink921]

My DS6 and I rode TOT--I loved it!!! DS however, well he was TERRIFIED !!! The picture they took is priceless--that look. Anyways, he says he'll try it again when he's older, like 8 (so he said) .

 

[pospisil]

Good question.

My DS is really, really tall for 3 (43") and can ride just about anything with the height restrictions. I wasn't going to let him ride TOT and a few others. Then one of the Disney specials came on a month ago and spent alot of time previewing TOT. DS insists that he's going to ride "Tower to Terror" Both DH & I are still thinking "No way!!" However, we are doing MGM on our last day in the parks (Aug 27th), so I think I'm going to play it by ear and see how he does on some other rides. At least if he's traumitized it will be at the tail end of his vacation and not ruin the whole thing!

My DS is 3, too, will be turning 4 while we are there in Sept. We watched a couple of the specials, too, and he says he is going to ride Dinosaur (if I will hold his hand ) but when I ask him about ToT he says "No, I don't think so." I'm leaving it up to him, we'll see what he thinks when we get there. He may decide not to ride anything!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

My kids first rode it when they were 4. DS liked the ride itself but was afraid of the "ghostly people" in the hallway when the elevator doors opened on the way up. This year at age 7 both my kids loved it, we rode 10 times in two EMH nights in January, they had a great time.

 

[2BigKIdz]

My nephew rode it when he was 8 or 9 and he loved it, and has ridden several times since then.

I rode it for the first time last year when I was 31 (first time to MGM) and it "terrified" me! My husband couldn't stop laughing because of the look on my face during the ride. I love roller coasters, they don't bother me at all, but I'd have to think long and hard about getting on that again. I don't like that dropping sensation.

 

[newsiegirl]

I rode it the year it opened, on my first trip to WDW! I was 7, and loved it! Of course I was a little scared, but it hasn't kept me from going on it almost every one of the 15 or so trips since! When I first rode, it only had one drop, now it has a couple. But they're not quite as big! I think she'd be fine!

 

[eeyore0062]

You know your child better than we do!

We took our DD, who also wasn't afraid of the dark or rollercoasters on ToT when she was 7. What a terrible experience for her. She HATED IT--- cried the entire time! Wouldn't go near it for another 2 years! When she tried it again she was a bit more mature, and taller, and now it is her favorite ride. If your child shows even the slightest bit of trepidation, it may be best to use the child swap, or the chicken exit!

 

[kaylie&laurensmom]

My DD rode when she was 4 and LOVED IT! Like others have said, it depends on the child. My DD loves scary things and has no fear! We are going in 18 days (she's 6 now) and she wants to head straight for ToT.