how to convince kids who refuse to try a ride

[Jennasis]

But you can't dread anything if you don't try it.

Of course you can.

 

[Robbi]

I still close my eyes in the HM cemetery. OP, he'll try it when he's ready. It's just a ride and won't determine the course of his life unless you force him to ride it and then he has a resentment against you. No kid wants to be humiliated. What if he got on it and started crying? He'd be mortified and angry.
Our sons who are both big tough football players were scared of stuff like this when they were kids. Their petite little sister rode all of them.

 

[littlezar]

I would just ask if he wants to try it and accept the answer.

My 11yr old is the least daredevil of my boys. He will do EE, BTMRR & RnR, but won't do Space. He'll do HM but once on TOT is more than enough. Doesn't like heights but loved Astro Orbiter.

 

[MinnieLovesMickey12]

But you can't dread anything if you don't try it.

Of course you can. Actually the unknown of never having ridden something can make you severely dread it.

It's all the things you haven't tried that makes the fearful ppl dread them. Especially if they know mom or dad is going to really nag them or push them to ride it even if they don't want to.

I would never drag a crying child onto a ride even if I knew the kid would like the ride afterwards. What if they don't like the ride afterwards. What if it scares the crap out of them even worse than before they rode it but now they remember mom forcing them to go on it. As you have read from some previous posters, a parent forcing a kid on a ride they are scared of can scar them for life and have them as grown adults still scared to ride dark rides or coasters.

If they are scared, take them to Tomorrow Land or the new Fantasy Land expansion and let them ride all the mild rides, the tea cups, tomorrowland speedway. Let them have some fun too without being made to feel like they are ruining everyone else's vacation from their fear of riding anything.

 

[pjhootch]

A kid's fears are real for them, even if we know they are silly fears and all about nothing. Let him be for now. If he is still afraid when he is in his teens, bribe him.

For every parent that got their kid to love a ride by dragging them on kicking and screaming, there is one that came off the ride upset. Those of us with grown kids learned the hard way that we don't always know our children as well as we thought.

I did bully my son on a ride one time. He was 14 and had been "afraid" to ride roller coasters his entire life. We were at Universal and his dad and sisters were getting on the Dueling Dragons coaster, while he and I rode the little Unicorn toddler coaster together. We'd been through this routine for years and I was getting pretty tired of the Unicorn 5 times in a row with a big high school boy. I simply shamed him. rofl. It sounds like horrible parenting now, but I teased and tortured him until he got mad at me and stormed into the Dueling Dragons line with his dad. OF course, dad made sure he got put up front. He's loved coasters ever since, but I'm still glad we never really forced him when he was younger. He probably would have puked on me just to get revenge.

 

[xipotec]

Both my kids said they would never ride any coasters again after riding Goofy at 5 and 8 years old. So we had an uphill battle last trip.

They went on splash mountain and loved it, after a bribe to buy a gift in the gift shop they tried BTM, again loved it. After that we had the best trip ever, SM , Everest, and yes Goofy too. Now they are coaster junkies at 7 and 10.

They didnt do RRC or TOT because we went there before they overcame their fear. But now we know next trip we can go on every ride as a family!!'

 

[sammons70]

I have vivid memories of being terrified on HM and PoC at DL as a toddler. Not only did my parents take me on these rides, but my dad, who didn't want me to miss anything, would point everything out. " Look at the men shooting guns." "Look at the ghost sitting with us." I wanted no part it. I loved the Country Bears and Fantasy Land. Just keep me away from scary stuff. In subsequent trips, one parent would watch the parade with me, or take me to Fantasy Land, while the other would ride PoC and Haunted Mansion.
Finally when I was 8 and we were traveling with another family with kids, I was convinced by my peers, who had hesitated at first because of my opinions, that the rides were funny, not scary. After that, they have been favorite attractions of mine ever since. If it had not been for my peer group, I still may not wish to ride those rides. Kids can help encourage each other to overcome fear.

 

[Albytaps]

Ice cream!

 

[Disney_Princess83]

Add a 1 to what and think about a what?!?
What kind of logic is this?!?!?
As a parent you know what's BEST for your child... No one else does!
If a parent thinks their own child will like a certain ride then by all means crying or not get the kid on there. He doesn't know it's fun! But once the child is on it and loving it as a parent you have shown the child experiencing new things is fun and enjoyable...
This new way of parenting their children in bubbles I don't agree with.

I don't understand the need to force a child into doing something they don't want to do. I wouldn't care of the child was 5, 15 or 55. I wouldn't force my mother onto a ride if she didn't want to go, what right do I have to force a child? It's a ride, it's not like it's a trip to the doctor where they might have to go. Even if we don't understand the fear because it is a "ride", to a child the fear is very real. particularly if you're looking at a ride like Haunted Mansion. I've seen son many kids really terrified after being forced onto the ride my parents. why upset your kid for nothing?

 

[Katie In Wonderland]

I wouldn't ride HM until...a few years ago and I'm 21. It's one of my favorite rides now. Now, TOT...that's another story. I'm afraid of heights so I won't ride but my mom convinced me to go at least in and walk in with her, wait in line and then take the chicken exit. Just...no. Hyperventilation and a little crying. Great day. But now, I have officially learned something I have been saying for awhile. NEVER push somebody into something they do not want to do. When they're ready, it will happen. Give him time and be patient. He'll come around

 

[ZephyrHawk]

The first time I went to WDW I was terrified to ride HM. My parents forced me on. I did okay until the mirror scene and then I screamed bloody murder...and then 10 feet after the exit it became my favorite ride ever. It still is. My parents were right to force me.

Now my parents also forced me on roller coasters. Those still terrify me and, for the most part, I wish they hadn't done it, but you know what? It did not kill me. It did not traumatize me for life. And since sometimes they were right when they forced me on rides, or to tackle a certain intimidating ski hill, or to do something else I was a little afraid of trying, I can forgive them for being wrong about the roller coasters.

Would I force my kid on a scary ride with a big drop? No. Would I drag them onto HM, their parents' favorite ride? Yes. Sometimes you have to face the unknown or you'll miss out on something wonderful. If afterwards they're still crying, then I'll tell them they never have to do it again. If they're laughing up a storm, I'll know I made the right choice.

As for how to convince a kid to ride, well as a kid I really might have appreciated the explanation that the HM was not real. You may think that's stupidly obvious, but it's something that needs explaining to a kid who believes in ghosts. Otherwise, bribery did eventually work in getting me to try roller coasters. Boy was my dad surprised to find my deeply abiding phobia of drops was not greater than my desire for the $20 he jokingly offered.

 

[Sheaboys]

I always say to my kids..."Just one ride. If you love it, we'll go again. If you hate it, you can say that you rode it and don't care for it. If you don't ride it, you'll never know." My daughter refused to ride TOT for years. I told her this, she rode it once and now she LOVES it. She also rode Space Mountain, and decided that was a one time only ride. I don't make the kids ride if they don't want to, but I always offer the "just one ride" choice. She still won't ride Mission: Space, and I don't push it.

This is what we did when we went in August. Ds4 (who is 6) was afraid of alot of rides (especially ones with hills), but is a dare devil. But he is a dare devil and an adventurer with is own body because he can control it. I knew going in, I was not going to get him on BTMR or Splash, or TT. But his 3 yr old brother did, loved them. I told ds4, to try the rides I knew he would be fine on, such as HM. I reassured him it had no hills, when lights go out, I told him we would exit in a minute etc. He loved it. I took him on Goofy's Barnstormer, which I had a feeling he would hate, and he did, he was so mad at me for taking him, but got over it quickly, but he certainly did not ride it again. Our older 3, just started riding coaster last spring, they were 13, 11 and 9. I could not wait for my kids to love them, since my dh is a merry go rounder and I love coaster. For ds1, who is 14, Tower of Terror he did once and that was more then enough for him, but did RR 3x.

Only you know your kid and his limits. If he tries it great, if not, fine too.

 

[Planogirl]

I didn't force DS to ride but I talked him into it. Once it was done, he decided that he loved it and wanted to ride it several times. He was about 4 or 5 at the time.

Kids are all different and you just never know what they'll decide they like. Your child might change his mind about a ride several times too.

 

[skater]

We never forced our kids to ride anything, but we did sometimes talk them into it. I knew my son would love POTC, but he refused to try it. We bribed him with the promise of purchasing a sword in the pirate store - that boy could never resist a sword . He loved the ride and was sorry he didn't ride it before. We gave him a little money to ride Splash Mountain (maybe about a dollar in change) - and he hated it. It was no big deal though - because we didn't force him - we offered him a business deal .

Still, all kids are different. I think you have to decide if your child is ready and if you think he is, then a little bribe or a soft push of encouragement may be the best thing. As long as you're doing it to help the child and not yourself, I think it will work out.

 

[SpectroMagic*o*]

I'm in the same boat! My DD is scared of EVERY dark ride in WDW. Even Peter Pan!! Terrified! We got her on Peter Pan with my dad once and she just cried the whole time. When your child has that fear, you start to realize theres actually few "kids" rides she can enjoy there! A LOT of them are dark and I think its sad she cant go on so many of these great rides because of her fear. I wish Disney would make more lighter brighter rides geared towards very small children who might have fears of dark and loud noises. There's only so many times I can go on Dumbo and Small World!! I was so excited about the new Ariel ride til I read that yet again, its another dark ride! She wont be able to go on that either!

 

[SpectroMagic*o*]

My DD refused to go on POTC -- simply refused, even though I know her and I knew she loved it. It was a cast member at the ride that convinced her to give it a try -- he even took us back to look at the ride so she'd know exactly what to expect.

That is AWESOME that a cast member did that for you!!! If my DD saw what was really behind these "fearful" rides, she wouldnt be scared. Kudos to that castmember for going the extra mile!!

 

[Chicago Mo]

I don't understand the need to force a child into doing something they don't want to do. I wouldn't care of the child was 5, 15 or 55. I wouldn't force my mother onto a ride if she didn't want to go, what right do I have to force a child? It's a ride, it's not like it's a trip to the doctor where they might have to go. Even if we don't understand the fear because it is a "ride", to a child the fear is very real. particularly if you're looking at a ride like Haunted Mansion. I've seen son many kids really terrified after being forced onto the ride my parents. why upset your kid for nothing?

You know your own child. I don't know yours or your parents. SO i cannot say what's best.
I know My kids would LOVE HM and TOT. I was right as their parent they loved it. I don't care what it is. try it once if you don't like you don't have to eat,do, talk whatever the case. This is the relationship i have with MY kids. try it once, there are some things they don't like and i respect them to say OK. I will also say there isn't much they Don't like because they don't have the mind set of everything is scary/horrible/and tasteless!

The end result. You know your OWN kid, and whats best for them. If you want to take them on a ride KNOWING they will like it then take them!!!! If you can't talk to your kids, your going to be in a lot of trouble later.

 

[MissManda]

it' s maddening to me that ODS (9.5) WILL not give Haunted
mansion a try. refuses! thinks it will be too scary. he goes on just about everything else and his irrational fear of HM drives me crazy. his 3.5 y.o. sister went on and that didnt even sway him. ive showed him videos of the ride but theyre mostly pretty dark which doesnt help much. how can i convince him to go on it?

Have you tried offering him a reward for trying it once? I have an 8yo niece. She has been going to amusement parks her whole life but she's always been scared to ride the bigger roller coasters. This past spring at Busch Gardens Williamsburg she made a comment about being afraid to ride Appolo's Chariot. My husband, told her that if she rode, he would sit beside her and hold her hand the whole time and that he would also buy her a ride picture and a stuffed animal. It took her a while, but she worked up the courage to do it. After she got off, she got back in line again. Her second ride, she went no hands the whole time! She ended up getting the picture from the second ride. Her hair was flowing in the wind and sticking straight up and you could tell she was screaming her head off. She loves it now and she now rides everything that she is tall enough to ride. All she needed was a little motivation.

BGW also introduced a new ride this year called Verbolten. Its a launch coaster similar to RnR at WDW. Part of the ride is inside and its pitch black dark. In the middle of the darkness, they stop coaster, drop the track/coaster about 10 feet and then they relaunch you. The same niece wanted to ride it for the first time with me, but she was really nervous. We as a family decided not to tell her what happened inside because she would get nervous (even though we knew she would be okay...ToT is one of her favorite rides at WDW). She asked me what it was like. I told her that it was similar to RnR but that it didn't go upside up. That is all I said. We got to the inside part and the ride stopped. I told her to get ready for the "ToT part". Before she could say anything, it dropped and she was screaming her head off at me. But....we got off the ride and she got right back in line to ride again.

I would say that if you DS seems interested in it but is just nervous, you can explain to him what the ride is like and ask him to just try it once and you can get him some sort of reward, like a HM pin if he's into pin collecting or a favorite treat. Also tell him if he doesn't like it he can shut his eyes and he won't ever have to ride it again. Also explain that just like with any other ride nothing in there is real and could never hurt him. If he still refuses and will give up a reward, then his fear is probably too great to make him ride right now.

 

[Tink_Or_Belle]

My youngest finally decided to ride last year at age 8.We ended up in that first room with a bunch of kids thinking they were funny (screaming loud ,pushing each other,yelling something grabbed me and we're all gonna die) Scared him more than the ride but he says he'll never ride it again.

 

[photo_chick]

I'm with you. I've got. 9.5 year old who is scared to death of it. Even though he's been on it like 5 or 6 times. He actually refers to it as the terror ride. I usually go with bribery. If that doesn't work he rides the "white bench ride" outside the HM while we ride.

I source of my irritation is because we allow him to play scary video games like black ops and resident evil and he doesn't blink an eye. But put a 50 year old musty robot in his face and he poops his pants.

This is exactly how my almost 10 year old DS is. Games don't phase him. It's that "real world" element that sends him over the edge. I figure at least he knows the difference between fantasy and reality, right? LOL