How young is too young to ride the rides?

[emma'smom]

How young is too young to ride some of the rides that seem gentle? Would you take a 1 year old on "It's a Small World"?. What other rides are appropriate for very young children? Also, my 3 1/2 year has just reached 40 inches and is dying to go on Thunder Mountain. Any thoughts on this? I really was planning on focusing on the more easy-going rides that seemed more appropriate for preschoolers. It seems she has bigger plans. What have your experiences been?

 

[ThreeMusketeers]

Hi! We just got back about a month ago now with our 3.5 year old. And she LOVED Thunder Mountain. She was 43" tall at the time. But she LOVED it, thats all she talks about. We also let her go on Splash Mountain (another favorite of hers.) Which I was a bit nervous about..but she was FINE, and she LOVED it! It would probobly be easier to tell you the rides we didn't put her on..obviously..not Space Mountain or Mission Space. I couldn't imagine putting her on Tower of Terror. Alot of people say their kids were fine on Test Track..but we didn't put her on it. I thought it jerked you around alot. And really all in all it wasn't that great of a ride (IMO) She hated the 3D shows..we only tried Bugs Life..and she was Terrified. Poor thing, I felt horriable. (and she is a fearless little thing.) But she did like Mickeys Philharmagic. Which was a favorite of mommy and daddy's as well. I ended up taking her out in the middle. Umm...A one year old on Dumbo or Small World, or even Triceratop Spin..I think would be fine.

Edited to add: Haunted Mansion were really scary for my little one. Which I think made her VERY leary of otherwise not scary indoor rides and shows the rest of the trip.

It was such a magical Experience. Have a great trip!

 

[nicolem]

I don't have any words of wisdom for the 3 1/2 year old, but I can comment on taking the one year old ...there are TONS of rides that are appropriate and fun for them! We took our DS to DL when he was exactly one year old (actually it was his birthday trip), and he loved everything in Fantasyland. We didn't do Snow White because it's kind of intense, but we did everything else there with no problems. He especially loved Dumbo and IASM. (BTW, when we went to WDW last month he was 17 mo, and we DID take him on Snow White, with no ill effects). We also took him on Haunted Mansion and Pirates and he handled those as well. We didn't take him on anything with a height restriction (obviously), but other than that, I think he rode everything!

As far as shows go, he sat through them all in our laps, even the 3D ones. He wouldn't wear the glasses, but he loved the big screen and the music. I can see how an older child might be a little freaked out at ITTBAB, though.

 

[liamandcaili]

You'll have to judge when you get there, I think. My DD, 4, just hit the 40 inch mark when we went in December. All she talked about before we went was how much she wanted to go on Splash Mountain and Thunder Mountain. She had seen the MK DVD. Well, we took her on Soarin in Epcot...a very gentle ride...but she hated it. Then we took her on Test Track, and she really hated that. After those, she was scared to go on any rides...she thought they all would be dark, high or fast. She said BTM and SM were definitely out. DS 6 didn't like BTM either. He was very happy when it broke down towards the end of the ride and he was able to get off.

So my advice would be to do the gentler rides first...Small World, Pooh, Peter Pan (all appropriate for your one year-old as well...we took my DS when he was that age and he had no problem with any of the gentler rides...if he wasn't entertained, he just fell asleep!). As a roller coaster warm-up, you could try Goofy's Barnstormer in ToonTown. Dumbo might also be a good test because if your child is afraid of heights, or the up and down sensation, that ride, while gentle, will bring that out.

We had a really hard time with DD after taking her on some of the rides she didn't like, and I don't want you to have the same experience.

Good luck!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

My youngest rode at 4 months. She went on anything she was tall enough for . At the time it was all the same rides as my oldest except Barnstormer.

The safari might be my one exception as it can get a little wobbly---that might be safe for 6 months and up or whenever the little one is holding up their head.

I say anything older than 6 weeks. (I say this b/c anything younger, I think mom and baby should be recouping at home and getting to know one another. 'nother thread for 'nother day ).

My oldest got to ride thundermountain as soon as she was tall enough. Which was just before Hurricane Jeanne Came. That put her just over the age of 4. I would have taken her earlier if she were tall enough . Reaching that height is a milestone!! And going on those rides could feasibly be more important than any souvenir. They have baby swaps--and while you are over in that area...take the baby to the play area at Splash Mountain--FP one ride and right the other and the swapping parent can meet you at the playground. Be sure to all go and get a baby swap pass (usually everyone must be together to show the short one) if both parents want to ride.

ETA: My DD is a daredevil--she will go on any ride she is tall enough for even if she is scared. She'll ride with her eyes covered on some rides and then say--"let's ride it again". To some it would look like I'm making her--but she loves it (and FTR there are no adverse effects--she brags to everyone that SHE went on those rides and has no bad dreams or any other stuff negative happen).

 

[dismom9761]

My youngest was 13 mths the first time we went and she rode everything that didn't have a height requirement and had a blast.We had a three year old with us for part of the trip and he rode everything he was tall enough for-though it probably has alot do with your child's personality.My son was 7 yrs old and Splash mtn scared him but my six year old loved it.

 

[MickeyHereWeCome!]

Hi! My son was only 5 months old for our last trip, and he went on basically everything that my other kids went on. The only things I can think of are the Mountain's and the Astro Orbiter. Most of the non-thrill rides are very family oriented, and you should have no problem at all.

Our newest addition will be 1 for our trip in October, and I'm sure we'll all be going on most rides together. Now for the fun of figuring out how to split us up on each ride.

 

[Nicolepa]

The only ride w/o a height limit that I am not comfortable taking a young (under a year) on is the astro orbiters. I took my son on when he was 5 months old and it was scary!

As for the 40 inch rides. When my kids hit 40 inches (or any landmark height) I will let them ride any ride they want and I encouraged them to try it. The only ride we have not allowed my kids to ride when they hit the height limit was mission to mars (44 inches).

That being said. TOT and a 3 year old are not a good thing. My son was 3y 4 months when he rode it the first time. He cried hysterically. We felt so bad. (Before I get flamed, we did not make him ride it, he wanted to because it is his sisters favorite. When he and daddy went at 3y 6 months that was the first ride he asked to ride.) To the OP if you are interested in seeing a 3 yo on TOT pm and I will give you a link. The video is of his second ride on TOT (at 3.5 years)

 

[HopperFan]

Took a 4 month old on just about everything she was allowed to ride....even the Haunted Mansion. She didn't slow us down a bit.

 

[3littleHalls]

I say use your best judgement...If you aren't comfortable with letting them go...you are the boss. I took our 9mo old the rides she was allowed. And I also let my nearly 3yr old(he was 40") ride , Test TRack, Splash Mountain and BTMR but I also had my leg over his as extra protection. These were rides I had already gone on with our oldest who was 46" at the time. The main things I worried about were the safety and would he be scared. Have a magical trip!

 

[sweet_mama_shy]

This site is just wonderful! here i thought that my 20 month old would not be allowed to ride any rides because she was to young, they allow the kids to ride the rides even when they get in for free?

 

[DebIreland]

This site is just wonderful! here i thought that my 20 month old would not be allowed to ride any rides because she was to young, they allow the kids to ride the rides even when they get in for free?

Oh yeah!! Your little girl will have a ball! We took our daughter when she was just 15 months and she had a great time. We were cautious about which rides to take her on - didn't want to scare her but she still got to do loads of stuff! Her favourite was 'The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh', she loved Mickey and Minnie's houses and the train that goes around MK, Playhouse Disney at MGM and lots of other things too! Enjoy!

 

[disneyag]

We took our 6mo DD on every ride that didn't have a height restriction. When my DS was 4, we took him on everything he was tall enough to ride (all the 40" rides.) I think all kids are different. Mine love the thrill rides, but I have a 13 yo niece who is scared of lots of minor rides.

 

[dcgrumpy]

All three of mine took their first trip between 4 and 6mos. They went on everything without a height restriction.