Is mission space green side scary for a 6 year old?

[proud_canadian]

My 6 year old is a little hesitant with rides. She wants to ride mission space, and I explained there was a green and orange side and she wants to try.

We are having our Epcot day as our first day and I don't want her to get scared on mission space and not want to do anything all week. Is it a scary ride even on the green side???

 

[Reedi]

Totally depends on the child like all rides. Just feel her out that morning. Don't force the issue if she backs out at first, she might come around later. Their attitude towards the ride is key. DD5 was super excited that she was finally tall enough for all but 2 rides that she didn't want to miss a single ride. We did the orange line several times and she had a ball!!

 

[frayedend]

I don't think it's scary. But if she is afraid of enclosed spaces she may not like it. One thing I did find out this trip was that I have no problem on orange side but only once per day. I did it 2 times in a row and felt nauseous after the second ride.

 

[dqpowell]

The ride itself is not scary. The concept is an outer-space adventure, and the simulation makes it seem like you're actually taking off in a rocket, flying to Mars, and landing. No space monsters or anything like that.

The green side tilts backwards to give the feeling of lifting off/gravity below your back. The orange side spins, using centripetal force to increase the sense of a rocket accelerating against gravity. Otherwise the missions are the same.

Each person in the "cockpit" is given a different job to do -- press this button at this time, press another button at a different time. It keeps kids interested in the ride and can distract them from any fear they might be feeling.

I think some kids are only scared of it because they know it's a 'thrill' ride, and maybe are picking up on some of the anxiety their parents have about it.

David

 

[dqpowell]

I should point out that the orange side is more intense than the green side, due to the centripetal forces. So best to start out on the green side, and if the child reacts well, consider trying out the orange side.

David

 

[letthewookiewin]

Before our last trip, we talked a lot about M:S. It was during the time where the deaths had happened, and the green side was new. My hubby kept teasing me that he was going to make me ride the orange side. I kept refusing, and insisting that with my blood pressure, I didn't want to chance riding anything but the green side. In our family, the boys know if mommy is willing to ride it, it can't be too bad. I tend to get sick on rides that are too wild. Our youngest was 7 at the time, and he did wonderful. He wasn't scared at all. In fact we are planning a trip in 2012, and while there he will have his 13th birthday. When I asked him what park he wants to do on his actual birthday he said, "EPCOT, so we can ride M:S over and over all day long on my birthday."

If you are too worried about it, you might try looking for a video of the ride on youtube to show your child.

 

[Hannathy]

It is not a scary ride, never has been. There is nothing to be scared of it is a ride in a "space ship" The original is a thrill ride in that you experience the weightless feeling but the green side is just a motion simulator like Star Tours.

My 5yr old went on the original side(before they had 2 sides) as soon as he was tall enough without any problem.

 

[Eljay]

It's a great family ride for a group of 4 or less, that's how many people can fit in a capsule at once. If there are more than 4 of you, figure out how you are going to pair up, so there isn't a scramble at loading time. Kids seem to like how each rider is given a title (pilot, commander, navigator or engineer) and assigned a task. If you have a kid who seems to be too worried about doing the task correctly, explain to them that this is just "training" and the computer will take over if you miss your command to push a button. The pre-show is fairly somber and seems to imply that a lot is expected of you, not so. It's all fun. If you just want to do nothing in the capsule, that's fine too.

I definitely suggest that you try the GREEN (less intense) Team first, if you like a more intense experience, try ORANGE. Unless you have serious claustro issues, almost anybody can do GREEN.

Have fun!

 

[MommyJack]

We went in 2007, DS was 7. We put him in between us and he was fine. In fact the only ride he didn't like was Tower of Terror.

 

[bartleby1]

The green side is a piece of cake. Nothing scary about it at all. My DD was 4 when she went on and thought it was the greatest ride. Not sure why, it really doesn't do much. The only problem she had at 4 was that she couldn't reach the buttons so we had to do it for her (She was right at 44 inches). This year, she was 5 yrs old and 48 inches and could reach on her own.

HTH!

 

[wanttobeinvienna]

My 6 year old DD LOVED the orange side...
as a side note- our ped. said the less the weigh, the less they feel... physics stuff which I am not a fan of, LOL!

 

[Julylady]

I have had kids who had anxiety over the fact that they had to push the buttons to make the ride "work." They believed that if they screwed this up, something bad would happen. Gary Sinese makes the whole situation very believable and I think the kids forgot for a minute that it was a ride.

 

[mjp12831]

Your post started by saying that your 6yo is a bit hesitant with rides.

If this is the case I wouldnt put them on it. You're enclosed in a very small space in a simulator - if the 6yo freaks out, you aren't going to be able to really comfort or get to them.

The green side ride is very tame though - other than the very small space.

 

[Nutz4Dizney]

Oh I got a question


I can't ride Star Tours makes me slightly sick so my mom takes my son on it every year and she's fine.
I believe it was the year MS was open my mom and I went on it, I was fine but mom got sick--really really sick.

My question is: is the orange side more like ST where mom won't get sick or do I have to mom-up and just take my son on it. I don't mind mommy-up if it makes my kid happy.

 

[Hannathy]

She won't get sick on the green side. It doesn't spin, so it is just like star tours. It becomes just a motion simulator ride.

 

[dqpowell]

She won't get sick on the green side. It doesn't spin, so it is just like star tours. It becomes just a motion simulator ride.

I would like to politely disagree that it's "just like star tours."

I am a wild ride junkie. I hit all the rollercoasters, including the supercoasters found at lots of other parks, big drop rides, etc. Tower of Terror is my favorite ride on WDW property.

But Star Tours makes me nauseous. Mission Space doesn't. So even though they are both motion simulators, Mission Space is much more sophisticated and much less likely to make me feel ill. I don't bother with Star Tours anymore.

David

 

[Hannathy]

I would like to politely disagree that it's "just like star tours."

I am a wild ride junkie. I hit all the rollercoasters, including the supercoasters found at lots of other parks, big drop rides, etc. Tower of Terror is my favorite ride on WDW property.

But Star Tours makes me nauseous. Mission Space doesn't. So even though they are both motion simulators, Mission Space is much more sophisticated and much less likely to make me feel ill. I don't bother with Star Tours anymore.

David

If you had read the post I was answering she said her Mom could go on Star tours and was wondering if MS tame would make her sick.
Don't know what roller coasters have to do with this question but as the kids say whatever.

 

[sasquatch]

Does anyone know if the song Destiny is played during the ride? Or, if not riding, can it be heard in the pavilion anywhere? My DD6 loves that song, and sings along anytime it comes on in the car.

 

[dqpowell]

If you had read the post I was answering she said her Mom could go on Star tours and was wondering if MS tame would make her sick.
Don't know what roller coasters have to do with this question but as the kids say whatever.

I read the post you're referring to. I was just saying that I don't think Star Tours and Mission Space are that similar. Yes, they're both motion simulators, but one makes me feel sick and the other doesn't. (The rollercoasters comment was just to make the point that not much makes me feel sick.)

Sheesh.

David

 

[SCHBR'smom]

I have had kids who had anxiety over the fact that they had to push the buttons to make the ride "work." They believed that if they screwed this up, something bad would happen. Gary Sinese makes the whole situation very believable and I think the kids forgot for a minute that it was a ride.

This is very true. On our last trip, my mil and I took my son and niece, both 6 at the time, on the green side. My niece was in tears and carrying on because she couldn't reach the buttons. She thought she had to. Once my mil reached over and pressed for her, she calmed down. Poor girl, but it's quite funny now.