Is Radiator springs racers suitable for 3yr old and 5 yr old?

[pinkberryfox]

It will be our first trip - or even the first ride on this trip.

Will RSR be too much for my 3 year old and 5 year old? They both meet the height requirement. But I am just not too sure about the "scare" factor. Thanks!

 

[kathy040690]

My three year old (now 5) loves radiator racers. She was tall enough at 3 and it's been her favorite ever since !

 

[SMD]

I sat single rider with a kid who screamed in fear during the whole race section about 2 weeks ago. My guess is that he was about 3. My friend's 4 year old cried when she heard the siren at the beginning and wasn't too happy with the racing. Though I think if the loud noises hadn't scared her she would have been ok with the racing part. At 5 she goes on Star Tours and BTMRR but is terrified of Dumbo, so you never know what will trigger them. You might want to try Mater's first for motion and maybe Monster's Inc for a little scare to see how they handle those. If you do RSR first and they don't like it I think you'll have a hard time convincing them that not every ride is going to be like that.

 

[Vincent405]

It will be our first trip - or even the first ride on this trip.

Will RSR be too much for my 3 year old and 5 year old? They both meet the height requirement. But I am just not too sure about the "scare" factor. Thanks!

Well, I would suggest looking online for some videos. The ride starts with going into an inside "dark" area where the car speeds up some and you see Mack, the Sheriff, Mater, and then after "you" try and tip a few tractors, the large thrasher tractor - Frank - comes out with lights and noise, then you quickly go into the town scene and through a garage area (there are 2 sides with different themes) then you pull up next to another car with riders and race outside. It goes fast and has hills, but you are all (3 people per row) seated across the car in front or back and it is not like a roller coaster, just a fast car.

 

[ktlm]

If they want to do it, I would absolutely let them try. Last summer, one of the many times we rode it on our trip we had a 3 year old in the car with us and he laughed the entire ride. It was so cute! He absolutely loved it. I don't think it has that much of a scare factor. The entire inside is Cars themed, and then it is just a fast car ride outside. It is not like a coaster or anything. When DD was 3, she rode Test Track for the first time which is WDW's similar, but very much inferior to RSR ride. She loved her first ride and wanted to ride it again (unfortunately our second ride we got stuck in a part of the old version of the ride called the "hot" room- the old version tested the car against "hot" in a "hot" room and then "cold" in a cold room- after having to sit stuck in the hot room, I think it was 2 years before I got her on it again!). I think that Soarin and RSR are the best 2 "thrill ride" starter rides for the younger set. When DD was 5 and under, she hated any of the other thrill rides, but she loved Soarin and loved Test Track until the hot room issue (RSR didn't exist at DLR yet)!

 

[TalkDisnerdytome]

I think it really depends on the child, my son hasn't rode the ride yet but if they want to ride it then go for it, if they're scared about riding it then wait till next visit. My 4 year old is excited about being able to ride HTT and even that ride scares me a bit, but I plan on taking him on all rides he's now tall enough to ride/comfortable with riding, we plan on taking him on SM first as his first big roller coaster and that's just because if you can see the roller coaster/ride before getting on it, it makes it more scary for them but seeing as SM is hidden in a building he won't be able to really be scared of the ride before getting on. He's a little dare devil though he's been on GGC and loved that.

 

[figment_jii]

I also think that it depends a lot on the child. I would second the recommendation to watch a couple of YouTube (or similar) video and see what you think. There are three very different parts to the attraction. The first is the slow "scenic" drive up the mountain (reminding guests of the scene where Sally and McQueen go for a "drive"), the second is when you head into Radiator Springs, and the third is the race. The race isn't much more intense than any of the other thrill rides, but the sound effects make it seem like you're going faster than you. I think there are elements inside the Radiator Springs section that can scare kids if they're not expecting it (Mack the Truck right at the entrance and the giant angry tractor ("Frank")).

 

[sherilaine]

Do they like the movie? I think that is also a big part of it - understanding the content of what they are seeing - Mater driving backwards, Frank trying to catch you, all of that stuff is extra fun. I honestly thought to myself, I wonder what someone who's never seen the movie or hasn't heard the movie about 451 times like I have thinks when they go on this ride. My kids watched that movie so many times it's ridiculous!

So if they have watched it and love it then they should be fine - but yes, youtube is great - it really sets expectations!

 

[Epek]

My 5yr old loves Cars, but he gets nervous on RSR. I think it's the hills on the race part that scare him. You catch a little air. He'll go on the ride, but rarely wants to go twice. He loves Space Mountain but gets nervous on Big Thunder, for reference.

 

[Davin_Felth]

Our youngest first rode it when he was 3 1/2. He loved it and we rode it a few times that trip. I guess it depends on the kid, but it's worth the try.

 

[Girimama33]

My DD has been riding it since it opened in 2012 and she was 4. She was not a fan of the dark park (especially Frank). She loves the racing part though. Our trip last month was the first time she was not scared of the dark part with Frank.
Every kid is different. If your child is hesitant about dark/fast rides, you may want to hold off.

 

[Purrkins]

My son rode it when he was 5 and according to him it was "the greatest most awesome moment of my entire life and if I don't get to ride it again soon I might as well die." My 6 year old niece rode it with us and was mad that she had to wait in line all that time. Your mileage will vary.

 

[ktlm]

I just noticed you said it might be your first ride on your first trip. If you start your trip in the CA park instead of the DL park, I would probably Fast Pass RSR and take them on Toy Story Mania as their first ride. That is a little milder, since there is no fast part to that. They will both probably have a ton of fun shooting the blaster to the targets too. I wouldn't want to scare the 3 year old on the first ride because then it might be really hard to get the 3 year old on another ride. If you still have time after TSM, then Little Mermaid would be another good starter ride.

 

[TalkDisnerdytome]

I just noticed you said it might be your first ride on your first trip. If you start your trip in the CA park instead of the DL park, I would probably Fast Pass RSR and take them on Toy Story Mania as their first ride. That is a little milder, since there is no fast part to that. They will both probably have a ton of fun shooting the blaster to the targets too. I wouldn't want to scare the 3 year old on the first ride because then it might be really hard to get the 3 year old on another ride. If you still have time after TSM, then Little Mermaid would be another good starter ride.

I agree if this is your childs first time to a theme park get the fastpass and then ride some slower rides first. But if you plan on riding the ride at all while there you definetly need to get the fastpass asap or ride the ride first thing.

 

[Indiana Scott]

It's really not anymore scary than a ride in a convertible down the highway.

 

[kathy040690]

i would defiantly build up to radiator racers and not do it first.
im hoping my 3 year old is tall enough for our next trip. i think he will LOVE it !!

 

[pinkberryfox]

I just noticed you said it might be your first ride on your first trip. If you start your trip in the CA park instead of the DL park, I would probably Fast Pass RSR and take them on Toy Story Mania as their first ride. That is a little milder, since there is no fast part to that. They will both probably have a ton of fun shooting the blaster to the targets too. I wouldn't want to scare the 3 year old on the first ride because then it might be really hard to get the 3 year old on another ride. If you still have time after TSM, then Little Mermaid would be another good starter ride.

Thanks, that's good suggestion, and we very likely will be doing that.

Just a question, I am planning to get fastpass to WOC as well. As of for timing, we are planning to go for rope dropping. What order shall we do, grab fastpass for RSR, then grab fastpass for WOC, then wait in line for Toy Story Mania? Are we able to fit everything without missing the time window for RSR. We also have our lunch reservation at 11:30, will that be too tight timewise?

Anyone who can give me some advise, will be much appreciated!

 

[Purrkins]

Get a fast pass to RSR first thing. Most likely it will be for early afternoon.

 

[sherilaine]

When you are picking up your FPs for RSR you can see the return time as you go to the fast pass machine - make sure the return time will work for your plans. It is allowed, I believed although I have never tried, to allow others to go ahead of you in line and essentially wait in place until the return time is something you can work with. It all depends on the operating hours for that day as to when the return times will be to work around a lunch reservation. I'd not panic about getting WOC fast passes though, those things are readily available from our experience.

 

[Canuck16]

It all depends on your child but RSR isn't scary but it does go fairly fast.

On our first trip our 6 yr old was absolutely terrified on Snow White but loved ToT......go figure.