Is Thunder Railroad too intense for a 4.5 yo boy?

[smiths02]

DD loves it, loves Splash Mtn, too. Goofy's was a bit scary for her..???? Hated Dinosaur at AK. I don't like coasters at all, but LOVE BTMRR!

oh yeah, Dinosaur wasn't good for my DS either.

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

DS5 was 4 on our trip last year and loved BTMRR, Barnstormer, Test Track, Splash Mountain - pretty much everything he met the height requirement for, and he is our more reserved child of the bunch!

 

[goodeats]

My 4.5 yo said she did not like the dark parts, but generally liked it. I asked her if she wanted to go again, and she said not today, but next time!

She was not interested in Space Mountain or Tower of Terror though.

 

[ajwolfe]

My boys have been riding it from the time they were tall enough to and they love it. Totally agree with the poster that mentioned riding at night. My boys love riding it at night better, but it does definitely take on a different feel and is more thrilling that way.

 

[blessedby3]

Our kids all started riding it at about age 4….except for our youngest. She is 6 1/2 and still refuses to get on it. We did get her on Splash Mtn when she was 5, but she cried and said she never wants to ride it again.
I wish she would love BTMRR because it is a ride the whole family could go on. As is is we have to split up since she won't ride it. She is very timid and won't go on HM or Pirates either. UGGGHHH Her dad is just happy that he has someone to sit the bench with him when we ride the big rides (Space, EE, RNR, TOT) Even when she makes the height requirements for those rides…she will never ride them and he has a bench buddy
It really depends on each child.

 

[pad406]

My DS who hates coasters, loved BTMR when we first went. he was 6.5 though. Loves test track too. Won't even get in a queue, let alone try EE, RNR, SM or TOT. Now nearing 10, he says he still doesn't want to ride them but can't wait to get back to BTMR and test track, both were closed last time we were there

 

[mcuoghi]

Dd was 4.5 and ds was 3 when they first rode. They loved it. We even rode twice on their request. Start by showing him videos of the ride on YouTube.

 

[jenne]

Just returned from a trip with DS3.5 and he LOVED IT - Thunder and Test Track were his favourites.

 

[jlsmith376]

My DS is sensitive and first rode it at 5. He said he liked it but the next time we tried he wouldn't go on it. He's always loved Goofy's Barnstormer.

 

[dislovrbham]

My son was two weeks shy of his 4th birthday and was barely 40 inches. He LOVED it. The first time he rode it, it was dark. He immediately got off and begged to ride it again! We had to ride it the next day during daylight too!

With that said, we worked our way up to it. We started with the Great Goofini and DS complained it was too slow. We tried Haunted Mansion and a few other rides. That evening he convinced me that he was ready for the big kid rides.

The next day he rode tower of terror at HS and loved that one too. The boy is fearless I tell you!

 

[reneaterry]

My daughter rode it a month before she turned 4 and loved it.

 

[brekken1]

My son loved it! He was a couple of days from his fourth birthday! We did Barmstormer first to see how he liked it, and then decided to try BTMRR.

 

[DCbride]

Not at all. DD went 1 month before 4 and loved it. She is now 6.5 and prefers Barnstormer. You never know...

 

[tina.tina]

A lot depends on how you present it. DS(5.5 then) rode POTC with DH and was scared to death. I had to holler at DH to talk to DS and calm him down. DS rode Snow White with me and I told him every time we saw the witch we had to laugh because we knew Snow White & the dwarves would defeat her in the end. He giggled during the whole ride and DD(10) rode with DH and didn't like that one!

BTMRR jostled DS too much for his taste. He just kept sliding around on the seat no matter how much I tried to hang onto him. He said it was okay but he didn't want to ride it again. He had recently recovered from a broken collar bone, though, and I think he was still afraid of re-injuring it.

 

[texasroni75]

When DS was 5, he wouldn't do it (cried when we even suggested it).
At 9, he was still hesitant but did it. He was freaking out the entire time, so much so that I felt like a terrible parent for convincing him to give it a try.
Interestingly enough though, he will go on Tower Of Terror all day long. I just don't get it!

 

[sunkissed4]

Kids are weird at this age! My oldest was terrified of Goofini at 3.5 but loved thunder mountain and now at almost 5 loves both. Interestingly enough he's scared of Soarin... strange!

 

[mommy2mygirls]

My advice (as a former BTMRR CM) if he wants to ride it, ask to ride up front, close to the engine the first time. It goes a lot slower and less jerky than the back. If he likes that, then try towards the back (which whips you around a lot and is WAY more fun IMO ).

We went last September when my DS was a little over 4. He was okay on BTMRR, not really his favorite, but LOVED Test Track, especially the part you go REALLY fast on. Go figure.

 

[Lisa71]

Totally depends on the kid. My DD loved it at 4...DS does not like it and is almost 7...my friend's son just turned 9 and this Is the first year he liked it. I did not like roller coasters until I was 9 but DD did as soon as she could else them.

 

[Blurrysmom]

My son loved it when he was 4.5 and 5. However, he consistently said he did not like the beginning, when the train climbs through the cave. He didn't like the bats hanging in the cave. He said it was OK thought because he could just cover his eyes.

 

[sweetie1996]

Mine loved it! My favorite moment from his first trip, was listening to his giggles of pure joy while riding.