Kids on Grizzly River Run? Soarin?

[IBLarsen]

Hi, anybody have experience with younger children on the Grizzly River Run? Do they like it, hate it? Any advice? I have a 3 yr old dd and a 5 yr old ds, both meet the height requirements. I'm thinking my 5 year old may like it... Also, anybody take there kids of this age on Soarin?

 

[DoomBugger]

I think the 5 year old will love both, probably the biggest thrill so far in a 5 year olds life! The 3 year old might want to pass on both, it may be too intense and stressful for the 3 year old to enjoy.

 

[Brady's Mom]

We have taken 2 different DS's on Soarin at 4 years old and it is/was their favorite ride. Our DS 6 rode GRR last March when he was almost 6 and laughed the whole way. My DH said it was the funniest thing how much he enjoyed the ride. The same DS 6 rode Mulholland Madness also and that and GRR are now his absolute favorite rides.

We are going in Dec. and are hoping that DS 4 will be tall enough to ride GRR. We have watched it on Youtube and he thinks it looks really fun. He also wants to try Mulholland Madness, because his brother did it.

 

[avalon451]

We took DD5 on both. She liked Soarin' but LOVED GRR. This seems funny to me, because she did not like Splash, that last drop was too much for her. I think on GRR, her back was to the drop as we went down and she didn't actually see it. Also she was distracted and amused by a very nice family with funny kids who were with us on the ride! All depends on the temperament of your kids, I think. If they are adventurous and like to try new things, they'll probably love it. If they are a bit shy of new experiences, it might not be their thing.

 

[Mugglemama]

my oldest son has been riding both since his 4th birthday (added CA to our AP's on his birthday), and he loved them both then, and still does now at age 10.

my youngest son is nearly 4 now, and we're hoping he is tall enough for Soarin' when we get there later this month. i'm not expecting either one to frighten him at all, although he won't hit the requirement of 42" for GRR on this trip. (hopefully for our next trip in june!)

although i will say this...it IS a little overwhelming for very young children to be the ones who get hit with the biggest splash on GRR. none of mine have been tall enough to go on it before they were 4-6 years old, but i've seen younger kids on it who seemed a bit scared by a lot of water coming over the back of them and drenching them. probably because the water really covers their face for a second?

 

[BuckeyeGuy28]

My little sister (6) HATES ALL RIDES!!! She won't go on the Fantasyland dark rides, the mini-roller coasters, or even the little train rides! There are, however, three rides she will go on. One is the Jumpin Jellyfish ride at California Adventure. The other two are Soarin and Grizzly River Run. If my wimp sister can do it, you're kids can...and by the way, she LOVES each one.

 

[IBLarsen]

My little sister (6) HATES ALL RIDES!!! She won't go on the Fantasyland dark rides, the mini-roller coasters, or even the little train rides! There are, however, three rides she will go on. One is the Jumpin Jellyfish ride at California Adventure. The other two are Soarin and Grizzly River Run. If my wimp sister can do it, you're kids can...and by the way, she LOVES each one.

That cracks me up that your little sis will do Soarin and GRR and scared of everything else! That makes me feel better about mine liking it. I definately think my DS5 will go, just not sure of my DD3...guess I'll have to wait and see, and let her decide. She's right at 40 inches now and our trip is in 2 weeks.

Thanks to everyone else who posted also! This is MY first trip to DL as well, so I really am not sure what to expect from a lot of the rides, so it helps to hear other's experiences with children!

 

[Mugglemama]

That cracks me up that your little sis will do Soarin and GRR and scared of everything else! That makes me feel better about mine liking it. I definately think my DS5 will go, just not sure of my DD3...guess I'll have to wait and see, and let her decide. She's right at 40 inches now and our trip is in 2 weeks.

Thanks to everyone else who posted also! This is MY first trip to DL as well, so I really am not sure what to expect from a lot of the rides, so it helps to hear other's experiences with children!

the height requirement for GRR is 42".

 

[IBLarsen]

the height requirement for GRR is 42".

THANK YOU for pointing that out! I had it in my mind that both were 40".

 

[DahliaRW]

My ds is 40 1/2" and we're hoping a tall pair of shoes will get him on (with any luck they'll let him pass, but we're not getting our hopes up). He'll be heartbroken if he can't go, however, so we keep telling him he might not be tall enough. That being said, he's been on water log type rides and LOVES them, so I think if your kiddo is adventureous it'll be fine.

 

[PinkBudgie]

One of the little boys in my class just today told me he was tall enough to go on Soarin' this past summer. (He's five) He said he loved it. He didn't like Splash because of the big drop. But Matterhorn he seemed indifferent about.
His favorite ride? The "Alice Worm Ride".

 

[bumbershoot]

THANK YOU for pointing that out! I had it in my mind that both were 40".

I'm glad you found out before going. Right now we're on the "get bigger for Grizzly" diet, well, at least my 4 year old is.

He refuses Soarin' (though next time he might go, b/c we watched the Bonus Features of Aladdin and it has a game that has a part that's kind of like Soarin' with music and a point of view like you're flying over things and he liked that), refuses Splash, and various other 40"+ rides, but ever since he walked past Grizzly he's just begged to go on.

Last time he was about 1/2" too short, bummer! But the fun part is that when they measured him and he was too short still, they gave him a card that basically says "when you're tall enough come back" and you can get as close to "front of line" as DLR gives normal people. We got one in September for Star Tours, and in December when he'd grown the millimeter he needed (ooh don't get me started on that 2nd measurement) we literally got front of the line access. Were sent through a door with stairs and boom we were right there. Crazy!

But he won't go near Soarin' to get one of those cards, LOL.

Oh, and if the 3 y.o. is upset about being too short for Grizzly, if a parent takes her over to the redwood play area, be warned that there are TWO 42" requirement parts there. One is a tire swing and the other is a rock climbing thing. The tire swing was right out b/c they go alone, but with the rock climbing thing the attendant said that as long as hubby was right with DS, they would let him go on it. Keep in mind though he was something like 41.5 or even closer, not 40", so I can't guarantee the same thing for you.

But as long as you avoid those two areas, there's a lot to play in for littler kids over there, while the other goes on Grizzly with another adult.

 

[Mugglemama]

THANK YOU for pointing that out! I had it in my mind that both were 40".

you're very welcome...i was thinking the same thing several weeks ago when somebody here on the boards pointed out the same to me. i was bummed!

the height requirement used to be 40" for GRR, i am almost positive. because like i said, we took my oldest son on it right when he turned 4 (2002), and my younger son is much bigger than he was at that age. at least that's the way i remember it, lol. i could be wrong.

there's no way my little guy will hit 42" by the end of this month, when we go to DLR next. with shoes, he just barely makes 40", so i'm really hoping he measures up on the height markers at CA so he can go on Soarin'. He's our youngest of 4 children, and if he's big enough, it will be the first time ever that we've all been able to go on Soarin' together.

 

[kylieh]

My DD (nearly 6) went on a Wild Mouse ride close to home just after she turned 5, last year, and loved it. Last year she also tackled a rapids ride which we both got drenched. For both of those she can't wait to try them in DL. DD was tall enough for flume rides before her 3rd birthday, and tried and loved them as well. They were "Giant Slippery Dips" at the end!!!

She asked me the other day if she was tall enough for California Screamin'. It will be close - I measure her at 123cm (just over 48"), we're going for a Dr check before our trip and I'll get him to measure her as well. I'll show her the ride when we get there and if she really wants too, I'll take her. She has been warned though she has to measure up to the safety stick when we're there.

 

[jory29]

If they are not into swimming - they may not like the Grizzly River Run ride...

Our 4 year old went on it, and didn't mind it.

The next year @ 5 years old, she got SOAKED all over her head from a guiser. It was horrible, it didn't let up, and I tried frantically to get the water off of her head, as it was running all over her face; it was cold on her back, too, (We went on a colder, non-sunny day in November) and she said she wouldn't go on it again. She was soaked from head to toe. We didn't have rain ponchos of any kind.

(She plans to go on it again the next time around. )

Anyway, if they like water, they should be fine on the ride.

Soarin' is GREAT unless they get motion sick, but for young 'uns, you should tell them it is ALL FAKE! We got the front row, luckily, and had never been on the ride before; wouldn't you know it, our DD, then 4, as we swooped down into the river part of the ride, started lifting her legs up, asking, "Are we going in the water?? Are we going in the *water?!?*" I told her no, but she still felt it was so real.

 

[Brady's Mom]

That cracks me up that your little sis will do Soarin and GRR and scared of everything else! That makes me feel better about mine liking it. I definately think my DS5 will go, just not sure of my DD3...guess I'll have to wait and see, and let her decide. She's right at 40 inches now and our trip is in 2 weeks.

Thanks to everyone else who posted also! This is MY first trip to DL as well, so I really am not sure what to expect from a lot of the rides, so it helps to hear other's experiences with children!

Have you checked out youtube for the rides yet? It can kind of give you an idea of what the ride will be like. It works really well for open rides. You can see pretty well for BTMRR and any ride that is outside. It is harder to see any dark rides because, well they're dark. It is my DS's 4 and 6 favorite thing to do. Can we watch the rides? is a favorite question at my house. They also ask to watch the pictures on picture of the day.

 

[Berejikian]

Have taken both our kids on both rides, pretty much as soon as they hit the height requirement...which was 3....they have both loved it and I have never seen anyone scared on soarin', but my advice is if your kids like rides in general, if you prepare them..and give them a general idea of what to expect, they seem to love them and want to ride them over and over again...one final thought...if your kids don't like getting wet..don't go on the river rapids