Kids & Rides

[Steph9072]

We have a 2,6, & 11 yr old kids. What do you all think is the best way to handle rides? I think that this is our first trip to WDW as a family and we should share it all as a family. Meaning we ride together. Providing that the ride isn't too scary and the rider isn't too small. So the 11 year old should ride Small World with us all in return we will all ride or go with him to a ride of his choice.

How does your families handle rides? Do you split up? Do you stay together?

TIA

 

[weeluvdisney]

We stay together and ride together. My kids are 16, 11,4. Some rides you can all stay together. Others might be max 3 to a seat, in that case, my husband and I ride with the 4 yr old and the 16 and 11 yr olds ride together. Any 2 seaters mom or dad might ride with the 4 year old and then the other parent ride alone and then the 16 and 11 yr old together. Even though sometimes you aren't right next to each other, you are close by and then you just exit the ride together and move on to the next one. We change it up so that we can experience the rides with all kids but one of us parents is always with the 4 yr old in case something happens or he get's scared.

 

[1of6]

We stayed together as well. We went with my mom and aunt which worked out well. My 4 kids each had a buddy for the day and that was the person you sat with on the rides. We changed them every day.

 

[Perditamarie]

We always stay together as a family, too, and it always works out for our family of 5--if we don't all fit on the rides we to 1 parent w/1 kid and 1 parent w/2 kids. Since there are some age gaps, maybe if the 6 yr old is tall enough, when the 2 yr old naps, the 6 & 11 yr old can try some of the more adventuresome rides w/mom or dad. Or have each child make a list of "must rides" and go w/mom or dad for some special one on one time.

 

[jenseib]

I think your 11 YO will like most of the rides. it will be that your younger one might not be big enough for some. But I would let the older one ride some bigger stuff too.

 

[Steph9072]

Your right, I don't plan to not let him ride something just because the others can not. On those rides we can take a break or stroll through shops.

 

[SmallWorld71]

I had to laugh when I read your post because we are going in August and my 11 year old asked if he had to go on Small World. I told him I'd leave him home before I listened to any complaints about my favorite ride.

That said, we stick together a lot but I definitely recommend splitting when necessary, especially right after the park opens. For example, at the Magic Kingdom, DS11&8 go with one adult to Space Mountain to ride and get fast passes while the other adult takes DD4 to Dumbo. Then we meet in Fantasyland and ride the rest of the rides in that area together. If we all went to Space Mountain first, the lines for Dumbo would be huge by the time we got there and the same is true of the opposite.

While we spend the majority of our time together and we have a firm rule about not complaining about other's choices, sticking together 100% of the time with such a split in ages is not practical and will likely not help anyone in the long run. If you split up on occasion, you will better avoid long lines which could make everyone cranky.

 

[mericletwins]

We have a 2,6, & 11 yr old kids. What do you all think is the best way to handle rides? I think that this is our first trip to WDW as a family and we should share it all as a family. Meaning we ride together. Providing that the ride isn't too scary and the rider isn't too small. So the 11 year old should ride Small World with us all in return we will all ride or go with him to a ride of his choice.

How does your families handle rides? Do you split up? Do you stay together?

TIA

We stay together and whoever wants to ride a particular ride does it and whoever does not, sits and waits. With the age span you have I would get a Birnbaum for kids book and have each child make a list of three must do rides/shows for each park. Get all those done and everything else is just a bonus. Each child will know that they will get to ride some of the rides they want.

 

[northriver]

When I was little my parents sent me on rides with total strangers - so I guess the sticking together thing just isn't in my blood!

We are going with my parents who are obvioulsy NOT riders and my kids are 11 yrs apart so we are splitting up here and there, mostly first thing in the morning and also when we leave Fantasyland to get Splash fastpasses and ride BTM, DD will stay with the grandparents to play at Pooh's playful spot for awhile. Not sure how it will all work out but all 3 adults plus my teen have cell phones so we can stay in touch.

MK: Split Dumbo/Pooh/Carosel vs. Space Mountain/Buzz
AK: Split Everest vs. TriceraTop Spin/Boneyard
Epcot: Split Soarin vs. Living with the Land

My biggest concern is that grandpa will even get sick on Dumbo - sigh.

 

[PoohsFan1]

When we were there 2 years ago, we did the baby swap for our then 2 year old, who was not tall enough for some of the rides. It worked out real well because we were all able to stand in line together but once we got up to the ride itself, we told the castmember that we want to baby swap and while my DD and I rode the ride, my DH stayed with our toddler. Once my DD and I were through, my DH was able to get on the ride right away, we were also with my sister and her family so my DH had someone to ride with, since she did the same thing with her child.