Kids under 9 in the parks? Here's what ours liked/disliked.

[wahoolio]

On pretty short notice, we (myself, DW, DS 9, DD 7 and DD 4) headed down to Orlando last week to spend the week at the Universal parks, Sea World and Aquatica. We spent four days in the two Universal parks. We've been to Disney as a family twice, but had not yet been to the Universal parks. My last Universal experience was as a teenager in LA in the 80's. If I recall correctly, the Back to the Future ride was brand new at that time . . .

If you're headed to these parks with small children, recognizing that all kids are different, I'll share with you what our kids enjoyed and didn't enjoy. Perhaps it will help in your decision-making. The information I gleaned in this forum was invaluable in our planning.

Let me start by saying this about my kids and theme park rides/attractions:

DS 9 -- rides absolutely any roller coaster or thrill ride with no problem and loves it. Hulk, Kraken, Dueling Dragons, Exped. Everest, whatever. Scary themeing, be it computer generated graphics or animatronics, is another story.

DD 7 -- pretty much a scaredy-cat. Just starting to enjoy smaller coasters and dark-sit-on-a-chair-and-move-through rides. By way of example, she tried the ET ride this time around and really enjoyed it, whereas last year that type of ride would have petrified her.

DD 4 -- a tough, independent customer on many fronts, she is still very tentative on any rides, even the smallest coasters and especially anything in the dark.

Studios:

1. Jimmy Neutron -- all three of my kids are familiar with the Nickelodeon characters portrayed in this simulator ride, which got them all on the ride. Older two loved it, 4-year-old said she enjoyed it, but appeared terrified during the ride and when asked afterward whether she wanted to ride again, replied without hesitation, "No." Familiar characters and theater-style seating area (rather than small, dark enclosed area) helped here.

2. Shrek -- again, all three of them are familiar with and enjoy the movies/characters portrayed here. Theater-style seating. DS 9 loved it, DD 7 enjoyed it, but didn't want to go on again, and DD 4 wanted no part of it a second time. Seat movement was a bit rough for the girls, but I would imagine most kids would love this attraction.

3. Kidzone -- this is where the kids spent the bulk of their time in the Studios, particularly the girls -- although DS 9 had his favorites here, as well. The "Curious George" area is a water play area complete with water guns and the infamous drenching buckets. If you've been to a water park, you've seen this before, only it's better themed here. On a hot day, turn them loose here. At the very back of the Curious George water area is a non-water attraction called The Ball Factory. All three of my kids could have spent half of each day just running around this attraction. Sometimes it seemed as if they did. Foam balls (read - "can't hurt anyone") being vacuum suctioned and blasted all over the place. It looks like chaos, but the kids all seem to know exactly what's going on and what they should be doing -- it reminded me of a beehive. Fievel's Playland was fun for all of them, and had a large number of unique play attractions and areas. Easy to turn them loose in there, as the exits were easy to monitor. Reminded me a lot of the Boneyard over at Animal Kingdom, but much more variety here (minus the "dig"). All three of the kids enjoyed the ET ride (somewhat surprised re DD 7, very surprised re DD 4). We watched the animal actors show, but my kids are beyond Barney, so we didn't spend time there.

4. Horror Make-Up Show -- took all of them here, somewhat against my better judgment. On balance, it went fine. Before the show, we were careful to explain to the kids that everything was "pretend," and that the fun of this show was that they'd see how the movie people did the pretending. That worked well for DS 9 and DD 7, who very much enjoyed the show, which is pretty funny. DD 4 not thrilled, but she didn't freak out, either. Even if that would work for your kids, the only part of the show that can be really frightening for the kids are the movie clips that they play. Advise covering eyes for those brief (one minute) montages. Then again, if your kids like horror/gore, that may be the best part for them. Go figure.

DDs did not experience any other rides/attractions in the Studios. DS 9 rode MIB a few times and really enjoyed it. Going in, we told him it was like the Buzz Lightyear ride, but with aliens. Once he figured out they were good/funny aliens, he was fine. I experienced "Disaster" myself toward the end of our last day, and in retrospect, had we had more time, he would have enjoyed that attraction, as well. More funny than thrilling/scary. He also rode on the Mummy ride with me. After the ride, he told me that he really enjoyed the thrill ride portion, but that he was quite scared with the theming. This explanation was not necessary, as I had noticed that his hands were over his eyes which were shut tight for the ENTIRE ride. "No thanks" when asked if he wanted to ride again.

Rides/attractions/shows that would have frightened our kids (including DS 9) or we figured they otherwise would not have enjoyed: Terminator 2, Twister and Jaws.

I'll post something similar re: IOA when I have some more time, and if it appears folks are finding this helpful.

 

[jdragr]

Thank you so much for posting. We are going for our 1st time in April with dd 14 and dd 9. DD 9 has never been to any kind of amusement park so no clue on what rides she will do. But she is not normally one to back down from anything so we will see. Thanks for posting!!!

 

[Hug the Mouse]

Well written!!!

I like your comparison of The ball factory to a beehive. It's great when the kids co-operate to gather as many balls as possible for the "ball drop".

You were wise to skip Twister, Jaws and T2 for kids your age.

 

[ChrisFL]

Good review, very informitive for those with kids

 

[Metro West]

Good review, very informitive for those with kids

Absolutely...I hope this information helps people in the future.

 

[Miz Diz]

Thanks for the info.

My ds7 loves Jaws the movie and so does his dad, so they will ride that one. I'll sit out with dd3.

 

[paula70]

Thanks for the review! I has posted earlier that I had been debating this trip for my DD's (they're big chickens!). Considering the amount of rides your kids went on do you think you can do both in 2 days?

 

[wahoolio]

Thanks for the review! I has posted earlier that I had been debating this trip for my DD's (they're big chickens!). Considering the amount of rides your kids went on do you think you can do both in 2 days?

I think you could do both parks in two days, but it would depend on how you want to do them. If you're already dedicated to making the two days "all about the kids," then you could do pretty much all of the kid stuff in the Studios and in IOA at a relatively leisurely pace over two days. If you also want to get in some time for you (or other adults/teens in your party) to ride the larger thrill rides and attractions which may not be appealing to the kids, I think you could do it, but I don't believe it would be even remotely "leisurely" and you'd probably need every minute that the parks are open on each day.

Others on this board may have other opinions, but that was our experience. Again, we went last week which was a pretty busy Spring Break week in the parks (10pm close time), and we did not have FOTL privileges (won't make that blunder a second time). We also had four days. By Day 3, one parent could hang out with the kids at an attraction they'd be experiencing for at least the second time, while the other parent could go ride the big stuff solo (or with DS 9, depending on the ride/attraction).

 

[ESN]

Thanks so much - very helpful as we are heading there for the first time in April with a 4yr old and 6 yr old.

On Shrek - can a 4 yr old sit on my lap during show?

My DD loves Shrek - but she does not like rides.

 

[wahoolio]

Thanks so much - very helpful as we are heading there for the first time in April with a 4yr old and 6 yr old.

On Shrek - can a 4 yr old sit on my lap during show?

My DD loves Shrek - but she does not like rides.

Others on this board may be more informed as to ride rules, but I seem to recall that on the simulator rides -- including Shrek and Jimmy Neutron -- lap-sitting was NOT allowed.

It's funny -- my DD 4 loves the Shrek movies as well, but as I posted above, while she wasn't traumatized or anything like that, she made it pretty clear that she wanted no part of a second trip through the Shrek 4D attraction. I think this is one that you just have to try and see, because it's going to be different for every kid of that age.

 

[patster734]

Others on this board may be more informed as to ride rules, but I seem to recall that on the simulator rides -- including Shrek and Jimmy Neutron -- lap-sitting was NOT allowed.

It's funny -- my DD 4 loves the Shrek movies as well, but as I posted above, while she wasn't traumatized or anything like that, she made it pretty clear that she wanted no part of a second trip through the Shrek 4D attraction. I think this is one that you just have to try and see, because it's going to be different for every kid of that age.

I believe that both Shrek and Jimmy Neutron have some stationary seats for those that don't like/can't do the motionary seats.

 

[Risaw]

Thanks for the review. My family is going for the first time in June. We're all very excited. (Dh doesn't really show his excitement until about two weeks before a trip) Anyway, looking forward to the IOA. These boards are an obsession for me.

 

[KimWDW]

Thanks so much! This was very helpful!

 

[Rubbertops]

Thanks for the review. I have an 8 year old and five yo going in June.

 

[MinnieForMe]

Great review. Thank you.

Did you review Aquatica somewhere? I'd love to hear what you thought of it.

 

[wahoolio]

Since there seems to be at least vague interest in this topic, I'll try to round out the initial post with information about our experience at IOA.

All three kids preferred IOA to the Studios, but for different reasons. Both DDs enjoyed the Suess Landing area of IOA far more than any other area of either park, and would gladly have spent all of their time there. DS 9 liked the abundance of good-old-fashioned thrill rides and coasters, with less spooky theming (with a couple of notable execeptions, which I'll touch on below).

The first six rides/attractions/areas noted below are those which all of the kids enjoyed, including DD 7 and DD 4. The remainder noted are only those which DS 9 experienced, because the attractions were either height-restricted or too frightening for DDs.

1. Suess Landing. Everyone experienced all of the rides/attractions in this area, including DW and me. All were experienced multiple times, with the exception of the Fish ride, which we did only once because we got pretty wet and it was a cool morning. Caro-Suess-el was a favorite of DD 4 (loves carousels generally) and suprisingly, DS 9 really liked it, too. DD 7 really enjoyed the Cat-in-the-Hat ride, as did DW and I. Third or fourth time through it got a little stale, as it did for DS 9 after just one trip through. While DD 4 is very familiar with the book/story of the Cat-in-the-Hat, after experiencing this ride once, she wanted no part of it again. We were a bit surprised about this, as she enjoys the "Pooh" ride at Disney. The difference, we discovered, was the somewhat violent (but fun) twists and spins that the ride vehicle makes here. All of the kids rode the Train Ride and enjoyed it, although the line gets long pretty quickly. Without FOTL privileges, I'd get this one out of the way early. A surprising hit here for all three kids was the "If I ran the Zoo" interactive play area. Very clever, and we could turn them loose in there while sitting just outside sipping a Starbucks and relaxing. Be sure to step on the cover of the lair of the beast who is sick (neare the exit/entry) and watch out for the "sneeze."

2. Camp Jurassic. Rope ladders, observation platforms, slides, etc., all with dinosaur theming. DDs had a good time here, both of them could manage just about everything (although DD 4 did not like some of "spooky" slides which were somewhat dark -- sheesh). DS 9 didn't have as much time here, but even with the time he had, somewhat surprisingly, he didn't seem very interested. Reminded me somewhat of Tom Sawyer's Island at Disney. If you're somewhat paranoid about keeping track of the little ones, this place is like a maze with dense, lush foliage everywhere. so you'll need to be on your toes.

3. Pteranodon Flyers. The infamous two-at-a-time-loading glider ride is located within the Camp Jurassic area. If you plan on riding this one, take everyone's advice on these boards and arrive first thing when the park opens. This is somewhat of a hike, as it seems to be located at the furthest possible point from the Port of Entry. There was no Express line, so FOTL won't do you any good here. Despite the long lines for a 90-second ride, we thougth it was fun. For DD 7, it was a "breakthrough" ride, as I thought she'd be scared off by the height/swinging, but she LOVED this ride. DD 4 wanted no part of it. DS 9 rode it - yawn ("when can we do Hulk again?"). Posted wait times when we rode were 75 and 60 minutes, respectively, although we only waited 45 and 30 minutes to ride.

4. Me Ship The Olive. Three-story interactive play area. Best suited for really small kids, DD 4 enjoyed this the most. Not a must-do destination for the kids like the other places mentioned above, but a fun respite for them if you're in the Toon Lagoon area. 10-15 minutes and they'll have exhausted the possibilties here. DS 9 did take sinister pleasure in manning one of the water cannons on the third level, from which he could further soak unsuspecting riders toward the end of the Bilge-Rat Barge water ride.

5. Sinbad show. Like the Horror Make Up show at the Studios, we attended this show perhaps against my better judgment. On balance, however, it was a good choice. The worst of it was loud cannon/gunshot fire at times, and there are some water jets which shoot out into the audience at times. The water is really not too bad, but just our luck -- the first spray scored a direct hit on DD 4. Not happy. While DW spirited DD 4 quickly away to a drier locale, DD 7, DS 9 and I quite thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the show.

6. Mystic Fountain. If you've not experienced this, I won't give anything away here, only to say that my kids all got a big kick out of this. I recommend trying to swing by when as few other folks as possible are around.

That was it for DDs in IOA.

7. Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls (DS 9). DS 9 rode this once with DW and again with me. He had a good experience on both occasions. Well-themed log flume ride with an above-average drop/plunge at the end, which can be quite visually intimidating, even for those of the grown-up persuasion.

8. Spider-Man (DS 9). Our experience here was same as Mummy in the Studios. DS 9's eyes were closed the whole time. The simulator "ride" was nothing to him, but the visuals were not his cup of tea. I would imagine plenty of 9-year-olds -- particularly if they've seen the Spidey movies -- would love this ride. Definitely depends on your kid . . .

9. Hulk Coaster (DS 9). Rode it over and over again. The theming wasn't much to speak of, which is exactly what DS 9 wanted -- unadulterated thrill ride. I had fun, although by the third consecutive trip through the line I was feeling a bit nauseous. By the way -- we stayed late one night at IOA until close (10pm), and toward park closing, we were on and off Hulk in 10-15 minutes each time through (without FOTL). Well worth it, if you like that sort of ride.

10. Dr. Doom's FearFall (DS 9). We have one of these free-fall rides in the theme park near our home which is much scarier (a real "drop", as opposed to bouncing). As we exited the ride, DS 9 told me it was "lame." Tough guy.

11. Dueling Dragons (DS 9). We also have one of these coasters in the theme park near our home, but only one track. DS 9 loved it. We rode in the back, the front, and everywhere in between. Only my nausea kept our repeat rides from reaching double digits . . .

12. Jurassic Park River Adventure (DS 9). He rode this with DW. She said that he very much enjoyed the water ride, but that the (dinosaur) theming had him a bit nervous.

DS 9 was able to experience a bit more in IOA than in the Studios because of the thrill rides, but I realize that not all 9-year-olds will want to experience a number of rides which scare adults.

The only attractions we did not experience at IOA and the reasons why not:

Popeye and Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barge -- DDs were not interested, and the rest of us didn't want to get drenched on a somewhat cooler afternoon.

Storm Force Accelatron -- DDs would not enjoy, and the rest of us are not fans of "teacup" rides.

Jurrasic Park Discovery Center -- this was disappointing, as I know DS 9 would have enjoyed it, and I think DD 4 -- who is learning about dinosaurs in school now -- would have liked it, too. We didn't make it inside simply because when the parents split up the kids, the timing didn't work out when we were in that area to visit this attraction.

Flying Unicorn -- too rinky-dink for DS 9; DDs rode on Woody Woodpecker coaster at the Studios (similar), but for whatever reason were simply not interested (although not really frightened) to ride this one.

Poseidon's Fury -- this is the only attraction which we intentionally avoided (even for DS 9) because of the potential fright factor.

 

[wahoolio]

Great review. Thank you.

Did you review Aquatica somewhere? I'd love to hear what you thought of it.

I didn't write an Aquatica review. Before we left, however, I searched the Sea World forum on these boards and found links to a number of Aquatica trip reports which were pretty helpful. I would commend those to you.

Other than searching the DIS, from a kid-friendliness perspective, I think you'll find Aquatica like many other water parks you've been to. Some of the slides and other attractions will look very familiar to you, just with different names and perhaps painted with a few more and brighter colors. We went on the hottest day of our week, but in one of my less-than-genius-moments, it appeared that so did the rest of metro Orlando. Other than the crowds, we had a blast. I've been to Water Country and Great Wolf up in Virginia, and I enjoyed Aquatica just as much.

For what it's worth . . .

 

[pixeegrl]

Thanks for your reviews, they're my favorite part of the boards... and I just wanted to add that as parents most of us know what our kids can and can't handle so as long as everyone keeps that in mind when planning what you do all should go well! My boys will be 13,10, & 7 when we go and can't wait for some of the scarier rides but my best friends kids hate them and they are the same ages (younger 2) so just listen to your kids and take turns with your DH or DW and take advantage of the child swap if you have little ones afraid to do something.

 

[jdragr]

Wonderful advice. Can't wait to share my trip which is in just 16 days.

 

[RAPstar]

Now's a good a time to ask...............what's with all the DH and DD and all that jazz?