Logistics help for a "bad mommy"

[SmallWorld71]

Here's what I would do:

Before getting in line, go into the gift shop and towards the back. Follow that through what looks like a hotel lobby and you'll end up at the place where you can buy pictures of your ride. This is in a stone hallway with built-in benches, and it's where riders exit after riding. Show your daughter where you want her to meet you- just make sure she knows to sit on one of the benches and wait, right there by where everyone gets to see the pictures of themselves being dropped during the ride.

THEN both of you get in line for ToT and walk through the queue. When you get to the point where you are sent to a line for your elevator, tell the cast member that your DD isn't riding but will meet you at the end. They will take her down in a different elevator and get her to the waiting area (that you have already scoped out, so she'll know she's in the right place). Have her wait right there, on one of the benches, until you get off the ride. It'll probably be 10 minutes or less from the time you leave her until the time you meet her at the end of the ride. As long as she stays on her bench and doesn't wander out into the gift shop, I don't think you'll have anything to worry about!

I also agree with this.
I've done something similar with my kids only I was the one waiting while they rode.

 

[Amanda999]

Here's what I would do:

Before getting in line, go into the gift shop and towards the back. Follow that through what looks like a hotel lobby and you'll end up at the place where you can buy pictures of your ride. This is in a stone hallway with built-in benches, and it's where riders exit after riding. Show your daughter where you want her to meet you- just make sure she knows to sit on one of the benches and wait, right there by where everyone gets to see the pictures of themselves being dropped during the ride.

THEN both of you get in line for ToT and walk through the queue. When you get to the point where you are sent to a line for your elevator, tell the cast member that your DD isn't riding but will meet you at the end. They will take her down in a different elevator and get her to the waiting area (that you have already scoped out, so she'll know she's in the right place). Have her wait right there, on one of the benches, until you get off the ride. It'll probably be 10 minutes or less from the time you leave her until the time you meet her at the end of the ride. As long as she stays on her bench and doesn't wander out into the gift shop, I don't think you'll have anything to worry about!

+1. I was going to say exactly this.

I do the chicken exit every time (only 1 DS rides; other DS and I do NOT). I guarantee you they will ask DD's age when you say she's going to the chicken exit; I suspect that 9 is fine for them to let her go to the chicken bench (right before the photos-to-buy screens) because I know you can ride alone at 8 (or maybe its 9??).

As to whether you think she can handle being alone for, say, 5 minutes, that's your call. I think many kids are mature enough at that age, but every child is different.

 

[Iowajes]

Keep in mind, if you FP+ the ride, and you intend for her to go through the line with you and then exit, she will still need a FP+. It might not be worth it to her to 'burn' one of only 3. So you might instead plan to keep your eye on stand-bye, and ride if it is ever short.

Now, if you plan to leave her in the gift shop, this isn't an issue.

 

[Order66]

I like TOT. It's one son's favorite ride. He can't skip it. The other, like your DD, hates it due to the dropping not the dark or scary parts. He did ride it once before deciding he did not like it. The next time we went he was 9 and he was fine with going through the line with us and taking the chicken exit. A CM will take any non-riders down and he simply waited on the bench where the ride exits. It's really only a few minutes. I gave him my cell phone to play a game on while he waited.

Now he's a teenager and I'd have no problem if he wanted to go ride something else while we're on TOT, but he'd still rather go through the line and just wait at the exit. Though this year he says he going to try it again.

regards

 

[DisneyHardin]

My husband doesn't ride TOT and he waits for me on the bench in the area where you look at the ride photos too.

 

[disnut8]

Thanks all! Lots of food for thought.

But again, what do folks think of the queue/line itself? Is it interesting enough to wait in line (but not go on the ride) or is it not worthwhile in and of itself?

Thanks!

Yes, the queue/line is more than enough to go through even if you don't do the drop.

My story - I love Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. Absolutely love it. So when I broke my neck in 2005, I couldn't do the drop at all. Oh, how I missed that attraction. So, I did the line only and then exited at the end. You know what? I think I enjoyed that more! I still got that whole build up to the ride (which is spooky enough), the entire Rod Serling presentation, the awesome boiler room, and then I was escorted to a non-riding elevator and then deposited right before the photo viewing area where I simply waited on a bench for my husband to drop. Time spent apart? Only the time he was on the actual riding portion which was less than ten minutes. I never really timed it since I was entertained by the antics of the people getting off the riding elevators as their reactions to the drop. I saw big burly guys saying "never again!" and I saw preteen girls running off screaming "that was awesome!"

Now my neck is healed enough that I can do the drop but sometimes I think about just not doing that since I had so much fun watching others!

 

[tjmw2727]

Here's what I would do:

Before getting in line, go into the gift shop and towards the back. Follow that through what looks like a hotel lobby and you'll end up at the place where you can buy pictures of your ride. This is in a stone hallway with built-in benches, and it's where riders exit after riding. Show your daughter where you want her to meet you- just make sure she knows to sit on one of the benches and wait, right there by where everyone gets to see the pictures of themselves being dropped during the ride.

THEN both of you get in line for ToT and walk through the queue. When you get to the point where you are sent to a line for your elevator, tell the cast member that your DD isn't riding but will meet you at the end. They will take her down in a different elevator and get her to the waiting area (that you have already scoped out, so she'll know she's in the right place). Have her wait right there, on one of the benches, until you get off the ride. It'll probably be 10 minutes or less from the time you leave her until the time you meet her at the end of the ride. As long as she stays on her bench and doesn't wander out into the gift shop, I don't think you'll have anything to worry about!

Yes- this ! If you and your dd are ok with her using the chicken exit this is the perfect solution. I traveled as the solo adult with my 2 dd's and once they were 8/9ish if one or the other didn't what to ride this is what we did. Found similar meeting places at many of the rides for situations like this. I also let the non rider pick a small snack to keep in her pocket and then enjoy during the wait.

 

[kittengal13]

I think the TOT queue is fantastic BUT I can guarantee it will psych you up and make you wanna ride the ride, so you would have to decide beforehand if you would prefer your daughter to wait in gift shop or use chicken exit

 

[gumbo1009]

Thanks everyone! This is why I love the DIS!

 

[minniemous]

The line is definitely worth checking out ! the inside of the hotel is very cool and I would want to se it even if I was not going to go on the ride.

Most people like yourself put their children first but I have seen some parents be down right mean to a child that did not want to go on the ride and it makes me so sad.

I have seen parents force the child on the line and then on the ride and the child is actually crying. I wish the CM"s had the power to refuse a ride to a family who was forcing the child on the ride! I have seen it a couple of times.

I know this last part is a bitff topic: Just nice to see you thinking about this stuff beforehand and thinking of a good way to ride without your daughter if she does not want to!! Have fun it will be enjoyable to check out the inside of the hotel and even the pre-ride show in the library room! Then chicken out

 

[gumbo1009]

I know this last part is a bitff topic: Just nice to see you thinking about this stuff beforehand and thinking of a good way to ride without your daughter if she does not want to!! Have fun it will be enjoyable to check out the inside of the hotel and even the pre-ride show in the library room! Then chicken out

Thanks for the kind words!

Admittedly, I *have* forced her to do things in the past, but only things I KNEW she would love (e.g. feeding animals at a local petting zoo). But I am pretty sure she would *not* be happy on ToT (and I don't want her to feel sick for the rest of the day... would not be fair to her, and I would end up being unhappy with my choice).

Thanks again to everyone for your information, advice, and kind words!

 

[bumbershoot]

Here's what I would do:

Before getting in line, go into the gift shop and towards the back. Follow that through what looks like a hotel lobby and you'll end up at the place where you can buy pictures of your ride. This is in a stone hallway with built-in benches, and it's where riders exit after riding. Show your daughter where you want her to meet you- just make sure she knows to sit on one of the benches and wait, right there by where everyone gets to see the pictures of themselves being dropped during the ride.

THEN both of you get in line for ToT and walk through the queue. When you get to the point where you are sent to a line for your elevator, tell the cast member that your DD isn't riding but will meet you at the end. They will take her down in a different elevator and get her to the waiting area (that you have already scoped out, so she'll know she's in the right place). Have her wait right there, on one of the benches, until you get off the ride. It'll probably be 10 minutes or less from the time you leave her until the time you meet her at the end of the ride. As long as she stays on her bench and doesn't wander out into the gift shop, I don't think you'll have anything to worry about!

Totally what I would do with my 9 year old son.

Of course, I would make sure he felt comfy being there. He's been in Aikido for years now, and knows how to use his loud voice if he feels uncomfortable, and would actually probably end up chatting with the ride photo CMs (and knowing him would charm them into giving us a 5x7 or something).

I suspect that 9 is fine for them to let her go to the chicken bench (right before the photos-to-buy screens) because I know you can ride alone at 8 (or maybe its 9??).

7 is the age you can ride alone at WDW and DLR.

 

[Umbrella]

I also don't like "drop rides" (would not ride Doctor Doom) but I found ToT to be a "smooth" drop if that makes sense? I was scared ina good way but it didn't make me nauseous.

 

[leebee]

I could give such a clear description of the "exit" area because in our house, I am the chicken! I hate big drops so I don't' do them. I was so excited once I learned that I could walk through the attraction, then use the chicken exit to wait for DD to ride! Now I'll have to burn a coveted FP+ to do that… back to the old days of long, lonely waits, I fear