Magic Kingdom with a fearful/nervous child

[RocketCityMama]

I would also have the parent show her some videos on youtube, there is probably one for every ride lol I have a friend who has 2 girls and they have Big Sisters and its been great for their family, so I am sure this family appreciates you! An amazing organization to get involved with! Have a great trip!

 

[Verstehen]

You guys are awesome! Great advice here. I made fastpasses to meet Ariel, Tinkerbell, and Tiana and Rapunzel, so we will at least get those in. I'm looking forward to a fun day!

 

[HopperFan]

Besides characters and shows think about which ride she can see it in full from outside. Those should be your first stop because there will be no surprises. You can also enter Minnie & friends tent, she can see if she is comfortable waiting in those lines to meet them. Don't forget the Aladdin characters, they are outside.

So go watch Dumbo, Aladdin, TeaCups, Speedway .... then you can have conversation on if she is ready to move on to the inside ones with knowledge. Like .... go look at Small World and you can explain, there are the boats, that is how slow they go, every room has lots of lights so no dark, and each room is full of singing dolls & animals from around the world. Even if not you can go in Pinocchio House and get the signs you hold up to those on the ride to get them to wave etc.

And don't forget all the other stuff ............ do the Pirate Adventure in Adventureland. Great fun, all outside, all in your control. If she likes it there are a few you can do. Go in the shop on Main Street and watch the glass blowers work. You can stand by the window at Sleepy Hollow and watch the kitchen or go to the Candy store on Main St or Storybook Big Top and watch them make candies and goodies. Sometimes in Big Top there is a CM playing games with the kids. Might be a good trip to explore Tom Sawyer's Island.

One year my little nieces had a blast searching all over for Hidden Mickey's if you have the book. The more she becomes familiar and comfortable the more likely she'll be curious about rides, and if not .......... so much to do.

 

[dcassetta]

I second the recommendation of starting with shows. If needed, you can easily leave the Tiki Birds or Country Bear Jamboree.

When my nephew was small he did not like Hall of Presidents, Carousel of Progress or Pirates because of the "dead people". The animatronic people bothered him, but animatronic bears were just fine.

 

[AngiTN]

Don't forget Sorcerer's of the Kingdom too. Great if you aren't spending time riding
And there are the Royal Majesty Makers back around the Fantasy Land gates
Pirate Tutorial also

Gosh, when you think about all the different Entertainment options on this list, you can easily fill the day and never step foot on a moving ride
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/entertainment/magic-kingdom/

 

[belledreamer]

Hi all,

I'm an Orlando local with an AP. I don't have children yet, so my time at Disney is mostly spent with like-minded adult friends and family who are generally up for anything. Over the past year I've been volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters and have a Little Sister who's just awesome. She's eight, very fun, and has expressed a desire to go to Disney. I wanted to wait to take her until we knew each other better and the weather got cooler, and tomorrow is the day we'll be going to Magic Kingdom. I would have liked more lead time, but with my schedule that's just not always possible, so tomorrow it is!

My issue is that even though she's sweet and awesome and has asked me multiple times to take her to Disney World, she claims she won't actually do any rides because they're too scary. I mean ANY. No Small World, even. I took her to Typhoon Lagoon last summer and she loved the wave pool but the raft slides scared the heck out of her and she started crying. I don't want to make her cry but I do want to encourage her to try new things. In general, she likes sticking to what she likes. She always wants to eat at the same place, for example.

Obviously I'm not her mother, nor am I meant to be, but I'm also encouraged to get her to experience new things. I'm not thinking Big Thunder or anything, but maybe just Buzz Lightyear would be thrilling enough for her.

On the other hand, it's her day, and I'm also trying to prepare myself for the possibility that we may end up just doing characters and shows. She wants to meet the Princesses, and I'm sure Philharmagic would be fine, along with the Laugh Floor.

I guess all this rambling is to say, I feel out of my element and appreciate any experiences people can share about traveling to Disney with a school-age child who is fearful or nervous to try new things!

I definitely wouldn't force her into doing any ride she doesn't feel she's ready for. I've seen so many parents do it ('I got up at 4am making FP+ for this!') and the child's screaming terrified, the parents are aggravated and everyone within twenty feet is trying not to make eye contact... You always want to encourage them to try new things but in my opinion, it's better for them to let you know when they feel they're ready. It took 4 trips before I felt like I was ready for ToT and now it's one of my favorites.

There are tons of character meets to do in MK (I'm actually planning on spending a full day on our next trip doing this) and many of them are outside so she can even see before hand what it's like. Princess Fairytale hall is great, Peter Pan is a lot of fun, (his M&G is outside) and think she may enjoy ETWB if she realizes that it's a show and not a dark ride.

Checking out ride videos definitely wouldn't hurt but I don't really think it'll give her the full idea of what it's like so I'd follow her lead and watch her cues. Is it possible that she'd feel better just having someone that she knows she can hold their hand if she starts feeling scared? I know when I first went on Alien Encounter (I think I was around 8...) with DDad, he had told me I could squeeze his hand if I got too scared and believe me, I did. I was throughly scared, but I was one of only a few kids at the end that wasn't in tears. Sometimes, just knowing they have someone who they can hold their hand and who'll protect them from what's scary can go a long way.

 

[clayfolks]

OP, thanks for starting this thread. Your description of your little sister makes me think about our three grandsons who we are bringing to WDW in February. Everyone's thoughts and suggestions are making me rethink my approach to this trip. So, thank you all for sharing your experience. It will definitely improve the quality of some little boys' trip!

 

[mab2012]

It sounds like the little girl has herself convinced that "rides are scary, simply because they are rides". Also, probably afraid of the unknown in general. Sometimes when kids get stuff like that stuck in their minds, it's pretty hard to dislodge. It doesn't sound like she is afraid of water, if she was okay with the wave pool at Typhoon Lagoon. So maybe Jungle Cruise? You can tell her (honestly) that it's not a "ride", it's a boat trip down a river, where she will see some pretend jungle animals. If you're unsure whether she'll be okay with boats, maybe see if she is willing to take the boat from the TTC, or, as others have mentioned, the Liberty Boat.

I agree with others that it's best not to push though. If she balks at the idea of the animals (or the boat), it's probably better to give it a pass.

I also second the Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom. Even if you don't spend much time playing the game, at least get the cards. She's at the age where most kids like the cards for their own sake.

 

[Truffle]

Thank you so much for being a Big Sister! That is wonderful! For those who suggested The Barnstormer as a ride for her, please know that it is the fastest coaster in the Park.

 

[rwdavis2]

I would focus on outside rides that she can see ahead of time. The problem with indoor ones is that you can't see what's it like while you're waiting. I agree though that videos of the rides might help.

^^^^ THIS ^^^^^

 

[AngiTN]

Thank you so much for being a Big Sister! That is wonderful! For those who suggested The Barnstormer as a ride for her, please know that it is the fastest coaster in the Park.

Suggested WATCHING it, not riding it.

 

[Amii]

How about A Pirate's Adventure Treasure Hunt? I've never done it. Is there anything in the dark or anything that would be scary there?

My son had horrible anxiety when he was young. One trip we bought him a stitch stuffed animal (his fav character at the time) and he carried it everywhere and it made him feel better. Does the girl have anything that she has an attachment to that might make her feel better?

Being a Big Sister is a great thing!

 

[bopper]

I would start with a local fair/mini theme park first. See if you can get her comfortable with rides there before you spend $$$ on Disneyworld.
Have that be something you work your way up to.

 

[Verstehen]

I would start with a local fair/mini theme park first. See if you can get her comfortable with rides there before you spend $$$ on Disneyworld.
Have that be something you work your way up to.

I have a free ticket and it's going to expire soon, so that's why we're going. We've done lots of local events. There really aren't any mini theme parks I would take her to that I think are tamer than Disney. Most local parks in Orlando are just covered in rides that she wouldn't do so I'd rather start with a place that has a lot of options for people who don't like rides, kwim?

 

[Leeba]

You rock!! Sounds like it's going to be a fun day.

 

[DWillowBay]

Here's the great thing...She's going to Disney with you - someone with whom she obviously has built a level of trust. Whether she goes on rides, or meets characters, or has a Dole Whip....it's all good. Don't force anything. If she feels like she has more control over her own day, she may actually ride a thing or two, but if she feels coerced or pressured, she likely will stay afraid. (not that you would force her, outright...but sometimes those messages are internal to a person with anxiety). She may not participate in much this time. Hopefully, there would be a next time and she will have processed enough to do more with each opportunity. Have a great time, because you're a special person!

 

[10CJ]

I agree with doing the outside rides that she can see. Hopefully if she can see what is happening she can judge if she wants to do it. Don't forget about the train. That can be a fun way to get around. Hope you have a great day!

 

[rstevens333]

Does the Monorail count as a ride? Maybe that's one way to help ease her into things.

 

[skyblue17]

Definitely post back and let us know how it goes!

 

[cgattis]

LOVE the Pirate Adventure!! It's a ton of fun. I haven't seen the train mentioned; that might be ok. I would probably try the riverboat, carpets and/or Dumbo (both of which I love at night), and Small World as my "first tier." If she likes any of those, plus the meets, a parade, and some SOTMK or Pirates Adventure, that--liberally mixed with snacks LOL--would still be a great day for me