My 4 and 2 year olds and the rides

[momof2intx]

I have a question -- My four year old is about 45" tall. Can he do the following rides:?

The Dinosaur ride at AK
Body Wars
Star Tours
Aerosmith Ride
Space Mountain
Ailen Encounter
The Raceway (where you drive the fast cars?)

What about my 2 year old? She is little -- barely 3 feet tall. What am I able to hold her on?

Do they have a swap area for parents who don't ride but want to wait in line together?

The Honey I Shrunk the Audience show looks pretty intense but I would love to see that -- do you think my 2 year old would be scared?

Now I have a dumb question -- what does "CM" mean in your posts? And where can we get one of those passport things at the World section of Epcot?

Thanks so much!!

Jennifer

 

[jaysue]

CM= Cast Member - all employees at WDW are "Cast Members"

As for the rides, the height requirement is critical but also whether you think your child can handle the ride experience as well. For example he can ride Splash Mountain (40" minimum) but can he handle the ride? That is probably the better question to ask.

This link should help

http://www.mousetyme.com/HeightRequirement.html

The "Baby Swap" Program
The "baby swap" allows your group to ride the more thrilling rides at the parks in shifts when some members of the group are too short or too young. to ride. The "baby swap" is when a portion of your party gets in the attraction queue. The rest of the party stays with the child(ren) that can't or doesn't want to ride while the first group goes on the ride. When the first group is done, the second group enjoys the attraction while the first group stays behind with the child(ren). The advantage of the "baby swap" is that the second part of the group doesn't have to wait through the entire queue. A cast member will bring the second group to the beginning of the ride.

Raceway - needs one of his parents - 52" minimum

HISTA - probably too intense for the 2yr old and quite possibly the 4yr old as well

For the 2yr old - lots especially in MK for her to go on/be held on

Passports in Epcot - sorry on that one - never bought one

Thanks
Jason

 

[Alice28]

Originally posted by momof2intx
I have a question -- My four year old is about 45" tall. Can he do the following rides:?

The Dinosaur ride at AK- No- I think 48" is the minimum
Body Wars- Yes
Star Tours-Yes
Aerosmith Ride- No- I know for sure this one is 48"
Space Mountain- Yes- double check height as it's 44"....my 5 year old was like 43 5/8" and he wasn't able to go one it.
Ailen Encounter- No- this one I think is 52"- they don't want anyone too young to go on because it's pretty intense
The Raceway (where you drive the fast cars?)- I'm not sure of the height factor...I know that your son can go on it with an adult, but probably not alone.

What about my 2 year old? She is little -- barely 3 feet tall. What am I able to hold her on? You can hold her on anything that doesn't have a height requirement

Do they have a swap area for parents who don't ride but want to wait in line together? Yes- all the rides with height requirements have a baby swap area- ask the attendant at the beginning of the line.

The Honey I Shrunk the Audience show looks pretty intense but I would love to see that -- do you think my 2 year old would be scared? Perhaps- depends on your child. There are some intense parts, like the snake and lion

Now I have a dumb question -- what does "CM" mean in your posts? And where can we get one of those passport things at the World section of Epcot? CM means Cast Member- Disney speak for employee. You can get a passport at just about any gift shop or kiosk in the World Showcase.

Have fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks so much!!

Jennifer

 

[DisneyBen]

I have some things to add. Running down the list...

Dinosaur at AK-Height requirement is 40 in, but I would not take my four-year-old on this ride because it is very, very intense, rough, and scary.

Body Wars-Yes, but I would be very careful as this is a high-intensity ride too.

Star Tours-Same as Body Wars, but (in my opinion) a little tamer.

Rock 'n Roller Coaster(Aerosmith ride)-No. Height requirement is 48 inches, but even if my child was tall enough, I wouldn't let them go on it. This ride features a 0-60 mph launch in less than 3 seconds and three inversions.

Space Mountain-Height requirement is 44 inches, but this is also very intense because it is in the dark. Passengers ride one behind the other and this would prevent you from comforting your child if he is scared.

Alien Encounter-Absolutely not!!! I think they have a rule that you must be a certain age to ride. I would not take a child on this ride unless they are 10 or older, and I have still seen kids that age freaking out and leaving the theater at the end crying.

Tomorrowland Speedway-I think your 4 yr. old would really enjoy this ride except for the fact that he could not drive the car. He could ride with you while you drove, however.

Honey, I Shrunk the Audience is a pretty intense 3-D film. I think the effects would be way too much for your 2 yr. old and probably your 4 yr. old.

The baby swap area is very handy if you have 2 adults who want to ride and young children. In my experiences with it, the second adult usually goes in a back entrance or exit and does not have to wait long to ride.

World Showcase Passports can be bought most anywhere in EPCOT. Also, be sure to check out the KidCot stations at each WS country.

Hope this is of some help to you. Have a great time!!!

 

[JESW]

This is just my opinion, but I have a DD4 and she would not go on any of those rides - even if she met the height requirement.

For the raceway - do you mean the cars at MK or test track at EPCOT? DD loves the raceway, but doesn't want to go on TT.

Those 7 attractions you listed are very intense for the little ones. I would never bring a 4 year old on them, let alone a 2 year old. But as I said, that's just my pinion and I'm sure others will come on and give the opposite opinion. You'll have to know your old child to see what he can handle. HISTA is VERY intense and there are even warnings for it. It's the type ot attraction that could give the little ones nightmares.

Have fun!

Jill

 

[Millipore]

In Dec, my 3 yr 14 month old DS did the following rides (he was 41 inches)

Dinosaur
Big Thunder Mountain (twice)
Test Track (4 times)
Star Tours
Body Wars

We are going back in May and the only one he refuses to ride is Dinosaur. It is a very intense ride...

On the topic of AE there is NO WAY I would take a 4 year on it. It is an EXTREMELY intense experience. If you won't let your 4 year old watch the Alien movies then you should not take him on AE.

 

[momof2intx]

Thank you for all of your imput! My 4 year old is a brave little soul....we live here in TX close to Six Flags and he loves the rollercoasters that he is tall enough to go on. He does the Parachutes that go up stories in the air that I still won't go on -- and I'm 26!!
He is a big Four, people usually think he is 6 or 7. I did the AE when I was 15 and it was intense, I just don't remember it that well.
I appreciate all of your help and I am so looking forward to our vacation. I'm counting down myself!!

Jennifer

 

[sha_lyn]

DD is pretty brave and had been to WDW at 2 1/2 and 4 1/2.
She loved all 3 3D movies at WDW

Muppets at MGM-Do this one first. It is the least intense of the 3

Tough to be a Bug-AK, less intense than HISTA unless one had a fear of bugs. Watch Bugs life at home frist so they'll be famillir with the characters. Try holding the 2yr in your lap and leave the glasses off. This will lessen the impact of the movies

HISTA.. do this last. Keep glasses of 2 yr and they should be ok.

DD loved Dinosaur last yr at 4 1/2. She also loved Test track and star tours.
She cried because she was too short for SpM. she love SplM but refussed to ride BTMRR. She really wanted to ride BTMRR before hte trip (it is on the Disneyland singalong video), but we didn't go over to BTMRR unitl late in the day on our last day. She was worn out and refued to go on before she even saw the ride. Of course when we got home she was made because she didn't ride it.

 

[Terry S]

I am 6 feet tall so naturally my childern are tall. When my son was 4 and my daughter was 3 she through a fit because she could not ride space mountain. My 4 year old son loved it. We went back the next year and she had just turned 4 and rode several times and she loved it. That same year they also rode Dinosaur and Star Tours many times and loved them. She was not tall enough for RNRC yet (Its 48"). This past October we went back, Daughter just turned 5 and Son was 6. The both went on RNRC and loved it.

It really depends on your kids. Before Space Mountain, try a few other dark rides and see who he handles them and try a few smaller coasters like Big Thunder Mountain and see how he handles that.

We went to the 3D movies when the kids were 4 and 5. They are a bit intense and I read a few books first and was able to warn the kids what was going to happen first. I think that is the big key to most of the rides/attractions. We discuss with the kids what is going to happen first, like at Haunted Mansion.