potc for a 3 year old?

[uandmfan]

My daughter likes pirates and my husband really wants to take her on the ride. She also gets scared a bit easily too. Thoughts on whether she will be OK on the ride? I don't want her to freak out half way through.

Thanks

 

[Gorechick]

Does she get scared in the dark? There is one point before the drop that is pitch black. I know I get a shiver at that point but the rest of the ride is ok. I've read the suggestion of bringing some small flashlight or light up toy to distract however I've also read other riders get annoyed with the light shining. If she scares easily, I say skip it.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Do not bring a flashlight; that would be really annoying.

There's a drop at the beginning of the ride; prepare her for this. Otherwise, the only scary thing would be that it's kind of dark. Look for a video on YouTube and have her watch it first.

 

[mcjaco]

One - no flashlight. If there's not supposed to be flash photography...don't use a flashlight.

Two - my 2 1/2 year olds went on it twice. One of them was fine, the other did not like the drop (the first go round). Once we were past the ship/fort scene he was fine. Neither of them really liked any of the really dark rides like PoTC, and surprisingly hated Peter Pan.

 

[uandmfan]

Thanks everyone. We will give it a try on YouTube. My husband will be happy to hear what you've all said

 

[Pete S]

We took our daughter on when she was 3 (now 11) on her first trip to Disney. She loved it even though she used to scare really easily.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

My just turned 3yo son frightens fairly easily but for whatever reason is fine on potc. He likes it, goes figure. Haunted mansion is another story, he does not like that one.

 

[ebradley23]

This was one of the rides my son (2 y 9m) begged to ride twice. As a comparison, he hated Maelstrom. Absolutely told us point blank he never wanted to ride it again (request granted thanks to WDW). I pointed out the silly stuff like the cat and dogs to distract him from the potentially scary stuff.

 

[BubblyTrip]

When my thrill loving DS was just barely four, he found the ride kind of scary. The fake flames and skeletons were too much. He loved BTMRR and Splash that year.

He did fine on it the next year.

 

[jennab]

My almost 3yr old son loved it! We did it twice! I just told him right before the drop that we were going down a slide. He laughed and loved looking around at all the Pirates.

 

[kreckl]

Personally I think if she scares easily then, no. Its dark and has fire and cannon shots as well as the drop people have already mentioned. It could be a loooong ride if she's afraid.

 

[Capang]

My 3 year old DD loved it. She even spotted the mermaid skeleton and thought it was great. She made us ride twice. We did the YouTube videos of several rides and it seemed a great way to prepare her. She even rode Splash Mountain and loved it.

 

[ah1126]

My 3 year old did ok on it. I just reminded her that if she got scared at any time she could just close her eyes. She seemed to be fine with that!

 

[Twice_as_Nice]

My 3 year old LOVED it but he doesn't get scared, he is developmentally delayed so he just doesn't have the cognitive ability to. He LOVED LOVED LOVED haunted mansion too.

My 9 year old is terrified of it, she is afraid of the dark though but she LOVED Space Mounatin I don't get it. LOL I think she is afraid of the animatronic characters.

 

[SaraMc]

When my kids were smaller we brought a box or two of the glow stick bracelets from Michaels and DS would wear them as bravery bracelets on dark rides. He's 8 now and we still do it for HM.

 

[Ladygoldenhair]

DO NOT RIDE IN THE FRONT!
With the new boats when we got in the front seat we ended up drenched! It dipped down after the drop picked up a Swales and we and every bag got soaked.

Sit as far back as you can.