Rank 'em - Scariest rides for kids

[ontheuptick]

I'm thinking of kids age 4-7. Rank these in order from Most to Least scary/thrilling rides. And, "most scary/thrilling" doesn't mean in a good way, but in a "most kids aren't going to like that ride" kind of way.

I only have personal experience with SM, Soarin, and Kali - because my first trip to WDW was as an adult with my kids, and my son wouldn't ride anything scary. So, I don't have any perspective.

Space Mountain
Splash Mountain
Big Thunder Mountain
7 Dwarves Mine Train (speculative, obviously)
Soarin
Test Track
Expedition Everest
Kali River Rapids
Tower of Terror

My son didn't want to do anything that looked scary on our last trip (he had just turned 5). He did splash mountain once, but didn't want to do it again. Our next trip he'll be 7, and I'm hoping to start him off easy so that he'll enjoy them. I have a 4 year old daughter that will likely be fine with whatever I throw at her!

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

Until my daughter was 9 she'd have nothing to do with BTMRR... Soarin has been her fave (of your list) since she was tall enough for it. Splash and Space were fine... First time she rode space, I felt it was too jerky for her... Like her head was gonna pop off of a turn... But she was 5 or 6 then. She loves it now.

 

[hm1975]

On our first Disney trip with DD who was 2 1/2, we took her on Winnie the Pooh first. Being a loud inside ride was not the right thing for her. She was scared and overwhelmed. Magic carpets did the trick to relax her and get her into the Disney spirit. She also got scared on Pirates when you go under the waterfall

 

[amberpi]

My nephew who turned 5 on his first trip rode and loved all of them except for TOT and SM (he was a hair too short) and of course, not 7 Dwarves Mine Train. He's not particularly daring, so everyone was thrilled he loved the rides so much. The only time he got upset that trip was when he found he was too short for SM Oh, that first trip Test Track was still down for refurb (Sept. 2012) so he only rode that in fall 2013, he loved it and SM. Again, this is not a daring child but a very cautious one. The only thing he didn't love was Dinosaur and even then he just said "well, that wasn't real but those dinos sure looked real" or something along those lines. I think your kiddo will be fine! Of those TOT is probably the scariest.

 

[Planogirl]

Our son was scared of the Great Movie Ride for a while. He hated the alien and even more so the witch. He also didn't like the coaster style rides but the rest was no big deal to him.

 

[shannonstar]

My son started at 6 and is now 11, here is his list:

Tower of Terror
Dinosaur (not on your list, but there it is)
Expedition Everest
Rock n Roller Coaster (again, not on your list sorry)
Space Mountain
Soarin
Splash Mountain
Test Track
BTMRR
Kali

Can't rank Mines, but thinking it will be like BTMRR

 

[rapunzels]

Space Mountain - in the dark and jerky
Splash Mountain - big drop
Big Thunder Mountain - fast and loud while in the mountain area
7 Dwarves Mine Train (speculative, obviously)
Soarin - scary if you have a problem with heights and look down
Test Track - fast
Expedition Everest - goes fast, some bigger drops, goes backwards (some of it in the dark), 1 part looks like you will fall off track, yeti
Kali River Rapids -
Tower of Terror - in the dark, feel like your falling

Dinosaur - scariest in my opinion for that age group, loud, jerky and real looking to a young child.

..just my 2 cents on what kids would be afraid of.. not in any order, just what they may be afraid of... only you know what scares your child.

 

[mom2cinderella]

The only ride that my older two kids were both leery of at those ages was Tower of Terror.

Oldest went on Haunted Mansion at 4 1/2 and did not like it.

Youngest has some anxiety issues so didn't ride much until she turned 7. She is still freaked out about Splash Mtn, Exp Ev, and RockNRoller Coaster.

 

[Cadets74]

My daughter who is 4 was able to ride tower of terror, space mountain, big mountain railroad, haunted mansion and a few others... By far the scariest ride to her was Dinosaurs at Animal Kingdom... She was not happy I took her on that one!

 

[linzbear]

You're missing the two scariest attractions in WDW - Dinosaur and It's Tough to be a Bug (also Stitch, but avoid anyway, it's terrible). Seven Dwarfs is a themed kiddie coaster, it won't be scary, unless you're considering all rollercoasters to be scary. Soarin' is only scary if you have a fear of heights.

You're also missing things like Pirates and Haunted Mansion which have scary themes.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

These, in this order, for my boys:
Tower of Terror
Dinosaur
Space Mt
ITTBAB
Big Thunder Mt
Splash Mountain

These were never even remotely scary to my boys:
Soarin
Test Track
Expedition Everest
Kali River Rapids

About the 7DMT, no idea but would rank it with Barnstormer which was also never scary to my boys.

 

[denneg]

My 5 year old son has been on everything but Space Mountain and RnR - we chose not to let him go on SM last fall even though he was tall enough, and this upcoming trip is the first he's tall enough for RnR. I talked to him about both the other day, and he has decided he still doesn't want to do SM because he would have to sit alone. He may change his mind, but darkness plus not being able to hold our hands means he won't do it. He says he will do RnR, so we'll see! Of the others, he says Dinosaur is the most scary, followed by ToT and Haunted Mansion. He rides all 3 and loves them, but thinks that those "might scare other kids".

 

[Mom2Stitch]

Tough to Be a Bug-we took dgd when she was 4, DH had to take her out, she was scared to death. Actually, this is one that I don't handle so well myself--too many little surprises for me.

 

[3Gsandme]

I think this is really hard to do. It's so subjective. Things that will terrify some kids won't even show up on the radar or others.

My seven year old loved RnRC, BTMRR and Space Mountain. My little one loved Test Track. The Haunted Mansion and Maelstrom terrified the 4 year old and they aren't on your list.

 

[frozengurl]

I'm thinking of kids age 4-7. Rank these in order from Most to Least scary/thrilling rides. And, "most scary/thrilling" doesn't mean in a good way, but in a "most kids aren't going to like that ride" kind of way. I only have personal experience with SM, Soarin, and Kali - because my first trip to WDW was as an adult with my kids, and my son wouldn't ride anything scary. So, I don't have any perspective. Space Mountain Splash Mountain Big Thunder Mountain 7 Dwarves Mine Train (speculative, obviously) Soarin Test Track Expedition Everest Kali River Rapids Tower of Terror My son didn't want to do anything that looked scary on our last trip (he had just turned 5). He did splash mountain once, but didn't want to do it again. Our next trip he'll be 7, and I'm hoping to start him off easy so that he'll enjoy them. I have a 4 year old daughter that will likely be fine with whatever I throw at her!

My DD(6, almost 7) this is her list:

1. Space Mountain (she still won't ride it bc of the dark and nobody sitting next to her)

2. Tower of terror (she loved it though)

3. Expedition Everest (she loves it too though)

4. Big thunder mountain railroad (her favorite)

Not scary at all:
Splash, Test Track, Soarin

Never rode: Kali (but will be riding it tomorrow),
And of course 7DMT (but she's not scared)

 

[Disneymom83]

I'd have to say the following is true for my DD10 as the scariest rides:

Tower of terror
Expedition Everest
Rockin roller coaster
Space mountain

She's not afraid of splash mountain, Thunder mountain and so I can only assume she won't be afraid of seven dwarfs mine train.

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

I'm thinking of kids age 4-7. Rank these in order from Most to Least scary/thrilling rides. And, "most scary/thrilling" doesn't mean in a good way, but in a "most kids aren't going to like that ride" kind of way.

I only have personal experience with SM, Soarin, and Kali - because my first trip to WDW was as an adult with my kids, and my son wouldn't ride anything scary. So, I don't have any perspective.

Space Mountain
Splash Mountain
Big Thunder Mountain
7 Dwarves Mine Train (speculative, obviously)
Soarin
Test Track
Expedition Everest
Kali River Rapids
Tower of Terror

My son didn't want to do anything that looked scary on our last trip (he had just turned 5). He did splash mountain once, but didn't want to do it again. Our next trip he'll be 7, and I'm hoping to start him off easy so that he'll enjoy them. I have a 4 year old daughter that will likely be fine with whatever I throw at her!

Only 2 rides that I can think of. One is Haunted Mansion. Had to leave that ride with my daughter after the stretching room when she was around 6 because she was terrified. Other is Tower of Terror. My son refused to ride.

 

[minnie mum]

Of the ones on the OPs list ours enjoyed Test Trak and Kali. I think Soaring would only be scary for those with a fear of heights.

But I'm surprised at some of the attractions that didn't make the OPs list, but probably should have. As noted by a PP two of the scariest rides for little kids are at AK- ITTBAB and Dinosaur!!!! I've never sat through a showing of the first one without seeing several shrieking little ones being carried out midway through the show. D. Is dark, noisy, jerky, and that Carnosaur has had grownups doubting their continence.

Elsewhere- DD was terrified of HM, The Snow White ride (now gone) and refused to do the Stitch ride after the first time (but who could blame her, the kid has taste).

But each child has a different ability to tolerate physical thrills and psychological chills. You should be able to assess your child. Start with the easy ones and work up gradually.

 

[Caseheidi]

Basing on my child - scariest to least:

Tower of Terror (dark, scary and unexpected drops)
Dinosaur ( scary, dark & jerky)
Rockin Roller coaster (dark & fast - big drops and upside down)
Everest (Fast, dark, backwards)
Space Mt (dark, fast)
BTMRR ( some dark, fast and sliding side to side)
7DMT (assuming from reading, should be similar to BTMRR, but swinging cars instead of sliding on seat)
Kali ( only scared because DD hates to get wet & doesn't like fire)
Test Track ( DD doesn't like, but mostly because she can't really see)
Splash Mt ( only scared of drop and the vultures right before)
Soarin (DD loves, and did not find scary at all when 3)

 

[Mousemommy1]

Our kids are only afraid of Dinosaur and It's Tough to be a Bug! Go figure...