Ride Question

[noee]

I’m taking my 10 year old to Disney this summer. It will be just the two of us.
What happens if there is a ride that I want to go on, but he doesn’t? Obviously I wouldn’t leave him sitting on a park bench by himself while I wait in line.

 

[chickapin parterre]

Welcome to the boards!!!! unfortunately you have answered your question....you sacrifice your heart's desire attraction and ride autopia again....for the 10th time. Many of us here have not be able to ride the attraction of our choice because of the safety of our child.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I’m taking my 10 year old to Disney this summer. It will be just the two of us.
What happens if there is a ride that I want to go on, but he doesn’t? Obviously I wouldn’t leave him sitting on a park bench by himself while I wait in line.

The only solution, if you insist you MUST ride some ride he doesn't want to (or can't), is to take him with you through the line. At the boarding area, in most cases, he could wait for you to return. Much like a child swap. Although, I'm not sure on the protocol for a child waiting alone is.

 

[noee]

Welcome to the boards!!!! unfortunately you have answered your question....you sacrifice your heart's desire attraction and ride autopia again....for the 10th time. Many of us here have not be able to ride the attraction of our choice because of the safety of our child.

Thanks. Last time I was in Disney was when I was pregnant with him in ‘09 so I know all about sacrificing for him

 

[mouschievous]

We had one nephew who got scared of Indy when we were boarding. They had him step through and sit and wait for us. When we got off the ride, he was in the same spot. He only had to wait for the length of the ride and there were cast members all around so it felt very safe to do. He was the same age as your son.

 

[Katiebird]

Since he’s over 7 (age for single rider), he could wait in line with you, and then just wait in the boarding area until you exited. My youngest used to do that on Space Mountain - we’d all 3 stand in line, then when we got up to board I would say that we were a “party of two, he’s not riding” and he would step through the car into the exit area while DD and I rode.

The only thing is you’ll need to discuss where he waits and what to do if the ride is stopped for some reason and they evacuate - make sure he knows to not exit, but to tell a CM that his parent is on the ride. Also set up a meeting spot outside the ride, just in case, and make sure he knows your phone number.

 

[noee]

We had one nephew who got scared of Indy when we were boarding. They had him step through and sit and wait for us. When we got off the ride, he was in the same spot. He only had to wait for the length of the ride and there were cast members all around so it felt very safe to do. He was the same age as your son.

Thanks for this.

 

[noee]

Since he’s over 7 (age for single rider), he could wait in line with you, and then just wait in the boarding area until you exited. My youngest used to do that on Space Mountain - we’d all 3 stand in line, then when we got up to board I would say that we were a “party of two, he’s not riding” and he would step through the car into the exit area while DD and I rode.

The only thing is you’ll need to discuss where he waits and what to do if the ride is stopped for some reason and they evacuate - make sure he knows to not exit, but to tell a CM that his parent is on the ride. Also set up a meeting spot outside the ride, just in case, and make sure he knows your phone number.

Oh, yes. Good information.

 

[lcp9]

Totally depends on the 10 year old, but I would absolutely be fine leaving my daughter and one of my sons at 10 to come with me through the line and wait. The other sons, not so much. haha.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Welcome to the DIS!
Another option, if at all possible, is to meet up with a friend or relative for a day in the parks. That way you could take turns riding and watching your son (and he would have company while waiting). MP makes this much easier -- the ones riding would both have a FP and would not have to wait in a long line, so you son wouldn't have to have a super long wait either.
OP: If your son is nervous or fearful about certain rides, try watching some ride through videos on YouTube together (make sure the videos are from DLR, not WDW). You can watch together and talk through what makes him uncomfortable. He might find that the rides aren't as bad as he feared and might be willing to try a ride or two with you on your trip.

 

[fly girl]

Along the same lines, but slightly different . . .

We did single rider with RSR when it was the three of us. (dd was 9) One parent in front, kid, other parent. We went over the rules for if something happened and my dd was to get off before us where to meet.

Low and behold, it happened. I can't remember the logistics, but she ended up getting off before my husband who was in the single rider line ahead of her. The plan worked, and she waited by the photo area. Granted, it wasn't as long as waiting for a whole ride but we had a plan for getting separated during a ride.

Personally, if I planned on going on a ride my 10 year old child didn't want to go on, they would wait in line with me. However, I would make sure I have a FP for it, or have a wait time of 10 minutes or under. I wouldn't want my child waiting in a long line s/he didn't want to ride. YMMV.

 

[noee]

Welcome to the DIS!
Another option, if at all possible, is to meet up with a friend or relative for a day in the parks. That way you could take turns riding and watching your son (and he would have company while waiting). MP makes this much easier -- the ones riding would both have a FP and would not have to wait in a long line, so you son wouldn't have to have a super long wait either.
OP: If your son is nervous or fearful about certain rides, try watching some ride through videos on YouTube together (make sure the videos are from DLR, not WDW). You can watch together and talk through what makes him uncomfortable. He might find that the rides aren't as bad as he feared and might be willing to try a ride or two with you on your trip.

Thanks. No friends or relatives, unless we meet some there I’m not even sure if this will be an issue - just trying to gather information just in case.

 

[TikiRob]

My teenage daughter should start an in-park babysitting service!

 

[noee]

My teenage daughter should start an in-park babysitting service!

Definitely!

 

[Mechelle Walker]

Definitely! ☺

What a great idea! I bet she'd make a killing!

 

[Asnell]

Since he’s over 7 (age for single rider), he could wait in line with you, and then just wait in the boarding area until you exited. My youngest used to do that on Space Mountain - we’d all 3 stand in line, then when we got up to board I would say that we were a “party of two, he’s not riding” and he would step through the car into the exit area while DD and I rode.

This brought back a long-buried memory from when my mom and I went to WDW the first time. She brought me in the line with her for Space Mountain, I didn't want to ride, and I waited with the cast members for her to get off. I was 5. (But it was 1976 and I am quite willing to believe the minimum age for that has increased a tiny bit since then!)

I do remember quite liking all the things there were to see in that line.

 

[ParkHopper1]

Almost every ride he can with with you in line then just exit before boarding then wait for you at exit. Just let cat member know that he wants to exit prior to loading.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

What if you get stuck on the ride? My husband was once trapped on RSR for almost an hour when the ride broke down.

 

[mel2014]

My kids will go on pretty much anything they're tall enough for (other than Tower of Terror, which irrationally freaks out my daughter), but I left my son by himself several times at other amusement parks at age 8-9 at the ride exit of roller coasters he was too short to ride (after going through the line with us) with a phone to play games on. Usually he was disappointed by how quickly we were done because he had to stop playing his games. Maybe I overestimate their apathy and am not paranoid enough about "stranger danger", but I think they would both be okay waiting out even a ride breakdown, especially if I could call to provide status information, which you could from almost all the rides at Disneyland.

I have distinct memories of my parents leaving my brothers and me in the Looney Tunes area at Magic Mountain at around the same age and coming back for us hours later and, similarly, memories of YMCA summer camp trips to Knott's where we basically roamed unsupervised all day. Not sure I would go quite that far these days, but it's easier than ever to keep track of kids with a phone. This past weekend, I was prepared to let my 11 year old go to the Animation Academy by herself while the rest of us went to see Frozen, but she didn't want to have to wait by herself between the two drawing sessions.

 

[bcla]

What if you get stuck on the ride? My husband was once trapped on RSR for almost an hour when the ride broke down.

My 9 YO doesn't have a phone but would be able to use one. If a ride breaks down, I would assume that a call could be made unless there's something blocking the signal.