Rides, ages - honest opinions please!

[wdwguide]

If they meet the height requirement and will follow the instructions, they should be fine... in theory. It all depends on your kid.

My daughter loves Mission: SPACE, and was just over 5 when she first went on it. She's was riding Track Track well before that (at least since age 4).
I won't let her go on Space Mountain any time soon, and it'll probably be another year until she'll get to do ToT. She also refuses to ride Kali River Rapids.

 

[Worfiedoodles]

Thanks for this topic! Another protective mom here. I was wondering if anyone has opinions on Dinosaur, Primeval Whirl, Soarin' and Big Thunder for a 5yo.

I love this board!

My son was almost 5 when he rode Dinosaur, and he found it very scary. He's a brave little guy and loves roller and water coasters, but this ride was so jerky and dark, he found that disconcerting.

 

[SandrainNC]

I watched a tv show a long long time ago about amusement parks and rides, etc. and they were talking about a little girl who fell off of some ride (not Disney) that was up in the air, etc. It wasn't a very intense ride from looking at it and she met the height requirements, but she was very slender which is why she fell out (she ended up ok though). They said on the show that just because your child is tall enough for some of this stuff, doesn't mean they are ready for it. Particularly, if they wouldn't follow directions, etc. The parent needs to really know that their child can follow directions and know that no matter what, they are to stay seated, etc. My child is developmentally delayed, so even if he meets the height requirement, I know that he does not know that there is danger involved if he were to stand up during a ride. So, I am very protective myself!! The good thing about rides at Disney is that anything the child can ride, the parent can too. So, even if you think something won't scare them and it does, you will be there to keep them from trying to exit the ride while it is running, etc. And I think it is a great idea to ride things first yourself to see just how intense it is if you haven't been on them before.

Sandra

 

[Thinktinknpixiedust]

My 12 year old DS still doesn't think he want's to go on TOT on our next vacation... it's not the ride itself it is the ambiance of the ride. Before people think that I have a chicken for a son, please know that he is truly frightened of heights... (I think he got that from me...) and the music intensifys that for him. I think it's what your child feels is ok for them... His big brother usually rides first for him and fills him in, after that he usually rides most anything. But after the first time my oldest DS rode MS and gave his report my 12 DS said no way... i guess he knew what his limit was.

The moral of the story is... knowledge is power, and you know your kids best, and they know themselves better, together you make a powerful team!

 

[cgbsilver@hotmail.co]

Thanks for this topic! Another protective mom here. I was wondering if anyone has opinions on Dinosaur, Primeval Whirl, Soarin' and Big Thunder for a 5yo.

I love this board!

OK

My Opinion as my DD6 as an example.

Test Track and Bg Thunder Mountain --no Problem
Dinasour --No problem un less the child gets scared easily and cant understand whats real or make beleive.
Primeral Whirl, RNRRC or ToT -Not in my daughters case.
Have not tried soarin yet.
No Way Mission Space. Even before yesterdays tragedy.

Hope this helps

 

[Thinktinknpixiedust]

Dinosaur scares me!! and i am 32... it is really jerky and dark...

My son was almost 5 when he rode Dinosaur, and he found it very scary. He's a brave little guy and loves roller and water coasters, but this ride was so jerky and dark, he found that disconcerting.

 

[lbgraves]

Last week DS 6 1/2 was talked into riding Star Tours & ended up loving it & riding that a few more times the day we were there. Last year he liked Goofy's Barnstomer. This year I convinced him to try BTMRR with me & he loved it! It is a bumpy ride but not really intense IMO. I think that I will have him ride Space Mountain with me next time since that seems smoother than BTMRR to me. The worst part is it is in the dark.

 

[Nicolepa]

When we were there in January my daughter (4) was so close to the 44 inch requirement. Had we gone a month later she would have made it, no problem. This go dh & I talking about whether we would let her ride them even if she met the height. We had decided yes for space mtn, but were having to lean against Mission Space. We haven't ridden it since they tamed it, so dh was going to ride it and see what he thought. I don't think we will let the kids ride that one until they are 7 or 8.

She is a daredevil and has ridden Splash (at 3), Big thunder, TOT is her all time favorite, Star Tours, Dinosour, etc.

 

[judykay53]

Here is our experience from last year with our 8 yo:

TOT - loved it
MS- loved it
RNR - met the height requirements but came off crying, felt like he was going to fall out

 

[kikipug]

You didn't ask... But I don't think Stitch's Encounter is all that child-friendly. We went on it just two weeks ago. Personally thought it was lame, but saw and heard kids up the age of about 7 or 8 screaming and leaving crying.

You must have ridden it with us 2 Friday's ago... my DS8 went into absolute PANIC mode on it... it couldn't end soon enough for him!!!!

I never thought I would dislike a WDW attraction... until Stitch's Encounter.... (and I LOVE Lilo & Stitch).