rides too dark or is it just me?

[happypooh]

Just got back from Disneyland and had an overall good trip but found some of the rides rather disturbing...the pinocchio one was quite scary with the first part hearing him wailing that he wanted to go home and Mr Toad's ride had the last part where it looked like we were driving thru hell red flames and demons around! I had to cover my 18 mth son's eyes and wished I could have covered mine too. I know I'm inviting people to flame me, but is it just me or are the rides more dark and sinister than they used to be? I even met up with a family at the pool where the young boy (around 6y) said he didn't like the pirates new ride as it was too scary. And the fireworks show seemed full of references to all the "bad" characters and scary music too! I know a 3 yr old girl who now hates fireworks because of the ones she saw at WDW! They just plain freaked her out! (not the noise part but the evil witch part or whatever it is in the wishes fireworks sequence.) Don't get me wrong - I am a big fan of Disney, being a previous cast member, and currently an owner of DVC, and will be making my 3rd trip to WDW this year in september....but maybe I will be skipping a few more rides than I used to, and stick around Epcot more..... It certainly doesn't help me convince my conservative Christian friends that disney is as "safe" or family friendly as it would like to portray itself as being.

 

[laceemouse]

Well, if you look back and read all of the old fairy tales they were all pretty grusome and scary. Read the original version of Little Red Riding Hood, pretty awful. It used to be seen as a way for kids to face their fears. Most of the Disney stories are based on old, old stories. Many of those stories included the death of a parent (think Bambi) because that would be a child's greatest fear. But when the character survives and grows stronger through the ordeal, the child learns that they can too. When did you work for Disney? I don't see that it has gotten any worse, I just think we all become more sensitive to these things after we have little ones. My kids have never been scared of any Disney movies, rides, fireworks, ect. They learned pretty young that it is all make believe. As far as the conservative Christians, and I consider myself one, they have A LOT of other gripes about Disney besides the scariness. They think all Disney movies should be G, sacharin sweet, but again, if they went back and looked at all the old cartoons and movies that WE saw as kids I think they would be surpised that their memories are flawed. They also complain about references to "magic", things like Gay Days, ect, ect. I disagree, of course, but each family has to decide for themselves what they feel is appropriate. Also, the Disney company owns ABC and some other movie companies, which make a bunch of totally gross, NOT family friendly stuff (like Desperate Housewives.) Some folks feel that if Walt were alive today Disney would not be involved in that kind of stuff, and I do agree 100% with that one!!!

 

[laceemouse]

A lot of folks just long for the "good ole days" when everything was pure and sweet. BUT, most of us grew up watching Scooby Do (kinda scary and occultish), the Roadrunner and Tom and Jerry (VERY violent), Bugs Bunny (often seen in drag ), well, you get my drift!!! Go back and rent some old movies you used to LOVE as a kid, you will probaly be surprised by many things, including the language!!! Don't get me wrong, a lot of things now are WAY worse, and most parents allow ALL of it ( The Simpson's, Family Guy, ect.) CRUDE, RUDE, and terrible!!!!

 

[eeyoregon]

Disney has always been known for their dark rides so I can't imagine them going away anytime soon! It's sort of their signature and if it's worked for over 50 years then "if it ain't broken, don't fix it."

My DS is 13 now and is still freaked by the Snow White ride! But when DS 10 was 3, his favorite ride was Haunted Mansion...go figure

Good thing there are plenty of "cheery" rides too

 

[laceemouse]

Disney has always been known for their dark rides so I can't imagine them going away anytime soon! It's sort of their signature and if it's worked for over 50 years then "if it ain't broken, don't fix it."

My DS is 13 now and is still freaked by the Snow White ride! But when DS 10 was 3, his favorite ride was Haunted Mansion...go figure

Good thing there are plenty of "cheery" rides too

True, that Mr Toad ride has been around since Walt's days! And what scares children is so different from child to child and from year to year.

 

[Alex2kMommy]

No flames here, but if you read the guide books (I have the Unofficial Guide and have also read Birnbaums) you would have known that the rides you mention may not be appropriate for your little one. I doubt the rides were intended for preschoolers, and you also have to use your judgement with school-age kids that are a bit sensitive as well.

I'm debating on which ones will be appropriate for my boys, who will be 6yo and 2yo when we go next month. The 6yo loves pirates at the moment, and would love to go on the pirates ride, but he doesn't like loud noises and is very sensitive. The 2yo is pretty fearless...well, except for our cat and when big brother tries to scare the daylights out of him. (Boys...)

I think they might do OK as long as we're beside them, but to be honest, I've never been on these rides, so I have a hard time telling from a book how scary it might be.

The tip given in the book is to take them on similar but tamer rides first, then if they do OK, take them on a similar, slightly more intense ride...basically working them up to the one that might be scary.

 

[djblu883]

i know babies scare easily at different things and those things change all the time....but if you introduce our kids to dark times at home and amke it fun BEFORE your trip they won't be afraid...my DGD LOVED the dark rides the best at 9 MOS...will be interesting to see how this changes but we share fun times in the dark now to try and teach her the dark isn't something to be afraid of!!!!

 

[bartleby1]

I don't think disney has gotten any scarier than it was years ago, but you are now in "mommy mode" trying to protect your little one. I remember taking my first born at 18 mths and thinking the same thing you are! I had been to disney 12 or 13 times before as a child, and kept thinking "I don't remember this being so scary". It wasn't that things had changed, it was that I was now worried about my little one. It is very different going to the world with your own kids.

The one thing that I think has changed is that rides, shows, etc, seem to be much louder now. Although, that may be because I worry about my kids' ears (or maybe as the saying goes, if it is too loud, you're too old, lol!).