Rollercoaster for 9 year old - not crazy

[PEC]

My opinion of course, but I think Space is harder on adults than it is children. I used to be able to ride and ride with no problems. Now I find it jerky. Or maybe I'm just getting old. =( I'm taking my niece and nephews in Oct. My plan is start with Barnstormer, 7DMT, and then Big Thunder. Figure I'd start them off small and work up to Space instead of going right for that one off the bat.

Good approach. If they don't like the big one you have to be careful and they will not ride any of them. Starting small and going up you get to see their limitation.

 

[beastandbelle]

I think it depends on the child. My 10-year old daughter LOVES LOVES LOVES roller coasters and has been doing Space Mounain since she was 6.

Agree! Every child is so different I think you need to follow their lead. If they say they want to try it and are tall enough then go for it. My DD has been riding smaller coasters since she was 2 and rode the HUGE Millennium Force at Cedar Point last year when she was 6 and loved every second of it!

 

[ekendall2]

The only one that he might not like is Rock n roller coaster. However, i think if he likes the other ones, he would like this one too. Most of the times, if they do it once, they are hooked.

I would do this order: BTMR, SDMT, Space Mt, EE, and then RR.

HAVE FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ekendall2]

SORRY!!! I forgot about Barnstormer!!!!

Start with that one.

 

[Frozen2014]

Thanks for all the advice.

We'll start with Barnstomer (for 9 and 5 year old) and Big Thunder and Seven Dwarfs next for our 9 year old and work up from there.

 

[bltman]

Everyone left out Primeval Whirl. It should be fine for the 9 year old.

 

[GEM]

By nine, my son (now age 11) loved all of them, especially Rockin Roller Coaster, which he rode about 12 times in a row on that trip he was nine ousing the single rider line. Lol. I personally can't imagine a nine year old that wouldn't love Space Mountain. It's bumpy and jerky, but as somebody else said, much more so for adults than kids. It rattles my teeth, lol, but none of the kids I've ridden it with have ever even mentioned it being rough. My very timid seven year old newphew rode it like four times in a row last year. For what it's worth, my son also loved Big Thunder at 5 years old. It was his absolutel favorite at that age. Hope you all have fun!

 

[Ava]

My four year old LOVES rollercoasters. One thing that was a little sad for him was we go to Disneyland all the time being on the west coast. Height requirement for Space Mountain there is 40". When we went to WDW, it's 42" and of course he was just under the bar. Try explaining that to a 4 year old.

Space Mountain at WDW is 44" now. (Not sure when it changed; on our last trip DD was only 2 so we knew she wouldn't be tall enough for any of the "big" rides & therefore didn't pay attention to the height requirements.)

I wasn't planning on having Space or Everest in our plans, thinking DD5 wouldn't be tall enough, but at her 5-year check up a few weeks ago she'd hit 44"! And our trip isn't until Sept, so I don't think there will be any question that she's tall enough. She loves roller coasters so I'm inclined to let her try both, although last time I rode Space I found it really jerky. I also don't know that she'd like not being able to sit next to me.

 

[kjpotter]

DD1: at age 6 rode Barnstormer, Space Mountain, BTTM, Splash Mountain, and Everest. At age 9: TOT, still will not do RnR


DD2: at age 6 is scared of everything and freaked out at Dumbo :
although she did end up loving it

 

[bweagle]

My son was 9 last year and went on all of the roller coasters. In fact he and his dad went through the "single rider" line several times on RNRC and EE several times so he could ride them more frequently. A few times they were seated together, but many times he just rode in an extra seat and his sister and I would wait at the exit for his return. He had never ridden roller coasters prior to that trip.

 

[suffieldhockeymom]

My 6 YO nephew rode all the coasters multiple times last summer. His favorite was Rockin' Rollercoaster. I would start with BTMR then Space Mountain and Everest.

 

[Maddysdaddy]

My (just turned 10) daughter was a bit of a coaster chicken as well, so what we did before our trip when she was 8, was to let her watch You Tube videos of the various coasters and then let her decide which ones she wanted to try.

We thought that there was no way in heck that she would ever want to try Everest, given the height and the backwards portion in the dark , but once she knew what to expect, she was all for it and now it's one of her favorite rides (went 6 straight times in February - rope drop/drizzly morning).

 

[2girlsmom]

My ride chicken rode Everest and claimed to like it, rode it 2 or 3 times when she was 9, then by the next trip apparently had changed her mind, she hasn't ridden it again since. She did ride RnR at age 13 once, and never again. That said she LOVES Big Thunder Mountain and Barnstormer (oh, also did Space Mountain at 9 and never again). She is super excited about Mine Train opening, too. OP, of course let the kids be your guide, but unless your 5 year old is very short, he/she would be able to ride BTM and Mine Train as well.

 

[KimK2006]

As PP's have said, I would start with the tamer ones and work your way up. My DS cried when he was 6 because he was too short to ride RNR. Had to wait another year. Play the faster ones by ear based on how he does with the slower ones. One thing you need to make sure and NOT do is put it in his head that he "might" be scared of the bigger ones. My SIL did this with my nephew, so he wouldn't go on these for years! By her saying they might scare him, he was scared.

Looking at the rides on You Tube is a great idea so they know what to expect. I agree Space Mountain is really jerky. (We still like and ride it.) RNR is so smooth, your DS might like it better. (You go upside down, but it is dark and is so quick, you really don't even notice!)

 

[practicallyperfect77]

As PP's have said, I would start with the tamer ones and work your way up. My DS cried when he was 6 because he was too short to ride RNR. Had to wait another year. Play the faster ones by ear based on how he does with the slower ones. One thing you need to make sure and NOT do is put it in his head that he "might" be scared of the bigger ones. My SIL did this with my nephew, so he wouldn't go on these for years! By her saying they might scare him, he was scared.

Looking at the rides on You Tube is a great idea so they know what to expect. I agree Space Mountain is really jerky. (We still like and ride it.) RNR is so smooth, your DS might like it better. (You go upside down, but it is dark and is so quick, you really don't even notice!)

ITA about saying "you might be scared". My sister hates coasters and told my oldest nephew they were scary. He won't go on them. My 2nd oldest nephew is my coaster buddy tho. He loves them. In fact a few years back (he was 7 at the time) he told my sister that for my b-day he was gonna grow so he could go on rollercoasters with me. Melted my heart. Next trip is with a different sister and her family. My sis, BIL and I all love coasters so I figure the kids will ride b/c we'll all be so excited to ride too. My niece is officially 40 inches so no space, EE or RnRC...the boys are 45 or so and not thinking they'll get 48 by Oct so we'll have to figure out single rider for RnRC.

 

[Frozen2014]

Thank you all. Definitely won't suggest rollercoasters as 'scary' for him. Just trying to get an idea and plan the FP I want to book. He can always let us know when we're there what he wants to go on.

Only one I'm wondering...is Big Thunder good for my 5 year old or would it be too much? It's marked as a suggested FP so am not sure whether to get it for all 4 of us, or just DS and one adult. (As a reference, she just went on her first rollercoaster...one that simply goes in a cirlce with a few hills, but she loved it)

 

[ses1230]

Thank you all. Definitely won't suggest rollercoasters as 'scary' for him. Just trying to get an idea and plan the FP I want to book. He can always let us know when we're there what he wants to go on. Only one I'm wondering...is Big Thunder good for my 5 year old or would it be too much? It's marked as a suggested FP so am not sure whether to get it for all 4 of us, or just DS and one adult. (As a reference, she just went on her first rollercoaster...one that simply goes in a cirlce with a few hills, but she loved it)

I think BTMRR is fine as is Splash and Barnstormer. Mine went on them at 4.

At 5 they did Space, Everest and ToT as well.

 

[Manders77]

Only one I'm wondering...is Big Thunder good for my 5 year old or would it be too much? It's marked as a suggested FP so am not sure whether to get it for all 4 of us, or just DS and one adult. (As a reference, she just went on her first rollercoaster...one that simply goes in a cirlce with a few hills, but she loved it)

First off, is your 5 yr old tall enough? If so, do they like fast rides or seem timid. I would take a 5yr old if you think they would like those rides. You know your child. When DD was 4 1/2 she was 38 inches and now at 6 she is 42 inches. DS3 is 37 inches right now and if he clears 40 by next yr in Sept/Oct when we go, he'd be 5, we will take him on BTMRR. Both my kids are dare devils, but DS doesn't like riding rides without one of us sitting next to him. But he laughs and has fun with rides.

 

[tazadd0420]

Btmr- was fine for our then dd5. She and I both were ride chickens at that time. For 5yo recommend same as others.
Start with barnstormer, btmrr, sdmt.
Also if tall enough PW at ak. Small drops.
For sm I recommend right loading area. Not sure why, by seems less jerky. Love the right... Hate the left. IMO.

Have a great trip.

 

[WantToGoNow]

My dd10 has been riding all of the coasters since she was 5 including RnRC. If he's interested and tall enough, then let them ride.

BTMRR is about as tame of a ride as you can get - my non riding ds even likes it.