Scared 5 year old?

[MJMcBride]

Another thread gave me this idea. I have a 4 year old who will be nearly 5 by the time we go in November. He was there when he was just 2, so he doesn't remember much. Looking at home videos, theme parks DVDs, etc and he has shown some apprehension about rides like the Haunted Mansion, Pirates, and the like. I know he would enjoy them if he goes. Any suggestions?

 

[MouseWorshipin]

I think it depends on the kid. I see lots of kids who aren't upset in the slightest. But, a friend of mine swears her mother should have been hauled off by social services for taking her on HM when she was 5. She's in her 30s, and still remembers how terrified she was.

Pirates isn't at all scary, just a little dark.

I guess this doesn't really help.

 

[Dale-n-Chip]

In your plan, start slow on the dark rides and work your way up to the more "intense" ones. Start maybe with Peter Pan, then Pooh, then Buzz, and maybe Snow White--something like that.

Another suggestion is a key chain flashlight. I found a tiny LED one at Wal*Mart for 97 cents and put it on DS5's jacket zipper or fanny pack. That way if he got scared, he's got a light he can shine in the car/buggy/boat to help allay his fears.

Good luck!

 

[ReggieB]

My DS5 is pretty adventurous with rides. He loves Splash Mountain to death. However he is really not keen on Haunted Mansion & Pirates of The Caribbean (though he will go on it as it's DH favorite) He first went on them when he was 3. We thought maybe he didn't like them because they were dark, but I think it's just perhaps a bit to real for his imagination to cope with. The other rides are all nice fluffy animals, or cartoon heroes. I think the realness of those two attractions is what freaks him out a little. He actually tolerates Pirates, he actually liked it more at 3 than he does at 5. We always ask him if he wants to go on, he always says no to HM, but half the time he will go on Pirates. Pirates is a little scary to some kids, my DS5 has mentioned how he doesn't like the cannons. He thinks he our boat might get hit.

I would try Pirates before HM. If he can cope with the loud sound and the dark, he will probably be prepared for HM. Try and give him a run down of what he might see in HM. The elevator bit at the beginning is a bit 'shocking' so you probably want him to be looking at his feet!!!

 

[disnut8]

We took our then just turned 5 year old granddaughter to Disney World for the first time. Her mother and our son insured us that the girl was going to love everything. Called her the little thrill seeker. Right. She wanted to climb out of the Pirates of Caribbean boat. She rode nothing at Magic Kingdom. Took one look at the Haunted Mansion and said no way. At the time, she didn't like anything dark at all. Tried Kali River Rapids at Animal Kingdom but she didn't like the fire. Almost had her on Dinosaur but she freaked when she saw a dinosaur skelton.

We learned with Dinosaur, though. Talk to your son before you go. Explain the rides to him. Tell him, and this is pure honesty, that you would like for him to go through the line with you but if he feels like he doesn't want to do it once they start loading, you can always leave. Our granddaughter got that idea very quickly after she panicked at Dinosaur and my husband took her out before we boarded.

We had the penlight too but I think the kid needed a spotlight or something.

Go figure - we take her back later and she is Ms. Thrill Seeker. Rode everything. Needless to say, we kidded her so much about how scared she was just a year and a half before. Take your time with a scared one. We slowed our pace down and had such a great time.

 

[MulanMom]

I remember reading years ago a message posted by a parent of four children. He stated that with his four children, he noticed they progressed through stages with rides. A ride they may like at age 4 (POC & HM), they may dislike when they were a few years older. I have since been able to observe the same in my own children. My son was fine with Splash Mtn., POC and HM at 3. At 6, he was fearful. We've already had him in the preshow at HM, then he would opt out prior to boarding the Doom Buggies. We've conjoled him onto POC, but we do it very carefully. We try to respect our children's fears and concerns and deal with them honestly.

BTW, last trip, son was 6 and fearful of POC and HM. But tried and *loved* Space Mountain! Go figure!

If your son doesn't want to go and you have another adult with you, you can always parent swap in order to see and enjoy the ride for yourself.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do!

 

[robinb]

I second the idea of a mini-flashlight. They sell Disney ones in the Emporium and other WDW shops with Mickey, Minnie, Pooh, Tigger, etc. The flashight gives the child thier own lightsource that they control. I would avoid HM until your child makes it through the other less scary dark rides OK (like Pan, Pooh, etc). My DD wouldn't set foot into Pirates from age 3 until age 6. I never could figure out why, but now she's a Pirate Girl again.

 

[susykt4]

My daughter was almost 5 our first trip in April, 2005. She was nervous on Pirates and downright scared on HM. SHE wanted to ride Splash Mtn and while she did fine on it she decided she wouldn't be going on that again until she was six.

We just returned from our 2nd trip (she's now 5 1/2) and she loved Pirates and was still a little scared on HM but SHE insisted upon going on it.

I think on the first trip if we had waited until our 2nd day at MK to do Pirates and HM she would have been much more understanding that everything is "just pretend." This trip, HM was still scary for her, but it was the fun kind of scary instead of the terrifying kind.

DS3 is still fine with everything, especially roller coasters.

 

[Sinderelli]

My DS is also scared of Haunted Mansion- he went on it when he was 4 but wouldn't go when he was 6. He also went on TOT at 4....think we scarred him on that one...he still talks about the "elevator with seatbelts". He is a thrill seeker, though..I think this trip he'll be ready for Space Mountain! My DD2, on the other hand, is a scaredy cat. She will not go by any of the characters unless they are female..mickey no, minnie yes; stitch no, lilo yes; at least I know her pattern and can plan accordingly!

 

[luv2nascar]

our dd first trip she was 5 1/2 and she was afraid of dark rides. Bug's life ruined her. We couldn't do any 3d after that. She only lasted a couple seconds in Bugs Life. No Dinasaur, no HM, no POC. It is a phase my just turning 2 yr old for her first trip loved POC, we skipped Bugs Life (knew better this time) went on HM 5x but I covered her eyes in certain parts.

 

[PrincessLindy]

I am lucky in that DD is a dare devil. TOT has been her favorite ride since she was 4. (tall for her age) If she thinks it is scary then she wants to go on it. We actually had problems getting her to ride what she called the 'baby' rides.

Work up to the scary rides. Get a tape of Disney World theme songs. DD loves singing them before we go and sings along down there. If he can enjoy the music it might be less scary.

 

[shelby_36]

You never know. Mine is a scardy cat. She had just turned 5. She hates loud noises and vibrations. She did not like Philharmagic much once the special effects started. HATED the glasses. But she asked to go on the barnstormer again! So you just NEVER know.