Screamin for a 5 year old?

[WpgGal]

I have a five-year-old who loves rides and is tall enough to go on the Screamin California roller-coaster. I was wondering if it will be too fast or scary for him.

 

[Ingrid0382]

There is one upside-down loop. It's fast, but not jerky. I guess it depends on if the 5 year-old is okay with being upside-down.

 

[Mugglemama]

I have four kids (aged 7-20) who have been riding the rides at Disneyland since they were babies, and who will go on anything they are tall enough for, and who absolutely love, love, LOVE Screamin'. (My older children also love extreme coasters like Goliath, and Medusa).

That said, I would venture to guess that for many 5 year olds, that yes, Screamin' would be too intense. I don't think any of mine would have enjoyed the intensity of a ride like Screamin' at 5 years old, despite the fact that they've loved rides like Pirates, Matterhorn, Space Mountain and ALL of the Disney dark rides since they were, literally, toddlers. Well, none of them were tall enough for Space as Toddlers, but they've loved it since they were preschoolers.

Has he been on any other, smaller, coasters and enjoyed them (Big Thunder Mountain Railroad)? You've said he loves rides, so I'm thinking it's a good possibility that he has? Has he been at DCA, right next to Screamin', and expressed a desire to actually ride it? If not, I personally wouldn't recommend putting him on it. But, you know him best....maybe you've got a little thrillseeker on your hands?

Have you "ridden" it on YouTube with him, and asked him if he *wants* to ride it?

 

[CrazyDuck]

I'd see how he does on goofys sky school first!

 

[mousireid]

My DD(6) has ridden everything and adores ToT(her favorite she rides multiple times ever since she has been tall enough!),Splash!, BTMRR and Space so I am considering letting her ride Screamin' too - since she has been tall enough she has been a daredevil as compared to my DH and DS(10). I already know as soon as she sees it she will be asking. I like the above advice, trying the others first and will gladly hold a FP for us - hey if we don't ride it we can give our FP away

 

[helenb]

My kids are roller coaster freaks and were riding coasters at all kinds of parks as soon as they were tall enough! And they're tall for their ages. IIRC, my DS rode Screamin' at age 4 and loved it. OTOH, this is the same kid who at 24 months was laughing his head off as we spun at maximum centrifuge speed on the teacups. When my kids were small, for fun, my DH would toss them high into the air, and they would fly up perhaps 2 feet above his hands, then fall back down to him. They loved it!

So in short, we've been 'training' our kids for thrills since they were infants.

In answer to your question, look at the other rides the child has been on and enjoyed. Let the child look at the Screamin' ride (and see the takeoff from the bridge) before going. Let the child make the final decision without any prompting from you.

 

[Kittyskyfish]

My kids are roller coaster freaks and were riding coasters at all kinds of parks as soon as they were tall enough! And they're tall for their ages. IIRC, my DS rode Screamin' at age 4 and loved it. OTOH, this is the same kid who at 24 months was laughing his head off as we spun at maximum centrifuge speed on the teacups. When my kids were small, for fun, my DH would toss them high into the air, and they would fly up perhaps 2 feet above his hands, then fall back down to him. They loved it!

So in short, we've been 'training' our kids for thrills since they were infants.

In answer to your question, look at the other rides the child has been on and enjoyed. Let the child look at the Screamin' ride (and see the takeoff from the bridge) before going. Let the child make the final decision without any prompting from you.

ITA! OP - don't give your son a reason to think this is too much for him. If he's past the height requirement, let him check the ride out and watch other kids getting off. He'll figure out for himself if he's up for the challenge of riding Screamin'.

 

[Midnightred]

If it were me I'd wait until he is older. That ride is scarey in my opinion! Start out with the Matterhorn and BTMR, Splash, etc.

Midnightred

 

[Peace.love.mickey]

DO IT! Gotta get them ready now....

 

[PigletSeeker]

My 7 year old just rode it for the first time. It was her first true thrill ride. She went willingly on it, but came off and said she didn't ever want to ride it again. She closed her eyes and opened them and was disoriented the rest of the ride and it made her kind of panicked.

 

[bumbershoot]

The takeoff hurts my chest and makes it hard for me to breathe. I'm glad my son was 7.5 before we went back to DLR after he was tall enough, because the age when he WAS tall enough was just too nerve-wracking for me.

Plus, at 5 he wouldn't have really been able to fully remember to keep his head back, and that's really vital for that ride. At 7 he was able to understand AND remember AND do it. At 5, not so much.

The loop is nothing, you barely even know what's going on when you're on it. It's that takeoff that's the killer for me. I would, and did, wait.

 

[WannaseePooh]

We took my son to DLR for the first time when he was 5. We started with the small rollercoasters and worked our way up. He LOVED Screamin. It was his favorite ride. He rode that rollercoaster more than anything else there. If your kid can do Space and Big thunder, he can probably do Screamin

 

[saysay]

My tall DD LOVED it! She is 5. She likes all rides and saw it and wanted to ride it. I chickened out at the tall hill and now that we are home I am kicking myself. If he wants to do it, let him. Per my husband, its VERY smooth and a great ride. My DD said it was her favorite ride at DCA! She also loved the Bugs Life area and Ariel. I say give it a try. We did and DD was SO happy!

 

[WpgGal]

Thanks so much for the insightful comments! I think we'll take him to the other smaller coasters first then let him watch screamin for a while. Methinks he'll still want to do it, tho! It's good to know other kids his age have been on it and loved it. Cheers!

 

[rramstad]

My daughter was 5 in July 2011 and rode Screamin and loved it. She's the youngest of three and both older brothers were riding, so she was riding too... I was very careful to instruct her about putting her head back against the rest before blast off, and rode with her, of course. She rode it a bunch! Big strong girl for her age, though, and pretty tough with the older brothers...

 

[lochcarron]

DD who just truned 6 loved screamin as well as TOT so Im' sure your son will love it too!

 

[lalasmama]

Soooo happy to see this thread! DD announced yesterday that she can't wait to go on Screamin', which had me a bit concerned, since she had *just* passed the height limit. Glad to see that other mini-thrill-seekers are going on it and enjoying it!

 

[iheartdisney]

It depends entirely on the 5 year old! My oldest children- who were on ToT at 3 years LOVED Screamin' since they were tall enough!
The youngest is a complete chicken who doesn't like ANYTHING remotely thrilling, with the exception of Space Mountain. And I can kind of talk her into BTMRR- but only during the daylight.
So luckily my DD9 has no problem going Single Rider on Screamin'!

 

[geekypeach]

My 4.5 year old makes me measure him weekly to see when he's big enough to ride. If your kid likes Space Mountain (mine LOVE it), then he'll probably be fine.

There are kids that don't like intense rides, and you have to respect that. My kids are dare devils and there is no way I could deny them Screamin'. My 8 yo was the same way and she still talks about how cool it was to get to ride it after such a long wait.

 

[theokris]

my 5 year old went and loved it! hands in the air the whole time,my 8 year old didnt take to kindly to it, he didnt like loseing his stomach on the big drops,so it could go either way. If hes likes space mountain or thunder or any of the other big attractions i say let him go if he wants to... hes only this age once and hes at the happiest place on earth ! also in my opnion this is the smoothest riding coaster i have ever been on. have fun