SD Mine Train - Riding with Two Small Kids

[Artax]

This is an interesting read. We are planning a trip and January with my pregnant wife and my two kids 5 and 7. I was hoping they would let the kids ride together with me behind them, or allow one to sit by them selves (which probably wont go over well with the the solo rider) my wife will most likely not be riding.

 

[Robo]

You won't know until you are there.

Regardless of what might have happened at another time,
these kind of things are subject to the discretion of CMs who happen to be staffing the attraction at
the time you are there.

There are so many things like this that can go one way at X time and another way at Y time.
Having spent years reading reports about how the situation of "one adult and multiple children,"
on these boards, I can tell you that any kind of combination MIGHT be possible, and
there's no predicting what will occur or be allowed when your party actually arrives.

 

[wajones2]

I have never seen three across on SD before, but I did see a promo video on one of the national pageant's that showed them riding SD 3 across...so just maybe I'd 2 kiddos fit u dear the lobar together securely there might be chance. I would definitely ask CM.

 

[maxiesmom]

I have never seen three across on SD before, but I did see a promo video on one of the national pageant's that showed them riding SD 3 across...so just maybe I'd 2 kiddos fit u dear the lobar together securely there might be chance. I would definitely ask CM.

Those seats are very small, there is no way for 2 kids to share 1 seat.

 

[Andyman33]

when we were there last week they let our 4 year old ride "alone" witha stranger right behind us. never asked how old she was or anything. however, on barnstormer they gave us a rider swap because they made us have the same amount of adults as kids as under 7 weren't allowed to ride alone -- thinking maybe it has to do with shared lap bar vs individual lap bar? and that they will match up singles with another single?

 

[Dis703]

They may let you put one of them with a single rider if you don't mind as long as you are all in the same car and not separate cars. So you and one child would sit in the back and the other would sit in the front with a stranger. A lot of parents on here have reported teaming up with a single rider or other odd numbered group in the queue and that way the CMs don't say anything. It only says that a under 7 has to be with someone over 14 not their legal parent or guardian.

We did this with our 6 year old. I just found another party in line that was an odd number and he rode with one of the adults. I'm not sure I'd do that for a child's first time in case they get scared, but it's an option if you are okay with it.

We had issues with both Barnstormer and 7DMT as 2 adults with 3 kiddos under 7. At Barnstormer I tried to ride with 2 while one was napping and they gave me a rider swap pass because I couldn't take both children on the ride. Everyone was tall enough we just didn't meet the requirement of having an adult to ride with each child. I can't say that's the norm or they would always do it, but I would ask. My general experience is that they want to help make sure everyone gets to ride.

 

[Dis703]

This is an interesting read. We are planning a trip and January with my pregnant wife and my two kids 5 and 7. I was hoping they would let the kids ride together with me behind them, or allow one to sit by them selves (which probably wont go over well with the the solo rider) my wife will most likely not be riding.

Your 7 year old can ride alone, but your 5 year old cannot. 7 is the minimum age to ride without an adult.

 

[mrsjoannh13]

They already said their 2 year old is tall enough.

I have never in my life met a 2 year old that is 3 feet tall. And I worked for 20 years in a day care center. I think OP is in for a bit of a surprise when they put DD2 up against the measuring stick.

 

[abinormal]

My two year old was tall enough. He hit 38 inches at age 2.5, and with his sneakers on, he was easily tall enough. According to the doctor's office he was 36 inches at his two year check up.

Now, I wish I hadn't taken him because he was scared by it, but that's another story.

 

[wilkeliza]

I have never in my life met a 2 year old that is 3 feet tall. And I worked for 20 years in a day care center. I think OP is in for a bit of a surprise when they put DD2 up against the measuring stick.

I mean she could be 2 almost 3 and the 4 year old could be 4 almost 5. My nephew was tall enough when he went and he was 2 years and 7 months. Just because you've never seen a 2 year old that tall doesn't mean they don't exists. The average 2 year old is between 33 and 38 inches depending on months and if that is the average then you could logically assume there are some kids taller and shorter than that.

 

[tobikaye]

I have never in my life met a 2 year old that is 3 feet tall. And I worked for 20 years in a day care center. I think OP is in for a bit of a surprise when they put DD2 up against the measuring stick.

I agree with the PP, just because you have not met any, does not mean there are not quite a few kids over the average height. (In fact, that is why it is the average height, many above and below.)

My cousin's kids just turned 3 a few weeks ago. Her son is now 39" tall and his twin sister is about 37" tall. When they went to WDW months ago, when the kids were about 18-20 months, her son was just a little over the 38" mark.

 

[Ceece1234]

I have never in my life met a 2 year old that is 3 feet tall. And I worked for 20 years in a day care center. I think OP is in for a bit of a surprise when they put DD2 up against the measuring stick.

You must live in a town with a lot of short people.

My girl was 39in when we took her at 2. She was just tall enough with shoes to ride BTMRR. The only thing she couldn't ride was SM.

 

[HopperFan]

You are not going to know how your situation will be handled until you get there. I would approach the CMs at the entrance to explain your situation and see how they can help you all ride.

Basically Disney rules state guests Under 7 must be accompanied by a guest 14 or older on attractions. 7DMT has been known to be strict on this rule meaning side by side in the same car. Have some guests been allowed to let younger kids ride alone? - yes. Is that a standard? - no. I have been on many times and seen parents told to split up and each sit with a child. One family that wanted to argue about it was asked to step away from the gate, gates shut and our train left without them.

#1 priority pressed is safety. There are going to be lots of CMs that follow the rules and enforce them. There will always be CMs who let things go and take the risk. At 7DMT they are set up to fill every single seat which means a younger child sitting with a stranger. There is no way for a parent to assist unless they are in the seat with the child. Disney has determined that age probably based on maturity and ability to stay calm. Yes, all kids are different, but there has to be a baseline. Height determines the safety of riding physically, the under 7 rule has to do with maturity to be on their own without fear and maturity in an emergency.

 

[pbb322]

So we actually did this last summer, and yes, you can work it without having a child ride with a stranger.

1. Get FP+ for you and child #1 at a certain time.
2. Get FP+ for your friend and her child at a DIFFERENT time, slightly later.
3. Go to Mine train when it is your FP+ time with your friend both children. Tell them the 2 year old does not want to ride. (PS, the Disney policy on the website is that rider swap is for children not tall enough or the child does not want to ride. We never had a problem with that with my 3 year old who was tall enough for some rides). Get a rider swap pass. Leave Child #2 with friend and you go on mine train with Child #1 using FP+. This is the key - your friend and the two year old must go with you to get the rider swap pass. Specifically on mine train, my 2 year old and my husband were standing to the side and I have to go drag them over and present them to the guy at the FP+ entrance. I will note that DD was in a stroller, and they did not ask about her height.
4. You go back later and use the rider swap pass YOURSELF with child #2. Friend and her child go whenever it is their FP+ time.

The rider swap pass is a paper ticket, ANYONE can use it with up to 2 more people, including yourself. We did this several times last year as my husband cannot ride most rides due to extreme motion sickness, but both kids wanted to ride and I could not ride by myself with both of them.