Should I or shouldn't I take my kids on certain rides??

[mermaidwannabe]

My girls will be 7 and 5 when we go to DW in April. I've been reading the Passporter and their guides for ages to take kids on rides. Since I've never been to DW, I have no clue about what I should or shouldn't take them on. I will follow the guidelines and the height requirements but certain rides have me wondering like, It's Tough To Be a Bug, Splash Mountain, Space Mtn, Mission: SPace, Dinosaur, HISTK, etc. My girls aren't what I'd call daredevils but they aren't too scared of things either...they ski, snowmobile, go off ramps with their bikes, etc. Can anyone steer me in the right direction? Maybe the Unofficial Guide has good guidelines? Thanks!

 

[ILoveWDW2003]

Only you can know for sure what your kids are capable of - why do you distrust the Passporter? I have used it many times and found its information invaluable.

If your kids ski, snowmobile, jump ramps, etc they sound like they can handle almost anything.

I would only hesitate to let them go on Mission:Space.

 

[luvmick]

I agree that kids are ready for certain rides at different times. My kids were always ready when the were tall enough. I never forced them, but explained the ride and encouraged them,then let them decide.

 

[eeyore0062]

We took DD when she was 6 for the 1st time. She didn't like Tower of Terror, wasn't tall enough for Rockn Rollercoaster, didn't like Dinosaur, and Mission:Space wasn't open. Rock n Rollercoaster and Primeval Whirl have a 48" height limit, Mission:Space is 44" as is Space Mountain.

She did love Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Splash Mountain, Kali River Rapids, Test Track, Star Tours, Fantasmic and pretty much everything else.

 

[YourMajesty]

A couple of factors for my two boys were darkness and loudness. My soon to be five year old (last at WDW when he was almost 4) was tall enough for rides with the 44 inch height requirement. This would mean a 3 year old that can ride space mountain. He freaked out over Peter Pan's flight. He does not like the dark confined rides. He did make it ok on some of the other big attractions that are part inside (splash moutain and big thunder). There were so many attractions that he really did enjoy so if you find they are hesitant and scared you can always do the baby swap. He would be five if we went in May and tall enough for any ride but I can't see him on tower of terror yet! He is very rough and tumble outside and on his bike etc....but still doesn't care for the moveis....to dark and too loud. If your kids love loud, scary, and dark movies they can conquer most of the disney rides.

 

[ToyStory Fan]

This is a tough call - my DS is 5 1/2, and there are rides I thought for sure he'd love that he hated, and vice-versa. There are also rides that he liked one year, and now refuses to go on (i.e. Star Tours @ MGM) - made me ride it 7 times last year, and this past trip went on it once and hated it. Another ride he's afraid of it the Goofy Barnstormer, but BTMRR is a favorite - how he can be afraid of Goofy and love BTMRR is beyond me.

As for other thrill rides like Space Mountain and Dinosaur - we are going to try space mountain this next trip (maybe), and I have a photo of us on Dinosaur - everyone in the transporter is calmly looking at the scenery, and my DS is jumping out of his skin and has a 2 armed death grip around my arm - so you may want to ride that one alone first to gauge where you think they will shake out on the fright scale.

Oh yeah forgot to mention - both my kids are also terrified of any of the 3-D shows as well - stuff they can't touch being thrown at them kinda freaks them out.

 

[Mady/Sophiemom]

Just let them see the ride and decide for themselves.

My oldest was 5 and absolutly LOVED ToT. It is her all time fave. She also liked dinsosaur, test track, and space mountain. Our last trip, she was 8 and changed her mind, and freaked at dinosaur, and didn't even want to attempt space mountain. Still likes test track, and ToT, though.

My youngest now 6, would hardly ride anything our last trip. She says yes, to riding everything, now, but I look for her to change her mind, when the time comes.

It's tough to be a bug is very cute. There is one part where you get "stung" in the back. You will be able to see it coming. I just eased my 5 Y.O. up in her seat so she couldn't feel it. In the 3-D attractions, if they get nervous, about the things coming at them, they can take their glasses off. Thats what my little one does.

The passporter is a really good guide. I get one for every trip. Keeps everything organized, and I find that their tips, and suggestions, pretty right -on most of the time.


Just be prepared to be flexible, with your planning. We had to do a lot of splitting up, to let them both do their own thing.

Have a great trip, and keep reading these forums. You will have such a better trip, by being informed.

 

[mhingher]

I think it really depends on the child. We went to WDW with my nephews (then 3/12 and 5/12) and niece (3 1/2). My 3 1/2 year-old nephew wanted to go on everything, but wasn't tall enough for some rides. He absolutly loved Splash Mountain. Thunder Mountain is pretty much out in the open, so I suggest you let them watch it and decide on their own. As for Space Mountain and Dinosaur, darkness can be an issue. Dinosaur can seem scary and lifelike for kids...I don't think they would like Mission:Space, it's very intense!

Have a great trip!!!!

Melissa

 

[bdcp]

I don't get why It's Tough to Be a Bug is considered one that may scare children. We went in '98 and I only remember one baby crying (about 1 yr old who was too young to understand, but old enough to be scared). To me it's not much different than Muppet 3-D. Water spray (misted) and "bugs" running under and behind you on your seat is the worst.

Space Mountain is more about the dark and not being able to see where you're going that might freak out kids.

From everything I've read, Stitch isn't the best for kids and they've raised the height requirements lately because of that. I rode it when it was Alien Encounter and they literally had to have a 4 year old removed during the ride. He was terrified. I wouldn't have taken a 4 year old on it though. There were lots of signs before you entered. It was the fact that everyone is strapped into an individual seat that seemed to do him in. My 2 DS were 12 and 14 and it was a little intense for my 12 year old.

 

[ScottieDog]

Hi folks....reading these posts I kept waiting for someone to mention the Haunted Mansion. That ride was a HUGE issue for debate when my brother and I were little! So tell me (because I don't have children of my own) are haunted mansions no longer scary? (

Cathryn~

 

[dizagain]

Hi! My girls were 7 and 9 on our first trip and they are both fairly wimpy. We did discuss rides with them at home and while they turned down many from looking at the books, they ended up riding everything but TOT, RRC, and Space Mountain (younger one only skipped). MS wasn't there yet. One DD wasn't into 3-D AT ALL, but she went along, didn't wear glasses, and kept her feet up on the seat. She was fine. Splash worried them both, but DH got them in line and they liked it. Both LOVED BTMR and the motion simulator rides like Star Tours. Dinosaur was not a favorite but we had no tears or anything - you don't like it, close your eyes. The ride itself isn't scary...the best part of Disney IMO is that most actual rides aren't, just the scenery. Haunted Mansion was a joy for both.

All kids are different, but as I said above, most rides aren't bad at all and kids can always close their eyes. We're going in May (they're 9 and 11 now) and I imagine we'll still skip RRC and MS.

Have fun and encourage your kids to try things... if we passed by everything they originally balked at we would have spent alot of time sitting on a bench watching people have fun.

 

[paigevz]

then again at 6, then both boys at 8 and 10 months, and finally just back and they were 9 and 2.

My son has always been a thrill-seeker, but we still wanted to try out some rides without him. He was afraid of Snow White's Adventures at age 4 and he wouldn't go back on it until age 9. We didn't try him on Space MOuntain until age 8.........same for Rock N Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror...........those are his favorites now. We previewed Dinosaur for him at age 6, and decided against it.......he went at age 8 only once........said it was too scary. At age 9 he rode it again, but again only wanted to go once. He loved Mission Space at age 9, but it made dh very, very ill for hours afterward. He's loved Splash Mountain and Honey I Shrunk The Audience since age 4.........and my 2 year old liked HISTA too. My older son was never afraid of It's Tough To Be a Bug..........he went first at age 6. However, my younger son at age 2 was terrified, and we left mid-way.................the worst is not the bugs at the end or the water misting..................it's when an angry bug comes out and starts yelling, a flyswatter comes out at you, the theater is plunged into total darkness with the sound of "hornets" and more, and then huge spiders come down at you.......................my 2 year old flipped.......when we came out there were already two other families with scared children outside, and two more came out right after us. I'd think about this one if the 5 year old.........especially if she doesn't like darkness or bugs. Oh, and Haunted Mansion........my older one was always fine, though tightened his grip on me at 4 and 6.............my younger was scared of it, too.

Hope that helps!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I haven't read all your replies. I took my son in early Dec, who was almost 5yo, on anything he was tall enough for, which only eliminated 2 rides in all of WDW. He's a daring sort of kid, very physical and, like me, the type that figures "anything once". Most things he went on several times (Space Mt, Tower of Terror, Big Thunder, Splash Mt, Mission Space, Test Track, etc), but only went on Dinosaur once. We'd gone in Feb and he also did everything that he was tall enough for and at the time was not tall enough for Mission:Space and Space Mt. Again, he only went on Dinosaur once that trip, too.

I would start small and work up from there, but it sounds like your kids are daring and would be willing to do most anything. How tall are they?

T&B

 

[AshClan]

This is my biggest WDW challenge. I have two boys, now 12 and 10, but they are both very sensitive to dark and loud noises. I even had a tough time with my youngest at Illuminations when he was 3! Bottom Line, 3-D is pretty much out....they HATED HISTA. I have therefore avoided ITTBAB and will continue to this year. I am begging them to do Mickey's Philharmagic this year, but that will be our only 3-D. My youngest, even on our last trip when he was 7, was a little scared of POC because of the dark. I brought them on to the Haunted Mansion on our first trip, and they weren't happy, though I think they had psyched themselves out because of the name. I'm hoping to try again this year...It's really more funny than scary. Tower of Terror has not been attempted. I'm trying to convince my 12 yr old for this year, as he's heard lots of good things from friends. Snow White scared the bejesus out of me when I was a kid, so I never even attempted it with them!

On the other hand, my boys love roller coasters. Sounds like your girls might too, if they like being daredevils at home. Star Tours and BTMRR are HUGE favorites. They like Space and Splash Mtns and Test Track a lot too. Bottom line, I think there are two categories of "scary" for kids. Dark, creepy, loud rides are one type (these are usually the kids who don't like scary movies), and Rollercoaster/big hills/jerky rides are another. Some kids will do one but not the other, some will do both, and some will avoid either. I'd recommend trying somethings like POC or Haunted Mansion in Category 1, and Splash and BTMRR in Category 2, and see how they react. That might give you a good barometer.

Good Luck!!

Susan

 

[mermaidwannabe]

Wow, lots of good info. Thanks! Your posts helped me to keep an open mind, let them see the ride, tell them about it and then use judgement then. I think I will try ITTBAB for my 7 and 5 Y.O. but not my 2 y.o. ( i didn't mention her earlier because I won't be taking her on those rides!). I wasn't going to do Splash Mtn, but I think we will try it IF THEY WANT TO. I think I got too into planning the parks. I need to let go a little. Oh, and I do like the Passporter. I plan on using it at DW. I just wanted to know more since I saw posts where people took their younger kids on certain rides the Passporter didn't recommend. Thank you everyone! I really appreciate your posts and I know we'll have a blast no matter which rides we go on.

 

[Tbella]

ScottieDog, last August my daughter was 3 and a month and she went on the Haunted Mansion and loved it. At first she was scared in line and the queing area inside and I kept asking her if she was sure she wanted to go on and she insisted she did. She was holding on to me through the whole ride but loved it and asked to go again. Just reasure the child before hand that the ghosts are not real.

 

[sha_lyn]

Now 7yr old DD loved all the 3D movies and HM when she was 2 1/2. she talked about HISTA for weeks.
at 4 1/2 she loved loved all the above, ToT, Star Tours, Splash mountain, Kali River Rapids and Barnstormer. She had looked forward to BTMRR but chickened out in the end. Once we got I wished I had taken her to ride it earlier in the day before she was tired and cranky. She realized she didn't ride it and was mad at me for "not letting her ride" LOL.

She is our little daredevil and can't wait to be tall enough to ride looping coasters.

 

[debbiedoo]

We also like the Birnbaum's offical guide to WDW

I would go with the flow with the kids.

I have not let my DD6 expereince Tot, Space Moun., and she is not tall enough for RnR.

She had enjoyed everything, expect one ride. . . .Dinosaur. I took her on this at 4/ 4 1/2 yrs old and to this day will not get on it. Definitely ride this one before them.

And believe it or not, she liked Mission Space!! We rode that last June. Did not have time in Oct(for MS), she was sick the first day, and did not want to push anything.

 

[mermaidwannabe]

Okay, so I have the Passporter. Should I also get the Birnbaum's Guide, the guide for Kids (can't remember the name) and/or the Unofficial Guide?? We only have 5 full days at the parks so I want to make the most of each day without being Commando Mom. We'll probably do half days at the AK and MGM just so we can have more time at MK. I know they'll like Epcot with the Kidcot activities and they're interested in other countries.

 

[crazee4mickey]

Ride the ride before you take the children--Dinosaur terrified myself, 2 teenage sons and 6 yo daughter! I just posted about this ride then came across your post!
Our 8 yo son who loves dinosaurs refused to come on---I'm glad he did as he's had operations on his ears and noise does bother him. His remark when we came off the ride and saw how scared we were was"Maybe you should listen to me next time"
It's incrediably loud but maybe you could buy earplugs for the noise. I think it would be really cool if the noise level wasn't deafening! We bought the Unofficial Guide to WDW and it was pretty true to the ride ratings...but it all depends on each child.