So how intense is Dinosaur (for kids)?

[msdroz]

My son is 9 and wants to ride it but I'm thinking he won't like it due to the noise and darkness. We watched the pov video and he said he can close his eyes if he's scared, but I remember riding it with my nieces a few years back and I was almost in tears... it reminded me of a haunted house, not knowing what would pop up next

 

[henry72]

My DS was 9 last time (DD 6) and hated it. We had told them it was scary. We had shown both kids the video of the ride. They both wanted to ride it. They knew it wasn't real until they saw it in person. The beginning was fine but by the end both were in tears. I say when in doubt, don't ride. But only you know your child.

 

[knewton64]

I will not begin to tell you what will be the reaction of YOUR child.
I will just describe the ride as best I can put into words.

Dinosaur is, by far, the ROUGHEST indoor ride at WDW.
(Space Mtn. is right in there, but not for the ENTIRE ride!)

It's certainly "tied" for the absolute LOUDEST
bellowing sound effects.

And there is nothing that comes close in the category of
"Pitch-blackness...
then FULL-BRIGHT LIGHTS illuminating
GIANT DINOS with razor-sharp spiked teeth
LUNGING out straight AT YOU
with DEAFENING-ROAR sound effects."

Then,
more VIOLENT shaking,
jack-rabbit ACCELERATION,
sudden hard BRAKING...
and REPEAT.

All that said, I really ENJOY riding this attraction, and do so every trip.

Dinosaur is based on the same ride technology that is used on the Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye ride at Disneyland.

I was on that attraction a few yrs ago ......for the very first time & I tell ya what -


I dang near peed my pants when that Dinosaur came ROARING 'at' us!!



Still an excellent ride tho -



Just be prepared..........





T.T.F.N.
&
CHEERS Y'ALL

 

[Matty_Disfan]

Cautionary tale for anyone who searches this thread, likely not that helpful for the OP:

We went with another family who had a 5 year old boy. The mom from the other family was taking her son over to Dinosaur. We demurred as we knew it was likely to upset out 5 year old who scares easy. I gave her a warning that it is intense, she shook it off.

They got back and that was the end of the day for them. He was messed up. I don't say that lightly. He didn't want to go back to the parks that evening.

This was day 2 of the trip.

He spent the next 2 days petrified of doing any dark rides. Not Winnie, not Peter Pan...... nothing could get him in. He would grab the rails and start crying even if she gently tried to encourage him with a helping hand.

Basically the trip was over for them. She rebooked their flights and left 2 days early with him.

It is seemingly rare that this can happen, but I have seen it.

 

[godders]

Does anyone find it not intense? I can never decide if I actually enjoy it personally (I still ride it) but this is coming from someone who was broken by the Haunted Mansion and refused to ride it again for nearly 20 years so I may not be the best judge. For another perspective here are the ride photos from my last trip. As you can see mixed reactions from young and the young at heart alike.....

 

[StirlingSilver83]

My son is on the spectrum as well and will be 10 on our next trip. He's into thrill rides right now and he also loves dinosaurs. I have showed him ride videos of it and he was fine with it. Although u will not catch me on the ride lol...hubby can take him on it and I will take the 2yr old to meet Mickey and Minnie lol

 

[kandb]

Cautionary tale for anyone who searches this thread, likely not that helpful for the OP:

We went with another family who had a 5 year old boy. The mom from the other family was taking her son over to Dinosaur. We demurred as we knew it was likely to upset out 5 year old who scares easy. I gave her a warning that it is intense, she shook it off.

They got back and that was the end of the day for them. He was messed up. I don't say that lightly. He didn't want to go back to the parks that evening.

This was day 2 of the trip.

He spent the next 2 days petrified of doing any dark rides. Not Winnie, not Peter Pan...... nothing could get him in. He would grab the rails and start crying even if she gently tried to encourage him with a helping hand.

Basically the trip was over for them. She rebooked their flights and left 2 days early with him.

It is seemingly rare that this can happen, but I have seen it.

Why would a mother put her son in a ride like that if she knows he scars easily? Poor kid. I have seen other parents force their kids onto rides and it usually backfires on them.

 

[mrzrich]

I just want to add that watching the ride video on you tube will give you "an idea" of what the ride is like, but truthfully nothing will prepare you for how dark, how loud, or how intense this ride is.

 

[aretha30]

I just want to add that watching the ride video on you tube will give you "an idea" of what the ride is like, but truthfully nothing will prepare you for how dark, how loud, or how intense this ride is.

I agree with this 100%! Our 13yr old is ASD as well and loves the ride (so does our 7 yr old). I think it all depends on the child. Our 13 yr old loves anything intense, he loves anything that gives him some kind of adrenaline rush (Everest, RNR, ToT, ect.). Our 7 yr old (not ASD) hates all coasters (even Barnstormer) loves this ride, he says it's intense in a different way. If your child doesn't do well in dark, loud, intense environments this isn't a ride I would try with him.

 

[IrishNYC]

My 5 year old DD loved it. My 5 year old niece hated it. I hated it. Hated.

 

[augusta1]

This ride is intense for me! Lol
Seriously though I can't say how other children would react but I have never taken mine on it. I think mine would be terrified and may not go on another dark ride.
Also it's really rough. It killed my back for 2 days.

 

[Robo]

As an aside, my 16yo dd watched Felicia Rashad in that video, looked at her 80's jewelry and was like "what is she wearing??" It really does need updating.

If she is wearing "80's jewelry" it's because she got in one of the cars and rode back in time to get it.

The ride opened in 1998.

 

[aggiedog]

The ride opened in 1998.

Wow, really? That was 90's fashions? Still very dated. I guess it's funnier for me knowing that my dd is the least fashionable teenage girl around. When she knows something isn't in style, it's got to be bad.

As for a cautionary tale, my ds, at age 7, rode Splash Mountain, and didn't think to brace himself for the drop at the end. He smacked his head on the seat in front of him. That was pretty much the end of any rides for him. He now associates anything that moves above a snail's pace as dangerous. He will ride the Teacups and the flying carpets and that's about it. He did ride Dinosaur, which was a mistake, as that pretty much cemented his fear of rides.

 

[siskaren]

Wow, really? That was 90's fashions?

Since AK opened in 1998, it would be kind of hard for a ride to have been built before that.

 

[Mousemommy1]

Our 11 and 9 yr olds are pretty terrified of Dinosaur. I just asked them their thoughts and they said "VERY INTENSE" though I didn't really have to ask since every time we go on it, we get a picture with their eyes closed and hands on their ears, lol.

And they aren't scaredy cats either. Both love Tower of Terror. ODD loves Rock n Roller coaster. But Dinosaur and It's Tough to be a Bug are terrifying to them!

 

[Robo]

Wow, really? That was 90's fashions? Still very dated.

?????

 

[Thing 1]

I suggest you ride it first and see what you think. It is loud, rough and scary. My oldest rode it at maybe eight and did fine, but was not trilled with it. Youngest has chosen not to ride it yet. I have seen more scared children on dinosaur than any other ride. I enjoy the ride, as does oldest DS now. DH does not like it due the loud and rough nature of it.

 

[siskaren]

?????

Really - if it was '80s fashion, she'd have padded shoulders that make her look like a football player.

 

[busymommy2pink]

It really depends on the child. The first time we rode it i had a 3.5 year old and 7 year old daughter. The 3.5 year old LOVED it. And still does. But even at 10 my oldest doesn't. Haha. Sooo I would watch videos and make the judgement call yourself!

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

It's a loud, dark and jerky ride. I still go on it each time though!