Space Mountain and Preschoolers

[carmiedog]

My parents put me on Space Mountain when I was 3 (almost 4). I had nightmares for YEARS and am still afraid of coasters 30 years later. My first trip to Disney and all I can remember is complete terror. My vote would be NO, of course, but that's coming from a big ol' chicken!

 

[Schmeck]

My parents put me on Space Mountain when I was 3 (almost 4). I had nightmares for YEARS and am still afraid of coasters 30 years later. My first trip to Disney and all I can remember is complete terror. My vote would be NO, of course, but that's coming from a big ol' chicken!

You must have been one tall 3 yr old! My girls were 6 when they were tall enough to ride!

 

[carmiedog]

You must have been one tall 3 yr old! My girls were 6 when they were tall enough to ride!

I dunno. My son just turned 4 and is still 4 inches shy to ride it. It was early seventies when I went so maybe they didn't have height requirements and/or weren't as safety oriented as they are now. Remember riding in cars without seatbelts and climbing all over the place? Anyhow, it was pretty stupid of my folks to put me on Space Mountain when I was way too young. I sure won't be trying it again to see if it's less scary as an adult!

 

[Now Mom of 3]

My DD almost 6 will not ride TOT because of the scary atmosphere. The drop part does not scare her at all. She loves all the thrill rides! She did ride it last year at Disneyland along with me and her older brother and did fine with the drop. She remembered the scary atmosphere and would not set foot inside it. And get this, DS 10 got so scared by the preshow and line that he started to cry. Needless to say, I rode by myself while he took the regular elevator down. So with TOT there is more to consider that if your child is ready for the ride itself.

 

[all4fun]

OK... Our DD4 is very mature and also a bit of a thrill junkie. I told the DW that I'm taking the little terror on any ride for which she meets the height requirement and wants to try. Thanks so much for your recommendations of progression (start with barnstormer, then move gradually to SM - which she's about 3/4" too short for anyway). But where would ToT fall into that progression? How will I know if she's 'ready' for it - even if she says she is? She is not by any means a timid personality. One of our favorite family past times is hiding around corners and scaring one another....

Also - any advice you can give on how to get my wife to see thing my way would be appreciated . Her main point of contention was the one poor child who passed away because he was too small to ride one of the rides last year or the year before - anyone remember which ride that was???

thx....

Not sure how to answer you ToT question. That's a tough one. IMHO, it sounds like she would like it though, from how you describe her.

As for your 2nd question - the ride that the poor child passed away on was Mission: Space at Epcot (see story here )which imposes centrifugal forces on your body. The child was about 4 (I think) and I heard later the autopsy revealed he had a heart defect that was previously undetected which caused his death. I don't blame your wife about being nervous about letting your dd go on M:S. Dh and I have both ridden it and think it's a great attraction, but we're also leary of ever letting our ds ride. I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. hth.

 

[tmarquez]

I dunno. My son just turned 4 and is still 4 inches shy to ride it. It was early seventies when I went so maybe they didn't have height requirements and/or weren't as safety oriented as they are now. Remember riding in cars without seatbelts and climbing all over the place? Anyhow, it was pretty stupid of my folks to put me on Space Mountain when I was way too young. I sure won't be trying it again to see if it's less scary as an adult!

Space Mountain was different back then...they had those seats where 2 people sat together (one between the legs of the other). I went on it pretty young, but as a parent I wouldn't take DD (3) on it probably for a few more years as the seating is now just because if she started getting scared or freaking out I couldn't hold onto her. I've seen young kids get panicky and would not want my child in that situation on a roller coaster...in the dark... with no physical contact with her.

At 3.5 she is only tall enough for Goofy's Barnstormer and she loves it (but I can tell she is scared!). Like I said she is short, but next I think will be BTMRR and Splash...ToT is going to have to wait...I love scary rides myself and it is my favorite, but it is so intense...too intense for young ones in my opinion.

 

[disneyfan6301]

When my son was 4 and he refused to ride SM. He was tall enough, but just did not like coasters, and thought Space was too fast and too scary in the dark. We did the Barnstormer; he had ridden Splash Mtn from the time he was 3.5; he rode BTMRR but did not like it very much. When we he was 6 I literally slowed my car to 28mph to show him how fast Space Mtn went. He decided that it wasn't that fast, and wanted to ride it. I was a nervous wreck!!! The no side-by-side, you can't hold him freaked me out. I sat in the front, then DS, and DH sat in back. DH sat with his hands on DS's shoulders and I reached my hands around behind me and held his. Needless to say, I was a bit uncomfortable, but being a mom!
After we got off the ride, DS informs us he wanted to ride again; he would sit in the front; and we were not to touch him!! He loves Space Mtn now. We try to go at low crowd time and usually wind up riding it at least 8-10 times per visit! He likes BTMRR now and has always loved Splash!! However, he refuses to ride ToT and RnRC. All in his own time, I guess.

 

[rparmfamily]

Oh my--no way would I let my 5.5 yr old DD ride! The whole idea of her potentially panicing on the ride and possibley doing something unreasonable (like trying to get out of the ride) scares me thinking about it! It is very dark, with big drops you can't see ahead of time, and very fast. If she could sit next to me w/my arm around her, then I might consider it if she really wanted to ride.

Luckily, she has no interest in it at all, she's more about the prinesses and the teacups! Whew!

What is the height requirement BTW? My DD is only about 43" I think and about 36 lbs. She's petite.

 

[MelessaG]

SM is my all-time favorite ride! We've gone several times with our kids (the oldest just turned 8) and my then-7 year-old just rode it for the first time last June. She was tall enough on earlier visits, but she is very thin for her age (15th percentile for weight, I think) and I worried since she couldn't sit next to me and there is only that t-shaped lap bar to hold you in. She loved it this time and probably would have liked it before, but I'm glad we waited until I felt OK with her riding it. (I was still nervous on her first ride, but that's just the mom in me.)

 

[NatalieO]

When I went my oldest at the time was 5 but she is tall and she wanted to ride so bad. I had no idea that is was a single seat. I was more nervous than her. I sat in the front seat, she sat behind me in the middle and dad sat in the back seat. I couldn't even enjoy the ride cause I was looking back to see her (and saw nothing it was so dark). She loved it after we got off she asked if we could ride again without me bothering her this time. Let me by the way tell you she is the LEAST daring of my kids.

 

[Grendalynn]

I think this is a very challenging question.... it all depends on your comfort levals and your childs comfort levals...

My son was 4+ when he first rode Space Mountain. And yes, he was tall for his age then and is still one fo teh tallest in his class now. Anyway - He was bound and determined that he was going to ride SM. He had mastered BTM and Splash Mtn, and was/is rather mature for his age, and as others had mentioned, a thrill seeker. We had explained all about the type of ride SM was to him to begin with and did not sugar coat anything. He loved the Roller Coasters that were well lit so that he could see what was going to happen next. To say the least, Space Mtn really freaked him out. He did not like it at all. He did quite well and never cried or screamed out. I sat right behind him and other family members were in the front cart that was connected to ours. But the look on his face when we were going through those tubes of flashing lights made it very clear that we was not having fun. He said if it wasnt dark irt would have been ok. He did not ride it this year when we visited WDW, buts said he will the next time we go....

He also went on Mission Space - this was before the horrible incident last year. He said he liked it and will be sure to do it again ... But as I said - its all about your and your child's comfort levals. Thats what I have to say about that ....

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

What is the height requirement BTW? My DD is only about 43" I think and about 36 lbs. She's petite.

I believe it is 44 inches.

 

[themudd4]

last year my 5 year old wanted to ride it so bad...he was a normal sixed 5 year old, and they had raised the height requirements and he was to short...you may want to double check that he is tall enough. I am sure he'll be big enough this year tho...and he can't wait! But he is a dare devil...LOVED Tower of Terror!
As for your son who has not done any major rides, I think I would start off a little smaller first and build my way up!

 

[catherines_mama]

I agree with others. Do Barnstormer & Thunder Mtn 1st. If he still is all about it, and meets the height you can always try. While in queue have him look around and then once he sees the car point out how the people are sitting. Maybe even ride through it on the people mover once or twice. This will let him see it. Once you are in the bldg, even after you've seen the cars, you can always leave.

Also go to Mousetimes dot com (dont know if I can post the link) but it has ride videos where he can WATCH the video. My DD (about to be 5) LOVES rollercoasters, but is terrified of the dark. I think the dark is the only thing keeping her from Space. But she's watched it a few times on the computer and might yet. But she is AMPED for Thunder Mtn. She is 44.5" and maybe 38 lbs. tall and skinny, NOT her Mama LOL We'll probably live on that ride Good luck

 

[southernbella]

Our oldest DD's(age 4) first roller coaster at WDW was SM (not my choice-DH). She hated it. She was crying her head off when she got off. I felt so bad for her because I never wanted to be one of THOSE parents that force their kids to ride rides. I told her from here on out, it's her decision on what she's riding. During the rest of the trip, she rode everything but the rockin roller coaster (even TOT!). Hope this helps, Sbella

 

[Smylie]

Thanks for all the great advice! I'll let you know how he does when we go at the end of April.

 

[MeandMyBoys]

Last August, we took our boys to WDW for the first time (4,7,9 since then). Our oldest son loved Space Mountain. It was one of the highlights of the trip for him. My middle son who was nearly 7 at the time of the trip almost had a heart attack on Space Mountain. He wanted to go on it and had experience with other roller coasters at Sesame Place and Hershey Park (although none of the crazy ones - only my oldest son has mom and dad's love of roller coasters so far).

If you had heard him screaming on SM, you would have thought we were the worst parents in the world, but there was no pushing, no coercion!! He wanted to go!! He screamed so much on that ride that he was hoarse for a few days after that. He came off the ride shaking! So it's all about the child. You need to decide what works for your child. I like the suggestions about trying out other rides first.

We went to MK the day after we'd gone to Epcot. He went on Test Track and Mission Space with no problems, but SM was too much for him. It took some convincing to get him on the Barnstormer and Splash Mountain, but he went. He wouldn't go on the Big Thunder Mountain RR (sorry, still getting used to the abbreviations).

He didn't go on Tower of Terror or Rockin' Roller Coaster. My oldest son went on Tower of Terror, but backed out at the last minute for Rockin' Roller Coaster. He saw those cars take off and that was it for him!!