Space Mountain/Indiana Jones what age?

[Minuet888]

Hi
My husband and I are in disagreement about our son going on Indiana Jones and Space Mountain now that he is tall enough on our upcoming trip. He will be turning 5 while we are there.
I realize every child is different but I was just wondering about a general consensus.
I think he will be afraid of the dark in Space Mountain and the pyro + giant snake might scare him in Indiana, my husband thinks he will be fine.

Also, my son is autistic. He is high functioning so he is not easily over stimulated and he has gone on many things that I wouldn't have thought he would ride and done fine (Matterhorn, etc.) but never the less it is a factor that I am thinking about.

I am more concerned about Space Mountain than Indiana (maybe he might like that one), but with SM being in the dark I don't think he will handle it well.

 

[VictoriaAndMatt]

Honestly, I would ask your son. Tell him exactly what the ride is like, and see if it's something that he feels comfortable with. Like you said each child is different. Also, if YOU aren't comfortable with him riding a particular ride yet, then IMHO he shouldn't ride it.

The first time DD rode Indy she was 5. She said she wanted to go on i,t but then as we were about to get into the vehicle she burst into tears. We didn't ride it that time, but she did end up riding it later that day. After DH and I rode it she was asking about it again. I told her exactly what it was like, described the snake, the guys "blowing darts" at you, spiders etc. She rode it and really likes it now. For her, knowing what was coming not only before getting on, but as we were riding it helped a lot.

She didn't ride Space Mountain until she was closer to 7. This was more my fear than hers. I just didn't feel comfortable with her on it yet. I did the same thing with explaining what exactly the ride was, and she was excited to try it. It's now tied with Tower of Terror as her favorite ride.

 

[Monkey Monkey]

I took my son on Space Mtn. when he was 4.5 years old. He HATED it. The darkness really freaked him out, and he didn't like his head being whipped around. The worst part was that it's so dark and loud that you can't see how your child is doing until it's all over - not that it matters.

I definitely wouldn't take him on Indy yet, but that's because I know he wouldn't like it (and he's not big enough for it anyway!). He loves Soarin' and Star Tours, and does fine on Matterhorn. Hasn't been on BTMRR yet.

 

[Kayla's Mom]

I took DD8 on Indy when she was 6 I think. She hated it. She was scared with all of the jerking and bumpiness, as well as the visuals. As everyone else has already said though - it just depends on the child.

 

[MRCHIPS]

Honestly Indiana jones has its scary moments like the big snake but thats about it. I think he will do fine on Indy...on space mountain i dunno.. I wouldent reccomend it for a 5 year old but your right every child reacts differently to there first ride..

 

[Mary09]

I'm surprised to see people think the big snake in Indy might be scary, but that's probably because our first Indy ride last week we spent ten minutes stuck in that room with the emergency lights on. Kinda takes any reality it had out of it forever.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

DS has been visiting DLR since just before his 6th B-day ~ he's loved both of those rides from the start. DD was a little scared of SM between 4 & 5 years old but now she has no problems ~ her 1st time on Indy was earlier this month *she's finally tall enough* once was enough for her though

 

[JaxsonsMom]

I am on the other end of the spectrum, my son was 3 when he was tall enough for space mountain, I wasn't going to take him and I was pretty sure he wouldn't like it... We walked past and he wanted to go, so we did, he didn't cry or anything, didn't want to go on it again that trip, but sure enough the next time he was ready and willing.

He is 4 now and not quite tall enough for indy yet, but I think indy would over stimulate him and it's incredibly loud However, if he wants to go on it, I will let him and he can decide what to do the next time we go.

I have found that searching for the videos on youtube and letting him watch the video over and over can help, that's how I got him to go on Splash Mountain the first time.

All in all, let him decide because he won't feel any pressure.

Have fun!

Terese

 

[Minuet888]

I took my son on Space Mtn. when he was 4.5 years old. He HATED it. The darkness really freaked him out, and he didn't like his head being whipped around. The worst part was that it's so dark and loud that you can't see how your child is doing until it's all over - not that it matters.

I definitely wouldn't take him on Indy yet, but that's because I know he wouldn't like it (and he's not big enough for it anyway!). He loves Soarin' and Star Tours, and does fine on Matterhorn. Hasn't been on BTMRR yet.

Star Tours, Soarin' and Thunder Mountain are his favorite rides, he loves the fast train. he even liked Tower of Terror! And all this was last year right before he turned 4! My son is a little on the tall side for a kid turning 5 (He is 46 inches or just a hair above). I've shown him pictures of Indiana and he says wow and I want that. Which that happens and then he gets there and things are a bit bigger than he realized and that ends that. I think Indiana will be ok but Space Mountain I know it sounds stupid but I am scared of my son flying out. He is a skinny thing and I am on the larger side, if I recall the lap bar goes all the way across not individually and I would probably smother him on the ride holding him to me. It's the dark of SM that I think is going to scare him, he does sleep with a nightlight (then again I do too).

 

[blackjackdelta]

If someone has not mentioned, you can go to youtube and see the ride(s). My son rode both when he was 5 and loved it, but each child is different.

Jack

 

[VictoriaAndMatt]

I know it sounds stupid but I am scared of my son flying out. He is a skinny thing and I am on the larger side, if I recall the lap bar goes all the way across not individually and I would probably smother him on the ride holding him to me. It's the dark of SM that I think is going to scare him, he does sleep with a nightlight (then again I do too).

This was the reason I was scared of DD riding it. It's completely in the dark, and I knew I wouldn't be able to see her to make sure she was ok. I knew it was silly, but it just took me a while to come around to the idea lol. I held on to her the whole time, and I still hold her hand on it even now.

 

[summer0407]

I took my son on both when he was 5. We were in the front row of the car on SM I thought for sure he would be scared but he LOVED it. I think each child is different though but that was our experience. I did tell him on SM it was going to be in the dark

 

[carolinamama]

My DS did SM in WDW at age 5 and LOVED it! Now he's 7, and he did SM and Indy 4 times each. He tells everyone Indy is his favorite ride.

 

[momtotwolittleones]

Every kid is different. My neice has been going on those rides since she was 5, but my 8yo and 5yo refused last year. Both of my kids are very, very cautious about "scary" rides, and for them that means anything fast, bumpy, spooky, etc.

 

[momtotwolittleones]

If someone has not mentioned, you can go to youtube and see the ride(s). My son rode both when he was 5 and loved it, but each child is different.

Jack

This really helped my kids, especially my older son. My dh was worried I was ruining the surprise for them, but I found they enjoyed it a lot more when they knew what to expect.

 

[NewbieMouse]

My DD5's favourite ride is Space Mountain and my ther DD6's favourite ride is Indy. Great idea to youtube them to see if your kids feel as adventurous as mine are!

 

[Minuet888]

we've done the youtube thing before and he gets excited and says he loves it then gets there and its a different story. He realizes things are larger and more real and his mood can change, we're gonna give Indy a shot if he gets scared its gonna happen in the line because thats darkish and similar to stuff on the ride.

 

[amym2]

Lap bars on Space Mtn are individual, so that won't be an issue. Both of our kids were 6 when they rode Space Mtn the first time and both LOVED it. Not sure how they would have done at 5, though. We rode Indy for the first time last week and DD (6) just barely made the height requirement. She didn't like the ride at all, more because of the jerkiness than the scare factor. She would have ridden Space Mtn all day if we'd let her!

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

My 2 oldest rode Space at 4 and loved it. They even did SMGG at 4 and 8 last year. My oldest rode and loved Indy at 7 (earlier trips she wasn't tall enough) and my 5 year old still isn't tall enough by a few inches.

 

[letthembelittle]

DH took our just turned 5 yr old dd on SM when we were there in April, she LOVED it. I was completely surprised since she isnt a daring girl, she didnt like Splash Mountain or the Matterhorn but couldnt get enough of SM. Like others have said every kid is different. (By they way she wasnt tall enough for Indy.)