Splash Mountain for DD7 and DS4

[disney09]

Splash Mountain is one of my favorites... last time I was on WDW I couldn't get it because I was pregnant with my first child Now she's about to turn 7 and I really want her to ride with me SM. The thing is: she's kind of scared of roller costers, in January we went to Six Flags and we ride in what I thought was a mild ride (it even have a lady bug up front), but it was fast and she was pretty scared, didn't like it a bit.
I remember that SM was not fast, that I know.. but the final drop keeps me doubting... will she endure it? I just read in the Passporter that this ride is for 9 years & up. I'd really love that she rides with me, but I don't want her to be scared!!
On the other side, DH wants our soon-to-be 5 DS to ride with us as well, he's actually a little braver that DD (he rode a scary ride in Six Flags and at the end of it he loved it and DD hated it!), but still not sure!!
Any advices?

 

[DisneyDotty]

Let your DD watch people as they come off the ride--see if they're cowering from fear or laughing with delight. (Of course it's the latter!--but point that out to her.) Have her watch the drop, too--though that may just scare the bejeezus out of her.
My dd was 7 the first time she rode--and she cried the first time, but was so glad she did it. It's one of her favorites.
My ds could ride it again and again and again without fear--he's 8 now, and rode it over 10x last year.
Good luck and have fun!

 

[adhelove]

Our DS was 6 yrs and our DD was 7yrs. It is a slow ride with a cute story and a mild ride. The drop is a whopper but it gives you enough time to let the kids know it is coming and you can have them drop their heads and even hold on to them. I did that with mine the first time but after that they wanted no help from mom. They each love that ride and want to always go again. Hope they have fun. Order Song of the South online and then they will know the story behind it and that will make them want to ride it to see the characters. You can only order it online and it was only $20.00 and it was a great copy you couldn't even tell it was a copy at all. There are many websites that offer the dvd or vhs. The one we used was www.songofthesouthdvdremastered.com. It was $18.00 for the dvd I think. Hope that helps.

 

[sara74]

I must have a wild child! DD did Splash Mountain in April and she was just 4 at the time! It was her very favorite ride and she went on it 5 times!

The Tower of Terror was not such a big favorite with her, but she did it once and then just said she didn't like it.

I'd tell the kids to try it once, if they don't like it they never have to do it again!

Good luck!

 

[pixiewytch]

It definitely depends on the child. My 4 yr old loooves thrill rides, including splash and thunder. However, when I was little I was petrified of those rides, even innocent log flume rides with drops until I was probably 10-12. I think forcing me to go on them would have been traumatizing.

So it's a toughie. Definitely makes sure she knows what's in store and explain that the big drop you can watch is the biggest one, that the rest of the ride is mostly slow and relaxing. The one thing regretful about splash is that people don't realize from the outside how great the rest of the attraction is with the music and fun characters aside from the thrill moments. That might help ease her nerves if you explain it.

 

[Savsmommy]

We were at WDW in March for my DD's 6th birthday. She took one look of the drop at Splash Mountain and said NO WAY. I'm scared of the drop too but will ride it. She did ride Expedition Everest which I think is much worst than Splash Mountain. She also rode Big Thunder Mountain. She liked both rides. It all depends on the child. One will look at SM's drop and say Awesome, while another one will be scared to death. Have your DD watch the drop and see if she wants to go on it. You dont want to just stick her on the ride not knowing whats gonna happen because she might not want to go on any other rides that she doesnt know what it does. Have a great trip!!

 

[disney09]

Thanks for your great advices! I will let her see the drop first and then the people that come out of it, it think that's a great idea!
I know she'd love everything else, so I really hope she'll say yes
but if not conviced, I'll let her do all the other rides first and she may decided to go for it afterwards....
This is the reason why I love the DIS.. great advices!!

 

[nhpgator]

my daughter loved it and rode it when she was only two (my husband is 6'9" so our daughter is very tall for her age!!) SHe had been waiting to ride it and thunder mountain for months - they measured everytime we went (we live in florida only about an hour from MK and so we go a lot!) anyway, my husband made it sound so fun, she couldn't wait!! She only cried at the end when it was over and couldn't go on it again!!)

Splash and THunder mountains are her favorite rides now!! That is all she wants to do - we head right for them when we get in! She still loves Goofy's roller coaster (which i think is a much harsher ride than splash mountain!)

 

[MickeyHereWeCome!]

My ds was 6 for our last trip. He kept telling me, before the trip, that he was going to ride SM. I wasn't so sure. When we got there, he kept saying that he'd ride it on our last day. I was so sure he'd chicken out. Sure enough, the evening of our last day, he decided he was ready to ride. He did great, and really enjoyed it. We had done Child Swap with the other kids, so ds got to ride again with dad.

Now it's 2 1/2 years later, and he's telling me he won't ride it this time (October). I'm trying to remind him how much he liked it...that he rode it twice because he liked it so much. I'm hoping he'll change his mind.

Dd is going to be 6 for this trip, and she's made it quite clear that there is no way she's getting on that ride!!!

It all depends on the child. I would let your kids people watch and let them decide. I, personally, wouldn't make them ride if they don't want to....but a little pursuasion never hurt.

 

[slo]

The only type of rollercoaster ride my oldest DD will go on in Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain - she loves them both!!! Outside of that, she is horrified of rollercoasters and won't go near them.

If you think about it, Splash Mountain is pretty low key. You sit on a boat listening to music, looking at everything around and then you have a small drop, then later a medium drop, and then later the big drop. I bet your kids will love it!!!

Good luck and have a great trip!!!