Test Track... Help!!!

[shondad]

I'd like to know if, in your opinion, Test Track will be too overwhelming for my DS3? He weighs about 38lbs and is 41in. I want him to have fun and be able to ride some of the same rides we (I am not much on thrill rides any more, but DH and DD are) ride.

Actually, will it be too much for me?

Also, what other fun, "big people" rides can he ride and have fun on, without risk of injury? At any Disney park.

I know they have height restrictions/limits on many rides. This is only our second trip to Disney and our first time to Epcot, also we did not do much at Magic Kingdom, just that Goofy rollercoster in the Toon area and the carousel, that's it.

Thanks in advance.

 

[ducklite]

IMHO it's not appropriate for a three year old.

Anne

 

[SLM]

It's very fast and a jerky (rough) ride. Lots of fun-but maybe a bit much for a three year old. The cars in the MK would be perfect for him, though. I think it's the Indianapolis Speedway? Over by the tea cups? We haven't done it for years, but my daughter loved it when she was little!

 

[Nasus]

My DS4 was so excited because "I'm tall enough for this ride!" We had fastpasses so we walked into the movie. When you come out of it you will get in line to board the cars. He chickened out, so we left through a door that said Exit. The mock up car was right there so I asked if he wanted to sit in that. No way! So we went to the Kidcot station and colored while we waited for DH and my other 2 sons to ride. It's a great place to meet up. If you do this, be sure to tell a CM before you leave the line so you can get a rider switch card.
Susan

 

[tink1978]

I took my son on it when he was three and he absolutely loved it!!!!!!!

 

[Aneille]

My DD rode it at 3.5 and again this year at 4.5. She loved it.

She chickened out of Splash Mtn when she was 3.5, but loved Big Thunder Mountain. She rode Splash this year at 4.5 and its now her favorite ride.

Obviously I don't think Test Track is inappropriate for a 3 year old. But its such a personal thing.

I feel Test Track is a tame ride but I like thrill rides as do my kids. Yes its a bit jerky but its a brief amount and I don't feel its much more jerkiness than riding in a car and stopping short. And the part where you go fast is like driving in a convertable with the top down on the expressway.

Only you know if your child will like it or hate it. I knew mine would like it.

I always suggest that if possible the parent should ride first and then decide for their child.

 

[shondad]

Thanks for the prompt responses. I still need to think about it more. I like reading the experiences of others, and I like/appreciate the suggestion to ride it first (kinda common sense I guess, but I had not thought of that. Thanks!).

 

[SarahKate]

What's appropriate for one 3-year old is not appropriate for another! This is really up to you as a parent to decide what is best for your child. My daughter was 3.5 when we went and had JUST hit the 40-inch mark so there were quite a few "big" rides she was able to BARELY go on. The ONLY ride I regret taking her on is Dinosaur in AK. That scared the living ---- out of ALL of us!

She rode Test Track with NO problems at all. She also rode Big Thunder Mtn RR.....when we were in line I kept thinking "what kind of parent am I?" because it looked pretty intense. But we did it and my daughter didn't hesitate to get on it. The whole ride I was having a great time but worried about my DD. Afterwards she said "that was a LITTLE scary - can we ride it AGAIN???" and then proceeded to have a fit because by then the wait was 30-40 minutes.

We also did Haunted Mansion, and she didn't mind that a bit either.

If your kid doesn't seem to have a nervous personality and has ridden some rides before, I think you would be fine to take him on Test Track! The biggest thing for us is that we don't give our DD a reason to be scared. So when we're in line we make it a point to NOT say stuff like "don't be nervous", "don't be scared", etc. If you say that, it gives them a reason to have those feelings and emotions! But if you say things like "this is going to be SO much fun" and put a positive spin on things, your child will be much less likely to be afraid!!! And definitely don't force your child to ride a ride if they really seem to be nervous about it.

 

[3disAddicts]

DS had just turned 4 in 2005 when he rode Test Track for the first time. The only thing that bothered him were the extreme temperature changes the car was put through. He absolutely hated the heat lamps and the cold, but the bumps, jerking, and speed never phased him. We're still trying to figure that one out. He still tells us to this day he was afraid he was going to get cooked. Hmm....We've never read Hansel and Gretel to him. Maybe it was the Looney Tunes episode he watched where Bugs rescues them, only to end up in the pot himself. Don't know. I guess it all depends on your childs personality. DS would suggest Buzz Lightyear in the MK, Turtle Talk with Crush in EPCOT is a must see for us, Spaceship Earth @EPCOT, had to ride at least 7 TIMES!!!!, Safari @ AK. There are more, but can't think of them off the top of my head right now. Don't miss the shows like The Lion King @AK.

 

[pafer]

My dd had just turned four when she rode Test Track the first time this October. It is now her favorite attraction right after Haunted Mansion which she will only do during daylight hours. She rode on it about 5 times over the course of the week we were there. It is not that bad at all IMHO.

Dd also enjoyed Splash Mtn at that age. Do not forget the Universe of Energy at Epcot. It is a great ride for younger kids and has Dinosaurs of the less scary kind as compared to The AK ride.

 

[RockyMtnMaria]

I can't help you with your child, because we have one the same size and need to make the same decision.

I can help you with *you* although! I hate amusement parks and I hate thrill rides. This is my absolute favorite ride!!! Fortunately Disney is not a typical amusement park, and this is not a typical thrill ride.

BTW, it was my dh's favorite ride too, and he loves thrills.

 

[teresajoy]

My three year old (born in Dec. 2002)rode Test Trac this year and her words after getting off were, "That was a little bit fun, and a lot scary." But, she seemed to enjoy it. She also loved Thunder Mountain and she said Splash Mountain was her favorite. However, Tower of Terror scared the bajeezers out of her! It was her idea to go on it, and I explained to her exactly what was going to happen. She was really proud of herself for going on it, but she said she doesn't want to do it again until she is bigger.

 

[MissMagnolia]

It really is hard to say. My 3-year-old loved Test Track, loved Thunder Mtn Railroad, and HATED Splash Mountain. Test Track really is no big deal IMO. You go through some demonstration type stuff as to how they test the abs brakes, heat test, bumpy roads, etc. The fun part is when the car goes outside and goes around the corner like on a race track. It's kind of like going 55 MPH around a wide corner. It is really not a ride I would be concerned about.

 

[DisneyFan06]

It depends on the parent. I loved this ride, but I have no kids. However, I did notice several smaller kids riding this rides. They had no problems with it; in fact, I noticed the boys really enjoyed it.

 

[Aneille]

DS had just turned 4 in 2005 when he rode Test Track for the first time. The only thing that bothered him were the extreme temperature changes the car was put through. He absolutely hated the heat lamps and the cold, but the bumps, jerking, and speed never phased him. We're still trying to figure that one out. .

I don't want to bring this totally off topic but my DD didn't like that part either. Overall she loved the ride. But this year at 4.5 all she remembered from when she rode it at 3.5 were those heat lamps and how she didn't like them. I don't get it either.

How we solved this problem was that I made sure she sat in the middle of the car. I told her it wasn't as hot. I don't think it really matters at all, but it was enough to make her think it wasn't. She came off telling her Dad how much she liked the ride but I sat in the middle so it wasn't as hot! I think she may have even put on her sunglasses during that part!