To Stitch or not to Stitch

[QueenGoblin]

We are taking our DD for her second trip this fall. She will be just shy of 4 and she is a huge Stitch fan. I have heard some not so great things about Stitch's Great Escape and I am wondering if any of you out there with 3-4 year old Stich fans could tell me whether we should try to strategically bypass this attraction, or just go for it and see how she does? She is not a timid child...thunderstorms don't bother her and she's yet to be really spooked by a movie. When we were in Disney with her at 2.5 she pulled us onto the Snow White ride and was fine...also was fine with the thunderstorm in Pooh. She was a little spooked by Ursula in the Little Mermaid show, but she had never seen the movie and she still wasn't REALLY upset.
Thoughts?

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

While Stitch certainly isn't my favorite ride it was a highlight for my then 6 year old DS.

I'd work up to Stitch slowly -- I'd wait until the end of the trip -- if she does well on Buzz, and Snow White, and handles rides that have periods in the dark, and if she shows that she really "gets" that things like the bugs A Bug's Life are pretend then I'd say she's ready. I'd bring something that lights up like a glow stick so that if she freaks out at the dark parts you're prepared.

I'd also talk to her in advance about what to expect -- the restraints can be scary if you don't know how they work (they stop moving when they touch your shoulders).

 

[Mouse House Mama]

We just got back and I took my DS who is almost 4 on Stitch. He is not timid and loves crazy rides (Test Track is his favorite!) and doesn't scare easily- but- he hated this ride. It was not fun and I personally think it is terrible as well. I almost threw up when that hot chili breath was on my neck (no joke). It smells so bad. My DS could not wait to get out of there and was almost in tears. Some kids like it but from what I've read most don't. JMHO.

 

[MaidMarian]

I would bypass the ride. I think it would be too intense for one so young. How about the Stitch breakfast at O'hana instead?

 

[overplanner]

it's loud and some time pitch black, there is usually at least 1 child crying by the time it's over. Maybe you could go on it first by yourself and see what you think.. That way you can use your own judgement

 

[jeremys111]

I would bypass also. Its almost the same as b4 but just changed characters. My 4 yearold DD didnt like at all.

 

[QueenGoblin]

You guys are confirming what I'd been hearing. It is such a shame because Stitch is so appealing to the preschool set. Guess we will have to plan out our route so we don't walk in front of it, because if we do I know she will beg to go. Thanks for the suggestion of the Ohana breakfast. I had been thinking about that as an alternative.

 

[Becky2005]

I agree with everyone else! It was my 8 year old who wanted to go on it and it was the demise of the vacation! After that I could NOT get him onto any more rides where he couldn't see what was going to happen. He had to ask the cast members of Spaceship Earth to convince himself to go on that ride and that's just riding looking at stuff listening to the narration. Now I had even TOLD my son what was going to happen on Stitch (I had never been, had read about it and so knew), I told him IN DETAIL because I wasn't so sure but you never know. I've been known to think a ride will scare them and they love it, so

I wished I had just skipped it or at least done it toward the end of the vacation so then we wouldn't have had the entire rest of the vacation to deal with the fallout. He had gone on rides previously he couldn't see without any hesitation at all until after the Stitch ride and really liked those.

 

[tictoc]

I took my 4 year old on the ride and she thought it was fun. She thought that at the most it stunk and it tickled. I agree that I would not do it first. Feel the child out on other slightly less scary (and dark) rides. Also if the child is too scared they will not ride anything else.

 

[Goobergal99]

I couldn't get my DD (then 6, now 7) to do it last year, I hope she will this year because my DH said it was alot of fun. I just couldn't do it without her.

 

[ilovemickeymost]

i took DD(9) on it when it was alien encounter. I too had explained it in detail b/c I didn't want her to be afraid. So, we went on it 1st & it ruined the ride part of our vacation. Everytime we'd get in line, she'd ask if it was scary. She decided to skip some really fun ones b/c she was too scared. I know they supposedly toned it down, but from what I've read it is about the same, just a cute monster instead of a scary one. If you're not sure, go on it 1st w/out her & see what you think.

 

[famofsix]

it's loud and some time pitch black, there is usually at least 1 child crying by the time it's over. Maybe you could go on it first by yourself and see what you think.. That way you can use your own judgement

We went last week and my ds6, dd8 wanted outta there even before we went in the final "room". We ended up leaving out the side door. It makes me feel better that I did not go into the last part...they would have been upset even more. I guess I should've asked the DIS before we went too. I like the idea someone said to try it out yourself first. Form what I experienced though it did not seem that fun and it was a bit over whelming.

 

[Dizneydaz]

My DD6 (then 4 1/2-5) loves Stitch! I thought she would be scared but she thought it was funny. I had told her it would be pitch dark at times (based on Alien Encounter) and it would sound like things were moving around us, so she was fine with it-I held her hand the first time. And she's fairly small so the restraints barely came down to her shoulders. I also raise my shoulders up so that when they're locked down I can drop my shoulders and be more comfortable.

I didn't like it as well as Alien Encounter (if it was still AE I wouldn't have taken her on it) and would probably skip it myself but I'm sure when we go in Sept. we'll be riding again. Actually my DD has surprised me on the rides that don't scare her. I thought she would be petrified on Dinosuar when she rode for the first time in Jan. but she loved it too! She doesn't think its too scary either-go figure!

 

[jessica52877]

I have never understood this attraction. It hasn't really ever done anything when I was in it, but get dark and you sit in the dark. I doubt she would really care for it. It is a stretch to make it a Stitch ride in my opinion. She also might not be tall enough which would make your decision easy!