Tower of Terror - 4 Year Old

[Caleb's Mom]

I truly believe it's less of an age thing and more of a personality thing. Safety is not an issue, Disney has taken care of that with the seat belts and height restrictions so they will be safe. The better Q would be are your kids thrill seekers?
Our 4 year old (40.5") son dragged us on the ride several times during our trip last year. HE was the one who WANTED to go -- over and over. I never hesitated once about his safeness of the ride, just watched his body language and verbal cues which were very positive so we rode.

 

[GhostlyHitchhiker]

My DH took our 3 yo DD (at the time) on ToT for the first time in 2001 because she too was a thrillseeker and loved all things scary. (Her first HM experience was at 9 months and again at 2, etc.) I stayed off the ride with DD6months and waited to see how it went. My oldest DD is incredibly thin, but with long blonde hair and very tall (why she could go on ToT at 3) and most likely was dressed like Belle, and very much a Daddy's Girl.

As DH tells the story, my DD was a little nervous walking through the queue and by the time they got into their seats, her eyes were already huge and she didn't say a single word. They still had the lap bar at the time so as soon as the ride started DD grabbed it and didn't let go until the very end. DH was getting those "you must be the most evil Dad on the planet" vibes from the other people in the car until the very end of the ride. Not a peep was uttered from DD the entire time and everyone in the car waited to see what happened when the ride stopped. My DD finally lets go of the bar and yells, "That was GREAT! Let's go again!!" DH says everyone in the car started cracking up.

Same DD is now 8 and for some reason doesn't like the 3D shows (won't even wear the glasses most of the time for Muppets, but likes 3D movies at home), but is still a huge thrillseeker and wants to do all the fast rides every single trip we go on.

Other DD just rode ToT at DCA for the first time in April for her 5th birthday. The ride didn't seem to phase her at all and she even WAVED to all the little people from the top of the drop when they open the doors. We bought her a t-shirt to commemorate our baby finally being big enough to go on it and everything. But because she THINKS she was supposed to be scared, she now says she's not sure she wants to go on it again when we go down in October. I'm sure she will and she'll love it, but kids are weird sometimes, or maybe it's just mine.

 

[Danemom]

my motherly instinct is telling me NO

That's all you need to know !
FWIW, my DS rode it for the 1st time when he had just turned 3 and loved it. Said it was his favorite thing there to everyone. And my DD13 has always said no way! (She loves the Aerosmith coaster -kinda weird,I know- so we do that while DH and DS do TT) It really is a very individual decision. Good luck and have fun!

 

[flortlebap]

Why not do a test run first?

See how the twins do on the Haunted Mansion at MK. If they enjoy that, you don't have to worry about them being scared of the ghosts on ToT. Then try them on a "thrill" ride such as BTMRR, see if that phases them. If not then they may be OK!

 

[Not so Dumbo]

As said before, it depends on the person. I personally wouldn't be caught dead on that ride, However, my DS5 LOVES it. He still talks about it on a regular basis and the last time he was there was a year and a half ago. He just laughs at the ghost, he knows they aren't real. He even loves to ride with his hand in the air, like on a roller coaster.
My DS4 talks about going on it this December. I've been trying to explain it to him and have been showing him some video of it to make sure he knows what he's getting into. I would be no means push him in to riding.

 

[2giddy4wdw]

I definately think it is a personal decision. I know that my daughter was riding it at 4 and not really liking it...but now she loves it. Me personally...my palms sweat and I get really nervous up until I drop for the first time...then I'm fine. When I get back in line it's the same thing every time. But I have to do it.

You know your children the best. And I also think informing them on the ride is good, but then again, we went on it not knowing what to expect. Good luck!!!!

 

[jacksonsmom]

totally depends on the child.
My son was 3 yrs old when he first rode it (he's a tall child). He didn't get scared and was OK on the ride, but didn't want to ride it again on that trip.
Now he likes it.

Just to give you a feel, he also enjoys Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Space Mountain, Dinosaur, Haunted Mansion, etc.

This trip he is excited because he is now tall enough to ride Rock n' Roll and Previl Whril plus Everest is open now!
Last time we were down there was in 2004 and he was just an inch or so too short to ride Rock n Roll. btw--he just turned 7 yrs old a few weeks ago

I say see what your children think when they see the outside. Take them on Haunted Mansion and see how they do. Maybe even try BTMRR or Splash Mountain.

 

[SqueakyMouse]

My younger ds discovered he was a thrill ride-junkie when he was 4 1/2 yo. After talking his dad into riding ToT with him the first time (neither dh nor I am all that fond of thrill rides), ds HAD to have a ToT Mickey afterwards. Ds just turned 6, and he's ridden everything at WDW where he meets the height restrictions: ToT, MS, SM, etc. He cannot wait until he is tall enough for RnRC!

 

[hniki234]

I have to agree with other posters saying that it depends on the child. My sister was 6 the first time she rode it. She was so excited about getting on it, but she was scared to death during the ride! She's a huge chatterbox, but after the ride she was scared into silence. I don't think she spoke for the next 30 minutes! When she did speak, it was to say she would not go on that ride again. She'll be a couple weeks away from 8 years old and at this point she's refusing to ride ToT this go round. On the other hand, I've seen little kids really enjoy the ride.

 

[DiszyDeanette]

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I think everyone has their own seatbelt now, so I wouldn't worry about the bar issue.

I'm trying to picture it in my mind, thinking where you would even go without a seatbelt? I mean, you might get tossed like a salad, but you would actually have to jump forward out the front viewing part to go anywhere, and it would take a bit of effort to do even that. Wish I could remember it better, I should DS16 and I rode it something like 15 times in a row during EMH last year!

 

[Cruz91]

Question has probably been asked (over and over and over)... We have 4 yo twins (one is well over the 40 inch mark, one scrapes over).

DH says absolutely NOT on TOT given it's intensity with darkness, and DROP of course. As I've read through some of the earlier posts, I noticed 3 year olds on these rides who meet the height requirement. (btw - I asked my pd and she said my kids are right on target for their age). I was getting a little worried To make a short question even longer, my motherly instinct is telling me NO, but has anyone brought their 4yo on this ride and enjoyed every minute of it?

My DH's major conern is the lap bar and if him sitting with one of my peanuts would go far enough down to hold them in. He's a big guy 6'4, 250. We haven't been since 1998 so the ride bar may be different.

Thanks in advance.

My DD had JUST turned four when we went. She absolutely, positively loved it. That's the first ride she wants to do when we go back to MGM. The fact is, though, that only you can judge your kids' maturity level. If they're the fearless, crazy, up for anything type - give it a shot! If not, wait. The only advice I have is to be up front with them - tell them that it may be a little scary (not really - more dark than scary) and will really take their breath away, but in a good way

 

[kribit]

Thank you all for the feedback...I think we're going to pass this time for the kiddos. DH and I will swap and ride separately. I'll have to scream in a complete strangers ear.

I was just with my parents and they couldn't believe we would even be thinking of taking them on Haunted Mansion?!?! I don't remember it being that scary (It wasn't that long ago)!!

 

[LiLIrishChick63]

i think 4 is a little young to go on the ride. if you said 8 i would say ok, but 4 is too young. even with what the height requirements are, it might be too intense still.

 

[anewvance]

My daughter who was almost 4 at the time BEGGED me to go on TOT and I thought whoo hoo, my first dare devil.. older dd had said NO WAY. So I took her on and I don't think i'll ever get her on again, she was literally shaking afterward. When my ds gets big enough would I try to get him to ride? Of course, lol! But only if he wants to... they know beforehand what the ride does so I don't feel bad.

Explain to your kids what the ride does and see if they truly want to... that is my best advice.

 

[Izeesmom]

My DS who is 5 rode it when he was 4 and it scared him alittle, but wanted to go back on it when he was 5, and he cried even worse on it....But Space Mountain scared him most out of everything he has ridden.....It all depends on his mood.

 

[schlepsnort]

Our plan (or mine since DH has already informed me that he will NOT be setting foot on it) is to let my DS (4) to stand and watch the ride for awhile and ask him if he'd like to go on it.

We did this when we went to a local amusement park. It was the first year he was tall enough to ride some of the bigger rides and I would first have him watch them and then ask him SEVERAL times if he wanted to do it. If he said yes I would stand with him in line and keep asking if he was sure. If he stuck to it and we got to the end of the line, ready to get on, I'd give him one last 'opt out' and let him decide. Every time he went on and loved the ride.

So that's my plan for ToT and we shall see what happens! I hope he wants to go on with me, I think he will, but if not then we will do the parent swap!
HTH!

 

[WeLoveTheMouse]

My daughter rode it at 4 and says that she will not do it again.

My biggest advice is don't do it at the start of your trip. Work up to it with the other rides. Make sure they are ok with the dark of the other rides and they are used to it.

 

[flortlebap]

I'm trying to picture it in my mind, thinking where you would even go without a seatbelt? I mean, you might get tossed like a salad, but you would actually have to jump forward out the front viewing part to go anywhere, and it would take a bit of effort to do even that. Wish I could remember it better, I should DS16 and I rode it something like 15 times in a row during EMH last year!

I don't think anyone was suggesting there was nothing in place - you're right, people would probably come off dead!!

The set up used to be ONE seatbelt seat at the back of the aisle. My brother and I always used to fight for that seat! It had a great view and provided the most intense ride experience. All the other seats were covered by a big lap bar.

Now I think they've removed the lap bars and the seat from the middle of the aisle and provided seat belts all over instead.

 

[Mimi Q]

Younger DD had just turned 4 yo when she rode it last November. She LOVED it.

 

[VirtuallyMe]

Like others have said it depends on your kids...

My now 18yo just went to WDW and refused to go on just like he did on previous trips.

My now 14yo- doesn't like drops but will ride ToT and hide her face in her dad's arm lol- but she loves rollercoasters and all that- just doesn't like the free-fall feeling and will actually skip Splash Mountain sometimes because of the large drop on the end.

My now 8yo- will ride it- she rode it at 4 with her arms up in the air because that was what we did on the rollercoaster. We went when she was 3 and too small- but that one rode every ride at MK and arms up in the air on most of them since that was what the big kids were doing lol...

My now 2yo... he is terrified on an elevator- and at a local hospital when we walked in an over the street walkway from the parking garage to the hospital he freaked out and hit the ground and crawled... He also has a problem with mimes- no idea why the fears on either of these- other than being unexepected... So I do not anticipate taking him on many big rides too soon- but then again you never know