Tower of Terror and a Three Year Old

[royhawkins]

We are going (once again) to Disney World in October. My wife and I are debating (me for, her against) about putting our three year old on the Tower of Terror ride at MGM-Disney Studios. He meets the height requirements for the ride and he is not afraid of heights (that we know of). He has a lot of energy and seems (to me) like he would enjoy the ride. Do any of you have experiences that may shed some light on this debate for us?

Thanks!

 

[Barb D]

I think if he can get past the atmosphere of the pre-show he'll probably be OK on the ride. My 8yo can't make it through the pre show. Every kid is different. I would just be prepared that either you or your wife will leave and wait with him if he gets scared. (When my now-8yo was 4 she was even afraid to get on the regular elevator to go out the chicken exit.)

 

[mommyto3]

Only you know your child the best, but from experience, I think three is to young. My daughter was 9, and my son was 5 on our last trip. My husband took them on the Tower of Terror, and when they got off, my daughter had a terrible headache (lasted the rest of the day), and my son was crying. Needless to say, on our trip in December, we will skip that ride.

 

[Dsheehan]

This makes for one of our favorite WDW stories:

Our DS was 3 1/2 on his first trip, and he insisted on going on the ToT -- the first place we went when we arrived! He had no problem with the pre-show, got on the ride, and - after the SECOND drop, in the dark and in the quiet before the doors open - he says, loud enough for everyone on the ride to hear: "Are we on the floor yet?" (Big laughs in the dark from everyone.)

He didn't cry or say anything else -- he just kept looking back at the ride as we walked away.

Next day -- off to the MK, and Dumbo. Well, as soon as we sit him in the seat with Mom -- he starts crying hysterically, and says he doesn't want to go on any more moving rides! We felt terrible, but after a day or two there, we got him into Peter Pan and afew other mild rides, and he was OK again. Now at 7 years old, he loves roller coasters and other fast rides, so no permanent damage was done -- but the ToT can certainly have quite an effect on a 3-year-old.

 

[hulabird]

I have to show my DH this one...a three year old to ride the TOT, but yet HE
at age 43 is too scared to go on it, we couldn't even get in line for it because he
wouldn't go...you should have seen us fighting in the middle of MGM because
I wanted to go to it and he didn't. He wouldn't even let me SPIN alittle on Buzz Lightyear!
Next year my nieces are coming with, at least then I can have some fun!


Hulabird

AUG/SEP 2001

 

[LMHB]

I wouldn't put him on. He is only three. We are taking my 3-year old son next week, who is also very adventurous, but we feel that the potential for scaring him badly outweighs the potential for fun on this ride. He has a lot of future Disney trips to try this. I am in no hurry for him to be a big kid! LOL The TOT scares me, at 30.

 

[Barbruka]

The last time we were there, our two youngest were 2 and 6, and there was no way they could have handled it! We did the baby switch so we could both ride it. Now we leave in 17 days for our next trip. The boys are 8 and 12, and they can't wait to ride TOT!!! Give it time and wait for the next trip.

 

[KnightsQwn]

My then 8 year old was alright on some of the big-kid rides at Disneyland (Splash Mountain twice, Space Mountain half a dozen times) but I had to carry him through the haunted mansion and getting him to go on the Pirates of the Caribbean was interesting. We went more than once but it took convincing to go the first time...

My DS will be joining us this June and I will let him decide but he'll be 10...I will ride it first though.

There is nothing wrong with waiting and Disney is incredible about families and allowing parents to split the ride (one parent waits with the child until the other returns and then the other parent gets to ride).

Is it that important he do it this time?

 

[3MinnieMom]

A few weeks ago I asked a similar question on this Board because we, too, have a daredevil 3 yr old who meets the 40" height requirement. After much thought, my DH and I don't think we'll have her riding ToT on our upcoming trip. Even though she has been on rollercoasters and other adult-like amusement park rides, we think the psychological toll might be too much for this age. We're going to let one of us ride it with our 7 & 8 yr old dds first, and then decide at that time (my DH and I rode it 4 yrs ago, and, during that visit, we didn't have our then 3.5 and 4.5 yr old dds ride it - but our current 3 yr old dd seems to be in a league all her own when it comes to being adventurous !!) Good luck with your decision - and please report back after your trip on your final decision and the results.

 

[eswill]

Last December my wife and I took our son who had just turned 4 to MGM. He just had to ride TOT. We were not sure but at his request let him ride. Turned out it was his favorite ride at WDW. He could have stayed on it all day. I guess it really depends on the child. Test them on some lighter rides to see how they do first.

 

[king_triton2001]

On my last visit to ToT, I was standing in line behind this family and when they were ready to get in the elevator, their 4 yo daughter started to cry--at that point, the CM would not let her ride and her father had to take her out the side exit while the rest of her family stayed for the ride. I agree about building them up from the tamer rides first and see how they respond.

 

[royhawkins]

We took him in March and the wildest ride we rode on was TEST TRACK at Epcot. He didn't cry or act scared at all, but didn't want to ride it again. Not in an 'I'm terrified' way, but more in a 'didn't enjoy it' way. He loved the Barn Burner even though it scared him a little bit and he wanted to do that again right we got off. I guess I will wait and see what his reaction will be when we get there. Like I said he is pretty fearless (unless its a bug), but I don't know if he is ready or not. We are returning in June of 2002 when he will be 4 and we may at least wait until then.

All of your posts have been helpful and I am highly appreciative of the advise.
Roy

 

[All Aboard]

Just offering another experience. Some of you are familiar with our daughter Natalie (3.5 yrs), she's a regular at WDW. She's a big fan of every 40" attraction, seems like she waited a long time make it to the height - getting measured on each and every trip. She just doesn't understand why ToT makes her tummy feel funny. Of the 40" attractions, Test Track and Dinosaur are her favorites. She keeps wanted Aladar to come back with us, "like the man said."

I think it's important for folks to understand that every kiddo has different tolerances. Nat started at WDW at a very young age and has worked her way up the attraction thrill ladder step by step. The worst thing that can happen for a kid at WDW is to experience an attraction that is too much for him/her. Often they are reluctant to try much of anything else. If you have doubts, the best option is to skip it. There's always future trips, right!?!?

 

[MiknMinMouse]

I refuse to ride Tower of Terror, but hubby loves it. Based on what he's told me I'd say 3 is way too young ~ you might risk scaring them off that type of ride for too many years if you take them on and they can't get off. When my son was three he met the height requirement of the bobsled ride at King's Dominion. There were no large drops and it looked like fun ~ scared him silly and now we can barely get him to ride anything remotely like that. He's 10 is and is only planning on Riding Thunder Mountain for the first time this year. I think if I would have waited for big people rides until he was older ~ it wouldn't have scared him off for so long.

 

[LeahA]

My son who was 3-1/2 the last time we were at Disney rode TOT with his dad. He said he wanted to goon the ride, we explained to him what was going to happen, and he still said he wanted to go it. He rode it, got off, said he got scared, but didn't cry at all. He talks about it all the time and he says he would ride it again the next time we go back.

Don't let other people make you feel like your traumatizing your child by taking them on an amusement park ride. It's great to get feedback, but, in the end the decision is between you and your child.

Have fun!!!

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

DS rode at 4 and had no problems. It's his absolutely fav ride.

You know your kid, though. Someone who is afraid of the boogeyman won't do well on ToT. From a physical standpoint, my family thinks ToT is milder than BTMRR and much, much milder than Dinosaur.

 

[AKASnowWhite]

I agree with LeahA....my daughter was not quite 4 the first time we took her to MGM.....she rode TOT 3 times, loving every moment. Now, she's finally reached th 48" mark and is dying to get on RNR (Nov! here we come!) No one knows your child better than you do. I'd say trust your instinct, and if you feel he can handle it GO FOR IT!

 

[Yeabower]

When we went like 3 years ago, my sister was 3 almost 4 and she loved TOT! She didn't even hesitate at all about riding the ride. She had a great time. Now my 10 year old sister has yet to ride it, and we've went like 4 times!! So, if he wants to ride it, I think it would be okay.
Have a great trip!

 

[royhawkins]

I had pretty much decided to wait and see what he thought when we arrived. I was planning on showing him the ride and explaining what would happen. But now my wife thinks he is ready and now I am wondering if he is (role-reversal). When we get on elevators at some buildings he likes to jump up and down (I'm afraid I taught him that to scare his mother, ha). And my DW likes to say, do you think the elevator will fall? It doesn't seem to bother him, but like so many of you pointed out, I certainly don't want to frighten him off from the rest of the park.

After we arrive I will explain everything and if we need to we can do the old switcheroo.

Thanks for all the great advice!