Tower of Terror for 4 year old

[Miranda Danda]

Our almost 4 year old DD (will turn 4 Sept 3rd, just before our mid-September trip). She is 41 inches barefooted and dead set on riding Tower of Terror. We have talked about it, at length, and watched numerous YouTube videos of the ride. I am hesitant to let her ride it just because I don't want it to be waaaay more than she anticipates.

I should also add that she is quite the daredevil, loves thrills, and anything spooky. I, however, am scared of free fall rides. I rode ToT waaaay back when it was first built and there was one drop. My DH is more than willing to take her on it if she still decides to do so once she's sees it in person.

I am thinking that if she still wants to do it at the end of our trip, I might relent. I just don't want it to ruin any of the other rides for her. IMO, ToT is the scariest ride at WDW.

Thoughts or experiences? Thanks in advance!

 

[Miranda Danda]

I am so sorry for that horrible non-sentence at the beginning of this thread. Haha! I guess that's just what the thought of ToT does to me!!!!

 

[TheCooksLuvDisney]

Our almost 4 year old DD (will turn 4 Sept 3rd, just before our mid-September trip). She is 41 inches barefooted and dead set on riding Tower of Terror. We have talked about it, at length, and watched numerous YouTube videos of the ride. I am hesitant to let her ride it just because I don't want it to be waaaay more than she anticipates.

I should also add that she is quite the daredevil, loves thrills, and anything spooky. I, however, am scared of free fall rides. I rode ToT waaaay back when it was first built and there was one drop. My DH is more than willing to take her on it if she still decides to do so once she's sees it in person.

I am thinking that if she still wants to do it at the end of our trip, I might relent. I just don't want it to ruin any of the other rides for her. IMO, ToT is the scariest ride at WDW.

Thoughts or experiences? Thanks in advance!

My son has been riding it since 3. He loved it so much, we had to go on 4 times in a row and bought the picture at the end of the ride.
Let your DH take her on the ride, she will love it. Just be prepared to go on it yourself when she tries to drag you on as they come out of the exit.

 

[KellyNY]

Our almost 4 year old DD (will turn 4 Sept 3rd, just before our mid-September trip). She is 41 inches barefooted and dead set on riding Tower of Terror. We have talked about it, at length, and watched numerous YouTube videos of the ride. I am hesitant to let her ride it just because I don't want it to be waaaay more than she anticipates.

I should also add that she is quite the daredevil, loves thrills, and anything spooky. I, however, am scared of free fall rides. I rode ToT waaaay back when it was first built and there was one drop. My DH is more than willing to take her on it if she still decides to do so once she's sees it in person.

I am thinking that if she still wants to do it at the end of our trip, I might relent. I just don't want it to ruin any of the other rides for her. IMO, ToT is the scariest ride at WDW.

Thoughts or experiences? Thanks in advance!

I am not sure what she rode already, did you do Splash Mountain, how did she like the drop? TOT is definitely scary and intense, once was enugh for me. If you doubt, you can always tell her ride is broken. I know it is not good idea to lie to your kids but it is better then to scare a kid.
BTW, she looks adorable on peictures in your signature.

 

[CapnJacksGirl]

My DSs did it for the first time last year when they were 5 and 3.5. They both said they liked it but didn't want to do it again "until next time." They've both talked about it a lot lately with our trip coming up in just a few weeks. They keep saying they want to ride that first at DHS....of course, the planner in me will talk them into TSMM first!

The only issue I had with my youngest riding ToT last year (and it's my absolute favorite attraction BTW) was that he started slipping down under the seatbelt on the first drop. I actually pulled him up, and my DMIL and I each kept a hand under his arms to hold him up thru the rest of the ride. I wish it had the strap that you could put between the legs of smaller riders, like they have at Soarin'. I don't think he would have actually fallen out, but it wasn't a comfortable feeling for sure. Just something to watch out for.....

If your DD likes thrills and spooky stuff, I'm betting she'll love ToT. The theming on that attraction is absolutely second to none IMO. If I were you, I'd like your DH take her the first time. I'll bet she wants to do it again and take you along too.

 

[Miranda Danda]

My son has been riding it since 3. He loved it so much, we had to go on 4 times in a row and bought the picture at the end of the ride.
Let your DH take her on the ride, she will love it. Just be prepared to go on it yourself when she tries to drag you on as they come out of the exit.

Great advice, thank you! I suppose I could muster up some courage.... if she insisted!!! Hehehe!!!

 

[dvc one day]

The simple answer is that every child is different.

I went with my friend's family last year. The barely three year old loved ToT even more than his six year old brother.

The fact that she loves thrill rides is probably a good sign.

 

[Miranda Danda]

I am not sure what she rode already, did you do Splash Mountain, how did she like the drop? TOT is definitely scary and intense, once was enugh for me. If you doubt, you can always tell her ride is broken. I know it is not good idea to lie to your kids but it is better then to scare a kid.
BTW, she looks adorable on peictures in your signature.

This will be here first trip to WDW! )
We will definitely ride some "less intense" rides first. I know she will love Splash Mountain so maybe that will be a great way to work her up to ToT.
Thank you for the picture comment! She all things Alice in Wonderland!

 

[Greenfield1984]

Our DD went on it on our last trip when she had just turned 4. She is a little daredevil and loves Splash and BTMR. However she was scared on ToT and did not like it. It didn't ruin anything for her but she was clutching my hand so tightly and close to tears and when she came off she told daddy that she was "never doing that ride again". I'm pretty sure it was the darkness that did it for her. I'm not ready to let her try Space Mountain yet because I'm sure the darkness will freak her out and I can't even sit next to her for her to bury her head in me if she gets scared, so that one's out for now.
But if your DD really wants to try it I say let her! She may love it! Just work your way up to it.

 

[Hannathy]

If she wants to go on it and is tall enough send her on with your DH. If she ends up not liking it then she doesn't have to go on again.

She may love it or not like it but no one will know until she tries it. If she doesn't just have an "oh well, have to try everything to know what you like and don't like" Let's go do something else. Don't make a big deal out of it.

I rode next to a 3 yr old last time I was on it and she did fine.

 

[Mom2six]

I would definitely leave it until after you tried out some of the other rides first. I've never been on ToT so I'm not sure about the theming...but doesn't it have something to do with ghosts and a scary building. How will that effect her? It sounds like the darkness of the ride also has had an impact on some kids. I don't plan on letting my youngest daughter go on it in September.

 

[Alesia]

My advice: Stop projecting your own fears onto your daughter. She is her own person and will discover her own limits soon enough.

 

[AndreaDM]

My DD rode it the first time at 4, she was insistent on it! However, she has not rode it since, despite my bribing efforts. She is now 9 and claims she'll ride it in October, we'll see. Let her try it if she really wants to, she can decide for herself if she wants to ride it again or not.

 

[hakepb]

I would definitely leave it until after you tried out some of the other rides first. I've never been on ToT so I'm not sure about the theming...but doesn't it have something to do with ghosts and a scary building. How will that effect her? It sounds like the darkness of the ride also has had an impact on some kids. I don't plan on letting my youngest daughter go on it in September.

I don't think the theming is any more scary than HM

The big problem is the intensity of your random sequence. It will either be a few nice drops, or it might be a gut-wrenching , insane period where you feel the ride is pulling you up and down at the same time, and you will leave more queasy than any other WDW ride.

DS first time on ToT was an insane one so he almost wrote off attempting it his next trip. When I got him on RnR this next trip he agreed that RnR was a lot easier to "stomach" than ToT.

 

[maryj11]

Tower of Terror is the ride I'm most afraid of and I'm an adult I hate that ride because I have a fear of falling ! Anyway kids are different she may laugh the whole time she is dropping and then again it may scare her. If she wants to do it I say let her . When I went on it with my skinny little GD, I tried to hold her in with one hand and hold on with the other, of course she liked it . And you might know we were in the very front row in front of the window. It scared me !!!

 

[worm761]

If she has seen the videos and doesn't chicken out when you walk up to the ride and she hears everyone screaming, I would let her ride. She is prepared.

DS first rode when he was 5, his first trip. He loved it. His second trip, not so much. He payed attention to the video the second time and that is what scared him. After that, he would close his eyes and plug his ears in the library section. I would hold onto him and let him know when it was safe to open his eyes and ears. He has done fine ever since. Though he is 16 now so he isn't scared anymore.

 

[Vixster]

My son was 4 when he went on it and loved it my daughter 6 at time didn't like it so wouldn't go on again but son kept wanting to and does again on our oct trip not that I'm that keen with rides these days think to much

 

[poohbear13]

If you were going in Decmeber I would take her on... I can't get any of my family to go on with me.

Hope you have a great time on your trip!

 

[estherhead]

I have a kid who is 12 and STILL hates ToT. Her 5 year old sister adores it. I didn't want to let her go on last year because the 12 year old's first experience was traumatizing for all of us. But the middle girl started liking it around 6-7 so dh said "if she really wants to, let her." We rode it multiple times. And now we force the 12 year old to because we all are. Really, she could just wait at the end for us but she can never decide what is scarier, waiting outside or riding.

Every kid is different. I'd just take her and let her know at any time during the line she can opt out and if she rides and hates it, she knows she doesn't have to do it again.

 

[Ginny Favers]

Months before we went in April, I began practicing this mantra in front of DD5: "I'll try anything once. If I don't like it, I never have to do it again." This went for anything. For example, if we were at a party and someone offered food I'd never had, I said it to her as I tried the food.

She started doing it, too. I was so happy when she went on EVERY ride at WDW, and she is very timid and cautious.

Some of them, she never went on again. That was the deal. But at least she tried them.