Tower of Terror, Yes or No for a 10 year old

[paul_toria96]

My daughter is adament that she's not going on this ride because she doesn't like the idea of the drop, but I almost feel I should force her just in case.

Should I or Shouldn't I ? Any thoughts ?

 

[torsie24]

If she actively enjoys the drop on Splash (and not just puts up with it, but loves it) then go for ToT.

Do warn her the start is a bit creepy, like the start of HM.

At 10/11 I would have never have got off of ToT, but then I was a ride nut, rode SM at DLRP over and over, and Oblivion at AT was one of my favourites, so it really depends on the individual.

 

[wilma-bride]

My DD won't get on ToT and I wouldn't dream of 'forcing' her. However, as Torsie, says if she likes other rides with big drops - and I'm afraid I don't think Splash compares - it might be worth trying to persuade her.

My DS tried it last year (he was nearly 7) and didn't like it so I wouldn't try and make him go on it again.

It's possibly worth telling her that she should at least try it once and, if she doesn't like it, she doesn't then have to go on it ever again.

I must admit, it can be frustrating when you 'know' they will enjoy something but they insist they won't go on it. My DD is like this and I have had to just make my peace with the fact that she won't ride any of the rides with drops. Frustratingly, my DD's two favourite rides at WDW are Space Mountain and Primeval Whirl, two of the rides that I could take or leave

 

[Pegasus928]

It definately comes down to the individual.

DD did it when she was 6, and my nephew did it in October when he was 5. Both loved it and DD did it numerous times again after that. DS however has never done it and he is 15 - and he probably never will.
I won't tell you what DWs reaction was when she rode - and she was 30something.

I'm not sure what you mean by 'forcing' your daughter to do it - I'm sure it's just a figure of speech and you dont actually intend to tie her up, stick her in a sack and take the blindfold off when she is strapped into the ride - but we have found with DS that sometimes (though not all the time) a little reward/blackmail goes a long way.
For example he did Skycoaster in Old Town because I said he could have my car if he did. Admittedly it was an old one that I used purely for work and back - but to him (as a petrol head) it was a big deal so he did it. And this was from a kid who wouldn't even go on Woody Woodpeckers Coaster.

 

[Pegasus928]

I must admit, it can be frustrating when you 'know' they will enjoy something but they insist they won't go on it.

We have this with DS all the time. He loved G-Force in Old Town when it was working, but wouldnt entertain Stealth at Thorpe Park even though it is a very similar ride.

 

[torsie24]

I'm afraid I don't think Splash compares - it might be worth trying to persuade her.

I too don't think they compare at all, but if she really really enjoys the drop part of Splash, then at least we know that she isn't going to absolutely HATE ToT, IYKWIM.

If the drop on Spalsh makes her nervous, or scared, then ToT is a big no IMO.

 

[franc]

My son first did TOT when he was 5 and loved it, apparently he laughed the whole time (or so my husband tells me, I'm 40 and still too much of a wimp to do it). It took my daughter until she was 9 before she tried it and she now loves it.

Please don't force your daughter to do it, I'm sure if we had forced our daughter on our first trip I would have put her off for life.

 

[wilma-bride]

We have this with DS all the time. He loved G-Force in Old Town when it was working, but wouldnt entertain Stealth at Thorpe Park even though it is a very similar ride.

I can understand him not wanting to ride Stealth - as you well know, that frightened the life out of me

 

[binkytell]

im nowhere near as generous as pegasus but we buy our dd8
pins for the rides we have to coax her on, she done ToT once and says
never again yet she will go on splash mountain over and over

 

[2Tiggies]

Is is the drop that she is worried about? My DD would love to ride it for the drop but hates the creepiness of the preshow. I would never dream of forcing her. It is just in her nature - she has never liked anything "creepy". She won't even dress up for Halloween.

As Kenny says, it is such an individual thing.

Something else to bear in mind is that kids sometimes surprise you when you least expect it. My 7 year old who was adamant she would NEVER ride a rollercoaster suddenly demanded to ride RnR last year. It was me trying to discourage her thinking she would be put off riding anything else for the rest of the trip. She only said one word when the car came to a stop at the end of RnR: "AGAIN!"

 

[wilma-bride]

Something else to bear in mind is that kids sometimes surprise you when you least expect it. My 7 year old who was adamant she would NEVER ride a rollercoaster suddenly demanded to ride RnR last year. It was me trying to discourage her thinking she would be put off riding anything else for the rest of the trip. She only said one word when the car came to a stop at the end of RnR: "AGAIN!"

My DS was the same with RNRC - he absolutely loved it, to the point where he has told me and his Dad we're not allowed ot go on it this year since he's not coming with us

 

[2Tiggies]

My DS was the same with RNRC - he absolutely loved it, to the point where he has told me and his Dad we're not allowed ot go on it this year since he's not coming with us

I tell you the funny thing about that trip. My DD freaked out on Finding Nemo (and she is familiar with the ride), ditto for Winnie the Pooh (part with the thunderstorm) and then went on to ride RnR, EE ..... Impossible to tell. The atmosphere there causes people to behave differently at times

 

[Pegasus928]

I can understand him not wanting to ride Stealth - as you well know, that frightened the life out of me

And for anyone that needs proof of this click HERE
The one you can hear is Joh

 

[wideeyes]

My daughter hates this ride and I have talked her into going on in the past (Me and my sister actually bribed her with $) however she now refuses to go on it at all full stop, she wont even consider it. It is not the drops that she doesn't like though it is the theming and story of the ride. So in my experience I wouldn't make her go on it.

 

[mollies_mum]

DD was 6 the first time she went on TOT and she loved it so much it's now her favourite ride along with Splash Mountain.
DD is a very confident child and loves all things spooky so it had her name all over it although saying that when we went to Disneyland Paris last year when she was 9 she had a little bit of a wobble about getting on Aerosmith and we had to 'gently encourage' her eventhough she'd done it loads on previous trips. We must have looked like really bad parents talking her into it and literally pushing her in the right direction but I knew that she loved it before and I was really confident that she would again. I was right because after it was over she BEGGED to go on it again and again and again and again....
Only you know your child, If you think that she would really love the ride then I would 'gently persuade' and possibly use a little bit of shopping bribery if you're not sure then I would leave it, you don't want them traumatised for life

 

[T16GEM]

My DD was 4 when she tried it, I doubt that we will be getting her on it this year!

I think this says it all......

 

[wedreamofdisney]

My DD6 and DN4 (6 and 4 at the time) both went on ToT at DLRP twice they loved it, I hate heights so wimped out

They are quite adventurous Kids though, maybe take her to the exit side to see some kids getting of laughing and wanting to go on it again......or the down side of that would be kids screaming blue murder because their parents forced them to go on it

 

[crabbie1]

Ahhhhhhhhhhh bless How about A 39 Year old on TOT!!!!! I hate heights and the dark but have promised DD will go on Cahrlotte was 4 when she went on and the last time she was 6 she was a bit more reluctant. Think the younger they are the less fear they have but they get wiser as they get older-dont fall for the "its great you will love it "line

 

[torsie24]

Awww Gems,

I know I should't but that picture really made me giggle!

What a brave girl for trying though!

 

[lexie32]

Last year at 4.5 my ds refused to ride TOT but his friend who is 9 months younger did and ds was gutted, when we booked to go this year ds said he was going to be brave and ride all the big rides at WDW, as the year went on he watched all the ride videos on youtube time and time again and was adamant he was going to be brave this year, by Jan i was getting really worried as this would mean i would have to ride them too ( i am a massive wimp ) then thank god i got the perfect excuse i found out i was pregnant so dh and ds could go on by themselves ( dh is a coaster junkie)

Fast forward to the flight and ds who is now 5 and a half goes all quiet and suddenly announces he is scared and doesn't even want to ride test track or BTM both of which he has done before and enjoyed, we then came up with the idea of being brave money ( last year it was being good money)

here is how he got on


Day 1 - epcot
- TT done before so no brave money - loved it again
- Mission space $10," mum mum mum that was the best ride ever can we go on again!"

Day 2 - Magic Kingdom
- BTM done before so no brave money - loved it again
- Spash Mountain $10 -" look mum i got wet"
- Space Mountain $15 - " Mum that's my new favourite ride can we come back another day"

Day 3 - Disney studios
- TOT $10 - " Mum that's my new favourite ride can we come back another day"
refused to ride RnR coaster

Day 4 - Animal Kingdom
-Dinosaur - $10 "mum that was amazing you nearly gat eaten by a dinosaur you would have been really scared"
- Everest - $15 he had a wobble in the queue and the cast member let him and dh sit to one side for a while to see trhe trains go off, "Mum i liked the yeti but i didn't like going backwards!"

Day 5 - "please dad can we go back to studios so i can get my being brave money"
-RnR coaster - $20 he did have another wobble walking up to it so went on TOT again first then changed his mind and decided to go for it, i went to the ride exit where i could see them getting off and really wish i had videoed it his face had a massive smile on it, " mum that was completley amazing and i'm really brave" he was so proud of himself!

Over the next 4 days he went on everything again except EE and dinosaur without bribery, i'm really pleased we pushed him a bit or i can see another year of if only's!

Next year we are giving WDW a miss and doing the other parks i am already being pestered to watch the ride videos for the Hulk, Manta, Kracken, Shiekra ect and pestered how much being brave money he can earn! At least i have got a few years with a good excuse for being a wimp again!


Alex


Alex