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

[PoppyAnna]

My eldest DD was (just) four when she first went on ToT, she had no idea what the ride entailed and when she came off my Mum (who didn't ride) said she had never seen a face like it! She wasn't upset and she didn't cry. However, I wouldn't say she enjoyed it but she has since gone on it again and again (in WDW and DLRP). I must say, I love most rides (apart from spinning) but I did not enjoy riding with her one bit, and we sat her between us and didn't let go of her - the ride photo was hilarious, us holding her so tightly! In our household ToT seems to have become something that you laughingly conquer. As it has become a bit of a challenge in our house youngest DD who will be five and a half when we vist WDW in april is adamant that she will NOT ride ToT even though she has no idea what the ride is like really, she met the height requirement in December at DLRP and would not ride, we took eldest DD on and she loved it, a CM had a really long "staring" competition with her which she found hilarious. Youngest DD doesn't have the daredevil nature that eldest DD has and I would never force her. I do feel though that if we had'nt built it up to be such a big thing she wouldn't have the fear of it that she has. I do feel that if we could pursuade her, she would get over her fear and would go on to ride other rides. We might try a little bribe in april, who knows
You know your child best

 

[cliveywolves]

Our D/D was 4 when she went on the Tower of Tower, she loved it but she loves all the rides bit of a dare devil !!!!

She loves telling everybody how it kept dropping and throwing us all around.....

 

[2Tiggies]

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

I would LOVE this!

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.

Theming is a big thing at Disney. None of the rides really have too much to them in themselves. It's like watching Who Wants to be a Millionaire - the music is what winds you up. I learnt to pay attention to the theming and the atmosphere created rather than the ride itself. The rush of the ride, even if there is one, gets completely lost in the atmosphere and theming around it which sucks you into the world designed for the ride. It is worth keeping in mind.

 

[wideeyes]

I would LOVE this!



Theming is a big thing at Disney. None of the rides really have too much to them in themselves. It's like watching Who Wants to be a Millionaire - the music is what winds you up. I learnt to pay attention to the theming and the atmosphere created rather than the ride itself. The rush of the ride, even if there is one, gets completely lost in the atmosphere and theming around it which sucks you into the world designed for the ride. It is worth keeping in mind.

There is a few rides she doesn't like. ones that are not thrill rides because of the story or theme.

POTC - because of Davy Jones, she loves the one at DLP. I can get her on this by telling her when she can open her eyes.

HM- Too scary

Great Movie ride - took her on it when she was 5 and she thought the alien scene was real so she won't go on that again, even now she is older.

The Kilimanjaro Safaris - she hates the gun shots, and refuses to go on this.

She loves the thrill rides like everest, RnR, Test Track, etc. She wasn't happy that she couldn't go on SM at DLP because she was not tall enough.

 

[BethEJo]

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

I take it that you really enjoyed it then Joh...

 

[2Tiggies]

T
Great Movie ride - took her on it when she was 5 and she thought the alien scene was real so she won't go on that again, even now she is older.

This is exactly the reason I will never force or persuade my DD to go on anything she is not ready for.

Not knowing any better I took her to see Its Tough To Be A Bug a couple of years back. I had to have a CM escourt us out 10 minutes into the show. It was our first full day of the trip, first day at AK that trip and it was our first attraction. The rest of the day was dedicated to walking around the nature trails and sitting around the resort pool. I really thought I had wrecked the trip and wondered if she would go on any other attractions at all. She felt completely betrayed as if I should have known better and took it very personally.

 

[Sapper383]

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......

This photo's fab......great to show future husbands

 

[Tinkerbell1989]

Theming is a big thing at Disney. None of the rides really have too much to them in themselves. It's like watching Who Wants to be a Millionaire - the music is what winds you up. I learnt to pay attention to the theming and the atmosphere created rather than the ride itself. The rush of the ride, even if there is one, gets completely lost in the atmosphere and theming around it which sucks you into the world designed for the ride. It is worth keeping in mind.

I went on ToT in DLRP when I was 19; I refused to go on it before because I didn't like the theming. My DBF forced me to go on when we visited Paris, and I loved it! I'm still a little bit edgy with the CM - they scare me, alot - but I'm determined to go on TOT in WDW... And I'm getting my brother and sister to come too!

xxx

 

[Jordanblackpool]

I would just keep chipping away at her, maybe go online, youtube it and see if there are any actual in ride footage, its one of those rides that seem worse from the outside and the build up.

 

[2Tiggies]

I would just keep chipping away at her, maybe go online, youtube it and see if there are any actual in ride footage, its one of those rides that seem worse from the outside and the build up.

Especially at night My DD showed no interest in it until it was dark when she announced "Let's give it a go then - look how cool the lights are" Er ..... no!

 

[Tinks1984]

I most certainly wouldn't 'force' her to ride, it could possibly cause problems on other rides that she's uncertain about but may well try.

My brother isn't a fan of actual lifts (in real life) and did ToT this past May and he absolutely hated every second. He tried it, on his own accord, and won't do it again.

 

[paul_toria96]

Thanks for all your help,

She loves Splash and HH, I'll def try and get her on it. She loves pin badges so that might be a good bribe.

She felt the same about Crush's Coaster at DLP and went on it again and again

Can you get off at the last minute if she changes her mind?

 

[T16GEM]

Can you get off at the last minute if she changes her mind?

Wouldn't of thought so once you are in the lift car, but I'm sure that they would let you out of the line if she changes her mind in the line.

I can't remember how old I was when I first went on it, but I have always loved it! Especially at night to see all of the lights over DHS.

 

[2Tiggies]

Can you get off at the last minute if she changes her mind?

There is a point on most rides BEFORE you board, usually with a sign saying "Last chance to exit". If you are hesitant, keep an eye for those signs. Once you get through to the loading area there is no turning back.

 

[Pegasus928]

Can you get off at the last minute if she changes her mind?

On the ToT you can exit right up to the point where you enter the ride car.
I know this because DS decided against it (I am loathe to say 'bottled it' as everyone is different) once we had been placed in our seating positions before entering the ride (those who have ridden will know what I mean)
However - exiting the ride proved to be an event in itself in that the only way out of the ride was to leave in - you've guessed it - an elevator.
DS nearly freaked out and thought we were trying to trick him into riding it - especially when, as the elevator door was closing once DW had convinced DS it was all OK, the CM waved his hand and said 'Enjoy the ride'
Talk about staying in character

 

[team harris]

Oh dear! I'm going to sound like a terrible parent, but...
Our youngest DS, then 7, wasn't too sure about the ride, but queued up with us for about 1 hour before bottling it.

Everyone in the queue around us, helped talk him into going on and he did. I can't say that he enjoyed it and refused to ride again that holiday.

Four years later, I think he felt he was missing out if he didn't do it, so he went on, again not happy when he came off.

Last year, he point blankly refused and waited for us in the shops!! He has no intention of riding it again and is off to DLP at Christmas and his friends have already elected him as "bag holder"!

Asking him now, he will say that at least he knows what it is about, but no never again.

In our family we say "Regret doing something, don't regret not doing it!" - so I have to hand it to him, he did it

 

[joolz1910]

I can only talk about ToT at DLP -although I assume there are very few differences. My eldest (9 at the time) loved it and went on several times. My youngest (5 at the time) freaked out in the room that went dark/showed the film and we exited through the 'chicken exit'. It was the spookiness that scared her rather than the actual ride.

On another occasion, while we were in our 'seating positions' one young kid was violently sick and his family still tried to get him to board the ride. The other people in the queue went crazy and the CM refused to let the kid on the ride. I think there is a huge difference between gentle persuasion and pig-headed determination. If a kid doesn't want to ride, it's probably best to allow them to make their own decision - just my opinion.

 

[2Tiggies]

I think there is a huge difference between gentle persuasion and pig-headed determination. If a kid doesn't want to ride, it's probably best to allow them to make their own decision - just my opinion.

I If a kid doesn't want to ride, it's probably best to allow them to make their own decision - just my opinion.

Some do, by nature, need encouragement to try something though and they hesitate as a force of habit rather than actually being afraid. You will never always get it right. My DD's favourite rides to date are ones she was unsure of and I encouraged her to go on them. Every time she tried something new we went to get her another pressed penny at the exit. I got one too, so it didn't make her think she was getting rewarded just becaue she's a kid. All of a sudden she announced that she ought to get two pennies of a candy or something if she did something scary. I could see she was manipulating me a little but I went with it. She forgot about rewards and got hooked on the fun of new experiences and the rest is history.

 

[paul_toria96]

I would never drag her on, I just think she may regret it if she doesn't try. My DS who is 8 is going on, he's not really looking forward to it but he's going to try it.

I'll let you all now what happens when we return