Tower of terror

[TeeterTots]

Do you think it's too scary for a 4 yo? The height is 40 inches so we could try?

 

[Indecisive]

We took our 4yo on it last year. I didn't want to, but DH insisted it would be fine and DS said he wanted to do it. He was white as a sheet the entire time and afterward said that he didn't like it. That said, it didn't ruin his day or traumatize him for life, so I guess no harm done. You may hear from other people whose 4yo's loved it and from others whose kids were traumatized all day after they rode it. I think it all depends on the kid.

 

[Mikie]

Of course, it depends, but my generic answer is yes - too scary for 4. My 13 year old likes it but finds the queue and preshow very creepy/scary. My 9 and 6 wouldn't ride it, even though the 9 is otherwise a fan of coasters and thrill rides.


I suppose if your 4 yo watches scary movies or loves creepy Halloween haunted houses and decorations, that's an indicator that you might try it.

ETA: if you try Haunted Mansion in magic kingdom first and that "creep factor" isn't too bad AND your child likes thrills, I'd lean toward trying it.

 

[nemo998]

I tend to err on the side of caution, but I will say that I have seen more than a couple young children get off of that ride crying. I guess it depends on the child. I would say ask them what they want to do and if they aren't sure, it's probably best to wait a year or two.

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

We took my three year old on it last year. It was her idea. She had been saying that she wanted to do it, but I was hesitant. I showed her videos of it online and made her stand outside the ride and watch it drop when the doors were open. After that, she still said she wanted to do it so we did it. I made sure she knew that we could leave at any time up to when we boarded the elevator because I thought the video might scare her. Nope. She rode it and as soon as it stopped, she asked to do it again. So, no, I don't think it will be too scary for a child who is 4. However, I would make sure you prepare him for it. Maybe show him some videos (you can't really see the drops but can get a feel for the theme of the ride), explain what will happen, and have him watch the drops. Let him decide for himself.

 

[Cedarmom]

Depends on the kid. My now 8 year old rode it as a 3, almost 4 year old. It was his first Disney ride ever and he loved every single second of it. He's still a thrill ride junkie. He hit 54 inches this spring and was so excited to finally be able to ride all of the big coasters at HersheyPark.

My 11 year old was 6 at the time and was terrified and trying not to show it because his little brother loved it so. Lol

We go back next week. I expect the now 5 year old to refuse to ride.

 

[TeeterTots]

Thanks for all the really good posts! I'm on the fence. I think she'll like the thrill but the theme may be too scary. She wasn't a huge fan of haunted mansion and pirates if the caribbean. No rush we have many many more trips to experience it!

 

[SillySallySews]

I think the whole ToT experience is designed to creep everyone out, no matter what age you are. I would recommend watching it on YouTube. Whenever we have doubts about whether our kids will like something we turn to YouTube and let them decide if it's something they want to try. My oldest daughter was 4 the first time she rode ToT and she loved every part of it, from the theming to the creepy pre-show. But she can't watch Monsters Inc. (the first one) without having nightmares, she's not a fan of HM, and she also didn't care much for the mildly scary Snow White ride in MK while it was there. Go figure lol...

 

[Shannon G]

I agree with the posters who have said it depends on the child. My youngest DD, who is now 10, has been going on it since she was 4, and loves it. It was always her choice to ride it, and the first few times she told me that she didn't like the "creepy" parts, so she just kept her eyes closed until we actually got into the elevator shaft for the drop. My older DD, on the other hand, wasn't ready to try it until she was almost 11.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

My 10 year old hated it. So, I have no idea.

Your mileage may vary?

 

[Anchored]

My DD at 4 years old LOVED it. Rode it over and over again.
At 5 years old, she rode once and said no thank you to more.
I think that real fear factor hadn't kicked in at age 4 yet. I think it will be a while before she wants to ride it again. She is currently, at 6, in a phase of every sound is scary. Fun.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Took my DD on it when she was 5. We did every thrill ride that trip except for RnR. She LOVED it. She wanted to do it at 3 years old but was too short and was NOT happy that she couldn't do all of the rides. She's a thrill ride junkie even at a young age. I thought she was going to be a mess after the ride but we did it about 3 more times.

Now my DS goes on it now but he wouldn't do it until his sister did it....he was 11. I think he only did it at 11 because she was doing it and he didn't want to seem "scared" when his little sister wasn't scared.

We did child swap on previous trips. Actually on one trip when he was 9 (DD was 3) he said he would ride and got all the way there and backed out so he was part of the child swap with DD. He wanted no parts of the ride.

 

[DisneyWisher]

My now 21 yr old was 3 the first time and she loved it. My other daughters were 11 and 13 it is one of their favorite rides, I think that's what helped Cait through it. Me terrified, her first time riding was my last, as the doors closed I swallowed a scream "let me off". I vowed never to ride again, when older girls went off to college or work and no longer went with us. Cait would get in line and I'd be in the basement waiting for her....the ride that scared her, her very first Disney ride PotC. She literally got off that ride stuttering and it lasted for 2 years. Right after we ride Splash and Big Thunder, no problem. Pirates is still not her favorite ride though she a huge fan of the movies. It's the beach scene that she says scared her.

 

[AngelEyez]

If she doesn't like Haunted Mansion, the theme might be too much. My 9 year old cousin loves thrill rides, but hates haunted houses and he hated it.

 

[disnut8]

Do you think it's too scary for a 4 yo? The height is 40 inches so we could try?

I would ask the four year old if she is willing. If so, then go for it BUT.........

Understand that the set up is scary so if you are walking up to the attraction and she doesn't want to go, then back out. If you are after the initial entrance and either in the library or in the boiler room and she doesn't want to go, calm her down enough because after that, once you are in the queue to board the elevators, you just tell the seater person you want to leave. Easy enough. I ahd to leave the attraction for five years for a physical reason and since I loved the mind games the attraction played on me, I just went with my husband and then he boarded the elevator and I was let out.

Just remember that one adult will need to be with the child since she's four years old.

 

[LSUfan4444]

My daughter HATES it (she is 5) and she is very open to new things but hates the dark. Her best friend is much more shy, timid and less adventurous loves it.

I don't think it's too scary for them to try, but impossible to answer whether they like it or not.

My daughter tried it last September, hated it and called it the Tower of Terror. When we went back in December she wanted and asked to try it again, and hated it the second time as well. Now, she swears she will never do it again.

 

[georgina]

My DD went on it at 3 and a half, loved it and has always been a thrill ride lover. My DS was not a lover of thrill rides, he was much older when we got him on some of them. It really depends on your child.

 

[Crystal824]

Thanks for all the really good posts! I'm on the fence. I think she'll like the thrill but the theme may be too scary. She wasn't a huge fan of haunted mansion and pirates if the caribbean. No rush we have many many more trips to experience it!

I think my 4 year old will be the same. She loves coasters and other rides, but she doesn't care for scary themed stuff. She has seen pics and videos and says she doesn't want to ride so I'm not going to make her. If she wanted to ride, I would let her.

 

[kiford]

I think that it entirely depends on the child. My sister still wouldn't be able to do it now at 52 but I would have loved it at age 4 every bit as much as I do now. My godson who is 12 would be fine with the ride part but wouldn't like the scary intro and theming. His parents would love the theming but would be terrified of the ride.

 

[jacksonsmom]

totally depends on the child.
My son went on it at 3 yrs old, but he has always been a bit of a daredevil.
He is now 15 and ToT is one of his favorite rides at WDW