Warnings for the "scary things" in shows, rides **possible spoilers**

[Sharlag]

My oldest son (age 10) has some anxiety issues, and would benefit from some warnings on the scarier aspects of the rides and shows.

I know the ITTBAB has the spray and the pokey thing in your back, right?

Can you help me with other warnings I should issue to him to help him enjoy his experience more? I'm mostly concerned with sudden, surprising occurences or real-looking attraction aspects that might startle.

Examples might include:
* A dinosaur suddenly approaching you (I've seen that described on a ride but can't remember which),
* Sudden darkness,
* Hills on rides that look really tall but aren't (we won't take him on anything very big)... stuff like that.

Thanks!
Sharla

 

[luvsTink]

My children (5 and 7) reacted very strongly (as in hysteria) to the grasshopper in ITTBAB....I even told them what would happen and where and they still freaked out. They loved the movie and are not generally afraid of bugs, but that did them in.

The ride you refer to with Dinosaurs is in fact called Dinosaur.

A ride I hear alot about is Snow White, we avoided that one all together so someone else will have to fill you in with the details.

My girls did well but were a little shook with the realism of some attractions: the fire in Kali River Rapids, the idea of poachers on the Safari.

After our ITTBAB experience we were careful not to take them on anything else that would lessen the "magic" for them but I am sure others can talk about other attractions.

Anne

 

[GoodFairies]

Any of the 3-D shows (ITTBAB, HISTA, Muppets, Philharmagic)

In Journey into Imagination, it gets very dark and blows in your face when you aren't expecting it.

Sounds Dangerous is very dark.

The big hill inside Splash Mountain, and the little ones in PotC, Maelstrom.

Dinosaur is just plain scary.

 

[all4fun]

Wonderful show, but if you have a very young child that is sensitive to loud noises and the 4-d special effects (like the wind that blows through) you may want to them skip it. I think most children would enjoy this show but we found out 13-mos old ds couldn't tolerate it. But then he's the one who turns up the tv or stereo really loud (because he's just learned he can turn those knobs and push those buttons) and then when it gets too loud he comes running to mommy crying because it hurt his ears!

 

[thotfulspot]

I'd definitely suggest giving Snow White a miss -- you've got your mean trees, lurking crocodiles, and eerie darkness, not to mention the witch looming out at unexpected places.

Dinosaur completely gives me the heebie-jeebies -- I have to keep reminding myself that I haven't actually traveled back millions of years, and I will not in fact be eaten by that particular carnotaurus.

Sounds Dangerous is lots of fun, but as mentioned above, is done in complete pitch darkness.

I'm the Haunted Mansion's biggest fan, but the ghouls which pop up from behind things might be too much for some.

The alien on the Great Movie Ride took me by surprise on my first time.

Something pokes you in the back on ITTBAB? Oh, I am SO never going to see that!

 

[Figment1964]

Not a huge one, but on Test Track we made sure our son knew that at one point in the ride it would look like a semi would be almost hitting us but that we would, in fact, swerve before anything bad would happen.

TT ended up being his favorite ride!

 

[riopooh]

Ellens Energy Adventurr in Epcot has some big dinosaurs also - depending on your seat you can be really up close & personal.

 

[tygerlilli]

Originally posted by luvsTink
....

A ride I hear alot about is Snow White, we avoided that one all together so someone else will have to fill you in with the details.

Anne

i went on the Snow White ride the first time i visited WDW..i was 19 years old at the time. The thing that stood out was that the Evil Queen (in her old crone guise) kept popping out right in your face throughout the ride. At 19, I was startled and i remember thinking that it would be terrifying for a small child.

 

[TammyC]

The Tiki bird show has a big storm and volcano gods. The Great Movie Ride at MGM has some people shooting and the alien.

 

[MamaLema]

This is really helping me with my 3 sensitive boys. Sometimes, its knowing the little details that can make their experience more enjoyable.

 

[vhoffman]

The Great Movie Ride at MGM might scare some kids. My 7 year old son thought it was great, but my 6 year old daughter freaked right out with the bandits and the shooting. She tought it was for real and tried to run off the ride. A frightened 6 year old can be strong! It was all I could do to hold her in, and dh managed to switch places with me and hold her in. Poor thing was shaking when we got off--dd, not dh! I found some of the cm's who "appeared" in the ride and had them talk to her and explain that it was all pretend. They gave her a trading pin and she left on an upbeat note. Its a shame so many of the rides are frightening to small children, and what scares one child another will take in stride.

 

[Belle0101]

I have to 2nd Splash Mt. DS9 is terrified of the drop. He was also pretty nervous on Space Mountain.


After that trip my sister bought him the "Birnbaum's Walt Disney World For Kids By Kids" book. Maybe that would be something to buy or try to find at your library. It's really good. It explains the rides and areas in kid friendly terms.

Here's part of what it says about Space Mountain "It has twists, turns, and a few steep dips. And it all takes place in the dark! It's so dark inside Space Mountain that you can barely see where you are going ... Sometimes you'll hear other rockets zooming by, and it seems like you might crash into them... but don't worry..."

Mission: Space (in the book) has icons for loud, rough and dark by it.

It has some activites in it for kids, info about Hidden Mickeys, talks about the resorts, some dining places ...

Maybe you could get it for him and read it together before and even during the trip to help him with the anxiety.

Have fun on your trip!!!

 

[jann1033]

muppets 3 d, the big hairy guy comes out ( actor) he quietly came up next to me while i was looking the other way which starled me( everyone laughed me included) but don't sit near the front just in casealso, an "explosion"

pirates of the carribean, most of the ride is dark, lots of "cannon fire",ect once right over your boat ( also a small hill in the dark). a little gun play on jungle cruise but outside so not dark

tot, haunted mansion, and rnr naturally -just too scarey/creepy

 

[Madi100]

If he has anxiety problems, I would skip It's Tough To Be A Bug. That one is horribly scary. There is a lot in that one that is just not something that you can ever prepare yourself for.

Space Mountain is very dark, like others have said.

Pirates is a good easy going ride, but there are some things to warn about in that one. Shooting and the pirate ship. And there is a little "hill" in that one.

Depending on how bothered he can be Spaceship Earth could bother him. You are in cars that are on a track and all attched together. At one point your car turns around, and you go backwards. Nothing scary, but if you aren't prepared for it, then it can be scary a bit.


That's all I can think of right now.

 

[#1DopeyFan]

Star Tours ~ Can be a little rough if you're not prepared.

Backlot Tour ~ Has a part where it "floods" and there's a "quake".

Snow White ~ Can definitely be intense, my son used to hate it, but he's fine with it now.

Body Wars ~ Same as Star Tours


I second the idea about getting the "Birnbaum's for Kids by Kids", I bought that for my neice before we took her and it really helped her be prepared.