What is Disney policy on intervening when children panic?

[chloelovesdisney]

Some parents are more interested in getting their money's worth than the well being and happiness of their child.

No matter the child's issues, they don't deserve to be treated that way. A child should not be told they are ruining their parents vacation because they are afraid to go on a ride.

 

[GBBTomorrow]

I've seen this question asked over and over and the answer is obvious. The parents, I repeat the parents, not the kids, are shelling out an incredible amount of money for a Disney trip. They want to ride what they want to ride and sometimes a CHILD just needs to be told no and it doesn't matter how much crying or jumping or jerking they do.

Perhaps parents with this mentality should also shell out money for a babysitter.

 

[Love Tink]

We've never been in this situation at Disney, but we have at Universal. We waited the whole line with no problem, and as we went to board the Jurassic Park ride, my then five-year-old had a change of heart and started screaming that he didn't want to go. Honestly, since it came up so suddenly, my instinct was to shush him and say, "You'll be fine." But the staff member who was loading the ride came over and said, "I can't send off the boat if he's crying like that."

So my son and I got off the boat. Honestly, I was annoyed with my son in a "couldn't you have made that decision 30 minutes ago" kind of way - but I respected Universal for having the policy and kind of pushing me to do the right thing.

 

[LongLiveDisney1]

Perhaps parents with this mentality should also shell out money for a babysitter.

HA! And then the kids will be screaming, crying, jumping, jerking at home that they want to go to Disney. It's a can't win situation... I'm sure the kids would prefer to go to Disney and suck it up for 2 or 3 rides that really scare them.. that's life.

 

[bumbershoot]

I spent more time watching to make sure the toddler was OK than she did. And every time she realized the toddler was halfway down the block, she sent one of her other kids to go get the toddler.

....

Too many parents don't want to parent. Period. Not just at Disney. They want to have fun and enjoy their toys.

You watched the toddler because you chose to. She certainly DID notice when the little one was too far for her comfort, because she sent another child to get him/her.

As the oldest of 5, I will tell you that watching the youngers is part and parcel of being the oldest. When I was 2.5 and my brother was born I knew this. When I was 13 and my halfbrother was born I knew this. Same at 15 with the next. It's part of the JOY of my life, being the oldest.

Your situation at the zoo has NOTHING to do with not wanting to parent. It IS part of being the parent of several. It's also a matter of one parent having a different panic-meter than another parent.

They might able to tell the child to leave but they can't tell me that.

They certainly can! It's a private property and they can have you leave entirely if they wish to.

Since when is going on an amusement park ride such a high stakes activity that parents will create such cruel situations for their kids? Is it really worth it?

True true.



I've learned things about my family and my son's personality with every trip we've taken. When he was either an old 3 or a new 4, he protested Peter Pan at Disneyland. He had been on it happily during that trip, so I KNEW he was simply tired (it was Magic Morning and an early one, it was the first ride) and I also know that even though the queue is officially not "indoors", it does get a little dark and spooky once you're properly in the line. It wasn't the ride he was protesting, it was the line.

I kept him in the line for those reasons, and also because the PP line at Disneyland is nearly impossible to go in reverse in. I've seen tall skinny people do it, but I'm not either of those things! So the only non-emergency way to get out was to leave once we got to the seating area. But once we were at that point, the line was done and the ride, which he did like, would start, so I took him on it.

After that experience and further experiences, we realized that we have to choose our early-morning rides more carefully. We don't WANT to force DS on anything, we don't WANT a situation where we have to do this because we didn't get enough sleep, etc.



On the OTHER hand, Dinosaur was too much for DS (years older) and I ended up taking him out of line for that. DH was trying to insist (it was early, we were tired, he was cranky (he being DH)) and I finally put my foot down once we were in the back-and-forth part of the line. It was a bummer, since DS had seen ride videos of it and was excited to go on it, until we approached the ride building and he got creeped out.

The ride was an unknown (apart from ride videos) to all of us, so there was no way we could promise him ANYTHING about the ride. At the next CM I found, I asked if we could leave. She was happy to do so, THANKED ME for listening to DS, and gave me rider swap passes so I could ride later on.

As DS and I waited for DH, who chose to ride, we saw sooooo many crying, screaming children coming from the proper ride exit, having hated the ride with all of their little beings. We felt so sad for those kids.



The idea of having a "rule" about "everyone rides once" just cracks me up. I don't want to be forced onto a ride that literally scares me, and after all of our experiences we *now* know that NO ride is sooooo worth it that we're willing to force someone.

 

[torinsmom]

Many people, as adults, have a fear of drops, loud noises, the dark, heights, etc., so I don't know why some parents can't just accept that some kids have these fears already. They may go away as the child gets older, or they may not. I have never subscribed to the "because I said so", style of parenting, when it comes to things like amusement rides. My dad forced me to ride the Scooby Doo roller coaster at Kings Dominion when I was little, and I didn't ride another roller coaster until I was in my 30's. My son's father carried him out into the ocean, way past the waves with him screaming and kicking and he stayed in the surf for years and years after that. I just don't see the point in it.

Now, I have bribed my son to ride something I knew he would like, Haunted Mansion comes to mind. I told him if he rode it, I would ride TomorrowLand Speedway with him, and he agreed to try it and loved it. He wasn't screaming or crying about it though, just a little clingy. At 17, now he is the one trying to convince me to try new rides, LOL.

 

[KrazeeK120]

Many people, as adults, have a fear of drops, loud noises, the dark, heights, etc., so I don't know why some parents can't just accept that some kids have these fears already. They may go away as the child gets older, or they may not. I have never subscribed to the "because I said so", style of parenting, when it comes to things like amusement rides. My dad forced me to ride the Scooby Doo roller coaster at Kings Dominion when I was little, and I didn't ride another roller coaster until I was in my 30's. My son's father carried him out into the ocean, way past the waves with him screaming and kicking and he stayed in the surf for years and years after that. I just don't see the point in it.

Now, I have bribed my son to ride something I knew he would like, Haunted Mansion comes to mind. I told him if he rode it, I would ride TomorrowLand Speedway with him, and he agreed to try it and loved it. He wasn't screaming or crying about it though, just a little clingy. At 17, now he is the one trying to convince me to try new rides, LOL.

(Bolding is mine.)

AMEN! I said somewhere upthread that I tend to be nervous when it comes to rides and there are still things I won't go on (ToT at Disney being one of them). I would absolutely be crying (even as an almost-30 year old adult) if I were somehow forced to get on that ride.

Even if fears are not rooted in anything logical (as most fears aren't), it doesn't mean that the fear isn't real and that it doesn't make the person experiencing the fear very upset.

You can still have a HIGH QUALITY vacation at Disney, even if you don't ride any of the rides! There are so many shows, pools, and other experiences to be had there that are often overlooked because people are bolting for Splash Mountain or EE.

I'm so glad that my parents let my siblings and I choose what I did and didn't want to do when they took us to Disney as kids. I get very motion sick and would have been very upset had I been forced onto those teacups (which I have not ridden and will not ever ride). I understand that kids don't pay for the vacation, but that's not their fault and they shouldn't have to be made to be frightened or upset because mom and dad are dead set on doing something.

Forcing your kids to go to school in the morning is fine. Forcing them onto amusement park rides isn't good for anyone, IMO.

 

[luvthemouse71]

OH man...I can sympathize. My dd had been on HM many times. The first time, back when she was 5, turning 6, really got to her. But as she got older, it became a non-issue. Well...there we were, she was 13. We had gone to WDW with another mother and her dd to celebrate the two girls' turning 13, in WDW!!! Well....we were about half way through HM when dd starting sobbing. She said she had no idea what the problem was but she suddenly had gotten fearful!!! Of a ride she had done about 20 times!!! No way of telling what set her off...but she couldn't wait to get off that ride!!! She's done it again, with no issues at all.

Now...there was that one time I was 'that' parent. We had arrived in WDW on Thanksgiving Day. My dd had previously seen a sweatshirt she really wanted at RnRC..but it was in August and I was not paying for a sweatshirt then. Told her we would get it in November. Okay...so we go to DHS on Thanksgiving afternoon..head right to RnRC. Well..do you think they had that darn sweatshirt? Nope. But, they had a ton of teeshirts. The CM very nicely offered to check in the back room area, and then to call around to see if there were any to be found elsewhere. Nope...none to be had. Well....as we walked out of the RnRC gift shop, my dd started to sob. Then it turned to out and out crying. She was probably 12 at the time. I was hot, overtired, and cranky. So, after many requests to my dd to please settle down, it wasn't my fault there were no sweatshirts, I just snapped. I yelled at her, right there beneath the overhead RnRC arch!!! I told her to shut up, and stop screaming. That as far as I was concerned, I was done. I was going back to BW and she could stand there and cry to her hearts content if she wanted to. And I started walking away, alone. Dh was horrified, dd was horrified. There were other guests just whispering and staring. Yep...I was soooo 'that' parent that everyone writes about. I sat down on the stone wall just before you get to ToT, over on the right as you exit the RnRC area. The tears started flowing. Dd was so upset to see me crying. I felt like an awful mother..yelling at my child like that, out in public.
But, in all reality??? I was tired, hot and my dd had really pushed all the right buttons. Sometimes, you just don't realize how you will react in a certain situation. I now feel so badly for those parents screaming at their children. Perhaps they need a rest, or some time just relaxing somewhere!!! I try not to judge anymore.
Yes, I still think it's horrible to yell and scream and shove your child around. There are those parents that feel that because they have spend thousands of dollars, they are going to go from sunup to sundown and get their money's worth....doesn't matter if the kids are wiped out or over stimulated!!! God forbid those kids need a break...'we have spent $5000 on this trip and we are not sitting on a park bench for 20 mins, doing nothing..so get up and get moving!!!'

In case, your DD was 12 and acting like a brat.You were within your rights to snap. Preteens and teenagers know how to push the right buttons. To be honest, I wouldn't even have batted an eye if I had seen you yelling..probably would have shaken your hand, lol.

i don't believe in slapping a kid around, but raising your voice to your child isn't going to harm them.And in most cases, making a child try a ride at least once won't harm them either. I wish my parents had challenged me more on some things-I was a ride chicken for far too long.

 

[Hannathy]

In case, your DD was 12 and acting like a brat.You were within your rights to snap. Preteens and teenagers know how to push the right buttons. To be honest, I wouldn't even have batted an eye if I had seen you yelling..probably would have shaken your hand, lol.

Oh yeah, pre-teen to teen girl, I would have been wishing I was at Epcot so I could buy you a special slushy!

 

[maxiesmom]

In case, your DD was 12 and acting like a brat.You were within your rights to snap. Preteens and teenagers know how to push the right buttons. To be honest, I wouldn't even have batted an eye if I had seen you yelling..probably would have shaken your hand, lol.

i don't believe in slapping a kid around, but raising your voice to your child isn't going to harm them.And in most cases, making a child try a ride at least once won't harm them either. I wish my parents had challenged me more on some things-I was a ride chicken for far too long.

Thats kind of the whole problem though. None of us knows when we see a screaming child if they are truly afraid or if they are just having a meltdown or if
they are just doing some button pushing. And I can't see how we could expect the CMs to know the difference either.

 

[Phatoomch]

Well, thanks to this Mama here my daughter won't touch any ride that looks like it might have even a small drop or bit of speed.

And thats because when she was 5 or 6yrs I made her (not forced) go on this mine train rollercoaster at six flags - it was for kids so I figured it would be fine but she really didn't want to do it. She was just not ready. I should have waited.

All I did was create an even bigger fear.

But, back to the OP, unfortunately that was a very very sad situation. Disney policy or not, as bad as you said it was, if I was a CM I would have definitely stepped in somehow, if not only to diffuse the situation.

 

[KrazeeK120]

In case, your DD was 12 and acting like a brat.You were within your rights to snap. Preteens and teenagers know how to push the right buttons. To be honest, I wouldn't even have batted an eye if I had seen you yelling..probably would have shaken your hand, lol.

i don't believe in slapping a kid around, but raising your voice to your child isn't going to harm them.And in most cases, making a child try a ride at least once won't harm them either. I wish my parents had challenged me more on some things-I was a ride chicken for far too long.

What's wrong with being a "ride chicken"? It's not like a person's life is incomplete without experiencing amusement park rides. As I said before, I'm scared of ToT. I do not feel that my life is missing something due to the fact that I haven't ridden it.

Recreational activities are just that, recreational activities. Everyone has different ideas about which recreational activities appeal to them, and no one can (or wants to) try every single recreational activity that is available in the world.

 

[MissManda]

I've seen this question asked over and over and the answer is obvious. The parents, I repeat the parents, not the kids, are shelling out an incredible amount of money for a Disney trip. They want to ride what they want to ride and sometimes a CHILD just needs to be told no and it doesn't matter how much crying or jumping or jerking they do.

Wow! So, because the parents paid for the trip, the terrified child should be forced to ride a ride that they don't want too. What I don't understand is how a parent can get any sort of joy by riding this ride with an hysterical kid. How can it possibly be fun. I can see "making" a kid that is slightly nervous ride it. But if the kid is having a full on panic attack and screaming "don't make me ride it" and trying to get away from you and escape the line, like what I've witnessed before, it just seems really mean and heartless to try and force them on and then guilt them about ruining the trip. Why not let them cool off some and try the ride again later on when they are more relaxed and prepared (yes, I know that means waiting in line again.). I don't know, maybe I just have more compassion than others.

 

[BLTLDZ]

EVERY trip I've ever been on I've witnessed some half-wit parents dragging their terrified child through the line and onto the ride (usually HM, Space Mountain, Splash and a few others). We're not talking about nervous or apprehensive kids. I'm talking like the OP. I've sat through many a trip on the HM while a child wailed bloody murder from start to finish.

I wish Disney had a policy that if a child or adult is that visibly upset they won't be allowed to board.

I agree. My sis-in -law did this to my nephew and she & I had words over it. Splash mountain. The kid is TERRIFIED of drops. I mean really, is it worth scarring your child?!

 

[luvthemouse71]

Thats kind of the whole problem though. None of us knows when we see a screaming child if they are truly afraid or if they are just having a meltdown or if
they are just doing some button pushing. And I can't see how we could expect the CMs to know the difference either.

I agree, I personally don't think CMs should step in unless there's physical abuse(IMO, a smack on the bum doesn't count) going on. Kids are pretty talented at being dramatic. My brother used to yell "Help me!" in public when he was small when being taken out of a store. And I had(and still have) great parents.

 

[luvthemouse71]

What's wrong with being a "ride chicken"? It's not like a person's life is incomplete without experiencing amusement park rides. As I said before, I'm scared of ToT. I do not feel that my life is missing something due to the fact that I haven't ridden it.

Recreational activities are just that, recreational activities. Everyone has different ideas about which recreational activities appeal to them, and no one can (or wants to) try every single recreational activity that is available in the world.

I'm all about conquering fears. I hated being a ride chicken. I made myself go on rides I was afraid of and 100% of the time it wasn't as bad as I made it out to be initially. RnRC and EE were two of these rides-they are my 2 favorites now.

If you're happy being afraid that's fine. Whatever. I was just stating that for me, being afraid wasn't fun. And I think there is nothing wrong with a parent making their kids try new things. The ultimate decision should be left up to the parent, not a CM.

 

[ARAITHEL]

OH man...I can sympathize. My dd had been on HM many times. The first time, back when she was 5, turning 6, really got to her. But as she got older, it became a non-issue. Well...there we were, she was 13. We had gone to WDW with another mother and her dd to celebrate the two girls' turning 13, in WDW!!! Well....we were about half way through HM when dd starting sobbing. She said she had no idea what the problem was but she suddenly had gotten fearful!!! Of a ride she had done about 20 times!!! No way of telling what set her off...but she couldn't wait to get off that ride!!! She's done it again, with no issues at all.

Now...there was that one time I was 'that' parent. We had arrived in WDW on Thanksgiving Day. My dd had previously seen a sweatshirt she really wanted at RnRC..but it was in August and I was not paying for a sweatshirt then. Told her we would get it in November. Okay...so we go to DHS on Thanksgiving afternoon..head right to RnRC. Well..do you think they had that darn sweatshirt? Nope. But, they had a ton of teeshirts. The CM very nicely offered to check in the back room area, and then to call around to see if there were any to be found elsewhere. Nope...none to be had. Well....as we walked out of the RnRC gift shop, my dd started to sob. Then it turned to out and out crying. She was probably 12 at the time. I was hot, overtired, and cranky. So, after many requests to my dd to please settle down, it wasn't my fault there were no sweatshirts, I just snapped. I yelled at her, right there beneath the overhead RnRC arch!!! I told her to shut up, and stop screaming. That as far as I was concerned, I was done. I was going back to BW and she could stand there and cry to her hearts content if she wanted to. And I started walking away, alone. Dh was horrified, dd was horrified. There were other guests just whispering and staring. Yep...I was soooo 'that' parent that everyone writes about. I sat down on the stone wall just before you get to ToT, over on the right as you exit the RnRC area. The tears started flowing. Dd was so upset to see me crying. I felt like an awful mother..yelling at my child like that, out in public.
But, in all reality??? I was tired, hot and my dd had really pushed all the right buttons. Sometimes, you just don't realize how you will react in a certain situation. I now feel so badly for those parents screaming at their children. Perhaps they need a rest, or some time just relaxing somewhere!!! I try not to judge anymore.
Yes, I still think it's horrible to yell and scream and shove your child around. There are those parents that feel that because they have spend thousands of dollars, they are going to go from sunup to sundown and get their money's worth....doesn't matter if the kids are wiped out or over stimulated!!! God forbid those kids need a break...'we have spent $5000 on this trip and we are not sitting on a park bench for 20 mins, doing nothing..so get up and get moving!!!'

Ok, I can totally sympathize with you! I have a DD (12) we are going to WDW for our fourth trip there in September. Sometimes raging hormones can cause girls (specifically) to be "out of sorts." This looks to me like one of those situations. Hot...Tired...HORMONAL. Teen/Pre-Teen girls do this all the time. We are a very competitive "livestock show" family. Our days at the fairs/shows are LONG and hard. Sometimes my DD bawls for no reason. Seriously...it's hormones and stress. WDW can be very stressful both physically (walking and lack of sleep) and mentally, the pressure to HAVE FUN BECAUSE WE'RE PAYING FOR THIS from parents.

God knows, I, myself, have been known to have a meltdown at WDW...My family wanted to take a break from MK, and I bawled at the arches to go to the busses...I ended up staying by myself and had a wonderful time.

So meltdowns are commonplace at WDW...We will all see them and most of us will experience them. I am glad WDW has a policy for kids who wig out on the rides...for their safety. I am also glad that they let parents "parent" how they see fit. I don't agree with the horror of the OP, but sometimes we don't know the hormones involved or the backstory.

Be happy in the world, my friends...after all it is WDW!

 

[LongLiveDisney1]

Wow! So, because the parents paid for the trip, the terrified child should be forced to ride a ride that they don't want too. What I don't understand is how a parent can get any sort of joy by riding this ride with an hysterical kid. How can it possibly be fun. I can see "making" a kid that is slightly nervous ride it. But if the kid is having a full on panic attack and screaming "don't make me ride it" and trying to get away from you and escape the line, like what I've witnessed before, it just seems really mean and heartless to try and force them on and then guilt them about ruining the trip. Why not let them cool off some and try the ride again later on when they are more relaxed and prepared (yes, I know that means waiting in line again.). I don't know, maybe I just have more compassion than others.

Well exactly, imagine they've waited 1hr+ for Big Thunder Mtn. in the middle of the afternoon and suddenly the kids gets panicky at the loading zone. I'm sorry but little Johnny and Suzie are going on the ride..

 

[GBBTomorrow]

Well exactly, imagine they've waited 1hr+ for Big Thunder Mtn. in the middle of the afternoon and suddenly the kids gets panicky at the loading zone. I'm sorry but little Johnny and Suzie are going on the ride..

Why couldn't the parents just take turns?

 

[k3chantal]

I completely agree with you and how horrific watching that situation must have been and the parents completely did not handle the situation right.

But there is a 'little' part of me that understands their frustration. (I am certainly not saying that I condone it). When my twelve year old was three, we went to DL with Grandma. I had previously told her how much he absolutely loved going on the rides as he had been to DL about every three months since he was 18 months. Imagine my surprise when he chose not to ride a SINGLE ride. She really didn't mind but I did. However, I certainly did not let him know my disappointment.

So I hope the parents go home and realize that they 'ruined' their vacation. You can't force 'anyone' especially children to feel differently about a ride. The only time I encourage my children to go on rides that they may show reluctance is if I know that they will enjoy it. For instance, I did tell my two boys that if they went on Everest I would buy them a stuffed animal. Stuffed animals had to be purchased and sure enough they wanted to go on again.