What is up with parents forcing kids on rides???

[KigerKat]

I forced my DH on the TOT, now he hates DHS.

That's funny...my DH always forces me to ride ToT. I hate that freaking ride. But I still go every time. Maybe I need to learn how to throw a temper tantrum and then maybe he wouldn't give me sad puppy eyes and start begging.

 

[FLAgirl73]

I think that some parents lose perspective in a place like Disney. Others might be dealing with tempermental children who are acting out and spoiling it for the family. As others have noted, it is impossible to tell what is really happening in someone else's family.

 

[disneyjunkie]

During our first trip I forced my son to ride:

Space Mountain - it broke down during our ride.

Splash - he loved it.

Big Thunder - he loved it.

I let him skip TOT and RNR due to the drops and loop.

Before we left for our 2nd trip, I told him he had to ride all of the major rides at least once. He did and loved them all.


I know my son better than the busy bodies in line. I knew he would be fine once he got on the ride. After each ride was over, he asked to do them again.

I think that I don't care how other parents handle things that are not my business.

 

[FLAgirl73]

I know my son better than the busy bodies in line.

 

[ScotsMinnie]

My DD3 will be like that this year. She is already saying that she is not going on rides she loved last year because she is "too tiny". With her its about the anticipation - when they start she is fine. I won't put her on anything I think will scare her. That would be a step back. But after the first ride she wants to ride again and again.

Same with the shows. As soon as she enters the theatre she will cry - i know she will. But as soon as it starts she will be fine. She does it at shows here at home too. Its just her.

If she does not stop and is really not enjoying it then I will leave with her.

People do judge too quickly and if someone said anything to me I'm afraid I might be tempted to bite back.

 

[prince.john]

Last year we went to York Maine. There's an amusement park there. I tried to get our 6yr old (she loves ghosts & bats) to go in the walk-through haunted house. Basically its a dark maze with black lights, and neon painted walls. Her answer was no, no, no, no, no, then a reluctant yes. Just as we got to the entrance, another girl her age came running out screaming. We didn't go on....My girl then gave me the "I told you so" talk. (I thought it was cute, how she became so knowledable and worldly all of a sudden) I'll try again with the Disney haunted house. Maybe if she sees the ride prior to our trip, via online videos, it will ease the anxiety.... Someone earlier here said "fun not fear" I think that's a perfect discussion to have with your reluctant kids, Disney only makes "fun" things, so let's take a look at this ride.

 

[dbmarie]

Other parents know their kids and their personality and know what they like and don't like and know the kid will end up loving the ride and don't want them to miss out.

Exactly our experience. Every year when we go to disney our oldest dd (11) cries through at least one ride that she loved the trip before and loves after the tantrum. I am hoping she grew out of it this year because the looks and comments make the situation worse.

 

[OandA]

My parents forced me to ride Splash Mountain when I was little and it was the best thing they could have done. I was terrified to ride it and after I did they couldn't get me to ride anything else. I rode it at least 15 more times.

Some people need to be pushed.

 

[OandA]

I forced my DH on the TOT, now he hates DHS.

He hates an entire park because of that? Seriously? If I was in your shoes he'd already be Ex-DH. Man up.

 

[Hollytigs]

When I took my DD to Disneyland Paris she was 4. She was really hesitant on nearly every ride, but only cried on PotC (she was hysterical though). She also flipped out when the characters touched her at the breakfast, but once I'd worked out a method (her sitting on my lap so that the characters are putting their arms around me and not her) she calmed down.
It may have looked bad to other people, but I genuinely did not know what her limitations were going to be until it was too late!
This time at WDW she is a little older, but I definately won't make her do anything that she doesn't want to. She refuses to go anywhere near PotC, or Splash Mountain, and she hasn't decided on the Haunted Mansion yet!

 

[C.Ann]

Gentle encouragement? Fine..

Forcing? Not so much.. I'm almost 60 and there are still rides that I won't go on..

 

[mrstxcop]

Gentle encouragement? Fine..

Forcing? Not so much.. I'm almost 60 and there are still rides that I won't go on..

my sentiments exactly --- that's why i went in after my initial post and said that i fully understand the encouragement and gentle nudging, if you will...

but what i saw in lines was forcing, not nudging --- it was pulling a child by the arm and when that got to be too much they picked them up and carried them on the ride...i think it's just a bit too much...

did i ever step in and say something to the parents...absolutely not...that is not my place at all and i would never do that --- but did i feel sorry for the kids??? yes i did...

you can tell a difference from the parents that are encouraging and the those that are forcing --- like i said, the forced kids got on the rides crying and got off the rides crying...that is what i think is just wrong!!!

 

[vbarry]

I forced my DH on the TOT, now he hates DHS.

ME TOO! AWFUL ride but my kids loved it!

 

[OandA]

my sentiments exactly --- that's why i went in after my initial post and said that i fully understand the encouragement and gentle nudging, if you will...

but what i saw in lines was forcing, not nudging --- it was pulling a child by the arm and when that got to be too much they picked them up and carried them on the ride...i think it's just a bit too much...

did i ever step in and say something to the parents...absolutely not...that is not my place at all and i would never do that --- but did i feel sorry for the kids??? yes i did...

you can tell a difference from the parents that are encouraging and the those that are forcing --- like i said, the forced kids got on the rides crying and got off the rides crying...that is what i think is just wrong!!!

You followed these people on and off the ride? I feel like parents are a better judge of what is best for their kids than an outside person who sees them for 10 minutes in line at Walt Disney World. For all you know the kid could be a little brat who does that on Small World and Dumbo too.

 

[snow.white]

He hates an entire park because of that? Seriously? If I was in your shoes he'd already be Ex-DH. Man up.

be nice..

 

[FLAgirl73]

Quote:
Originally Posted by snow.white
I forced my DH on the TOT, now he hates DHS.

He hates an entire park because of that? Seriously? If I was in your shoes he'd already be Ex-DH. Man up.

Wow, divorce over theme park preference? What is this world coming to?

 

[crystal273]

Although is was not Disney (going to Disney this year!!!) my 9yr old at the time pitched a fit at almost all the rides at Universal so his father and I took turns going on rides ourselves. Some family vacation, Now that he is thirteen he talks about how he wished he would have gone on more of the rides.

 

[cassandrap83]

I agree that it's wrong to force them, but there's nothing wrong with a lot of convincing.

 

[OandA]

Wow, divorce over theme park preference? What is this world coming to?

Not preference, just the fact that one ride makes the guy so terrified he won't step foot in the entire theme park. There's some other stuff going on for that to happen but that is neither here nor there.

 

[Dreaming~of~Disney]

I have forced my ds(8) onto rides while he is crying that he doesn't want to go. No one knows my kids better than me or Dh and I know once he rides it he will love it and want to ride over and over again. Happens all the time and he always loves it once he rides. You would think by now he would just trust our judgement that he will like it.