When to make unwilling kid ride?

[abinormal]

My 5 year old was tall enough for almost everything on our trip, but I guess it was never an issue. I knew she would be scared of HM, and she'd never done a coaster of any kind so I wasn't going to even suggest it. We had a toddler as well who couldn't ride the bigger coasters so we were swapping anyway. Any non height-restricted rides we just did without discussion. It never came up.

They were nervous about Potc but we talked about it being pretend scary, and we had a nice guy behind us talking like a pirate and making jokes along the way.

She loved Mine Train, my little guy was very upset. But he wanted to ride it and I thought he would enjoy it. She was tall enough for Soarin' but was reluctant. I thought she'd love it for sure but she came off it upset. Missed the boat on those two.

She wanted to do Star Tours (with daddy because I don't do simulators). They did have to leave the line because she got scared and began to cry. Later she was sad she missed out but we had no time to try again and that's a consequence of backing out of something.

I chose not to push. There was plenty for us all to do without tears and fears on vacation.

 

[Karl66]

I have never nor would I make my DD ride something she didn't want to. I am not opposed however, to resorting to bribery. We got her to ride ToT by buying her a Mickey head ballon.

 

[melana]

I would never make a child ride a ride they didn't want to. Having been a child who was made to ride roller coasters, etc. by my older cousins..I can say it did nothing to help "face my fears" because really it made the fear worse and I still cannot ride a roller coaster that goes in loops and I even have a hard time on those that don't. You know your child best but I can say from experience it can make the fear worse.

 

[mkla2015]

It all depends on the child... on our last trip DH took DD5 on BTMR as her first ride of the trip- for the next 2 days she was terrified of all rides including dumbo and IASW. She actually started crying when we sat In the boat for IASW but I knew she'd love the ride. Once she realized we would not take her on any roller coasters she was fine. She tried a roller coaster, she did not like it, I won't force her on another but I will try my best to get her on rides I know she will enjoy.

 

[starsweeper]

I don't "force my children" to ride anything but sometimes they just need a little assurance or push to ride. All my kids rode HM as toddlers and had no problems. They were a little scared to ride but I told them what to expect in the scariest part (the rooms before the ride) and how it was all fun and make believe. I would whisper to them about the funny pictures growing and we'd giggle at the jokes being told, etc. and they did great. For thrill rides, I follow their lead, answer questions and let them decide.

 

[ggdvc]

Curious how others handle kids who are scared to ride. I made my scaredy-cat daughter (probably age 6 at the time) go on Thunder Mountain a couple times - no loud crying, just a pouty face and a little pitiful whimpering. I truly thought (and still think) that she would like it if she just tried. Then when she was almost 8 I tried to get her to ride it again, but she burst into tears, so I didn't make her. But I've already told her that she's trying 7DMT next time, despite her protests (she'll be almost 9), so she has 6 months to get used to the idea .

What do you do? No judging each other please! Keep just keep about your own approach![/QUOT

As the parent, you know your child the best, so it's ultimately up to you. On my last trip, I witnessed both sides of this at MK. In line for Peter Pan's Flight, there was a 5-6 year old in line behind us who was in tears because of his fear. His mom said he'd be fine once he was on the ride - and he was. He was laughing by the time we were done. Later in the day, in the room before the stretching room at Haunted Mansion, there was a family with two kids, maybe 6 and 10. The younger one was already scared before we even got in to the building, and the older one started getting anxious before the stretching room. By the time we got in to the room, he was as terrified as his younger brother, and the last I saw them (before the lights went out), they were huddled with their parents. When the lights came back on and we moved toward the doom buggies, we saw them take pre-ride exit.