Which "dark rides" did your little kids like?

[dr&momto2boys]

I have an almost 4 year old and a 2 year old. Whick rides will scare them if we try to go on them?

Our last experience at WDW was a year ago. At that time the baby (15 mos at the time) wasn't scared of anything---just too young to be scared I think.

Our almost 3 yr old at the time was definately intimidated by everything but let us coax him on...
Winnie the Pooh--1st ride--hated it! (not acclimated yet?)
Buzz Lightyear--again too soon I think
Nemo--afraid to go on--but loved it--we rode it 3 times
Peter Pan--pretty good--but second day
PiratesOTC--wouldn't even get on it

I'm expecting my two year olds reaction to be more timid this time, but maybe if we ease him into it...?

Not sure what to expect with the almost 4 year old now. He's not a "fraidy cat"--he loves roller coasters--just doesn't like the unknown. Maybe if we ease him into it a little more...?

There are some rides like this at DL that we didn't encounter at WDW...whick rides should we look out for? Any definate no-no's?

I really want to ride as many of these rides as we can. I'm pregnant and so a lot of rides are out for me. I don't want to exclude ones I CAN go on. But I definately don't want to scare the kids either!

Thanks for help!

 

[DangerMouse]

Ones to avoid:

Toad
Snow White's SCARY Adventures
and possibly Pinocchio.

Which really only leaves Peter Pan and Alice for FL dark rides.

 

[bluegrizzlies1]

My 3 yr old loves every dark ride except snow whit but will ride it.

Her favorite is HM with jack skeleton but also likes the original and of course pirates.

 

[Mugglemama]

I'd have to echo what DangerMouse has said...

For kids who are leery (mine never were, they've been riding these things since they were infants, lol), I would think Toad is a little loud and intense, and Snow White has the scary Old Hag, which kids who are already feeling nervous might not love so much. And Pinocchio has Monstro, so that might be an issue.

Which, as DM pointed out, leaves Peter Pan and Alice, which are less intense and more "fun".

 

[dr&momto2boys]

Your 3yr old will do HM? I'm sooo jealous! I really want to ride it, but hate riding it alone (I'm a little scared when I'm by myself!) Unless the holiday version is different?

If the kids don't go on the rides DH or I are single riders then since the other has to stay with the kids.

 

[bluegrizzlies1]

Your 3yr old will do HM? I'm sooo jealous! I really want to ride it, but hate riding it alone (I'm a little scared when I'm by myself!) Unless the holiday version is different?

If the kids don't go on the rides DH or I are single riders then since the other has to stay with the kids.

She loves the HM first time was last yr when she was 2 it was the original in aug.
We went in Dec 07 and she went nuts she loved nightmare before christmas HM more then the original.

We went march 08 and she was sad nightmare wasnt there but enjoyed it the way it was may was the same way.

She is really excited we are going in Oct to see jack again I dont even want to guess how many times we will ride HM and pirates in 6 days.

Im glad she will be tall enough to go on the 40 inch rides this time, she wants so bad to go on splash mountain she was bummed she couldnt go on it in may.

 

[DorkyDisneyMom]

I showed my kids rides on YouTube. They have all the rides you could possibly want on there. My boys were 2 and 5. They really liked them all. I just stressed how much fun it was. YouTube really did help me gauge what to expect on a ride and help me point out fun parts, or when there was a scary part I was able to remember and remind them what was next. Each kid is so different it's hard to tell. But, this is one thing that did help my kids.

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

Your 2 year old may have problems with Snow White and Pinocchio. My son loved Toad starting around 3.

Both I think are okay skipping anyway (don't skip Toad though, I LOVE that ride!). I went on Pinocchio by myself while DH and DS were on Space Mountain. I was like "dang this thing is scary!" LMBO I hadn't been on it in a few years I guess. LOL

 

[dr&momto2boys]

I showed my kids rides on YouTube. They have all the rides you could possibly want on there. My boys were 2 and 5. They really liked them all. I just stressed how much fun it was. YouTube really did help me gauge what to expect on a ride and help me point out fun parts, or when there was a scary part I was able to remember and remind them what was next. Each kid is so different it's hard to tell. But, this is one thing that did help my kids.

Good idea!

Thanks!

 

[dr&momto2boys]

I went on Pinocchio by myself while DH and DS were on Space Mountain. I was like "dang this thing is scary!" LMBO I hadn't been on it in a few years I guess. LOL

I'm glad I'm not the only one scared on kid's rides!

 

[CrAzY4DL]

Well, it depends on the kid.

My oldest daughter, who is almost 9, hates almost all of the dark rides (Peter Pan is ok and that's it). She didn't like them when she went for the first time at 3, didn't care for them at 4, 5 or 6 1/2. Hasn't been since July of 2006 so I don't know where she stands on them.

On the other hand, my other daughter who just turned 5, LOVES all of the dark rides!! Took her on them at 2 and we have never had a problem. Took this one on Tower of Terror when she was almost 4 and she was terrified....of the spooky Twilight Zone voice. WHAAAAA?!?! LOL Loved Rockin' Roller Coaster (Space Mountain with the lights on) but didn't care for Big Thunder.

I have never taken either one on Toad tho, just *** the whole H E L L concept freaks me out, LOL!!

 

[Jperiod]

My very tall DS could go on everything but Indy during our Oct 07 trip. He was only 2 yrs & 8 mths old. He doesn't seem to scare easily (and DH had even let him watch ALL of Snow White!), but I have always been one to thoroughly explain new experiences before they happen. From going to the doctor to going on Pirates for the first time! So at the park, we'd talk about the ride again, then ask if he wanted to go (yes), and then I narrated the ENTIRE ride through so he understood what "scary" things he might be seeing/feeling. I also tried to warn him before things would pop out like in Snow White or HM.

He loved them all!! Toad was a fav because he could drive the cars and there's a train in there (loves trains). He also wanted to ride "No-key-no" over and over again, even though he's never seen the movie! So who knows?! I only narrated the first or second time through certain rides and I haven't had to since. He still loves riding it all, including the ones that scared me as a child for years!

 

[DangerMouse]

The two parts of Toad that were scary for my kids was the scene where you are heading straight towards the train (in the dark) and then of course, going to hell with little demons, and where there is a huge dragon with smoke coming out of his nose and lit up eyes at the end. Just so you can warn your kids ahead of time.

Toady is now one of our family favorites, and we don't skip it, and we always rub Toady's head for luck.

 

[avalon451]

Start with Peter Pan (which you want to ride first anyway, because it gets busy fast and then stays busy all day!). It's about the nicest and least scary. If that one's ok, they might want to try Pinocchio, Winnie the Pooh, Toad, and Snow White.

We did the YouTube thing, too, and my DD5 really enjoyed the previews. She had definite opinions and didn't want to go on Snow White, Indy, or Space. She decided that she could handle PotC as long as I told her when the screen with the scary Davy Jones face was coming up, so she could shut her eyes. Otherwise she liked it.

Good luck, and hope your little ones enjoy everything!

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

Make sure you hit Alice too, that one is a true fav of mine. Can't think of anything scary.

I can see where the train part, and of course going to "h*ll" could be scary in Toad too. My ds loved it though, even at 3. I think driving the car had something to do with it. He always pretends to be giving me a "wild" ride with his driving! LOL

It is a good idea to explain the rides ahead of time I think, and make sure they know it's pretend. Pinocchio though, I don't know. LOL Don't do that ride alone as an adult. The donkey part, and the whale mouth gave me the creeps!

 

[aliceindisneyland]

I have a 4.5 yr old son & 22 month old daughter. Last week was their 4th trip since DS turned 3. DS's absolute favorite rides are Pirates and Haunted Mansion. He does close his eyes in the elevator on HM when he hears, "Of course, there's always my way!" because he doesn't like what he sees when the elevator ceiling goes transparent. DD sang along to the Pirates song and laughed at all the skeletons.
You never know what will set little ones off--they can be fine one trip and freak the next. DS loved the Bug's Life show at DCA last 2 visits, but the black widows scared him this time. DD was really clingy this trip, but not exactly scared. Every ride started with "No!No!No!" and ended with a huge grin.
I think it's best to just keep an upbeat attitude no matter which rides you choose to take them on. I heard lots of parents warning their kids, and prematurely putting the scare into their kids--"this may be too scary for you, Sweetheart--are you *sure* you want to ride it?"--that kind of thing. That's just asking for trouble, IMO.

 

[CindyH]

Alice in Wonderland and Winnie the Pooh are "dark" rides that don't have anything scary. Pinocchio has such a lame ending ("And then everyone lived happily ever after"; Peter Pan is fun but maybe a little scary since the ride is suspended in the air. Definitely would not have them to do Mr. Toad.

 

[avalon451]

Pinocchio though, I don't know. LOL Don't do that ride alone as an adult. The donkey part, and the whale mouth gave me the creeps!

Pinocchio is creepy! I do NOT like the Pleasure Island part!

I agree about informing your kids beforehand, but being upbeat about it. I spent so much time on dark rides, with my arm around DD5, saying cheerfully, "Oh, isn't that funny? What a silly skeleton!" and stuff like that. I was so busy doing that, I didn't really listen and watch for myself, much! So come October, I think I will enjoy just soaking it in and getting mildly creeped out on HM and PotC this time, with just my DD13, who will probably be the one holding MY hand!

 

[CAbryan]

Its hard to say since every kid has different tolerances.

As little ones, my 14 year old was scared of every ride, the 11yr old loved any ride and my 5 yr old can do any of the dark rides but gets really scared with faster rides.

The most we pushed it this trip was Indy and that was borderline freaking her out. If it wasn't for the great theme of Indy and the recent movie I think she would of refused to go on.

We made the mistake last year of taking her on BTMRR, (she wanted to, we don't force them). Now she will not go on any ride that appears to break the 2mph speed barrier.

 

[pinktink83]

My DD was 3 during her first trip to Disneyland. We rode Peter Pan first, she loved it, then Mr. Toad's wild ride next (theyre right next door) she was BAWLING through the whole thing. We tried Pinnochio next, same thing, it scared the dickens out of her! We didnt even bother trying Snow White after that. Her favorite ride was Dumbo. Although she did enjoy Buzz Lightyear (I was concerned after her other reactions, but we rode a few different rides in between and she was okay by then). She did not want to ride the Matterhorn even though she was big enough. We didn't bother trying Haunted Mansion. She enjoyed Alice, but we rode that one later in the afternoon, after she was "used" to the whole ride thing. I didnt think there was anything scary in it though, and it goes in and outside which helps I think. Pirates was closed at the time we went, but I think she would have been okay with it. (they both saw POTC 1 and liked it)

My 5yo DS went on everything except Space Mountain and Indiana Jones and LOVED everything!

My advice would be to start out with the outdoor rides (Dumbo, carousel, teacups, Storybookland, etc) then slowly with the indoor rides...Peter Pan, Alice and Buzz are good choices in my opinion. Based on your experiences last year, I would avoid Toad, Snow White, Haunted Mansion and Pinnochio!!! Pirates up to your discretion.

Some other rides she enjoyed were Jungle Cruise, Its A Small World, Tarzans Treehouse.