Which rides too scary?

[TigerLilly's Mom]

I have an extremely brave 8 year old and a pretty brave 5 year old. They have been to Disney and done pretty much everything except Alien. I am wondering which attractions we will have to skip. I don't think I will have to skip anything for my 8 year old - but wondering about my 5 year old. She is VERY excited about Spiderman, because she loves him, so I will let her try that, and also Men in Black. What about the River Adventure, Terminator, Twister, Kongfrontation, Earthquake, Jaws, and Back to the Future? These I am not sure of. Kongfrontation, Earthquake, and Jaws - seem ok. Anyone with young children want to comment? I usually let my kids make their own decisions if they are tall enough to ride, but a lot of these attractions don't have height restrictions, so I am not sure.

By the way, my 8 year old coaster fanatic is so bummed he won't be going on Hulk and Dueling Dragons - he is 53 1/2 inches barefoot, and even though he would make 54 with sneakers, I said no, because they make heigh restrictions for a reason. He was not happy, but at least he knows ahead of time :rolleyes . Thanks for any advice.

 

[daannzzz]

Kongfrontation is gone so you don't have to decide on that one.
I think Earthquake would be okay. Jaws is iffy as the shartk emerges from the water suddenly and with explosions of water.
Did the five year old do Dinosaur at Animal Kingdom. If so then the river adventure is okay if they can handle the long drop at the end. Terminator would probably be okay. I think It's tough to be a bug is a bit more intense.
Twister is very intense and very, very loud and intimidating.
We have never done Back to the Future are I get motion sick and have heard it is pretty rough. I know one person who's kids loved it and one who's kid was overwhelmed by it and didn't want to go on any rides after that.

 

[TigerLilly's Mom]

Five year old did not do Dinosaur - her choice - and my 8 year old hated it! I guess I have to get a newer guide book, I didn't know Konfrontation was gone, what is in it's place? I think I will do everything except Twister and save Back to the Future, for the last ride, so it doesn't scare her off the other ones. Thanks for your input!

 

[daannzzz]

That sounds like a good plan. The River Adventure is fairly scary with the Tyranosaur coming out of the dark above you and roaring loudly similar to the end of Dinosaur at WDW. The movement is real mellow though until the final plumet down the 80 foot hill.
Kong has been removed and a new Mummy theme coater is going into that building.

 

[Linda/MA]

When my youngest was 5 and we went to US, she did get frightened from Jaws and Earthquake, even though she loved TOT at MGM. All kids are different! One thing I did do before that first trip was to rent all the movies, e.g., Jaws, Back to the Future, etc., so they would be familiar with them. Don't know if that helped or hurt. She's 14 now and still hates that music from Jaws!

 

[Flyfly_Eclipse]

I went to Universal when I was very little as well and I remember these things...

OK I LOVED Back to the Future when I was little. I liked the movies back then too and so especially liked it.

I hated Twister. I was in 5th grade when I first went on this and left crying. Nowadays, I only would cry at the thought of a tornado and not the ride itself.

I really liked Earthquake too!! It's a bit scary but I found myself liking it (and BTW my mom had me go on Alien when I was 8, thinking I would be able to handle it...me, and an 8 year old boy beside me were crying like crazy...but I heard it's changed a little since then??).

I didn't like Jaws I don't think. Don't remember really.

Poor kid For the sake on 1/2 an inch? My parents were the opposite of you. They'd find me platform shoes so I could go on a coaster!! I don't think you should have anything to worry about on the coasters. They have the harness and a buckle that connects the harness to the seat. It's pretty safe. But I understand you are worried since he doesn't REALLY meet the height restriction. Too bad they don't have an "inbetween" one like Scorpian at Busch Gardens Tampa...they DO have the Unicorn but it's lame with no loops or corkscrews and all that coaster fanatics love.

 

[TigerLilly's Mom]

Thanks for you reply. That is just what I needed to hear. I will definately skip Twister. After reading about Alien, I said no way! It sounds like it would scare the cr** out of me! I'll start her out on something like EArthquake and if she likes it, we will do more.

Do you think I am being to strict on the coasters? I don't know, he loved Rock and Roll at Disney and all other coasters he has tried, but I am nervous. I didn't mention it before, but I said no to the Free Fall ride too - he meets the height restriction, but I just remembering hearing of three different people dying on these kinds of rides - I know, I am too paranoid. Maybe I should let him do one of these rides - he (and my hubby too) think I am being M E A N!

 

[Flyfly_Eclipse]

Originally posted by TigerLilly's Mom
Do you think I am being to strict on the coasters? I don't know, he loved Rock and Roll at Disney and all other coasters he has tried, but I am nervous. I didn't mention it before, but I said no to the Free Fall ride too - he meets the height restriction, but I just remembering hearing of three different people dying on these kinds of rides - I know, I am too paranoid. Maybe I should let him do one of these rides - he (and my hubby too) think I am being M E A N!

I say let him try one and see how it goes. I have never heard any accidents on the rides at Islands of Adventure.

I say let him try a rollercoaster, either one of the Dragons or Hulk. I'd be a little nervous about Dr. Doom.

I say this because I am only 61 inches tall. At the beginning you shoot straight up pretty fast and then slow towards the top. You slowly (yes...slowly) drop down, however, you lift up off your seat a couple inches because of the force. It's pretty scary when you lift off your seat, however I've been on many times and have been OK You'll have you let hubby on it first to decide whether your son should try it or not. I think he'd be more "secure" on one of the rollercoasters.

But it's your call. I don't think 1/2 an inch will really make much of a difference, at least not on the roller coasters. Rollercoasters are very safe and accidents are very rare.

And get this. My aunt, her daughter and I were next in line to get on a rollercoaster (Dueling Dragons) and that's when she (my aunt) tells us a "Roller Coaster Accident/Horror Story!!!" Scared the crap out of us!!! It wasn't an accident at IOA though. Again, I haven't heard of anything going wrong here.

Hopes this helps

 

[TigerLilly's Mom]

Well, thanks. Maybe I will let him try one. Which one is tamer? It seems like the Dueling Dragons would be.

 

[Flyfly_Eclipse]

Originally posted by TigerLilly's Mom
Which one is tamer? It seems like the
Dueling Dragons would be.

yeah, Dueling Dragons probably. It's very smooth. If he really liked that, you might take him on The Hulk...but hopefully the "take off" won't scare him too much!!
My aunt (the same one) took my cousin and myself on the Hulk and didn't tell me how it started off, but she told her daughter (who would have been 9 or 10) what would happen so she didn't get scared.
It starts going up like a regular coaster with the slow "clink-clink-clink" with talking going "I think...I think this tme...it's going to work..." "Warning: something something something" "No...nooo. NOOOOOOOO!!"
On that last "no" the car shoots up the rest of the way really fast and the ride begins! It's really cool, probably my favorite rollercoaster, but since he's young and small you may want to let him know so he doesn't think something is REALLY wrong (the "warning" may make him think something wrong with the ride itself).

But I do believe Dueling Dragons is tamer. Probably take him on Ice.

 

[TigerLilly's Mom]

Oh My!! I'm so glad you told me that about the Hulk! I never heard that, and my son would have been very nervous. I'll let him try the Ice and see what he thinks. Thanks again, you have been very helpful.

 

[wendypooh]

I didn't read every post, but there is also the Jimmy Neutron ride, it is new too, it is where hanna barbera used to be, if your kids watch NICK, they should like this ride. My son is 3 and he likes it all, however he's too small for the coasters and the water rides....... he doesn't go on back to the future, not out of fear, but the ride itself is too rough, and twister is LOUD, but he likes everything else.

 

[damo]

We don't find Twister scary at all! In fact, I think it is rather boring. You need to know that you are standing in many rows watching a simulated tornado on a stage in front of you. You feel a bit of wind and some water spray. There are a couple of explosions but if you do Earthquake first, it shouldn't be a big deal. It actually is very funny when the cow flies by!

My advice with the coasters is to get there first thing in the morning and get on the front row. It is much less scary when you can see what is coming ahead of you and prepare for it. You are less likely to get motion sick as well. Personally, I think you will probably end up riding them all! The little girl that we brought along (third grade) did not like Dr. Doom. She went on it once and then wouldn't go on again. She is a very brave girl but this was a little much for her. She was too short for the coasters but loved everything else, even Jaws. We just made sure that she was sitting in the middle of the boat, not by the side where the very fake looking shark jumps up. We put her 16 year old brother there instead and got a good laugh.

The height restrictions are for people with their shoes on, so your son should be fine.

 

[Planogirl]

I didn't see any mention of Shrek. I understand that this is really good.

Twister is iffy. I personally LOVED it but I can see why some kids might be scared. If you decide to try it I would make sure that I was on the back row away from the action and be prepared for a sudden jolt that really surprised me and DS (10) the first time. Also on Earthquake seat the kids in the middle the first time. I say the first time because my son insisted on riding it over and over.

My son was scared to death of Jaws before he rode it. He told me happily that the shark looked completely fake when it was over. This is still a fun ride even with a fake shark particularly if you get a good captain.

As for the coasters, I think that Dueling Dragons is definitely less intimidating than Hulk. At Dueling Dragons there is a very long and interesting queue that kind of spooked my son. He went on through it but he was glad to get out. I think that part of the problem was we walked through it real early and we were the only ones there.

 

[TigerLilly's Mom]

Thanks for the advice. I think I will definately skip Twister, But I am wondering about back to the future? My daughter rode Star Tours at MGM and loved it, but this is supposed to be a bit rougher than Star Tours. Anyone have a young child that enjoyed Back To The Future?

 

[the Dark Marauder]

I've seen many kids get off BTTF who absolutely loved it or didnt like it. More liked than didnt.

 

[Seahag]

My Vote is for DR.DOOM!!!!! *see custom tag for explanation*
(but I think that's just me)

 

[Robinrs]

Originally posted by TigerLilly's Mom
Thanks for the advice. I think I will definately skip Twister, But I am wondering about back to the future? My daughter rode Star Tours at MGM and loved it, but this is supposed to be a bit rougher than Star Tours. Anyone have a young child that enjoyed Back To The Future?

I've been taking my son since he was six, he's ten now and BTTF is one of his all time faves! I totally disagree that it's rougher than Star Tours, Star Tours made me physically ill!

As for your son's height, they do not measure children shoeless, the height is determined by them with their shoes on. My son was able to FINALLY ride the Hulk at 8 and BOY was he blown away! He STILL loves it.

I've taken plenty of children, ages 5 to 10 to USO and the only adverse reaction I've seen so far is with T2. Two of my son's friends, 6 and 9, became teary because of the darkness and the 3D. Other than that, they enjoyed everything else.

I've found that most children react like their parents do. If you calmly explain to them the "unknown", usually they can handle it.

 

[steve42]

Definately Back to the Future - my two love this ride, after they had been on this, I couldn't keep them away from it.

To say it's their fave ride would be an understatement

Steve

 

[TigerLilly's Mom]

Robins-
I totally agree with you, parent reaction is key. Well, she wants to do BTTF, so I guess we will tell her it is like Star Tours and let her try. She loved Star Tours. I am getting so excited . I have decided to let my ds (8), looked at the coasters and then decide. I think he may be too nervous about the Hulk, but maybe I will let him do Deuling Dragons.

Like I said before, If my kids are tall enough to ride, I usually let them decide on their own. It breaks my heart to see kids who just don't want to be on a ride and their parents insist and tell them how fun it is! My kids have never cried on ride, and they feel they are in control of the situation, so this helps. Thanks for everyone's advice.

I still think Twister is the only one I will skip.