Would/has anyone take a 4 year old on the 'big' rides?

[Minnie824]

For our next trip a long time from now my DD will be 4 years old. She is pretty tall for her age, always been in the 75-90%, so I'm assuming by then she'll be tall enough for some rides like Splash and Big Thunder Mountains. My only question is will she go on them. Obviously, if she takes a look and say no, I wouldn't force her on them, but she's pretty brave. Has anyone taken a 4 year old on? Were they tall enough? Which big rides did they go on? Thanks!

 

[scanmom]

I have a sister that is 18 yrs younger than me!! and when she was 3 we went to Disneyland (Ca.) she was/is very small for her age. she rode the matterhorn several times and space mtn. a couple of times. BTMRR did not exist then. Splash didn't either. She LOVED them! If your DD is tall enough and wants to try...I say let her!!! We have some great videotapes of me and my sis coming around the last dip/curve of the matterhorn. She was laughing and grinning from ear to ear...and has been thrillriding ever since!!!

 

[bekeating]

My four year old did Splash Mountain and Thunder Mountain Railroad multiple times last year. She loved them both. She also tried Tower of Terror - she wanted to! But after that one her exact words were 'we don't have to do that again'.

I'd say if they are tall enough and want to - let them!

 

[BABYJOSIE98]

I took my DD this past April and she just turned 5 right before we went. She loved Splash mountain and Big Thunder mountain. She even rode Tower of Terror. I would say if they are willling to go then give it a try. Most the Disney rides are themed and the kids love them. Mine still talks about Breyer Rabbit on Splash mountain. She did cry after TOT,but says she wants to ride again when we go back this Halloween.

 

[campingcorgi]

We've got a 3 1/2 year old that is really hoping she is 'bigger nuff' when we go in October! She has never drunk so much milk as she has since June when she couldn't ride the big rides. She is measuring 40.5" at home now so I'm hoping she'll be able to try Splash in October (BTMRR will be on rehab). We'll let her try TOT if Splash is a success.

 

[HappyMommy2]

My 3yo DS loved Splash Mountain (did it twice) and BTMRR (did it 3 times) last month! We tried him out on Goofy's Barnstormer (4 times!) first, plus Star Tours before taking him on the "bigger" ones, and it was pretty clear that he would be fine (plus he had LOVED the little drop in Pirates of the Caribbean).

BTW, I held on tight to DS on BTMRR; it seemed like he could have flown right out if I hadn't held onto him! Just protective parental instinct, I guess. I didn't ride Splash so I'm not sure how the restrains are for really little kids.

Have lots of fun!

 

[3for Me]

If she can handle it - I say GO FOR IT!! Our just-turned-three-year-old did Splash Mountain - Big Thunder (his favorite ride of all) Kali River Rapids and Dinosaur and LOVED them all.

I think it depends on the child.

Also, I agree with hanging on to them for dear life on BTMRR and Splash. I thought for sure that he would fly right out.

 

[mep319]

DD, now 6, has always loved the more adventerous rides & has always been of very average height. We always brought shoes with a larger heel or platform bottom to get her on those rides she just missed. I carried them in my backpack and put them on before we attempted to get on. The only thing we had to use them for last time was Rock n Roll Roller coaster. ...hopefully we will be good this time...but to those with the daring kids the shoes work great!

 

[Cindy B]

I took my three year old on Tower of Terror, Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, and eveythign else.. Star Tours, etc..

At four he rode Rock n Roller Coater

At five my daughter is big enough for everything, and she is excited to go on it.

My son at three wasn't crazy about Tower of Terror.. he didn't like the ghosts.. but now at eight he will go on it again.

My son rides anything and eveyrthign.. flying coasters, inverted coasters, etc.. he is 55 inches and loves it all.

My daughter is 48 inches EXACTLY and can't wait to ride Primerval and Rock n Roller

 

[jacksonsmom]

My 3.5 yr old was 43.5" when we went last June.

He has always been daredevil, He went on Splash Mountain, Tower of Terror, BTMRR, Test Track, Dinosaur, Star Tours, Body Wars, etc.

He loved them all, I think the Dinosaur ride was his favorite though.

We are going again in December & he is hoping he is tall enough to ride Space Mountain (He now is 4 yrs old) He also said he can't wait to go on ToT again

If your child wants to go on them,let them. What helped with my child is I explained every ride (the big ones), if it was going to be dark, noisy, etc. So there was not any surprises.

 

[clkelley]

Although my boys were 9 & 10 for our first WDW trip, we went to Six Flags Over Georgia when my oldest was 4 and he rode everything with me.

Scream Machine
Georgia Cyclone
Batman
Dahlenoga Mine Train (similar to Big Thunder Mountain)
Viper
Ninja

These are all MUCH wilder coasters than anything Disney has, so if your child wants to and is tall enough, let em!!!

Carol

 

[Shooby doo]

We took our Ds ,then 4,on anything he wanted to try! Pirates & Jungle River were losers,he hated the dark! He loved Splash & BTMRR,Goofy's Barnstormer- hit the darkness problem at Space.We managed to get him on TOT,said he enjoyed it but wouldn't go back on. This time DS is now 8 & big enough for everything so we are hoping to talk him into trying them all!!
If your DD wants to try them let her,especially Splash as it would be a shame to miss out on the wonderful story inside & the drop looks worse than it is anyway!!

 

[shelleyz]

WOW, you all have some brave kids. My DS is 4 and I think I might have trouble getting him on the family rides. He keeps telling me he wants to do the rides but I think it may be a different story when we get there in October. Last summer we went to an amusement park and went on the bumper cars and he bumped his mouth and it started bleeding, that was the end of our riding for the day. When I show him pictures of the rides he says "I want to do that one mom, its not bumpy right?". Also have a DS2 who hasn't been on any rides yet. Guess we'll have to wait and see.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

Last year, my 4 yo DD did every ride that had a 40 inch requirement. ToT freaked her out in the pre-show room, where the lights go out, so she did not want to go on, we had been in line for a long time, and I had my 6 yo DS who wanted to go on, my DH was waiting with our 2 yo..so the guy at the elevator sent us down on the service elevator to bring my DD to my DH and then my son and I got to go right back up. When we came back down, we thought she would change her mind seeing how thrilled my son was (ToT is his favorite ride, I have a sick child)but no..she wanted nothing to do with it. Later in the day...DS wanted to go on again, and this time she said she would be brave enough....she went on. She freaked at first, but by the 3rd drop, she was laughing.

 

[elemusing]

My Ds was 2 (a month shy of 3) when he rode Splash and TOT. He loves Splash Mtn. but he decided he wanted to be older next time he rides TOT. He didn't cry, but was like - well - that was neat, but I wasn't crazy about it. So anyway - he is 5 now and loves the thought of TOT, but has decided he still isn't big enough??? I don't know. He also rode Dinosaur. He didn't cry on that either , but HATED it. He hated the lights and the bursts of air - not the dinosaurs. It is just way too intense for little ones IMHO.

Anyway, be sure and explain every aspect of each ride to her. That is what we did. He decided if he wanted to ride and was told he never has to ride anything again. If he wanted to - we did it. He LOVES Haunted Mansion. By our next trip, he will be tall enough for everything. We will do the same thing.

Angie

 

[Madi100]

We took my four year old with us on our last trip. She is a very shy, timid little girl. She is not the bravest, but if we can convince her to do something, she usually loves it. Her favorite ride is Big Thunder Mountain. She can't wait to go on it next time. Splash Mountain she didn't like, but she says she will try it again. She loves roller coasters. I'd say, let her try.

 

[Msslaydbug]

My son has just turned 5 right before our last trip. I am not sure if he is the same as other kiddos his age or not but he is SUCH A daredevil !! He is one that gets upset because he can't go on the bigger rides yet.

He rode BTMRR , Splash, and TOT last time and he couldn't get enough. In fact he did better on TOT than anyone else. In his picture everyone has a look of horror and he actually looks bored LOL !!!

This year he wants to try Space Mountain but he will make it by the skin of his teeth if he is able to ride since Disney is known to add a small bit to their sticks !!