Would you put your 4 year old on...

[MarcyMouse]

ToT?
Soarin'?
Thunder Mountain RR?
Splash Mountain?


My DS will just have turned 4 when we go, and is already over the 40" requirement for these rides. He's generally a thrill seeking kind of kid, but has never experienced anything more than kiddy rides. Please share your experiences with young children and these rides (and any others I'm forgetting that would be appropriate here!)

 

[MikeAidanEoinMom]

ToT?
Soarin'?
Thunder Mountain RR?
Splash Mountain?


My DS will just have turned 4 when we go, and is already over the 40" requirement for these rides. He's generally a thrill seeking kind of kid, but has never experienced anything more than kiddy rides. Please share your experiences with young children and these rides (and any others I'm forgetting that would be appropriate here!)

I would put mine!!! But mine is not scared of anything.

 

[Robo]

ToT?
Soarin'?
Thunder Mountain RR?
Splash Mountain?


My DS will just have turned 4 when we go, and is already over the 40" requirement for these rides. He's generally a thrill seeking kind of kid, but has never experienced anything more than kiddy rides. Please share your experiences with young children and these rides (and any others I'm forgetting that would be appropriate here!)

I'd do it in the following order (to start slow and build up):

1- Soarin'
2- Thunder Mountain RR
3- Splash Mountain
4- ToT

or-

1- Soarin'
2- Splash Mountain
3- Thunder Mountain RR
4- ToT

But, if you start with ToT, you may spook the kid, first-thing!

 

[elmo2wdw]

We did this at the end of September. He had just turned 4 September 6th. I was shocked he was tall enough. He loved them all, but TOT - he did not cry but he did not like it. I felt bad afterwards but when we went in December he rode it again. He loved Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain!!!

 

[rotlex]

Took our DD to Disney twice last year, and she rode all of those except Tower of Terror. The only reason she didn't, was we actually ran out of time at MGM and had a dinner reservation.

But yeah, I believe they are all fine as long as your child is up to it. Our daughters FAVORITE though is now Expedition Everest. On our first trip last April, she was not quite tall enough to ride it, however, buy August, she just broke the height requirement. She was a little nervous about the Yeti, LOL, but after the first ride, wanted to go again, and again, and again........

 

[DisneyMomOfThree]

I agree with Robo start small (if there is such a thing with those rides) and work your way up. My DD4 has done them all and loves them all. In fact she talked her brother9 into doing TOT and he is my thrill seeker. He didn't want his little sister beating him in rides . However my DS5 likes Soarin and he is ok with BTMR but that's it.

 

[Detailor]

I'd suggest that you let him see the attractions (ToT's drop, Splash Mtn's drop, etc.) before he decides whether he wants to do them or not. If they look like fun to him, he'll be more likely to enjoy them - but he might get spooked by hearing screams from other riders.

Dick Taylor

 

[LuvsTinker]

Really depends on the child. My DS who had recently turned 5 rode TOT because he asked to and got scared - didn't cry but definitely has not wanted to back on it.

Thunder Mt. was not a problem and Soaring was not a problem. We haven't tried Splash Mt. with him yet.

 

[tink_lover]

Last trip DS was four. He was okay with Soarin, Thunder, Splash but absolutely would not do ToT. FWIW, neither would my DD8 or DS5. We are not going back to HS this trip, maybe next one when they are all a little older and will have more fun.

 

[ClaraBug]

My DD was just shy of 4 and just shy of the 40" ( her shoes made her tall enough )when we went this past summer. She absolutely loved Splash Mountain, in fact she did not want to ride Big Thunder b/c she wanted to ride Splash Mt again. I was concerned b/c there is not lap belts about her staying in the boat, but my worries were unfounded. She LOVED it!! If your little guy wants to ride them, I say let'em!!

 

[mill4023]

Soarin shouldn't be a problem. It's not scary unless you have a strong fear of heights. The others I'd want to build up to.

I like Robo's order:
1- Soarin'
2- Splash Mountain
3- Thunder Mountain RR
4- ToT

But I'd add a couple things. I'd have him do Goofy's Barnstormer before doing Thunder Mountain to make sure he isn't scared of coasters. And I'd have him do Haunted Mansion before ToT to make sure he won't be afraid of dark spooky things.

I've had two opposites. Our oldest DD has never been afraid of anything. When she was 7, she went on Rock n Roller Coaster 5 times in a row, loved ToT, loved Mummy at USF and was really upset that she wasn't tall enough to ride Kraken at Sea World. Our middle DD was 7 on our last trip and forced herself to go on ToT, but spent the whole ride with her head buried in my chest, eyes closed, and gripping my arms as hard as she could

 

[jpolak]

I did them all (and test track) with DD except TOT. She loved them all, but then again this is a four year old who was mad that she wasn't tall enough for EE

 

[Squidrific]

We took my dnephew to Disney for his 4th birthday this past October. He loved the 3 MK mountains with Splash coming in first because of the water. It was hot! His absolute favorite ride was Soarin though. He still talks about the "flying system" and how he wants to ride it again.

He rode ToT and didn't cry, but wasn't really happy about it the first time. He kept wondering if it would hurt when the lightning hit you. (He took the pre-show very seriously). However, about 2 hours later he decided he really wanted to ride it again and this time he loved it. I think he was just shocked and didn't know what to expect the first time. Once he knew what was going to happen, he just giggled and said he loved how it tickled his tummy.

 

[tmatthews]

My son was 3 and did all but TOT! Iwon't even do that!

 

[princess stich]

Yes! In June 2007, my then DS3 rode TMRR and Soarin' both for the the first time. HE loved them! We ran out of time for SPalsh MT, He wanted to ride it though. I don't remember why we didn't do ToT. Now, my DD7 on the other hand...no way! SHe went on Soarin last trrp, but cried the whole time. THe other three she wouldn't dream of going on! I think the only reason she went on SOarin was becasue she couldn't see ahead of time what is was going to be (We tried our best to explain it to her). SHe says she wants to do it again though, but I bet she won't!

 

[scrapbookjulie]

DD had just turned 5 a week before trying a couple of those. She absolutely loved Thunder Mtn. It's her favorite ride. She was terrified on ToT. I think it'll be many years before she tries that again. I remember trying to hold her little body down so it didn't fly up off the seat quite so much. Not a good choice for her!

Julie

 

[Peaches1111_00]

YouTube has videos of almost all the rides. You can find stuff on there and watch the videos together before going to see if it's something everyone wants to ride. I love watching just to have reminders of WDW.

TTrack is the most thrill that I want. I don't ride the mountains and I don't really like coasters. ToT is a definate NO every time someone asks. I'm even getting nervous about the initial lift and ending drop of Soarin' to get on and off. (Gah I'm such a baby.)

 

[frayedend]

I agree with most here that everything but ToT is fine. My 4 year old just made the height this year and I'll take him on all of these and decide on ToT after that. He is not afraid of anything. His older brother (7) won't try it. And I think that getting them used to "heights" (even fake heights like Soarin') is a good idea at a young age. They don't know enough to be scared and end up having lots of fun.

 

[dodgeman]

My 3 1/2 year old did all and loved them all except TOT. She didn't dislike it but it wasn't here favorite either.

We're leaving next Sat and she is now 45 inches and is begging to ride Space Mountain and Everest.

 

[dvcnewgirl]

My 4 yo LOVES soarin, and would probably do Thunder mountain, she would be afraid on ToT and Splash mountain.