Would you take your 3 year old on Space Mountain?

[candielips]

I think I would pass on my DD riding the ride.
When we were at WDW in May we took our DD to Blizzard Beach and took her down a waterslide as soon as we got there. She did not like it at all and refused to go in the water at all after that. So we had to leave BB before it was even noon.
So I would be afraid to take her on SM, have her be terrified and then not go on anything else. But I know my child as each of you know yours.
As parents we edit what shows they watch, games they play etc... as we know what will or will not be too intense. So the same should go for rides.

 

[Lorilais_mommie]

I'd say YES if he is tall enough.
But I would have to say NO to any ride that went upside down or tower of terror.

 

[princessmom29]

I would say yes if they were tall enough and wanted to ride. I really think the being seperated thing is more about the adults being nervous about not having control of the situation than the kids being scared. You are right there in front of/ behind them and can reach out and touch them at any time from behind. They are just as safe or safer in thier own seat than sitting with a parent. Honestly, thunder mountian bothered me more b/c the lapbar was soooo far from DD she came at least 6-8 inches off her seat if I didn't have an arm around her.

 

[princessmom29]

Nope. My father in law is a neuroscientist. You know shaken baby syndrome? It happens because baby's brains don't "gel" into their heads until they are older - usually sometime between two and three, but it can still be happening as late as four or five. Space Mountian is shaky enough and long enough to potentially cause brain damage in a child younger than six.

Is there any actual documentation of that??? Has anyone ever documented a case invoving forces of the magnitude involved in space mountian in an otherwise healthy child?? I have never heard of a ride with a top speed as low as space being included in any such study. In fact I have only heard that such a diagnosis for a child over the age of 3 outside of a tramatic injury is on the order of 1 in a million or more. Where are you geting your info from??

 

[avamadison]

For my kids I would say no. All kids are different. As long as they are big enough and they know it will be dark and fast and they really understand that, then I think it may be ok. Sitting alone may be a little scary though...

 

[CLR4321]

I would work up to it, rather than jump right into it. Try something like Splash Mountain or BTMRR first. I will take my son on any ride that he is tall enough for, as long as he wants to try it.

 

[RangerPooh]

Our oldest is very tall and by the time she was 3 (about to turn 5) she had been on Space, Big Thunder, Matterhorn, TofT. I can't recall if she went on EE or Splash Mtn or not due to the height, but definately when she was 4. She's a thrill seeker and loved it!

 

[Zeebs]

If my child meets all the safety requirements then I would let him if he wants to do it.

He is itching to ride splash mountain.

I took him on the Matterhorn at Disneyland which he told me he didn't like, but obvioulsy has a short memory as by the end of the trip he was asking to ride it again. (line too long for me though)

Kirsten