1 Parent, 2 kids, one won't ride coasters, other loves them

[winstongator]

How do you handle that?

Every once in a while I am at the parks with my daughters while my wife is either traveling somewhere else or at home. I've had some rough times when I've told one that we've got a fast pass for Soarin', but then the other freaks out not wanting to ride it. She freaks out at just the possibility of riding it. We end up not riding it, and both are upset! I think I've learned that lesson. Any other tips?

Adventurous daughter is 10, less adventurous is 7.

 

[Miceberg]

Am I correct in guessing that they aren't old enough to ride alone without you or wait alone while you ride with the adventurous daughter??

 

[21stamps]

Unpopular opinion below-

Force her to ride it... as in bribe her.

 

[winstongator]

Am I correct in guessing that they aren't old enough to ride alone without you or wait alone while you ride with the adventurous daughter??

Yes. Adventurous one is 10. I've done lines with her, put her on the ride, then headed to exit point with the less adventurous 7yo. We've done it on Star Tours & Thunder Mountain. I had the attendant at Soarin say that she needed to be 14 to ride alone which I thought ludicrous.

 

[winstongator]

Unpopular opinion below-

Force her to ride it... as in bribe her.

If you only knew. No amount of money would help (have tried), and no amount of goodies.

 

[Pixieish]

Ask around and see if one of your daughters' friends can come along with a parent so there are two adults?

 

[winstongator]

Ask around and see if one of your daughters' friends can come along with a parent so there are two adults?

We've done trips like those and they're awesome. We're lucky to go enough that we can't always get other parents to join.

 

[Pixieish]

We've done trips like those and they're awesome. We're lucky to go enough that we can't always get other parents to join.

We're hoping to move down in the not-too-distant future, and I'll probably have the same issue.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Growing up, my parents always had the rule for us that you always had to try the ride once every trip. If you didn't like it, then you didn't have to go on it again.

That being said, if your younger one is truly petrified, she is old enough to wait for you. I would suggest that she go through the line with you, and then when you get to the front, let the CM know that she doesn't want to ride, and they'll take her through the chicken exit, and she'll wait right there for you while you ride. CMs are usually more than happy to do this, and it does happen more than you would think. Your other daughter is also old enough for the singles line in some cases, so for ones like EE, RnRC, and TT, she can ride, and you and the younger one can grab an ice cream and wait for her.

Also, and maybe this is the obvious part, but if your younger one freaks out over what FPs you've gotten, then don't tell her what FPs you've gotten. Make it a policy that it's a surprise, and you find out when you get down there, and that if there's something she absolutely does not want to ride, then she does not have to, but she has to be patient and let older sis ride the more intense stuff. Because really, how is it fair that she gets to ride what she wants, but her sister can't? (FYI, it's not)

My younger brother and I are both thrill ride junkies, but some rides (Astro Orbitor) make me REALLY motion sick and have for a long time. If my brother really got insistent on riding it and my mom wasn't there, I would just wait while my dad took him on it at the end of the line. No big deal; I usually just sat there and people watched.

 

[correcaminos]

Am I correct in guessing that they aren't old enough to ride alone without you or wait alone while you ride with the adventurous daughter??

Disney allows 7 and up to ride alone. We particularly use that at Test Track subtle rider line.

For some rides I'd try to bribe the 7yo. Rides like Soarin' are not intense. Might give a pass on ToT or EE or RnR though.

 

[ColinP29]

Growing up, my parents always had the rule for us that you always had to try the ride once every trip. If you didn't like it, then you didn't have to go on it again.

That being said, if your younger one is truly petrified, she is old enough to wait for you. I would suggest that she go through the line with you, and then when you get to the front, let the CM know that she doesn't want to ride, and they'll take her through the chicken exit, and she'll wait right there for you while you ride. CMs are usually more than happy to do this, and it does happen more than you would think. Your other daughter is also old enough for the singles line in some cases, so for ones like EE, RnRC, and TT, she can ride, and you and the younger one can grab an ice cream and wait for her.

Also, and maybe this is the obvious part, but if your younger one freaks out over what FPs you've gotten, then don't tell her what FPs you've gotten. Make it a policy that it's a surprise, and you find out when you get down there, and that if there's something she absolutely does not want to ride, then she does not have to, but she has to be patient and let older sis ride the more intense stuff. Because really, how is it fair that she gets to ride what she wants, but her sister can't? (FYI, it's not)

My younger brother and I are both thrill ride junkies, but some rides (Astro Orbitor) make me REALLY motion sick and have for a long time. If my brother really got insistent on riding it and my mom wasn't there, I would just wait while my dad took him on it at the end of the line. No big deal; I usually just sat there and people watched.

Taking your 7 year old to Disney and making her wait on her own while you ride rollercoasters is up there for nominations of 'Parent of the Year'

 

[21stamps]

Taking your 7 year old to Disney and making her wait on her own while you ride rollercoasters is up there for nominations of 'Parent of the Year'

I’d call it good parenting.

There is 2 children, not one.

 

[ColinP29]

I’d call it good parenting.

There is 2 children, not one.

Good parenting? To take your daughters on a day out and leave one of them standing alone while you have fun with the other one?

 

[21stamps]

Good parenting? To take your daughters on a day out and leave one of them standing alone while you have fun with the other one?

Yes, absolutely.

 

[daisyduckie]

Good parenting? To take your daughters on a day out and leave one of them standing alone while you have fun with the other one?

Maybe not doing one or the other, but taking turns would be the way to go. I agree, going on every ride with the 10 year old and leaving the 7 year old standing there much of the time is pretty crappy parenting. But then I'm not sure I'd leave a 7 year old alone anyway.

I'd try and negotiate with the 7 year old to get them on a few of the less intense rides. Then I'd skip a few and send the 10 year old on. Btw, Soarin may not be very intense, but the height can be a problem for many, including me. You have to know what rides you can push the 7 year old to do without them having a total meltdown.

 

[buseegal]

Taking your 7 year old to Disney and making her wait on her own while you ride rollercoasters is up there for nominations of 'Parent of the Year'

while the 7 year old will have to wait and a few rides the older child will have to ride/wait for younger child on some rides that they might not want to have to do. it is part of being in a family and not an only child. I know in our family the child soon learns it is more fun to ride than wait. we have had more complaints from old kids about riding "baby" rides but when it comes to "I have to wait here?" the tune changes. it works both ways

 

[Chicagoshannon2]

I also have a 10 and 7 year old. DS (the 7 yr old) is terrified of coasters. When he was younger we made him try everything except ToT and Space Mountain. He wasn't tall enough yet for Everest or RnR. We bribed him each time to the point of lunacy. We stopped making him but this trip we are making him try them again.

Anyway, last time we went my 10yr old was 8 and we just let her ride some rides alone. She even went through a few lines by herself (barnstormer for sure).