Mansion stretch room too frightening for children

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Captain Jack Sparrow

Captain Jack Sparrow

Member
PrincessFairest said:
We recently returned from a 11 day Disney trip March 4 - 14. Exhausting but worth every minute of it. yet there are a few things I noticed and am concerned about, mainly the Haunted Mansion stretch room toward the beginning of the attraction. This was the first trip for our only daughter faire age 5. We thought this would be a good age for her first visit as it would be when she would be old enough to remember alot of the magic yet young enough to believe in the magic. One thing that really got her upset and in tears was the opening scene to Haunted Mansion at MagicKingdom. We never expected there would be a few moments of total darkness plus the lightning and scream nearly sent her into a fit. Disney is a place for families with children!!!!! I was appalled at how no cast member told us we probably should not take her into that scene. We spoke to a cast member at the ride exit who smiled to cheer her up, but still that beginning scene needs to either be changed or removed if disney is going to market as a family park for children. The rest of the ride is amazing, as our little princess faire could sit close to mommy and daddy if scared and there was no pitch black darkness. The music was fun and the characters inside the ride were more appropriate for children during most of the scenes. The beginning however really disturbed her and made her not wanting to ride too much more that day as she was still in shock of the total darkness. The majority of our vacation was great besides that one moment of terror in my daughters eyes. Please consider an update or change in the stretch room, maybe just to remove the total darkness to take into consideration the emotions and vulnerability of the child. When older she will learn to appreciate the ride for what it is as a classic.
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maybe the word "Haunted" coulda triggered a thought of fright? Too many things changing at WDW and not for the better. No reason to change this at all.....
 
Spikerdink

Spikerdink

Well-Known Member
I'm taking a 4 going to be 5 year old this August.

I will take him on the Haunted Mansion, but I will prepare him for it beforehand. And if he starts to freak out, then I will have to readjust our plans for the rest of the trip.

Even if he freaks out, screams that could wake the dead and generally isn't enjoying the ride, I would never say, 'Disney needs to change this scene or eliminate it' because my little guy was overwhelmed. Heck, I had a 45 year old friend freak out on Primordial Whirl (? did I get that right?) in AK. Did I berate CM for not telling her the car could spin? Did I tell Disney they needed to change the ride since my friend freaked? No, I just got new friends!
 
CaptainAmerica

CaptainAmerica

Premium Member
I'll defend the OP. I have a severe case of siderodromophobia (fear of trains). Nobody warned me that Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was a train ride and I ended up having a panic attack and fell head-over-heels into Rivers of America, where I was run over by the Liberty Belle. I nearly drowned. I'll be filing suit in Orange County shortly.

Spikerdink said:
I will take him on the Haunted Mansion, but I will prepare him for it beforehand. And if he starts to freak out, then I will have to readjust our plans for the rest of the trip.
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I don't think that's a good idea. "Preparing" your kid for something scary will make him hype it up in his mind and amplify the fear.
 
KLinder7

KLinder7

Well-Known Member
Good thing she didn't experience the CM that moves right next to you when the lights turn out. Was the only one in the stretching room once late at night and got a good jump from it. Loved it though! Kids need a good scare every so often.
 
JoFu

JoFu

Well-Known Member
Schneewittchen said:
My son's first ride on HM was when he was 15 months. My daughter was 23 months the first time she got on MH. We talked, giggled, laughed and tickled on every dark ride during those first trips and no one ever got scared because it is pretend and they know it.
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Ah hah! So the problem was that the OP didn't take her child on young enough! Had the child been desensitized younger this wouldn't be an issue ;)
 
Schneewittchen

Schneewittchen

Well-Known Member
JoFu said:
Ah hah! So the problem was that the OP didn't take her child on young enough! Had the child been desensitized younger this wouldn't be an issue ;)
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More like I'm not going to let my small children get in the way of continuing my happy childhood. I'm measuring my DD every few weeks hoping she'll be tall enough for Space Mountain soon.

But seriously, we always try to push our kids past their comfort zones. I'm not interested in raising clingy ninnies. I want my kids to be confident and self-reliant like my husband and MIL.
 
RandomPrincess

RandomPrincess

Keep Moving Forward
CaptainAmerica said:
I'll defend the OP. I have a severe case of siderodromophobia (fear of trains). Nobody warned me that Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was a train ride and I ended up having a panic attack and fell head-over-heels into Rivers of America, where I was run over by the Liberty Belle. I nearly drowned. I'll be filing suit in Orange County shortly.


I don't think that's a good idea. "Preparing" your kid for something scary will make him hype it up in his mind and amplify the fear.
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It depends on your child and how you do it. My daughter is nervous of rides she can not see what it is like ie anything inside a building. By showing her clips of the rides before trips she knows what is hiding inside the building and doesn't freak out. She has also learned to trust us as I don't lie to her about what a ride it like. So she is more willing to try things because she know we aren't going to trick her into something. We have not taking her on TOT because after watching a video of the drops she is not ready to ride it. I know her personal limits and what she can handle at this point. We just went to Uni/IOA in Jan. and she rode everything she was tall enough for and had a great time. When she would get scared before the ride. I would just tell her "I promise I will not take you on anything that is too scary for you." and she would come with us just fine after that. She always felt very brave after for trying something new.
 
FigmentPigments

FigmentPigments

Well-Known Member
My dad always told me that you only have to go on once and if you don't like it, you never have to do it again. My mom used to tell me that Mickey would never have a ride that would hurt me. Don't know which one worked, but I hid my eyes the entire first time I rode. Now, I love this ride and in fact, became a bit of a nerd about it.
I honestly thought the original post was a joke. The language used was so unreal. I still can't believe someone really said or thought that.
 
DisneyFans4Life

DisneyFans4Life

Well-Known Member
FigmentPigments said:
My dad always told me that you only have to go on once and if you don't like it, you never have to do it again. My mom used to tell me that Mickey would never have a ride that would hurt me. Don't know which one worked, but I hid my eyes the entire first time I rode. Now, I love this ride and in fact, became a bit of a nerd about it.
I honestly thought the original post was a joke. The language used was so unreal. I still can't believe someone really said or thought that.
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Haha...my dad and brother told me the same thing about Splash Moutain and that the drop was "nothing." Needless to say I never rode it again...
 
FigmentPigments

FigmentPigments

Well-Known Member
DisneyFans4Life said:
Haha...my dad and brother told me the same thing about Splash Moutain and that the drop was "nothing." Needless to say I never rode it again...
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They seriously told you the drop was "nothing"?! :eek: Oh my! Well at least they didn't completely mislead you, you never did have to go on it again. :D
 
JIMINYCR

JIMINYCR

Well-Known Member
A case of "the parent" failed.... not Disney. Parents should known what the rides are all about beforehand. Its not like there arent many videos available to watch, and guide books that list which rides have possible scare moments for young children. But as parents we all fail our kids at times. Heck, years ago I took my DS into a HM that was at our town fair thinking he was ready for it, could handle it, but I blew it and it was a long time before he got the courage to go back into another one. DW was angry with me for a long time too. But DS got over his fear eventually and now loves all HM's. Bottom line is Disney's not to blame.... we all fail our kids but nobodys perfect.
 
Dead2009

Dead2009

Horror Movie Guru
Hmm, the OP claims it was the first trip for the daughter which leads me to believe they've been there before prior to the kids birth, which leads me to believe they've been on the ride beforehand.
 
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