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Share your experiences w/ the HM and kids
- Thread starter kybred72
- Start date
PyxiiDustt
New Member
The first time I went on it I was four. I loved it and still do! My sister was 7 and she freaked out. I still hear the stories =]
mouselvrmom
Well-Known Member
Well, we make the kids go every year and it has been kind of funny. It really depends on their ages at the time they ride. My oldest has been on many times, but when she was probably 9 or 10, we were with our other three kids all under 5 and they were fine, but when the lights went out, she started screaming,"I've gotta get out of here!" We teased her relentlessly about that. She may never live it down. It's not one of my kids favorites and after riding it once on a trip they don't want to do it again, but we still do it once every trip. My youngest has been on it at the age of 11 months, 22 months, and almost 3 years and she has always been fine. It seems that the preschool and up years are the ones that they are scared. Mostly just in the beginning when the lights go out and they feel alone.
happymom52003
Active Member
My son was four and a half the first time he rode it. He fell in love instantly, and it is still his favorite ride (this really surprised us....for one thing, we thought he would be scared...for another, we thought for sure pirtaes would be his favorite ride). My daughter was 12 months old her first time. She did great, was not scared of anything. But when she was 19 months, she cried and buried her head into my chest. Then at 24 months she did not cry, but buried her head into my chest at certain parts.
My thirteen year old cousin rode it for the first time and hated it....kept her face covered and refused to ride it again! I really think personality plays a larger role than age. All you can do is give it a try. It is not a very long ride, so if they end up screaming the whole time, at least it won't last long!
My thirteen year old cousin rode it for the first time and hated it....kept her face covered and refused to ride it again! I really think personality plays a larger role than age. All you can do is give it a try. It is not a very long ride, so if they end up screaming the whole time, at least it won't last long!
We're going after the refurb and it'll be my 4.5 years old first time to Disney. I'm kinda hoping they don't make it more scary!
My son is almost 8 and he has rode it so many times since he was two- he loves it!! In fact we are going in October?November and he has already informed that he is going to ride it by himself. This is his favorite ride. He has several HM shirts and wears them all of the time. In fact his first shirt he got when he was two he wouldn't take it off. I had to wash it constantly so he could keep wearing it. The kid loves Halloween so this could be why he loves the ride so much!! He wants the book so bad about the HM.
gettingsmaller
New Member
My two daughters (4 and 6 at the time) were both scared of it before we walked in. I think they basically hid their faces the whole time.
We are going back again and they'll be 6 and 8. They were really apprehensive about it, but I checked out "Disney World for kids BY kids" (or something like that) from our library. There are little blurbs from kids about the different rides in there. On the haunted mansion, a kid basically says that is might seem scary at first but then you realize that it's not (or something like that). Anyway, I let my girls read that, and they're feeling better about riding. We'll see how it really goes in Sept...
We are going back again and they'll be 6 and 8. They were really apprehensive about it, but I checked out "Disney World for kids BY kids" (or something like that) from our library. There are little blurbs from kids about the different rides in there. On the haunted mansion, a kid basically says that is might seem scary at first but then you realize that it's not (or something like that). Anyway, I let my girls read that, and they're feeling better about riding. We'll see how it really goes in Sept...
My daughter grew up going to Disney World. When she was 4 or 5 she started really getting into telling and listening to ghost stories. She still loves all things ghosts. Ghost Hunters (on the Sci-fi Channel) is one of her favoriate shows. But it was also that same time when she started to Hate going on the Haunted Mansion. She is now 8 and will hide her face the whole time now. She complained so much that I skiped seeing it when we went to Disneyland in Feb. even though that was the first and possibly only time I will get to go there. Still like I said, she's not afraid of talking about ghost or going to real houses that are "haunted" She just doesn't want to see fake ghost for whatever reason.
ThinkTink721
Well-Known Member
No one has been too scared of the HM (at 1st, my kids were hesitant about going in, but we rode at night).
I remember at age 7 (shortly after Space Mt. opened) my parents were trying to get me on that ride.
I was so scared!
I asked them if I could wait there for them, but they informed me that the ride would exit at a different location.
I told them that they would fine w/ me.
Anyway, I rode & had a great time.
Last year, my 8 year old & 6 year old boys were hesitant to ride anything.
They were crying not to ride.
But, my 4 year old girl wanted to ride everything.
The only problem was she was only 39" tall.
She was crying to ride.
She will be taller this year, so we should not have that problem again.
I remember at age 7 (shortly after Space Mt. opened) my parents were trying to get me on that ride.
I was so scared!
I asked them if I could wait there for them, but they informed me that the ride would exit at a different location.
I told them that they would fine w/ me.
Anyway, I rode & had a great time.
Last year, my 8 year old & 6 year old boys were hesitant to ride anything.
They were crying not to ride.
But, my 4 year old girl wanted to ride everything.
The only problem was she was only 39" tall.
She was crying to ride.
She will be taller this year, so we should not have that problem again.
nibblesandbits
Well-Known Member
I don't have kids...however, I know for a fact, that I was one of those scardy kids. HM terrified the bejusus outta me! I didn't ride it properly until I was 16 I think. Now...keep in mind, to this day, I still don't visit haunted houses around Halloween...but I do now love the HM.
MomofKatie
Member
My DD rode HM for the first time when she was 3. I thought she would be scared, but she loved it! Even at that age, she knew it was "Disney Magic" and not real scary stuff. She still loves it at age 8.
I, on the other hand, was a real scardey-cat kid. The first time I rode HM, I was 7. I still remember how awful it was. I actually still have a bit of an issue with it, but I can go on it once per trip and appreciate it for its wonderful theming. But I'm still not wild about those darn Hitchhiking Ghosts!!
I, on the other hand, was a real scardey-cat kid. The first time I rode HM, I was 7. I still remember how awful it was. I actually still have a bit of an issue with it, but I can go on it once per trip and appreciate it for its wonderful theming. But I'm still not wild about those darn Hitchhiking Ghosts!!
journeyman
New Member
my little girl was three and she loved it.
kcnole
Well-Known Member
I remember the first time I rode it when I was 4, so 25 years ago. When the lights went out and the ghost host started talking I got scared and grabbed my dads leg. When the lights came up I realized it wasn't my dad's leg though but some other guy next to us. lol
Other than that I really liked it. I remember I rode with my mom and she kept talking about how funny it was and we laughed when the hitchiker ghost sat on top of me and I was amazed at the dancing ghosts in the ballroom. Really one of my greater memories of a ride at Disney.
Other than that I really liked it. I remember I rode with my mom and she kept talking about how funny it was and we laughed when the hitchiker ghost sat on top of me and I was amazed at the dancing ghosts in the ballroom. Really one of my greater memories of a ride at Disney.
SnowFire
Well-Known Member
My youngest was 2 1/2 the first time he rode. I was concerned that he would be scared by the graveyard scene and the ghosts that pop up. Turned out that I had nothing to worry about. Every time one would pop up, he would say "Go down, scary guy!" in a commanding voice. Of course, every time he said this, they did go back down. He thought that he was in control. Made him feel really brave.