So who has kids that DON'T get scared on rides?

[Salty-]

I will be taking some nieces to either WDW or DL in 06 (haven't decided yet - moneywise) and some will be tall enough for Splash, BTM, Space, ToT, etc.

But they seem to not be interested in anything outside of the 'kiddieland' rides at the local amusement park.

The ages will range from 4 to 7 (in 06) and one of the nieces I did take to DL when she was 5 hated Haunted Mansion.

The last thing I want to do is to be the horrible uncle that forces them on rides and have them be scarred for life (even though all our parents did it to us ).

However, I think they will be missing quite a bit if we avoid some of the 'bigger' rides.

So - any advice? I know there are a few people out there that have young kids that will go on anything.

 

[that_L_do_pig]

two girls - 4 and 7. The 7 is a little on the cautious side but the 4 is brave. Last december she did Tower of Terror and Dinosaur. Both did Big Thunder Mountain many times. Primeval Whirl has a silly height limit so the 4 year old just sat there and bawled why the 7 year old rode it.

Just talk it up well before and after and even watch some ride through's before hand to deal with the anxiety.

 

[Robfasto]

I guess it would all depend on the child as each child is different.

My son who is now 10 is a thrillseeker and would ride anything. He is riden every ride at Disney parks each trip after he was tall enough to meet the height restrictions. And so far as loved them all... on the other hand I have seen teenagers in lines that are scared to death and my son tries to calm them down and assure them that everything will be OK since he rides them.

 

[that_L_do_pig]

... on the other hand I have seen teenagers in lines that are scared to death and my son tries to calm them down and assure them that everything will be OK since he rides them.

That's a great point, you have to know how the kid ticks to know what to appeal to. Some like bribes, some like egos stroked. Once you know this you are more than halfway there.

 

[shello1113]

I probably looked like one of those parents who forced their kids to ride things. My daughter had just turned 4 last year. I, of course, wanted her to do all the things she was tall enough for. She cried in line for Splash Mountain, but loved it. She cried in line for Thunder Mountain and loved that one too. And to my shock, her favorite was Tower of Terror. I felt bad while she was crying but I am glad she got past that fear and I made her ride. My next goal will be to get her on Space Mountain which I don't think is as bad as some.

 

[PhilharMagician]

My daughter was the same way when we first brought here to WDW at age 4. So I tried to prime her last year when she was 5 by watching ride video's on Disney.com and some of the ride video's that people have on the internet. Once she saw past the exterior of a building she seemed to be fine. Like the Splash Mountain video clip in the MK section of Disney.com has a little girl laughing and smiling as she goes over the drop. This alone had my dughter dying to go on it. This worked for Space Mouintain and Thunder Mountain. Now for this year she saw TOT on the travel channel a few nights ago and she can't wait to get there because she knows what the ride is about.

This worked for her, maybe it can work for your nieces. Good luck and enjoy your trip. :wave:

 

[Master Yoda]

My middle daughter was the one that did not want to get on anything until her uncle got her to go on the boat ride at Mexico. He sat on that thing with her for probably ten trips in a row. After that she loosened up a bit and now she goes on everything. Start off small and work your way up but don’t force them to do anything.

 

[shoppingnut]

I've found it helpful to explain how and what the rides does, discuss that some parts will be dark, but not for long, there are ghosts in the HM, but they are not real. It's the unknown that can be scary.

 

[MKCP 1985]

My last trip, in front of me at Space Mountain were a dad and his young son so small that I thought there would be no way he would be tall enough. The cast members were very attentive and that kid must have been checked four times before getting to the load platform. He was just barely tall enough each time. Sure enough, when it came time to get into the rocket vehicle (or whatever it is called), when the tyke saw that he would have to ride alone with his dad behind or in front of him, he started bawling, and eventually, the dad and the boy departed without going on the ride.

My point: If the kids (particularly the 4 year old, but really both) are timid, don't ruin the trip by forcing them into something you think will be fun for them. There are too many other tame rides that are fun for kids like that, and its just not worth it. Ultimately, I guess I disagree that the kids are missing anything if they don't go on the thrill rides if they have a great time and enjoy the mild rides.

 

[Laura]

My 3 year old loves every ride that doesn't have a height requirement. If it has a requirement, chances are he's scared. We've taken him on Barnstormer, Stitch, Test Track, and Kali River Rapids. He didn't like any of those. Our next trip he will be tall enough to ride nearly everything. I'm going to try him on a few fast rides to see how he does, if he doesn't like them then I won't press it. I'm also going to take him on Splash Mt. just because 95% of it isn't scary at all and he'd really enjoy it. I'll just hide his eyes for the big drop or something.

My advice to you would be start small and work your way up. Like take them on Goofy's Barnstormer - if they like it try Space Mountain and then Thunder Mountain, if they don't like it then don't bother with the bigger ones. For water rides with drops see how they do on Pirates first and then try Splash Mountain.

I honestly would not even attempt to do Tower of Terror or Mission Space with them. That might be a little too much for them to handle unless they are really brave.

I personally was a brave kid and have been doing the scariest thrill rides since the time I met the height requirement, but some kids don't like that kind of stuff (neither do some adults). If you keep dragging them on rides where they are scared, then they aren't going to trust you to take them on even the baby rides and it won't be a lot of fun. Find out what their limit is and don't try to push them past it.

 

[FourFourSeven]

It depends on the kid, and the age. When we went two years ago, my then-4-year-old was frightened of, well, everything but Dumbo, the Carrousel, and It's a Small World. But you know what? We had a great time anyway. There's so much that kids that age love. Frankly, meeting Daisy Duck was the highlight of that trip...

Of course, before our latest trip (got back on Sunday), I wanted to go on more of the rides. My oldest daughter is six, her sister is 3, and, due to lots of preparation, this time they were enthusiastic for almost everything. It helped to get the Official Guidebook for Kids (we read it several times before the trip), and it also helped to play the Magic Kingdom game (available on Amazon.com), to familiarize them with everything. Oh, and I took them on a flume ride at the local amusement park last summer to prepare them for Splash Mountain (they loved the flume, and couldn't wait for Splash Mountain. Amusingly enough, they declare the local park's flume to be better because "you get wetter." Maybe I'll save the $4000 I spent on the trip next time and just spend $200 for a day at the local amusement park instead...).

Anyway, the six-year-old wanted to go on anything and everything that didn't have extended dark moments. So we avoided Haunted Mansion, Stitch (would have avoided it anyway from all the bad stuff I've heard), Dinosaur, Tower of Terror, and Space Mountain (we did the Peoplemover so she could see the inside and decide on that). But all the other rides were great! Her three favorite rides were Test Track, Thunder Mountain, and Primeval Whirl, so I guess the anxiousness is no longer an issue...

But it depends from kid to kid. Some (like mine) are anxious of dark moments. Others might be anxious about speed or quick turns. Just be sure to listen to the kids and ensure they're having a great time.

 

[riguitargod]

My mother's children don't have a fear of rides! :lol::lol::lol::lol:

 

[Raven66]

My daughter was 5 when we first went. She cried in the line for T of T but after that we couldn't keep her off of it. Now at 8 she goes on everything. She loves RnRC and I won't even go on that! :lookaroun She has no fear of those rides. Last year she did Space Mountain for the first time and absolutely loved it.

 

[ogryn]

My little brother who is 7 will only do the "safe" rides. He did Big Thunder Mountain at Paris when he was three (he wanted to. We didn't force him) and hated it. He loves Small World, Sotrybook Canal, etc. Hates "Tough to be a Bug", "Honey 3D", and was a bit "ooo err" on Goofy's Barnstormer.

Personally, I didn't get into the bigger rides until I was about 15, mainly because I had been on some bigger coasters/log-flumes when I was younger and was scared by them.

IMO, the worst thing you can do is force a child on. You *should* know their limits, but keep in the back of your mind, that just because the dark doesn't scare you anymore, or you know how something works, doesn't mean your kid will (even if you explain it). It can still be scary.

 

[calidisneygirl]

My daughter has been to DW 5 times (she just turned 6 and her 6th trip will be this May.). She will not ride ToT, because my husband has scared her. She has ridden every ride that she is tall enough for (she is tall for her age 51") except SpaceM, my husband is scared again. We tricked her into riding SplashM, her picture is an experiment in child abuse, she looks ready to die. For a while, she would not ride anything and always asked....does this ride have a watery hill. As soon as she turned 4 1/2, she was all over the coasters. I would not try tricking kids, it could backfire and you could have an entire day ruined. Start with Goofy's barnstormer in Toontown, see how it goes from there. Test Track is another of her favorites, it goes fast but only at the end. Soarin' is great because you are flying... but you can't see how high you are. (It is a hangglider simulator, she has ridden this one at DL.) Feel free to PM me if you have any specific ?? on hotels, etc.

 

[WDWBro]

I didn't go on RnR until I was 12, and it became my favorite ride, but ToT still freaks me out, even though i go on it.

(btw, i'm 13)

 

[vikkisicky]

I have 2 nieces 5 and 7 at the time. 7 year old was tall enough for everything except RnRc. She did Splash, Space, Big Thunder MOuntain, ToT, GmR, and PoTc and Haunted MAnsion.

The 5 year old was tall enough for everything but RnRc. Dis everything but Space Mountain and HAunted MAnsion.

7 year olds favorite ride was Splash and ToT.
5 year olds favorite ride was Great Movie Ride and ToT (SHOCKINGLY!)

 

[Trishnh]

Speaking from the point of view as a person who was forced to go on rides when I was younger, I say let them enjoy it at their own pace! I have never been a thrill seeker, yet my mother forced me to go on Thunder Mountain Railroad and Splash Mountain (plus others) when I was younger. I hated those rides then, I still dont like them now, and I resented her for making me go on them. Plus, it made me feel bad about myself since I did not like them. You can still love Disney and have a great time without going on the thrill rides. Now that I have kids of my own, I encourage them to try the rides, but will not force them. I also do not tell them about my experiences. It so happens I have 2 thrill seekers(ages 6 & 8)who hate the Haunted mantion but love BTMR, SM and Dinosaur, one who prefers calmer rides (age 10) but loves Haunted Mansion, and my 3 year old is destined to be a thrill seeker as well! :drevil:

Bottom line: let them decide when and if they are ready for the more intense rides :wave:

 

[mrtoad]

It hard to say because they can change at anytime. My daughter had just turned 3 when we took her last year. She did everything, nothing scared her. This year one year later and she was a huge chicken and only decided that when we got there.

 

[KaliSplash]

As has been pointed out, all children are different. My youngest, who is 2 and a half years younger than his older brother, was the first to ride Splash Mountain and Rockin Roller Coaster and Space Mountain.
But his brother was the first to ride Tower of Terror.
But my young trailblazer to this day does not like the Haunted Mansion. (going upside down on RNRC is no problem, but the 'friendly ghost host' is no friend of my now 17-year-old.
I think the watch the video suggestions is a good one. And then try the tamer versions of everything before SUGGESTING the biggies.
Barnstormer before Thunder before Space before RNRC.
IASW before Pirates before Kali before Splash. (although you are much more likely to get wet on kali than splash, if wetness is an issue.)
Of course, there really aren't any practice rides for Mission Space and the Tower of Terror. But I'd say they should have really liked the other biggies before throwing them at the Tower or the Mission.