This was discussed somewhat in the TSM contest threads but I thought it might be helpful to have one specifically in the Parenting session. I was a preview winner and rode the ride with a friend and her two year old and then another time without the two year old. We also had 2 6year old girls and and 8 year old and 9 year old girl with us. Some thoughts on this:

In general this ride does not seem to be designeed for children under 3 or 4. There's not much to see or do on the ride except play the game., ie no animatronics to look at, just video screens. Any child unable to operate the gun or unwilling to wear the glasses is probably not going to enjoy the experience. This is not a "sit back and enjoy the ride" ride. If you don't play it is pretty boring.

No lapsitting is allowed. There are two individual lap bars that come down. There is room for a small child who can sit up to sit between two adults. Maybe ages 10 months thru about 3 years old. There are only two guns per car so the child would have to share with an adult and the 3D effects seem to work best when you are sitting right behind the gun, so it might be difficult for a child in the middle to target, although a kid that age probably doesn't care about their score.

Riding with multiple small children is also problematic. The vehicles seat 4 each but are set up so the 2 pairs on each side cannot see each other or have access to each other at all. Our two 6 year olds sat together and were fine, but were essentially completely on their own for the whole experience so if one had panicked or had some issue, we would not have been aware of it at all. If I had understood the setup better I probably would have paired them with an older sib or adult for their first ride-thru.

The ride operator said baby switch passes will be available and they will enter thru the single rider line.

Riding with multiple small children is also problematic. The vehicles seat 4 each but are set up so the 2 pairs on each side cannot see each other or have access to each other at all. Our two 6 year olds sat together and were fine, but were essentially completely on their own for the whole experience so if one had panicked or had some issue, we would not have been aware of it at all. If I had understood the setup better I probably would have paired them with an older sib or adult for their first ride-thru.


we had 4 in our group, and we asked to be on seperate vehicles (line 1,3 or 2,4). we end up on the same side so we can see each other and each other's scores. I don't know if the cms working the ride would be as accommodating when the ride officially opens though.

The ride operator said baby switch passes will be available and they will enter thru the single rider line.

First off, Vicki, thanks so much for the detailed information.

I'm very curious to hear more about this experience. Traditionally, the Rider Switch pass has been designed so that TWO people can return to the attraction together. If I returned to the Single Rider Line and was not "allowed" to sit with my companion, I'd be very annoyed. (Especially because in many cases, the companion will be a child.)

I'm very glad they're going to offer a rider switch pass because as I've read reports from the previews, I kept thinking that they really need one.

Adrienne

I would imagine the people entering the single rider line with a baby switch pass would have the pass in their hand so they'd be handled differently. I do not see any other place they could let the baby switch people into the line. There's no Fast Pass line, so you can't do that, the line is handicapped acessible, so as far as I could see, there's no separate entrance for that purpose. I guess they could go thru the exit? I bet that they will have some kinks in the process so how they handle this could change over the first few weeks.

And yes, the ride definitely needs baby switch capability, a family with a baby and one or two other children will have no choice but to use it.