Hi all-
I was hoping for some advice. How do you know if your kid is ready for a roller coaster or dark ride? Honestly, is it o.k. to just go on a ride and see how they handle it - or are there some tips you can give me to help me figure out what rides my (almost) 3 year old will enjoy on our first family trip to WDW?

My son is hit or miss on a lot of things and I'm not quite sure what he will just LOVE and what he will find scary. We went on a carrousel yesterday and he was a little scared on the horse by himself, but as long as one of us stood with him, he was fine.

In contrast, he goes down the TALLEST and SLICKEST slides at the playground, all by himself and never has a problem. In fact, he gets upset if Mommy tries to go with him. LOL!!

Most of all, I want to make sure my two wee ones have a great, safe, and happy trip. At the same time, I can't wait to introduce my love of all Disney rides to them.

Any ideas? Thanks, all!

It's your child and your call.

At 3, my children were far too young for even the Snow White ride. If they were 3 today, I'd limit them to It's A Small World, Pooh, the carousel and things of that gentle nature.

Take it slow. Try the ones you know they will not be scared of. Snow White is a scarey ride, but some of the other dark rides are fine, like Peter Pan and Toad's, both my kids like those and have since they were little. They both LOVE POTC too. I say just take them one ride at a time. When he likes something, move on to the next. It might help to let them decide on their own a bit too. If they pick it, they might feel better about it.

It's your child and your call.

At 3, my children were far too young for even the Snow White ride. If they were 3 today, I'd limit them to It's A Small World, Pooh, the carousel and things of that gentle nature.

Thanks, 3894. We went to DL with my son when he was barely 1, and we did pretty much that. But, at nearly 3, developmentally, I understand, their minds are less about absorbing everything, and more about actually forming certain abstract concepts and emotions - like fear, and real v. fake. I understand that, at 3, developmentally, he may not understand what is happening around him is all fake.

So, at Christmas, when he was just 2, we took the kids to DL, again. This time, we were a little more adventurous and went on Pirates - again, a little apprehensive, but at the end, he loved it and wanted to go again and again.

I just don't know if, developmentally, he has hit a stage where what was fun will be scary, what was scary will be fun... etc.

My daughter, on the other hand, will be just 1 1/2 - - the age he was when we took him to DL for the first time. I've kind of got a grip on what is going to make her happy or scared. (DEFINITELY NOT a character lover - they are TOO big for her!)

I guess I will just have to take baby steps with him. It would be horrible if we went on a ride first day and then he was scared to go on anything the rest of the trip!

I really want him to have the best and funnest trip possible. If that means 9 day playing in the bathtub at the room - so be it. ;)

Take it slow. Try the ones you know they will not be scared of. Snow White is a scarey ride, but some of the other dark rides are fine, like Peter Pan and Toad's, both my kids like those and have since they were little. They both LOVE POTC too. I say just take them one ride at a time. When he likes something, move on to the next. It might help to let them decide on their own a bit too. If they pick it, they might feel better about it.

That is great advice. Thanks! I think I will just take them one ride at a time. I don't want to traumatize my kids, but I also don't want to hold them back.

So, I guess I will just let him know what the ride is about and let him say yes or no on going. I think he is better, too, when he can ride with Mommy on her lap, or with me holding him close - so that will be a factor, too.

Personally, I say let widdle guys be widdle guys. They grow up fast enough as it is. To every thing there is a season (turn, turn, turn) ...

Soon enough the 3 year-old will be 8.

So, I guess I will just let him know what the ride is about and let him say yes or no on going.

Your child needs Mom and Dad to set the limits.

Personally, I say let widdle guys be widdle guys. They grow up fast enough as it is. To every thing there is a season (turn, turn, turn) ...

Soon enough the 3 year-old will be 8.



Your child needs Mom and Dad to set the limits.


Ah, but there is a gentle balance between setting limits and not encouraging your kids to try new things. I want to do the former (hence this post) and not the latter.

For example, I would never take my son on ITTBAB because, heck, it scares me! But, I am considering taking him on Big Thunder because I think he'd have a good time - he likes trains, loves going fast and up and down hills and things.

Its the middle ground I'm fuzzy on. I mean, he LOVES Tigger, but will he be scared of the dark in the Pooh ride - or will the Heffalumps be scary to him? These are the things I'm not sure of.

I want to give him some confidence in making choices, so I think I will give him a choice on whether or not to ride certain rides - after I tell him what to expect on the ride. "Informed consent."

I'm sorry if you misunderstood my earlier comment. Of course, I was not intending to let him decide the rides to go on - just to choose whether or not to go on a ride that I might find appropriate for him.

So, I may say, hey, Josh, do you want to ride on the train? It goes around the park, and it goes into at least one tunnel, but Mommy will be right beside you. Then he can say, yes or no.

I don't know - what do you all do?

We took my daughter for her 4th birthday and she rode everything! The only rides she did not ride were Indy and CS in DCA (she was too short). There is a huge developmental difference between 3 and 4 and if you wait I believe everyone will enjoy it more.

We took my daughter for her 4th birthday and she rode everything! The only rides she did not ride were Indy and CS in DCA (she was too short). There is a huge developmental difference between 3 and 4 and if you wait I believe everyone will enjoy it more.


Thanks, Doombuggy!

It turns out it might not be such a question - son just had his checkup and is not yet 40", so a lot of the rides I was wondering on, it looks like we'll have to wait, anyhow.

We pretty much let the kids guide the experience, anyhow. If he wants to hang back and watch the characters, there is no pushing - - but, if he seems interested, we'll at least encourage him to try to meet his favorite character. Encourage and support, not pushing. I think I'll do the same with the rides I think he might enjoy.

Thanks, all!

I think it is hard to predict. I took daughter #1 when she was just shy of 3 years old. She had the best time. She stayed up all day, wouldn't nap, was happy and pleasant all day. She enjoyed every minute of it. When we would get on the tram to go back to the resort at the end of the day, she would immediately fall asleep and sleep till the next morning.

We took daughter #2 when she was 3 1/2. While she had a good time and was pleasant; she spent most of the trip sleeping. Every good thing we did, she slept. Hoop de Doo Revue - slept through the whole LOUD thing. Spectromagic - sleeping. Lunch @ Crystal Palace w/Pooh and his friends - sleeping.

We had a five day trip in May with our 4 and 2 year old girls. We always prepped them for every ride, and if they showed too much apprehension while in any line, we left and went on something else. If they didn't want to go, we didn't even get in line.

It was our experience that if your trip can last few days, then the kids generally get less apprehensive as they become more familiar with the parks.

Here's how they did with the dark rides:

Day 1, we headed straight for Its a Small World, for a good introduction. They liked that one, but weren't thrilled. Next, we went to Fantasyland. Both daughters did NOT like Toad, Snow White, or Pinnochio. The line for Peter Pan was too long.

Day 2 we went on the Haunted Mansion, and Pooh. They didn't like the Haunted Mansion, but liked Pooh. However, they both wanted to go back and ride the Fantasyland dark rides. This time, they liked Peter Pan, and the 4 year old liked Snow White. They still didn't like Pinnochio or Toad.

Day 3 was California Adventure, and they liked Monsters and A Bugs Land. The 4 year old didn't want to do any big rides, so we didn't.

Day 4 was back to Disneyland, and now the kids asked to go on all of the dark rides. They weren't scared of any of them. The 4 year old tried the Matterhorn and Go Coaster, but didn't particularly like them.

Day 5 was more of the same. In DCA, the 4 year old tried the Sun Wheel (non-swinging gondolas) while her sister slept. Then at the close of the last day, the 2 year old asked to go on Haunted Mansion, Pinnochio, Snow White, and Peter Pan while her older sister slept. (Why the 2-year old wouldn't sleep from 11pm on is beyond me, but it was one of the best times during the vacation.) She loved all the dark rides and still talks about them.

Thank you so much, People mover! That is the most sound advice I have heard!

I will just trust my instincts with my son and daugther and let their behavior tell me if they are ready for the ride or not. I don't want them upset at the happiest place on earth, but I also want them to get the most out of it that they can.

I cannot wait!

Ah, but there is a gentle balance between setting limits and not encouraging your kids to try new things. I want to do the former (hence this post) and not the latter.

For example, I would never take my son on ITTBAB because, heck, it scares me! But, I am considering taking him on Big Thunder because I think he'd have a good time - he likes trains, loves going fast and up and down hills and things.

Its the middle ground I'm fuzzy on. I mean, he LOVES Tigger, but will he be scared of the dark in the Pooh ride - or will the Heffalumps be scary to him? These are the things I'm not sure of.

I want to give him some confidence in making choices, so I think I will give him a choice on whether or not to ride certain rides - after I tell him what to expect on the ride. "Informed consent."

I'm sorry if you misunderstood my earlier comment. Of course, I was not intending to let him decide the rides to go on - just to choose whether or not to go on a ride that I might find appropriate for him.

So, I may say, hey, Josh, do you want to ride on the train? It goes around the park, and it goes into at least one tunnel, but Mommy will be right beside you. Then he can say, yes or no.

I don't know - what do you all do?
EVery time we go, my 4yo wants to do more and more. Like when he and I went in early March, he had wanted to go on HM, which he had never been on before, but it was closed. He wouldn't even get out of the stroller to stand in line for Monsters Inc., but then he is not a fan of the movie either. Two trips before that, he braved BTMRR, and now he LOVES it. This next trip he is planning on going on Star Tours and HM. At 4, I let him decide what he wants to add to his list of rides. But I also encourage him to try different things that I know he won't be afraid of. He wanted to bad to go on Splash, so when he was 40 inches, we went, and he wanted to go again. But after that 2nd time, he is done with it, and won't do it again. All in due time.

When my siblings and I were little (I was 6, my brother 4), my father put us on the people mover and then told us we were actually going on Space Mountain! :( When the people mover headed into Space Mountain we all freaked out including my mother who was naive enough to believe it! Yeah, he still talks about that and laughs!! :rolleyes:

It can be hard to judge. My four-year-old is still very frightened of many rides, particularly those in the dark, even if the theme of the ride is not particularly scary. She was even scared on the People Mover, during the dark parts. She's getting better about handling a little bit of height, if the ride is outdoors. She is physically tiny, so she's too small for many rides, and I hope her mental capacity to handle more intense or loud attractions improves, as she physically grows. Just because a child is tall enough to ride, doesn't mean he or she is ready for it. If your child is less scared of the dark and noisy attractions, consider the factor of control. If the ride has even the illusion of the child being able to control some aspect of it, they may do better. Buzz Lightyear is an example of a ride which is not totally passive. So is the speedway. I agree to take it slow-there is no apparent reason for a lot of a child's fears, but consider their perspective. My younger daughter is afraid of a lot of characters, unless it's a princess. When a character is non-human and an animal, several times bigger than she is, it's scary, particularly when taken out of context of the storyline. She freaked out when she saw Meeko, without Pocohantas; to her she was being attacked by a giant raccoon. The Cinderella dinner at 1900 Park Fair was tainted for her, by the presence of the giant mice. A lot of rides are character based, and are coming at her, bigger and louder than in the form she is used to. At the same time, a child who refuses one type of ride may love another. My older daughter is afraid of rides involving significant height. But she loved Soarin', which is the illusion of being up very high.

Thank you all! I think I am just going to relax, get input from my kids, and just try things. Luckily, my son is pretty verbal for a 2 year old, so he may be able to explain why he didn't like something as opposed to why he liked something else. Maybe I'll be able to get a clue! :)

Thanks for your advice - its made me relaz, at least!