In Sept. I will take my 15-month-old daughter to Disneyland for her first time. (She'll probably return 20-50 times with me.) I'm a Disney fanatic and a former Disneyland employee, so I've got all my options planned out, and I just have two specific questions for you experienced experts:

1. Which (if any) of the seven attractions SCARED your toddlers/older babies, and why?
--Pinnochio
--Alice in W.
--Mr. Toad
--Winnie the Pooh
--Tiki Room
--train around the park
--Jungle Cruise

2. Which of the following five rides BORED your toddlers/older babies?
--Casey Jr. Train
--Small World
--Mark Twain boat ride
--Storybook boats
--(again) Tiki Room

Thanks in advance!

1. Which (if any) of the seven attractions SCARED your toddlers/older babies, and why?

--Pinnochio - Definitely scared my baby. It's dark. Very dark. Kind of spooky.

--Alice in W. - Eh, didn't scare him too much but it wasn't his favorite- it's dark and loud.

--Mr. Toad - it's dark, it looks like a train is going to run over you, hell is hot.

--Winnie the Pooh I've never had a baby scared on this ride. My kids love it.

--Tiki Room It's LOUD. VERY LOUD. I've been on it with babies (mine and others) who didn't like the noise level. It can get dark, too.

--train around the park never scared.

--Jungle Cruise never scared.

2. Which of the following five rides BORED your toddlers/older babies?
--Casey Jr. Train
--Small World
--Mark Twain boat ride
--Storybook boats
--(again) Tiki Room

BORED? Those rides? HA HA. No way.

Adrienne

THANKS! Unless others disagree, I guess she will ride Pooh, the J. Cruise, and the train (along with the non-Tiki ones on the bored list), and a few others I've already decided on. I hope others reply too.

I don't see Peter Pan on the list and it is dark but not 'scary' IMHO...if she does ok on anything 'dark' I'd think Peter Pan would be a possible.

How about Dumbo?

It might not be officially an attraction but don't forget to get her first picture with Mickey!

Thanks! Of course Peter Pan and Dumbo went without saying--I was pretty specific in the rides I asked about. The photo with Mickey will depend on the line and the price. Having worked there I've seen Mickey with his head off, so my wallet can't come under any character spells--except for Dumbo or maybe a really beautiful princess.

DD is 15 months and LOVES Small World (she's been going on it since she was 6 months). She also really likes Casey Jr. (I think it is the wind in her face kinda thing.)

Otherwise, she hasn't been scared on the dark rides, though I think we've only done Peter Pan and Mr. Toads (we've even done Haunted Mansion, and she giggles at the door knockers.)

Jungle Cruise - I would say she was bored, but then again, it was an hour past bedtime, so she was pretty much in a daze. :)

Otherwise, haven't done the others you specifically listed.

Thanks for the Casey Jr. and other tips! My daughter loves toy trains and Thomas the train, so we'll hit that instead of the Storybook boats on her first visit. My niece loved Small World when she was almost a year old--she kept pointing at the dolls with a sense of urgency, as if we wouldn't see them if she didn't point them out.

My son is 2 1/2 now and has been going to the parks pretty regularly since he was about 2 months old. Of the attractions you listed, the only ones that have been a problem for him are Mr. Toad's Wild Ride and the Tiki Room. The train and the hell sequence in Toad were a bit too much for him. In the case of the Tiki Room, he was fine with it when he was younger (although he tended to fall asleep), but when we tried it a couple months ago he went into a full panic when the lights went down.

I was actually pretty concerned the first time we tried Pinocchio, but that one has never bothered him at all. We haven't tried him on Alice in Wonderland for quite a long time, so that one is a bit hard for me to judge.

I've never really seen him appear bored on any of the attractions. Two of the rides you asked about, Small World and Casey, Jr., are actually among his absolute favorites.

-Jeff

Why did the train scare him?
Also, I'm interested if the big train and Tiki Room scared or entertained other young toddlers.

Thanks for the Casey Jr. and other tips! My daughter loves toy trains and Thomas the train, so we'll hit that instead of the Storybook boats on her first visit.

Why instead of? Why not both?

Adrienne

I don't think I'll do the Storybook boat on the her first trip because I want it to be the best day possible, and so I think I'll save the boat for our second or third visit. I will be a new AP in Sept. and I plan on taking her at least six weekdays from Sept. through Dec. We'll get there when it opens and only stay till about 2:15 so we can get back to Pasadena before traffic gets too bad. I will probably run my plan for our first visit for your (experienced parents) approval B4 we go.
Thanks!
P.S. Aren't you the one who created the Happiest Potties on Earth?

I took my son at 20 months and my second son at 6 months and again at 12 months on all those plus pirates and even HM.

They showed some concern on Snow White and HM but nothing really
'scared' them. But I assume they are exceptions to the rule.

Wow! They are exceptionally brave to enjoy the HM. I myself have become afraid of Small World because after about ten minutes I fear it will never end.

I took my son at 20 months and my second son at 6 months and again at 12 months on all those plus pirates and even HM.

They showed some concern on Snow White and HM but nothing really
'scared' them. But I assume they are exceptions to the rule.My kids were the same way. Only #4 ever got scared, and it was only Splash that scared her when she was old enough (she is 16, and just started riding Splash last year.)

I took both my kids on every ride they could ride on when they were babies/toddlers. That would include all of the rides off of your list (and then some) except Pooh because I didn't have toddlers when Pooh was opened. I've never had a problem with them getting scared on a ride that I can remember. They may have held my hand a little tighter on the first drop of PotC but after that they were fine. Now bored, yes. They've gotten bored on Storybookland Canal Boats, Mark Twain, and Tiki Room. At 8 and 6, they are more interested in Storybook than they were as toddlers. Tiki Room and Mark Twain they will do to humor me and their father but it's not something they would choose to do.

Thanks! I guess we are all scared, bored, and entertained by different things. For example, I was pretty entertained reading what Al Lutz wrote about the promotion that will replace the 50th Anniv., (July 11 on Miceage.com) but this may have FRIGHTENED some Disney executives.

I don't think I'll do the Storybook boat on the her first trip because I want it to be the best day possible, and so I think I'll save the boat for our second or third visit. I will be a new AP in Sept. and I plan on taking her at least six weekdays from Sept. through Dec. We'll get there when it opens and only stay till about 2:15 so we can get back to Pasadena before traffic gets too bad. I will probably run my plan for our first visit for your (experienced parents) approval B4 we go.
Thanks!
P.S. Aren't you the one who created the Happiest Potties on Earth?

I was a new AP holder last fall, and have taken DD about 8 or 9 times since then. We either leave by 3 (meaning, in the car by 3) and haven't had any traffic issues. Otherwise, if you can make it, leave after 7 and it is OK too. :) Luckily, DD goes to bed around 6, so if we leave at 7, she sleeps the whole way home.

Thanks, Koala!

Your welcome!