Question from an 8 year old...

[drewtime]

DS8 wants to know what your favorite Disney rides are. Do you have any suggestions for an 8 year old? He says, "please no thrill rides." Thanks for your input

[Barberella]

I'll give you one ride in each park that I feel an 8 year old 'must do' (kind of an abbreviated Stacey's "must-do" list ...)

At Epcot, an 8 year old should ride Soarin' - maybe in the back row for the 1st time.
At the Magic Kingdom, an 8 year old should ride Buzz Lightyear
At Animal Kingdom, an 8 year old should ride Kilimanjaro Safari - at least 3 times.
At Disney's Hollywood Studios, an 8 year old should ride Toy Story Mania.

[drewtime]

"Thank you Barbarella for those good things. I've been on some of them. They are my favorite rides. I can't wait to go to DisneyWorld and ride them."

[oregontraveler]

I would think for an 8 yr old... at MK: Speedway/Autopia, Peoplemover/TTA (good way to see the park from above) Winnie The Pooh, Jungle Cruise & Peter Pan. While not 'rides', he might enjoy PhilHarMagic & Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor.

At EPCOT, Mission Space has the Green side which does not spin. Nemo & Friends is cool if he likes the ocean.

[drewtime]

thanks oregontraveler! those are wonderful suggestions. we were wondering about Mission Space. it looks like an amazing experience, but i didn't know if it would be too scary for my son. do you think that the "green side" is still intense?

[Barberella]

^ You know, I wondered about Mission: Space myself. I think almost every 8 year old would enjoy it, but it's one of those borderline attractions that for some is better left until next time. I also think that Star Tours is a pretty good test for Mission:Space. If someone has been on Star Tours and enjoyed it, they are very likely to enjoy Mission:Space.

That made me think of two attractions that can be partially experienced. If the line is not long into the Tower of Terror - you can walk through the pre-show, and go through the boiler room up to the elevators. There is a regular elevator and several Tower of Terror elevators - you can ask to be put on the regular elevator and you can leave. The regular elevator looks - and is - a regular elevator and you leave the ride (Disney doesn't mess around and try and trick you or anything - you leave the ride). Then it is the truth if you say that you went IN the Tower of Tower - cause you did.

The other pre-show attraction is The Haunted Mansion. Again if the line up is not long, go through and look at the interactive, outdoor queue for a few minutes. You can the decide if you are going to ride the ride or leave without going on the ride.

[jenjustinsmom]

My 8 year old says:
Magic Kingdom: the people mover
MGM: (ya I know) Toy Story mania
Epcot: Spaceship Earth
Animal Kingdom: Kilimanjaro Safari

Justin is not a thrill ride kid but love big thunder mountain Have a great time

[Drince88]

I don't consider Haunted Mansion a 'thrill ride' that an 8 year old would want to avoid - but I'm not an 8 year old. My most recent trip was with a small adrenalin junkie (not yet 4, but tall enough for Tower of Terror and he loved it!) so I'm a bit skewed in my judgement for 8 year olds.

For Epcot, I'd HIGHLY recommend the Kim Possible Adventures. And in the MK, the new Sorcerers interactive game (if it's fully up and running by your trip, I haven't been paying attention to the actual start date.)

[mxrapu]

The green side of Mission: Space is still a little intense, but nothing like the orange side. I was a little worried about my 5-year-old, but she loved it. Then again, her favorite ride was Rockin' Rollercoaster.

[disnut8]

No one has said Star Tours. It's not a thrill ride in my opinion, and I know lots of 8 year olds who know the stories.

When I couldn't do the thrill rides, I still went on Twilight Zone but I didn't do the drop. Just left before. If the 8 year old has an adult who would exit out with him, he can still do that.

What about Kim Possible? That's fun. Pirates of the Caribbean. Jedi Training (we watched our 5 year old grandson have a fantastic time). Oh - Flights of Wonder - go up to the stage after the show and see those birds up close and personal.

[scoobydooby]

My DD was 8 last visit and she recommends.....

MK - Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Splash Mountain, Buzz Lightyear, Magic Carpets of Aladdin, Monsters Inc Laugh Floor.

DHS - Toy Story Mania, Star Tours, Muppets, Tough to be a Bug Play area.

Epcot - Soarin, Test Track and Mission Space Green.

AK - Tough to be a Bug, Primeval Hurl, Finding Nemo, Lion King and Kilimanjaro Safari. Oh. And the dig site.

Haunted Mansion made her cry.

[fleming]

My son was 8 and for non thrill he would say: (i realize some arent 'rides')

Mickey's philharmagic
pirates
the land (seriously) (hidden mickey treasure trove here)
Indiana Jones stunt show
Kilamanjaro safaris

[HTanner]

I think it depends on what the 8 year old thinks is a thrill ride. I just took my 8 year old in December. He generally likes "tame" roller coasters, but is not up for Kilimanjaro (I took him on it and he hated it!) or Tower. Here are his favorites from the parks:

Magic Kingdom: Laugh Floor, Buzz, Peoplemover, Peter Pan, the Train, Hall of Presidents, Splash, Big Thunder, Tom Sawyer's Island, Haunted Mansion (he was not a fan of Pirates, though), and Jungle Cruise.

Epcot: His hands-down favorite was Spaceship Earth. He also really enjoyed the Kim Possible mission, The Land, the Living Seas (the aquarium part - he didn't care much for the ride part), Innoventions and Test Track.

Animal Kingdom: The Safari and Dinosaur. Really, really liked the shows.

MGM: Like Great Movie Ride (but didn't know half the movies). Loved all of the shows. Favorite ride was Star Tours and he loved the playground here.

As you can see, plenty for an 8 year old, even one that doesn't want to go on all the thrill rides. My son also loved the pool and the monorail and *never* felt bored.

[drewtime]

awesome. thanks everyone for your great suggestions. ds has been reading every one, and is very excited about his upcoming trip.

[fleming]

forgot to mention that my 8 year old loved stiches great escape....is he the only one????

[Drince88]

forgot to mention that my 8 year old loved stiches great escape....is he the only one????

He may be in the only demographic (pre-teen males that are tall enough)!

[HTanner]

I think it depends on what the 8 year old thinks is a thrill ride. I just took my 8 year old in December. He generally likes "tame" roller coasters, but is not up for Kilimanjaro (I took him on it and he hated it!) or Tower.

Oops - - I meant Expedition Everest. He loves Kilimanjaro, but did not care for EE. Too rough for him.

[Disney1218freak]

On the train the goes around the Magic Kingdom, if you sit in the very back(on the half seat) the conductor may let him say "all aboard". But sometimes not
MK: buzz,laugh floor, the speedway, people mover
EPCOT: spaceship Earth,Soarin, nemo, innovations
HS: The Backlot Tour, extreme Stunt Show, toy Story Mania, the Great Movie Ride

[drewtime]

great suggestions everyone! we've got lots to work with

[Ohthatjeff]

We're not big on thrill rides in my immediate family so our choice of rides is probably about the same as an 8-year olds:

MK
Adventureland: There's a short drop in the dark in the beginning of Pirates of the Carribean. It lasts about two seconds and it's just a short drop of about one story. (It's not steep like Splash Mountain, more like riding a sled down a slight hill in the winter.) I would still suggest this ride. Everything else in Adventureland is tamer than that.

Frontierland: Splash Mountain is probably out of the question. There are several small drops (some in the dark) before the giant drop. Big Thunder Mountain is sort of like a roller coaster track but it's mostly just small drops and hills.

Liberty Square: Nothing thrilling here. The Haunted Mansion is dark in spots but too cool to be missed.

Fantasyland: Goofy's Barn Stormer is the only thing that comes close to a thrill ride here. DO Philarmargic.

Tomorrowland: Stitch's Great Escape isn't a ride so much as a waste of time show. There are parts that take place in the dark with sounds and smells. Space Mountain is a thrill ride only because it's dark. If it were outside it would be Goofy's Barn Stormer II. DO go on Buzz Lightyear. Multiple times even.

EPCOT
Future World: Spaceship Earth is like riding an escalator, just sitting down. Soarin', Test Track, and Mission:Space are the "thrill" rides of Future World. The ride vehicle in Soarin' does leave the ground and hovers in front of a giant movie screen. I don't like thrill rides at all, but this is one of my favorites. Test Track is being refitted but it was pretty mild before hand. There was just one dark area where it looks like your ride vehicle is going to be hit by a truck, but the ride is tamer than it looks from the outside. Skip Mission:Space.

Future World: There are only two rides here. The boat ride in Mexico is super tame. As you approach the Maelstrom in Norway you'll see an opening on the second floor. When the boats pass, there's a drop to the first floor. Prior to that there's a small drop when traveling backwards.

STUDIOS
Star Tours is a motion simulator and if you're Star Wars fans you'll want to ride it several times. The ride vehicle will bounce in synch with the 3-D video on the screen. If it gets to be too much, you can try looking towards the corner of the screen. That has helped me on more intense motion rides. Avoid Rock 'N' Rollercoaster and Tower of Terror. Everything else is tame.

ANIMAL KINGDOM
Expedition Everest is a thrill ride. Kali River Rapids is a water ride with several drops including one large drop. Countdown to Extinction is a bumpy ride with strobe effects designed to give you ADHD and a sore back. (While not technically a "thrill ride" you may want to watch this one on YouTube before deciding to ride.) Primeval Whirl is a typical "mouse coaster" where you ride in a vehicle and there's a bunch of downhill turns. It's all exposed so you can judge at the time if it's in your tolerance.

You can (and should) do anything and everything else.

[drewtime]

Jeff, thanks so much for your very thoughtful response. That looks like such a fun and fantastic list of attractions! My son actually rode Splash Mountain at Disneyland, and was freaked out the rest of the trip. I think it ruined him for the thrill rides. Poor guy. I'm trying to talk him into BTMRR--we did that when he was 3, and he loved it. I agree, it's a much smoother coaster than most. Yes, isn't Soarin' amazing? That was one of his favorite rides.

We haven't seen Star Tours since they changed the ride. We are all excited about this. Your comments on Countdown to Extinction are too funny! Thanks again for all of this valuable information. We are stoked about our trip!