7 dwarfs mine ride and younger children

cottontail

DIS Veteran
Joined
Jan 16, 2001
I know the height restriction is 38 inches, is this ride too intense for a 38 inch tall 3 or 4 year old child?

Deb.
 
Well, my daughter went on it when it first opened and she was almost four - the ads on at the time made it seem like a perfect "first time" roller coaster for a pre-schooler. And Disney describes it as "small drops," but because of the way the carts "swing" on an axis, her little head was bobbing back and forth like crazy - we have the PhotoPass video footage of it. She still won't ride it, even when we can manage FastPasses for it (sigh) and she's eight now. She tried the Barnstormer the next year, which also has small drops, and loved it - still rides it every chance she can get. We finally got her to try Big Thunder Mountain Railroad a few days ago (also described as small drops), and she was okay with it. I think it was the "swaying" of 7DMT that really didn't agree with her.

Of course, it really depends on the pre-schooler. I know a three-year-old who went on Splash Mountain this past spring with no problem, and that has a "big drop." I think he'd have no problem with 7DMT. But my eight-year-old was so miffed when she got off of it (combo of the big drop and getting soaked in the front seat) that she guilted us into getting her a big stuffed Brer Rabbit in the gift shop on the way out.
 
My son was 3.5 when he rode it the first time. I'd read before going that the back cars swing more, so we asked to be seated close to the front of the train (but not front row). I had my arm around him to cushion his head. He loved it!
 
My son had just turned three a couple months prior on our last trip. He is a larger kid for his age and has an older sister (6). He rode it, and although he has a very serious expression on his face in the pics every time we got off he would shout about how brave he was and how he wanted to go on it again.

We went a few times on that trip and it is one of the rides he is very much looking forward to on our next trip in a couple months. So, definitely depends on the kid! Worth a try. He already liked Barnstormer by then, and I think we had even ridden Big Thunder Mountain by that point. Maybe if it was the first one ever he might have been more like the kid above?
 
Both my boys went when they were almost 3 (different trips). We rode the Barnstormer first, and then let them watch the Mine Train for a while. They got to choose if they rode it, and they both wanted to. My oldest rode it twice and while he liked it, said that was enough. The younger one said no more after the first ride. But they did both like it, and no one was traumatized. I will handle it the exact same way with the third whenever that trip happens.
 
Depends on the kid I think. If they meet the height requirement and want to do it, I think it's fine. Worst that's going to happen is that they won't like it and won't want to ride again. Some kids are dare devils and want to ride everything at a young age (especially if they have older siblings) and other kids are more squeamish.

Middle daughter rode it for the first time at 5 because it wasn't open on her first trip when she was 3. But at 3.5 she rode Big Thunder Mountain over and over again and it's still her favorite ride. I think Big Thunder and 7 Dwarfs are *comparable* so I wouldn't hesitate with a 3 or 4 year old on 7 Dwarfs. It's not that intense and you are well strapped. It's also over really fast.

Our youngest just turned 3 and I know she'll want to ride everything her brother and sister do on our upcoming November trip. Some stuff she'll have to sit out though as she won't be tall enough! I plan to do 7 Dwarfs and Big Thunder with her for sure though.
 
I agree it depends on your child...my DS5 does not like 7 Dwarfs but would stay on Big Thunder forever!
 


My son rode it for the first time a few weeks before his third birthday and loved it so much he rode it four times that trip. We just got back and he rode it three times (currently three and three months). He also loved slinky dog dash and says that is his favorite ride so he is a dare devil! He watched ride videos beforehand and decided on his own he wanted to ride.

I think it really just depends on the kid. I love coasters now but I would never ride one until I was 9-10 years old. I would let your little one take the lead in whether or not to ride.
 
My 4 year old LOVES this ride. She isn't a real thrill seeker either. The first time she rode it she was 3.
 
Must depend on the child. My 6/7 year old was in tears when she rode it. And there was no way my 3 and 4 years olds would have been able to handle it! 8 seems like the magic age for our kids - that's when it stopped being too intense for them.
 
My 3 year old loved it and my 10 year old wouldn't ride it. It depends on the kid. That being said, I sat next to the 3 year old and held her head against my shoulder so it wouldn't whip around.
 

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