Advice on rides for a ride weenie and introducing them to a child

[ExcitedMama]

I absolutely hate roller coasters. By that I mean I can tolerate RSR for my oldest’s sake but that’s about it. And I will pretty much hate every minute of it! My oldest is a thrill kid but his litter sister is far more cautious. Unfortunately my DH will be at a conference during the day and only available at night to take DS on thrill rides. I’m trying to balance out what he wants (and what I can handle) with slowly introducing more rides to DD. She wants to go on more rides this time. I’m thinking some should be done at the end of the day in case she gets motion sick and it would ruin her day. But others I think we could try during the day for DS. any advice would be greatly appreciated! Her favorite rides are TSMM, then Ariel and IASW so she’s not really big on speed yet. She loves driving Autopia but I think that’s about the fastest she’s liked. She hates spooky and will tolerate HM and Pirates.

BTMRR: I did this once in college about 20 years. I don’t remember being a fan, which is why I have never done it a second time, but I didn’t absolutely hate it. Has much changed? I think this could be something she could try during the day and I can handle. I was thinking of having her try this if Indy goes well.

Splash Mtn: another ride I have done in the past (like decades ago) so I know it can be done. She and I hated the drop at US in the Jurassic Park ride. I thought this wasn’t as bad, but am I misremembering? Again I don’t want to scare her or make her motion sick. If it’s as bad as US I should wait until the end of the day.

Goofy’s Fly School: We have never done this one. It’s been down when we have been there. I even watched the You Tube of it to try and prepare myself to do it but then it was down so I didn’t have to. DD and I hated the Hippogriff ride at US so how does this compare?

Toontown: I feel like I have done Roger Rabbit but can’t really remember. How is that one? Where would you put that on a scale? What about that outside one? Again trying to ease her into rides. I don’t care if she likes them so I’m not pushing it all (honestly would be great if I had a non thrill buddy!) so this isn’t one of those pushing my kid threads. She wants to be brave and do what her big brother likes. I just want to to do it slowly in the right order to give her a chance to try them. I afraid if we do them in the wrong order it could ruin her willingness to try new things.

Matterhorn will be down so that’s a non issue. I took DS on Space mtn years ago and it ruined me for ever trying to be brave and do rides for him! So Space is out! I figure if she can handle the above and likes them DH can take her on it if she wants. Where would Guardians fit in? Should I have DH take her on that if rides go well before or after trying Space ? If drops like Splash go well should she try Guardians next? On Guardians can you tell a CM it’s a child’s first time and they’re nervous to request an easier ride? Or is it completely random which one you get?She’s about 45/46 in. so we are going to see if she’s big enough for Indy. She won’t be tall enough for The Incredicoaster. Anything I’m forgetting? Any advice on what order to try? Thanks!

 

[geekswearlpstk2]

Goofy's Fly School is not a ride if you're a weenie. I hate it and I will go on the Incredicoaster over and over. It makes me feel like the car or I will fall off of it.

Roger Rabbit is pretty tame and Gadget's Go Coaster would be a good indication of your daughters ability to handle faster. If she hates that - bag the rest of the mountains or thrill rides. If she's good on Gadget, BTMRR would be the next step as far as coasters.

Splash is fun except the drop in the dark or the big one (well I like them both - but for little ones. . may be a little scary - I didn't take my son on this this time due to the dark - but that was more my doing than his. If it wasn't for those two drops, it'd be the perfect kid ride)

What has she been on? And how tall is she? If you can stand scrambler like rides, I recommend Mater's junkyard jamboree, Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters and even the teacups (if you don't spin them - its actually pleasant)

Guardians is a completely different drop sensation than splash or coasters. I won't do it - not due to nausea but because my head and body equilibrium is off all day after riding it.

Also - Indy is dark and scary - fire, skulls, giant snakes, boulders about to crush you, rats, arrows shooting at you. The ride is kinda jerky, but if she doesn't like dark or scary - you may want to rethink that.

 

[BriannaRuth]

Don't forget you can ride in the back seat/row together on Splash, so you can sit side by side. Makes it a little less scary for the little ones.

One thing I learned from my mom, who is a family therapist ... sometimes if you say something is going to be really "exciting" instead of "scary" it can help. The adrenalin rush you get when you're afraid can be very similar to to the feeling of being very excited. If you try to get a kid to go on a ride that may be scary and you downplay it ("it's not really that scary"), they may not trust you next time. But if you say going in how "exciting" it is and prepare them for that, it may work better. Especially on something like Splash where it's mainly a one big drop thing, you can say, "Here comes the exciting part!"

Your mileage may vary, but it works pretty well with my kids.

 

[Jkpark]

I went to DL for the very first time in my 20s and had never been on a ride. My now DH slowly convinced me to try Gadget's Go Coaster in Toon Town and I've been working my way up ever since. I now ride Incredicoaster (and like it)

(1) I think the Gadget's Go Coaster in Toon Town is most like the Hippogriff. I actually timed it while watching and decided for the 30 seconds maybe I would give it a try b/c even if I was miserable it would just be for a very short amount of time. It took me a few of those rides, over a few trips, to finally get used to it and move on to Thunder Mtn. Roger Rabbit is an indoor ride in a car - you can spin the car more with the steering wheel. Its very loud - not my favorite but I don't know that it is scary

(2) Indy is dark and lots of scary themes but the motions themselves are in smaller bits between scenes, its not one long roller coaster if that makes sense.

(3) Thunder Mtn - I do enjoy this now - I was petrified at first. If you are scared, ask to be seated in the front. The front of the train is halfway down each hill before it starts picking up speed. This would work on Gadget's Go Coaster, too.

(4) Guardians I won't do so I can't comment on that one

(5) Goofys - see how Thunder Mtn goes. It absolutely makes you think you are falling off - it has one little hill - my kids love this one. I scream every time - and then laugh at myself for screaming - I probably sound like a nut

(6) Splash Mtn drop is about half of Jurassic. I tolerate this drop for my kids. It is just a few seconds. The rest of the ride (even the smaller hills) are absolutely fine. I prefer sitting behind my kids where they can sit towards the back of their seat and I can have a hand on them (one hand - the other is holding for me). I didn't like the back row. You are sort of on each side of the seat back, instead of directly behind it and it made me much more nervous for some reason.

I will also add Grizzly River Run - the drops on this don't feel anything like the Splash Mtn drop - because of the shape of the raft maybe. Anyway - it is my absolute favorite ride. Even if you decide the hill on Splash was too much, don't let that keep you from this one.

 

[figment_jii]

How old is your son? Any chance he could so some of the thrill rides alone?

Indy: As others have said, Indy is very different from BTMRR. BTMRR is a pretty tame roller coaster, while Indy is not. It is very jerky/rough, has lots of dark elements (including skeletons, snakes, fire, etc.). Indy uses the similar ride vehicles to Dinosaur in AK (you list a lot of WDW trips) and it has a lot of similar elements (things jumping out, sharp turns). I would watch a few YouTube videos of Indy before going on it. (I would say that next to Haunted Mansion, Indy is next most "scary" ride in DLR).

Goofy's Sky School: I haven't been on the Hippogriff ride, but I think that Goofy's is one of the roughest coasters in DLR. It has a lot really sharp turns that make my head bang around.

Splash: I don't think Splash is all that intense, except for the last drop. There are smaller drops inside the ride, but none are to intense (there are no seat belts on this ride). The last drop is a big one. Maybe sit in the back row (together) and close your eyes...

Roger Rabbit: Not a roller coaster...think of any dark ride (like Snow White, Pinnochio, etc.) but with the Mad Tea Cup as the ride vehicle. The cars can spin (you can kind of prevent some of the spinning, but not all of it). If she doesn't like spinning rides (e.g., Tea Cups), then Roger Rabbit might not be a great choice.

Gadget's Go Coaster: This is a very tame roller coaster. It's meant for little kids, so nothing to major. I'd actually start here and see how it goes. If she can handle this one, then move up to BTMRR.

GotG: I don't think you can request a specific sequence (if you could, a lot of folks would be and then it would be tough for the CMs to decide who's request to full-fill). This ones goes up and down, so that can be a bit scary if she doesn't like the feeling of free-fall. I would see if you could ride in the front row (I don't know that this actually makes a difference); it seems less intense to me. I also think this is one of those attractions where the story/setting might be a bit more unnerving than the actual ride.

Nominally, this is the order we introduced my friend's kids to the roller coasters rides:
1. Gadget's Go Coaster
2. BTMRR
3. Splash
4. Matterhorn
5. Space
6. Incredicoaster (was Screamin' at the time)

 

[chickapin parterre]

remember those dreams you had traveling with your folks in the car and falling out, going over the cliff in the car, flying in the car.....Goofy flight school will being every single nightmare back....makes you wonder how astronauts trust gravity. Because on Goofy flight school, gravity is your friend indeed!!!!

BTMRR: Hmmm....your daughter could embarrass you on this one....I don't ride space or Incredi....but BTMRR is a blast and every time I depart, my son says...Dad, that is a rollercoaster....and I say...no its not!!!!!

 

[NorthernCalMom]

Before my kids graduated to the next ride up, we would, at home, watch one of the many first person ride movies, so they could see what it’s about. This way the choice was theirs as to what they did & did not feel ready for.

One thing about Indy: It’s crazy loud. I like it, but I always put some pieces of tissue in my ear for it, so keep that in mind if your kid is noise sensitive.

Edited to add: Just go to YouTube & search for “Disneyland,” the name of the ride, and “first person view” to find those. My kids also loved it, because it made them part of our trip planning/preparation to watch them & let me know how they felt about them.

Now that they are 10 & 12, they happily ride almost everything at the two parks. The exceptions: both are terrified of Goofy’s Sky School & Splash. One loves Haunted Mansion & hates Pirates. The other dislikes Haunted Mansion & loves Pirates. One of them doesn’t do Guardians, because its drops bother her stomach.

 

[Nevada Jen]

I would say Indy is likely a bad idea for your daughter. You might actually like it because it sounds like the crazy ride part bothers you more than scary stuff. Indy is pretty scary visually and emotionally.
I would rather have my toenails pulled out than ride Goofy's Sky School again. It actually might not be that bad for a kid who barely sticks out of the top of the seat, but I will never know, because I can't even look at the ride without severe anxiety.
That big drop in Splash is the only drop of any significance. Otherwise, the ride is tame. I agree with trying Gadgets Go Coaster and if she has no problems with that she should be fine on Big Thunder. I actually think Space is the less scary in terms of motion. Star tours in another one you should both be able to tolerate.
I am not a fan of big drops and Grizzly River is my favorite ride in the park. It more thrilling experience than thrill ride. Don't forget to do Soarin. Even the wimpiest of wimps can handle that one if they close their eyes.

 

[BriannaRuth]

Ditto on Star Tours. I put off going on it for a long time because it's a simulator and I sometimes have trouble with those, but it's big enough that for some reason it doesn't bother me nearly as much as the small ones. And definitely Soarin'!

 

[ExcitedMama]

Thanks so much everyone! We both liked Soarin’ and ST last time so those are definitely on our itinerary. Since DS was finally tall enough for Indy on our last trip I took him. It was my favorite ride on my trip pre-kids so I was very excited to take him...and very disappointed by it! I don’t know if the ride changed in about a decade or if it was me. It felt a lot more jarring than I remembered and not as much fun. I’ve told her all about it but there’s no changing her mind on that one. She very much remembers me taking DS and leaving her with DH and wants to do it. Plus it’s one of those momentous finally tall enough to do. She knows she could have done the others, like Splash, but chose not to. At least I know she doesn’t like the dark rides but they don’t actually scare her so I think worst case she just won’t do it again. She’s matured a lot since our last trip and understands better make believe and what’s not real so I’m hoping she might enjoy the dark rides now like HM and Pirates. I’m more worried about actual motion sickness or ruining her willingness to try other rides so I want to be careful about the order. I will definitely make Goofy’s an end of day thing if she wants to do then. When DS was 4 he insisted on going on ToT and it just ruined him for the rest of the day. I think it was that tensing up too much or something but he was in bad shape so I really want to avoid that for her.