Borderline attractions for 'tall enough' 4-year old, plus Touring Plan

[Ray LeBlanc]

In prepping for our June trip, we want to have an idea of which attractions our 4-year old will be okay with. We had some preconceptions based on our experience at WDW, but in continuing to read this forum I'm starting to challenge some of those. I wanted to briefly summarize our plan/thoughts, and ask for feedback for those that have experience at DL.

We took our son to the Magic Kingdom for one day last November, and his favorite attractions were Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. He was only 3 at the time, but was tall enough for those (he's 43" tall now). He's been on other waterslides/rides elsewhere in the past year, and we haven't hit anything that scares him or slows him down yet. So I'm not too concerned about him being afraid of anything.

Still, he's only 4 and some things may be too extreme for him. Here are the rides that I had concerns about...

Space Mountain: my wife and I rode this at WDW about 6 years ago, and we hated it... it kind of ruined our morning. So we thought 'no way' at DL. HOWEVER, I've since read that the ride at DL is completely different... much smoother, and you sit 2 in a row instead of of 3 in a line... Plus, the realization that you top out around 28 MPH. This is now on the 'let's try it' list with our son (whose favorite ride at a waterpark last year was the 'dark slide'). Would you recommend this?

Matterhorn Bobsleds: initially, this was a yes, as we've never been to DL and wanted to try the iconic ride. However, after reading about its jerkiness and similar vehicle as WDW's Space Mountain, we are now thinking 'no.' While our son is tall enough, he wouldn't be able to sit next to one of us, and I think that might freak him out (the thought freaks me out...). Now we are planning on skipping this one. Does our logic make sense? Anybody with young kids who ride this without a problem?

Guardians of the Galaxy - Mission: BREAKOUT!: initially, this was a 'no'... I'm such a lightweight that I never tried the Tower of Terror. My wife rode it a couple times on her own and was okay with it. But I figured it just didn't fit our family. However, virtually all of the reviews say that the ride is a much more enjoyable experience now. My wife and I have seen the movies (son hasn't and won't for a while), and though aren't huge GOTG fans, we enjoyed the movies. I'm sure we would get a kick out of the story/theming, but wasn't sure if the ride was still as extreme/scary as ToT was, and/or if it was suitable for a 4-year old. Like Space Mountain, this is now on the 'let's try it' list as well.

Those are the 3 rides that we're on the fence about and looking for feedback on.

We also had questions on our general plan for the days... We have 3-day park hoppers and will be in the parks on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. We are staying on site (DLH) and plan to start each day at DCA, meaning an EMH on Wednesday and Friday. We plan to forgo the EMH/MM at DL for a little extra sleep on Thursday and to maximize our opportunities to ride RSR, Soarin', and TSMM... Those 3 are probably our top priorities across both parks.

We will get MaxPass for all of us, and I'll be monitoring FP times on there. We'll have our 5-month old, too, and will be utilizing Rider Switch on all of these 'headliners' (with the exception of TSMM).

We plan to hit the parks pretty hard in the morning, have lunch, and head back to the hotel for nap/pool time (12ish), then head back to the parks in the evening (4ish).

If we start at DCA every day, should we still have ample opportunity to ride headliners at DL, like BTMRR, Star Tours, Space Mountain (possibly), and Splash Mountain? What about the Fantasyland rides, particularly the ones where we could all ride as a family (even the baby)? Should we prioritize those a little more somehow?

My son is a Cars nut, and I'm sure we will love Cars Land above all else, and want to maximize our opportunities there... but we don't want to miss out elsewhere.

Any feedback is appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Tabarr06]

My 4 year old did all of these rides. The only one he didn’t want to go on again was guardians of the galaxy. Each kid is so different.

 

[V.I.N.CENT.]

The one thing i did with my daughter that totally helped was watching the rides on YouTube before going to the park. If something might be borderline scary for them, it's worth "spoiling" the ride ahead of time with a video. There are lights on videos of Space Mountain that you can watch. For Matterhorn, i have no problem if I hold on to the bar in front of me, making sure not to rest my back against the seat. Guardians is a different story for me. Rode it once as Tower of Terror, never went back. Two trips ago I tried it again because of Guardians (big Guardians fan), decided once might be enough. Tried it a second time because of the Halloween overlay, it's now my favorite ride between both parks. The difference? The second ride I did not hold on to the grips on the seats. The force on my shoulders and trying to maintain that death grip really ruins the ride for me. jsut letting go and flowing with the rise and fall of the drops is really enjoyable. The music is a big plus for me as well

 

[PHXscuba]

Your advantage since you have to do rider swap anyways is to have a parent ride first alone for those 3 rides, then if you think it's ok, the other can take your son. FWIW my kids all rode Space and Matterhorn at ages 4-5 and were fine (Guardians wasn't around)

Guardians is much less "spooky" than Tower of Terror. I think the library/video scene for ToT spooked my kids more than the actual ride! Guardians is FUN!

If he understands that Space Mountain will be very dark, he will probably be ok and it is MUCH smoother than WDW's version.

For Matterhorn, it is rather bumpy. If the single-row seating bothers you than I'd skip it. You can see the ride vehicles and much of the ride ins-and-outs from outside of the line. Maybe something for the third day depending on how well he does with other things?

FYI, Splash Mountain at Disneyland has single-file seating except for the back row (row 6) which will fit an adult and small child, so you could request that.

PHXscuba

 

[Ray LeBlanc]

FYI, Splash Mountain at Disneyland has single-file seating except for the back row (row 6) which will fit an adult and small child, so you could request that.

Thanks so much for your reply, especially this. If there are any other quirks/tips I should know about going in (re: a small child riding), let me know.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

My daughter turns 5 this month. She’s yet to meet a ride that she doesn’t love as soon as she’s tall enough. RSR, Space Mountain, and Guardians are her three favorite rides. Well, she loves Splash (currently closed) and BTMR, too... she’s a thrill seeker. She likes Matterhorn, but I have refused to ride it for years because it’s so uncomfortable, so she only rides with her dad. She also likes Goofy’s Sky School, which is useful because FPs last longer than for the other coasters, but make sure you brace yourself for the HARD stops on that one.

Anyway, if he’s a thrill seeker type, I doubt anything will phase him except perhaps Guardians; I’d maybe save that for last so you don’t spook him from trying others. If you act like it’s a fun adventure, he’ll probably just go with it.

With MaxPass, you’ll be able to fit in any ride with FP multiple times. But once Fantasyland is crowded, there’s no good time to ride anything. It’s far easier to hit headliners without a wait since you can FP them; Fantasyland is a beast. The best time to do Fantasyland is rope drop on a Wednesday, but I can see why you want to take advantage of EMH... but that’s a tough one.

 

[A&S]

My son who was one month of turning three was tall enough for all those rides you mentioned when we took him back in 2015. He didn’t do space mountain as I didn’t think he would cope with the roller coaster in the dark, he did try in on last years trip (he was 5 and one month) and was not keen on it- but wants to try again this year. He tried the Tower of Terror when he was 2 and 11 months and absolutely loved it!! It’s still one of his favourites today and he is excited to try the new version Gauardians of the Galaxy when we go this September (he’ll be six this trip).
Can’t help with Matterhorn as it was closed that trip and our last.

 

[DLgal]

Space Mountain FEELS much faster at DL than WDW. It is almost exclusively tight turns and although the track is smooth, it definitely throws you around. It lasts longer at DL as well. I'd be wary...try Matterhorn first and if the kid is cool with that one, you can move up to Space Mountain.

Matterhorn is "scary" due to the monster aspect, but the ride itself is VERY slow and mild. There is a feeling of "rickety sled" and some bumpiness but nothing that will bother a 4 year old (you and your wife might feel like you've had a chiropractic adjustment though.) You can easily hold on to your kids shoulders during the ride, but he will probably be fine. Sit him in the middle seat with one of you in front and one behind.

Guardians of the Galaxy. I'd give this one a solid NO WAY unless your kid is a HUGE GoG fan. Although the ride is more "fun" than TOT, the intensity has been cranked up several notches. The ride is faster, longer, has many more drops, and has an added intensity due to loud music and screens projecting scenes very loudly right in front of your face. I used to ride ToT several times in a row. I can only ride Guardians once every few months. It messes me up, big time, for several hours now. My son made me take him on ToT when he was 5 and it traumatized him so badly he won't even THINK about GoG (he's almost 14 now). So I would say skip that one with the kid, or at the very least, you and your wife should definitely try it before you take him on it so you know what you are getting him into.

FWIW, the kid who was traumatized by ToT at 5 loved Matterhorn since age 3, Big Thunder, and Mine Train, and rode CA Screaming at 6. This kid also HATED DL Space Mountain (which he didn't try until he was 12). Kids can be weird.

 

[MonocularVision]

Guardians of the Galaxy. I'd give this one a solid NO WAY unless your kid is a HUGE GoG fan.

Another “no” here. Our 9 year old daughter absolutely loves all of the fast rides and wants to go on them over and over again. She loves California Screamin’ (RIP), but she went on GotG once and said she doesn’t want to again. I was very surprised. She has never seen the movies.

 

[Malcon10t]

My granddaughter started riding Space at 2.5 years. She loved it. Matterhorn came along shortly there after when she hit that height requirement at 3. It became the new "best ride ever". We waited on her to ride Tower til she was taller, as many kids have issues, and my opinion is because their feet don't touch. So she rode Guardians for the first time at the Preview party (she was 6) and loved it. I would hold off on Guardians til they were 46-48", simply so they can use their legs to brace better.

 

[DznyPrnces]

My kids are 5 and 9. They both love thunder and splash. My 9 year old likes Matterhorn. My 5 year old hasn’t been on it yet because I don’t think he’ll handle sitting alone well. Neither one of them like space (). Neither one has been on guardians. Neither have I. I hated tower of terror, and it’s off in a back corner of the park so my kids don’t really know it exists. Reading these reviews makes me want to try guardians, but I think I would try it before taking my kids on it. I especially don’t think my 5 year old would like it.

 

[agamble]

Our older daughter is fearless and rode all of those ride including Tower at three. She wasn't a fan of Tower. She now LOVES Guardians. She is 7 now though, but the ride is a lot more fun. Our almost 5 y/o son hasn't ridden Guardians or Splash Mountain yet because he is afraid to try. We're working on Splash and he says he'll ride when he's five (late this month). My DH and I recently went day without our kids and on two different rides through Guardians we ran across 2 small kids. The first was a little boy the same age as our son, but TINY. It was his first ride on Guardians and he LOVED it. He was cute, and we can just barely see him in the picture. The second was a little 3 y/o girl who was tall enough to ride. She didn't love it as much as the boy, but she didn't cry or scream or seem upset either. I would say ask him if he wants to ride, but don't force him to ride it.

Space isn't a problem so long as kids aren't afraid of the dark. It's fast, but not that fast. Mostly a lot of turns. We enjoy Matterhorn and both our 4 and 7 y/o have ridden this ride since they were tall enough. My son is more afraid of the Monster on the ride than the coaster. I don't feel uncomfortable having him in front of me. I took the 7 y/o on this through the single rider one trip at her request, but we ended up on the same train. I think if you choose to ride it, you should take him on it. Many do think it is uncomfortable, but it is also classic Disneyland. I believe it is worth at least one ride.

Also, Peter Pan is a beast to get on. You aren't planning any rope drops at DL, so be prepared to wait at least 30 minutes. After the fireworks can be a good time to ride if you are in that area. And FYI your baby can't ride Roger Rabbit, they require kids to sit on their own. That ride is a bit much for little ones anyway.

You didn't mention Goofy's. Just so you know it doesn't spin like the one at WDW. It has sharp turns, but otherwise isn't scary. My son loves this coaster second after Big Thunder. He'll ride it over and over, but will only ride Space or Matterhorn if he is in the mood. Those rides are just scarier to him. He's not so brave as big sister. Sounds like your little boy is quite brave though.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

The one and only time I rode tower of terror a 3-year-old was seated next to me and he was laughing the entire time. He loved it. I think it’s all about whether you like that feeling of going up and down, as well and how you handle pitch dark and lots of loud sounds. It is definitely intense. I haven’t taken my own 3-year-old on it mainly because I refuse to ride it again. I don’t like drop rides. I don’t even like riding in elevators lol. But I wanted to experience GoG because everyone says how great it is and it IS, it’s an awesome ride. It’s just too much for me.

My son does like Big Thunder (first time scared him a little but subsequent rides he loves it), Soarin and Radiator Springs Racers (although he was scared of one part... the tractor/combine thingy). Star Tours proved a little too intense for him although he was basically fine and not traumatized by it. I haven’t take him on Space, I feel like he won’t like the dark. He wants to go on Splash but it has been down for refurb since he hit 40 inches.

 

[Ray LeBlanc]

Also, Peter Pan is a beast to get on. You aren't planning any rope drops at DL, so be prepared to wait at least 30 minutes. After the fireworks can be a good time to ride if you are in that area. And FYI your baby can't ride Roger Rabbit, they require kids to sit on their own. That ride is a bit much for little ones anyway.

You didn't mention Goofy's. Just so you know it doesn't spin like the one at WDW. It has sharp turns, but otherwise isn't scary. My son loves this coaster second after Big Thunder. He'll ride it over and over, but will only ride Space or Matterhorn if he is in the mood. Those rides are just scarier to him. He's not so brave as big sister. Sounds like your little boy is quite brave though.

We may skip Peter Pan, unless we hit a real short line. We took our son on it at WDW, and while it's neat, we were disappointed that we used a FP+ on it, and could have done without it. Having already done it, we are good.

We do want to do Goofy's, I figured that one was pretty safe/tame for him. Thanks for the info on that one, I think he will enjoy it!

He's pretty brave, but you never know with something new. Sounds like lots of experiences both ways in all of these rides, it just depends on the kid. We'll have to see what he's comfortable with and will likely try Space & GoG, although reading through these we put the Matterhorn back in the list if it isn't terribly fast.

 

[bumbershoot]

I think it’s all about whether you like that feeling of going up and down

Lol. My son, as a youngster, felt that stomach dropping feeling in his, ehem, nether regions. Felt it as a tickle. So he loved that feeling.

We may skip Peter Pan, unless we hit a real short line. We took our son on it at WDW, and while it's neat, we we're disappointed that we used a FP+ on it, and could have done without it. Having already done it, we are good.

Go on it. Be there early, make a bee line. Go.


Matterhorn is awful and worse than MK space.

Space at DL is awesome. I wish they had different names!

 

[wdwfan22]

You really can't go by any other child. Only go by yours. Mine rode Tower of Terror at 3 yrs old at DW, and that was when they had lap bars and not seat belts. So the bars only went as tight as the biggest person in the row. I was terrified for her. She loved it. But every child is different and I have always tried to let their reactions guide what they ride. Not mine. Just work the way up the scary scale. But it sounds like you have done that already. So if he want's to ride something, let him try.

And I would use the early entry to DL on Thursday and ride all the Fantasyland rides. You'll have enough time with 2 days EE at CA to ride what you want to more than once.