Warm-up for ToT for 4 year old

[champdds]

Please don't think I am a bad parent, but my 4 yo DS wants to ride ToT like you wouldn't believe !! Probably doesn't help that his older sisters want to also. My question is: What rides would you use to warm-up for it as a test to see if he really could handle it..he has ridden many rides at Six Flags, but not "Themed" as much as I feel ToT is.

He is actually 39.75 inches right now, so this question may not even matter if he doesn't grow 1/4" in 6 weeks !


David

 

[sha_lyn]

(well, I'll give this one more shot, my first try at this would not go through)


There is a TOT movie that shows on the disney channel every once in a while (I think it is on tape, check your local rental places). It should really help with the theming. Do not use the planning video (or was it a comercial) that shows people standing on a falling elevator. My DNi just knew we were lying to her about being seated with a lap bar after seeing it. We finally had her convinced to try it, but then when we were put in the first "elevator" (really just a room) she went nuts.

Try Haunted mansion to help with the theming and Splash mountain for the drop. However my then 4 1/2 DD liked ToT better than Splash. I still can't figure that one out.

Hey if you really want to be a bad parent make sure he has on his thickest shoes to give him an extra 1/4 inch. I certainly would not reccomend anything over 1/4 inch. The height restrictions are there for a reason, but the sticks do seem to run a little taller to account for shoes, so if he is exactly 40 inches in sock feet, he might not get in under the stick.

 

[LKS]

My 4 year old was fine on TOT and is very proud of his TOT t-shirt. We had already been on Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain and in the Haunted Mansion.

 

[AimeeM]

My 4 year old couldnt wait to ride ToT in 99!! I went in to ToT kind of backwards.. I wanted to see if she was big enough to ride without her standing in line getting excited, only to be told no. We went in through the gift shop and asked a CM if she was big enough. He said "well, lets go find out". He took us the back way up to the loading place, and had her measured up. She was JUST at the line. So he called over someone else to check. She said hmm.. jussst making it, but lets have Joe check too. THey had 3 people check her and she was just hitting the line, so she got to do it!! She LOVED LOVED LOVED it!!!! We didnt even have to wait in the line! It was great.. lol.. we went up the back way, got measured and got right on.

As for Sharon's comment and the really bad mothers hint to get bigger shoes.. Im with her on that one. This past year, the same dare devil DD who was 4 when she did ToT, wanted to ride RnRC!! She was missing the height line by LESS than 1/4 inch!! They told her no and she burst into tears. One of the CM pulled me aside and TOLD me to go buy her higher shoes!! They cant make you take your shoes off to measure your height. So, we didnt go BUY new shoes, but we managed to "make her a bit taller" and it worked

 

[Tay N Evie's Mom]

My 4 year old twins went on TOT 10 times on our last vacation! I don't think there is any other ride that will "warm" him up though-there is nothing out there like it. We had to bribe our kids the first 2 times ( bad parents, slap on wrist) but after that, all they wanted to do is go on TOT. Make sure he stands up straight and try to walk buy the people who are measuring with an "we've been on here a whole bunch of times" attitude. Only stop to measure if they ask. I have to say though, DS is about 2 inches taller than DD and they stopped DD about 3-4 times to measure.

 

[Jordan's MOM]

Hey Tey N Evie's "bad" mom,

If I had never bribed my DS to get on a ride, he would never have riden anything! We started at two and now he loves everything! I never had to bribe him more than once for each ride and he never regreted a ride.

I second the idea to check out the height before you stand in line. It's a double kick to not get to ride, AFTER you stood in line.

There is a chicken exit at the last minute if she changes her mind. The library room can be a bit overwelming for some kids. Good luck I love TOT.

PS So does the kid I bribed to get on there!! LOL

Jordan's mom

 

[Princess_Aurora]

Oh good. I have a 4 yo that's been wanting to ride it since she was 2! She was tall enough last time we went but I was pregnant and I wanted to be able to ride it with her for the first time. We're going back in a few weeks and we're it first thing! People have kinda looked at me funny though thinking that something like that is too intense for a 4 year old. She's 42 inches tall though and I think she's ready for it. We rode Splash Mountain last time and she LOVED IT. Look at how happy she was:

It's good to know that other 4 year olds do ride ToT though

 

[Synonymous]

I think you just need to talk to son about it so he knows what to expect. My DD went on when she was 4. The first time she loved it. When we went back, she went on 1 more time and didn't want to do it again. She said she felt like she was going to fall out, because the lap bar was so far from her legs.

If he's been on other fast, bumpy rides, then the actual ride part of this shouldn't bother him. The story part is a little spooky, but nothing like HM. Get him a small light to distract him during those parts.

 

[champdds]

I already am planning on buying a small pen light (you squeeze to light up)..I think that is a great idea to offset the 'darkness factor'


Thanks for all the replies

David