What is it about the Tower of Terror?

[eeyoreandtink]

I HATE ToT but will ride any and every coaster. I cannot handle the multiple, random drops. I send DD and DH on it and sit and wait for them. The only 2 rides in Disney I will NOT get on are ToT and Mission Space Orange( made me horribly motion sick).

 

[biondagirl]

My 13 year old has always HATED it. My 10 year old has always LOVED it. At least now, I can sit the 13 year old at the end of the ride to wait for us. My husband didn't go on it for a few years so he could sit with our son. I don't think husband is overly fond of the ride either. I wouldn't force him. I think there are some rides you can "force" because you know your child and what they can handle, but I don't think ToT is one of them.

 

[prprincess]

My DD is 9 and was really excited to ride for the first time in August. Unfortunately, he hated it! You can see it in his face when you look at our ride photos. I felt so bad! For him, it's the drops--he said he doesn't like feeling that feeling over and over again. So I agree, don't push it. Maybe try again when he's a little older. But I feel you--it's one of mine, hubby's, and my older son's favorite!!

 

[jenhum]

It was DD's favorite ride when she went for the first time at 4.5. We actually told her that we were switching hotels, and this was our new one and it was haunted...lol! Right after it went black in the elevator I quickly whispered that I was just kidding and that we were on a ride. Every kid is different. It is a very immersive experience. My mom, who will ride anything, hates ToT, but she just doesn't like the sensation of the drops. I wouldn't push it if you sense real fear about it.

 

[DonaldDuck77]

We got our daughter at age 7 to ride it by offering a less than $20 "prize" from the ToT gift shop if she rode. She rode, collected her prize, and said she never wants to ride it again. 10 year old loves it.

 

[Figmentmommy]

When my kids were little they refused to go on it, but they have since grown into it and it's a must-do for them now. It takes time and I'm glad I didn't force them.

And my two are just the opposite! Rode it when they were little and now that they are a teenager and almost a teenager they have changed their tune! Every trip they say they really want to try it again so we can get a family ride video, but they never go through with it. This is by absolute hands down favorite ride and I've reluctantly given up on the idea that they'll ride again - I just wish they'd stop walking through the Fastpass line and then not riding. This way I could have used their Fastpasses to ride again and again! I just want to scream every time!

 

[BebopBaloo]

Please don't push him. There's no way my daughter who is near in age would ride it either. Every kid is different just like every adult. I absolutely love the Twilight Zone. Love it. I used to be able to do the ride, but I just can't anymore. I kept having recurring nightmares about it breaking....ha.. ha.. mphh. I do think it's an amazing attraction. It's just not for everyone.

 

[Disfan5]

My youngest wanted to ride so bad when she was that age but tried several times and got scared at the video/lights out part so we had to take the chicken exit. I knew how badly she wanted to ride but she was truly scared. When we went back to HS she was determined to ride. She ended up loving it, it's now one of her favorites she wants to do over and over again (although she still sticks close to me during the pre-show!). I'm so glad I didn't force her the first time because she may have hated it forever.

 

[HelloMimi]

I think ToT is pretty unique in that from the outside, you can't see what's happening on the ride, but it's hard to miss all the screaming coming from the top! When you stand in the 45-minute RnRC queue and you hear the screaming from ToT over and over (and over!) again, it gets to be pretty unnerving. For children, who tend to have pretty wild imaginations, those screams probably magnify an already terrifying unknown. I nearly chickened out myself, and I'm an adult!

 

[PrincessNelly]

I did get the courage to ride TOT til I was 22! LOL Myself and two best friends decided to be brave... needless to say one of my friends ended up taking the chicken exit

It is now one of my favorite rides but I still get nervous everytime. My 28 year old fiance will never ride TOT. He had a fit that I made him wait in the queue with me. He thought I was lying about their being a chicken exit LOL.

 

[Princess Jaz E Jaz]

I love the theming of ToT but i can not ride due to my endocrine system. The drops mess with me so I let people in my party I will not ride it. If I decide to ride it, I make that decision and deal with what happens after.

I would not push it. Let you son make the decision for when he wants to get on ToT.

 

[WishnDisney]

I hate this ride. I couldn't wait until it was over.

My teenage son hates ANY thrill rides. Even now I won't make him try them. The first time he went to WDW, his first ride was BTMRR. He was afraid of everything else after that. He doesn't even like the drop on POTC.

 

[bethanyfos]

I am an adult and ToT terrified me. My stress nightmares tend to involve out of control elevators so, yeah, the ride is a waking nightmare for me. I rode it once with my daughter because she really wanted to go. I had to apologize to everyone in my car because I swore loudly and repeatedly during the ride. I had to put my hand over my mouth to stop. Interestingly, now that I've been through it once I would be willing to do it again.

When my daughter was around the OP's son's age, I talked her into Splash Mountain and she absolutely hated it. She is 16 now and she still won't go on it even though she will ride everything else at WDW. No matter how many times I tell her it's nowhere near as scary as ToT, Space Mountain or Expedition Everest, she still won't consider it. I regret pushing her when she was too young.

 

[MonaMN]

I am an adult and ToT terrified me. My stress nightmares tend to involve out of control elevators so, yeah, the ride is a waking nightmare for me. I rode it once with my daughter because she really wanted to go. I had to apologize to everyone in my car because I swore loudly and repeatedly during the ride. I had to put my hand over my mouth to stop. Interestingly, now that I've been through it once I would be willing to do it again.

When my daughter was around the OP's son's age, I talked her into Splash Mountain and she absolutely hated it. She is 16 now and she still won't go on it even though she will ride everything else at WDW. No matter how many times I tell her it's nowhere near as scary as ToT, Space Mountain or Expedition Everest, she still won't consider it. I regret pushing her when she was too young.

DD is like that on Peter Pan. She was traumatized by the DL version at 4 - got scared of the darkness... still won't go on it, even though she has done ToT, HM, EE...

 

[Meeko5]

My 6yo LOVED it. Was his favorite ride of the whole trip - the look on his face in the beginning of the ride video was PRICELESS. sheer terror. By the second drop he was Smiling so huge.

He thought the haunted mansion was scary though, so there's that

 

[Accident]

I think ToT actually has the teen or older rating on it (yes disney has ride ratings for age for all rides).. It's a scary situation with a scary name and an elevator falling. It might be your son has a fear of heights. That can manifest itself in many ways where coasters and thigns high up aren't a big deal but in the right situation and it's not for him and could even be crippling with fear.

as a parent with a daughter with diagnosed anxiety problems, I just want to throw out that maybe the next time your around his doctor.

personally a voice change is not a little I'm scared to try it situation in my mind.. maybe you can try the hanging out near the exit for them to see excited kids coming off (it's the gift shop)

 

[HopperFan]

If one has never been on it ............. just stand there and look - IT'S HUGE AND IMPOSING and looks haunted, and it looks like it will be a LONG LONG ride and all the screaming when the door opens. I would think the imagination goes wild with all the horror that may be happening inside. It just looks huge and I know my mind would be going all over the place ........... because until I actually rode it, even as an adult I expected so much more than just a bouncing elevator. I have to say I was let down.

OR maybe it's the thought of ................. horror of horrors .......................

 

[disnut8]

It's all about the superb theming of the ride, and the attention to detail in every possible way. From the second you enter, you feel as though you truly are in the Twilight Zone. My 11 year old has FINALLY mustered up enough courage and has assured me that he will ride it this time. Perhaps he feels a little bit of pressure as his 4 year old sister will ride ANYTHING and everything- nothing is too scary for her.

Totally agree. I had to skip thrill rides for 5 years because of a broken neck but Twilight Zone, I just did the alternative exit because I wanted the "experience" and not the drops. And it did it for me. The entire setup can be scary for so many people and your son seems to be one of them. The walk to the doors, the lobby, the library, the walk to the boiler room, the boiler room and then the elevator. Yep - scary as, um, stuff.

 

[MareSINY]

I'm on your sons side. The last time I rode that ride my niece was 7, she's now 13 and I still refuse to go back on. She loves it, and was very disappointed when I informed her that I could not physically handle going back on that ride again, but oh well, there was no way I could do it!

When are you going? Maybe your son can sit out with me and you can ride with the rest of my family! LOL You can always find me sitting in the Photopass area on the bench, staying cool in the A/C and watching my family race past me as they ride ToT over and over again! LOL

 

[Disney Khaleesi]

I'm eighteen years old, a freshman in college, and still terrified of this ride to the point where I refuse to ride it. And I freaking love The Twilight Zone. Don't push him.