How do I help a young child be brave with Disney rides?
February 25, 2018 5:38 PM Subscribe
What can I do to prep my 6 year old to be brave on rides for an upcoming Disney trip?
We are going to Disney in august and my daughter has a tendency to be afraid of things she hasn't already experienced but then loves them later. So for example she has no problem going on a kids coaster - she has done a number of them because she can see it. When we went to Universal it took almost all day to get her to go on anything like Cat in the Hat that is inside - she finally did and then went on 6 times and LOVED it. I am worried about her being cheated out of things like Pirates of the Caribbean and other indoor rides because she can't see them or gets too creeped out by the line, even when the ride isn't scary.
I don't want to drag her but trying to figure out any plan to convince her to be brave for rides I know she will like (i.e. not going to drag her onto a ride with a scary drop like Splash Mountain).
We are going to Disney in august and my daughter has a tendency to be afraid of things she hasn't already experienced but then loves them later. So for example she has no problem going on a kids coaster - she has done a number of them because she can see it. When we went to Universal it took almost all day to get her to go on anything like Cat in the Hat that is inside - she finally did and then went on 6 times and LOVED it. I am worried about her being cheated out of things like Pirates of the Caribbean and other indoor rides because she can't see them or gets too creeped out by the line, even when the ride isn't scary.
I don't want to drag her but trying to figure out any plan to convince her to be brave for rides I know she will like (i.e. not going to drag her onto a ride with a scary drop like Splash Mountain).
Here's a video of the pirates of the Caribbean ride. I'm sure there are videos of other rides. Of course, the video looks kind of dark which may give the impression of scary.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 5:44 PM on February 25, 2018 [8 favorites]
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 5:44 PM on February 25, 2018 [8 favorites]
We watched YouTube videos of the rides beforehand, which really helped my kids.
posted by MrsBell at 6:00 PM on February 25, 2018 [8 favorites]
posted by MrsBell at 6:00 PM on February 25, 2018 [8 favorites]
Spend time talking with her about the rides, reminder her of rides that she has been on and loved. Then when you get there, start with the easiest tunnel ride - probably Small World so she get the idea that this is FUN and hopefully transfer that to the next ride.
posted by metahawk at 6:01 PM on February 25, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by metahawk at 6:01 PM on February 25, 2018 [1 favorite]
I'd caution against using videos to reassure your child. I tried that with my cautious 9 and 6 year olds last summer and it failed miserably. On video rides often seem darker/faster/more chaotic than they really are. My kids have stubborn streaks and I accidentally tried too hard to encourage them to try rides, which resulted in them digging in their heels to not try the rides I tried hardest to demystify ahead of time. Since you are pretty confident about what your kid will end up liking, my suggestion is to start with the kiddie dark rides in Fantasyland, like Alice in Wonderland. Then you can tell her that other indoor rides are similar, but a little longer/exciting/other helpful adjective.
posted by ElizaMain at 6:02 PM on February 25, 2018 [4 favorites]
posted by ElizaMain at 6:02 PM on February 25, 2018 [4 favorites]
I reasoned with my kid that was nervous. Basically I said "Disney loves as many people to come and visit so the mostly make rides that are pretty tame but make it feel a little exciting. People bring their kids so they don't want rides that are too scary for little kids. There only have a few rides for kids that like to be a little scared. We can skip those. But every single one here is very safe and I know that because thousands of little kids go on them every single day." Get out the map and and circle the too exciting ones. Say these you can choose later if you are feeling like being adventurous. Some she will likely be to small for but don't say because they are too scary - just that she is too short for the seat.
Then when nerves kicked in I'd say " ask the workers (the line attendants) if it is scary. They aren't allowed to lie to the customers. "
Every one that we asked was kind and said it wasn't too scary. And I gave my kid an out - "if we get to the front of the line, no one makes you go on. We can just say we changed our mind, walk right out or wait and decide. We can just let the people behind us go while we are deciding."
posted by beccaj at 6:46 PM on February 25, 2018 [10 favorites]
Then when nerves kicked in I'd say " ask the workers (the line attendants) if it is scary. They aren't allowed to lie to the customers. "
Every one that we asked was kind and said it wasn't too scary. And I gave my kid an out - "if we get to the front of the line, no one makes you go on. We can just say we changed our mind, walk right out or wait and decide. We can just let the people behind us go while we are deciding."
posted by beccaj at 6:46 PM on February 25, 2018 [10 favorites]
I dunno, my son is a little younger but he keeps bringing up our last Disney trip and reminding me that he thought Zurg in Buzz Lightyear was scary, the psychedelic dream stuff in Winnie the Pooh was scary, Ursula in the Little Mermaid ride was scary, and the ghost that sat on his head at the end of Haunted Mansion was scary (ok, I will grant him the last one) . After seeing some of those things through his eyes, I appreciate now that a fair number of the rides at Magic Kingdom have weird elements that many/most kids obviously don't mind, but other kids who are sensitive dislike. I don't really have specific advice for your question, except to be aware that even the most dreadfully dull rides like Pooh can still freak out little kids, so be aware of that when you are pushing her to try things just in case it backfires.
posted by gatorae at 7:02 PM on February 25, 2018 [9 favorites]
posted by gatorae at 7:02 PM on February 25, 2018 [9 favorites]
Is there somewhere 'local' and 'cheaper' (yes, I know the irony in describing anything amusement park as those two things) where you could do a practice run to? Where she can sort of expand her limits and then you can use as a basis for 'This ride is about as fast as the 'local scrambletron ride' that you LOVED? Maybe make it a game to see if she can do a ride with her eyes closed to make disorienting 'indoor/dark' rides less scary (although beware of motion sickness).
It might make Disney seem a little less scary if thedark/indoor rides part isn't so new.
posted by Northbysomewhatcrazy at 7:24 PM on February 25, 2018
It might make Disney seem a little less scary if thedark/indoor rides part isn't so new.
posted by Northbysomewhatcrazy at 7:24 PM on February 25, 2018
My son is the same way (totally phobic of anything new, but when forced to do the thing, invariably loves it). I'd make a deal about riding X many new rides and then remind her copiously of all the times before that she didn't want to do something new but wound up loving it. Just a lot of "Oh hey, how did you feel before you rode that thing before? And how did you feel during? What was it like? Did you wind up liking it after all? Do you think now you might feel a little braver about the same kind of stuff now that you're such a pro? Can we make a deal to ride something new together at Disneyland?"
And then, in line? Have a patter prepared. A long one that has nothing to do with amusement park rides. Bring out the phone and look at some pictures. Distract distract distract. Buy a new cheap silly toy before getting into line. We're always most successful when we're able to pull off a "Look! Over there!" and next thing he knows he's doing the thing.
posted by soren_lorensen at 7:45 PM on February 25, 2018 [2 favorites]
And then, in line? Have a patter prepared. A long one that has nothing to do with amusement park rides. Bring out the phone and look at some pictures. Distract distract distract. Buy a new cheap silly toy before getting into line. We're always most successful when we're able to pull off a "Look! Over there!" and next thing he knows he's doing the thing.
posted by soren_lorensen at 7:45 PM on February 25, 2018 [2 favorites]
I was a horribly scared little kid at Disneyland and honestly, I cannot think of a thing anyone could have done to reassure me. Going on Pirates made me feel like I was going on Splash Mountain (before that ride existed, mind you). Everything literally felt BIGGER to me than it actually was to an adult. I cried like hell going to Disneyland. My parents were well, completely unsympathetic and dragged me on everything anyway no matter what I did and I continued to be freaked the hell out until the BIG GIANT SLIDES (or the going backward in the Haunted Mansion) was over with. I still think it was cruel of them, but ain't no way they were going to have one of them sit around with me for 2 hours while the other went on the ride. I didn't stop freaking out every time (and we went every six months to a year when I was little) until I literally got bigger and it wasn't so bad on me any more. I really just needed to NOT HAVE TO GO ON THE DAMN RIDE until I wasn't as much of a scaredy cat any more, but nobody in my family was going to be cool with that.
I really really really hate saying this, but.... you might just have to drag her and force her. The only reason I'm saying this is because you say that once she does it, she likes it. (Which was NOT true for me when I was small, even after multiple times of Pirates.) And I can say that once the two drops are over with, you can see enough while on the ride to not be wigged out. So...there's that.
posted by jenfullmoon at 7:51 PM on February 25, 2018 [1 favorite]
I really really really hate saying this, but.... you might just have to drag her and force her. The only reason I'm saying this is because you say that once she does it, she likes it. (Which was NOT true for me when I was small, even after multiple times of Pirates.) And I can say that once the two drops are over with, you can see enough while on the ride to not be wigged out. So...there's that.
posted by jenfullmoon at 7:51 PM on February 25, 2018 [1 favorite]
I call it priming the pump with my reluctant boy...mass familiarization (videos), lots of talking things up in advance, sharing experiences, etc.
Our son went to a 2 night sleep away camp when he was 7 — he started expressing reluctance about 2 weeks prior and we went into hyper pump priming mode. By the time we dropped him off and were ready to leave, I had to beg for a hug goodbye. I needed one. Moms get reluctant too.
posted by murrey at 7:55 PM on February 25, 2018
Our son went to a 2 night sleep away camp when he was 7 — he started expressing reluctance about 2 weeks prior and we went into hyper pump priming mode. By the time we dropped him off and were ready to leave, I had to beg for a hug goodbye. I needed one. Moms get reluctant too.
posted by murrey at 7:55 PM on February 25, 2018
Whatever you do, do NOT go on the Snow White ride right when you get in the park. That can set the mood in a bad way, in my experience.
posted by sacrifix at 8:09 PM on February 25, 2018 [4 favorites]
posted by sacrifix at 8:09 PM on February 25, 2018 [4 favorites]
I’ve been to Disney a lot, and when I was younger, the worst part was waiting in line and the anticipation. The longer I was in line, the more time I had to freak out and second guess my decision to go on the ride. My parents were not great at planning around long wait times, but now that I’m in control, I’m able to avoid long lines. I really love Touring Plans. There’s a mobile app and you can put in the rides you want and it’ll recommend a plan for the day. You can also check the wait times at different rides.
posted by loulou718 at 8:12 PM on February 25, 2018
posted by loulou718 at 8:12 PM on February 25, 2018
Uhh also I agree with sacrifix—I went on Snow White as a kid and then refused to go back until I was an adult and I was really mad at my parents for telling me it wasn’t scary.
posted by loulou718 at 8:15 PM on February 25, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by loulou718 at 8:15 PM on February 25, 2018 [1 favorite]
We go to the parks A LOT with a trio of quirky kids. Videos helped a bit with our son who is very sensitive to noise and suspense. However, when he felt his trust was violated on one of the rides he stopped believing anything that we said or showed him for a while.
One after the fact strategy that helped - when he genuinely enjoys a ride we do a short video interview immediately when he gets off where he talks about how much fun he had. This prevents us from having to spend quite so much time convincing him the next time. Also helpful - getting lists of “the best rides at Disneyland” and turning it into a quest or adventure.
Ultimately it’s helpful to know what your kid finds overwhelming. Ours can handle being thrown around at violent speeds (roller coasters, water slides, etc) but are terrified of dark rides with jump scares or loud noises (Pirates, Toad’s wild ride, etc).
Finally - there are many ways to have a good time in the parks, even if (especially if) you exclude the blockbuster rides. Shows, parades, activities, pop anthropology - don’t let your stress at holding to an itinerary ruin the day.
posted by q*ben at 8:15 PM on February 25, 2018 [2 favorites]
One after the fact strategy that helped - when he genuinely enjoys a ride we do a short video interview immediately when he gets off where he talks about how much fun he had. This prevents us from having to spend quite so much time convincing him the next time. Also helpful - getting lists of “the best rides at Disneyland” and turning it into a quest or adventure.
Ultimately it’s helpful to know what your kid finds overwhelming. Ours can handle being thrown around at violent speeds (roller coasters, water slides, etc) but are terrified of dark rides with jump scares or loud noises (Pirates, Toad’s wild ride, etc).
Finally - there are many ways to have a good time in the parks, even if (especially if) you exclude the blockbuster rides. Shows, parades, activities, pop anthropology - don’t let your stress at holding to an itinerary ruin the day.
posted by q*ben at 8:15 PM on February 25, 2018 [2 favorites]
I was terrified of pretty much everything as a child but also felt sad and left out watching my siblings do things I was too scared to do. What I needed was insane amounts of encouragement and reassurance, but even then, I was often just too scared. Just writing to say I’m glad you’re working on this. I really hated feeling left out, even though it was my own decision.
Also, you probably aren’t doing this, but please don’t let other adults criticize her for being scared. That was awful.
posted by FencingGal at 8:49 PM on February 25, 2018 [4 favorites]
Also, you probably aren’t doing this, but please don’t let other adults criticize her for being scared. That was awful.
posted by FencingGal at 8:49 PM on February 25, 2018 [4 favorites]
What I didn't like about PotC at Anaheim Disneyland were the 2 sudden drops (at Orlando there was only one).
posted by brujita at 8:51 PM on February 25, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by brujita at 8:51 PM on February 25, 2018 [1 favorite]
Are you familiar with the concept of Social Stories? They're most commonly used with kids with autism, but they work with all kids. A social story explains what's going to happen, and why, and what emotions the child might experience during the event -- but with a positive framing.
So a social story for Pirates might begin, "When I go to Disney World, I will ride the Pirates of the Carribean! It is an indoor ride, so I won't be able to see it before I get on it, which makes me nervous. But I have watched YouTube videos of it, and I know that Disney plans rides to be fun (not scary), so even though I'm a little bit scared, I will get on the Pirates ride. When I get on the Pirates ride, I will be on a little boat with my mom. She will sit next to me the whole time! I might squeeze her hand really tightly in line, but I am brave and I know Pirates will be really fun! My mom is scared of pirates, though, so I might need to hold her hand extra tight so SHE doesn't get scared!" etc etc etc, with as much detail as you think is necessary to help her through the ride. You can either turn this into a PDF/slide deck to look at on a tablet, or you can print it out. You can include clip art, or you can include pictures of your kid/family doing stuff, or pictures online from the real thing that will happen.
The idea is that you scaffold the experience by explaining to the child what will happen, and explaining what emotions they might feel, so that when they have the experience, it isn't scarily new and strange; it's new, but they have rehearsed a dozen times what it will be like, so it isn't scary. You should always acknowledge scary/negative emotions the child might experience, but provide the frame for how they will overcome it. ("I was a little scared, but I remembered it was just pretend.")
You'll read the social story every day before bed (or after school, or in the morning, or whatever time is convenient), to help her acquire the script for what will happen and what she might feel, and how she can cope with those feelings. You can (and should!) end it with something like, "I was nervous to go on Pirates the first time, but it was so much fun I couldn't wait to go as many more times as my mom would let me!"
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 9:34 PM on February 25, 2018 [10 favorites]
So a social story for Pirates might begin, "When I go to Disney World, I will ride the Pirates of the Carribean! It is an indoor ride, so I won't be able to see it before I get on it, which makes me nervous. But I have watched YouTube videos of it, and I know that Disney plans rides to be fun (not scary), so even though I'm a little bit scared, I will get on the Pirates ride. When I get on the Pirates ride, I will be on a little boat with my mom. She will sit next to me the whole time! I might squeeze her hand really tightly in line, but I am brave and I know Pirates will be really fun! My mom is scared of pirates, though, so I might need to hold her hand extra tight so SHE doesn't get scared!" etc etc etc, with as much detail as you think is necessary to help her through the ride. You can either turn this into a PDF/slide deck to look at on a tablet, or you can print it out. You can include clip art, or you can include pictures of your kid/family doing stuff, or pictures online from the real thing that will happen.
The idea is that you scaffold the experience by explaining to the child what will happen, and explaining what emotions they might feel, so that when they have the experience, it isn't scarily new and strange; it's new, but they have rehearsed a dozen times what it will be like, so it isn't scary. You should always acknowledge scary/negative emotions the child might experience, but provide the frame for how they will overcome it. ("I was a little scared, but I remembered it was just pretend.")
You'll read the social story every day before bed (or after school, or in the morning, or whatever time is convenient), to help her acquire the script for what will happen and what she might feel, and how she can cope with those feelings. You can (and should!) end it with something like, "I was nervous to go on Pirates the first time, but it was so much fun I couldn't wait to go as many more times as my mom would let me!"
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 9:34 PM on February 25, 2018 [10 favorites]
When my kid was that age, she was not at all interested in any of the thrill rides at Disneyland, and we didn't try to force her on any of them. There's plenty to do for younger kids, such as shows, meeting princesses or fairies (she happily waited to meet Tinker Bell & friends), Tom Sawyer's Island, and just walking around and getting the Disney experience. Depending on how many of you are going, you can do the rider switch on rides throughout the park.
posted by mogget at 9:45 PM on February 25, 2018 [5 favorites]
posted by mogget at 9:45 PM on February 25, 2018 [5 favorites]
All I can say is, know your kid really well and know your rides really well. For example, Pirates has a drop in the dark, which for some may actually be scarier than the better-lit drop on Splash Mountain. I just got back from Disneyland with my four-year-old and she went on Space Mountain and Big Thunder for the first time, both of which I was sure she'd like because she loves fast coasters, but I didn't even propose Pirates because I knew the guns and fire and skeletons would upset her. Next time, maybe.
I'm not above mild trickery when a kid is ready and trying to be brave but just needs a little extra push. I myself was tricked into Space Mountain the first time I rode it. But you really do have to be dead certain it's a "they'd love it if only they'd give it a shot" situation, because you get exactly one opportunity to do that and if it fails you break that trust forever.
My dad got me on a lot of "special effects" rides like Pirates and the Haunted Mansion as a kid by talking about how unspeakably cheesy the effects were and how nobody could ever think they were real. I remember being really, legitimately scared but embarrassed to say so. Please don't do this, it'll get them through the door but they may not have fun and you won't know. My plan is to, instead of denigrating the effects, explain them respectfully - "Disney does such a great job tricking you into thinking these are real ghosts, they're the best in the business, but here's how that ballroom really works, isn't that amazing? Better than real, a clever fake!" I think 4 is too young for that approach, though.
posted by potrzebie at 10:20 PM on February 25, 2018 [2 favorites]
I'm not above mild trickery when a kid is ready and trying to be brave but just needs a little extra push. I myself was tricked into Space Mountain the first time I rode it. But you really do have to be dead certain it's a "they'd love it if only they'd give it a shot" situation, because you get exactly one opportunity to do that and if it fails you break that trust forever.
My dad got me on a lot of "special effects" rides like Pirates and the Haunted Mansion as a kid by talking about how unspeakably cheesy the effects were and how nobody could ever think they were real. I remember being really, legitimately scared but embarrassed to say so. Please don't do this, it'll get them through the door but they may not have fun and you won't know. My plan is to, instead of denigrating the effects, explain them respectfully - "Disney does such a great job tricking you into thinking these are real ghosts, they're the best in the business, but here's how that ballroom really works, isn't that amazing? Better than real, a clever fake!" I think 4 is too young for that approach, though.
posted by potrzebie at 10:20 PM on February 25, 2018 [2 favorites]
Let her enjoy what she wants to do and keep to moderate encouragement on the slightly out of her comfort zone ones (if she feels her concerns and choices are being respected she'll likely be in a more open frame if mind) and just leave the others alone. You might know she'd enjoy it if she tried, but that's you regretting on her behalf. She's having a great day anyway- does it really matter? There is so much to do there and no point in regretting what you end up missing. FWIW it was only about a half hour before closing that I was suddenly all, I wanna go on the scary rides now! took me like 15 hours to get there mentally, it was too late but eh, maybe next time.
I did go to Disneyland as an adult and was super impressed by their safety consciousness so feel free to tell her from someone who understands - it's a really good place to be brave. Cause frankly at a lot of theme parks, my fears weren't exactly unfounded and I think it was less being chicken and more being sensible.
posted by kitten magic at 4:06 AM on February 26, 2018 [1 favorite]
I did go to Disneyland as an adult and was super impressed by their safety consciousness so feel free to tell her from someone who understands - it's a really good place to be brave. Cause frankly at a lot of theme parks, my fears weren't exactly unfounded and I think it was less being chicken and more being sensible.
posted by kitten magic at 4:06 AM on February 26, 2018 [1 favorite]
Just a lot of "Oh hey, how did you feel before you rode that thing before? And how did you feel during? What was it like? Did you wind up liking it after all? Do you think now you might feel a little braver about the same kind of stuff now that you're such a pro? Can we make a deal to ride something new together at Disneyland?
My daughter was very scared of a huge slide at an indoor playground near our house where she would often go for birthday parties and the like. When she finally did it, she absolutely loved it. I pointed out at the time how brave she was and gently reminded her that a thing that looks scary can actually be fun. When we went to Disney World, we reminded her of that slide, and it really helped to have a concrete example of "scary thing that you ended up loving" to reference.
That said, she's now a teenager, and genuinely does not like even the most tepid roller coasters, so we don't try to convince her anymore, and we all have a better time.
posted by Rock Steady at 4:21 AM on February 26, 2018 [1 favorite]
My daughter was very scared of a huge slide at an indoor playground near our house where she would often go for birthday parties and the like. When she finally did it, she absolutely loved it. I pointed out at the time how brave she was and gently reminded her that a thing that looks scary can actually be fun. When we went to Disney World, we reminded her of that slide, and it really helped to have a concrete example of "scary thing that you ended up loving" to reference.
That said, she's now a teenager, and genuinely does not like even the most tepid roller coasters, so we don't try to convince her anymore, and we all have a better time.
posted by Rock Steady at 4:21 AM on February 26, 2018 [1 favorite]
As a former scaredy-kid, I often found the lines scarier than the rides and that's when I would lose my nerve. (Pirates for sure. Yeesh that line.) If you have FastPass available to you, use them on the kiddie rides so she has less time to wait in line. Or get there first thing so you can walk on and not have to dwell for 30 minutes on if it's scary.
I'd avoid videos, because most of them are poorly lit, poorly shot, and the noise is distorted. Try showing her pictures from travel sites instead, like this one.
If you're going to Walt Disney World in Florida, rejoice that the Snow White dark ride was razed to the effing ground. It's now a lovely Princess meet-and-greet. And I'm sure you know this, but she can have a great time without going on a single dark ride. Parades, shows, play areas, meet and greets, fun food, balloons, carousel, train, Dumbo, etc.
posted by kimberussell at 4:54 AM on February 26, 2018 [4 favorites]
I'd avoid videos, because most of them are poorly lit, poorly shot, and the noise is distorted. Try showing her pictures from travel sites instead, like this one.
If you're going to Walt Disney World in Florida, rejoice that the Snow White dark ride was razed to the effing ground. It's now a lovely Princess meet-and-greet. And I'm sure you know this, but she can have a great time without going on a single dark ride. Parades, shows, play areas, meet and greets, fun food, balloons, carousel, train, Dumbo, etc.
posted by kimberussell at 4:54 AM on February 26, 2018 [4 favorites]
Does she have any kind of competitive streak? I ask because what finally got me to go on Space Mountain (after being traumatically forced onto it at a too-young age) was good ol'-fashioned peer pressure. Now, granted, I was an 8-year-old boy when I finally went on it willingly, but it wasn't even so much the fact that my peers pressured me (they did only a bit) but my own recognition that, "Hey, these kids are exactly my age, and if they can handle it, I bet I can."
Then when nerves kicked in I'd say " ask the workers (the line attendants) if it is scary. They aren't allowed to lie to the customers. "
Every one that we asked was kind and said it wasn't too scary. And I gave my kid an out - "if we get to the front of the line, no one makes you go on. We can just say we changed our mind, walk right out or wait and decide. We can just let the people behind us go while we are deciding."
Six sounds like a good age for this advice. I also concur with the above remark about "know the rides." I know people who could not have handled the Haunted Mansion at, like, age thirteen.
posted by CheesesOfBrazil at 5:39 AM on February 26, 2018 [2 favorites]
Then when nerves kicked in I'd say " ask the workers (the line attendants) if it is scary. They aren't allowed to lie to the customers. "
Every one that we asked was kind and said it wasn't too scary. And I gave my kid an out - "if we get to the front of the line, no one makes you go on. We can just say we changed our mind, walk right out or wait and decide. We can just let the people behind us go while we are deciding."
Six sounds like a good age for this advice. I also concur with the above remark about "know the rides." I know people who could not have handled the Haunted Mansion at, like, age thirteen.
posted by CheesesOfBrazil at 5:39 AM on February 26, 2018 [2 favorites]
Scaredy kid turned into Scardey Cat adult that just got back from her first visit to Disneyworld with her husband. I went on maybe half the rides he did & still has a blast. There is so much more to Disney than the rides.
Don't make forcing him onto rides a big part of your trip that will make things worse.
Half the reason I hated rides as a kid was the huge long lines with lots of people crowded around.
The other half is I got motion sick. I rarely throw up with motion sickness and not until I was a teen so as a small child I could not put a name on the horrible nauseous feeling I got on rides as I didn't throw up my family didn't realize I actually got motion sick.
Be aware some rides you might think OK like Pirates of the Caribbean would have terrified me as a kid. Buildings on fire, loud noises, darkness, huge dark crammed lines, be really really sure the ride isn't scary before you take your kid on it, again an adult going through first to check it out if unsure & to show how much fun how safe the ride is might not be a bad idea.
Work your fastpasses as hard as you can to help avoid adding the stresses of huge lines etc to the ride stress. Also that Touring Plans linked to above is well worth the money, we only had one line wait of more than 20 minutes and that was for a roller coaster my husband really wanted to go on.
posted by wwax at 6:39 AM on February 26, 2018 [1 favorite]
Don't make forcing him onto rides a big part of your trip that will make things worse.
Half the reason I hated rides as a kid was the huge long lines with lots of people crowded around.
The other half is I got motion sick. I rarely throw up with motion sickness and not until I was a teen so as a small child I could not put a name on the horrible nauseous feeling I got on rides as I didn't throw up my family didn't realize I actually got motion sick.
Be aware some rides you might think OK like Pirates of the Caribbean would have terrified me as a kid. Buildings on fire, loud noises, darkness, huge dark crammed lines, be really really sure the ride isn't scary before you take your kid on it, again an adult going through first to check it out if unsure & to show how much fun how safe the ride is might not be a bad idea.
Work your fastpasses as hard as you can to help avoid adding the stresses of huge lines etc to the ride stress. Also that Touring Plans linked to above is well worth the money, we only had one line wait of more than 20 minutes and that was for a roller coaster my husband really wanted to go on.
posted by wwax at 6:39 AM on February 26, 2018 [1 favorite]
We bribed our kids - our long standing offer is that they can get one of the trading pins for the first time they ride something. We also reinforced that Disney doesn't want anyone to get hurt, that the rides are safe and that they're meant to have fun.
Then again, sometimes you get into the Space Mountain car, and the 6 year old realizes that it's one person per row, and she can't sit next to Mommy and starts freaking out, and then a bunch of teenage girls started cheering for her and chanting that she could do it. Which she did, and got the pin for. :-)
wwax is onto something too about motion sickness, both my wife and the (then) 6 year old get motion sick pretty easily. My wife takes bonine for it, and for our next trip our daughter has asked us to look into a childrens version for her "so she can have more fun too."
posted by neilbert at 7:11 AM on February 26, 2018 [1 favorite]
Then again, sometimes you get into the Space Mountain car, and the 6 year old realizes that it's one person per row, and she can't sit next to Mommy and starts freaking out, and then a bunch of teenage girls started cheering for her and chanting that she could do it. Which she did, and got the pin for. :-)
wwax is onto something too about motion sickness, both my wife and the (then) 6 year old get motion sick pretty easily. My wife takes bonine for it, and for our next trip our daughter has asked us to look into a childrens version for her "so she can have more fun too."
posted by neilbert at 7:11 AM on February 26, 2018 [1 favorite]
I have to agree with other posters and say that if I had gone to Disneyland as a child there are many children's rides that would have legitimately frightened me: the Heffalumps and Woozles on Winnie the Pooh, Snow White's Scary Adventure, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride (where the story ends with you *dying in a car wreck and going to actual hell*). I mean, even as an adult, sometimes those pitch-black drops on Pirates freak me out a little. I was also very easily overstimulated as a child and, with limited language and emotional range, would experience overstimulation as fear.
For me, as a kid, the best strategy for overcoming my fear was often overwhelming the fear with excitement. You might want to try getting her invested in the characters and the stories of the rides you want her to try at Disney. If you think she'll be scared of Peter Pan, for example, maybe spend some time rewatching the movie, listening to the music, and getting psyched up to experience it when you get to the park. Wanting to be "in the movie" might be a good incentive to face her fear. Plus, if she associates the music and the characters with fun and comfort, it might help the environment of the queue and the park be more familiar and soothing than frightening.
That said, if she really digs in or insists, please don't force her. It's extremely invalidating for a parent to disregard a child's emotions, and it can cause real harm. (I'm not saying you will, just that I see a lot of parents at Disneyland dragging sobbing children into places they don't want to be. Not only is it a horrible cruelty, but it also teaches them terrible lessons about the value of their own emotions, their ability to consent to experiences, and whether or not you'll support them and their needs in other ways.)
posted by CtrlAltDelete at 10:03 AM on February 26, 2018 [1 favorite]
For me, as a kid, the best strategy for overcoming my fear was often overwhelming the fear with excitement. You might want to try getting her invested in the characters and the stories of the rides you want her to try at Disney. If you think she'll be scared of Peter Pan, for example, maybe spend some time rewatching the movie, listening to the music, and getting psyched up to experience it when you get to the park. Wanting to be "in the movie" might be a good incentive to face her fear. Plus, if she associates the music and the characters with fun and comfort, it might help the environment of the queue and the park be more familiar and soothing than frightening.
That said, if she really digs in or insists, please don't force her. It's extremely invalidating for a parent to disregard a child's emotions, and it can cause real harm. (I'm not saying you will, just that I see a lot of parents at Disneyland dragging sobbing children into places they don't want to be. Not only is it a horrible cruelty, but it also teaches them terrible lessons about the value of their own emotions, their ability to consent to experiences, and whether or not you'll support them and their needs in other ways.)
posted by CtrlAltDelete at 10:03 AM on February 26, 2018 [1 favorite]
Ooh also, if you're thinking about Haunted Mansion in particular, you should know that it's possible to nope out of that ride after the stretching room intro! My little sister got right back in the room, rode it back up, and waited with one of our parents for the rest of us to finish the ride. Until you're actually in the ride vehicle you aren't committed.
posted by potrzebie at 1:54 PM on February 26, 2018
posted by potrzebie at 1:54 PM on February 26, 2018
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posted by lilac girl at 5:44 PM on February 25, 2018 [1 favorite]