In Magic Kingdom-which roller coaster for a first time ever for kids?

[LuckyMum22]

My kids aren't thrill seekers. My youngest (8 yr old son) is getting a little more daring. He wants to try a roller coaster! Which one won't freak him out for the next one? Which is more gentle:
Big Thunder Mountain or Goofy's Barnstormer?
We are really hoping that one will open the door for another ...and then we'll go on Splash Mt. if all goes well!:coaster:

[BigRedDad]

I would say Barnstormer.

[krazeerosie]

I would do the Barnstormer , then Splash Mountain( only one drop) and then Thunder Mountain. Plus its easier for you since it like going around the park and not jumping around. If he looks at the Barnstormer and gets scared just looking at it go for the Splash then come back to Barnstormer if all goes well.

[SBETigg]

Mine started with Big Thunder Mountain and just loved it. It's pretty tame, really, for a coaster. But if you're unsure of your child's reaction, you might start with Barnstormer. I think of Barnstormer as more of a kiddie coaster and your eight-year-old might think so, too, and want the BTMRR experience instead. But it really depends on the child.

I would absolutely not start with Splash Mountain. There is only one drop, but it is a big deal drop and my daughter started freaking out and then was reluctant to go back. She did go back, because it was really fun, but the first few rides were dramatic events. BTMRR has more drops, but they're not very big or intimidating.

[Belle_0717]

Barnstormer for sure. DH and I were hysterically laughing on it. Then try BTMRR - wish I had ridden that one first and not some rickety one in upstate NY.

My first and ONLY real roller coaster was RnRC and I CAN'T GET ENOUGH! Of course I cannot forget E:E - another MUST!!!

[magicman]

I'm a firm believer in the "working the kids up principle". I am in agreement about the Barnstormer being an outstanding 'first coaster'. My ranking below is how I would rate the WDW rollercoasters (from least scary to most scary).

1. Barnstormer
2. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
3. Space Mountain
4. Expedition Everest
5. Rock N Roll Rollercoaster

(By the way, although it's not a rollercoaster, Test Track has similar thrills & I'd rate it a bit less scary than Space Mountain on my list above.)

[BelleBeauty]

I would say head over to Toontown first and try him on Barnstormer. Chances are, he will think it is great and be ready for BTMRR by the time you make your way to Frontierland. Splash is sort of tame, but I think the look of the big drop and then the anticipation of the big drop is scarier than just the constant motion on BTMRR.

[KathyMO]

Goofy's Barnstormer

We took our 7 year old Grandson to WDW in April. He said it wanted to ride the roller coasters this trip. We went on Goofy's Barnstormer first.:coaster: Well that was enough. No more roller coasters for him.:mickey:

Kathy

[JPL]

Barnstormer is a good choice that's what it is designed for and then you can graduate them to BTMRR:thumbsup:

[battlefield2freak]

id say big thunder, but thats just me. big thunder in my opinion is just about as fast, if not a little bit faster then the barnstormer, and its aout as gentle as barnstormer as well. and the drops arent that bad on either one maybe like 10-15 ft. drops so they both arent that bad for kids but id take mine to big thunder before barnstormer bc it will leave a lasting memory on a disney classic.

[scootch713]

My daughter actually did splash mountain first. She is 7. This year we are going to try Goofy's... am going to try to get my 5 1/2 year old on goofy's or splash mountain too.

[wifey5794]

My kids have graduated to the BTM but I'd start with the Barnstormer and move on from there. That way if he doesn't like it you won't have to worry about trying the harder ones.

[jszczur5]

I would suggest trying out Barnstormer first.
Big Thunder is a great ride but you can really get jostled about, as it is intentionally rickety feeling.
Splash Mountain has a few very minor drops which are very smooth, and then the final drop which is over in a matter of seconds. My mother is terrified of coasters and big drops and we got her on Splash Mountain last summer. She was petrified and was almost panicking. When we went over the final drop, she couldn't believe that that was it. We got right back on it again - turns out she loved it. She would not try any of the other coasters.
Space Mountain is a great ride which takes place in the dark. This can be a plus or a minus depending on your son. If he's afraid of the dark, this may be off-putting. Being in the dark, however, means that you can't see the upcoming twists, turns and dips which takes some of the anticipated fear away.
You might also want to try Pirates first. There is a small water dip in the beginning of the ride and you can gauge his reaction from that.

[Jared]

I rode Space Mountain for the first time when I was eight-years-old. Your son may be too old already for Goofy's Barnstormer. See if he's ready to try Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. It's a major attraction but is relatively tame, especially by roller coaster standards.

:)

[DonaldDuck1117]

At the age of 8 I would say Goofy's is too much of a baby coaster. BTMRR is a very tame coaster in the whole roller coaster world, and I wouldn't even say it has true drops, more like swoops in and out of the landscape. Plus it only goes 22 mph!

[snifflesmcg]

I would go with the Barnstormer as well. My brother and I both rode the Big Thunder Mountain first at 7 & 9 (my brother's first ever but not mine) before Barnstormer was there. If he's fine with Barnstormer he should be ok with Big Thunder Mountain.

[Lizzie]

Defanetly Brainstormer, its very mild. Also I would remind him about the drops on Pirates and if he likes that remind him how much he likes that.

[Darbylew]

I would say Barnstormer. If he likes that then
on to Spash Mountain and Space Mountain.
Have a great time! :thumbsup: :mickey:

[LoriMistress]

Barnstormer first, and if they like that than do BTMRR and SM.

[Jasper]

I personally think that Big Thunder Mountain and Goofy's Barnstormer are about equal in terms of their "wildness" of ride. However, I would agree that you should start with Goofy and then go to Thunder because Goofy is a shorter ride and does not go as high into the air as Thunder. Plus, Goofy's has the theming that will keep the kids entertained more than Thunder.

Oh, there is another reason to do Goofy's first. If you get there early enough in the morning then the line will usually be very short at Goofy's and the young'ens won't have as much time to think about it. Thunder Mountain often gets long lines very quickly after park opening.

[mermaidmarian]

I am another very strong advocate of gradually moving your kids up the coaster thrills ladder. If you child has absolutely no experience with a coaster, definitely start with Goofy's Barnstormer. I agree with others who have said, it might be too tame for your 8 year old, but if so, "no harm - no foul", and you can move on up anxiety free. How your child responds to this coaster should guide you regarding the next step.

At MK, I would say that Big Thunder Mtn. is the next step; Splash is certainly slower/tamer since it is not a coaster, but the final drop is really intense and I maintain that kids should really want to ride it for the first time - you don't want a child who is fearful to ride it again.

I would leave Space Mtn. until your child has ridden BTM and exhibits comfort with the ride and is excited, not apprehensive, to ride it again. Space is a dark coaster - children should feel comfortable with the coaster experience and enjoy the thrill of it, before moving up to that experience in the dark. IMO.

DS (9 yoa) is a coaster/thrill ride fanatic. He rode Goofy at 3 1/2 and has been hooked ever since. I have to draw the line at 2 consecutive rides on RnR because I start to feel woozy after the 2nd - he'd just keep on going. If you let your child decide whether he is ready and happy to ride, you won't make a mistake. Don't push your child to do something he says he is afraid of, though.

[IloveDisney71]

I totally agree that it's a good idea to start with something small like the Barnstormer. If he likes it, move on to Thunder Mt.
TM was the first roller coaster I rode as a child and absolutley loved it. I think I was 9 or 10 - they didn't have BS way back then.
Splash Mt. is a fun ride, but the drop is pretty extreme...if he likes TM - I would let him try Splash Mt.

[GrmGrninGost]

No doubt the Barnstormer is more of a beginners coaster. I would start there and perhaps try Big Thunder if the Barnstormer is a success. In my mind there is considerable difference between the two. Big Thunder is a good bit faster, has many more sharp turns and the ride is considerably longer. However, I do consider it kid friendly. There are no huge drops, the speeds are not real fast and there are no inversions.

[psychotekkie]

No Disney ride is just for babies. My whole family rode barnstormer last year. Yes, it is OK for toddlers (like my DS2 last year) but so are most of the rides at Disney.

Definitely go for the Barnstormer first.
Then Big Thunder Mtn.
Then possibly Splash Mtn. (or if you are at Epcot, do Test Track)

Also, Space Mountain is in the dark, which some people say is scary, but then again, some of those same people CLOSE THEIR EYES on most roller coasters! Isn't that the same thing?? Space Mtn's track has no loops, just little dips, so I say if he likes Big Thunder, he will possibly like Space Mtn as well.

[Mickey91]

I would definitely go with the Barnstormer first.:mickey:

[Spaceship Tigger]

I remember my first real trip to WDW being when I was 8 and I was definitely not much of a coaster enthusiast. But I had no problem at all with BTMRR at that age. I thought the Barnstormer was a bit more of a children's coaster. We're planning on taking our DS3 on it this trip.

[playdead88]

barnstormer is great but its really short - my dd is 6 and she loves the barnstormer but she also loves big thunder mountian!

[Florida Dreamer]

We wish we had done Barnstormer first! We took our 8 year old nephew on BTMRR for his first roller coaster ride and that was it. He refused to go on any other rides the rest of our trip.

[Victor Kelly]

I was started on Big Thunder.

But try Barnstormer first then go to BTMRR, then onwards from there.

[Goofy Texan]

First rollercoaster rides can be rough on kids because it's the first time they really experience an adrenalin rush. If they get off the coaster and seem shakey, legs feel rubbery, and feel a bit light headed (high), then excess adrenalin is the culprit. Because of this a first timer may seem unsure about what they just experienced and may be reluctant to ride again.

If this happens to your child keep your attitude casual and act like this happens to everyone on their first ride. Have them sit down as soon as possible after you get off. Explain about the adrenalin - that it's your bodies reaction to what it thinks is a dangerous situation. Explain that they'll get used to that feeling after just a few rides and actually enjoy it. That it's one of the things that make rollercoasters fun.

Try discussing the different feelings on the ride. What part was the most fun? The feeling of going fast? How their stomach dropped going down hill? The feeling of being pushed into the seat as it went around a banked turn?

If there is any feeling they didn't like at all, tell them to next time scream through it. Giving them something to do will decrease the intensity of the feeling.

Also, if you can take your kids to a local amusment park or carnival before you leave, you may be able to start at a really low level of thrill and build from there. This allows for a gradual increase in the adrenalin rush.

Sorry for being a little scientific, but sometimes it helps to know the reason behind things. Good luck on your trip.

[beksy]

We actually started my sister out on Splash (back before Barnstormer existed) and she liked it because she was so involved with the theming that she forgot to be as scared about the drop. It turns out that she loves it but still refuses to go on any other thrill rides (but she's only 19 so I'm still holding out hope for this trip!) :confused:

[wdw_bound]

Another vote for Barnstormer. My DD8 still enjoys it, even though she has done "the mountain Trifecta" as the planning DVD annoyingly calls it. Personnally, BTMR is my least favorite of all the coasters - I found it very jarring. DD was a bit nervous the first time we tried it because it gets very dark inside the mountain, and loud with what are supposed to be bats. Go with Barnstormer first, see how he handles the coaster aspects of the ride and then see if you think you can introduce the other sensory input.

[chefmickey3]

Do Barnstormer first as pp suggested. Both of my younger boys were tall enough before 3 yrs. old for Barnstormer and loved it! If I remember my first DS was only 22 months! He is now 5 and 49 inches! So in June he rode Splash Mountain, BTMRR, Space Mountain, ToT, Expedition Everest, Space (light version) and Test Track. He rode BTMRR, SM, EE and TT twice with child swap. My 3 yr. old (42 inches) loved Test Track and BTMRR. Splash Mtn. is by far the most intense ride for shorter riders. I am sure he will have a blast!

[LuckyMum22]

"the mountain Trifecta" as the planning DVD annoyingly calls it.

So funny that you mentioned that! The same DVD is in constant rotation on our DVD player! Even though there are new (less annoying!) planning DVD's out, my son keeps putting that one in! I think it actually is motivating him to want to try the coasters this time so I guess I'll continue to live with it until our plane leaves!
This post has been so helpful! I can't wait to see how he does on the Barnstormer. I like all the ideas of explaining the adrenaline rush to him too. He is a smart kid about how his body works and I think that explanation will help.
Thanks for all the great input! :rocks:

[RBrooksC]

I would be one to take a child as young as I could as long as he met the height requirements on any ride. Children take cues from their parents. If the parents are scared of a ride and, so to, will the children be. It took me years to get over my fear of coasters because my parents were scared of anything that was not a woodie junior coaster. My wife has promised not to make any fuss about thrill rides and I will take my son on Space Mountain as soon as he is tall enough to ride it. So, that won't be until his next trip to Disney.

[mermaidmarian]

I would be one to take a child as young as I could as long as he met the height requirements on any ride. Children take cues from their parents. If the parents are scared of a ride and, so to, will the children be. It took me years to get over my fear of coasters because my parents were scared of anything that was not a woodie junior coaster. My wife has promised not to make any fuss about thrill rides and I will take my son on Space Mountain as soon as he is tall enough to ride it. So, that won't be until his next trip to Disney.

I agree that children take "cues" from their parents - but they also have their own feelings and anxieties, and those can be wholly independent of what their parents or other adults express or encourage them to feel. I hope we listen to and respect those feelings and worries when children express them.

[RocknRoller94]

Probably the Barnstormer, then Big Thunder, as the Barnstormer is a shorter experience and BTMRR is longer and Bumpier.