Solve a disagreement

[Madame Leona]

Dh and I totally disagree about when ds should be able to go on Big Thunder Mountain. The next time we go ds will be 2 1/2 and at the rate he is growing, he will easily be 40 inches tall. I feel strongly that he will be too young to go on a ride like this but dh feels it will be fine.

What would you do? How old was your child's first time on such a ride?

[crazeedizneefinatic]

We just got back from Disney last night. My son turned 7 during our trip. This was the first year he seemed ready for any type of thrill ride. Although the posted height requirements are mostly 40 inches only you can tell when he is ready. My little guy is a peanut so he was able to ride last year but did not want to and we did not force the issue. This year he actually rode Everest! I was more nervous than he was.

[mttafire]

If he is tall enough..DO IT. No reason not to.

[AZ Disney]

We went to Disneyland in Jan 06 and my youngest DS was 2 and about 36". The height requirement at that time was 35" and he went on with my DH. He absolutely loved it! He had that belly laugh going and rode it about 5 times during our trip. He's really not afraid of much and always wants to do what his big brother is doing. We're going to the World in January and he's currently 40" the only ride that he'll be able to ride that we won't take him on is TOT. But as a previous poster said, you and your husband know your child best.
Good Luck.

[wire0monkey]

Depends totally on the kid. My 2.5 year old is all about "faster, higher, more!" Other kids don't like that stuff.

Why not try Goofy's Barnstormer first? If he loves it, you can try Big Thunder. If he doesn't like it or it's just so-so, you can skip the bigger rides.

[BrerSchultzy]

If he is tall enough..DO IT. No reason not to.

I think I have to very respectfully disagree here. Maybe it's the fact that I have a little one on the way, but I would hesitate to take a 2 1/2 year old on BTMRR, even if he is tall enough. Even if he is tall enough, there's no way to know if his body is strong enough for this kind of stress just yet. I would ask your pediatrician what they think, and take their word as gospel. No need to rush it if there are more trips planned in the future.

[BluewaterBrad]

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!!! Come on Mom!! Let him ride!!!!!!!!!! :mickey::mickey:

[irish1967]

Personally, if you have concerns, I would opt not to take him on it. It isn't worth it - just because he is big enough to handle it physically, he may not be able to handle it intellectually and may be really frightened by the ride.

Maybe an option would be to try Goofy's Barnstormer in Toontown and see how he handles that first.

[Madame Leona]

Out of curiosity and if you don't mind, I would like to know if you have children or not when you respond. I'm only wondering if the point of view changes among those with children and those without. Please, please, please keep this friendly though. I don't pass judgement on anyone who has or would take their children on at this age. This is merely for my husband and I to argue about amongst ourselves. We like a friendly debate every once in a while.

[BluewaterBrad]

Intellectually? I hope they dont start giving IQ tests at the entrance to the parks!:mickey:

[buzznwoodysmom]

My boys were both 4 years old before they met the height requirments for some of the "big boy" rides. Because of their age I was fine with letting them ride, but had they been 40 inches at 2 1/2 years old I can honestly say that I would not have let them ride. There is so much time for big boy stuff later on, let them stay "little" for as long as possible. My oldest will be 7 1/2 and right at 48 inches on our next trip and he can't wait to ride Rock N Roller Coaster, but I am having serious doubts about letting him ride. It just seems like such a big ride for my little guy. On the other hand both of my kids rode Tower of Terror at around 5 years of age and loved it. I would say just go with your "motherly instincts" and remember that the ride will be there next time. Good luck!

[mttafire]

I think I have to very respectfully disagree here. Maybe it's the fact that I have a little one on the way, but I would hesitate to take a 2 1/2 year old on BTMRR, even if he is tall enough. Even if he is tall enough, there's no way to know if his body is strong enough for this kind of stress just yet. I would ask your pediatrician what they think, and take their word as gospel. No need to rush it if there are more trips planned in the future.

fair enough.

[Ian]

My DD was 4 by the time she was big enough to ride BTMR, but she did it with no trouble.

It would depend on the child, I think. I mean at 2 1/2, if a boy is already 40 inches tall he sounds like a pretty strapping young lad to me. Personally, I think he'd be fine.

I mean it's not like we're talking Mission: Space here ... the stress and G's you get on BTMR are about equal to what you get in an average car ride.

Well ... one of my average car rides, anyway! ;)

[irish1967]

Intellectually? I hope they dont start giving IQ tests at the entrance to the parks!:mickey:

By intellectually, I meant that he may not have reached the point where he UNDERSTANDS that although the ride is fast and rough that it is safe!

It can take years for a child to overcome fear of a ride. (This applies to fear of anything, not just amusement park rides.)

Madame Leona, I have children - two DS, one is now 10 and one will soon be 8. And yes, I have chosen to keep my children off of rides that they are physically big enough for if I didn't think they could handle the ride. I didn't let my older DS ride on RnR before this summer and kept them off SM for a couple of years as well (both had been afraid of the dark as young children!)

[tadshome]

I personally refused take my son on BTMRR at that age, i felt that his body physically would not be strong enough. He first went on it aged 5and loved it!

IMO there is plenty of time to take your son on it when he is a bit older and stronger...

[NewmanFamily6]

My twins were 3 1/2 in Dec 06 when we went & were tall enough. They rode and loved it. One rode with Dad and the other with me. They still talk about it:mickey:

[k_reile]

I would think he would be too young for it at this time. We had probably a 6 yr old on our ride and he just screamed (fun screamed) the whole time...he really enjoyed himself. At an older age he will know that the ride entails twists and turns that may be scary to a smaller child. Maybe in a couple of years he can try the one in toontown.

[kathiep]

I tend to be a little more cautious as well.

I would definately run it by your child's Dr. If they give you the OK, I wouldn't just go ahead with it.

Go to the park and try out something smaller first - Goofy's Barnstormer is a good starting point.

If that goes well, go take a look at it. You never know, just looking at it, your child might decide on their own not to go.

[tundramom]

If he is tall enough..DO IT. No reason not to.

How about this: cervical strain, mild concussion, coup-countercoup type axonal shearing. Most children under the age of 6 do not have either the core stability or neck strength to stand up to the rapid directional changes that happen on a ride like Big Thunder. That being said every child is different, My DD has always been exceptionally tall, and though not as "big" as most of her peers she is a solid, strong kid. Even though she met the height requirement at age 4, she didn't ride a coaster of this sort until she was 6, and even then the first time I sat next to her, held her around her shoulders to keep her from bouncing off the sides or seat back, and told her to brace by pushing with her feet to keep herself pressed into the seat back. She has been a thrill junkie ever since :number1: However, we took a male friend of hers with us to Geagua Lake when she was 7, he 8. He claimed he would be fine on Raging Wolf Bobs (old wooden coaster, not huge by any means) when I looked back after the first hill he was literally on the floor under the lap bar and my DH had to fish him out and kept a hold of him the remainder of the ride. You never know. Start small like Goofy's Barnstormer and build up, watch his head control, you should be able to tell. Better safe than sorry.;)

[crltkcagle]

We just got back two weeks ago and I took my four year old who is just over the 40 inch mark and my 6 year old. My two year old was not tall enough. Both of my kids were screaming bloody murder because they were so scared. We made a mistake taking our children because they weren't ready. we also took them on splash mountain and they really freaked out on it. however they loved rides like soarin and kahli. i guess it depends on the kid but i personally think that is too young. I know my two year old could not have handled it.

[cal5755]

It really depends on the child. My 4 yr old DD and My 8 yr old DD loved Splash, BTMRR, EE etc. My DS 12 will not even attempt any of them. If he is curious and asks to go with daddy on the ride it should not be a problem letting him ride.

[mttafire]

How about this: cervical strain, mild concussion, coup-countercoup type axonal shearing. Most children under the age of 6 do not have either the core stability or neck strength to stand up to the rapid directional changes that happen on a ride like Big Thunder. That being said every child is different, My DD has always been exceptionally tall, and though not as "big" as most of her peers she is a solid, strong kid. Even though she met the height requirement at age 4, she didn't ride a coaster of this sort until she was 6, and even then the first time I sat next to her, held her around her shoulders to keep her from bouncing off the sides or seat back, and told her to brace by pushing with her feet to keep herself pressed into the seat back. She has been a thrill junkie ever since :number1: However, we took a male friend of hers with us to Geagua Lake when she was 7, he 8. He claimed he would be fine on Raging Wolf Bobs (old wooden coaster, not huge by any means) when I looked back after the first hill he was literally on the floor under the lap bar and my DH had to fish him out and kept a hold of him the remainder of the ride. You never know. Start small like Goofy's Barnstormer and build up, watch his head control, you should be able to tell. Better safe than sorry.;)
2.5y.o's have ridden btmrr MANY times over the years. I think it IS the parents choice. Personally i would put my son (2.2yo)on it if he wanted to go..No worries.
He needs to grow one more inch though!!!

[Sean Riley Taylor's Mom]

I just had this debate with myself before we went on the 13th. Big Thunder is one of my all time favorite rides and my two sons also love it. They are 10 and 7.
My DD who is almost 4, was tall enough for it but, I decided it was just a little too fast and rough for her. So, next trip maybe.
DH had never gone on it and did for the first time this trip. He came off telling me good call in deciding that Taylor would not ride this time.
She did go on Splash, Goofy's Roller coaster in Toontown, Kali River Rapids and Soarin. She did great with all of them.
If you have any doubt, wait until the next trip. If you decide to take him on I hope he loves it as much as my boys do!
:mickey:

[MickeyandTink]

Just got back from DD's first trip to WDW on Saturday. She's 6 (almost 7) and 49" tall. She rode all three mountains. She absolutely loved Space Mountain and Splash Mountain was one of her favorite rides. However, she hated BTMRR. It was way to rough and jerky for her and she hit her head against the side of the car a couple of times and left a nasty little bruise on her cheek.

We plan on going back next year and bringing DS (who will be 2, almost 3) with us. He's already 39" so I expect he will be tall enough, but there is no way I'm going to let him ride Big Thunder until he is at least 5 or 6 and maybe even older. There are more than enough other thrill rides that I don't think it's worth risking his safety for a possible thrill.

My :twocents:

[tinksmom02]

I agree with the other posters who suggested Goofy's Barnstormer first. That's a pretty good first coaster, and you can take it from there.

My daughter was 4 1/2 the first time she rode BTMRR and she absolutely loved it. She's a bit of an adrenaline junkie, though...we do coasters here all the time.

She was actually looking forward to riding Space Mountain, but we discovered that she's still just a hair too short. Mean mommy that I am, I rode it solo, and the whole time I was on it, I was thinking how grateful I was that she wasn't tall enough. Much as she loves coasters, I think the combination of the dark, and the fact that she has to sit by herself (rather than side-by-side) would have been far too overwhelming for her. So that actually worked out for us.

You know your child best. Try him on some of the other, tamer rides and see how he does, and work your way up from there, if he enjoys them.

[BigRedDad]

If I had a son and he was tall enough, I would take him on. If he got upset before getting on, I would walk. The day my DD is tall enough, I will see if she wants to. She is a daredevil. I am surprised Social Services hasn't been by.

If your son is willing, let him. If not, don't.

[tundramom]

2.5y.o's have ridden btmrr MANY times over the years. I think it IS the parents choice. Personally i would put my son (2.2yo)on it if he wanted to go..No worries.
He needs to grow one more inch though!!!

I couldn't agree more, it is the parent's choice (and hopefully the child's). In the same light, those same parents need to accept the responsibility of their actions if the results aren't what they expected. Children at that age aren't fully aware of their limitations or the possibility that a ride could be anything besides great fun. Let's hope it stays fun for all WDW riders.:mickey:

[mouseketeer mom]

2 and 1/2??? BTMRR???
No way. He's still a baby. Don't even put those 2 things together. Follow your intuition. You know whats right. Don't question your instincts, just follow them. He's yours to protect!
Remember, it will just be something to look forward to when he's bigger.

[LibertyTreeGal]

If he is tall enough..DO IT. No reason not to.

Yikes, I can think of a lot of reasons not to. All kids have their limitations. For some kids, going on BTMRR will spoil the entire day with covered eyes and chants of "never again, never again!"

My kiddos were 4 their first time and that was just perfect for them, but all kids are different. But before I took them on, as previously mentioned, they went on Barnstormer. I just about puked, and they rode two more times so I didn't think twice about letting them on BTMRR.

You are the only ones who know your child, so you have to really think about what he does/doesn't like. In the end, no one's advice matters though, go with your gut feeling and follow your son's lead. If he is willing, and handles barnstormer well, then go for it!

[Mousefever]

I have a son and he first went on Thunder Mountain when he was 6. (We hadn't been to DW before that.) Thunder Mountain was his first big roller coaster and since he didn't know what to expect, he was unable to brace himself for the curves. He banged into the side of the car several times and was a little sore the next day. That's what I would be concerned about with a 2 1/2 year old.


:dory:

[mickey&missy]

I truely think its a matter of personal choice and depends on the child.

I have 3 kids. On our next trip in March DD will turn 7, DS will be 5 and our youngest DS will be 9 months. DD is timid. I'm not sure if she's ready for BTMRR. She sees it on TV etc and sometimes says no way and other times says maybe. DS 5 is tough! Man, is he tough! We haven't been on yet. But, next trip we'll do Barnstormer and see how he does and then move on to BTMRR depending.

Last trip he was still 3. He realllllly wanted to go on EE! He was tall enough. But, we skipped it. I could just imagine him freaking out or throwing up! Not my idea of a magical time!

DH doesn't do any kind of thrill rides, he gets motion sick. So, its up to me to take them if they want to go. I'm very, very hesitant to go on anything more then Kali or BTMRR!

[Madame Leona]

Thank you for all of the wonderful opinions. In the end, he won't be riding it this next trip. My thoughts are, he's been twice already and has ridden everything that he could and loved it all. He is by no means timid but why not wait until I'm comfortable and he can remember going on it.

[MNNHFLTX]

Thank you for all of the wonderful opinions. In the end, he won't be riding it this next trip. My thoughts are, he's been twice already and has ridden everything that he could and loved it all. He is by no means timid but why not wait until I'm comfortable and he can remember going on it.Personally, I think you might a sound decision. My son has always been fearless on any type of coaster ride, but at 2-1/2 years old I would have had doubts about the physical stressors of the ride on his young body, not to mention whether he was ready for it mentally. Normally I would recommend parents taking cues from their kids on whether they're ready for a particular ride, but with such a young child it would be questionable if they even understood what they were about to experience, even if they seemed willing to go on it.

I think 5 is a good age for most kids to start riding the coaster rides, if they meet the height requirements. Of course, some kids are ready a bit earlier and some later, depending on their personality.:mickey:

[thrillme]

Your parental intuitions are usually the best.

My DS was almost 2 (2 weeks away) when he went on the log ride at Sea World San Antonio. They had a little log ride for babies but he was getting painfully bored on it. He was 36 inches so he made the requirement for the "Big Log" ride. I asked if he wanted to go to the Big Log ride and he just about jumped out of his baby log. My husband was very reluctant because he was so young (I'm the thrill ride nut)...He totally LOVED it. We rode it 5 times in a row. He started crying when we told him it was time to stop.

You gotta go with your best intuitions. I would recommend taking him on the Barnstormer first and see how he handles it. I

[mermaidmarian]

If he is tall enough, try him out on Goofy's Barnstormer in Toon Town first. If he is fine with that ride, you are probably good to go with BTM, although I would ALWAYS let the child say if he is comfortable enough.

I suspect that Goofy's Barnstormer is going to be more than enough excitement for him at this age. DS (9) was 3 when he rode Barnstormer for the first time. It was his first coaster experience of any kind. He loved it - and a thrill ride enthusiast was born.

I am always reluctant to tell parents based upon our own experiences, because our kids are obviously very different. If your child loves Barnstomer and after watching BTM, wants to ride, let him be the guide. My impression is that standing at the fence and watching BTM for a while, will make your child at 2.6 a bit more apprehensive than your DH suspects, and he will not want to ride.

[#1donaldfan]

As long as he can ride between both you and DH....shouldn't be a problem.....CM's won't let him ride if he's too small, or really, really scared....they're very good about that....

[EmmMOM2]

You wouldn't catch me putting a 2 1/2 year old on any ride like that.
My son will be 4 1/2 at our NEXT trip and is already over the height limit, but at 4 1/2 i still wont let him ride.
I think 6 or 7 is a good age to start easy going roller coasters (no upside down flips etc).

I tend to err on the side of caution...just incase something should happen or he should dislike it and i frighten him of it forever.

[illini]

Well.... my DS rode M:S at 3.5, so I know I'm probably in the tiny minority. He would've been on BTMR the same trip, but it was down for refurb. My kids are big on thrill rides, and if they're willing, I tend to let them go (at least at Disney... Six Flags, not as much).

However, because their neck muscles aren't as developed at 2.5 and BTMR is a bit jerky, I probably wouldn't have done it. Not that they'd be scarred for life emotionally, but that could do some damage to their little necks.

My kids did all ride a similar, though slightly tamer, roller coaster at our 6Flags right around their 3rd birthdays.

[teambricker04]

We have been debating over letting our almost 3yo (42 inches tall... he looks like a 4 yo until you hear him talk or notice the diapers he is still wearing.) riding the Barnstormer when we go in November. He will be riding it, but that is the biggest he is going this time. He has been begging all summer to go ride coasters at six flags.

Does your 2.5 yo sit still??? Mine doesn't... not very well anyway. So we are starting small. Maybe our next trip in May '08, but not now.

I didn't even really think of the physical stress...Great now I have something else to worry about.