Haunted House with young child

[eridon]

Hello - new to the boards here. I want to take my son on the Haunted Mansion and I know he would do great, except for the very beginning in the growing circle room (foyer??). Do they allow families with children to skip that portion and enter into the riding portion or no? I know there is a door, but I don't know if this is an intended purpose.

Thanks for your help. :mickey:

[Speedy1998]

I am not sure if they do or not. My personnel experience is that it entirley depends on the child as to how well they do in HM. My 7 year old is scared of it, and my 3 year old loves it.

[BelleEdenMom]

this is how we deal with the scaries, we have a magic towel, just for Disney, we build this towel up to be the magikist towel ever for like a month before our trip. This towel has magically protected 2 generations of our family now. It's impervious to the Haunted Mansion, A Bugs Life, Honey I Shrunk the Audience and just about every ride at Universal Studios. . We put it over your head when your scared and hug you tight. My kids refuse no ride if they have their towel! Silly but it works! :thedolls:

[#1donaldfan]

Upon entering the room I would just get down to their level and talk about the ride and what you'll be doing the rest of the day.....just keeping the mind occupied with something other that the room. Once the lights go off, the screaming starts, it's over in a second...not enough time to really worry about. Then it's off the the buggies......

[CogsworthWest]

Like everyone here has said, it's different for each child. Our daughter first experienced the ride when she was 5 or 6...and went through the entire ride with her head buried under my arms. She wanted to go, but just got too spooked once she was inside. To this day (she's now 9) she still covers her ears in the beginning because she doesn't like the screaming/lightning.

The CM's were very understanding and saw she was scared...they said, "It's just make-believe honey".

[oilergirl]

Our girls are 5 and 7. I actually went to you tube and if you type in the name of a ride there are tonnes of people who have actually video tapes the rides! There is one that has the entire Haunted Mansion right from the start and the girls loved watching it and are no longer worrying about seeing it. My 5 year old was particularly concerned about Splash Mountain so we watched that one too and now she is excited about it.

[DANAM]

I am a mid twenties adult who can honestly say I am scared. My daughter is 5 and she does fine with it and my son first went at 1 1/2 and he was fine but when we went in september and he was 3 he was kind of freaked out. Not screaming or anything just a little scared. I will mention he is the child that screams for his life if any character comes near him. Now that's scared and he comes no where close to that on this ride.
I kind of feel like it is less scary since the refurb that's just me. I do normally tell them when something jumps out so they think it funny not scary. They always want to know how I know something will pop out.

[elmjimmlm]

The first time that my daughter went was at 3...she was not wanting to be in there after the room filled up and I couldnt leave so I told her to watch the paintings and I laughed...She thought they were funny and now every year we go back she wants to see the funny paintings...Play it off as something else and they will go with what you say...

[steamboat willy]

:secret: I am going a different direction.
I think you can skip the scary, screaming room and go straight to the ride BECAUSE my wife visits DISNEY by way of a wheelchair. When we do the Haunted Manson, a Cast Member takes us through the "secret" passage from outside, down a hallway and directly into the line awaiting the ghost carriages. We miss the holding room and the "there's alway my way out" dark, thunder, screaming room. (My sisters favorite) She's the BEST screamer I know! So ask a Cast Member outside if you think you need a pass of this room. ENJOY
Steamboat Willy