Anyone else have a child that is still afraid to go on Haunted Mansion??

[Mickey'sIrishPAl]

I have taken my son, 9 now, to Disney World every year since birth. Every year he goes, he has become more brave and is willing to try new rides that in the past he would never go on (RRC, TTOT, SM to name a few in recent trips). The one ride that he still REFUSES to go on is Haunted Mansion. I don't know what it is about that ride. I remember when I took him on it at like 4 or 5 years old, we made it as far as the elevator trip down when he started to scream and cry and exclaimed that "I don't want to be a ghost". Well after hearing all riders say" Awwwwwwww, poor kid" I quickly made my way to the EXIT sign at the exit of the elevator down. Now, Haunted Mansion is nowhere near as scary as RRC, TTOT, or any other attraction, but does anyone have a child that refuses to go on a ride, whether it be HM or any others? What is some advice to get him to at least try it? September is nearing and I would like for him to be able to enjoy this attraction officially for the first time. My DD is going to be 3 for this trip and I would like to be able to at least attempt to take her on it.

[Buttercup]

My son is 6. Same as yours, he loves Tower of Terror, Space Mountain, etc. But NOT the Haunted Mansion!
When he was an infant and even a toddler (up until he was about 3 actually) he couldn't have cared less about going on Haunted Mansion. Obviously didn't understand what "scary" was.
But somewhere between 3 & 4 years old, that place became a living nightmare for him. He would scream and claw and climb up me in the stretching room so we stopped taking him in there.
Even now, if I even SUGGEST taking him in there on our next trip (THIS WEEKEND! YAY! ) he gets very upset. Until a few days ago.
I just non-chalantly was looking at pictures of the interior of the Haunted Mansion, and I happened to show him the hidden Donald face in the chair. I told him that Disney was filled with hidden Mickeys and other treasures, and that the Haunted Mansion was also filled with these things. He became intrigued. I started to show him pictures of hidden things on the HM ride, and how certain special effects are done... and he's now interested in going on HM this trip. But his stipulation: he'll go ONCE.

I'm hoping that gets him over it, seeing as he will know how the special effects are done. Yes, it takes some of the mystery away, but I think it calms him to know that those really aren't ghosts.

[Jared]

My parents first took me inside The Haunted Mansion on my family's first trip, when I was about 3 years-old. I started to cry and scream the moment I stepped into the main foyer -- the small area prior to the stretching room. I still remember the moment vividly, of being frightened by the little goblins on the wall holding the candles that lit the area.

We jumped out before the doors closed, and I refused to ride again until I turned 8 or so. I don't know why those little ghouls scared me so much, but I have such a clear memory of the event that it must have been mortifying.

[anneo]

Do you think showing him videos of the ride will help? You can find footage online, and I think I've seen some too where the people used a night setting so you could make out everything. Maybe if he knows what it's all about first it won't be so scary for him.

[Mickey'sIrishPAl]

Do you think showing him videos of the ride will help? You can find footage online, and I think I've seen some too where the people used a night setting so you could make out everything. Maybe if he knows what it's all about first it won't be so scary for him.

I was thinking of doing that. I knwo that Youtube has videos of many of the rides. Maybe I will go on there and find one that shows in great detail what to expect and as mentioned above how it is not real. I am glad to hear that my boy is not the only one.

[btharvey]

My DD refuses to go into Haunted Mansion. I think she always will. Certain movies she refuses to watch (Lord of the Rings), yet she will watch Harry Potter and -- especially -- she watches all the Star Wars (including episode 3), and ESPECIALLY episode 1 where Quai Gon Jin is run through by the bad guy (she goes back and forth in slow motion to see the light sabre's effects).

I don't get it, but I respect her wishes.

[Mickey'sIrishPAl]

One problem I just thought of. i am surprising the kids close to our September trip and probably won't have much of an opportunity to get him into the HM. Maybe will have to reveal the surprise a week or two prior to when we were initially planning to surprise the kids.

[EeyoresBestFriend]

I think as adults we forget how scary something can be to a child. They are young! Like an earlier poster said ~ you don't have to understand it but I think you should respect it.

Rather than trying to convince them by watching videos, or such, maybe you should just respect their feelings and let them pass on it. Let them take it at their own pace. Is it really worth making them feel so uncomfortable?

Just my

[Scott C]

hmm -- ds21 still will not go on It's Tought to be a Bug...............

I don't guess he ever will

Thanks
Scott C

[BrerGnat]

Rather than trying to convince them by watching videos, or such, maybe you should just respect their feelings and let them pass on it. Let them take it at their own pace. Is it really worth making them feel so uncomfortable?

I totally agree with this! My kids are scared of a LOT of rides. They are almost 6 and 4 years old and have practically grown up living at Disneyland.

Right now, Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, Matterhorn, and Big Thunder Mtn. are OFF LIMITS to both of them. They are terrified of those rides (these are rides that they both rode with no fear many many times prior to turning about 4 years old). Now, my son is SO scared of these rides that he averts his eyes when we pass by them and has a mini panic attack. This is the same kid who MADE me take him on ToT a few months ago (he was curious, mostly). Once was enough for him! He says he never wants to ride it again. I don't blame him...if my parents had taken me on a ride like that at 6 years old, I'd probably never go to a theme park again. I was a good 13 years old before I braved "Freefall" at Six Flags, and that was mostly due to peer pressure.

Do I wish my kids were willing to ride all the rides? Sure. Am I upset that they won't. Not at all. Everyone has likes and dislikes, and who am I to tell my kids that there is something wrong about the fact that they don't like some rides that other people do?

Heck, my younger son used to love TSMM, and now he refuses to ride it! He doesn't like the air cannons in the balloon popping scene. That's enough to make him not want to ride it, even though he enjoys other parts of it.

We just work around it. There's still plenty to enjoy. My kids have the option of sitting out a ride that they don't want to go on, while me or DH ride while the other waits with the kids.

[Jared]

hmm -- ds21 still will not go on It's Tought to be a Bug...............

I don't guess he ever will

Thanks
Scott C

When my 14 year-old sister was younger, my mother had to take her out of the theater because that show scared her so much.

My family is going through this exact situation with my sister now. She refuses to ride Splash Mountain, Tower of Terror and a few other of the thrill rides. My brother and I are convinced she would love them if she just tried, but she is paralyzed by fear. We've learned that trying to force or coerce her just makes the situation worse. We hope one day she musters up some courage.

[johnO]

My DD (12) doesnt like the drop on ToT

[Scott C]

When my 14 year-old sister was younger, my mother had to take her out of the theater because that show scared her so much.

My family is going through this exact situation with my sister now. She refuses to ride Splash Mountain, Tower of Terror and a few other of the thrill rides. My brother and I are convinced she would love them if she just tried, but she is paralyzed by fear. We've learned that trying to force or coerce her just makes the situation worse. We hope one day she musters up some courage.

I am soon to be 47 and I wont ride those rides either -- I just don't like the drop. I will ride Splash on occasion - since it is such a neat ride. Perhaps I should write a blog on WDW Chicken exits and neat places to wait while the rest of your group rides - I know them all. There is so much more to WDW than rushing from thrill ride to thrill ride - soak it all in.

Thanks
Scott C

[Disney4us2]

I am soon to be 47 and I wont ride those rides either -- I just don't like the drop. I will ride Splash on occasion - since it is such a neat ride. Perhaps I should write a blog on WDW Chicken exits and neat places to wait while the rest of your group rides - I know them all. There is so much more to WDW than rushing from thrill ride to thrill ride - soak it all in.

Thanks
Scott C

I am the same way. I don't like drops or rollercoasters. I will ride Thunder Mountain and (Disneylands) Matterhorn. I have never been on Splash Mountain. I almost got on it but at the end just used the seat to cross over to the exit.

I could help write the Disney Chicken Exit book...lol

[Jared]

I am soon to be 47 and I wont ride those rides either -- I just don't like the drop. I will ride Splash on occasion - since it is such a neat ride. Perhaps I should write a blog on WDW Chicken exits and neat places to wait while the rest of your group rides - I know them all. There is so much more to WDW than rushing from thrill ride to thrill ride - soak it all in.

Thanks
Scott C

Certainly there is more to Disney than rushing to various thrill rides. I imagine people interest in that strategy find the Disney theme parks rather boring for their taste.

That said, I truly believe my sister would enjoy the rides she currently skips. Could I be completely wrong? Am I being unfair? Perhaps. We'll know in time. But it seems her fear of certain attractions is one she should overcome at some point.

If not, I will respect that all the same.

[PopPhan]

I am soon to be 47 and I wont ride those rides either -- I just don't like the drop. I will ride Splash on occasion - since it is such a neat ride. Perhaps I should write a blog on WDW Chicken exits and neat places to wait while the rest of your group rides - I know them all. There is so much more to WDW than rushing from thrill ride to thrill ride - soak it all in.

Thanks
Scott C

If you DO write that blog, please let us all know about it!! Always good to know that info!!

With the exception of (maybe) AstroOrbiter (since I have a distinct fear of heights) I can ride just about anything at WDW without fear, but that does not go for DW!!!!

[PETE FROM NYC]

Back 20 + years ago, we did a multi-family trip. The youngest was my niece Tina, at 2 1/2. Prior to the trip, we showed her some Super 8 movies of MK, and of some indivdiual attractions that we had bought at WDW on earlier trips. I did not have a movie screen at the time, so I projected on the living room wall.
Every time Tina came to visit she wanted to see Uncle Pete's ghosts on the wall. When we finally got to WDW she could not get enough of the Haunted Mansion.
Too bad that WDW does not offer DVDs like those super 8 movies they used to sell.

[wedway76]

hmm -- ds21 still will not go on It's Tought to be a Bug...............

I don't guess he ever will

Thanks
Scott C

My son never had a problem with the Haunted Mansion, but It's Tough to be a Bug freaked him out and he would never go into another 3D show again.

[luvdiznee]

DD13 is not crazy about it. But she will do it.

[tundramom]

DD is almost 16 and still closes her eyes thru the cemetery- she hates the "pop-ups"