Test Track & Soarin' - Too Scary for Preschoolers?

[RaRaRoundTheWorld]

I'd like to know people's opinions on how scary Test Track & Soarin' might be for preschoolers and a soon-to-be kindergartener?

I have two friends who took their little girls on both rides at 4 (they claim everyone was pretty much OK). But Disney doesn't recommend either ride for little ones.

Has anyone taken children this young?

[shepherdgirl]

I think it totally depends on your kids. I've been with kids who barely meet the height requirement and have been longing to ride and then when they do they love it. My daughter who was 10 when she rode Soarin' and refuses to do it again and the Test Track line scared her so much she wouldn't ride!

[ttccluvsdis]

I took my 3yo dd on both of those rides last year. She had a blast. She was a little scared of the takeoff at Soarin, but once the movie got going she was loving it.
She begs and begs to go back on Test Track.

We also took her on Big Thunder and Splash in the MK.
I think you have to know your child. My DD can't wait to do RRC and TOT. She would have done them last year but she wasn't tall enough. Now tough to be a bug that is a totally different story!!!!

Traci

[disneyfan328]

We were there last year with a 5 & 7 year old. 5 year old just started Kindergarten.

he loved both rides. me personally? I would recomend Soarin. It is a smooth gentle ride. Test Track on the other hand I would not . Parts of that ride are intense, but you know your kids better than me.

If they are more adventurous types that give it a shot. I would do Soarin first as it is definetly the calmer of the two and see how it goes. If they do ok, then go for TT too.

[mook3y]

my kids both loved these rides starting at 3.

last year, dd3 ds5, our favorite video from the vacation is of my dd on TestTrack squealing in delight!

but you best know your kids. My DS is more tentative and my DD is daring.

[sdewan]

My 6 year old son has been going on those rides since meeting the height requirements. He is not a thrill-seeker, and only like kiddie roller coasters, but was OK with both of those rides.

Soarin' doesn't scare him in the slightest. Test Track gives him a moderate scare, but not so bad that he doesn't want to go back.

[PAYROLL PRINCESS]

My then 4 year old nephew LOVED this ride! I was worried that he'd be scared. We came back down and he asked if the ride was done. When I said yes, the first thing he said was "I can do it again?". And he did do it many times. But then he's got no fear. He didn't want to do the kiddie rides because he said they'd make him sick. But BTMRR or Splash Mtn-not a problem!

[mook3y]

the ride to be worried about taking little kids on is Dinosaur!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

no. seriously.

[the other micki]

We went in May 2006 when my boys were 5 and 3. My 5 year-old (soon-to-be kindergartener) went on both Soarin' and Test Track and liked them. My 3 year-old went on Soarin', but he's kinda scared of heights, so he was shaking when he got off, but said that he liked it. I decided he wasn't ready for Test Track. Hope this helps!

[eandrsmom]

We took my ds, age 3, on both rides last year. He LOVED Soarin.
He rode Test Track twice. He really didn't like the noise at the end, but he liked the ride enough to want to ride it again.
He also loved Star Tours.
I think it just depends on the child.

[Mousemates]

In our experiences with our kids when they were young the things that scared them were big drops, things jumping out at the them, and unexpected loud noises....soarin has none of those things....and test track is on the mild said except for the "almost collisions." SO i'd say soarin for sure (unless they are scared of heights...or you are-because kids pick up on that kind of thing) and test track maybe....but as others have said, "Its your call," and honestly if you choose not to do something this year its no biggie, just get the next time you visit.

[ParkMan]

I took my son (4) on both. He loved Soarin (and wanted to do it again and again and again). He didn't like Test Track.

He's not a fan of "thrill" rides, so it wasn't a big surprise for us.

The bigger surprise was my 3 year old that really didn't like Spaceship Earth!

[Sean Riley Taylor's Mom]

We took our daughter on Soarin in September for the first time. She turned 4 a few weeks later. She was a little nervous the first time but, she asked to go on it a few times after our initial flight. She can't wait to go on it again this December.

We thought Test Track was a little too intense for her so, we skipped it last trip. We might give it a try in December. Friends of ours took their daughter, the same age as mine, on Test Track this past November and they said it was her favorite ride in WDW.

Our daughter also rode Splash Mountain and Goofy's Barnstormer. We skipped BTMRR though.

We have always told our kids that if they want to give a ride a try they can. If they are not fans, we won't ride it again. The only ride they have ever refused to go on again is Dinosaur in AK. My boys (11 and 8) hate that ride.

Have a great trip!!

[disney99]

ok, what is the scary part of Test Track? I can't remember a scary part. I will be in Disney in December with my 3 year old son.. Test Track wasn't one of the rides I have been concerned with..

[brownie]

Our sons were 3 & 6 when they rode it and had no problems. The concern for the younger ones is probably the barrier test section; they may not realize that you won't actually hit the barrier (or get hit by the truck.)

[hlkeck]

Last Sept we took DD5 and DS3 on both rides. We are going again in a couple weeks and the rides they want to ride again the most? Soarin' and Test Track (oh and Tower of Terror, so maybe my kids are freaks).

They are not scary - they are fun and perfect for the ages you are talking about.

[ParkMan]

on test track, my 4 year old didn't like the high speeds and all the jerky motion.

Nothing really "scared" him, he just wasn't into the overall ride.

[JenniferS.]

Last year my twins went on Soarin'. They loved it!! They had just turned 4 on that trip. I'm going to take them on Test Track this year. I'm sure they will like it. They also went on Splash Mountain last year and loved it.

[ftwildernesskid]

Parts of Test Track were a little scary for my DD who was 4. But she did like it. She LOVED Soarin. It was one of her very favorite rides of the trip.

[kathiep]

Last year, we were reluctant to take DS, 4 on Soarin.

My husband finally did while I waited nervously with DD. We had fastpasses and did child swap on the slim chance that he'd want to go on again with me.

Well, DS came flying out of the ride insisting I get right back on with him. It was one of the highlights of his trip.