Small drops and scares

Image: Disney

For a small part of my childhood, Pirates of the Caribbean absolutely terrified me. Not because of the subject matter, or the dark scenes, but because of the very small drop in the beginning of the ride. My parents went from “it’s not scary at all” to “a huge storm is coming and we’re going to go down a giant drop!” in about the time it would take us to go through the line and be sitting in the boat right before the drop. Not exactly reassuring for a kid who didn’t like drops, but I guess I turned out okay and I actually do enjoy the drops today. My point though, is that even such a small drop that would barely phase and adult may really freak out a kid.

Other small or more subtle “scares” may cause problems for anxious kids in the parks. The Haunted Mansion for instance, although not all too scary for adults may scare kids. Even if they are okay with the darkness in the stretching room, the “dark” and spooky subject matter may make them more apprehensive.

Dinosaur

Image: Disney

Some rides in particular tend to scare kids more than others, and Dinosaur is definitely one of those rides. Many parents probably choose not to bring young children on Dinosaur, but plenty of other parents do so thinking their children will handle it okay. Even kids who meet the height requirement may not be quite ready to come face to face with a Carnotaurus.

The focus when deciphering whether or not Dinosaur is appropriate for children is all too often on the ride itself. If the kids feel comfortable with a bumpy, jerky, ride through the dark with a small drop, they must be ready to go on this ride. Unfortunately the dinosaurs are very realistic and it becomes a bit much for some kids. There is no simple answer here to determine if your kids are ready, as every kid is different and it is best to use your own judgement on this one.

It’s Tough to be a Bug!

Image: Disney

Another Animal Kingdom attraction may come with some surprising scares. It’s Tough to be a Bug! sounds like a harmless 3D show featuring some favorite characters from the Disney Pixar film, A Bug’s Life, how scary can it be? The scene that usually does it for some small children is when the spiders are dropped from the ceiling. Again, this one is difficult to determine as it isn’t as straightforward as “if your kids do not like the dark avoid Space Mountain.” Most of the show features loveable characters from the film and fun 3D effects, however if sensory overload in an unfamiliar place sounds like something that may upset the kids, this may be one to avoid.