(Non-Swimming) Children in the Explorer Canoes?

[degrapevine]

Okay everybody, this may seem like a silly question, but all the pictures I see for the Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes
look they are free floating with passengers rowing the canoes with oars.
There are no height restrictions posted on the Disneyland.com website and I can't see where it says
that the ride is only for adults.
Having said that, my DD4 does not swim and my DS7 and DS10 are only marginal swimmers.
Would this attraction be for them or is it just for adults?
Just wondering, because I don't see the passengers in the pictures wearing life jackets.
I'm sure the Rivers of America aren't extremely deep, but wouldn't it be dangerous for a non-swimmer to go on the canoes?
Are you somehow belted in to the canoe?
I just can't find a lot of information and since there's nothing like this at WDW, I'd really like to go on it.
Again, just wondering if it's only for adults.
Please, take pity on a first-time DL visitor and give me details!
Thanks - Rose

 

[almostGoofy]

Yes, the canoes are free floating. Now it's been a long time since I've been on the canoes but unless something has changed recently, there are no belts. Your 7 and 10 year old should be fine. Your 4 year old might be fine depending on her maturity level and if she can sit still. Not sure how a 4 year old would do with the paddling. You can always ask a CM at the canoes what's been their experience with 4 year olds.

 

[got2travel]

There are no seat belts or anything to hold you in. You sit on the bench in the canoe, just like any boat. There are life vests for those that want it and for children under a certain height, but I can't remember what it was. They have smaller paddles for the kids and the kids really love trying to paddle. I think I read somewhere that the ROA is only 3 or 4 feet deep, which is not much, but would still go over the head of most 4 yr olds.

My son begs to go on the canoes. When we first went, he was probably 4 or 5 and wore a life vest. Now, he's 9 and a more confident swimmer and doesn't wear the vest anymore.

Just a word of warning for the adults, you really are paddling the canoe. If you don't paddle, you don't move. It can get tiring, especially on a hot day. You will probably get a little wet just from the splash of the paddles, but sometimes your guides will get you in a fight with other canoes, and you get soaked!

 

[Julia M]

My kids all started on the canoes at a young age....maybe 2 or 3, maybe even younger.

If your child is reasonably well behaved, you should be fine. I would maybe hesitate to take an extremely active preschooler, or one that does not mind.

It's really fun....your kids will enjoy it!

Julia

 

[degrapevine]

Thanks everybody, for all the great information!
From the pictures, it didn't look like there were seatbelts - I just wasn't sure if there was a restriction on the canoes being just for adults.
My 7 and 10 year old sons will be fine - They'll both love paddling along!
I will probably ask for a life jacket for my daughter, just in case.
She's only 41" (Please, please let her grow another 1" in the next 3 weeks!) and I'd feel more comfortable with her wearing one.
We'll probably try to do it early in the morning to avoid the heat, although we're definitely looking forward to the lack of FL humidity in CA!
Glad to hear that a lot of your preschoolers enjoyed the canoes at my daughter's age.
Since this will probably be our only trip out west (I know, I say that now ...) and I want to avoid as much child swapping as possible
(my DH and I both want to go on this one), we'll really try to encourage her.
She's pretty adventurous - Hey, I'll remind her how Pocahontas paddled a canoe ... Maybe that'll help!
Thanks again.
Until another question comes up ...
Rose

 

[iceskatejen]

The canoes were redesigned a few years ago and they don't tip over very easily (the old ones did). I think they've been given a good sized keel and that'll make it much harder for them to tip.

 

[DevilDuckie]

Voice of dissent here:

Please reconsider putting children who cannot swim or are not strong swimmers in a boat- any boat- unless they have lifejackets. Children panic.

 

[Buckimion]

Just a word of warning for the adults, you really are paddling the canoe. If you don't paddle, you don't move. It can get tiring, especially on a hot day.

What are we going to do...?
Stroke!

How are we going to get there...?
Stroke!

What are we going to have...?
Stroke!

No! We're going to have FUN!

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

What are we going to do...?
Stroke!

How are we going to get there...?
Stroke!

What are we going to have...?
Stroke!

No! We're going to have FUN!

LOL

I remember one time my cousins from Texas were here on vacay, and they went on the canoes -- they stopped paddling, and the CM yelled at them (in a funny way) for not working, and what did they think, they were on the pirates of the Caribbean? And pointed them out (they were all wearing matching red shirts) to the people on the Mark Twain as we passed, telling them that they didn't want to work -- it was really really funny at the time.

I always end up getting wet on that ride - wonderful on a warm/hot day.

 

[abby]

Just a quick reponse to the hope my kid grows an inch in the next three weeks. If she doesn't quite grow the inch go buy shoes with a big heel/sole (some tennis shoes have them now) and get her hight up. They always measure with shoes. Have a great time.

 

[degrapevine]

Thanks again to everyone for all your tips and suggestions.
We'll probably just go ahead and get life jackets for all 3 kids for peace of mind - I don't want to have to do any unexpected swimming!
Sounds like the canoes will be a lot of fun ... Just another reason why we WDW vets are so excited about going to DL!
There's just so much that's different from what we're used to at WDW and some things the kids know about only from the Disneyland Sing-a-Long tape!
My daughter is just a shorty - Last doctor's visit, she was only in the 10th percentile (of course, I'm only 5' 3", so she's doomed!).
She has some new sneakers with a little higher sole she'll be wearing and we'll make sure she stands really tall for the measuring!
We saw some platform sneakers at Payless last week (at least 3"), but if she wore those, I think it would be a little obvious she isn't really that tall!
We'll just have to see - I don't think she'll make it, but you never know!
18 days to go!