Will FOP scare my 6-year-old?

[Scooter2376]

Hi there,

We are planning our second trip to WDW after a great first time visit in January of this year. My son is frightened by some thrill rides, so I'm trying to decide whether it's worth trying to get a FP for FOP when he might hate it.

It's hard to predict what will scare him. He loved BTMR, Splash Mountain, Test Track and Soarin'. He was kind of on the fence about Everest (he liked the actual ride but the Yeti scared him) and Star Tours (he wasn't afraid but isn't really into Star Wars so didn't love it either). He was really scared by Dinosaur and Space Mountain. Based on our past experiences, would you try for a FP on FOP or opt for N'avi instead?

Thanks!

 

[Tomh]

I would go ahead and try it. The motion is sort of like a combination of Soarin' and Star Tours. My guess is that if the motion on Everest and Star Tours didn't bother him, and he enjoyed Soarin' Test Track, and Splash, then he will most likely be fine on FOP.

Of course, there is never a guarantee, and he might indeed hate it, but sometimes if you don't take a chance, you wind up missing something that is truly amazing.

 

[CAS239]

If he liked Soarin then he'll love FoP

 

[Jimmy Mouse]

My 6 year old loved it! but then again, she loves RnR coaster also. No way to know till he tries it!

 

[AllEar2017]

My son is just turned 7 and loved it! For reference he loved SDMT, BTMRR, Soarin and Star Tours. Hated Space Mountain and didn't even attempt any of the other "thrill rides" at Disney. He actual liked it so much he rode twice in a row (we had rider swap bc of my younger son).

 

[Scooter2376]

Thanks for all the feedback! He’s seen FOP on commercials and thought it looked cool, so I think we’ll try it. Now I just hope we can get a FP when our 60 day window opens!

 

[GADisneyDad14]

My six year old was fine. He did start to get a little scared/nervous during the pre-show stuff. It’s long, drawn out, and a little dark. Just enough for him to start questioning things.

But afterwards he proclaimed it the best ride ever and has not stopped talking about it since!

 

[Disney Khi]

My eight-year-old doesn't like anything that goes fast like roller coasters. She loves Soarin' and Splash Mountain. She rode FOP and was terrified. She sobbed through the whole thing. I had ridden it once before and thought she wouldn't like it, but she wanted to try it so I didn't want to dissuade her. One of the problems was that the glasses were too big for her head. She had to try to hold them on because she was afraid they would fall. I was right next to her during the ride and kept telling her to close her eyes but then I think the motion of the simulator without being able to see bothered her. I told her to open her eyes at parts where we had stopped moving (like the cave scene) so she could look around and she really liked that part, but then she closed her eyes for the rest.

TL; DR: It will depend on your kid and what they like or are afraid of. It's way more intense than Soarin' so just because they like Soarin' doesn't mean they will like FOP.

 

[KyGirl]

I have a five year old that LOVES roller coasters and thrill rides but is afraid of the dark. Last year she was only tall enough for the 40 inch rides but this year she'll be ready for the 44 inch set. The only thing she balked at last year was the Haunted Mansion.

I've decided that we'll probably leave out Space because of the darkness but I'd really like to have a chance at FOP. Are there large parts of the ride where you are in total darkness? I honestly hadn't even thought of this.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

There's no way any of us can answer that with certainty.

I've heard of adults being scared of just about every WDW ride. DISers report being scared of the Small World dolls, getting motion sickness on Dumbo, and some folks are so afraid of clowns that they won't go near WDW's Boardwalk. (the pool slide has a giant clown face.)

I didn't think the attraction was intentionally scary, but it isn't hard to imagine some 6 years old being scared. FoP certainly has the potential to trigger claustrophobia in some folks. Some motion sickness sufferers do report that FoP bothers them.

The best we can say is try it once and see what happens. Accepting the risk of the unknown though is part of the reward of going.


Another thread reminded me of a bad day I once had at Universal. somebody threw-up on me when I was getting off a ride. Luckily, it wasn't my first time on that ride, but it was still pretty horrifying. Anybody can have a bad experience on a ride.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I Are there large parts of the ride where you are in total darkness? I honestly hadn't even thought of this.

No.

I might add, the pre-ride and ride rooms are kind of small with no windows.

I can't recall the ride 100%, it may be that as the attraction starts, you are in the dark for a moment, while you are more-or-less- locked into your seat.

As I said earlier, someone with claustrophobia might be bothered by it.

Then again, six is very young. Kids change dramatically form year-to-year when they are that age. the things that might bother them one year, don't bother them at all the next - and the reverse.

Some kids love characters one year, hate them the next, love them again, then outgrow them entirely a few years after that.

 

[tinkerhon]

Preface by saying that our 6 yr old will not go near a roller coaster, but LOVED FoP !!! Loves Soarin' as well, but said FoP was his fave ride EVER !! Lol

 

[2Gma]

My 8yo daughter does not like Dinosaur or Space because they are dark but she loved FoP. Its a beautiful flight through the world of Pandora! Nothing intense or scary about it. The motion is smooth.

 

[IrishNYC]

If he doesn't like it, will it ruin the rest of the day? If not, then go for it. The worst that happens is he doesn't like it, so you don't do it again.