Would you take a 3 year old on HM?

[Barbday62]

Last August my husband and I took the grand kids and the 4 year old was scared of everything!! I ended up taking the chicken exit with the youngest 2 grand kids and husband rode with the oldest Grand daughter. I had to climb a lot of stairs where you get on the ride vehicles. We came out closer to the train. The 2 that didnt ride were and 4 and the one that did ride was 11

 

[sassydisneymomma]

I was just there and took my 26 month old daughter, and she did fine... however, she wasn't a big fan of many of the rides, but she didn't cry or anything, just watched. If they don't like the dark, then skip it, of course.

 

[Pucka1378]

We took the boys to DL when they were 4 and 5yr old... My youngest at the time had no problem with HM... but the drops on POTC freaked him out. He would not go on any other dark rides, Peter Pan, Mr. Toads, Alice in Wonderland.. basically any ride inside he refused except HM!

 

[KeKy4]

My 3 yo loves it, my 5 yo does not. While my 5 yo is definitely the more apprehensive of the two, he still goes on it and isn't traumatized by it or anything. I think most kids can handle it but you have to gauge your kid. Plus I think the more they hear that it's scary the more they'll feed on that. We just continue to remind them that it's all pretend like a movie and just for fun.

 

[mummabear]

We have taken our kids on various trips, ages 19 months, just shy of 2, 1, 22 months and 3.5.
Ours have always been fine (thank god its my favourite ride) but each kid is different. We have pre warned them that some people scream for fun in the stretching room and that the ride is not as scary as the stretching room.
Pity they don't have rider swap for this one....

 

[rydersmommy]

My son will be 3 at the end of July. We took him on HM this week and he was fine. He said it was scary but liked it and wanted to do it again.

 

[SnowBelleAlice]

My DD asked that during her upcoming birthday visit we skip the mansion :/
I haven't seen the unNBC DL version of the HM in a while.
She's almost 11.

 

[teambeaman]

DS3 has been in HM several times starting when he was 18mo, and has always been fine. In fact, his second time on it he fell asleep, lol.

 

[peterpanandwendy]

Great responses, thanks everyone! I will attempt it. If I have to take the 'chicken exit' (lol, that is hilarious)… than I guess that is the price you pay for taking a 3 year old to Disneyland

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

There aren't a whole lot of REALLY early Disney parks memories I have. I remember crying at the Dinosaurs at Universe of Energy. And I remember being absolutely terrified stuff of nightmares at HM. Actually, given our very conservative back ground (I won't ride HP themed stuff either), I have no idea what my dad was thinking even taking us on this ride. I think he thought the technology and illusions was neat, but I still avert my eyes whenever I go by and I'm 32! I don't find ghosts sitting in my car funny, I have been on it since then and I thought "I will NEVER do that again" and I haven't. But I STILL remember being absolutely terrified in the dancing hall scene. Seances? Really? Disney, what are you thinking?

 

[bcla]

I don't think that most 3 year olds get that it's supposed to be scary. They'll mostly just enjoy the visuals. My kid had a blast, although my wife and I were on either side.

Of course every kid is different. The only thing my kid hates now is carousels. Used to absolutely love them. Still does - up until the time it moves - then it's a freak out. I don't know what happened, like a switch turned where the motion all of a sudden became unsettling.

 

[figment_jii]

I don't think that most 3 year olds get that it's supposed to be scary. They'll mostly just enjoy the visuals. My kid had a blast, although my wife and I were on either side.

I still think it comes down to each child is different, but I don't entirely agree with the part in bold. Some of what makes is scary has nothing do with the visuals...for example the complete darkness at the end of the elevator ride when other guests do often scream. I've seen that part set off plenty of kids. The lightening effects and the music in the hallway after the elevator can also be scary. I suppose if the ride was daylight bright and there was no music or screaming, perhaps it would be okay for most kids, but the overall atmosphere (visuals, plus sounds and lighting) I think are not going to go over well with a large number of children.

 

[CassieF]

Like everyone has said, it 100% depends on the child. I took one niece just before 3 and the dark in Peter Pan scared her. My other niece (2 years old) BEGS to go on Snow White, it's her favorite (and my sister hates it!)...and one time we had a 5year old in front of us who was completely in tears after the ride while my niece is saying one more, one more.

Try a short dark ride, Peter Pan is a good option since it's short and just dark, not scary, or even Ariel, as that has dark segments but many familiar and happy sciences. If they do fine with that, HM will probably be okay, stretching room with the screams does tend to be the biggest trigger for fears, and at that point you could probably back out and not do the actual ride if it didn't go over well

 

[94bruin]

One word of caution about POTC - if your child is anything like mine, they won't like POTC either. My older daughter's first time at age 4 - she hated the drop and didn't like the guns. Neither of my girls like HM or POTC. I know, heresy! It makes it easier for us as we don't really have to venture any father to the left of main street than BTRRM.

 

[MommyJKM]

My 3-yr old has been on it twice and doesn't love it but doesn't cry or seem to be bothered by it.

If you tell the CM at the elevator part that you're worried they will always take you out the secret exit before the carts (I think you just go back down the elevator). They obviously won't make you go through with the ride.

I would suggest trying Ariel first in DCA since they'll get a sense of the moving cars and that way you'll know if they just don't like the clautrophobic feeling of being stuck in the car.

 

[Pesky]

I had to coach DS through it and as long as he had some warning (like "it's about to go all dark, so hold my hand and let's see where the door is!") and a reminder that it is a ride like "those ghosts look so silly don't they" or "that clock is just crazy!", it helped reassure him and he was fine. In fact, he wants to go back because he wants to go meet Jack Skellington again.