Advice for mom of a nervous kid

[msmama]

Heading to Universal primarily for Harry Potter stuff and I'm guessing we could spend our entire 3 days simply walking around the shops, BUT, I'd like to get my kid on some rides, too. Problem is, he's a chicken - like a super chicken.

At Disney, he won't ride anything faster than 7D Mine Train. So, what do you think would be in and out at Universal? I realize this is totally subjective, but I can't even figure out a starting point. It's mostly speed his afraid of, but the unknown is bad, too.

In particular I'm wondering how your kids feel/felt about the 2 Harry Potter rides, Transformers and Spiderman.

Was there anything you thought would be ok, but wasn't? I feel I know the rides that we should definitely skip, but is there anything surprising?

Thanks.

 

[davper]

Watch POV videos on youtube of the rides with him to get a feel for what he may like.

 

[bobbie68]

Hi my daughter use to be like that when she was about 9 then one day a good older friend dragged her on the rides. I think she had a crush on him LOL! After that she pretty much went on anything except spinning. She is a nervous kid by nature. My daughter went on the HP rides in IOA when she was 11 and did good. She doesn't like Forbidden Journey to dark and claustrophobic, but loves the other two.

I think in Hogsmeade in IOA he will like the Flight of Hippogriff ride. It is a smaller, less intense then 7DMT. I think Forbidden Journey could be a toss up. It is not fast but it does go up and down and there is a simulated flying section. It is a dark ride with some scary animatronics. I think he could do Gringott's in DA. It is a coaster but it is mild more moving around with a little speed. The first drop is a little scary but after that it is good. The first drop is in the dark so not sure of how he is with that.

If he doesn't get motion sickness I think Transformers and Spiderman are good. The simulations have you speeding down a street and loud sounds. They do spin you around a bit and shake up and down. The one thing is there are some quick flying sequences that some people could get motion sickness. There is minimal going fast portions.

Good luck!

 

[gunderda]

I do not like most rollercoasters (I did like 7DMT though) And I was SUPER nervous going into the rides at universal but once I went on them I learned that I LOVED virtual reality rides. Or whatever you call them. And Men in Black was super fun because you get to try and shoot stuff - so maybe start with that one and if he doesn't freak out on that then he can do Transformers and Spiderman. I totally forgot that the one in Harry Potter wasn't a traditional rollercoaster so I didn't go on it and this year I'm FOR SURE going on it. I would give the simpsons one a try too you can tell him to look away from the screen if he isn't enjoying it. That's what I would do if I would get too overwhelmed lol

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

How old is he? And how does he feel about 7D Mine Train? My DD is a super chicken before she rides anything for the first time. Then, her first words off the ride are always, "LET'S DO THAT AGAIN!" She is a chicken with the heart of a daredevil. When she rides things for the first time, I bribe and drag her on rides because I knew she will love them in the end (and we talk about this ahead of time - she knows she wants to do the rides but gets scared). If he is terrified in the mine train, that would clearly not be the approach for your child.

Universal rides are different. Will he do Star Tours? That is what most of the rides at Universal feel like to me. There is a lot of screen time with the ride moving you from place to place. All the rides you mentioned are like that. They throw you around a little and move you into different positions, but the real action comes from screens.

FYI - the Hippogriff ride is a small coaster. It is the same ride track (reversed, if I remember correctly) as Goofy's Barnstormer (or whatever the name is now).

 

[sherlockmiles]

If he likes space mountain he may like mummy, however some of the story scene before the coaster part can be a little intense for young ones.

 

[oakleycat]

My just-turned 9 year old is like that. I'm hoping to get him on more rides when we go in April, but we have APs to Universal Hollywood and he won't ride Forbidden Journey, Transformers, Jurassic Park or Mummy as they are all dark and scary to him. He loves Hippogriff and Minions, and last time we went to Universal Orlando loved Men in Black, so hopefully yours will enjoy at least some of the rides!

 

[msmama]

Thanks for all the replies so far. He's 9 (almost 10). He does love Star Tours so I'm hopeful about some of the rides. It's more speed that he seems to have a problem with. Ok with Mine Train, but HATED BTMRR.

He also rode Dinosaur once and was glad that he did it, was going to do it again, but Grandma ended up psyching him out. He was super nervous about the new Frozen ride - I did force him on that one - but liked it in the end.

The problem is that if I get him on one and he doesn't like it, then I'm not sure I'll get him on anything else!

 

[sherlockmiles]

Its too bad he didn't have a friend\cousin that could go with you to help and offer moral support. I know that a few rides I only did because I was others that were doing them (at both US and WDW) - and ended up liking them.

 

[sandy77d]

One of my DDs is the same way. She will ride 7D Mine Train at Disney, but does not like many things much faster or with more drops than that. At Universal, she will ride Forbidden Journey and has ridden it many times. She rode Gringotts once and will not ride it again. She also does not like Hippogriff. As for other areas of the parks, she likes ET, Men in Black, and Minions. She has ridden Spiderman a couple of times, but it is not her favorite. I would not recommend Mummy. We forced her to ride Jurassic Park once and she hated it. After that, we decided that she can ride or not ride anything she wants. In the Harry Potter area, she will go into the child swap room by herself if she chooses not to ride with us. She is 12 now, but started doing that when she was 10.

 

[Lori74]

I have a funny story. My son isn't into rides. He wouldn't even go into Shrek, he went into minions, but only stationary seat. We walked all through the parks and watched and waited while his siblings would go on rides. Then suddenly we got around to Jurassic park and he said I'm going! So off he went with his siblings. My husband and I waited, when they got off his face was ok, then he saw me and burst into tears. That was when he was about 9 at the time. Five years later... the biggest ride he's been on since is Dr. Seuss. Good luck, and it sounds like your son is more open to rides than mine. Have a great time!

 

[Bethany10]

@Lori74 I am reminded of, very early in our marriage when Dh didn't "believe" me that I didn't care for ANY kind of thrill ride. He managed to talk me into the log ride of death at Mall of America. Idiot me didn't realize there was a huge drop at the end of it. We went down that thing with me screaming my head off in his ear. That ride was what finally convinced him I really am happy waiting at the bottom. I don't think he understood until he heard my honest fear that for me, that kind of drop is terrifying and NOT fun. Fortunately for him, our oldest is a dare devil and he soon got a companion to go on the crazy rides with. I've happily stood at the bottom watching both of them go for many years now. I've also learned to FULLY check out the ride before I get on it.

 

[msmama]

One of my DDs is the same way. She will ride 7D Mine Train at Disney, but does not like many things much faster or with more drops than that. At Universal, she will ride Forbidden Journey and has ridden it many times. She rode Gringotts once and will not ride it again. She also does not like Hippogriff. As for other areas of the parks, she likes ET, Men in Black, and Minions. She has ridden Spiderman a couple of times, but it is not her favorite. I would not recommend Mummy. We forced her to ride Jurassic Park once and she hated it. After that, we decided that she can ride or not ride anything she wants. In the Harry Potter area, she will go into the child swap room by herself if she chooses not to ride with us. She is 12 now, but started doing that when she was 10.

How old do they have to be to wait by themselves? This may change everything! He'll be 2 weeks shy of 10 when we go.

(The only rides I care about are the HP rides. Anything else, I'm happy to skip, though I do remember loving the Mummy. It was brand new last time I was there).

 

[Lori74]

How old do they have to be to wait by themselves? This may change everything! He'll be 2 weeks shy of 10 when we go.

(The only rides I care about are the HP rides. Anything else, I'm happy to skip, though I do remember loving the Mummy. It was brand new last time I was there).

That would be your judgement. If you trust him and hes fine on his own other places, then sure.

 

[gotomu212]

How old do they have to be to wait by themselves? This may change everything! He'll be 2 weeks shy of 10 when we go.

(The only rides I care about are the HP rides. Anything else, I'm happy to skip, though I do remember loving the Mummy. It was brand new last time I was there).

My son waited in child swap alone just shy of 8, so he would be allowed to wait (as long as you and he felt comfortable with it). At Universal they wait with you in line almost to the very end of the line so they only sit in child swap for the duration of the ride. It was a nice option when he felt like he needed a break.