Tower of Terror - ok for a skittish 10 year old?

[MickeyMinnieMom]

There is a creepy doll at some point as the ride ends -- it's off to the side somewhere, and I didn't even notice it the first few times I rode.

Here's our family:

• DD11 hates scary movies (but cannot help herself but watch some anyway, then regrets it later!). She has been going to WDW since 9mos, and was the 3yo telling the 8yo in Haunted Mansion that everything was going to be ok -- it's all pretend. She rode ToT BEFORE I DID at 6 or 7 yo (I was worried about the drops). She ran out saying it was AWESOME and that I HAD TO ride it -- so I did.
• First time I held on for dear life and did not like it. Second time, I copied my daughter and put my hands up in the air -- "surrendering" to the experience like that made it a ton of fun!
• DS13 still refuses to ride ToT. He LOVES scary movies and scary books, but he HATES the dropping sensation.

I'd say the decor and pre-show in ToT are creepy -- probably not creepier IMO that the stretch room in HM. There are some lightning strikes that can startle someone skittish. The anticipation of what is to come is scariest, perhaps. But I would think that the main scary thing about the ride is the completely randomized -- therefore totally unpredictable -- drops.

I would personally give her as vivid an image of the ride as possible -- watch videos online if you can find them -- I haven't looked for them in ages, but ALWAYS did this with my kids if I thought a ride was questionable. Then leave it up to her -- I think that's reasonable at 10yo.

Aside: Every trip, I see some kids being told by their parents that a ride isn't scary, bumpy, a real roller coaster, dark, etc. -- either they are ignorant and haven't looked it up (bad IMO), or they're lying (worse IMO). I always personally felt it was my responsibility to prepare my kids -- then give them a choice. Have I nudged hard sometimes to at least try it ONCE? Yes. But if they hold firm, I respect them. And I don't lie to them. Feels like all that communicates is: I can't trust my mom to tell me the truth about this stuff -- and now I don't know what to expect on ANY ride. Not my style.

 

[oceanmarina]

Thanks so much guys. Definitely skipping it!!

Thanks again for all the feedback!

 

[greg9x]

My son is 9 and likes thrill rides and has no issue with things like Rockin Rollercoaster or Summit Plummet.. but he hates 'spooky' things, so Haunted Mansion and Tower of Terror are on his ''No" list. He has tried them and is adement about not going on them.

 

[22Tink]

My daughter hated it at 6 when she first rode it and still hates it at 10. She loves Haunted Mansion, but still absolutely refuses to ride ToT. It's not the drops, because she loves Guardians in DLR. It's the theming. Scares her to pieces.

 

[Princess_Nikki]

No way. Scary ride. Way too much for a skittish kid.

Agreed.

For an adventurous kid? I would say you would be ok to try it out. My adventurous DS11 loves it and has been riding ToT since he was around 6. My DS9 REFUSES to go near it.

For a skittish kid? I wouldn’t even try until your daughter has seen a few You Tube clips and see how she reacts.

ToT has the dark basement creepy feel to it, coupled with the Twilight Zone “you’re never getting out of here” factor sprinkled with killer drops.

I’ve ridden it dozens of times and it STILL freaks me out every time!!

 

[kiford]

There is a ventriloquist dummy at the very end, but it is difficult to spot if you aren't looking for it.

You have to look to the side or crane your head a bit once the ride is over to see it. You kind of have to know it's there but it's at the end of the ride, not before or during.

The little girl ghost holds a doll if I remember

It's actually a Mickey doll but if you blink, you can miss it. A friend had to point it out to me after I'd been on the ride probably 10 times previously and never noted it.

 

[Rileygirl]

My dd was 12 at the time she first rode it. She was the coaster fiend and I like coasters but drop rides freak me out. She convinced me to try it, along with friends I was traveling with. I LOVED the ride, she hated it. When the doors open she lept over the seating chairs and was like the third person out and we were in the back row.

Never seen her do anything like that before. She's 24 and you can't pay her enough to get back on that ride!!!

Everybody is different I guess. You won't know how they will react until they try it. But as a responsible adult, you know your kid. If they are skittish to begin with, I think you already knew the answer to your question. Inform, offer, and then respect what their answer is.

Now, because I loved tower of terror, when we went, I would take dd in line all the way through, and she would come with me all they way to the elevators. When it came time to load on the ride, I would ask the cast member to take dd to the chicken escape, and then she would wait in the exit area for me to finish the ride (5 minutes maybe?)

That way she could enjoy all the theming, and super cool que, and not worry about me trying to force her to do it again. This only works if your child is old enough to be on their own for a short period of time.

One thing to note, to use the chicken exit, you have to get on another elevator. Freaked DD out for a second because she thought she was getting tricked!

 

[SaintsManiac]

Thanks so much guys. Definitely skipping it!!

Thanks again for all the feedback!

Good choice.

 

[Manda]

My kid was way freaked out by the scene he interpreted as the whole family getting electrocuted. The drops were fine. It was everything leading up to that. It's long and dark and freaky. If your kid is sensitive to that, be wary. My son wouldn't ride it again for years.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

My family has never found it to be too scary but then again we embrace scary and know its pretend.
My 3 year old niece went on it because she wanted to.
My 5 year old niece went on it because she wanted to.
It opened when I was 8 and I went on it because I wanted to.
If your child doesn't want to go on then don't go on.
If your child is tall enough and wants to go on then do it once to see if she likes it.
That's about all the advice anyone on here can give.

 

[kimmyg26]

We are all so scared of the unknown (or at least most of us--sorry, if I'm speaking for everyone). You know your daughter more than anyone. This goes more with how she will react afterwards then just the emotion of being scared on the ride.

I think ToT is scary and I'm an adult. I'm ok with the ride part but that darn queue and the waiting does me in. I ride it because in the end, I enjoy the ride.
If you think you daughter can cope with the afterwards, then a nudge in the direction of riding may be a good thing. She may absolutely love it. She may not. But either way, she won't know until she does it.

I grew up being that kid who was scared of so many rides. My sister was not. I was jealous of that. I hated being so scared of a stupid ride where my sister was laughing and experiencing joy. As an adult, I have pushed myself with so many rides. For the most part, I like the majority of what I ride.

The one thing I say to myself over and over... Disney is in the business of creating happy and joyful memories, no scary memories. Disney isn't going to create a ride and or ride experience to hurt us. Good luck! I hope your daughters gives it a try.

If she hates it, a Mickey pretzel or ice cream will help lessen the blow

 

[tlmadden73]

I think it depends and it changes with age.

I would say ToT has that "terror" factor. It's creepy to look at .. you hear real screams coming from it. It is "spooky" in theme.
Throw in the fact that you get dropped suddenly! Uhh .. ya . .you are potentially scarring a child for a while.

As a child, I was terrified of Pirates .. the dark queue . .was just scary.

So we've avoided "scary" rides for my son -- Haunted Mansion, Pirates, Tower of Terror, etc.

My son (who will be 6 on his next trip) will be tall enough to ride ToT, but I doubt he will want to go on .. and I think it would be more an issue to try and FORCE him on.
Even as young as 3 and 4 he could see the lightning scarred tower and hear the screams and knows what the word "Terror" means. He would lose his trust in me if I forced him to go on it.

He doesn't even want to do Jedi Training "Until he is older" because he finds it scary and intimidating to be face to face with Darth Vader -- EVEN when his best friend did it on our last trip.

 

[dancin Disney style]

As an adult I was terrified of going on ToT. Every now and then I will suck it up and do something that scares me....not sure why. I came across a ride spoiler and discovered what the maximum drop was. After seeing that I decided to try it. I’m not sure if I love it but I ride every time now. This week was the first time that my stomach was not in a knot. I rode twice back to back and actually let go of the handles for the first time.

 

[maryj11]

I'm an adult and have been on it about 5 times. Back in 2010 I rode it and it scared me to death! I decided to try again to overcome my fear the same trip and was still scared. I hated the falling part . So this year I decided to try again after 8 years of fear lol. I was seated on the end where I could hold on in the front row and to my surprise I was laughing! We rode it 2 more times this trip. I conquered my fear

 

[SandyinMonterey]

Hi all,

Just wanted to check in regarding the scare factor of Tower of Terror.

I have a 10 year old that might want to ride but she can scare easily - she's ok with the haunted mansion, she likes that ride.

Is there a creepy doll in Tower of Terror? (she would not like that) I youtubed it a while ago and thought I saw a doll at some point.

Thanks so much for any feedback, Marina

Tried to get our 12 year old to go on it. Couldn’t do it. I don’t think she’ll ever go on it.

 

[JJ2017]

How many times does it go up and down? I just did Gaurdians at California Adventure and it was torture to me. I’m wondering how my 7 year old will do with the motion.

 

[Dan Murphy]

then exit thru the chicken door before you go up in the elevator. Let him know he doesn't have to go into the elevator, that he can exit before then.

Just keep in mind that the non-ride exit is also an elevator. Make that clear to one who is concerned or scared. But let them know that it is a regular, everyday elevator.

 

[Klayfish]

How many times does it go up and down? I just did Gaurdians at California Adventure and it was torture to me. I’m wondering how my 7 year old will do with the motion.

I think it varies from ride to ride, which is part of the "suspense" because you never know what's going to happen. But it's something like 4-6 drops, I think...I never count.

 

[goofyintoronto]

Scared my 7 yr old so bad he refused to ride for 10 years. He just did it in July and says it will be 10/more years before he goes again.

This made me LOL. hahahahaha. Your poor son! I can honestly relate. Its been years since i've been on that ride. I honestly dont trust that flimsy seatbelt. if it had a lap-bar i just might go on it again. Until then, no thank you.

 

[Lilsia]

My daughter went on it when she was about 8-10 and she cried when she got off but then 15 minutes later said that she wanted to ride it again. LOL Who knows with kids. The only way to know is to actually ride it.