How can I get my 10 yr old son to ride Haunted Mansion? - Page 4 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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But I have gone as an adult without the kids and its not the same. I get maximum enjoyment from WDW when they enjoy it. I don't spend two days in the car, shell out thousands of dollars, carry a backpack full of water and ride Dumbo ten more times because I enjoy it. I do it because they love it.
I find the rides in WDW way too tame for me to get personally excited about.
Umm no. Walt made Disneyland so everyone would be able to enjoy it not just kids. That was his whole point he was tired of just sitting and watching his kids have the fun. Hubby and I went for 5 year before we had kids and I go solo every Oct. for the food and wine fest and MNSSHP. Do I love watching my kids have fun, of course. But I also enjoy my time doing what I want to do even going on rides. And even though I like the "thrill rides" I also love the non thrill that you may call "tame", the story line and the way they pull you in to the story is so much more for me then going to six flags type of 30 sec roller coaster with no theme. That is the beauty of WDW it is for everyone.
Weeellll, after having agreed with you on something, feonag, now I must disagree: WDW isn't for everyone.
Yes, it's designed for enjoyment by both children and adults, but I know plenty of people who aren't the least bit interested in going to WDW. They either don't like Disney at all or prefer "real resorts" with lots of adult activities and sports.
And that's quite all right by me and DH, because that leaves more room to roam WDW for us and others who love it as we do.
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I don't have kids, I've gone with a neice and other family with kids... and I've gone with just adults... I find I get the same amount of enjoyment! (though this last one sucked royally due to a 6 year old who hated the whole thing)
So this slenderman is something that exists? LOL I thought these nutso kids around here made it up. LOL!
oh no, it's an online game, it makes my DD13 who loves to watch scary movies with me, scared to be home alone at night, as she keeps "seeing" big shadowy hulks!
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Weeellll, after having agreed with you on something, feonag, now I must disagree: WDW isn't for everyone.
Yes, it's designed for enjoyment by both children and adults, but I know plenty of people who aren't the least bit interested in going to WDW. They either don't like Disney at all or prefer "real resorts" with lots of adult activities and sports.
And that's quite all right by me and DH, because that leaves more room to roam WDW for us and others who love it as we do.
I feel that just because someone as a person does not find Disney to be for them does not mean that it is not made for everyone. There are adult activities and sports at Disney, the only thing that I can think of that they do not have is gambling. You can fish, parasail, golf, go to adult nightclubs, go to the sports bar, spring training. I have never heard of any other place on the Planet that has all of that entertainment all in one place never mind the 4 theme parks and 2 water parks. "Everyone" can go camping but there is no way you will see my butt in a tent. LOL I guess I do not know what you mean by a "real" resort. I have been to other adult only resorts and find much more to do at WDW.
When I was little it was the stretching room that scared me to death. Tears and all. So maybe you can ask to bypass that part and it will make it much less scary.
Have you ever asked what part of it makes him not want to ride? If it's not due to fear but lameness I could see forcing the issue lol
Nope, he can't pinpoint what it is that he doesn't like. I asked him if it was the dark, and suggested taking a little keychain light for him to use (like someone else had mentioned) and he still didn't really seem interested.
I don't know.... with him not being able to specify, it irks me. He already said he also wants no part of Pirates of the Caribbean again, nor the water raft ride at AK (why does that name always escape me?!). *sigh* Oh well.
I've got a question, and I promise I'm not trying to be snarky, but why doesn't your son at 10 years old, just get on the ride because you said so? I know that can sound harsh, but lets look at it this way, you know for a fact that it's not going to harm him in any way. Heck, he can close his eyes if he thinks it's intense. It's not like a roller coaster where there are g-forces and things that actually feel uncomfortable. He's moving at 2mph and nothing will touch him. You know your son best and you already know that he's just being silly and he'll actually like it. That being said, you should just tell him, "We're all going on this ride together, you don't have to look, but you aren't old enough to sit outside by yourself." You are his mother, he should do what he's told to do, happiest place on earth or not. For us, parenting and disciplining our sons didn't stop just because we were on vacation. (and I'm not saying you do or don't do any of this, but just in general) At 10, if my kids tried throwing a tantrum, they knew full well that would be the end of the day at Disney....and YES if I had to skip out on a day at the parks to follow through, I would, but I followed through so much back at home they knew not to test me at Disney.
Because it would cause a meltdown and that's just not something I am willing to deal with. We tried it on the last trip - and there was kicking & screaming.
I don't want to traumatize him if there is something he is legitimately scared of (even though I highly doubt it), which is why I won't just drag him on.
Not to mention, no one else wants to listen to him if he does pitch a fit.
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That was the point of this thread, which is why people are giving experiences about what did/didn't work with THEIR children.
Her actual question was the title of the thread: "How can I get my 10 yr old son to ride Haunted Mansion?" Several of the responders to the thread (IMHO) are giving more than their experiences (their "this is what I did in the same situation.") They are giving their outright, hard-and-fast opinions and judgements about someone else's parenting style.
It makes for a very uncomfortable, close-to-the-guidelines type of thread, and it's not the best reflection of PassPorter.
If my kids don't want to ride on something i let them make up their own mind. If they are scared of something I don't want to make it worse. WDW is supposed to be fun and if I were to force them to go on a ride they don't like it wouldn't be fun.
I do have a small suggestion that might help alleviate some of your sons fears... there are a lot of hidden mickeys in HM.. maybe if you told him a few & told him to not think of the 'scary' stuff & look for the hidden mickeys instead he might be more open to riding...
good luck .. I do understand your frustration!
I did just show him this post, and he is quite intrigued. He said "Mom, can you google and see if there are any pictures of the hidden mickeys .... then if I decide to go, I will know of some places to look"
So...maybe.....just maybe. But I'm not holding my breath.
Because it would cause a meltdown and that's just not something I am willing to deal with. We tried it on the last trip - and there was kicking & screaming.
I don't want to traumatize him if there is something he is legitimately scared of (even though I highly doubt it), which is why I won't just drag him on.
Not to mention, no one else wants to listen to him if he does pitch a fit.
Maybe at 10 years old he has a better grasp on his emotions. I do not know how old he was on your last trip with the kicking and screaming, but at 10 there is no way a child that age should display that kind of behavior. And I know everyones parenting is different(you know your kid) but I would think at 10(my kids are 10 & 11yo) you should be able to say "this is what we are doing" and the kid does it. Of course no one wants to traumatize anyone but he sounds like my youngest she does not know why she does not want to go on it, I think it is just the fear of the unknown. We have struggled with her from the beginning and pretty much have to force her to go on anything because her fear keeps her from it. If we did not insist on her going on thins she would never go on anything. I asked her today with the discussion if us making her go on stuff she did not want to go on like haunted mansion has scarred her for life and she laughed. Sometimes kids need a little boost to get them over their fears. BTW do not put up with kicking and screaming. Each of my girls did that whole major kicking and screaming thing because they did not get what they wanted at Walmart when they were about 4 or 5. I had to carry them out of the store like that and boy did they get in big trouble at home and when Daddy got home they got it again. They never did anything like that again.(FYI there was no spanking involved.)Either way I am sure you guys will have a great trip.
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Originally Posted by feonag
Maybe at 10 years old he has a better grasp on his emotions. I do not know how old he was on your last trip with the kicking and screaming, but at 10 there is no way a child that age should display that kind of behavior. And I know everyones parenting is different(you know your kid) but I would think at 10(my kids are 10 & 11yo) you should be able to say "this is what we are doing" and the kid does it.
Maybe at 10 years old he has a better grasp on his emotions. I do not know how old he was on your last trip with the kicking and screaming, but at 10 there is no way a child that age should display that kind of behavior. And I know everyones parenting is different(you know your kid) but I would think at 10(my kids are 10 & 11yo) you should be able to say "this is what we are doing" and the kid does it. Of course no one wants to traumatize anyone but he sounds like my youngest she does not know why she does not want to go on it, I think it is just the fear of the unknown. We have struggled with her from the beginning and pretty much have to force her to go on anything because her fear keeps her from it. If we did not insist on her going on thins she would never go on anything. I asked her today with the discussion if us making her go on stuff she did not want to go on like haunted mansion has scarred her for life and she laughed. Sometimes kids need a little boost to get them over their fears. BTW do not put up with kicking and screaming. Each of my girls did that whole major kicking and screaming thing because they did not get what they wanted at Walmart when they were about 4 or 5. I had to carry them out of the store like that and boy did they get in big trouble at home and when Daddy got home they got it again. They never did anything like that again.(FYI there was no spanking involved.)Either way I am sure you guys will have a great trip.
Our last trip was 2 years ago, so he was 8.
And I totally get the "you're doing this because I said so", but I also get not wanting to force him to do anything he doesn't want to as well. I feel torn between the two. Frustrated because he hasn't tried it at least once, and cannot tell me exactly what it is that makes him NOT want to ride it. But I also don't want to force him to do it and end up having him hate it so much that he ends up with nightmares or anything like that either.
He is totally interested in the hidden mickeys since I showed him the post here about them.... and now for the first time, I can tell the gears are moving and he's contemplating this. I still won't hold my breath.... but at least there's a slight thought about it. Maybe if not this trip, he'll ride it on the next (when we go December 2013 for his 12th birthday).
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