Originally Posted By oneyepete When I took my grandson of ToT the first time there were no problems. I hadn't told him about the ride. I haven't been able to get him back on. I just wait with him while the others ride it.
Originally Posted By mele My daughter has ridden it twice and didn't not enjoy it at all. We were looking at some vacation photos the other day and when she saw ToT she begged us to never make her ride it again. :-(
Originally Posted By debtee Well Geez I was scared to go on TOT the first time, I should have thrown a fit amd maybe Barry would have listened to me instead of telling me it's all going to be ok! LOL Which it was of course! I think this lady was bang out of order to say those things to your wife and to get a CM to escort her off the ride. How rude is that! Your wife was great how she handled it telling the CM the other lady might want to leave! LOL We have all been on lines where children are playing up and making a noise but it's not our business to interfere in how a parent is handling their child, unless it's a violent situation, which is not what you described. Your wife knows her son better then anyone. When we were children we had to do things all the time we didn't want to do and guess what, it taught us to pass through our fear, which is part of everyday life! Children these days are so pandered to they miss out on that lesson, as the minute they don't want to do something everyone says they don't have to! It's getting to the point where parents are not allowed to parent anymore! Good on your wife for standing her ground and being proved correct as your son went on to enjoy the ride and learn a lesson about fear!
Originally Posted By ploeb909 I have noticed many time when rideing TOT, children protesting-my children included. I usually just shoot the parent a smile and talk to my kids about how fun its going to be. I hate when other people get involved with what a parent is saying or doing with their children. Now if a parent is smackeing their kid around, ok- say something. But get real, i think people should stay out of other peoples business, because honestly sometimes, like in this case, the situation gets BLOWN out of control
Originally Posted By disnyfans If I am in line and a parent next to me is having a difficult time to get their children to ride the tot then I've talked up how fun the ride is and it's not as scary as they think, and told the kids that they will love the ride and be glad they went on it.
Originally Posted By RoJo My 7 year old daughter will go on any ride except Tower of Terror. She loved it the first time, but on her second ride there was a group of teenage girls(ugh!) just screeching and screaming throughout the entire ride.Now she won't go on TT but she loves the Malliboomer.Go figure.
Originally Posted By skywilliams I really appreciate all of your comments on this subject. I relayed you insights on the subject and it does make her feel more at ease knowing that this the actions of this woman was something in the minority. I just don't want her to dread going to DL or CA for fear of another confrontation. My wife is the type to let things really get to her. She may seem tough on the outside but she is very sensitive when it comes to her children.
Originally Posted By tink_26 The second time my DD(then 4) went on ToT we had a rude "lady" in front of us as well!! Here's my kid excitied to go back on the ride and talking about what ride was next and the lady in front of us started asking my daughter, "aren't you scared??" going on and on about how scary the ride was and how tall the building was and how long the fall was. Well as I am trying to do damage control, (reminding DD she just went on this yesterday) my kid freaks out!! Duh- of course she didn't want to go! Luckily I said something to the lady (made me feel better !) my DH grabbed DD to talk to her. The cast member let DH back in line with our DD and she was fine- loved the ride. ARG!-some busy bodies!!! Good for your wife standing her ground!! We[parents] know our children best!!
Originally Posted By Twinglemum I have to differ with alot of you. A crying scared child shouldn't be made to go on any ride. IMHO. I have 3 small children. My oldest is your sons age and unfortunately very tall. He can go on any ride, he meets the height requirement. I have had to put age values on rides. Can't ride that till your...I never force him on anything. I also choose a ride hes been asking to do for each trip (after agreeing with DH which one it is) This way he has something to look forward to for each trip and he really savors his new big boy ride. Overcoming a fear is different than making a child who is crying and scared go on anything, putting aside the fact that there are families who save a long time and may only go to DLR once and a crying terrified kid can put a damper on everyones time. The lines for rides are close some I'm sure not just this one lady were disturbed. A child who is crying is beyond just a little scared. The better way to go would have been to leave and talk to him returning later or letting you come back with him. If thats what he wanted. He may have been over stimulated and a little down time would have helped him recoop. We've all seen parents dragging exhausted kids past their limits. You wouldn't let a child cry in a movie theater during the scary parts of a movie ~ you'd leave (hopefully) because you would be ruining other peoples enjoyment. I took my DS on Star Tours we got all the way up to the ride to be seated and he got really scared (he wasn't even crying) I looked him in the eye and told him We waited all that time do you want to think about it before we leave? Its a fun ride and not as scary as TOT (which he loved) But if you want to leave thats OK we'll come back when you are ready. I told him I wasn't going to make him do any ride he didn't want to that Disney would be still there tomarrow ,next week next year and he can do it when he is ready. We left and I didn't make a big deal out of it. The next day he was picked for the Jedi Training and he fought and beat Darth Vader. When he got off the stage he was beaming. He said to me "If I can beat Darth Vader I can do Star Tours Mommy lets go" So off we went and he belly laughed the whole ride. People actually told me after the ride how cool it was to ride it with him his enjoyment was contagious. I wasn't there so I'm not going to judge either your wife or the other woman. Maybe your son was more than a little upset and the woman was genuinely worried about him. Maybe your wife was right. Maybe the truth is somewhere in the middle. As parents we do the best we can at the time and hope. I hope I didn't sound harsh I didn't mean to its just hard because none of us yourself included were there.
Originally Posted By dlkozy >>>"So... would it have been better if some officious Mommy had ordered him to keep her off the attraction? Probably."<< I don't think it is any officious Mommy's business but the child's Mommy. That other woman was a butinski-and since she is NOT the world's official "Mommy for Everyone"-she should have kept her big, fat yap SHUT!
Originally Posted By skywilliams The thing is Twinglemum is that my son does like ToT. He has been on it before and has requested it. Like I stated in my posts for some reason he was nervous to ride several rides we know he loves like POTC. He was fine with ToT up until the boiler room where he got a little freaked out. Now, since it was our kid and knowing he was a bit off this trip my wife saw no reason to take him off knowing he was going to enjoy the ride which he absolutley did and wanted to get right back on it. Which brings me to my ultimate point and that you should excersise caution aqnd good judgement before getting involved with what another parent decides to do with their children. And if involvement is needed attacking the 'neglegent' parent is not going to accomplish anything but a fight. My kid was whinning and crying about going on the ride but it is something he does to get what he wants. We as his parents know that. Now the analogy you gave of taking a child to a scary movie doesn't really relate. Becasue when it comes to a theater you need to have a quiet atmosphere. The boiler room at ToT is anything but quiet. Besides he wasn't even loud in his complaining, not like everyone in the room is being bothered. The lady behind my wife obviously heard and she was then the one who caused the scene. But I agree there is a line between making a child face their fears and making a child do something to traumatize them. And that is why it isn't wise to get involved wioth someone elses parenting. You don't know their children, you don't know the whole situation, so if it really does bother you to the point that you need to say something do it with the right attitude and it will be received as much. Not that it should be any one eles business but then you may be enlightened by the reason the child is really crying. But then I can honestly say that we didn't know the ladies story who went off on my wife. maybe she got some heart breaking news that morning and went to CA to try and forget the horrible incident and for some reason hearing my son trying to talk his way off the ride ignited those feelings she was trying to forget. Everyone has a story so that is why it is so delicate when you feel you need to intervene.
Originally Posted By Twinglemum Sure Sky I agree that the other lady maybe didn't handle it well, she should have pulled your wife to the side and asked if she could help or something kinder. I've seen people in line play games with a ghild they don't know to distract them. Or tell them a silly story.
Originally Posted By chickapin I was a terrified kid whose mom only forced me to go on things a couple of times. Those times still stand out in my mind as horrible. The last time she did that she looked at me at the top of the roller coaster hill and thought I was going to faint. It occurred to her that she would have a difficult time dealing with my limp form if I did and that was the last time she forced me. I learned to enjoy most things on my own. For that reason, my kids were encouraged to give things a try but were never forced. We all go on just about everything now but anyone can wait something out if that is their preference. That said, I agree that each parent knows their own child better than anyone else (my mother notwithstanding). Sky-my only thought that might have made things easier would be for your wife to ask the CM to let your son watch one elevator load (reminding him of what the ride was and letting the overbearing lady get out of your way) and then board the next time.
Originally Posted By lasvegasgirl I think that "woman" should have kept her nasty mouth shut. More than once, I have "made" my kids go on a ride.... they had acted just like skywilliams son did. Not a throw yourself on the floor fit, but whining and complaining.... both things I do not pay attention to, because I know they will love the ride once they are on it. And low and behold !!! I have been right ! The response I hear from them after the ride, as we are exiting, is.... "LET'S GO ON THAT AGAIN !!!!" It is a personal decision for the parent. We know if our kid is just being silly..... I would never force my kid on a ride that I know would actually SCARE them.... but, I will make them go on a ride that I know they will like....for instance.... I "forced" my 7 yr old onto TOT when he was 4..... he loves that ride now, and goes on it multiple times when we go to DCA.... but... I know he would not like California Screamin', and I would not make him go on it. (yes... he is big enough to ride it, but chooses not to, and I respect that...) It is all in the parents perspective. No one else knows your kid, and when they are "milking" the situation, being overly whiny.... Skywilliams, tell your wife she did the right thing, and to never let anyone tell her how to parent ! You and she know what is best for your kids , and that is all that matters. The next time a big mouth MORON butts in, simply tell her to mind her own business or else call security for harrassment.... SHE was obviously the one who was abusive and causing everyone else stress..... Good for you for standing by your wife ! That is wonderful.... and on your next trip, have fun with your son on TOT... you know he will want to go on it again !!
Originally Posted By Momtoo2 Gosh I don't know how I would respond in the place of your wife. My 4yo last year rode TOT in WDW for the first time and LOVED it...sure he was a bit nervous in the Twilight part but once on the free fall he squeeled with delight (do did our 9 yo DD who at 3yo had also ridden TOT/HM/ etc with equal parts delight). I think my response would have been to leave the line or at least ask the CM if I could take another ride vehicle away from the "Lady". I find it interesting though that I find Snow White and Pinnochio more disturbing then TOT and I think Roger Rabbit has to be one of the scariest rides out there ( when we rode it the first time I had visions of horror movies in my head...lol). AND all these rides are geared toward small children. As a side note we have friends whose children have gone with us to WDW and DL and there children would cry in every line and....even in Fantasyland and they would exit stage right each time. They exited the Tiki Room. The only rides there children would ride were outdoor ones...and the parents allowed this which is by all means thier right but years later they have preteens who still sleep with lights on and will not go on dark rides to this day.
Originally Posted By skywilliams That's not a bad idea chickapin but the thing was that my son really wasn't frightened of the ride, persay, but was actually freaked out by the boiler room queue. Once the elevator doors opened he calmed down and loved the ride. I don't know why he was acting this way on this ride and also several others but we didn't have to bribe him or drag him forceably on the ride. It just took a little explaining and reminding him what the ride is really about. The problem was that my wife was acosted by the lady before she even had a chance to settle his fears so he had to stand there and worry about it while my wife was defending herself. And I'm not saying the lady who made the fuss is a bad person becasue I don't know her background or where she is coming from because maybe her way of parenting works great for her kids but she took the attitude that her way is the diffinative right answer to every child. I completely agree with you lasvegasgirl. We all know our kids and when there is something they really don't want to go on, you know. This trip my five year also didn't want to go on Splash Mountain and I knew he really didn't want to do it by the way he refused. Kids have their tricks and acts they use to get out of things and as a parent I can tell what is a real denial and one that is more an act. Not saying that what my son did on ToT was an act but we knew it was a concern he was having that did not really pertain to the ride. As for Splash Mountain he is going through this fashion phase (I hope it is a phase) and did not want to do it for fear he would get his clothes wet and messed up. Even though we brought along ponchos he didn't want to risk it so I had him sit it out because I knew that he had a legitimate concern, as five year olds go. I also agree with you Momtoo2, I find soem of the kiddie rides way more disturbing that ToT. Alice in Wonderland creeps me out to this day and the ending of Mr. Toads Wild Ride is a bit disturbing if you think about it.
Originally Posted By skywilliams Also, as a side note, I actually forced my three year old to ride a ride that he was crying and complaining about in October of last year. Yeah I'm a bad parent, I know, but you know which ride had him frightened? Storybook Land Canal Boats. Why? Because of the Monstro, of course. I actually thought it was funny he was freaked out by it and I thought it cute that there were these little girls ahead of us in the ride that were giving him hugs and telling him it was not scary. Because of those little girls he calmed down and realized the whale was not going to hurt him.
Originally Posted By mele ^^I was in the Storybook Canal line behind a family with a crying child last October. He was afraid of Monstro because he had ridden the Pinocchio ride. I felt so badly for them. I think they eventually left the line because their son was getting more and more upset as we stood there. It was so sad because they couldn't really comfort him and the ride is just so *tame*. Poor kid.
