I should be happy, right? It will save me about $240 and 60-90 minutes of time and avoid dividing up my family for that time while my son does other attractions with either me or my wife.
DD4 seemed to enjoy BBB last year and worn the Elsa dress/crown and extra make-up many times at home since the trip, but she recently told me she doesn’t want to do BBB again this year. I asked why and she said she didn’t like everyone at BBB looking at her (ie our family and the stylist) and clapping when it was done. In general, she doesn’t like being the center of attention so I suppose that part is not surprising.
She also said to me “I tried it and didn’t like it so I don’t want to do it again. It was good that I tried it. And some things I tried and I did like … like the Pirates ride.” That is a very fair point as my wife and emphasize with her to try a lot of different things even if she thinks she might not like them … and then after she tries, she can decide what she likes and what she doesn’t like. She was scared to ride PotC, but my wife and I talked her into trying it and she loved it.
For some reason, however, I feel disappointed she doesn’t want to do BBB. Any liners who have felt similarly with these types of situations with their kids?
I went through something slightly similar. My son did the Jedi training when he was 5 and it was awesome and he loved it. Last November, now 7 yo, he didn’t want to do it. He didn’t want to give any reason but I suspect it’s because he was afraid he would not understand people talking to him (we are french speakers and he is just beginning to learn english). The fact that he had done it before without any issues did not seem relevant to him LOL
I was disappointed and even tried to make him change his mind a little until my wife told me that I was doing that for myself and not for him. That sobered me right up !!!
Years ago, when my DD was about 6, she was the only one of the kids who actually WANTED to ride Tower of Terror. Her older brothers were all quite hesitant…but what could they do? Their little sister was going to do it!
We all went on it (except my wife…she would try it until a later trip when our youngest son was six), and all seemed to like it.
But just a couple days ago, my DD who is now 15 says that going on ToT is terrifying for her now. I also noticed that while at Cedar Point, coasters that she would have leaped on just a few years ago she’s suddenly hesitant to ride.
I have no explanation for it, but it does leave me a little perplexed and disappointed that she might be missing out on things that she forgets that she once liked!
I call our 4 year old our “Wild Card” for our upcoming trip. I have NO IDEA if he’s going to love and re-ride Expedition Everst OR be terrified of Frozen Ever After. Ha! He can pretty much make or break our Touring Plans. I’d call your specific situation a WIN though. Money In Yo Pocket.
Hahaha, you just never know with this age. We have been watching a lot of ride videos to try and get an idea of what he will like. They are from the riders POV, in 4K, so very clear that it’s a “big” ride or an “easy” ride. So he’s watching SDD and says that is a YES. It’s his #1 ride that he wants to ride (I was surprised since it gets going pretty fast and high for a 4 yr old). Then we leisurely watched Its A Small World and he announces: I am NOT getting on that BOAT!
She also watched SDD and 7DMT and wanted ride then we did Barnstormer and hated it and said no more roller coasters or drops so there was that. Did FEA and POC anyway but didn’t force her on SDD or 7DMT.
I have nightmares about this. There’s only 4 of us (my husband, me and 2 boys). If 4 year old backs out, someone’s gotta back out with him. If only the grandparents were coming with, but not this time! I’ll be gently forcing him on a few things if I have to.
I actually don’t recommend Barnstormer as a first coaster at all. It may be small, but it doesn’t really feel tame due to sudden movements. SDMT is a much better introductory coaster these days. Barnstormer is something I’d work up to. Fortunately, since it really isn’t meant for adults (they barely fit!) it is easy enough to skip entirely until they are ASKING to go on it.
Epcot is our first day, so FEA, Soarin & Test Track will be his first intro into “rides.” We won’t be riding 7DMT until our second to last day when we have EMM Fantasyland. Maybe we’ll skip Barnstormer (originally planned during EMH on day #2)…
That’s a good idea in my opinion. When my son was 4, his favorite rides were Splash Mountain and BTMRR and he absolutely hated Barnstormer and Dinosaur (which both very nearly ruined an entire day each !!!).
This doesn’t just pertain to Disney …when ours sons were little they liked certain things and then seemingly out of nowhere they didn’t. Part of the process of growing up for them and us letting them, I suppose (not that it makes it easier)
I think some (a lot ?) of it is the lack of fear and/or consciousness a lot of small children have. When they grow up, a lot of them seem to ‘‘learn’’ fear, self-consciousness and shyness, unfortunately…
