Parents: how did you get your kids into roller coasters?

[coasterlover420]

^And you never know what parent would read that post and think "huh, someone else is doing it, maybe I should try it."

[Brassinthegrass]

Do what my sister did with me.... have me "stand in line with them until we get to the station, then just walk through" when I passed the last seat, my sister pushed me in the seat and lowered the OTSR. Looked at the ride op and said "If you release these restraints I will punch you!" Off we went, now I cant get enough!

[ilrider]

My kids all started loving coasters at a young age and never had to be pushed or forced to ride. My 4-year-old son is very tall, already at 47", so he started coasters before he was 2 with Great Pumpkin Coaster at KI, then rode Little Dipper, Spacely's Sprocket Rockets, and Whizzer at SFGAm when he was only 2, as well as Screamin' Eagle, River King Mine Train, and Pandemonium at SFStL also at 2. Yes, he was 42" tall before he was 3! At 3 he added Batman:Dark Knight and Demon at SFGAm. He loves them! As I said, we never had to push him to ride, and he has never cried once on a ride from fear or not wanting to ride. He says how fun they are when he gets off.

Edited April 13, 2013 by ilrider

[disneygurlz2s]

My daughter's first coaster (the coaster formerly known as "Taxi Jam" at KI) was at 16 months old. We just got on it, and from that point on, it was pretty much just like "you like coasters, you are big enough for this one and this one...." I NEVER, ever said anything like "Now, don't be scared" or "Oh....this looks scary". I want to punch parents that do that, because it just plants the seed. I can only think of a couple rides where she was particularly aprehensive or worried, and those were generally flat rides that were dark or scary (in fact, I had more trouble with her at WDW trying to get her own the ride-throughs than any coaster we have ever been on).

[thrillgeek]

What my parents did for me. One word.... Disneyland!!

[biomegaceu]

I actually didn't get on a coaster until I was 14. Neither of my parents were big roller coaster fans, but my grandparents loved them. They tried constantly to get me on a coaster, but could not do it. I finally ended up on Montu during a school trip due to the embarrassment that came along with being the only one of my friends not riding the coasters.

 

I do have a 6 year old sister who I enjoy bringing to parks. Luckily, she is pretty fearless and rides absolutely everything she can.

[Aceattack52]

I would say not to force them on, that will just make it a frightening experience. They need to be eased in. Start with the smallest of the small rides if your son is so young.

[gisco]

This thread reminds me of when I was about 4 or 5 and my cousin gave me two pennies not to ride the kiddie coaster. She wanted to ride with my older brother.

[Philrad71]

My parents never got me into roller coasters...I got them into roller coasters!

 

My mother (RIP) used to love Gemini, Corkscrew and all the flats in her late 50's/early 60's, but could never quite muster the courage to ride Magnum. Obviously, this was the biggest coaster in the park during that time (early 90's) and we never made her feel bad that she wouldn't ride it - and the same should apply for the younger one's that are also a bit skeptical.

 

The thing that amazes me these days are the amount of younger kids that will ride the biggest rides in the park (if they are tall enough) without even scoffing. I didn't get into coasters until I was a teenager and was terrified of rides when I was younger.

 

I remember crying one time when my sister tried to force me to go on the Paratrooper - but once I rode it, I loved it!

[MoonCadet]

My parents were always riders. I apparently went to Kennywood as a baby(sadly haven't been back since). I spent summers with my cousins running around Riverside(Six Flags New England). I also made various visits to Lake Quassy and Lake Compounce where Wildcat was actually my first "big" coaster.

 

Pretty much out of the box if they would let me on it I would ride it and if I wanted to ride it and they wouldn't let me... well lets just say my first trip to Six Flags Great Adventure was traumatic. I apologize to everyone who was on the Great American Scream Machine ride platform that day. I did the "scream" part justice. My parents brought me thru the line to child swap me so they could each ride but I did not take kindly to being left out of the fun and admittedly pitched quite a fit.

 

I suppose it is a combination of luck and exposure. The only ride of any type I refused was a water slide at Sesame Place when I was five. I have never been to a water park before. From the top of the slide all I could see was kids sit down on it.. go around a curve and disappear. I ran back down the stairs. My cousin who was seven at the time went down the slide and I watched her pop out at the end. I then decided to try it myself... loved it begged to ride again but my parents said it was time to see other attractions.

 

So just start you with exposing a child to the theme park... and water park atmosphere. The noise the energy the excitement then so long as the child doesn't suffer greatly from motion sickness becoming a rider will be well within their reach.