Fear of rides

[tny915]

For a long time now, DD has gone back and forth on being afraid of riding rides. Nothing scary so far, like roller coasters. We're talking ponies, trains, carousels. One day she'll ask to ride the carousel over the over, the next visit she'll cry that she doesn't want to go. She has told us that the carousel looks too fast while she's standing in line for it so she changes her mind about riding it. We've explained to her that it looks fast when you watch it, but it doesn't feel fast when you ride it, kind of like when she rides in the car on the freeway. This worked once a few months back, but yesterday she was again scared. And I don't know what's up with the ponies and train.

We're going to Disneyland next month. My fear is that DD won't get on anything and we'll be wandering and watching shows for 3 days.

Any tips or words of encouragement, for me or DD?

[kedss]

My DS doesn't like rides either, when we go to Walmart, they have a car ride and train ride, and he will sit on it, but I can't turn it on or he will jump off.

Maybe since you will be on the rides with her at Disneyland, it won't be as scary for her.

good luck!

[o_mom]

DS1 has never liked rides - store ponys, carousel, you name it. He would barely go down a small slide until a few months ago.

I wouldn't push it at all. A child's fear is very real, no matter how silly it seems to us or how many other children love it.

[deborah_r]

Same here. I find the longer we have to wait in line, the worse our chances for him going through with it are. When we went to Disneyland for his birthday, I let DH hold him and go on the first ride with him, because we both knew I would be worried about him freaking and I would probably pass along my stress to him. I think DH talked it up and made it a daddy-Kai thing to get him excited. He was OK after that ride. But he won't go on the carousel at the mall, and is hit-or-miss on pony rides.

I guess I would try for your first ride at Disney to be something on the easy-going side, with a somewhat shorter line. Or maybe pick up a little toy or special treat that she would like and give it to her in line to distract her?