POTC - How young?

Missus Toad

DIS Veteran
Joined
Aug 9, 2004
I can't remember if there are age/size limitations on POTC. Anyone know? How young were your kids when they went? Thanks!
 
No there is no restrictions on POTC. Age for the ride really is based on your child and what they are afraid of. It is dark, their are pirates, there are cannon fires, theres a drop in the ride. I have seen children as your as 3-4 come off the rides and absolutley love it and what to go again. And I have seen children 9 and 10 freaking out at the end. Really depends on what fears your child has.
 
Three trips, all with little ones at various ages, all have ridden POTC and enjoyed it.

Ages: 8 m, 10 m, 18 m, 2, 2 1/2, and 4.

The ride is tame/safe for small children. They can sit on your lap or on the bench with your arm around them. They only issue is if they are scared of the dark or loud noises (some cannon shots in the beginning). I wouldn't ride it first, but after a few other dark rides, if they aren't too scared of those, they would probably be ok.

It is dark though - not sure why weren't scared :) I guess they were in the amusement park spirit of things.

Hope that helps!
 
I think it just depends on the kid. I went on when I was 2 and my sister when she was 16 months, and we both loved it.
 


We had no problems taking our 12 month old - who was a micropreemie and was wearing 0-3 month clothes at the time of our trip. He just sat on our lap. He LOVED it!
 
Our 6 yo daughter has enjoyed Pirates more than 50 times. Her first journey was the week after she turned 1.
 
Thanks for the input everybody! I'm a big time Pirates fan, and my 15 month old loves dark rides and doesn't freak out easily so I was thinking it'd be fun. I was just worried if they'd let us on at all, since she'd be in my lap. Seems like that's okay though, so hooray!
 


We took our 18 month old son without a problem. When he had a chance to go on again when he was 3, he declined. He has a fear of fire and loud noises, so we sat POTC and HM out.

I think it's easier to take them on some rides when they're very young, because they don't know what's scary. But as their imagination develops, they do get scared of some things. I think it really depends on how sensitive your child is to those elements.
 
I think it's easier to take them on some rides when they're very young, because they don't know what's scary. But as their imagination develops, they do get scared of some things. I think it really depends on how sensitive your child is to those elements.

Very true. You're more likely to have trouble with a 3 year old than a 12 month old on POTC-- a 12 month old has not a lot of reference points for skeletons, pirates, etc. The ride itself is gentle and safe, except for one mild drop.
 
4 mo, 4 yrs, 8 yrs and about every year since. There have times when one or the other didn't want to ride for whatever reason but the 4yr old DS has ridden it muptiple times each year.
 
I have to tell you, when we took my DD on POTC the week before she turned 2, I saw things on that ride that I had never seen. We looked at all of the dogs, donkeys, and chickens. It was amazing seeing one of my favorite rides through her eyes.
 
We first took my DS when he was about 16 mos old and he cried when he got OFF. We had to ride it about 4 times that first trip. When we would go back (every 3 or 4 months, we live close by), the first thing he would want to do was see the pirates. One of his first words was Pirate (which he pronounce "piway" at the time).

THEN, when he was about 2 1/2, he suddenly developed a fear of the dark, and now he refuses to go on the ride (he just turned 4, and still loves pirates, but won't go near that ride, or the HM, or JII, or anything that blacks out even for a few seconds).

So I guess you have a better chance of getting through it with a toddler than a 2-4 year old.
 
We took Katy at 7 months. She was just beginning to really pay attention to what was going on around her. She actually cheered when we took the drop. We knew then that we had given birth to a Disney Nut. I guess they do not fall far from the tree!
 
I was eight the first itme I rode POTC. My brothers on the other have were four and four months! pirate:

Edit: I just noticed that my mom 'homeschooler' posted above.
 
I took my 18 month old son on POTC as his very first Disney attraction, as it's one of my favorites. WHAT a mistake! He was frightened and would not go into any attraction that featured (a) boats, (b) water, or (C) darkness... which pretty much eliminated most MK attractions. (Loved Epcot, though!)
 

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