Son rode first coaster today!

We were at Wonderpark in Cincinnati today, and while it was unexpected, it was awesome to have my 18 mo. old son share his first coaster experience with dad. Boa Squeeze is the name of the coaster which is made by Miler Coasters Inc.

I do have a few questions for any parents out there reading.

1) How old were your kids when they first rode a coaster, (even if it was a kiddie)?

2) Josh loved it, but I got plenty of looks, even though the manager told us he was fine to ride. My question to you, do you think he's too young?

3) Was I in the wrong, even with permission?

There's nothing earth shattering about the answers, just wanted my fellow-enthusiasts opinions!

FloorlessFan,

What time were yo at Wonderpark? Because PKI didn't open today, I ended up spending some time at the mall at opening.

I can't help you with your answers. Sorry.

-Sean

I think it is great... but I don't have kids! sorry

why wasn't pki opend today?

My daughter is 10 now and even back when she was around your son's age, she wanted to get on anything she was tall enough to ride.

To answer your first question, she was between 1 and 2 for her first coaster.

To answer your second question, he isn't to young if he is safely able to ride.

To answer your third question, it isn't wrong unless your son was terrified to ride and you forced him.

Being a parent and a coaster nut, it is a great feeling getting your child on a coaster for the first time. My daughter now rides all of them.

I wondered if PKI would even open today. I slept in rather than make the drive down there.

Jeremy: Todays HIGH temperature was supposed to be about 35. In Columbus, it SNOWED all day long.

Today was not a day conducive to coaster riding in Ohio.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

lol well that is a good reason not to open pki.... and another reason I don't live in dayton, ohio anymore! lol

My Mother tells me that my first coaster was Big Dipper at Camden Park when I was between the ages of One and Two years old. I still don't believe her.

I say that if the ride op said that it was okay, then it was okay. Just don't expect to be able to take you son on every kids coaster you see now.

It's fun, and sometimes sad, to watch kids you love grow up. I understand that you are probably looking forward to a time when he can ride bigger coasters with you...Just don't wish him old too fast...

1. My daughter rode her first the week of her 3rd B-day. She ended last season at age 6 with 120 coasters under her belt (including the 'biggies' like Millennium Force, Magnum and Phantom's Revenge).

My son was 27 months old when he got his first coaster ride at the beginning of last year. He ended the year with 7 credits.

2. If he met the ride requirements, wanted to ride, and enjoyed it - there's nothing wrong at all.

3. Nope.

Chitown nailed it. When you have a child who shares the enjoyment of the parks and the rides - it adds so much more to the whole experience.

Looks like you found a riding buddy. :)

My son had his first coaster ride last year at PKI. His first coaster was Beastie when he was 22 months old. Little did I know how intense this little ride is. He held on for dear life but as soon as it was over he was grinning from ear to ear. We bought the on ride photo for his first ride and he has a grip of death on the bar. A couple months later after we had been to the park quite a bit I got off the ride and saw our on-ride photo. This time my son had his hands in the air and was totally thrilled. He looked like a seasoned pro at the ripe old age of 25 months!

I don't think you were wrong letting him ride it especially since it is such a mild coaster and you get to sit right next to him and show him what fun it is! Enjoy the fun times.

P.S. With PKI's new height restrictions this year I don't even know if my son will get to ride Beastie. If he can't it is going to break his little heart.

Sean,

We were at the Mills from about 2-6, but actually in Wonderpark from about 2-4. Wish I would've known you were there, I always like to meet other enthusiasts.

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Chitown said:...it isn't wrong unless your son was terrified to ride and you forced him.

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Once they're tall enough and can ride safely, that's the last good rule not related to their *physical* well-being.

Congratulations! (even though your son now has a credit I don't have...*grumble*, LOL) ;)

I agree with Gonch and Chitown.

My son was older. He started when he was 7. He was too afraid when he was younger. He's now 13, and has the same love for coasters that I do. He's probably around 150 in his track record.

My daughter is 20 months, and we'll try her out on the Woodstock express at Dorney this season. If she likes it she may end the season with 7 credits. ;)

I don't see anything wrong with it Floorless Fan. After their first ride you know whether they'll want to keep riding or not.

*** Edited 4/25/2005 3:27:29 AM UTC by Coasterfantom2***

Yeah, I'm not a parent, but my little sister started riding last year. She'd been on little stuff and the rides at Disney before, but when we took her on The Beast, she got hopelessly hooked. We're planning a trip to CP this year so she can ride the biggies there since she couldn't get on a lot of the ones at PKI. She's lucky though, because she's pretty tall for her age and can get on rides that I couldn't when I was that young.

well i worked in Kiddieland at KW and that is not too young. See our rule in kiddieland is, if they can walk on their own they can ride. And if they are below a certain height they must have an adult. So no you were not wrong for takin your kid on the ride since you had permission.

I enjoyed Boa Squeeze. Nice arcade!

I don't have kids, but I don't think you were in the wrong for letting your son ride. It's one of those cases where you use your best judgement, even if the ride op says it's ok.

If he was safe and he enjoyed it then I see nothing wrong.

-Tina

*** Edited 4/25/2005 2:42:53 PM UTC by coasterqueenTRN***

Da Midget was about 18 months on her first Mild Thing ride. The rideop said it was okay and CBaby was always sure to keep a protective arm around her.

My theme park bug was in remission until VF built WT...so CBaby didn't board any 'adult' rides whatsoever until age 2. Believe it or not, I tried to talk her OUT of riding SFGAM's East River Crawler.

Just keep in mind that kids that age change their minds a lot. So what was fun last week might not be this week--especially if it's too close to naptime.

-'Playa

My son would have been about 20 months, but backed out of Jr. Gemini in the station. We honored that, and took him back off the platform with no ride. He rode the year after at 2.5. My daughter was just shy of two for her first powered kiddie-coaster, and she looooved it. (She has generally been the more thrill-seeking of the two.)

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When you have a child who shares the enjoyment of the parks and the rides - it adds so much more to the whole experience.

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You aren't kidding. As of Sunday morning, my 6 year old daughter wasn't sure she was ready to go upside-down. As of 4PM Sunday, we had ridden the Enterprise at Carowinds four times (re-riding twice) and had a min-marathon on Carolina Cyclone ("this is my best ride ever.") It was a hoot of a just-me-and-her trip.

*** Edited 4/25/2005 3:14:19 PM UTC by Brian Noble***

I'd think as long as the head and neck are protected from shaking or sudden movement, they should be OK. I'd hope that all parents and kids have many great years of riding coasters together.

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When you have a child who shares the enjoyment of the parks and the rides - it adds so much more to the whole experience.

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Even though I am childless, I have had the honer of taking a few kids to parks; even wrote a few TRs about them.

My Sister's friend Little Johnie went to HP with me a few years ago, and I saw the park through his eyes. I think about and talk about parks everyday, so they seemed so unmagical to me. Seeing how a park vist affected this kid firsthand made me realize the things about parks that I have been taking for granted. Sadly, Little Johnie moved away and my family has lost contact with him. He never seemed to have the same kind of enthusiasm for parks that I do anyway.

My 11 year old little buddie JD has been going to Lakemont and DelGrossos with me for about 4 or 5 years now. I have always been pretty close to JD and he has always loved parks, unlike Little Johnie. Last year I took him to Kennywood as our first "big" amusement park trip. This trip was the orgins of a Jr. coaster enthusiast and park lover.

This year we are going to CP on opening day. CP wasn't my first choice, because I worked there for 2 seasons and got a little burned out on it, but JD had his heart set on it. He says he wants to ride TTD, among all of the other big coasters. I have a little doubt that he will, seeing that he was scared to ride Phantoms Revenge at KW just last summer, but he may surprise me.

So, yes. I agree that taking a kid to a park makes it much more fun, and even help you to re-realize what it's all about.

(sorry, again, for the long post. I've been doing that a lot lately.)

"Even though I am childless, I have had the honer of taking a few kids to parks; even wrote a few TRs about them."

Agreed! Being an uncle to four nieces and three nephews has its privaledges. I have taken all of them on their first coaster. Well all except the 5 yr old...he's still not ready.

[edited to fix italics]

*** Edited 4/25/2005 9:34:32 PM UTC by Mamoosh***