My daughter's concerns about Splash Mountain

[Cameo]

I am not an irrational person and I have ridden SM at least 12 times without any fears. But, now my daughter's concerns, coupled with the accident at DL on BTMRR, have made me start to worry (mostly cuz I'm a mom). My DD will be 6. She went on SM at 4 1/2 without much fear, but said she would never go again because she doesn't like the "big drop." We've been working on her to get her prepared. I asked her what her fears are and she said, "I'm afraid that when we get to the bottom, the boat will flip over and we'll go under water."

I gave her a big explanation about the boat being on a track and being controlled, etc. etc. But then I had a nightmare that the ride was shut off, like it is sometimes, and we were right in the middle of the "big drop." I dreamt that we were stopped abruptly in the middle of it. Would, could that ever happen? I assume that part of the ride automatically continues on its couse when the ride is stopped for other purposes. Does anyone know the answer? Thanks for indulging my motherly guilt and worry.

 

[Rajah]

Originally posted by Cameo
I gave her a big explanation about the boat being on a track and being controlled, etc. etc. But then I had a nightmare that the ride was shut off, like it is sometimes, and we were right in the middle of the "big drop." I dreamt that we were stopped abruptly in the middle of it. Would, could that ever happen? I assume that part of the ride automatically continues on its couse when the ride is stopped for other purposes. Does anyone know the answer? Thanks for indulging my motherly guilt and worry.

I don't know for 100% certainty how every corner of the ride works, but here's my understanding.

If you were on the lift hill and the ride stopped, you would indeed be stuck on the lift hill until either it started up again or a CM came and told you to get out of the log.

If you were on the actual *dropping* part, then no, you wouldn't stop. At that point, the only thing really controlling your motion is gravity. My understanding is you would continue down the drop and around part of the splash-down path until your log stopped either on its own due to running out of momentum, you got to one of the break/stop areas (which I believe the nearest one is around the curve and under the little water-fall just before you enter the final show room), or until you bumped into a log in front of you. The safety mechanisms in place will make sure that any log stopped in front of you will be far enough in front of you that by the time you could hit it, you'd be moving at a slow enough pace it wouldn't cause injury as long as you're staying seated in your boat and following the safety rules (ie: keeping hands/arms/legs/etc inside the boat).

As for the boat flipping over -- I think I've heard of this happening ONCE on any log flume or raft ride ever, not just in Disney (in fact I think it was a Six Flags park, but I don't recall -- I'm sure it wasn't Disney), and it was on a big raft ride somewhere, not a log flume. The physics of the ride are such that even if the only people in the boat are in the front seat, the chances of you flipping the log are so slim it's not worth worrying about. And I'm a worrier as well.

Reassure your daughter that as long as you follow the safety rules things will be fine, and if she's still afraid of riding, do a child swap or skip the ride. Please don't force her if she's still afraid.

 

[lizmc]

I think Splash Mountain is safe, but like your daughter my daughter and I both hated the big drop, for us the solution was we skip going on that ride. Dreading something coming up on a ride is not any fun to me! My husband loves splash mountain , we love watching him from the bridge!!

 

[hightown]

I think Rajah's explaination is probably correct from what I've observed on the ride. The Six Flags incident involved one of those round 'rafts' that has air bladders beneath it. The air bladders collapsed which caused it to flip.

My daughter (9)does not like drops at all but after passing SM by for a couple of years we tried it and she loves it. She still won't do TOT yet though.

She might be persuaded by watching the drop for awhile and seeing it's safe but basically should be her choice.

 

[Cameo]

The final decision will definitely be up to my daughter. I would never force her to do something she didn't want to. (I watched in horror once as a parent forced his son - about 9 - go on SM. No way.) Her thing is the water, really. She actually likes drops and roller coasters(maybe not TOT), and was so pumped to go on BTMRR. Then we found out it is closed while we are there. I really feel she would love SM if she got past whatever was on her mind. I was surprised by her fear, but glad we talked about it, because I would never have thought of the boat flipping over!! Of course, that just got me to thinking all kinds of terrible things. I guess we'll see when we get there if she'll go. Otherwise, we'll just skip it or swap.

 

[Melora]

wrong person to ask here..I hate Splash Mountain..that huge drop.. not strapped in.. for all I know I will be the first person in history to still be hanging in the air after the log drops out from under me!

 

[Cindy B]

In actuality, it looks worse than what it is.. its a pretty short drop compared to other water rides.

My five year old called the drop BORING!!!! (in fact its a cute ride, but not exactly thrilling by any standards)

But we are thrill nuts, coasters, drop rides, skydiving, etc...

Really the drop is nothing, its only like 50 feet, but the angle doesn't make it seem bad at all.

In fact, my kids said, thats it?...

I wouldn't worry about the log flipping over either. They are on a track.

As for restraints, most log flumes dont, with the exception of Journey to Atlantis in Seaworld.. (because it does have a roller coaster elelment in it)

Dudley Do Right Does not
Splash Mountain
JPRA does have a lap bar, but that drop is higher

And in Six Flags, the flumes only have the bars inside as well..

 

[poohface]

I am 32 years old and for the first time this year I plucked up the courage to go on Splash Mountain as i hate big drops too. I can honestly say I screamed the whole way down the drop but you know what 'ROLL ON NEXT YEAR', I can't wait to be screaming again. The ride is so cool, the drop is over in a second. So if I can do it anyone can do it and yes I would also say it is totally safe!

 

[Selket]

I think there is a book somewhere I saw reviewed (probably more than one) that talks about how likely certain things are to happen to you. Like the summer when it seemed like everyone at the beach was getting bitten by sharks. I was just thinking of your daughter's fear, after hearing of the BTMRR death, of thinking that could happen to her. I'm not sure, however, it is more reassuring to tell her that she is more likely to suffer injury in the car going to the grocery than on SM but it is the truth. I think, in the end, it is best to inform kids (especially older ones) of the facts and let them come around to riding things on their own.

For the record...I wouldn't go up in the Sears Tower this past summer while visiting Chicago due to the events of 9/11 and that isn't rational at all. Yet why make myself miserable for no good reason?

 

[SnackyStacky]

The log will NOT stop in the middle of the drop. Guaranteed!!

I've been on it when it breaks down, and all of the stops occur either at the bottom of lift mechanisms or at the top of hills. Next time you go on, you'll feel the log lift a little bit before you go downhill....it's loading you onto the drop track. If there's a problem, the brakes go up and it won't load onto the drop track.

Perhaps if she were to watch the drop from the bridge for a while and saw no mishaps, she'd be more willing to try.

Good luck, and have a great time!