7 Tips for Calming Anxious Kids Who are Scared at Disney

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The family is excited for a Disney vacation, but your child is anxious about the entire theme park experience. Want to know how to handle children that are nervous to ride, too scared to meet characters, or worried about what to expect at the theme parks? These are the top tips for vacationing with anxious kids at Disney.

Scared, Worried, and Anxious Kids at Disney

You're so hyped to take the kids to Disney! Perhaps this is your first visit there or maybe you've been before. What do you do if they're scared at Disney and your child is terrified of the attractions? What happens if your kid refuses to get on a ride, even if he's been on it a dozen times before?

Your child may be "too-scared-to-ride". but that doesn't mean your vacation is doomed. This is my helpful guide for kids who are scared at Disney with my tried-and-tested tips.

Story of my own anxious kid

When I took my eldest son to Disneyland for the first time, he was 14 months old. He loved toddling at Disneyland, getting wet in the splash pads, and climbing stairs and rocks on Tom Sawyer Island. What he didn't like were the rides. At all. Not even a LITTLE BIT!

He simply was unfamiliar with the quick and unpredictable movements of the rides. There was nothing we could do or say that would help him to relax on the ride.

Lower Your Vacation Expectations

Each parent knows their own children. You might have an inkling before your trip that your kids might be anxious once the pass through the Disney front gates.

If your children panic or stress in overwhelming places, they might struggle with the long days at Disney theme parks. It's important that you maintain reasonable expectations for how much you'll be able to accomplish on your vacation.

With cautious children, you can't expect that your kid is going to run into Mickey's arms to give him a huge hug, especially if he's never seen these larger-than-life characters in person.

What is your travel goal?

Determine before your trip what your actual travel goal is going to be when traveling with anxious kids at Disney. Why are you choosing a Disney theme park for your vacation? If it's for riding all the roller coasters, but your kids are scared of rides, this trip might not be the best fit.

Is Disney the right place for your kids at this time? Would this vacation be better if you waited a few years, when your children may be less nervous, anxious, or scared?

What will you be able to do (and what will you need to avoid?)

Disneyland and Disney World can be overwhelming, with lots of loud noises. Consider your child's temperament before you plan your trip. While you might envision starting the day early at Rope Drop and staying until fireworks, your kid may need frequent breaks to decompress at the hotel.

Start Small and Local

Before you spend big money traveling to Disneyland or Walt Disney World, consider trying a smaller, more local theme park-type experience.

Is there a smaller amusement park in your area? Even a noisy arcade or a location like Chuck E. Cheese may work for this experiment. Watch your child carefully during your visit to see what they enjoy, which things make them nervous or scared, and what features are a "no-go".

Use the info you gather to determine whether your kid is ready for a multi-day vacation to a Disney theme park. Make notes on which items were agreeable and find comparable attractions to try once you're on your trip.

Prep Your Child By Planning Ahead

You know your child. If there is any doubt in your mind that they might have some issues at the Park, do everything you can before the trip to prepare them.

Do your Disney research

If you've never been to Disneyland yourself, you may not know what's scary for kids at Disneyland.

Read up about the rides, attractions and shows in advance so you'll have an idea if your child would want to ride them or skip them. You can do this by researching blog posts (like this one!) with tips for kids your age.

Make your kids comfortable about new things

Show children YouTube videos online about the theme parks rides. Search for "POV ride video", including the name of the specific ride you want to review. Watch these videos over and over so your child can be comfortable with more of the aspects of the attractions.

Create a relaxed touring plan for day 1

As previously mentioned, I advise against setting huge expectations. Don't expect that you're going to jump right on Space Mountain with a nervous kid! Plan your day intentionally with a slow start.

As your children become more comfortable in the Park throughout the day, you might be able to get them to try new experiences. Keep the first day low key, until you can assess how your child is handling the parks.

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Let Your Child Take More Control of the Trip

Ask your child in advance which rides they most want to go on and which rides they'd rather skip. Once they have a familiarity of the theme park, they'll likely have some opinions on what things they're interested in. Engaging your kids in the vacation planning may invest and excite them.

Use a travel journal

Let older kids keep a Disney travel journal with their top attractions. As a way to maximize time in line, they can take notes or draw a picture of their favorite experiences. Allowing your child to document their happy memories might encourage them to try something new or more adventurous.

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Calm Character Greetings

Some children really love meeting the Disney characters. And some kids REALLY don't. You won't really know if your kid will enjoy Disney character meet n' greets until they see them for the first time. These are some of my tried-and-tested tips for meeting characters with anxious kids at Disney.

Ease into characters - When first entering the theme parks, Disney characters are often on Main Street U.S.A., greeting guests. Rather than jumping into line, try observing from afar. Let the child see how they characters interact with other people before they decide whether they want to meet the character themselves.

No pressure - Once in line, keep the character meet 'n greet low key. Never force your child to hug or touch, unless they want to. The Disney characters are well trained to work with kids. They often take their cues from the child, offering high fives if kids turn down a hug or playing peek-a-boo with shy kids.

Consider waiting on character dining - If you aren't sure that your child will like the characters or not, I highly suggest not booking a Disneyland character meal on your first trip. You'd hate to spend a small fortune on character dining, only to have a scared child and a rushed meal.

See characters at a distance - Is your child too nervous for an up-close meet 'n greet? Spotting characters from afar might be preferential to a face-to-face for kids scared at Disney. Simply waving at the characters as they pass in the parade can be quality vacation memories for kids!

It's Okay to Back Out

You've waited in line for Space Mountain for 90 minutes and finally reach the end...and that's when your child decides they just don't want to ride. We've had to back out at the last minute of several rides with my child when they decided after waiting that they really didn't want to ride.

Step aside and wait

Resist the urge to get upset if you're at the front of the line and your child changes their mind. Let the Cast Member know that you need to step aside. Wait for a bit, and see what happens.

You know your child. They may prefer to collect themself alone or maybe they just need a hug or reassurance. Let your child know that they can make the next move, whether it be to leave the attraction or try to ride.

Don't let a meltdown ruin the day

A stressful situation may escalate if you pressure your child. Don't let one blow-out ruin the day. Move on and don't dwell upon it.

Offer a drink or a snack to relieve some of the tension. When we've had a particularly upsetting moment with one of our kids, we take that as a cue to get a treat or go back to the hotel for a swim. You could also try resting for a bit in one of the quiet Park areas.

Read these tips on how to Avoid the Disneyland Meltdown.

Use Rider Switch

Just because your kid meets the attraction height requirement doesn't mean they'll want to ride! Make good use out of Rider Switch. Anyone in your group can take turns on a ride, while another grown-up waits with the child that doesn't want to go on.

READ MORE - My friend Leslie at Trips with Tykes breaks down the Rider Switch process on her website.

Tried and True...Maybe Not So Much

Even if your child has been to Disneyland or Walt Disney World in the past, this doesn't mean the next trip will be meltdown-free. They may have loved a particular ride in the past. But that doesn't guarantee that they'll still enjoy it on this trip!

As an example, my son rode the Pirates of the Caribbean dozens of times. But one day (at age four), he got in the boat and screamed until we took him out! For whatever reason something scared him and he refused to get on the ride for years after that. Then one day, just like that that, he was fine and wanted to go on it again! You just never know.

Your kids might be fine with the spooky Haunted Mansion, but suddenly be terrified of the Ursula animatronic in The Little Mermaid ride. And they might be 10 years old...just sayin'. There's not much you can do about this issue. Just let it go and move on to the next attraction.

Switch Gears

So what can you do if your child refuses to ride, or worse, bursts into tears at the very thought?You don't want your kid having bad memories about his Disney vacation, right?

Maybe, despite your best efforts, your kid is still too scared to ride. It's time to switch gears and find things that your child will appreciate. Fortunately, the Disney Resorts are packed with entertainment that will occupy you for days. You'll find plenty of attractions other than the rides.

Live Entertainment - The parades and live shows are top-notch at Disney! These shows appeal to a wide audience so everyone from your toddler to great-grandma can appreciate them. Make sure to review the show times in the Disney Parks app so you'll know what events are happening that day.

Photo Memories - While other people in your group are on rides, take fun photos of your child in the park and capture those memories.

Hotel Break - If the atmosphere is truly overwhelming, consider taking a mid-day break for swimming, snacks, and downtime at the hotel.

Looking for more? There are a bunch of great non-ride ideas in my post What Else is There to Do at Disneyland?

This article originally published Feb 5, 2016 and has been updated and republished with a new date.

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