Attaractions not to miss for a 5 year old?

[millerpjm]

Hi everyone...I'm trying to plan our DL trip.

We will be in the parks on Dec. 21st and 22nd - I know it is the busy season, but we are squeezing this in with a trip to Phoenix to visit my mom for Christmas. I have a room at the Desert Inn and Suites so we'll be in walking distance (location and decent price were top concerns).

So, knowing in advance that it will be busy - can anyone give me any advice on attractions not to be missed, especially for a 5 year old DS?

So far, Space Mountain, Matterhorn, Star Tours and Jedi Training Academy are on the list (DH and DS are both big Star Wars fans).

TIA for the planning help!

 

[JohnsPrincess]

Lol - well I was going to say all the Fantasyland rides...but since you put the big ones on there I'm not sure!! He'd probably still like them though...especially Peter Pan where you "fly"!

 

[millerpjm]

Lol - well I was going to say all the Fantasyland rides...but since you put the big ones on there I'm not sure!! He'd probably still like them though...especially Peter Pan where you "fly"!

Well, the big ones are more for my "big kid" aka DH!

Aside from Star Tours, I'm not sure if DS will want to do the big rides, or if he'll do something with Grandma while DH and I do those.

I've never done the Peter Pan ride (at DL or WDW) , but that would be cool to "fly"! It's a Small World is also a must for sentimental reasons...

 

[DLR29]

Well, the big ones are more for my "big kid" aka DH!

Aside from Star Tours, I'm not sure if DS will want to do the big rides, or if he'll do something with Grandma while DH and I do those.

I've never done the Peter Pan ride (at DL or WDW) , but that would be cool to "fly"! It's a Small World is also a must for sentimental reasons...

Just a warning, IASW might not be open. It's currently down for a really long refurb and the reopening date is unknown. It was supposed to be the November, but I've heard that it may be delayed until January 09 possibly.

Other good rides for them would be:
-Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage
-All of the Fantasyland rides (although Snow White, Pinocchio, and Mr. Toad can frighten some kids, so don't ride them before sweeter rides like Peter Pan or Alice)
-Buzz Lightyear
-Pirate's Lair
-Pirates
-Big Thunder Mountain

and at DCA:
-Soarin
-Turtle Talk with Crush
-Toy Story Midway Mania (new for 08)

 

[cruise cruise cruise]

Here are the top for my 5 yr old DS

Pirates of the Carribean
Buzz Light Year
Big Thunder Mountain
Jungle Boat

 

[zonamom]

My 6 year old daughter loves all the rides, and is counting down the days until she is able to ride Screamin...lol. She is an adrenaline junky apparently. If asked her favorite ride is Tower of Terror! She gets to ride Indiana Jones for the first time when we go later this month and is excited about that. She loves splash mountain and space mountain.

 

[TiredX2]

DS was 4.75 when we were in Disneyland.

His favorites:
Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
Big Thunder Mountain RailRoad
Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
Soaring Over California
Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
Autopia
Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters

Basically, he would have been happy with 5 days of Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters.

Didn't like:
River Run (in CA)--- hit his head
Mulholland Madness (too shakey)

Wore a poncho on Splash Mountain.

 

[jencav5]

Everything everyone else said!

Plus: Muppets 3D at DCA, Whole Animation Area at DCA, Redwood Creek Challenge (playground) & Brother Bear Show at DCA.

 

[S. S. Columbia]

I would add:

DL Railroad (full circle tour)
Autopia (kids love Autopia!)
Mark Twain Riverboat
Indiana Jones (if he's 46")
Jungle Cruise (it's even better at night!)
Haunted Mansion
Splash Mtn
Winnie the Pooh
Gadget's Go Coaster
Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin
GRRrrrrrr
Mulholland Madness
Golden Zephyr
Monsters Inc (say "hi" to Roz)
Twilight Zone ToT (maybe, this one is a little bit rough )
ITTBaB
Flik's Fun Fair - Flik's Flyers
Flik's Fun Fair - Heimlich's Chew Chew Train
Flik's Fun Fair - Francis' Ladybug Boogie

 

[dizneekrazee]

I would add:

DL Railroad (full circle tour)
Autopia (kids love Autopia!)
Mark Twain Riverboat
Indiana Jones (if he's 46")
Jungle Cruise (it's even better at night!)
Haunted Mansion
Splash Mtn
Winnie the Pooh
Gadget's Go Coaster
Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin
GRRrrrrrr
Mulholland Madness
Golden Zephyr
Monsters Inc (say "hi" to Roz)
Twilight Zone ToT (maybe, this one is a little bit rough )
ITTBaB
Flik's Fun Fair - Flik's Flyers
Flik's Fun Fair - Heimlich's Chew Chew Train
Flik's Fun Fair - Francis' Ladybug Boogie

These are all great rides!! I would nix Mulholland Maddness though, it is very shaky. My oldest DS and I went on it when he was about 5-6, he hated it, weve never been on it again.

Definately the Fantasyland rides, my kids favs there are Its a small world (although maybe closed) mad tea party, storybookland canal, dumbo the flying elephant, peter pans flight, mr. toad, and casey jr. train. They also love autopia, buzz ride, pirates, and my oldest loved haunted mansion when he was 2!! It was his fav until pirate movies came around!

HTH!!

 

[S. S. Columbia]

... I would nix Mulholland Maddness though, it is very shaky. ...

Yes, MM is shaky , but most 5-year-olds can't ride Calif. Screamin'.

MM helps them get their RDA of shaky fun.

 

[jencav5]

My kids also love Mulholland Madness-even when they were little. You just need to know your kid!

 

[mommyof2boys1girl]

Ideas directly from my 5 yr old's mouth:

Buzz
BTMRR
Buzz
Mulholland Madness
Pirates Lair
Matterhorn
Splash
Buzz
Mulholland (again)
Buzz
Star Tours
Buzz
Mulholland (again)
Mulholland (again!)

Basically, he loved BTMRR till he rode it 5 times in 2 days, then he went on to Mulholland being his favorite!

Space was too dark - he didn't like it.
Indy was too rough - he didn't like it
TOT he did once, but didn't want to do it again
Autopia was "boring" - the cars didn't go fast!
POTC was "boring" - none of the pirates moved, and they weren't real! (child of the new century, hey?)

He was into the thrill rides, which I NEVER would have guessed! And he would have rode Mulholland ALL DAY if we would have let him!!

Basically, even knowing your child doesn't help - I would have bet a million bucks that he wouldn't be interested in ANY of those rides - in fact, Buzz was the only one that he liked that was on our itinerary - all the others HE added himself! Crazy! And I would have said before this trip that I knew him really well, but obviously not!!

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Don't forget about Pirate's Lair at Tom Sawyer Island. What 5 year old boy wouldn't like climbing all around there?

 

[DirkLogan]

Pirates lair has added some stuff that was neat, but there was couple of items that scared (startled) my DD5 in what used to be Joe's cave.

I actually have a spreadsheet of all of the rides we go on at Disneyland each trip. I haven't looked at her top list lately, but it has certainly changed since she decided she likes roller coasters now.

 

[Laurabearz]

Buzz and the new Toy Story Mania