Where in the parks can a toddler let off some steam?

[matkensgirl2000]

We are travelling to the parks in early June with a 2 year-old and a 3 year-old. The last time we had toddlers at WDW was in 2011 and I know a lot has changed since then. I was trying to remember all the places I could let the small people run (semi)freely for everyone's sanity. I am thinking playgrounds, splash pads or even more open spaces so they could just run. Here is what I am remembering:

MK:
Casey Jr. by Dumbo
Dumbo play area (do you have to be waiting in line to play?)
Grassy areas by the hub

Epcot:
Splash pad

AK:
Boneyard

DHS:
At the exit of Tower of Terror

We will spend the mornings and evenings at the parks and afternoons at the hotel.
Thanks!

 

[DisneyWorldbuff]

There is also a little area by Splash Mountain, it's very small and often crowded though.
My kids liked the Garden Maze/Path in the U.K. Area of Epcot as well.
You can play as long as you'd like at the Dumbo area, just don't take a pager when you enter the play area, unless you want to ride.
Good luck!

 

[VillainFavs]

Tom Sawyer Island at MK--great spot and usually not at all crowded.

 

[Princess Minnie321]

Tom Sawyer Island at MK--great spot and usually not at all crowded.

My kids loved running around the island.

 

[soniam]

Tom Sawyer Island is great. There are caves, a playground, a fort, and a barrel bridge. It's a pretty good spot to watch the parade without lots of crowds too. It's not the most upclose view from there, but it's much calmer. There are also rocking chairs for the adults.

 

[unrequited23]

Tom Sawyer island may be a great place for older kids to let off some steam, but with younger ones (5 & 2.5) it was a complete nightmare. There are horrible sight lines, paths designed to lure your kids into running with abandon and forks in the road. It was in no way relaxing...for the parents.

 

[Dismama2boys]

Tom Sawyer island may be a great place for older kids to let off some steam, but with younger ones (5 & 2.5) it was a complete nightmare. There are horrible sight lines, paths designed to lure your kids into running with abandon and forks in the road. It was in no way relaxing...for the parents.

I totally agree with this - there's no sitting and relaxing when they are that little. But it is fun, though.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

Years ago when mine was younger, she loved going to that little water play area in back to Toon Town by the train. There was also a play structure that was a boat. The water was minimal, just sprout up from ground but she loved it. Haven't been to Toon Town in a long time. Don't know if it's still there.

 

[Kerriowl]

Another thought: when we went with my 2 turning 3 year old who was very active we found ways for him to be active while waiting in lines. This often meant sending him to a section of the line that wasn't being used and having him do jumping jacks or running in place. I may even have resorted to pushups. Lots of people thought we were crazy, but it definitely cut down on his antics and helped him wait in line quietly when it was needed. Plus, he seemed to enjoy it.

 

[marcyleecorgan]

Another thought: when we went with my 2 turning 3 year old who was very active we found ways for him to be active while waiting in lines. This often meant sending him to a section of the line that wasn't being used and having him do jumping jacks or running in place. I may even have resorted to pushups. Lots of people thought we were crazy, but it definitely cut down on his antics and helped him wait in line quietly when it was needed. Plus, he seemed to enjoy it.

NOT that I advocate running out and buying something, but the VTech watch does have an "exercise games" feature on it. we had DD play games like "how many jumps up and down can you do in 1 minute?" yes that's actually a thing programmed in.

And that is how we survived the return flight being 45 minutes after we arrived at the terminal and Little Miss Wired on 9 Days of Disney was NOT gonna sit in a chair...

Just sayin', if you have one... it might be a thought for entertainment purposes... but I'm not advocating bringing or buying stuff you don't need.

 

[DisneyWorldbuff]

Years ago when mine was younger, she loved going to that little water play area in back to Toon Town by the train. There was also a play structure that was a boat. The water was minimal, just sprout up from ground but she loved it. Haven't been to Toon Town in a long time. Don't know if it's still there.

It has been a while since you've been. Toon Town closed in 2011
But, there is a new water play area in the same approximate location.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

It has been a while since you've been. Toon Town closed in 2011
But, there is a new water play area in the same approximate location.

I was at DW 2014 but haven't ventured in Toon Town direction in a long time...as you can tell. Thanks!

 

[KrazeeK120]

I think my son (18 months) could have spent all day in the playground by Splash Mountain. The only meltdown he had during the entire trip was when we pulled him away from there.

The Boneyard at AK looked like a lot of fun, but it was closed while we were there.

He also liked roaming around and looking at the tanks in the Seas pavilion at Epcot and at the cars in the showroom at the Test Track exit.

 

[keirin]

Note on the boneyard at AK - it is very large and easy to loose a small child. I found it incredibly stressful when my twins were 2/3 and we skipped it after our first visit until they were 4/5 and easier to tell "come meet us here at the entrance in 15 minutes."

However, if you do want to take small children there, if you turn left immediately upon entering and head to the wall you'll find a ramp up. Follow that path all the way across a bridge and you'll come to a small enclosed area where there is a pit full of pea gravel and lots of shovels and pails for kids to dig for "fossils." This is where I take my now 2 year old if I want to let him run around a bit - then when we are done here I let him go down the slide on the way out and we high tail it out before he can get into too much trouble.

 

[Dismama2boys]

Note on the boneyard at AK - it is very large and easy to loose a small child. I found it incredibly stressful when my twins were 2/3 and we skipped it after our first visit until they were 4/5 and easier to tell "come meet us here at the entrance in 15 minutes."

However, if you do want to take small children there, if you turn left immediately upon entering and head to the wall you'll find a ramp up. Follow that path all the way across a bridge and you'll come to a small enclosed area where there is a pit full of pea gravel and lots of shovels and pails for kids to dig for "fossils." This is where I take my now 2 year old if I want to let him run around a bit - then when we are done here I let him go down the slide on the way out and we high tail it out before he can get into too much trouble.

I completely agree with this. Mine are small enough that I need eyes on them, and this is a reaaaallllly hard place for that.

 

[mtemm]

When mine were toddlers one of their favorite places at Epcot was the small maze at the back of the U.K. pavilion. They loved running through it! Usually fairly quiet

 

[TOBS2010]

They have a few splash fountains at Disney Springs that my son loved at 2.5-3. We often would hit those up at night and let him play and burn off the rest of his energy before heading back for the night. The lego store also has some tables of legos that you can play with too. He enjoyed that---they have mostly regular legos, but do have a few tables with duplos too. Stitch "spits" from the top of the big Disney store there too and he loved that too at Disney Springs.

 

[Suz333]

2/3 might be a little young, but there's a great play area inside Mission Space in Epcot. I took my then not-quite 5 yo nephew there while my brother and the older kids were on the ride.

It's one with tubes and nets and stuff to crawl through. I lost track of where he was in there several times, but there was only one way in and out of the room so I just made sure to stay there and made sure I put my eyes on him pretty frequently.

 

[The Hunchback]

The waiting area near dinosaur in AK had some open spots for running children. Watch the smoking area though. Also near Imagination in EPCOT by the back restrooms is a long space to run.

Please run your children in an open area. Having them bounce about in a line is very hard for other guests. Especially for folks trying to use a cane or ECV to maneuver. Small bouncy children can be very hard to break for in a line.

 

[Helene_C]

Unless it disappeared since 2015, there's a little play area under the walkway that takes you from BTM to Splash Mountain. My kid loved it at age 3-4.
Completely agree with the above comment that the Boneyard is tough with a small kid, but the Dig Site is brilliant.