3 kids and one parent for rides

[Tabarr06]

Our family is going to Disneyland next week and we are trying to figure out how to manage the rides. It is my wife and I and our 4 kids. They are ages 7,6,3 and 6 months. The oldest three are over 40 inches and all want to ride the "big kid rides". My wife and I are taking turns with the baby but are trying to figure out what rides the three kids and an adult can do together. I know some rides allow a 7 year old not to be in the same car but near the parent. Could they do splash mountain and have the three in the back and the 7 year old in the seat adjacent to them? Or big thunder and have theee in one car and the seven year old in the car next to them? Any advice would be great. I know we could always do stroller switch passes but that would leave one kid with the baby each time and they will feel left out.

 

[SMD]

On Splash and Matterhorn you could all ride because of the tandem seating. On Big Thunder if 3 fit in the row you could all ride. On Indy and Star Tours the rows hold 4 (more on Star Tours) so you can all ride. On Space and Screamin, one child will have to wait. Just explain 1 rides with mom, 1 rides with dad. If they're only over 40 inches, the 3 year old may not even be tall enough for some of those.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Rider swap will be your friend!

The 7 year old is actually old enough to ride alone, so it's really up to your/your child's comfort level.

On Splash, you could sit in the back row with the 3 year old and the other two can sit in front of you, one in front of the other. You can't put 3 in the back row. As was mentioned, on Star Tours you can all sit in the same row. On Big Thunder, you could sit with the 3 & 6 yr old and the 7 yr old in a row alone. Same with Radiator Springs Racers (although you'd be in the same car and they may let the 6&7 yr old sit in front together). Soarin' you'd all be in the same row, Grizzly all in the same raft, Matterhorn all individual seats. Space might be your only problem - not sure if they'd let you sit with the 3 yr old with the 6 & 7 yr old directly in front of you.

Guessing the 3 yr old won't be tall enough for Indy and Screamin' - however on Indy all 4 of you would be in same row. On Screamin', the 7 yr old could sit in the row in front of you/6 yr old or you could do rider switch taking them on separately so they can both sit next to an adult.

The only ride that was a true problem for us when mine were little was the bumper cars in Bugs Land. They have to be 7 to ride alone and you can't put 3 in a car. So somebody will have to wait and go on with the rider swap.

Hope that helps

 

[Tabarr06]

Thank you for the reply. That is very helpful.