Best Rides/Attractions for 5 year old?

[dana99]

I am trying to get some advice as to what are the best rides for my 5 year old daughter. She will just have turned 5 when we go in July. Since we will be there around July 4th I know the crowds will be big so want to try and make sure we don't "miss" anything. I am planning on trying to get seating for Ariel's Grotto as she loves the princesses.
Any advice would be appreciated! Thank you!

 

[Diva of Dragons]

Hi!

At DL
*Peter Pan
*Alice in Wonderland
*Casey Jr. Circus Train
*Storybook Canal
*Honey I Shrunk the Audience
*Autopia
*Carousel
*Roger Rabbit's Cartoon Spin
*It's a Small World
*Tea Cups
*Winnie the Pooh
*Jungle Cruise
*The Enchanted Tiki Room
*Pinocchio
**If she doesn't scare easily, she might like Mr. Toad's Wild Ride and Snow White.

DCA
*Monsters Inc.
*Aladdin Show
*Turtle Talk
*Anything in Bug's Land
*Jumpin' Jellyfish
*Golden Zephyr
*Muppets 3D

I think that covers it!! I'm sure I have some maps lying around here. PM me if you'd like me to send them!!

Take Care and have fun!

 

[Aggie96]

My oldest daughter is the exact same age (turning 5 this July) and just over the 40" height requirement for many rides and this is how she rates things...

Disneyland favorites:
Mad Tea Party
Dumbo
Peter Pan
Storybook Land Canal Boats
Jungle Cruise
Buzz Lightyear
Splash Mountain (her absolute favorite)

Only when she's feeling brave:
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Went once and won't go again (but that doesn't mean your daughter won't love them!):
Matterhorn
Haunted Mansion
Pirates of the Caribbean
Snow White's Scary Adventures

Obviously, she's more afraid of content than drops, jerkiness, or speed.

Don't miss the Parade of Dreams or the fireworks. And if she shows any fear on the rides my daughter won't ride again, she might be afraid of Fantasmic as well.

I don't know if you'll be going to DCA, but if so, my daughter's favorites there are Soarin' Over California and Jumpin' Jellyfish. She would ride the jellyfish ride all day long if we let her.

Oh, and your daughter will LOVE Ariel's Grotto! We got the very first lunch seating of the day when we went to this meal last year, and that worked out really well. The princesses came out one at a time and had plenty of time to spend with us because they knew everyone had just arrived and that they had plenty of time to make the rounds. And depending on how long you'll be at DL, I recommend doing Ariel's Grotto within the first couple of days. That way your daughter will have seen all the princesses and won't be asking about them or needing to stand in line to meet them during the rest of the trip!

Hope that helps!

 

[dana99]

Thank you both very much. She does scare pretty easily so most of the rides that are considered "scary" by younger kids I will probably steer clear of. I'm just hoping to talk one other adult into going with us that day because I want to go on Pirates of the Carribean and I know she wouldn't like it.
Thanks again, I *really* appreciate it! We have one day for both DL and DCA and I hope to make the most of it!
Dana

 

[Texasfan]

You can never tell with children! My DD was 4 the first time we went and she was scared to death of Mr. Toads Wild Ride, but loved the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean. It is just hard to say what they are going to like and what they will not. I am pretty sure you should be safe with all of the fantasyland rides and the two rides in toon town. The Pooh ride is also appropriate for that age. I would probably wait until the end of the fantasyland to do Mr. Toad.

On our first trip we also included the Jungle Cruise, Tikki room, Tom Sawyers Island, Autopia, Tarzan's tree house, and Innoventions. Our two biggest rides were the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean.

In DCA we only did Bug's land and the electric parade.

The best advice I can give you is to start off slowly and progress up as far as she is comfortable with the situation. Also try to remeber that just, because she was scared at on ride it does not mean that she will be with another. We also try to talk about the rides before we go and make sure that she knows that it is not real.

 

[CalGal]

When my DS was 5, he went on every ride in DL except Indiana Jones (he wasn't tall enough). He went on Splash when he was just under 5, didn't like it, but was brave enough at 5 to give it another go and it soon became his favorite. However, we also went with a 7 year-old around the same time who was afraid of everything in the dark. He eventually went on just about everything except for Space Mountain, Indiana Jones, and Splash Mountain (he chickened out on Splash at the last minute so we had to do baby swap). We were careful to build him up by trying the easier rides first and would let him make the final decision. We started with the outside Fantasyland rides, then tried Pinocchio, Alice, and Peter Pan, eventually the other dark rides in FL. Eventuallly he was ready for Pirates. He loved Gadget's Go-Coaster, and rode it a few times before trying BTMRR, which he also liked. I think he even did OK with HISTA, but many kids have trouble with that -- try Muppets 3-D before your try the HISTA or even Bugs Life. There are more rides in DCA to avoid with a 5 year old.