Favorite non-"ride" attractions/activities?

[morningdew]

We're headed to DLR next week (woohoooo!!) and one of my children really doesn't like rides. I'm trying to compile a list of things we can do in the parks that aren't rides, both the common ones and some of the more obscure and "secret" ones like the petting zoo and junior chefs baking activity. Share your favorites, and maybe some things we might not have heard about? Thank you!!

 

[darcie2000]

The Aladdin musical, Turtle Talk with Crush, Drawing classes, Jedi.

Does anyone know if they still do the Muppets show? There's also a Bugs Life show that is pretty cool.

 

[superlarz]

Muppets is on hiatus (possibly permanently) while Frozen fun is going on. The theater is currently a Frozen Singalong. A bugs life goes on hiatus often to preview new movies Disney has coming out (recently Maleficent and Cinderella) so that would depend on when you are going. I personally like Mickey and the Magical Map

 

[Luckymommatoo]

Tom Sawyer Island at DLR and the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail in CA. Eating a Dole Whip in the Tiki Room. Meeting the characters on Buena Vista Street in CA (Officer Blue, Phi Phi the Photographer, Donna the Dog Lady, Milly & Molly Messengers). How old is your kiddo?

 

[Malcon10t]

I enjoy being at the Big Thunder Ranch in the afternoon for the running of the goats. (It is when they head back to the barns.)

How about musical chairs with Alice and Mad Hatter?

Flag Retreat in the afternoon.

If you are going prior to Easter, they are having an "Easter Egg" hunt.

In the morning, around 10, the band plays in front of the floral by the entry gates and several characters are there and the kids can dance with them.

 

[morningdew]

He's going to be turning 12 on our trip. Also he's disabled and uses a wheelchair <3.

Oooh, do you have more details about the Easter Egg hunt??

 

[TeresaR]

There's always Toon town. I love the fountains and the post office. You can open the different mail boxes. There is also the Main Street Cinema, Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. Even if you don't watch the film it's great to go in and the gallery and the bench that Walt sat on. Try and catch the Fire station band. I've seen Goofy show up and dance and the chipmunks "orchestrating". If he is into Star Wars go watch the Jedi Training.Over in DCA you have Disney Animation, the Animation Academy and Sorcerer's workshop. And even though he may not be into rides, it's worth walking ther the whole Carsland area.

 

[camosun]

For a 12 year old there are many things to do.
- Aladdin is a great show and we often see it twice.
- Fantasmic! and World of Colour shows
- turtle talk with Crush
- Animation Academy
- parades, fireworks
- Jedi training academy is always great for a laugh.
- one of the stores on the east side of Main Street used to have a chess table that was set up so that anyone could play a game in it. It was right by the windows so you should be able to notice it from the street.
- getting pressed pennies all over the park. You can buy a little pennyholder book too.
- watching the sword in the stone
- the new shows by fantasyland
- sailing on the Mark Twain riverboat or the Pirate ship
- taking a round trip on the train and on the monrail
- watching people go down the big drop at splash mountain.
- rides like Haunted Mansion, which are more like a shoe than a ride
- getting a free chocolate at Ghirardelli
- watching people get completely soaked at the end of grizzly River Run. We always do that.

 

[Butterfly123]

Is the Mickey and the Magical Map show still going on right now? That's a lot of fun for any age.

 

[rentayenta]

The Animation Academy is one of our favorites especially the drawing classes. Of course parades and the fireworks are always a hit for me.

 

[Disneyland 1951]

Musical Chairs with Alice and the Mad Hatter. 30 minutes of fun, jokes, and music. No lines... No Waiting...
2:00pm (or 2:30 in summer) at the Cake Corner on Man Street.



You Tube Link:

 

[Luckymommatoo]

Regarding the Easter Egg Hunt -- Both DL and CA sell a map with stickers for $5 -- you have to look for the large easter egg hidden in each land, and when you find it, you put the appropriate sticker on the map. You return with your completed map to get a special surprise. (Last year it was a plastic, Disney-character Easter egg.) And you don't actually have to finish the map to get the prize.

http://www.axs.com/disney-parks-announces-egg-stravaganza-its-easter-egg-hunt-to-return-i-42802

 

[Imdboss]

It's not free but my kids love pin trading. DS started at age 5 and DD started at age 8. It's now become such a huge part of our trips. Anytime we are going past a store that has a pin board we quickly stop in for them to see if there's anything they want to trade. They are always on the lookout for pin traders!

 

[awinangie]

My daughter (age 10 at the time) loved getting her silhouette cut on Main Street. It's not shockingly expensive, either!

 

[djk]

We're headed to DLR next week (woohoooo!!) and one of my children really doesn't like rides. I'm trying to compile a list of things we can do in the parks that aren't rides, both the common ones and some of the more obscure and "secret" ones like the petting zoo and junior chefs baking activity. Share your favorites, and maybe some things we might not have heard about? Thank you!!

You've been given some great ideas here! Can anyone fill me in about the petting zoo and junior chef baking activity mentioned?

 

[ludari]

Aladdin musical is my favorite. I also never get tired of watching the parades.

 

[GatorChris]

As long as it's not too terribly warm, we love Tom Sawyer Island/Pirate's Lair. With kids at 9,7, and 3, they love to run around and climb. It's amazing to me how much they ask to go there when they just see it. I like just wandering around, finding some shade, and watching the Mark Twain go by.

 

[Aladora]

DS loves watching the classic cartoons at the Main St. Cinema.

 

[DG24]

This is not actually I. The park and I am sure anyone can do it, but tour the grand hotel. I believed it is a4 pm. Also if he is getting hot and needs a break, depending on where you are staying, the grand is a nice place to stop. My sister was in a w/c growing up and one of my parents use to slip into the grand lobby for a few hours to give her a break, she could slide out of her w/c and get off the hard plastic seats that made her legs stick. They use to have a story time inside the little alcove, not sure if they have that anymore. They also use to have a piano player so you won't get to board. Mom use to let us get drinks virgin of course from the lounge and we would just sit for an hour or two.

Another place my sister loved but my mom did not, was the water play areas, my sister would get right up to the water and throw herself out of the w/c and play for hours in the water, on the ground. Mom eventually gave up telling us no. There is one at bugs land enterance I think, they use to have a daisy bout or something but I don't remember seeing that lately, maybe it's not there anymore, it was over by the jumping jelly fish and the swings I thought. They use to have one in DL also, where the big wheel is in front of space mountianerr, but I'm not sure that's there either. Boy it's touch to grow up, you forget what fun you use to have, now some off he things are gone I think.

The one last thing not mentioned here, I think is lincolns great moments. Nice place to cool off.

I can't imagine not liking rides. We did, but I do remember we always had to spend an hour or two letting my sister move around outside the w/c, so her legs, or butt would not get sores. She wore leg braces also. My boyfriend was in a w/c but can stand up and move around so he doesn't have problems.

If I can think of more I will come back and let you know. Oh mom always let us get into the hot tub at the end of the day she always told my sister it was good for her. Also, we went swimming. My sister has cerebral palsy, she can walk, now. But she was in and out of w/c from 2 to 12 because her hip kept getting pulled out of the socket. She never had surgeries but she had cast and braces that made it hard for her to walk also. also the w/c came around and held her back in a position, because her back started to curve, so once in the w/c she could not move easily, so every few hours mom gave her a break.

 

[pirate_smiles]

Oops posted on wrong thread