How would you prioritize MK rides for a 3 yr old's first trip?

[TigerLaw]

We are taking our almost 3 yr old down for his first trip in sept. I think I have a plan of how to attack his first time at MK, but would to see like if anyone who has done this recently has any thoughts:

So at rope drop / beginning of extra magic hours:

Peter Pan
Pooh
Raceway
Barnstormer
Dumbo
Mermaid
Small world

I am guessing this will take 1.5-2 hrs. Our son will likely be too small for 7 dwarfs so not a concern here.

Thanks in advance for the help

 

[harrowgirl]

I think that is a pretty good order. Double check because small world is closed until mid september for refurbishment. I might do dumbo before Barnstormer, especially since you have to walk past dumbo to get to barnstormer. I think the order you have it is pretty commeasurate with the rides that have the longest waits. I assume you have no fastpasses for any of these rides. As an aside - if you have any evenings at the parks, Mermaid is usually walk on after about 7:30pm, or a very short wait. Small world also.

 

[harrowgirl]

don't discount enchanted tales with belle - there are some neat special effects. I might put that on the list before raceway, as it is very slow moving also. And if you are over at speedway, do you want to hit buzz lightyear and/or astro orbiter while you are over there.

Your plan is going to take longer than 1.5-2 hours though. You are only allocating about 17 minutes to get to the ride, go through the line, ride the ride, and exit for a 2 hour timeframe, 13 minutes for a 90 minute timeframe. I would think closer to at least 3 hours. Raceway and Small world are attractions that take up quite a bit of time.

 

[TCRAIG]

I would add the Prince Charming Carousel in there as well.

 

[harrowgirl]

Oh right!!! Totally forgot about that - and it is hard to get my son to get off once he goes on - he wants to ride again and again

 

[harrowgirl]

I popped just the rides you indicated into a touring plan on touringplans.com and it says it should take about 140 minutes.

 

[TigerLaw]

I think that is a pretty good order. Double check because small world is closed until mid september for refurbishment. I might do dumbo before Barnstormer, especially since you have to walk past dumbo to get to barnstormer. I think the order you have it is pretty commeasurate with the rides that have the longest waits. I assume you have no fastpasses for any of these rides. As an aside - if you have any evenings at the parks, Mermaid is usually walk on after about 7:30pm, or a very short wait. Small world also.

I figured that barnstormer had a line to worry about more than dumbo since the dumbo expansion. Correct on FPs.... Trying to get the order down first then worry about the FPs

 

[harrowgirl]

No! Figure out fp first - because you don't want to ride Peter Pan first if you have a fastpass for it! I would fp Peter Pan, Winnie the Pooh and probably buzz light year. I'd have my first fp set up for 10 or 10:30 if it is an early magic hours day and you plan to get there at 8. Ride as much as you can before your first fastpass. Having through fastpasses is more important that the right order, though both are important. I'd fp Peter Pan and only ride it at rope drop if you want to ride twice. Riding Peter Pan at 9:00am with a fastpass is basically throwing away a fp - you don't need a fp at that time

 

[harrowgirl]

I personally find dumbo lines are usually longer than barnstormer. Even with the expansion. But maybe that's just me!

 

[TigerLaw]

don't discount enchanted tales with belle - there are some neat special effects. I might put that on the list before raceway, as it is very slow moving also. And if you are over at speedway, do you want to hit buzz lightyear and/or astro orbiter while you are over there.

Your plan is going to take longer than 1.5-2 hours though. You are only allocating about 17 minutes to get to the ride, go through the line, ride the ride, and exit for a 2 hour timeframe, 13 minutes for a 90 minute timeframe. I would think closer to at least 3 hours. Raceway and Small world are attractions that take up quite a bit of time.

HG, great points. On belle, he doesn't know the story and so don't know if we want to spend the time there. Buzz I know we have to get that in at some point. On the orbiter, I want to see how he does with the other rides... This one makes me a little nervous for him.

I would add the Prince Charming Carousel in there as well.

At least initially, I am trying to focus on the disney-unique rides. I am sure he will see it there and demand to ride it with my luck.

 

[Shanti]

We are taking our almost 3 yr old down for his first trip in sept. I think I have a plan of how to attack his first time at MK, but would to see like if anyone who has done this recently has any thoughts:

So at rope drop / beginning of extra magic hours:

Peter Pan
Pooh
Raceway
Barnstormer
Dumbo
Mermaid
Small world

I am guessing this will take 1.5-2 hrs. Our son will likely be too small for 7 dwarfs so not a concern here.

Thanks in advance for the help

I would begin with Peter Pan, because it has an enchanting standby queue, so you actually don't want to FastPass it. (But you don't want to wait an hour, either, so do it first thing.)

 

[J'aime Paris]

TigerLaw, Astro Orbiter is essentially the same as Dumbo.
We enjoy riding it in the evening when MK is all lit up!!

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

You also forgot Teacups - I'd happily skip it but my 4 y.o. never lets us if we pass it, he wants to go on. Short waits in the morning usually.

 

[BraveLittleToaster2]

Don't forget about the jungle cruise. My littles love that ride and can have a long wait after the first hour of park opening because it loads fairly slow.

 

[harrowgirl]

I figured she was planning I just doing fantasy land...but if you hit the other side of the park jungle cruise, magic carpets of Aladdin, Swiss family treehouse (if reopened by their trip), Tom sawyers island are all hits with the littles