Kiddie Ride Strategies

[dancer_mom]

Hi there DL vets. We are big Disney fans who are great at navigating the parks as adults (we used all of Hydroguys tips 2 years ago for a trip right after New Years and we hardly waited at all)! We are taking our first family trip with our 2 year old twins and are very excited but not sure how to approach Fantasy land.

I know that Peter Pan has long lines all day... does anyone have any advice on what order to do Fantasyland in? I have heard the phrase "Dumbo Dash" and can only assume that gets a big line up as well (haven't been on it in 20 years though).

We are going to take it slow with the kids being so young but it would be great to know what to hit first so that they don't get tired waiting in really long lines. Thanks for any advice!

(oh yeah - we are planning for the last Fri - Sat in August so we know it will be crowded and we won't be getting a MM)

 

[Mugglemama]

Hi there DL vets. We are big Disney fans who are great at navigating the parks as adults (we used all of Hydroguys tips 2 years ago for a trip right after New Years and we hardly waited at all)! We are taking our first family trip with our 2 year old twins and are very excited but not sure how to approach Fantasy land.

I know that Peter Pan has long lines all day... does anyone have any advice on what order to do Fantasyland in? I have heard the phrase "Dumbo Dash" and can only assume that gets a big line up as well (haven't been on it in 20 years though).

We are going to take it slow with the kids being so young but it would be great to know what to hit first so that they don't get tired waiting in really long lines. Thanks for any advice!

(oh yeah - we are planning for the last Fri - Sat in August so we know it will be crowded and we won't be getting a MM)

No matter what time of year we visit (and we have gone in August before), we've found that as long as we are in line 30-45 minutes before opening, there are no problems getting onto rides for the first 1-2 hours.

We always do Fantasyland first...although we do the "Peter Pan Dash", lol. What we've gotten into the habit of doing is Peter Pan, then Dumbo, then Matterhorn, and then we do Alice, Toad, Snow White, and Pinocchio (usually in that order). We don't ride the canal boats or Casey jr. on every trip, but if it's a trip where we are, we would do them after Pinocchio. Then we would walk over and hit Small World. We usually don't do the carousel.

When we hit Peter Pan first, we usually don't wait longer than 10-15 minutes, and then it ends up being about the same for Dumbo, and Matterhorn. Alice is usually a little shorter, and Toad, Snow White, and Pinocchio are usually less than 10 minutes.

Hope that helps!

 

[tommya60]

Dumbo is the slowest line in the park, when DD was little we rode that first, then Peter Pan, Alice, Toad, Pinocchio. The sequence has more to do with her tolerance for "dark" rides than any logical pattern, but it worked for us.

 

[Kayla's Mom]

Peter Pan first definitely - then Dumbo (if it is not a MM day at least)

 

[bumbershoot]

I started a whole big post but then just confused myself, because DS didn't much like the *line* for Peter Pan at 3, and I'm not sure I'd take 2 year olds into it (the ride is great, the line...can be tricky especially at the beginning of the day when tired etc...it feels dark, even though you can see the outdoors).


So ignoring that, you are ONLY going to want to do Fantasyland on Friday morning. NOT Saturday morning, since you don't have MM. Friday morning, be at the gates bright and early, book it straight back to FL.

If you want Peter Pan, do that first, b/c IMO waiting a long time in the relative dark is MUCH worse than waiting a long time out in the open for Dumbo. Especially since it will be early in the morning, not too hot yet (if hot at all). If you don't want to ride PP, just head to Dumbo.

Casey Jr is a great little ride, FYI! You see most of the things you see on the Storybookland Canal ride, but without the long, slow-moving line (that isn't usually open at MM hour anyway), and it's a quick fun little thing.

I'm having a hard time with calling them "kiddie rides", though!


FYI, don't forget to take them to bug's land. Awesome place. Far better than Fantasyland, IMO, especially for littles that might be frightened of darker things, fairy tale witches, boys with donkey ears, scary queens of hearts, etc etc.

 

[dancer_mom]

Thanks so much for the tips. I am sure just being there bright and early will be our best strategy like a couple of you have already said.

Thanks for the tip about not waiting too long in the line for Peter Pan because it is dark. I think we will start there and then go to other rides after that.

I agree on the MM thing. I figured our best day for getting minimal waits would be Friday.

Thanks again everyone.