Must-DO & must-SKIP rides for 2 and 7 yo first timers?

[QueenQueso]

We are going for 6 days, so I was planning to hit MK and Epcot twice and HS and AK once each. Thought I'd split Epcot into World showcase one day and future world the other day. Does that make sense?

I was at HS once, about ten years ago, so basically we are all first timers. My boys are 7 1/2 and almost-2. What rides would you recommend making sure to catch in each park? Which ones would you plan on skipping?

 

[Hayliesmom]

at epcot make sure to go on Soarin', it was my daughter's favorite ride there! At magic kingdom make sure to skip the stitch ride. It was HORRIBLE. It pins you down in your seat, and hurts, stitch "spits" at the audience, and there is a horrible smell. not to mention the lights going out.

Also I read that Its tough to be a bug can be scary at Animal Kingdom. We skipped it.

There are too many must do rides at Mk to name!

 

[QueenQueso]

I had heard Stitch was scary, but that sounds awful!

 

[Happyjen27]

My kids are Star Wars fanatics, however, they hated Star Tours in DHS. I read in Unofficial Tour Guide that they recommend this ride for ages 8+. So, I would make this a "must skip" for your crew.

 

[msmama]

I don't have any must do's or dont's as I think that depends on your family. But I actually found that Epcot worked better doing 1/2 future world, 1/2 world showcase on 2 days. You get more opportunities to eat in WS that way, plus I find it a better mix of things to do. Just a suggestion though.

(I broke it into right and left sides, lol).

 

[pumpkinmomma]

My kids are Star Wars fanatics, however, they hated Star Tours in DHS. I read in Unofficial Tour Guide that they recommend this ride for ages 8+. So, I would make this a "must skip" for your crew.

My 7 yo loves Star Tours. She went on it at ages 5 and 6 and loved it every time. I am surprised to hear that your kids didn't like it.

My kids HATED It's Tough to Be a Bug. Hated it. We so so many crying kids coming out of that show.

It's hard to say what is a must do and what you should skip without knowing your kids personalities, interests, fears, etc. I think if you give a few more specifics, that would help.

 

[4HppyCamprs]

My boys are 8 and 4 now. They loved Star tours, fast track, toy story mania, well really it is easier to say what they didn't like which was Soarin' and Stitch. Stitch was a lot of drama leading up to the "ride" and then it was just dark and gross and yet boring.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[1000HappyWishes]

It's Tough to be a Bug is HORRIBLE. I went on it when I was nine and left the theater in tears. Stitch is always pretty bad. Peoplemover and Buzz are generally pretty freaking awesome. Try out Star Tours, that seems to be a ride you need to do before you can make an opinion on it.

 

[aym4Him]

DS4 loved Star Tours & hated Stitch (as did we all). He rode the Barnstormer (Goofy's roller coaster) 13xs in a row. The Haunted Mansion wasn't worth the buildup/line (and parts kind of freaked him out).

 

[QueenQueso]

It's hard to say what is a must do and what you should skip without knowing your kids personalities, interests, fears, etc. I think if you give a few more specifics, that would help.

Both my boys are pretty mellow and go-with-the-flow but they both love thrill rides. My 7yo is only 46 inches, so a couple big things are out right off the bat, but he loves the mini roller coaster at our local theme park (you have to be 48 inches for any of the adult ones here though). He and I are big Star Wars fans, both boys like shows and listening to people sing (would they do that during any of the shows?), Cars, the Princess movies, and seeing how things work.

7yo is afraid of being by himself, but I don't know of any ride where he might be separated from us anyway. The LO has no fear. Lol.

 

[heehee611]

We went last February when my kids were 2 and 5 and 1/2. At MK, they loved Peter Pan, Winnie the Pooh, Buzz Lightyear, and Pirates of the Caribbean. At HS, Toy Story Mania, the Disney Jr show, the Cars stunt show, and Star Tours for my oldest. At AK, they loved the safari ride, Its Tough to be a Bug show, and the Lion King Show. At Epcot, the oldest loved Test Track and Soarin, and they had a blast doing the Phineas and Ferb scavenger hunt.

We never did Lilo and Stich because I heard such horrible things about it, and we haven't done Haunted Mansion but are planning on it next trip. I dragged my oldest on Thunder Mountain Railroad, where he cried through the whole thing but then said it was awesome (He's just getting the hang of roller coasters.)

Definitely depends on your kids, my oldest is 6 now and he is very much a scaredy cat. My 2 year old is going to be the one to go on all the roller coasters with me as soon as he's tall enough!

 

[Austinsmom068]

I just took my son in feb and he was 2 1/2. He is VERY tall for his age. My husband told me to take him on TT that you just design a car and test it out. I said ok and didn't look much into it. They checked his height and he was almost 42 inches. They let us go on. Well let me tell you that I was so surprised that car was that fast! I was the one screaming and my son was cracking up. He thought it was so fun. I was so mad at my husband for tricking me. They both had the best time and I was the one scared! We are going back to Disney in 6 days and all my son talks about is going on that race car. He also loves Disney jr, under the sea and the lion king show. But TT is his favorite.