Planning on going to the park on Friday.

[SoCaOC-Mom]

Hi all, this will be my second visit to the park since moving the sunny California (the first visit was a frustrating and unpleasant experience but I digress).

We will be bringing DD 3 and DD 15 months with us. I would like some opinions on what attractions fellow DIs-ers feel are must see's for kids that are in that age. I thought depending on how busy the park is that we might get fast track passes first then hit toontown.

What are the best strategies for a family with young children? Attractions with them in mind are our focus.

I also noticed that the tea cup ride doesn't have any height restrictions, but is it too much for a 15 month old?

 

[dismom73]

My kids loved the teacups at that age. It's best just to sit and enjoy though, don't turn the wheel. If the 3yo wants to spin just have him/her go with one parent and the baby with another. I think you'll be spending most of your time in Fantasyland with that age. However, other rides they might enjoy outside of Fantasyland would be Jungleboat cruise, Buzz Lightyear, Winnie the Pooh, maybe Haunted Mansion and Pirtates (depends on your kids, mine have loved them both since they were young). You can also take advantage of the parent swap pass so you can enjoy the bigger rides.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

The first thing I would advise to help make your trip a more pleasant experience would be to be in line outside Disneyland before it opens. You will beat the heat and many of the crowds this way.

With children those ages, my guess is that they would enjoy many of the rides in Fantasyland, so if you can get to the park early, that's where I recommend you start. The lines for Fantasyland will be much shorter first thing in the morning. Peter Pan, Dumbo, Alice in Wonderland, and Mr. Toad, in that order, are all potentially good rides. Some children find Snow White scary, so you'll have to judge that for your daughter. Snow White and Pinnochio don't tend to get as long lines as the other Fantasyland attractions.

ToonTown is a good idea with kids that age. Once again, the earlier the better for the shortest lines. ToonTown opens one hour after the rest of the park.

I'm guessing that other good attractions would be Small World, Winnie the Pooh, Buzz Lightyear, the Tiki Room, and Pirates and Mansion if that kind of thing doesn't scare your children. On our first trip, my son who was 5 at the time refused to go in Mansion and was scared out of his mind on Pirates (he grew out of it). My younger son who was 3 at the time refused to go in Mansion but was fine on Pirates.

 

[Hound 109]

The first thing I would advise to help make your trip a more pleasant experience would be to be in line outside Disneyland before it opens. You will beat the heat and many of the crowds this way.
With children those ages, my guess is that they would enjoy many of the rides in Fantasyland, so if you can get to the park early, that's where I recommend you start. The lines for Fantasyland will be much shorter first thing in the morning. Peter Pan, Dumbo, Alice in Wonderland, and Mr. Toad, in that order, are all potentially good rides. Some children find Snow White scary, so you'll have to judge that for your daughter. Snow White and Pinnochio don't tend to get as long lines as the other Fantasyland attractions.

ToonTown is a good idea with kids that age. Once again, the earlier the better for the shortest lines. ToonTown opens one hour after the rest of the park.

I'm guessing that other good attractions would be Small World, Winnie the Pooh, Buzz Lightyear, the Tiki Room, and Pirates and Mansion if that kind of thing doesn't scare your children. On our first trip, my son who was 5 at the time refused to go in Mansion and was scared out of his mind on Pirates (he grew out of it). My younger son who was 3 at the time refused to go in Mansion but was fine on Pirates.

I agree 100% (especially with the bolded items)

Also check out Pirate's Island, The train, Storybookland, Jungle Cruise & the Treehouse with little ones.

In DCA, the Bugs Life area & the Redwood Challenge area (& of course the carousels in both parks are great).

Have a great time in Walt's Park.

 

[SoCaOC-Mom]

Thanks for the feed back everyone. Today is the day, unfortunately hubby has to work in the morning so we can't get to the park until the afternoon. Hopefully the park won't be to bad, it's kind of overcast today and isn't expected to clear up until later on.

DD3 is so excited, she keeps on saying how she is going to Micky Mouses house today

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

Thanks for the feed back everyone. Today is the day, unfortunately hubby has to work in the morning so we can't get to the park until the afternoon. Hopefully the park won't be to bad, it's kind of overcast today and isn't expected to clear up until later on.

DD3 is so excited, she keeps on saying how she is going to Micky Mouses house today

Expect the lines at Mickey's house to be long. Mickey also comes out frequently near the opera house on Main Street. You can always ask at the info desk near the wait times board when Mickey will be out for meet and greets. You can ask at City Hall too; I was just thinking the info desk would have a shorter wait. If it doesn't work out to see Mickey at his house, remember this possibility.

Good afternoon time rides tend to be Winnie the Pooh, Pirates, It's a Small World, sometimes Haunted Mansion and Jungle Cruise. Tiki Room is good anytime. Buzz Lightyear should be easy to get fastpasses for still.

Have a fun trip!

 

[SoCaOC-Mom]

Hi all, we didn't get to the park till about 1:30. By that time lines were huge but we managed to see most of tune town with little wait. Mickey's house wasn't a problem for the walk through portion but there was about a 10 minute wait in the barn before the photo op.

DD3 LOVED meeting Micky, she was a bit shy at first but then practically leaped into his lap. Youngest DD, who usually cries if a stranger even looks at her also seemed to love him and reached out to hold shake his hand.

We got a fast pass for Roger Rabbit as soon as we got there- and there was about a 10 minute wait with the ticket.

It's A Small World seemed hopeless, you could barely make out where the line was suppose to start so we didn't bother.

FIL and I went to Space Mountain with a 50 minute stand by time or it would have been a 5 hour wait with a fast pass. Space Mountain OMG- I have never been on anything like it in my life...I love it although I was terrified the whole time.

While we were on that DH and step MIL took the kids on the carousel twice and oldest daughter rode Dumbo.

Unfortunately, by that time close to 6 and the kids were hungry and tired, so we head out to get a bite to eat. Most of the restaurants close to the park, TGIF and Dave and Busters we jammed and there was no parking so we went to Red Robin in Irvine.

Next time, we will have to head out early and during the off season but over all it was a great experience abet being over priced.