Small Kids

[newfie]

I am travelling to WDW with a 2 and 5 year old. What rides if any can we get on??? I know there are restrictions for rollercoasters but what about other rides? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[sistertrip]

I'm not sure which rides are available for young kids, but if you've got another adult with you, take advantage of the "baby swap" if there's a "big kid" ride you want to try.

 

[kimand3kids]

Your 2 year old will be able to go on more rides than you think We were there in May with our 22 mos old, 4 and 6 year olds. The toddler rode Dumbo, Aladdin, Snow White, Pooh, Small World, Peter Pan..... there were plenty! Although she was scared of the ones in the dark. At MK, there are only a handful of rides with height restrictions, so those are the only ones she won't be able to ride.

 

[BlindTyldak]

You'll be happy to find that you can get on about 90% of the rides with both children . . . the only ones you couldn't are the very obvious ones (the roller coasters, for example). Of that 90% about 75% are ones that both children would likely enjoy. Just keep in mind that just because a child CAN ride it doesn't mean they'll ENJOY it though; some rides are dark or scary.

I'd recommend picking up the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World, it's got TONS of great reviews on which rides are good for little ones.

 

[sbpuckett]

I would recommend picking up (or checking the library) the 2006 unofficial guide. I got the Mini Mickey pocket version and it gives complete descriptions of every ride, height requirements, scare factors, rates them by age group, and tells best/worst times to ride. It has helped me in determining which rides to ride first and at all... there will always be other trips in the future to hit the rides we miss this time around.

 

[Karrie Davis]

I LOVE the 2006 unofficial guide. Just pass over his opinion that Disney is not the best place to take small kids. I when last year with my son who was 19 months old, and my sisters boys, 4 & 3. We ALL had a blast. Even my son got on so many rides, even the toon town roller coaster. We are going back in November and can't wait. The book does list every ride, about it plus MORE. I wish we would have had it last year, we missed so many things that our son whould have loved - now we have read it and have a plan for November Lots to ride, see and do plus if you go at there speed and see what they will like you will have SO MUCH FUN!

I am getting a disney recomended sitter for an afternoon (during nap time ) so I can hit the big kid rides with my DH

 

[ainmama2001]

In MK, stay around Fantasyland and Toontown and try to get into CP for lunch.

At MGM, Playhouse Disney Live On Stage, Voyage of the Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast. The Animation building has some great meet and greets.

At EPCOT, The Living Seas Nemo Exhibit and Turtle Talk with Crush.

At AK - Festival of the Lion King FOR SURE and the Safari Ride. The affection Section is nice too.


Be sure to check out all the night shows like Wishes, Fantasmic and Illuminations too!

We've been going with my dd since she was 9 months old.

 

[katerkat]

Young kids can go on everything but the obvious roller coasters and such. Be wary, though - we took Russ to DL at six months old and he liked It's a Small World the best!

 

[TinkGirl]

WDW is a great place for young children--especially if they are familiar with Disney movies/characters. In addition to the UG, I would recommend the Disney with Children guidebook. I found it invaluable the first time we visited with our kids age 3, 5, and 7 in 2000. Have fun! Now that our kids are older, it's almost sad to watch my husband try to persuade them to ride Snow White or Pooh when there are the mountains to conquer. Enjoy Fantasyland and the rides/shows for young children while you can! My 11 and 13 year olds no longer want to "waste" time waiting to see characters. Luckily, my daughter is still into it. From our pictures, it looks like she went to Disney without her brothers.

 

[WantToGoNow]

Kids (even babies) can go on ANY ride that does not have a height restriction - and those are usually the thrill rides.

 

[Lorelai]

I agree, WDW is fantastic for toddlers & preschoolers - we have always had a blast with our three when they were very small.

Magic Kingdom - Small World, Dumbo, Cinderella's Carousel, Peter Pan, Winnie the Pooh, Indy Speedway (adults driving, of course!), Country Bear Jamboree, Liberty Square Riverboat, Tom Sawyer Island, Jungle Cruise, Magic Carpets of Aladdin, Mickey's House, Minnie's House, the Railroad!!

And don't get me started on Epcot, my kids would not leave the Living Seas when they were little - just mezmerized by the huge aquarium - dolphins, sharks, school upon school of different marine life. And...manatees! Presently, Crush is numero uno in the Living Seas for us.

 

[sbpuckett]

WDW is a great place for young children--especially if they are familiar with Disney movies/characters. In addition to the UG, I would recommend the Disney with Children guidebook. I found it invaluable the first time we visited with our kids age 3, 5, and 7 in 2000. Have fun! Now that our kids are older, it's almost sad to watch my husband try to persuade them to ride Snow White or Pooh when there are the mountains to conquer. Enjoy Fantasyland and the rides/shows for young children while you can! My 11 and 13 year olds no longer want to "waste" time waiting to see characters. Luckily, my daughter is still into it. From our pictures, it looks like she went to Disney without her brothers.

I've been looking at the Disney w/ kids book - is there different info in that one than the unofficial guide? would it be worth my money to have both?? I've looked at it on ebay but haven't purchased yet.

 

[TinkGirl]

I love all the reading material I can get, so I would recommend both books. Also, our public library carries them both--it's just a matter of putting them on hold. The DW with Kids book has sections like "scare factor" where they rank a ride's scariness and why. It also ranks every restaurant on suitability for children--things that you may not find in detail in UG. There are also little helpful tips throughout the book.

 

[SueM in MN]

The DIS site has a height calculator. Put in your smallest child's height and it will give a list of the rides/attractions that your child will be too small to go on.

Also, if you go to the DIS Site Theme Parks information pages (like this one for MK), you will find pictures and information for each attraction, including height restrictions.

 

[liamandcaili]

The five year-old should be able to ride most rides. At 40 inches, a child can ride Soarin and Test Track at Epcot, Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain at MK, Star Tours at MGM, and I think Kali River Rapids at AK. You have to make the decision whether the child can handle those rides. DS, at six, loved Soarin and Star Tours, sort of liked Test Track, but hated Thunder Mountain. He didn't ride the others. DD, at four, hated Test Track and sort of liked Soarin...after thinking about it. She initially didn't like it.

As for the two year-old, Mickey's Philharmagic is really fun if the child is familiar with Disney movies. There is also a playground for younger children in ToonTown that the younger one could play in while the five year-old goes on some of the bigger rides. I wouldn't take the two year-old on Haunted Mansion, but the five year-old would be able to get the jokes and realize that it isn't that scary. Neither of my children were ever scared by Pirates of the Caribbean, even when DS was 13 months.

Have fun!

 

[STEAMBOAT209]

I am travelling to WDW with a 2 and 5 year old. What rides if any can we get on??? I know there are restrictions for rollercoasters but what about other rides? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

My grandson is 4 yrs old, and he did all the rides in Fanstyland, Toontown Fair he rode the Barnstormer, in Tomorrowland he did Buzz, Transit Authority, and Astro Orbiter, in Frontierland he rode Splash Mountain, BTMR, in Liberty Square, he rode Haunted Masion, in Adventureland he rode the Jungle Cruise, Magic Carpets of Aladdin, he had a blast on the rides, and we did them many times over.