Taking my son to Disney World

[Broken Record]

Brand new to the forum. Let me start by saying that I’m not a huge fan of Disney World (or theme parks in general), but I am a huge fan of my soon to be 4 year old son and he has never been. I haven’t been myself since 97 or 98 and have only been 3 times in my 35 years.

We will be at Disney World starting this Sunday afternoon (15th) and our last full day is Thursday, so we’ve got maybe a half day on Sunday and then 4 full days. We’re staying at All Star Movies.

I want my son to have a great vacation that he’ll never forget, so I want to make sure we visit the parks on the best (least crowded) days. I know there has been some mention here about the MLK holiday and how it will affect the crowds, plus some say to avoid the park on the day of its early entry. I was hoping someone could give me some suggestions on which days I should go to which parks.

Also, my son is small for being almost 4 years old, he’s about 35 inches tall, not sure if that will restrict him from some rides. He is a thrill seeker and a huge Playhouse Disney fan. He loves fireworks, but he does have a thing about ghosts, so I’m not sure the Haunted Mansion would be good. Could anyone suggest what the “must do” rides/attractions would be for a kid of his age and demeanor?

Ol’ Dad here is willing to ride anything and take him anywhere, so don’t worry about suggesting things that might not fit for me, this trip is for the boy.

So to summarize my lengthy post…

1) If you were going to visit Disney World next Monday – Thursday, what parks would you visit on what days?

And

2) What are the best attractions for a Playhouse Disney loving, thrill seeking, but scared of ghosts 35 inch tall 4 year old?

Thanks in advance!!

 

[Eljay]

Well, I guess right away you can eliminate the Haunted Mansion, Tower of Terror and possibly Pirates of the Caribbean. Pirates has skeletons, but no actual ghost images.

Be sure to get to the parks early, before opening time so that your son can enjoy the opening ceremonies!

 

[crzy4mickey]

First go to the Parks section on the home page and that will tell you EMH's for each park. Which ever park has evening EMH, go to that park the next morning at opening. If he is a thrill seaker at MK he will probably enjoy all the mountains but not sure about the height rescrictions. That informaiton is also listed somewhere on this site and check out Allearsnet.com. That way you know which rides he is too small for and won't face any disappointment when you get there. Have a great time! This site helped me a lot when we went last year.

 

[WDWfan36]

1. If i were going to WDW i would do this

Monday- Magic Kingdom
Tuesday-Epcot
Wensday-MGM later Epcot
Thursday-Animal Kingdom later Magic kingdom

2. He would probley enjoy
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin Magic Kingdom Park
Be a superhero and fire your laser cannon at interactive targets to help Buzz Lightyear, star of Disney/Pixar's "Toy Story," save the toy galaxy from the Evil Emperor Zurg!

Cinderella Castle Magic Kingdom Park
Pose for a picture in front of what could be the single best-loved structure in the world.


Cinderella's Golden Carousel Magic Kingdom Park
Ride an enchanted horse through a whirling fantasy of color and music.


Country Bear Jamboree Magic Kingdom Park
Join a brood of banjo-strummin' bears in this foot-stompin' hoedown.


Dino-Sue Disney's Animal Kingdom Park
Get an amazing glimpse into the prehistoric past by seeing a reproduction of the largest, most complete Tyrannosaurus Rex ever discovered.


Donald's Boat Magic Kingdom Park
All aboard the SS Miss Daisy! Just try and keep dry while playing on this leaky tub of a water play area that's ducky fun!


Dumbo The Flying Elephant Magic Kingdom Park
Soar high above Fantasyland atop the world's most popular pachyderm.


"Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" Movie Set Adventure Disney-MGM Studios
Experience life on a jumbo scale in an oversized play space for tykes inspired by Disney's live action movie, "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids."


ImageWorks - The Kodak "What If" Labs Epcot
Put your hands on a dazzling array of interactive experiences. It's all the fun you can possibly imagine -- and more!


Muppet Vision 3-D Disney-MGM Studios
Put on your special glasses and step right up to experience the most sensational, inspirational, celebrational, Muppetational 3-D show!


Journey Into Imagination With Figment Epcot
Board a vehicle at the Imagination Institute for a ride that tickles your senses! Travel through laugh-filled labs testing sight, sound and smell - with that free-spirited dragon Figment leading the way.

Kidcot Fun Stops Epcot
Stop for fun at every pavilion, where your kids' creativity can reach new heights.


Kids Discovery Clubs Disney's Animal Kingdom Park
Keep your eyes open for these kid-friendly outposts where kids explore and discover nature's wonders through hands-on experiences.

Kilimanjaro Safaris Disney's Animal Kingdom Park
Ride off into the savannah in an open-air safari vehicle for a thrilling animal-filled African expedition.

Liberty Square Riverboat Magic Kingdom Park
Cruise the Rivers of America aboard this authentic three-tiered paddle wheeler for a scenic, half-mile tour of Frontierland, Liberty Square and Tom Sawyer Island.



Maharajah Jungle Trek Disney's Animal Kingdom Park
Venture on foot through a tropical paradise rife with exotic and beautiful plants and trees, rushing waterfalls and real live bats, Komodo dragons and tigers!

Main Street Vehicles Magic Kingdom Park
Whisk down Main Street, U.S.A. in style aboard a fire engine, a horseless carriage, a horse-drawn streetcar, an omnibus, or a jitney.

Mickey's Country House Magic Kingdom Park
Take a self-guided tour of Mickey Mouse's house and see all the artifacts from the life and brilliant career of the big cheese himself!

Mickey's PhilharMagic Magic Kingdom Park
Immerse yourself in a magical 3-D adventure starring Mickey Mouse and a surprise "con-DUCK-tor".

Minnie's Country House Magic Kingdom Park
Step inside this cozy cottage that leapt right off of an animator's sketch pad for your tour of the home of Mickey's number one gal pal.

Pangani Forest Exploration Trail Disney's Animal Kingdom Park
Go bananas over your close encounter with a troop of gorillas as you hike through this captivating valley richly populated with rare African animals.

Peter Pan's Flight Magic Kingdom Park
Sail in a pirate ship over the twinkling London skyline from the beloved animated Disney masterpiece, "Peter Pan." Then it's off on your flight of fancy to Never Land...



The Barnstormer at Goofy's Wiseacre Farm Magic Kingdom Park
Try your flying maneuvers on aviator Goofy's crop-dusting, biplane roller coaster flight.

The Boneyard Disney's Animal Kingdom® Park
Everyone digs playing with dinosaurs! This fossil dig site is a fun-for-all play area where you can climb, slip, slide, slither, slosh and, of course, dig to your heart's content.

The Enchanted Tiki Room Magic Kingdom® Park
See how things get shaken up at this musical revue when things begin to rock 'n roll and feathers fly!

The Living Seas Epcot
Descend fathoms into an incredible undersea world at the largest saltwater environment ever built!

The Magic Carpets of Aladdin Magic Kingdom Park
Go for a spin aboard your own magic carpet as you sail away on an exotic adventure high above Agrabah.

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh Magic Kingdom Park
Climb aboard Pooh's Hunny Pot for a journey into A. A. Milne's storybook and live the tales of Winnie the Pooh on a "very blustery day."

Tomorrowland® Transit Authority Magic Kingdom Park
Believe in the promise of Tomorrow as you take this pollution-free mass transit super skyway through Tomorrowland.

TriceraTop Spin Disney's Animal Kingdom Park
Fly on the back of a friendly Triceratops as this dino soars high above DinoLand U.S.A.

Turtle Talk with Crush Epcot
Drop anchor and have a chat with Nemo's sea turtle pal, Crush. This live, interactive animated show is totally awesome, Dude!

Voyage of The Little Mermaid Disney-MGM Studios
Plunge into the midst of a colorful stage extravaganza celebrating the tale of Ariel's fantastic voyage, her encounter with the evil sea witch and desire to be part of your world.

Walt Disney World Railroad Magic Kingdom Park
Take a scenic tour of the Magic Kingdom aboard one of these bona fide antique steam-powered engines for a scenic look at the Park.


"it's a small world" Magic Kingdom Park

 

[WDWNicole]

Ypu have to be 40 inches for the thrill rides - all the "mountains" in MK, TofT, RR, Test Track.

 

[MinnieMom]

Dd was 4 last year when we went and it was her 3rd time so we pretty much knew what she was going to like and what she wasn't. Your son sounds quite a bit like her.

First thing to think about is how to work in some breaks if you are planning on doing a park every day. At that age, that could be pretty exhausting for him.

I was lucky enough to do a park every other day last year with dd and that worked out really well, so we just stayed at the park all day. You may want to consider taking afternoon breaks back at the resort with your ds to give him some down time.

His height will keep him from being able to ride a few things, but most will be ok.

Since you're staying at a resort, if you are an early bird and plan on using the extra hour in the AM, I would go that day. If not, I would skip the park that has the EMH.

As far as rides go, I would make sure you do Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, Goofy's Barnstormer, Dumbo, and Peter Pan's Flight. Also be sure to see Mickey's Philharmagic (AWESOME!) and Mickey & Minnie's houses. Every kid has to see the mouse houses on their first trip!

At MGM, I would definitely do Playhouse Disney and the MuppetVision 3-D show -- Dd really liked those.

Those are the musts that I can think of off the top of my head. Have a great trip!

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

Well since he is a Playhouse Disney fan then you must go to MGM to see the stage show. Lots of fun. You sit on the floor and the kids can get up and dance! They also have alot of character interaction at MGM. The Power Rangers appear at MGM, if he is into them. I also like the Muppet show with the 3-D. Its fun!
At MK, definitely the Pooh ride, the tea cups, dumbo and the Aladdin magic carpet ride are fun and pretty much the rest of Fantasyland. He'd probably like POC, and the jungle cruise.
My DD also loves to take the steam train around MK. Its a nice RELAXING trip for the parents. Kids know they are on a ride and the old people get to sit for a nice period of time.
At Epcot we like the character greetings for my DD and the kidcot stations. They get a mask to decorate in each country (its free).
AK is alot of fun. Definitely do the Lion King show!! A wonderful 30 minute show (again - relaxing and entertaining). The conservation station is nice but they have a talking recycling can that freaked out my DD. Obviously the safari is a must do. Dinoland is fun but my DD gets upset that she isn't tall enough for the Triceratop spin. She's pretty tall and was 5 1/2 on the last trip and she was still too short.
I'm sure others will have lots to say on park days and rides but this is some of what we enjoy.
You have the best attitude! I haven't ridden the big rides for years because I don't want to leave my DD behind or do the kid swap. I've got time when she is older.
And if you can do a character meal. The Pooh meal is nice at Crystal Palace and Chef Mickey is always one of our favorites. I always book Chef Mickey for either the beginning or the end. This way we never have to stand in the lines because we know we will get (or have gotten) the pics and autographs already for the major players. Last trip we did it at the end and then rode the monorail around for one last time prior to departing. It was a nice end.
Enjoy your trip!!

 

[Feralpeg]

Ol’ Dad here is willing to ride anything and take him anywhere, so don’t worry about suggesting things that might not fit for me, this trip is for the boy.

You sound like a great dad! Would you allow me to help make this a special trip for your son? I live very close to WDW and sometimes like to spread a little pixie dust. I have a very special brand new Mickey Mouse plush that would love to go home with your son. If you don't mind me giving it to him, please PM me the name your reservation will be under and your son's first name. I will have it waiting for you when you check in at All Star Movies on Sunday.

 

[Pocahontas1]

I hope you have a great trip. My son is 5, so I'll try to think of some of his favorites.

I agree with most of the suggestions of a previous poster. I'd skip Haunted Mansion and Pirates as they are a little intense. So is Snow White, so you might want to skip that as well.

My son really enjoys going to Tom Sawyer's Island and was very disappointed we didn't go last time. There are not any rides over there, but he enjoyed exploring, running around, visiting the old fort, going through the tunnels. Not sure if you son would be interested in that or not. My son also like the arcade in Frontierland. Not too bad at a quarter a try.

Other things around the world he enjoys...really likes Festival of the Lion King at Animal Kingdom. Also enjoys most of the 3-D movies, but Bugs Life kind of freaked him out since there are some very large bugs that appear during the movie. Any of the playgrounds are great, expecially the Boneyard at AK and Honey I Shrunk at MGM. He also loved the Lights, Motor, Action Stunt Show at MGM and plays that with his cars at home. He likes the Indiana Jones show, too, but it is a bit more intense.

Other things he enjoys are going to Downtown Disney and playing at the Lego store, riding around on the monorail (up front if he gets the chance), going to Fort Wilderness to see the petting zoo and go to the campfire and movie (all free), renting a "WaterMouse" and cruising around 7 Seas Lagoon.

One thing I've found with Disney is there is a whole lot more than just rides. A break in the day really helps. We try to have one sit down meal each day to give us a time to rest and regroup. Chef Mickey's is one of his favorite restaurants. Not sure if you could still get a reservation for that or not.

Anyway, I'm happy to help in anyway I can. Feel free to PM me if you want. Hope you have a great trip.

 

[chrome64]

Here are the park hours including the EMHs. I have never had a problem going to a park on EMH days and usually plan to do just that. I want to get the most time in the parks that I can!!

Sunday Jan. 15
MK 9:00am-12:00am
Epcot 9:00am-9:00pm
MGM 9:00am-7:00pm
AK 9:00am - 5:00pm

Monday Jan. 16
MK 9:00am - 8:00pm
Epcot 9:00am - 9:00pm
MGM 9:00am - 7:00pm
AK 8:00am-5:00pm

Tuesday Jan. 17
MK 9:00am - 8:00pm
Epcot 8:00am - 9:00pm
MGM 9:00am - 10:00pm
AK 9:00am - 5:00pm

Wednesday Jan. 18
MK 9:00am - 8:00pm
Epcot 9:00am - 9:00pm
MGM 9:00am - 7:00pm
AK 9:00am - 8:00pm


Thursday Jan. 19
MK 8:00am - 8:00pm
Ecpot 9:00am - 9:00pm
MGM 9:00am - 7:00pm
AK 9:00am - 5:00pm

So given this information, here is what I would do:

Sunday Jan. 15 - Magic Kingdom
Monday Jan. 16 - Epcot
Tuesday Jan. 17 - MGM
Wednesday Jan. 18 - Animal Kingdom
Thursday Jan. 19 - Use as a day to go back to your favorite park!

Just remember since you haven't been in a while, you can't do everything and if you see a line that has more than 20 minutes wait come back to it later! Use fastpass, I believe that it is new since the last time that you were there and it is a great way to not have to stand in line all day. Just remember to get your passes early in the day!

And since you haven't been a big fan of Disney in the past... Go in with an open mind, you might find that you love watching your son have fun and may decide that you like it better too!!

Have a great time! I know that your son will love it!

 

[bamagirl@hrt]

I can't help much regarding which park/which day, as I've never been in January before. I would suggest checking out touringplans.com. They have a rating for projected crowds for each day of the entire year!

I have a 4 year old son also. On our last visit, he'd just turned 3. He's looking forward to our trip this fall when he'll be big enough for the big rides. These are the things I'd suggest:

MAGIC KINGDOM:
- Pretty much all of FantasyLand. The Snow White's Scary Adventure ride is a bit intense. Lots of the witch & kind of loud. It's a minor attraction, so I definitely wouldn't wait in a long line for it!

- Mickey's Philharmagic was one of our favorites of all the parks! It's great!
- Peter Pan, Small World, Winnie-the-Pooh, Dumbo, carousel -- all calm, fun rides for preschoolers

- In Tomorrow Land, my son LOVED the Buzz Lightyear ride!! Of course, he's a huge Toy Story fan! The Stitch ride wasn't open when we went last, but it hasn't been well received, at least on these boards. My son also liked the Indy Speedway cars and the Tomorrowland Transit Authority in Tomorrowland.

- In Mickey's ToonTown, little ones love just about everything! There are a lot of character meet & greets here. The only real ride is Goofy's Barnstormer, which is a roller coaster that's just right for little guys.

- In Adventureland, we liked the Jungle Cruise and the Enchanted Tiki Birds. There are periods of dark & loud noises in the Tiki Birds, so beware if that frightens your son. My then 3 year old loved the Pirates of the Carribean, but it scared my then 6 yr old daughter. Go figure. Your son probably won't be tall enough for Splash Mtn. or Big Thunder Mtn. You can check wdwinfo.com, allearsnet.com, or the Disney site for height restriction info.

- Of course, the parades and fireworks in the MK are great! SpectroMagic, the night time parade is AWESOME! The afternoon parade is good, but Spectro is not to be missed.

DISNEY-MGM:
- Definitely the Playhouse Disney Live On Stage show!! It's fun and my kids loved it!
- My kids also like the Voyage of the Little Mermaid. Ursula, the sea witch, is very prominent in one scene. My son just covered his eyes during that part.
- The Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular was a hit with my son!
- He also like the Great Movie Ride, but we covered his eyes during the scene from Alien, when the alien comes out of the ceiling over your car.
- The Muppets 3-D is also great!
- There are a lot of character meet & greets at MGM. Some are around the big hat. Some are on one of the back streets (Mickey Ave?) I know JoJo & Goliath have been there. There's also Al's Toy Barn where many Toy Story characters are.
- My son LOVES Fantasmic! It's the night show at MGM. It has a lot of villians, but no ghosts. The scariest thing is a huge dragon that breathes fire onto the lake.
- The parade here is also great. You get to see some characters you don't normally see in meet & greets, like Star Wars characters.

ANIMAL KINGDOM:
- Festival of the Lion King is a must see! My kids also like the Pocahontas show, though some think it's hoakey.
- It's Tough to be a Bug is great!
- Kilimanjaro Safaris
- Triceratops Spin in DinoLand
- We liked the bird show too!
- We've never riden Dinosaur. It's too intense for both of my kids, but if yours is a thrill seeker, he might like it.
- Just spending time looking at the animals is great

EPCOT FUTURE WORLD:
- The Living Seas is great. Turtle Talk with Crush is supposed to be awesome, dude. We haven't seen it yet.
- The Land. He should be big enough to ride Soarin'
- Test Track, if he's big enough. Check the height restriction
- Journey into Imagination with Figment is great for little ones.
- We avoided Honey, I Shrunk the Audience, because there's a huge snake w/ 3-D effects.
- Spaceship Earth was one of my son's favs too.

WORLD SHOWCASE:
- Maelstrom at Norway
- Chinese acrobats in China
- Miyuki the candy lady in Japan
The movies were pretty boring for my son. As was the American Adventure. In fact, we used the American Adventure show as nap time for him!

I'm sure there will be others to add must-do's to my list. Maybe this will get you started. Have a great trip!

Oh, have you booked Advanced Dining Reservations (ADRs)? If not, I'd recommend it before you leave. A character meal or two could be really fun. I would recommend the Crystal Palace in the Magic Kingdom. It serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner with Pooh. Chef Mickey's at the Contemporary serves breakfast & dinner with Mickey, Goofy, Pluto, and Chip & Dale.

Have fun!

 

[MrShiny]

OK, here would be the parks to do to avoid EMH and any crowds that might show up on the holiday (not the ony schedule that does so, just a suggestion):

Sun 15 - Disney MGM (last playhouse Disney 5 PM)
Mon 16 - Magic Kingdom
Tue 17 - Animal Kingdom
Wed 18 - Magic Kingdom
Thu 19 - Epcot or MGM

Thrill rides for 35"-ers are slim. Goofy's Barnstormer at Magic Kingdom works (at 35").

Pirates should be good (unless his fear of ghosts includes skeletons). Also Maelstrom in Norway at Epcot. Honey I Shrunk the Audience at Epcot would be good too. I think he'd probably like Lights, Motors, Action! at MGM as well as the Indiana Jones Stunt show.

Do try to catch all the fireworks (especially Fantasmic).

General rules - let him set the pace. Don't let your desire to give him the greatest trip override his energy. You may want to rush on to the next big ride while he may become fascintaed with the little lizard running by. Let him set the pace to avoid irritated toddler syndrome.

Get to the parks as early as you can, take a break (a swim or nap is great - or even lunch at the resorts (which are less crowded than the parks and have all kinds of neat stuff), and then return after dinner until closing. Those "wasted" hours will pay off as the crowds thin.

Drink lots of water - no matter the temperature, very easy to forget and get dehydrated.

Make at least one sit down dinner reservation per day (call now!) if you haven't. This will be well worth it on after (or in the middle of) a busy day.

Take time for Downtown Disney. He'll most likely love the Lego and toy stores there.

Bon voyage!

 

[chrome64]

Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin will be closed while you are there. It's a shame, he probably would have loved it. But make sure he doesn't get his hopes up for it!

 

[nhpooh]

You sound like a great dad! Would you allow me to help make this a special trip for your son? I live very close to WDW and sometimes like to spread a little pixie dust. I have a very special brand new Mickey Mouse plush that would love to go home with your son. If you don't mind me giving it to him, please PM me the name your reservation will be under and your son's first name. I will have it waiting for you when you check in at All Star Movies on Sunday.

I just have to say that is really nice of you Feralpeg. We need more people like you!

Broken Record have fun with you DS, just enjoy seeing Disney through his eyes. They are so much fun at his age.

 

[TinkGirl]

The one thing I tell anyone going to Disney is to get to the parks when they open. We always get so much done right away--especially Fantasyland. Have a great trip. How wonderful to take a four year old for the first time!

 

[Broken Record]

Wow! Thanks for all the great tips and advice. Exactly the information I was looking for and some great points made that I hadn't even considered.

I've been on Disneyworld's site researching all the rides and attractions suggested and everything looks right on for my little one. You guys definitely know your stuff. That's too bad about Buzz Lightyear being closed, but I'm guessing we won't be lacking for fun things to do!

Thanks also to MrShiny for the great tips about keeping a young one happy at the parks. Great stuff there. I'm not a "have to do it all" kind of guy, and I've already told him that he's in charge next week, so while I'll try to guide him to a few things, we're gonna just let him run the show for the most part.

We do have a reservation for breakfast with Pooh at... is it the Crystal Palace? He loves Tigger, so this seemed like a natural.

Thanks again to everyone! I'll drop by after we get back and let y'all know how it went.

 

[BYC]

Are you planning on bringing a stroller? You may want to.....or rent one. He will need it after a while!

 

[Eljay]

You might want to pick up an autograph book at the POP giftshop. Little ones his age really get into the autograph collecting! He'll have a perfect opportunity to get some choice ones at the Crystal Palace character meal!

A little tip, leave the page facing the autograph blank, so you can add a pic of him with the character later. My niece loved the pics of her with the character actually signing her book. It was almost like proof to her friends, you know how kids are!

The characters need a fat pen to be able to easily hold to sign their names. They sell the pens right next to the autograph books, with pictures of different characters. If your son loves a particular character, buy him that pen and you will see how the character will make a BIG deal out of it when your son shows them 'their' pen!

Oh, another thing he might like, at MGM they have the Power Rangers out and about for autographs & pics. Also, the green Army men from Toy Story!

There is so much more to do than wait in endless lines for rides.

 

[goodeats]

I would NOT go to Magic Kingdom on Monday. Too many locals and people with the day off. I would go on Tuesday, or whatever day there's no EMHs

 

[DutchsMommy]

I second the 'arrive early' comments. Specifically at MK. If you want to tour Fantasyland with small to no wait (and trust me you do) then head there right away. If your DS is like mine he will want to ride Pooh about 4 times in a row LOL and being able to just run around and jump on again beats standing in line any day. Our DS also LOVED the Speedway (prev. mentioned) it is in btwn Fantasyland and Tommorrowland, just past the Teacups. Not sure if it will be just the two of you or if another person (ie wife etc) will be there - if so, make the other person go one car in front of you and pretend with DS to try and 'bump' her....you aren't really supposed to bump but we have great memories of DH and DS trying to rear-end mommy - DS was hysterical with laughter! I also second Philharmagic - if you hustle to Fantasyland you can get most of the rides done and still catch the first showing of Philharmagic - it is wonderful for kids and adults alike, really good 3D. DS also LOVES the Boneyard in AK - can play there for hours. So if your DS is into Dinos you have to check it out. There are also great Dino souvenires in the shop at the exit of 'Dinosaur' (too scary for your DS likely and possibly he is not tall enough - not sure about the height but probably not a good one anyway).