Total WDW noob here lol

[JennyMP03]

MinnieMae89, there are several slow-moving, easy rides that you should be able to ride with both your fiance and daughter. As previous posters mentioned, they're more like shows that you move through at a gentle pace. They usually don't cause motion sickness, and much younger children ride them often. I'm going to list a few that come to mind, and you can watch the YouTube videos or read more about them. These are rides that entail little more than sitting in a boat/vehicle and watching animatronics as you slowly pass by, but many of them are iconic Disney attractions:

Magic Kingdom: Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise, Pirates of the Caribbean (note: There is a small drop on Pirates.), It's a Small World, Peter Pan's Flight, Winnie the Pooh, Under the Sea
Epcot: Spaceship Earth, Living with the Land, Journey Into Imagination, Ellen's Energy Adventure, The Seas with Nemo
Animal Kingdom: Kilimanjaro Safaris (note: You're in a jeep-style vehicle, and the track simulates a "rough" dirt road at time. There is very mild jostling in some locations.)
Hollywood Studios: Great Movie Ride

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Oh, I really dislike the idea of watching ride videos before you go to WDW! But then, I started going there long before they existed. I also don't think they give a great sense of any ride, they just kind of spoil some of the storyline.

MinnieMae89, I highly advise you to book all 3 FP for each park day. There are many options, and the FP wait will pretty much always be shorter than the standby line. Plus it is FREE.

FP waits over 15minutes are fairly rare. Soarin' is the almost the only ride where even FP waits (fairly often ) exceeded 15minutes, but that's why they are revamping it.

though some attractions- have three parts: pre-ride, ride, and post ride. the FP wait to get TO the pre-ride is almost always under 15, but the 3 parts combined can take longer. My family can easily spend half an hour watching the many aquarium critters in the Seas. Guests can play the race car game in Test Track as many times as they want.

There is- or at least was- several very fun water fountains over by the Imagination pavilion. In short, several of them have jumping water, where guests can try to grab a little squirt of water before it jumps away. Another little area of Epcot has micro lights imbedded in the pavement that also appear and disappear making different patterns. These are just a few examples of the many fun, non-ride discoveries awaiting you!

OH- one more fun thing to know about WDW...there are hidden Mickey designs (and other characters) all over the parks and hotels. You can buy a guide book, ask Cast Members for help, look online, or just spend hours searing for them on your own. You will even find a few in your hotel room! Look carefully at things like bedspread patterns, wallpaper, carpeting, decorative scrolls of any kind. Some Mickeys are just three circles, so almost any painting that has an image of bubbles or the like probably has at least one hidden Mickey! (I do suggest knowing a bit what they look like before you go.)

Another very fun non-ride activity you might make part of your stay is to visit at least one hotel, other than your own, to eat and explore. The deluxe resorts have some of the best dining and best grounds to explore. You can see animals at AKL, campfires at many, shops galore, a geyser at Wilderness Lodge (unless it is part of the current remodel), all kinds of artwork, displayed memorabilia, fresh flowers, live musicians, bridal parties, etc. My favorites are: Grand Floridian, Animal Kingdom Lodge, and the Boardwalk area is a beautiful place for an evening walk. At 9pm, you can see (most of) the Epcot fireworks from various spots around the Bwk lagoon. There are also many spots to stop in the assorted resorts for snacks and fun beverages.(though they can be a bit pricey!) Best of all, visiting resorts- unless you buy stuff- is free. You are allowed to use all the monorails, buses, and shuttle boats for free (assuming you can tolerate boats).

 

[mjkacmom]

I can't do carousels or tea cups, either, but most of the attractions have the same effect on motion sickness as walking down the block. By 7 all of my kids could go on everything.

 

[Baptist]

Don't discount the "rides". They are not like any other park. Star Tours in particular is awesome for a Star Wars fan. I would definitely do Toy Story and The Great Movie Ride. Tower of Terror and Rock n Roll Roller coaster are also great rides (but not for the queasy stomachs).

 

[5kidsmommy]

I am not a ride person at most places. My kids love roller coaster but at Disney I go on everything but Tower of Terror, Astro Orbiter (too high!!) and Mission Space. The rides at Disney are more of attractions that rides, really plan on going on them.

 

[Dallas_Lady]

Hm....I didn't think of that. All I ever read is how horrible the park is and how empty and dead it is. I'm nervous because I don't want to waste a whole day there if it's that "bad"

You've got to take everything we say around here with a grain of salt. Most of us are old and crotchety "Get off my lawn" Disney veterans. It doesn't take much for us to get our panties in a twist.

I think for a newby, the best strategy is to plan for a full day at each park, with the exception of MK- it needs two days. Spring for the park hoppers so you can move around if you want. I personally don't pay for them anymore, but that's because I've been enough to know how much time I like to spend in one park vs. another.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I think I'd give the opposite advice for a first time visit, there is no need to park hop. You'll find enough to do in each park.

Plus, WDW is all day walking and standing. Plus, your walking doesn't start and end with the parks; you'll do a fair bit of walking at your resort.

Most WDW guests run out of energy before they run out of things to do. I dare say, some us crotchety WDW veteran types skip some things not because they aren't worth seeing, but because deep down we don't have enough stamina to see/do everything!

But good luck getting anyone to admit here that they are out of shape.
I also think I'm not drawn to HS because I don't find it quite as attractive as the other three parks. What sets the other parks apart is just how attractive they are.