Which HS attractions to skip with kids?

[mrsincredible3]

When we return to wdw our boys will be 7 and 2, we went this year for the first time. We only spent one morning at HS, doing Disney jr breakfast , star tours, JTA and tsm, with some time spent in the Star Wars gift shop. This year we'd like to do a full day and see fantasmic. I know every kid is different but which attractions would be least appealing to boys these ages ? It sounds like the Indiana jones show may be gone by then. Should we skip backlot tour? Great movie ride ? We would like to do:

Star tours
Jedi training
Rock n roller coaster (ds2 can do tsm as ds7 has no interest in tsm )
Beaty and the beast
LMA show
Histk playground. (Ds2 will do the disney jr show during this time)
Maybe one mans dream ?
Maybe backlot tour?
Maybe great movie ride?

Trying to figure out if we really need a whole day at the park. If not well split it up and spend a morning there and come back a second day to finish the shows and see fantasmic Hoping to do lunch at sci if diner and a fantasmic dinner package. Thanks!

 

[minniemous]

When we return to wdw our boys will be 7 and 2, we went this year for the first time. We only spent one morning at HS, doing Disney jr breakfast , star tours, JTA and tsm, with some time spent in the Star Wars gift shop. This year we'd like to do a full day and see fantasmic. I know every kid is different but which attractions would be least appealing to boys these ages ? It sounds like the Indiana jones show may be gone by then. Should we skip backlot tour? Great movie ride ? We would like to do:

Star tours
Jedi training
Rock n roller coaster (ds2 can do tsm as ds7 has no interest in tsm )
Beaty and the beast
LMA show
Histk playground. (Ds2 will do the disney jr show during this time)
Maybe one mans dream ?
Maybe backlot tour?
Maybe great movie ride?

Trying to figure out if we really need a whole day at the park. If not well split it up and spend a morning there and come back a second day to finish the shows and see fantasmic Hoping to do lunch at sci if diner and a fantasmic dinner package. Thanks!

My daughter (4) loved the backlot and the great movie ride. If you do not have time to do them then I would say your inclination of which rides to skip are good.

Are you sure your 7 year old son will want to skip TSM? Have you been on it before? It would seem that this a ride that would be something most kids his age love He very well may not be into it. It just seemed like boys and girls that age love that ride!

 

[amym2]

Our DS liked One Man's Dream because he loves biographies and is interested in Walt Disney's background. I wouldn't think it would be appealing to most 7yr olds, though.

The Great Movie Ride totally freaked our kids out when they were those ages and they don't usually get scared easily. But yours may be just fine. I wouldn't hesitate to skip it.

The Backlot tour is fun (or at least it used to be... it was closed during our last two visits).

We never seem to be able to make a full day at DHS. We'd probably go for the two partial day option you mentioned.

 

[disneyfantotheend]

Why is your 2yo skipping the playground? Or is it just because time doesn't allow both?

Can't imagine any 7yo not liking TSMM either, but all kids are different and you certainly know yours better than I.

Great Movie Ride is fun, imo, but I do agree that some small kids would certainly be scared of certain scenes. If you haven't ridden it before, I would watch a you tube video and make sure your kids would like it. My kids always have since they were small, but they also rode ToT when they were 3 and 5.

We like One Man's Dream, but I agree the kids will likely not enjoy it, but you also need to do some things for the adults. It is basically like a mini museum and then a movie biography of Walt.

Many do not like Backlot Tour since they basically took most of the Backlot away, but we still try to do it occasionally. Not every trip.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

No help here. The last time we visited DHS we spent 13 hours in the park, and still didn't see/do everything we wanted to! We're making it a 2 day park on our next trip. So I say do all the things!

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

I think your DS2 would probably LOVE the playground. I wouldn't be so quick to skip that for him. And, as others have said, TSMM is a hit with all ages. Even if your DS7 doesn't care for Toy Story, he may love the ride/game.

Just to throw a wrench in, I would also add Muppets 3D. It's such a fun show! The Little Mermaid show is good too. My boys were 8 and 10 and agreed to go to keep Mom happy, since it's a "girl" show, after all. They both really enjoyed it.

And are they into meeting characters at all? If so, there's some great ones you won't find anywhere else.

 

[mrsincredible3]

Why is your 2yo skipping the playground? Or is it just because time doesn't allow both?

Can't imagine any 7yo not liking TSMM either, but all kids are different and you certainly know yours better than I.

Great Movie Ride is fun, imo, but I do agree that some small kids would certainly be scared of certain scenes. If you haven't ridden it before, I would watch a you tube video and make sure your kids would like it. My kids always have since they were small, but they also rode ToT when they were 3 and 5.

We like One Man's Dream, but I agree the kids will likely not enjoy it, but you also need to do some things for the adults. It is basically like a mini museum and then a movie biography of Walt.

Many do not like Backlot Tour since they basically took most of the Backlot away, but we still try to do it occasionally. Not every trip.

Can a two year old play on that playground? Is there equipment for a two year old or will I have to lift him and help him on everything? I was worried about big kids running around near my little guy and thought when my older boy does the histk playground it would be a good time for my 2yo to see the disney jr show, since my ds7 doesn't want to see that. I got the impression that playground was good for the. 4-10 age range?

 

[mrsincredible3]

My daughter (4) loved the backlot and the great movie ride. If you do not have time to do them then I would say your inclination of which rides to skip are good.

Are you sure your 7 year old son will want to skip TSM? Have you been on it before? It would seem that this a ride that would be something most kids his age love He very well may not be into it. It just seemed like boys and girls that age love that ride!

I will quite my son:"I do not like toy story. I do not like video games". He refused to ride last year and continues his stance against tsm

 

[Gumbo4x4]

DD6 thought Fantasmic was too creepy - cried through the whole thing.

 

[ChgoMusicGirl]

Obviously everyone is different, but my DS5 really liked backlot, although I'm not sure it would be a huge loss to skip it, the water and the explosion parts are still really cool, even though most of the other stuff is gone (at least from what I can remember), the rest of it was kind of boring and we got delayed, as in the tram sat, not moving, for like 15 minutes, which may have contributed to the feeling of boredom.
GMR he could take or leave, he was a little scared by the gunshots. But he loved Muppets 3D (but he also loves Philharmagic and really any 3D/4D show!)

 

[ariane37]

I think your DS2 would probably LOVE the playground. I wouldn't be so quick to skip that for him. And, as others have said, TSMM is a hit with all ages. Even if your DS7 doesn't care for Toy Story, he may love the ride/game.

Just to throw a wrench in, I would also add Muppets 3D. It's such a fun show! The Little Mermaid show is good too. My boys were 8 and 10 and agreed to go to keep Mom happy, since it's a "girl" show, after all. They both really enjoyed it.

And are they into meeting characters at all? If so, there's some great ones you won't find anywhere else.

I'll second Muppets 3D and VOTLM. DS8 asks to see that every time we go, and until DS12 turned 11 he was also a fan.
Is your 7 yo into drawing at all? Did you do the drawing class on your last visit? Granted your 2 yo is a bit young to sit through it, but if DS7 has any interest, maybe you or DH can take him in while the other one entertains DS2.

 

[jm106]

My boys, now 6 and 8 love DHS. We do 2 days and ride star tours over and over

They dont really want to skip much including little mermaid and yds still wants to see Disney Jr although I think he will be less interested once we return(its a good place to sit in AC.) Muppets is a huge fav.

My kids after the age of 3 did not like HISTK play ground and at 7 would MUCH prefer a thrill ride to that play area. I saw only little ones and we only used it for yds, 3 while ods was on ToT at 5 years old.
Back lot, another ok, place to sit and rest ride(yds has napped on it.)
Great Movie ride, they love.

 

[KimBean]

No help here. The last time we visited DHS we spent 13 hours in the park, and still didn't see/do everything we wanted to! We're making it a 2 day park on our next trip. So I say do all the things!

It's a 2 day park for us as well. With all the shows it would be hard to do in one day. Plus we got in dec and Fantasmic is usually only the earlier time.

Love animators studio, where they teach you to draw. We did it 3 times per day last time.

 

[mousefan73]

My DS back then would have been tramatized from the great movie ride. But he was sensitive. He had a fear of loud noises, firecrackers, gun shots etc. There is the hostage scene that has that, the alien thing and the snakes from Raiders would have done him in too. Each kid is different.

 

[disneyfantotheend]

Can a two year old play on that playground? Is there equipment for a two year old or will I have to lift him and help him on everything? I was worried about big kids running around near my little guy and thought when my older boy does the histk playground it would be a good time for my 2yo to see the disney jr show, since my ds7 doesn't want to see that. I got the impression that playground was good for the. 4-10 age range?

My kid are now nearly adults, so not sure if it is still the same as it was when they were small but they loved it at not quite 2 and 3 years old. We did have kids who were a little older with us though, so they helped them if they needed it. I remember helping them onto the giant ant for a picture, but think they did most of the rest on their own.

 

[tinkerbesh]

I would think twice about Great Movie Ride for your 2 year old. One version takes you through the gun-fighting gangsters (and those gun shots are LOUD), the other has shooting cowboys (also loud!) and buildings set on fire- real fire that you can feel the heat from... Either version gets your car hijacked by the bad guy. And they both also go through Oz where you could wind up right next to the Wicked Witch of the West (if you're towards the front of the cowboy scene car), the dark scary scene from Alien where the alien lunges down at you, and the Indiana Jones scene where the bad guy dies and turns into a skeleton. The main scary thing though I think is those darned gunshots and that one if the bad guys takes over your car.

 

[ifjf414]

When we return to wdw our boys will be 7 and 2, we went this year for the first time. We only spent one morning at HS, doing Disney jr breakfast , star tours, JTA and tsm, with some time spent in the Star Wars gift shop. This year we'd like to do a full day and see fantasmic. I know every kid is different but which attractions would be least appealing to boys these ages ? It sounds like the Indiana jones show may be gone by then. Should we skip backlot tour? Great movie ride ? We would like to do:

Star tours
Jedi training
Rock n roller coaster (ds2 can do tsm as ds7 has no interest in tsm )
Beaty and the beast
LMA show
Histk playground. (Ds2 will do the disney jr show during this time)
Maybe one mans dream ?
Maybe backlot tour?
Maybe great movie ride?

Trying to figure out if we really need a whole day at the park. If not well split it up and spend a morning there and come back a second day to finish the shows and see fantasmic Hoping to do lunch at sci if diner and a fantasmic dinner package. Thanks!

Beaty and the beast

Beauty and the beast - Can't imagine many boys care about this.
Great Movie Ride - It scared my 3 yr old
Your little one probably would like HISTK playground.

 

[kaetra]

I would skip Beauty and the Beast too. We didn't think the show was up to the same standard as other shows. Also, it's outdoors, so it can be pretty hot and miserable depending on the time of year.

My 11 yr. old DD loves R&R, but the music is SO LOUD, and the speakers are right by your ears, there's no way it's not causing hearing damage. I would be interested to know the actual decibel level. It also boxes my ears on the barrel rolls - ouch. I love roller coasters and thrill rides, but this one is a skip for me.

 

[ariane37]

I would skip Beauty and the Beast too. We didn't think the show was up to the same standard as other shows. Also, it's outdoors, so it can be pretty hot and miserable depending on the time of year.

My 11 yr. old DD loves R&R, but the music is SO LOUD, and the speakers are right by your ears, there's no way it's not causing hearing damage. I would be interested to know the actual decibel level. It also boxes my ears on the barrel rolls - ouch. I love roller coasters and thrill rides, but this one is a skip for me.

Ah, Steven Tyler in my ears is the best part!! It's like being at one of their concerts!

 

[mrsincredible3]

I would think twice about Great Movie Ride for your 2 year old. One version takes you through the gun-fighting gangsters (and those gun shots are LOUD), the other has shooting cowboys (also loud!) and buildings set on fire- real fire that you can feel the heat from... Either version gets your car hijacked by the bad guy. And they both also go through Oz where you could wind up right next to the Wicked Witch of the West (if you're towards the front of the cowboy scene car), the dark scary scene from Alien where the alien lunges down at you, and the Indiana Jones scene where the bad guy dies and turns into a skeleton. The main scary thing though I think is those darned gunshots and that one if the bad guys takes over your car.

Thanks, I went ahead and watched the GMR on youtube with older ds6 and we both agreed it was not appropriate for us. One thing to see it on a tv screen, but it's a while other thing to be daughter in the middle of some of those scenes. I took that and backlot tour off of our plan. One mans dream will be if we have time to kill between shows. Ds6 has trouble writing so I think the drawing class sounds great in theory but in reality would be an exercise in frustration for him. He has requested to see Beauty and the beast. So now I don't quite have enough in my plan to keep us there from opening till fantasmic, but not enough free time to go back to the hotel for a break. So I'm thinking well do everything at the park, and just come back another night just for dinner and fantasmic. Or I'll break it up into one morning with and afternoon at the pool, and then another afternoon and evening. And we will try to playground with the two year old, thanks for that suggestion!