THE ULTIMATE TODDLER RIDE GUIDE - WDW

You've just booked your first 'family' Disney World trip and you are taking your toddler or young child. You are overwhelmed with excitement, you can't wait to make so many amazing memories but you are also starting to think about the practicalities of the trip because this trip is going to be totally different to any other WDW trip you have been on (if you have been before). We know exactly how you feel, because this was us last year. I started to think about logistics with a toddler and how I could prepare as best as possible to get maximum enjoyment for everyone! If you haven't yet read my planning blog, this is an excellent place to start to prepare you for this adventure with your little one/s.

A couple of things to remember on this holiday...

• Yes, you have of course spent a lot of money to go on this incredible holiday so naturally you are going to want to potentialize it as much as possible, BUT you won't be able to do everything. It's just not possible to get on every ride, see every show or do every attraction. It's important to have a relaxed approach to this.

• Make a plan of your family's 'MUST DO'S' so you incorporate this into your schedule/plan by day. If we are going to a park in the morning, we might say that we have two rides that we really want to go that morning. This way you gradually tick these bucket list attractions off your list. There are always going to be times where the ride you want to go on is super busy and it's just not possible that day. Just adjust the plans according, you can ride it later in the holiday!

• Measure your child's height before you go and check them against the height restrictions (easiest way to do this is use the app). This way you know exactly what they can ride and it will avoid disappoint when in the park.

• Don't forget to look up scheduled ride closures. You don't want to be disappointed on the day!

Lets talk about the best toddler RIDES by park... (I will be doing a separate blog for the shows & character meet & greets)

MAGIC KINGDOM

This park is home to the most family friendly rides - 17 attractions with no height restrictions!

The Quieter Rides:

• Mad Tea Party (tea cups) - Jump into a large pastel teacup where you can choose to spin or just enjoy being whizzed around the floor. This is Suitable for all ages and generally a very low wait time!

• Dumbo the flying Elephant - The perfect first flight for children. They even have a control that enables the elephant to go up and down whilst in flight which children love! Super iconic and Suitable for all ages!

• The Magic Carpets of Aladdin -Suitable for all ages! This is very similar to Dumbo so if you don't have time to do both, choose your preference!

• Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover - The perfect relaxing ride to do when the park starts to get busy... suitable for all ages!

• Under the Sea - journey of the little mermaid - suitable for all ages! An indoor ride where you board a clam shell and get taken under the sea to explore the classic animation and journey of Ariel.

• Prince Charming Regal Carrousel - beautiful classic suitable for all ages! There is alterative carriage style seating if your child is too young for the horses.

• Walt Disney World Railroad - You can ride this iconic train to different lands/areas of the park! Not only is this a great family attraction, its a great method of transport if you want to get from one side of the park to the other!

Nick & Arla enjoying a ride on Dumbo the flying Elephant.

About to Ride the Mad Tea Party in the evening! Arla co-ordinating with her teacup!

Busier Rides:

• Tomorrowland Speedway - You must be 81cm or taller to ride. It's essentially a car ride that's self drive but on a track. Great fun for slightly older kids that want to experience the feel of driving.

• Astro Orbiter - This is a very similar ride to Dumbo/carpets however you orbit the planets up in the sky with amazing views of the park. This again is suitable for all ages!

• Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin - a shooting gallery game with lasers which is great fun for challenging your family members! If you have a little one too young to participate in the physical shooting, they can sit in the middle and enjoy the ride or spin the vehicle to make it extra challenging for you! This is suitable for all ages.

• Goofy's Barnstormer - A mini roller-coaster suitable for 89cm or taller. Arla was 2 and a half when she rode this and she was just over the restriction. She was really excited to ride this. When it dropped she was very unsure at first which I caught on video, a very funny watch, however once we progressed around the track she really enjoyed it. It is such a short ride, approx 30 seconds so if your child doesn't enjoy it, its over in a flash. The perfect first rollercoaster experience!

• It's a small World - an enjoyable whimsical boat ride featuring the singing dolls from all around the world! Full of colour, fun and plenty to look at, this ride is sensory heaven for small children and suitable for all ages.

Arla's first Rollercoaster experience on Goofy's Barnstormer and she loved it!

Rides that get Busy Quickly:

• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh - Sit in a honey pot and enjoy travelling through the hundred acre wood with Pooh and his friends. We didn't get to ride this attraction on our last trip as it does get very busy! Its suitable for all ages and one to plan in earlier in the day!

• Jungle Cruise - take an adventure on a boat tour with a very comedic skipper! Great humour for adults and perfect for animal loving children! There are no height restrictions and this ride does get very busy, so plan this one into your itinerary for earlier in the day if it's a must do for you!

About to set off on our Jungle Cruise - it was a very hot day in Orlando so a gentle scenic boat ride was very much welcomed!

Super Busy!!

• Peter Pan's Flight - board a small ship and sail over London. This is suitable for all ages and is one of the busiest rides in the park! It is definitely a must do but plan to do this ride first thing if you aren't using Genie+ for the day.

If your child is nervous or scared of the dark, the below rides may not be suitable. We did both of these with Arla (she was 2 and a half) and she was absolutely fine as she was sat in-between us.

Both of these rides can get busier towards mid-day:

• Pirates of the Caribbean - This is a boat ride where you explore a pirate life..it is dimly lit and there is a small dark drop at the beginning of the ride. The lighting improves as the ride progresses so you can reassure your little ones! The music is great and it features a very famous face...

• Haunted Mansion - Make your way through the mansion in a doom buggy (vehicle) home to 999 happy haunts! This ride is mildly scary but the music gains momentum and a joyful 'spirit' as the ride progresses which we bobbed along to to ease the mood for our toddler!

HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS

• Alien Swirling Saucers - a similar style ride to the teacups but you are attached to an alien that takes you for a spin! It definitely gains momentum and it had Arla giggling the whole time! Great fun for little ones who are 81cm or taller.

Alien Swirling Saucers are so fun and definitely a step up from the teacups! Arla was giggling the whole time!

Rides that get Busy Quickly:

• Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway - a delightful journey with Mickey & Minnie as Vintage style characters. You board Goofy's train only to be separated from him while you embark on an amazing adventure with Mickey, Minnie & friends! This is an incredible ride suitable for all ages which really is a unique sensory experience. It includes small simulation sections which is so cleverly incorporated. The original ride prior to this was The Great Movie Ride and there is definitely a huge step up in terms of theming and technology. It still incorporates the history & essence of the original ride in the queuing system which takes place in the Chinese theatre. This is an absolute must do! It gets very busy to plan for this one first thing in the morning or ensure you Genie + it!

• Toy Story Mania - A point scoring shooting game in 4D! This is incredible technology where you shot a screen and it registers the shot! A step up from the traditional laser shooting experience with fun twists and turns as you venture through the game! This is enjoyable for all ages and plenty of room for a little one to sit in between if they are too young or aren't ready to participate.

Toy Story Mania was great fun and Arla loved watching Nick and I shoot the targets! Don't forget to pick up your glasses!

EPCOT

The Quieter Rides

• Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros - A very relaxing boat ride featuring Donald & his amigos as you venture through Mexico. A great time to come out of the Florida heat, explore Mexico and hop on a boat to rest your legs! This is almost always a 5 minute wait, if it isn't - its a very BUSY day in the park or the weather has taken a rather wet turn!

• Journey Into Imagination With Figment - If you don't know who figment is, he's a very iconic Epcot character, very playful & entertaining! You board a tour vehicle that takes you through the Imagination Institute, another great sensory ride for little ones! This is another ride that almost always had a very low wait time.

• Living with the Land - If you want to see how Disney grow their fruit & Vegetables, this is the ride for you! A relaxing boat ride in the Land Pavillion showing you how countries grow their food crops around the world. Another attraction with a low wait time but this one may not be as exciting for little ones!

• The Seas with Nemo & Friends - If you have a Nemo lover, fish or aquarium enthusiast, they will love this gentle ride! Board a little shell which takes you under the sea to meet your favourite little friends from finding Nemo.

• Spaceship Earth - A classic and for me, very nostalgic ride where you board a very slow moving cart on a conveyor belt that takes you back in time to explore the history of communication. This is a very relaxing ride and Arla actually fell asleep on this ride mid afternoon as its gentle movement is very calming. You even have Dame Judy Dench narrating the ride!

Waiting to ride The Seas with Nemo & Friends. We always found this to be a very quiet ride in the evening.

Super Busy Rides:

• One of the newer attractions in Epcot is Frozen Ever After. If you have a child that Loves Frozen then this is a definite must do! You board a Norwegian boat which takes you on a journey through the frozen lands where you see all the favourite Frozen characters! There is a little drop on this ride, be ready to smile for the camera! We had such a chuckle looking at our photos - the absolute look of horror on Arla's face! She loved this ride even if it did shock her when we suddenly dropped!

• Remy's Ratatouille Adventure is a brand new 4D attraction where you board a mouse that takes you on a fun adventure around Gusteau's Paris Restaurant. It is a simulator/moving car so it really feels like you are moving fast! It can be a little jumpy so be prepared, it can be a little nerve racking for very young ones as there is no height restriction for this ride.

The sudden drop on Frozen Ever After caught Arla by surprise and this will be a capture we will treasure forever!

ANIMAL KINGDOM

Quieter Rides:

• Tricera Top Spin - Very much the 'Dumbo' of Animal Kingdom, a sweet carnival inspired Dino attraction.

Rides that get Busy Quickly:

• Kilimanjaro Safaris - This is an incredible safari experience where you feel like you are really travelling across an African Savanna. Every time you go on this adventure, you always see different animals and its amazing to see them up close enjoying their habitats at Animal Kingdom. The tour guide/drivers are great and they will point out the animals as you embark on your journey. There are so many unique species in Animal Kingdom and I highly recommend taking time to explore the animals that live there.

The Safari was such a highlight! Arla's face sums up how much she enjoyed seeing all the different animals & species.

Super Busy Rides:

• Na'vi River Journey - Head into Pandora and explore the beautiful Bioluminescent Rainforest. This gentle boat ride is something super magical for everyone to appreciate. It's memorising for little ones and its a beautiful sensory experience! Arla loved it!

A few tips...

• Remember - if you have toddlers or young children, they are probably going to need a little afternoon nap. Even if they have 'grown' out of naps in their everyday routine. The heat, stimulation & adrenaline exhausts them and a nap in the stroller or in a quite place does wonders! Just don't forget to plan for this when planning or booking Genie + attractions.

Arla napped every day and mainly in the stroller which made it really easy for us! If your toddler/young child needs a more quiet setting to nod off, there are many areas in the all of the parks where the crowd levels are much lower and the noise level is low. Let me know if you want to know exactly where we stopped off for a bit of down time whilst Arla napped!

• Don't forget about Rider Switch! I will be talking about this in more detail in another blog but it's a must if you have young children and you want to ride some more thrill seeking rides!

I hope this helps you prepare for your next Walt Disney World trip!

Please do contact me if you have any questions relating to the above blog post - I would be happy to help! Follow me on Instagram for more travel tips & experiences!