Visiting Walt Disney World with toddlers can be a fairytale or a nightmare, depending on how prepared you are for the adventure. With so many areas and attractions to choose from, how do you keep everyone from getting overwhelmed? How do you plan your days to get the most out of your experience? To help your trip flow a little more easily — it’s supposed to be a vacation, after all — we’ve compiled some information on which parks are best suited for toddlers and which attractions are ideal for them.
First, let’s get a sense of the lay of the land. Within Florida’s Walt Disney World resort, there are four major parks you can visit. The Magic Kingdom is the classic Disney World park, organized into six areas or “lands” with their own themes, and encompassing many of the resort’s most iconic attractions — think Cinderella’s Castle, Pirates of the Caribbean, It’s a Small World, and Space Mountain. Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the largest park with the fewest actual rides, features more than 300 animal species and 2,000 individual animals, blending an African safari experience with rides, shows, and other attractions. Disney’s Hollywood Studios has some of the resort’s most thrilling roller coaster rides, as well as shows centering on themes and characters from famous Hollywood movies. Finally, at Epcot, visitors can learn about planet Earth and its cultures, discoveries, and nature through a dazzling array of interactive experiences and exhibits.
The Magic Kingdom takes the cake
All four parks promise a whirlwind of family fun, but the Magic Kingdom wins when it comes to toddlers, especially those under two years old. There are a few reasons for this, the first being that the majority of Magic Kingdom attractions do not have height requirements, so toddlers can safely ride them. Second, many Magic Kingdom rides provide pleasant, relaxing rides for young children who might otherwise be scared by fast or bumpy movements. Some attractions in the Magic Kingdom that are bound to delight your littlest ones are It’s a Small World, a boat ride through a magical wonderland of singing dolls from different countries; Peter Pan’s Flight, a gentle aerial tour of London and Neverland; and Dumbo the Flying Elephant, a slow spinning aerial ride that creates the sensation of flying. If you need some breathing room, Tom Sawyer Island provides space for kids to freely roam and explore.
Another reason to prioritize the Magic Kingdom if you have toddlers is that it offers the biggest variety of characters for your little ones to interact with, from Disney princesses and Winnie the Pooh characters to members of the Fab Five. Characters appear at an assortment of indoor and outdoor meet-and-greets, and can also be seen in parades and cavalcades. Check the My Disney Experience app to find out where your children’s favorite characters will be stationed throughout the park.
Best attractions for toddlers in the other Disney parks
If you have time to visit the other three parks, you’ll find a range of toddler-friendly attractions there, too. Here are a few of our favorites, though this list is by no means exhaustive. Kids of all ages, including toddlers, will love the 18-minute Kilimanjaro Safari in an open-air vehicle through Animal Kingdom’s 110-acre Harambe Wildlife Reserve, with opportunities to spot incredible animals such as lions, giraffes, elephants, rhinos, cheetahs, crocodiles, and more. This is also a ride you can enjoy more than once, as different animals make appearances on each safari. Families can also view the animals on foot from walking trails in various parts of the park.
Epcot also has some wonderful attractions for young children, even though its primary audience is older children and adults. One of these is Frozen Ever After, a musical boat tour of the magical land of Arendelle from the movie “Frozen.” Lastly, Disney’s Hollywood Studios may be the least suitable for small kids, as many of its rides have height requirements. However, children still have opportunities to meet cuddly characters at Disney Junior Play and Dance!, and they will be thrilled to explore Toy Story Land, which looks like a scene right out of the movie.
