Mouse Extra

As the parents of a preschooler and toddler, planning a Disney World vacation can be daunting. Especially when attempting the near impossible chore of maintaining each child’s level of happiness. Together we have compiled a series of articles to share our experiences and lend some insight into what may help make a day at the park even better.

Aah, the beauty of the Magic Kingdom, the happiest place on earth. The sights, the sounds, the smells, the constant worry of trying to avoid a meltdown from your toddler who does not want to be strapped into a stroller while her older brother rides Big Thunder Mountain for the fourth time.  Fear not parents, there is something for everyone at this park even while traveling with a toddler and preschooler.

Since children must be at least 40 inches tall to ride most thrill rides, height restrictions become a large factor in planning a day at the Magic Kingdom.  Many toddlers do not quite make that mark and tying up their hair or adding lifts in their shoes to gain a few inches is probably not the best of ideas.  But depending on the cast member attending the attraction, if a child is only a 1/2″ below the required height, he or she may be allowed to ride.

Of course, the highlights for the 5 and older crowd are the exhilarating attractions like Splash Mountain, which can add the snare of ensuring toddlers are not “left out” amid all the excitement.  Fortunately, ideally located at the exit of Splash, is a shaded playground perfect for little ones to play a game of peek-a-boo or enjoy some freedom while playing in the house and on the adjoining slide. There are also strategically placed benches close enough for parents to sit and rest while observing their children at play.

Another option can be taking youngsters to see the Country Bear Jamboree.  This is a great idea if the wait times for Splash or Big Thunder are lengthy. The show is comprised of many animatronic animals, mostly bears, singing country songs and telling corny jokes. The kids love it and parents will be grateful for the air conditioned atmosphere.

While visiting Tomorrowland, the Astro Orbiter and the Wedway People mover (yes, I still call it that), are the best choices when the remainder of the party opt to ride Space Mountain.  The Buzz Lightyear attraction is there too, and while the Toddlers won’t appreciate the video game aspect, they will love seeing the neon colors and hearing the little green men speak.

It is no doubt that Fantasyland is the place to be for toddlers and FastPasses for Peter Pan and Winnie the Pooh are a must.  These attractions tend to have longer wait times than the Mountains these days.  There is also the chance a character may share a ride with the toddlers.  Our daughter had the honor of riding the carousel with Mary Poppins, a memory she still recalls today. Characters from Alice in Wonderland may be spotted twirling around on the teacups, but parents may need to dope up on the Dramamine in order to take in this ride, it can be rough.

Dumbo is immensely popular but the line moves at glacial speeds.  It’s not unheard of waiting times exceeding an hour for a 90 second spin.  The best suggestion if Dumbo is out of the question, would be to hop on over to Aladdin’s Magic Carpets in Adventureland.  This is basically the same ride, and while it may seem a sacrilege to the old timers, the kids of today know Aladdin better. Yet, before leaving Fantasyland, the 3-D movie Mickey’s Philarmagic proves to be a good initial test in a toddler’s ability to sit through longer movie presentations. Although the one size fits all 3-D glasses, may give them a struggle, the video can still be seen without wearing them.

There are a few attractions which may seem scary to the little ones.  Many can handle the Tiki Birds even though the lights go out, thunder strikes and the statues come to life. Also, during the Jungle Cruise there is an area with a darkened temple and a few gunshot sounds.  However, the Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion are a different story.  This may need a parent’s judgment to determine what their child can handle when visiting these. The dark corridors and skeletons in the Pirates ride may spook the littlest ones in the boat and hands may need to be held when descending down the waterfall in the dark. Our daughter was fine, but we warned her ahead of time.  She was even okay during the Haunted Mansion, and while no two kids are the same when it comes to the “spooky factor”, we believe preparation is the real key ingredient to these attractions.

But, there are attractions to avoid for little ones.  The Swiss Family Treehouse entails a lot of climbing for children, or more accurately, a lot of parents carrying them.  Since it is just a walk through exhibit of the Swiss Family Robinson’s home, the kids are easily bored. Another snoozer for toddlers is the Hall of Presidents.  And while the Speedway may look like fun, children aren’t actually allowed to drive the cars, thus seriously reducing its appeal. Tom Sawyer Island is too big for the littlest ones to be given any freedom from Mom or Dad, plus, the fort and cave theme is not fully appreciated by tots.

The best recommendation for dining with small children is Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe. The food, like most in the Magic Kingdom is mediocre, but the kids love being entertained by Sonny Eclipse, an audio-animatronic alien lounge singer.  If searching for a better meal, hop on the monorail to the Polynesian or another resort. Although, it may be a little tiring for the youngsters, try asking a cast member at the front of the line, if the lead car with the driver is available to ride in.

There are plenty of little things along the way that will keep a toddler entertained.  Various characters can always be seen throughout the park, while the parades are always a big hit. Woody’s Roundup in Frontierland is presented several times during the day, while Belle has story time in Fantasyland and Mickey and company can be spotted at different intervals in Toontown.  If the tots are still raring to go after all of this, a nice relaxing dip in the pool back at the resort can top the day off just right.

Today’s article was written by Mike and Brooke, contributing writers to Mouse Extra and parents of the two biggest Disney nuts I know.