Top Ten Rides for Toddlers at Walt Disney World

Going to Walt Disney World with toddlers is both the most awesome experience and the most difficult. The wonder in their eyes as they see Mickey Mouse for the first time will stay with you for the rest of your life. Actually, I am pretty sure that the joy and awe in my daughters face when she saw Mickey Mouse for the first time will be one of the happy memories I relive in my old age in a rocking chair on some hypothetical porch. On the flip side, these little angels are now self propelled and are no longer simply happy to hangout in a baby carrier all day. They are little people. Little people who don’t meet height requirement and have the attention span of fleas. So what rides can you enjoy with them? The answer is a surprising amount. Here are the top ten attractions we enjoy with our toddler.

The Voyage of the Little Mermaid
This ride has a lot of musical numbers and brightly colored scenes. This is perfect for the attention span of the average 2 year old. The theme is also popular although, it’s becoming less so as the generations progress. Still, the Under the Sea portion of this ride is a ton of fun for little and big ones alike.

Journey Into Imagination with Figment
I was shocked to discover that my daughter and a bunch of her friends all liked this ride. Upon further reflection I really shouldn’t have been. The ride is fun, colorful and fast paced. There is a lovable little mascot, Figment, which the kids love as well. Personally I think it’s so popular because the mind of a toddler is growing by leaps and bounds, making loose associations all the time and this ride is all about making those connections and using your imagination.

Magic Kingdom Railway
Most people don’t consider this a ride for some reason. However, it most certainly is. I remember riding it as an adult and thinking it was a nice way to get around the park or get a birds eye view of the different lands. Once I rode with my daughter and heard the squeals of delight and the cries of “tain, tain!!” I understood that it’s not just a ride, it’s one of the toddler set’s favorites.

Peter Pan
With boats which fly high above the scenes of the classic story of Peter Pan this ride is actually quite beautiful, even for adults. That explains why it consistently has a line of 120+ minutes no matter what time of day or year you go. Toddlers love the colorful scenes and the fact that they are “flying”. When you think about it, the flying aspect of it is very thrilling for a group of kids whose idea of a fast ride is daddy pushing the stroller all crazy.

Tea Cups
My daughter loves spinning these round and round. I think she enjoys that feeling in the pit of her stomach like the world is spinning and she can’t stand up straight. Aside from this, the fact that you can control your speed and pick the color of your tea cup is a huge hit with the little ones. The mouse in the tea pot is also much commented on and admired.

Dumbo
Similar to Peter Pan in that they get to go high above the ground, but with the added benefit of being able to control the vehicle. The adventurous little ones love pushing that little stick as high as it can go and leaving it there, while the more timid ones enjoy the control and ability to stay lower to the ground. The music is also a huge hit with the tiny ones. Aside from the ride itsel the queue is awesome. Disney has done something unique here were you can go play in a play area while you wait. When it’s your turn to ride, a pager goes off and you return to the line to get on the ride. Playtime and a ride? Priceless!

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Most toddlers have at least heard of Winnie the Pooh. If they are anything like my daughter, they also love Winnie the Pooh. This character recognition instantly wins them over. The interactive queue, bumpy ride and fun music seals the deal, making it a beloved ride of the toddler set.

Kilimanjaro’s Safari
This ride is like riding through a Zoo. However, unlike the zoo, you get to ride in a big bumpy truck while you see the animals. If you’re lucky, zebras and giraffes’ will come right up to your car for an up close and personal viewing. Another benefit is that you see many more animals in a shorter period of time. Perfect for tiny attention spans.

It’s a Small World
No list of Toddler rides would be complete with out this annoying whimsical boat ride. The song is catchy and the dolls are colorful. My daughter pretty much dances the entire ride while standing sitting in the boat. If your toddler is anything like mine, you’re likely to ride this one many, many times.

Frozen Ever After
The one and only ride dedicated to the ridiculously popular sisters. I could tell you that it has a boat and a little drop and the kids love that. But let’s get real, it’s Frozen, of course they love it. It even has a section dedicated to “Let It Go”. Toddlers go mental for this, so much so that in-spite of the fact that it replaced my beloved Maelstrom, I ride it with my daughter. As an aside, you will have to make a Fastpass+ reservation for this ride at 7am as soon as your reservation window opens. If you’re staying off property you will not get this Fastpass+. Its’ just too popular. If you don’t get the Fastpass+ plan on getting to the park at rope drop and making a beeline for the ride. If the line gets too long they close the standby line so even if you were crazy enough to wait the 180+ minute lines, you may not be allowed to.

And there you have it. While there are certainly more rides they can ride, I put mine on haunted mansion, pirates of the Caribbean and Spaceship Earth, just to name a few. These are the rides the little ones love best. Then of course there are all the character meet and greets, the fun shows , parades, pools and so on and so forth. The options are as endless as their energy. If only our energy could keep up.

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