How one can do Disney World with a Child, the Final Information by a former Solid Member

When Jeremy picked Disney World for his thirty fifth birthday journey, I used to be nervous. I imply, we’ve accomplished Disney World lots of instances – and I used to be there just about each single day once I was a Solid Member. However we’d by no means, EVER accomplished Disney World with a child. And this journey, we’d be bringing alongside Child A for child’s first Disney journey!

Would she hate it? Would we hate it?! I had no thought, however I feared the worst. We each braced ourselves for a cranky, overstimulated child that we’d be spending 5 days straight entertaining within the parks whereas switching off using our favourite Disney rides.

However to my absolute shock, Child A LOVED Disney World. She beloved rides. She beloved reveals. She beloved characters. She was actually into birds unexpectedly, and for some purpose, lamps? She beloved Solid Members, she beloved dancing to music as we walked by way of the parks. She LOVED Disney World! And we beloved attending to see it by way of her eyes. Disney with a child is so value it, y’all!

On this (huge) information, we’re sharing ideas and methods for visiting Disney with infants, together with the most effective (and worst) parks and sights for infants, the place to remain, and some necessities to pack. Let’s dive in!

Psst: In search of extra ideas that will help you plan your Disney journey? Take a look at a few of our different Disney World posts:

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We even have a Podcast episode all about Disney! A futuristic utopia that’s positively not a cult. A suicide-themed experience. Lia’s faculty internship. What do all of them have in frequent? Disney World, after all! On this episode, Lia spills all of the Mad Tea on essentially the most magical place on Earth, plus insider ideas from her time as a Solid Member. We additionally clarify our tried & examined Disney Technique (aka STRAT), as a result of ready in lengthy strains for rides is a few Bippity-Boppity-BS.

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Ideas for Visiting Disney World with a Child

Earlier than I dive in, a small disclaimer: all infants are totally different, and child wants fluctuate wildly by age. When you learn one thing that doesn’t apply. to you – like in case your child isn’t on solids but, as a result of we spend a lot time serious about feeding Child A lately – be at liberty to skip it. You realize your child finest!

That mentioned: whereas Child A was 10 months previous throughout our journey, I’ve additionally accomplished my finest to include ideas from our travels with Child A when she was youthful (we began touring along with her round 3 months) within the hopes to make this a very useful information even for youthful infants. And truthfully, y’all – the youthful they’re, the better they’re to journey with!

Another factor: I take into account us fortunate that in our journey Child A was not but terribly cell – she’s crawling and standing, however is just not but strolling or crawling lengthy distances. So I didn’t have to fret about chasing after her. In case your child is on that mobility life, you’ll need to take into consideration some baby-wrangling methods (no disgrace in a cute leashed backpack)!

Oh, and at last – can I simply apologize for the standard of pictures on this put up? Usually I take advantage of a DSLR digicam once I’m taking footage for a weblog put up, however all I used to be capable of handle this journey was to make use of my cellphone! Nonetheless adjusting to this entire working/mother factor, y’all. Thanks for not judging me!

OK – onto the information for visiting Disney World with an toddler:

• Hearken to Disney music earlier than your journey, particularly songs which are on rides (assume “It’s a Small World” or the Tiki Room). I feel this actually helped Child A get excited on the parks, as a result of she was listening to plenty of acquainted songs! There’s a nice Disney Parks playlist on Spotify that we performed for a few weeks earlier than the journey.
• Splurge on Genie +. Genie+ is a paid service that permits you to e-book “Lightning Lane” passes to undergo a shorter line (principally a paid model of FastPass, should you’re acquainted with its former incarnation). It’s value it with a child, particularly because you gained’t want to really purchase one in your infant since they don’t want a park ticket. The longest we waited for a experience throughout our 4-day journey was half-hour for It’s a Small World, and that felt like an eternity – more often than not we just about walked on or solely waited a few minutes. Occupying a child in line sucks. Get the go.
• Deliver a journey excessive chair for meals. This foldable excessive chair was a HUGE assistance on our journey. We used it in our resort room for all of our meals, and if we’d had area for it in our stroller, we might have introduced it into the parks too. Whereas all Disney eating places have excessive chairs, they’re not child sized. Child A is extraordinarily tall, and she or he discovered herself chin-heat at most. of the tables within the parks. Undecided if the tables are weirdly excessive or the excessive chairs are weirdly low, nevertheless it made meals within the parks troublesome. This transportable excessive chair that straps on high of a chair at eating places or can sit on the bottom anyplace for snacks is the right answer.
• Babysitting is obtainable at Walt Disney World through a service referred to as Children Nite Out. They will watch your baby whilst you bask in your individual internal baby on the parks! Children Nite Out may also offer you a sitter to accompany you within the parks should you want an additional set of arms. Evaluate: https://touringplans.com/weblog/kids-nite-out-your-familys-next-vacation-win/
• You’ll be able to go to Disney World with out a automobile seat should you keep in a Disney Resort resort. When you fly with a lap toddler, you may  take a shuttle bus  from the airport, and stick with Disney’s free transportation between the parks and resorts together with buses, the Skyliner, and boats. In a pinch, you may as well take Minni Vans, which come outfitted with Graco 4Ever automobile seats. That mentioned, we had been actually glad that we had a automobile as a result of it made attending to and from parks fairly fast (aside from Magic Kingdom, which is a schlep and a half it doesn’t matter what).

• Use the child care facilities in every park for nursing, altering, snacks, cool-down time, microwave, and to purchase any emergency child provides you’ll have left at residence! They’re often subsequent to the primary assist facilities too that are additionally necessary to find out about.
• Use Rider Change. One father or mother rides whereas the opposite one hangs out with the child. Simply ask a forged member on the entrance of any experience to assist get you arrange.
• Use single rider, too! Solely 4 rides formally have a single-rider lane, however plenty of rides will search for single rider to replenish uneven gaps, which suggests you’ll get to experience sooner. Maintain an ear out for a forged member on the lookout for a solo rider close to the entrance of most thrill rides. We obtained to experience a whole lot of stuff with out standing in lengthy strains this manner.
• Minnie Vans come outfitted with rear-facing Graco 4Ever seats. When you don’t have a automobile throughout your journey, this service is improbable! Mainly, Minnie Vans are Disney-owned SUVs (themed to Minnie) pushed by Disney Solid Members, which you could order by way of the Lyft app. They arrive with TWO automobile seats! They’re improbable for getting round Disney property, although they aren’t very low-cost. To make use of them, open up the Lyft app, and select Minnie Van because the experience sort. Straightforward.
• Swap who does bedtime so one father or mother will get to roam across the park solo whereas the opposite one chills within the room with child. We switched off and every had 2 nights free out within the parks!
• Deliver hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes and do your finest. We used sanitizing wipes on each lap bar and anyplace child would put their arms on a experience, realizing that tons of of youngsters had just lately put their arms there, too. Mixed with us sporting KN95s masks, none of us obtained sick throughout our journey. However simply in case, deliver toddler Tylenol/Motrin with you so you have got it readily available.
• Deliver your individual stroller. Those they lease on the parks aren’t good for infants. We suggest one which folds down simply, like this one, since you’ll have to fold it up on Disney transport. That mentioned, you may’t take your strollers inside all over the place, and stroller parking isn’t all the time proper outdoors of the doorway – like, should you’re going to The Land pavilion in Epcot, your stroller must keep at Nemo and Pals. Carriers are useful in these conditions, and so is the Tushbaby.

• When you make an Advance Eating Reservation at a Disney sit-down restaurant, cancellations need to be made 24 hours prematurely. In any other case, you will be charged a cancellation charge of $10 per individual (3 and up). Except you go to the restaurant in individual on the identical day and beg your case, wherein case they waive the charge. Nonetheless, that coverage is …not ultimate for infants. But in addition, Disney meals is definitely worth the danger! So drop these expectations by way of the ground and do your finest to simply drift.
• Meltdowns at Disney are inevitable, and I’m not speaking about your child. Keep in mind that most marital disputes at Disney will be solved by some mixture of snacks, A/C, sitting quietly for some time, and/or a Mickey Bar.
• Deliver Snacks! In case your toddler is round 8 months or older, you’ll want snacks for them in between meals. If not, you’ll want snacks for your self – parenting whereas hangry isn’t a good suggestion! Listed below are our favourite baby-friendly snacks for Disney:
  • Pouches! We love the natural fruit and veggie pouches from Costco. They’re hydrating, pretty nutritious, and assist infants observe advantageous motor abilities like sucking by way of a straw and squeezing!
  • Freeze dried fruit: soften in your mouth fruit! What’s to not love? Er, aside from the worth. It’s costly!
  • Yogurt melts: Child A loves them, however they’re arduous to seek out with out added sugar, they make child’s arms very sticky, and so they appear to make her spit up. And it’s all the time vibrant pink and has that bitter yogurt scent. They usually stain. Not our favourite snack however works in a pinch.
  • Cheerios. Traditional. Straightforward. At all times a success. Not a choking hazard. 10/10. We’ve got realized to all the time have a ziploc baggie of cheerios on us always!
  • Bombas or Gerbers puffs. We discovered some natural Gerber puffs which have a sprinkling of veggie powder in them and that made us really feel good although I’m positive they provide little or no precise vitamin. However they’re enjoyable to eat and assist infants observe their pincer grip!
• Don’t depart snacks out in your stroller, particularly at Animal Kingdom. We noticed a couple of uninvited critters making the rounds at stroller parking in Animal Kingdom, and no person desires squirrels and their germs on their strollers! Clear up stray Cheerios and tuck snacks away in a bag to ensure your stroller isn’t a goal.

Disney World with Infants: Which Parks Are Finest?

One factor I want we knew earlier than our journey is which Disney World parks are finest to go to with an toddler. Because it seems, not each park is equal with regards to visiting Disney with an toddler. Some parks skew extra towards adults, some extra towards older children. Some parks are sorely missing in shade and air-conditioned indoor areas to take naps or cool off.

To my shock, there was a transparent winner as the most effective Disney World park with an toddler: Epcot! Epcot has the most effective stability of baby-friendly sights

Hollywood Studios with a Child

Hollywood Studios does one factor higher than the opposite parks: dwell reveals. Child A LOVED the Magnificence  and the Beast dwell efficiency. And that was … about it. The remainder of the park simply isn’t actually designed for infants. That mentioned, it is perhaps value a day go to only for the few sights it does provide – or so that you and your associate can do rider change and experience all of the actually great things.

Finest sights and rides for infants at Hollywood Studios:

• Magnificence and the Beast Reside on Stage: Child A misplaced her rattling MIND singing and clapping alongside at this present. The dancing and songs at the start are enjoyable and upbeat and actually well-done, visually – assume 1930’s period showcase dance numbers. However she kinda misplaced curiosity when issues obtained unhappy and sluggish (“story as previous as time” is just not a child bop, it seems). Fortunately we sat on the finish of the aisle so we may make a fast getaway. This was positively Child A’s favourite exercise at Hollywood Studios.
• Halfway Mania: We had been involved about bringing her on this experience as a result of it’s 3D, and we had been afraid it would make her nauseous with out the glasses on. However she beloved going across the monitor and didn’t appear bothered by the blurry, non-3d photographs on the display. She wished to tug the string to shoot too! Nevertheless, she didn’t like among the loud noises, and cried and squirmed a bit in the course of the loudest half – breaking plates – however settled once we stopped and coated her ears for a bit. This one positively verges on overstimulating, nevertheless it’s kinda not that enjoyable should you aren’t capable of be aggressive and play in opposition to your associate.

… and that’s it. Yeah: this park actually wasn’t designed for infants.

Rides to Skip in Hollywood Studios: 

• Mickey’s Runaway Railroad: We held Child A on our laps for this experience, however none of us loved it a lot. The experience is very loud and somewhat too intense/scary for her. She obtained scared at a lot of the “battle” elements of the story and all of us hated the vehicles dancing – I believed she was going to fall out at one level. Overstimulating, loud, jarring – this experience is only a lot.

Ideas for Hollywood Studios with a Child

• There’s a pleasant place to nap on the entrance to Galaxy’s Edge proper on the border with the Toy Story part. It’s a quiet facet space with ambient fowl noises enjoying and no loud noises, and it’s off the principle path so there aren’t any crowds. There’s additionally a conveniently positioned bench.
• One other nice nap spot is within the tunnel on the opposite facet of Galaxy’s Edge. It’s absolutely shaded and has a pleasant breeze and ambient spa music (I assume Star Wars is all about ambient spa sounds). It’s the right afternoon nap/nurse spot, although you’ll see that plenty of mother and father have the identical thought – it’s not as quiet as the opposite spot we discovered.
• The Child Care heart is on the very entrance of the park and also you’ll have to chop the Visitor Relations line to get to it, which is irritating and inconvenient. Not value it, truthfully.

Hollywood Studios Verdict: if you need to choose a park to skip, that is the one. It’s simply not the most effective park for infants!

Epcot with a Child

Ahhh, Epcot. My favourite park. And never simply as a result of this was *my* park throughout my time as a Solid Member, once I labored at Soarin’ within the Land Pavilion. I imply positive sure, there’s a whole lot of joyful nostalgia tied to the park for me. But in addition? I LOVE journey – hiya, that’s my job now – and an entire half of Epcot is all about celebrating journey and letting you step foot into immersive miniature lands representing totally different international locations. The World Showcase is sort of a mile of pure journey gasoline, and I completely find it irresistible.

And on the opposite half of the park are lands celebrating Earth and area. And, er, the Guardians of the Galaxy, which … truthfully, doesn’t match in any respect, nevertheless it’s an superior new experience so we’ll go along with it.

Anway: the park is gorgeous, effectively laid out, stuffed with fascinating issues to see and do, and – drumroll please – the BEST Disney World park for infants!

Why did we rank Epcot on the high? For starters, 3 phrases: AIR CONDITIONED PAVILIONS. There are TONS of pavilions all through the park, and most of them are enormous and air-conditioned. There’s additionally ample seating – like Connections Cafe, which is basically an infinite Starbucks full of benches and tables – each indoors and outdoor.

The Child Middle is conveniently positioned within the excellent heart of the park, with a big, comfy nursing room that has area for a number of households. And there’s a extensive number of baby-friendly actions, from baby-friendly rides to a big playground to a improbable aquarium. Epot makes it straightforward to entertain or nap a child on a sizzling Florida day!

Let’s get to the tea:

Finest sights and rides for infants at Epcot:

• The Seas with Nemo and Pals: 10/10 excellent child experience and Child A LOVED it. Darkish! Cool! Stress-free! Fish! Songs! Nothing scary or loud or jarring. And afterward, AN AQUARIUM! Child A misplaced her thoughts on the aquarium and we returned right here many times. One father or mother stayed on the aquarium with the child whereas the opposite one rode Soarin on the Land Pavilion subsequent door, and the Guardians of the Galaxy experience close by. Child A may have stayed right here taking a look at fish all day lengthy (and with the A/C, we had been joyful to remain right here too). There are tons to see in right here and it’s a terrific spot to chill off for some time. Plus, that is additionally the place you’ll discover Turtle Discuss with Crush which is considered one of our favorites, although we sadly didn’t try it out with Child A this time.
• Grand Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros: This was considered one of Child A’s favorites! A lot of scenes of Mexico and upbeat music, and the tip portion is principally simply It’s a Small World however with extra of a deal with Mexico. Plus, there’s just about by no means a line, and you need to undergo the Mexico pavilion to get right here which is totally gorgeous.
• Frozen: I feel she wasn’t a fan of the songs switching each scene, however Child A did get pleasure from this experience. She particularly beloved the massive backward drop (it’s actually not that massive of a drop, however it’s to a child!) and appeared to benefit from the music too.

Rides we didn’t have time to expertise however I guess Child A would have loved:

• Spaceship Earth: I completely love this experience, however we apprehensive that Child A would possibly discover it boring because it doesn’t have a lot music. Nonetheless, we absolutely deliberate to attempt it … till we realized we’d need to stroll alllll the best way again to the very entrance of the park once we had been already within the World Showcase near the Skyliner. Too far. I’d give it a attempt should you enter on the massive ball, although!

Rides to Skip in Epcot 

• Figment: That is positively a baby-friendly experience by way of the mechanics of the experience (good and sluggish, enjoyable), however the experience itself was simply okay. There was a whole lot of speaking and all of it went over her head. And admittedly, there wasn’t sufficient music to maintain her , both. This experience is extra geared towards barely older children.
• Residing with the Land: One other experience that Child A simply discovered kinda boring. There’s plenty of speaking about vegetation and the surroundings and such (not thrilling for a child, however very cool for the remainder of us) and there’s no music. That mentioned, a really small child would doubtless get pleasure from this sluggish, enjoyable experience.

Ideas for Epcot with a child

• Make a lunch reservation at one of many eating places within the World Showcase. Choose a delicacies from the 11 international locations and e-book a desk for lunch! The meals right here is phenomenal – the entire Cooks are professionally skilled and from their respective international locations. Your servers will probably be from the nation you’re consuming in, too.
• Connections Cafe is a huuuge Starbucks stuffed with tables and benches! It’s a terrific place to chill down and rejuvenate.
• The fountain in Morocco – not the one on the entrance, the one within the Riad contained in the plaza – is a superb place to chill down within the shade and do some refreshing water play, or a pleasant shaded nap with built-in white noise.
• Epcot has a really good child care heart, proper in between the World Showcase and the remainder of the park. There’s an enormous comfy nursing room with plenty of chairs and footrests. It’s cool, darkish, and quiet – the right spot for a nap. (Epcot is filled with good nap spots!)
• There’s an enormous playground outdoors of the Creations store. Even when your infant can’t play simply but, they’ll most likely get pleasure from watching massive children enjoying!

Epcot Verdict: arms down the winner of Disney World’s most baby-friendly park! From the large air-conditioned pavilions to the ample seating to the centrally positioned child care heart to the baby-friendly rides and sights, we discovered ourselves returning to Epcot many times.

Animal Kingdom with an Toddler

Animal Kingdom is a improbable park for infants, particularly in case your infant has taken an curiosity in animals like ours (she’s an enormous fan of birds, particularly). It’s lush and inexperienced and stuffed with locations to see animals – plus some enjoyable rides, too.

For folks, there’s additionally my favourite experience, Everest, which occurs to have a single-rider line that’ll get you on virtually instantly. It’s nice to experience in the course of the child’s nap! There are a couple of different nice thrill rides too, however there are many sights and reveals for infants.

The caveat? There aren’t many locations indoors to flee from the warmth – and Animal Kingdom is definitely about 10 levels hotter and extra humid than the opposite parks by design, for the wildlife – kind of like of a tropical rainforest. So we suggest visiting Animal Kingdom very first thing within the morning and leaving earlier than or proper after lunch. Right here’s the tea:

Finest sights and rides for infants at Animal Kingdom:

• Kilimanjaro Safaris: That is such a terrific attraction! You’ll be on an enormous open-air truck driving by way of the savannah and seeing animals up shut – virtually like a zoo however with none of the enclosures. Child A LOVED Kilimanjaro and was clapping for all of the animals! This experience is finest early within the morning when the animals are most energetic and being fed, so head straight right here very first thing when you arrive. Every journey is totally different so it’s nice to experience again and again, too.
• Na’vi River Journey: A bioluminescent deal with for the eyes. Every thing on this slow-moving river experience was completely stunning, magical, glowing, and nature-y. The music is calm. It’s an entire vibe. And I feel this was Child A’s FAVORITE experience in any of the parks. She was completely enchanted the whole time and by no means scared. This experience is certainly value a Lightning Lane go.
• Pageant of the Lion King Present: Child A loved the lion king present, however misplaced curiosity in the course of the slower elements and appeared overwhelmed throughout among the villain songs. We ended up nursing a lot of the present (it’s an extended present) however may simply have left as an alternative.

Rides we didn’t have time to expertise however I guess Child A would have loved:

• Wildlife Specific Practice to Rafiki’s Planet Watch: The Wildlife Specific Practice is a peaceable 7-minute journey – a experience in and of itself – to Rafiki’s Planet Watch, a quiet, air-conditioned pavilion devoted to the preservation and conservation of animals. You’ll see some fascinating stuff right here and a few animals. Most of it’s going to most likely go proper over child’s head, however hey, there’s A/C! While you’re prepared, take the practice again to the remainder of the park.
• Winged Encounters – The Kingdom Takes Flight: Just like the Tiki Room however with actual birds (and fewer singing). I feel Child A would have actually loved seeing the colourful macaws hovering and swooping overhead!
• Animal Encounters: From lions to tigers to gorillas (oh my!) there are TONS of locations to see animals right here! There’s even a petting zoo. I want we took extra time to stroll by way of the opposite animal sections. Actually, we may have fortunately spent a number of mornings at Animal Kingdom.
• Drummers of Harambe: Child A is an enormous fan of drumming and dancing to a beat, and this dwell road efficiency within the Africa part of the park would have been superior for her to see. They pull up massive children to bop too which infants love to observe! I want we’d made it some extent to catch considered one of their present instances.
• Discovering Nemo: The Large Blue… and Past: This dwell present is filled with massive colourful track and dance numbers! In case your infant enjoys music and dancing too, this will probably be an enormous hit.

Ideas for Animal Kingdom with a child

• For lunch, Tusker Home is nice. It’s character eating with Mickey and buddies (Child A was tentatively within the characters as soon as they began enjoying peekaboo along with her) and the meals is buffet type, with plenty of baby-friendly meals and yummy meals for everybody.
• Napping right here and being right here within the afternoon is a problem. It’s 10 levels hotter and extra humid than the opposite parks. And there aren’t any massive, quiet indoor locations with A/C to chill off and calm down (apart from Rafiki’s Planet Watch). When naptime hit, it took us fairly some time to seek out a great place. We ultimately discovered some picnic tables below a tree that was kinda shaded and quiet… after which some loud a** water present began up and I about misplaced my f***king thoughts.
• The Child Care Middle is centrally positioned and fairly good. It has non-public nursing rooms, which is useful in case your child is definitely distracted.

Animal Kingdom Verdict: It is a nice baby-friendly park in case your infant enjoys animals, and there are many baby-friendly rides, sights, and reveals. However depart earlier than midday or simply after lunch, when the warmth turns into insufferable. The animals are most energetic early within the morning anyway.

Magic Kingdom with an Toddler 

After we had been planning our journey and searching into which Disney Park has essentially the most rides with out peak necessities, Magic Kingdom appeared like it might be the most suitable choice for us: there are TONS of rides which are acceptable for all ages! … Effectively, in idea, anyway.

What we really found was that the beloved Magic Kingdom was one of many WORST Disney Parks for infants. It’s crowded as hell, takes longer to get to than some other park, doesn’t have many choices for cooling off, and people all-ages rides? A lot of them are so outdated that they’re simply not secure to experience with an toddler. A lot of the enchantment of Magic Kingdom is all in regards to the characters and beloved Disney properties, which frankly, infants don’t care about in any respect.

Right here’s the tea on Magic Kingdom:

Finest sights and rides for child at Magic Kingdom:

The winners for us in Magic Kingdom had been colourful, slow-moving rides with upbeat, acquainted music:

• Below the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid: That is a darkish conveyer belt experience in a shifting clamshell. Child A LOVED the Below the Sea scene, which is vibrant and colourful and enjoyable. It helped that we’d been enjoying the track for her within the weeks main as much as our journey so she instantly acknowledged it. The Mad 
• It’s a Small World: We really waited longer for this experience than anything throughout our journey – and we had a Lightning Lane go. The experience itself is quarter-hour lengthy, so with a 30-minute wait this finally ends up being fairly a time suck. That mentioned, Child A LOVES the track (we’d been enjoying it for her) and was REALLY excited on this experience. She completely beloved it! It ended up pushing her bedtime again about an hour however I feel it was value it to see her clap with glee and dance for 15 straight minutes.
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: This darkish experience was nice! There are some small light up-and-down hills. The music is generally very calm, and the colourful/trippy Huffalumps and Woozles scene was Child A’s favourite. It’s positively value a lightning lane go!
• Tiki Room: One other attraction that we prioritized primarily based on Child A’s music preferences. And she or he was actually into most of it! Plus, it’s good and lengthy and had great A/C, so we relished the chance to take a seat in cool air for some time. After which get a Dole Whip (which we needed to eat out of her sight).

As a result of the strains in Magic Kingdom are SO lengthy, we didn’t get to experience the whole lot we wished to. We want we may have ridden on Folks Mover, a slow-moving practice that lightly glides round Tomorrowland – excellent for infants! And we want we’d had an opportunity to attempt Buzz Lightyear Spin since Child A loved Halfway Mania (largely).

Different rides we thought-about however in the end determined to skip resulting from lengthy strains and Child A’s chance of having fun with them had been:

• Jungle Cruise: no music, the experience largely consists of speaking and jokes that may simply go proper over her head
• Pirates of the Caribbean: frankly she might need loved it due to the music, however we didn’t really feel like standing in an extended line
• Haunted Mansion: Child A is just not a fan of music in a minor key – I feel she will be able to inform it’s speculated to be spooky/scary/off – and she or he doesn’t like issues which are chaotic and loud. I feel she would have loved the massive graveyard music scene, and located the remainder of it both boring or scary.
• The Mad Tea Get together: Child A didn’t actually appear to get pleasure from fast-paced spinning or shifting. She’s extra into the visuals, music, and sluggish, light rides. So we’ll wait on this one till she’s somewhat older.

Rides to Skip in Magic Kingdom

• Prince Charming Regal Carousel

Child A really loved the carousel. That mentioned, that is simply your customary carousel. It’s older than the parks, so it’s not terribly Disney-themed (although we did get to see the Ugly Stepsisters from Cinderella using it and insulting onlookers) and, extra importantly, there is just one baby-safe seat: a single bench amidst a sea of carousel horses that infants can not safely experience. 

If there isn’t any line, give it a whirl. In any other case, reserve it for a county honest.

• Don’t experience Peter Pan’s Flight. 

For causes that no person fairly understands, Peter Pan is the preferred experience in all of Magic Kingdom with wait instances persistently topping 60 minutes. It’s a totally common experience, so my working idea is 1) nostalgia, 2) child enchantment, and three) poor experience design that didn’t account for the demand it might be experiencing 70 freaking years after being constructed.

Mainly, this experience has lengthy ass strains. And Child A was not impressed – the experience is a nap and never value a Lightning Lane go.

Worst of all, it’s downright harmful for an toddler. How did we notice how unsafe Peter Pan’s Flight was? As a result of we had been despatched by way of the experience with out a lap bar on our child. Which was terrifying. And very harmful.

You see, most flying rides are outfitted with a harness for security. The experience I used to work on, Soarin’, has a harness, a number of security checks, and even a video digicam on each seat, which Solid Members monitor repeatedly all through the experience on the lookout for any kiddos making an attempt to wriggle out – that’s a fall danger from 50 ft. If anybody is getting too wiggly, Solid Members can hit the emergency cease button on the experience and convey it again down manually.

However Peter Pan was in-built 1955, earlier than anybody thought of security laws on rides, I assume. So despite the fact that your car goes approach up into the air, it simply has a lap bar, not a harness. The lap bar routinely lowers about .5 seconds earlier than you allow the sight of a Solid Member – which isn’t sufficient time to make sure everyone seems to be safely seated. There’s additionally no lap bar verify (which just about each different experience within the parks has). 

So, what occurred to us? Child A was seated on the Tushbaby going through me once we boarded the experience. Jeremy was wiping down the lap bar with hand sanitizer and I used to be on the brink of flip Child A round and sit her on my lap, when – shock! The lap bar closed, and we took off. Earlier than we had an opportunity to get Child A seated below the lap bar. She was simply sitting on me, above the lap bar. 

We screamed for assist, however the experience took off so rapidly that no person heard us. And, as we discovered, there aren’t any video cameras. So no Solid Members may see that Child A was squirming round making an attempt to see and pushing backward off of me with surprising power whereas I clung to her with each arms for expensive life, realizing that if she twisted out of my arms, she would fall. (Bear in mind: it is a flying experience. We had been up within the air. Simply holding our child. With nothing to maintain her from falling.)

Truthfully? It was fucking terrifying. As quickly as we obtained off the experience I burst into panicked sobbing and it took fairly some time to settle down. We made an incident report with the affected person Solid Members, however apart from that there wasn’t a lot we may do. 

The incident stories go to the higher-ups, and I hope it will get escalated to whoever makes selections about upgrading rides, as a result of this experience is frankly horrifyingly unsafe. There must be an extended sufficient time period between the lap bar decreasing and take-off for Solid Members to do a security verify. My guess is that they’ve averted doing it as a result of the experience already has such lengthy wait instances and that can add main time, nevertheless it’s completely needed. This experience is horribly outdated.

So, till it’s up to date? Don’t experience Peter Pan’s Flight with an toddler.

• Additionally keep away from the Dumbo the Flying Elephant experience, and its copies, in case your child is cell.

That is one other older Disney experience that takes fliers up into the air … in a automobile with open sides, and nothing safer than a lap belt. A crawling, squirming child may simply and rapidly decrease themselves to the ground and slip proper out the facet of the automobile. (In case your child is just not but cell, you don’t have anything to fret about as lengthy you retain a good grip on them.)

So, yup – yet one more older Magic Kindom experience that isn’t secure for infants! I do know, I used to be shocked too. Disney is often the highest of the road with regards to security – I imply hiya, I even have footage of myself as a Solid Member in entrance of one of many many indicators backstage that claims Protected D Begins with Me (see them on this put up)! WHERE IS THE SAFE D ON OUTDATED MAGIC KINGDOM RIDES, Disney!?!?!

Anyway. Because you’re avoiding Dumbo, go forward and add the Flying Carpet experience and Astro Orbiters, too. And Triceratop Spin in Animal Kingdom. They’re literallly simply the identical experience with totally different theming.

Extra ideas for Magic Kingdom with a child

• We ate lunch at Tony’s City Sq., which is true by the doorway of the park. Child A likes pasta, we like pasta, we simply figured we’d have some respectable pasta. We had been NOT ready for a way shockingly good it was. I imply!!! It was AMAZING. I extremely suggest the Orecchiette With Spicy Italian Sausage and the Butcher’s Steak, which was among the finest steak I’ve had in a very long time (and Child A beloved the crispy roasted yukon potatoes.) We additionally ordered a Bellini to take the sting off the entire Peter Pan fiasco, which was scrumptious. 
• Storybook Circus is an entire part in Magic Kingdom full of kid-friendly stuff (although kid-friendly doesn’t additionally imply baby-friendly). You’ll be able to choose up a practice to experience across the park right here, which is a pleasant enjoyable experience in and of itself. However most significantly, there’s a splash floor. On sizzling days, a splash floor and a crawling child are a match made in heaven. However apart from that, this space is generally for older children.
• Child care heart: Magic Kingdom’s Child Care Middle is by Most important Avenue, which is … kinda removed from a lot of the park, truthfully. There are benches out entrance and the middle itself is actually cute and well-themed. It’s a terrific quiet place for a snack or a diaper change. It’s not as nice for nursing although, as a result of there are solely 2 non-public nursing rooms. 

Magic Kingdom Verdict: We thought this park can be a success as a result of it has essentially the most all-ages rides, nevertheless it’s crowded, the rides are somewhat outdated and missing in baby-proof security checks, and it’s heavy on the characters and film properties which infants actually don’t care about. Plus, it takes longer to get to and from MK than some other park. Value a visit for it’s a small world and among the reveals, however not a lot else.  We’re trying ahead to experiencing Magic Kingdom with Child A when she’s older.

Full Checklist of Child Rides at Disney World

After we had been researching for our journey and on the lookout for issues for infants to do at Disney World, we struggled to discover a full checklist of baby-friendly, all-ages rides at Disney World. So, to avoid wasting you time, right here it’s.

I marked the rides that we loved essentially the most with 10-month-old Child A in daring and put those we suggest skipping in italics. Our two favourite parks at Disney World for infants are Epcot and Animal Kingdom, which I marked with asterisks.

The place to Keep at Disney World with an Toddler

I will not be a Solid Member anymore, however I nonetheless have a whole lot of ~opinions about all issues Disney, and many ideas in your subsequent journey. Certainly one of my very robust opinions? It’s best to positively keep at a Disney World resort, even should you’re on a good funds! It’s SO value it.

From the $$ you’ll save on parking and a rental automobile (thanks to Disney’s airport pick-up service and big free transportation community) to the unbelievable comfort and Further Magic Hours, the resorts are WELL value it. And much more so, should you can rating a reduced fee 😉

There are positively methods to attain a deal at a Disney Resort, if the place to look. Often, you will discover Disney World resorts listed on resort deal websites – significantly for low season dates! We as soon as scored a keep at Port Orleans for below $150/night time. Whee! So simply in case, have a look – we noticed a BUNCH of them listed just lately on  Motels.com  and  Priceline ! That’s how we as soon as scored a keep at Port Orleans for below $150/night time. Whee!

The time of yr that you just’re visiting and if you e-book issues, too. Disney quietly runs deep reductions on low season bookings (often January by way of April) round October/November, so hold a watch out and  verify their particular affords web page regularly. 

And at last, final minute bookings can internet you STEEP reductions! I’ve seen rooms hovering round $150 per night time about 3 days prematurely. You’ll be able to often rating one by way of  Priceline . My advice is to e-book a good-enough resort by way of  Reserving.com  so you may cancel it as much as the day earlier than your journey, then hold checking  Priceline  simply in case you may rating a last-minute room at a steep low cost.

We’re massive followers of staying at on the Worth resorts, which actually provide the most effective bang in your buck. Artwork of Animation, one of many latest resorts, is a improbable place to stick with a child. There’s a enormous pool – it’s really the biggest pool at any Disney World resort –  with a child space and an enormous sprayground, plus 2 different swimming pools for good measure. There’s all kinds of meals, and the theming is fairly cute (we ended up getting upgraded to a Vehicles-themed suite).

And better of all, you’ll have straightforward walkable entry to the Skyliner, which takes you in airborne pods to Epcot and Holywood Studios. Of all of the Disney World transportation choices, the Skyliner is by far the most effective: you’re seated with a pleasant view, it’s not crowded, and there’s a cool breeze. Child A beloved using on the Skyliner (and so did we!)

 This resort can also be thought-about considered one of Disney’s funds choices – nevertheless it’s actually the most effective of the funds choices. A detailed second is Pop Century Resort, which is true subsequent door and likewise has entry to the Skyliner.

I hope you discovered this (huge) information useful for planning your journey to Disney World with a child! Do you have got questions that we will help reply? Drop us a remark beneath!

Psst: In search of extra ideas that will help you plan your Disney journey? Take a look at a few of our different Disney World posts:

Want you would journey to Disney with out leaving residence? We created an immersive digital Disney world tour so you may make a journey from the consolation of your couch!

We even have a Podcast episode all about Disney! A futuristic utopia that’s positively not a cult. A suicide-themed experience. Lia’s faculty internship. What do all of them have in frequent? Disney World, after all! On this episode, Lia spills all of the Mad Tea on essentially the most magical place on Earth, plus insider ideas from her time as a Solid Member. We additionally clarify our tried & examined Disney Technique (aka STRAT), as a result of ready in lengthy strains for rides is a few Bippity-Boppity-BS.

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