Walt Disney World with Preschoolers

1. Have a Plan! There are an incredible number of attractions and recreational activities available at Walt Disney World®. Your Disney trip can be overwhelming if you visit without a plan. Research the park attractions and jot down your family's "must-sees." Also download theme park maps to familiarize yourself with the theme park layout prior to your visit. You'll have a sense of direction and familiarity with the park. Lastly, download the park calendars prior to your visit. The parks may close up to three hours earlier in the off-season. Park hours will influence your touring plans and dining times.

2. FASTPASS® - Walt Disney World® ticket holders may take advantage of FASTPASS®. Using FASTPASS® can dramatically decrease the time you spend in line and increase the number of attractions you can enjoy!

3. Start Early! It is tempting to want to sleep late in the mornings while at Walt Disney World®. After all, you are on vacation. However, crowds are lighter when the parks first open and the weather is more hospitable during the warmer times of the year. Getting an early start and minimizing the amount of time you spend on lines is worth missing a few minutes of morning sleep. When the crowds get heavier and the weather warmer, take a break and return to your hotel for a swim and a nap.

4. Make Advance Dining Reservations (ADR) - There are numerous table service restaurants in Walt Disney World® and it's difficult to imagine some wouldn't have seating available. However, this routinely happens with the large crowds visiting the resort. It is best to make your Dining ADRs well in advance of your trip.

5. Ask a Cast Member - Walt Disney World Cast Members® have been trained to provide an exceptional level of service and to make your vacation more magical. If you have any problems, concerns or questions, please do not hesitate to ask your nearest cast member for help.

6. Wear comfortable shoes and sunscreen! This may seem obvious but I cannot tell you the number of people I see in very stylish but impractical footwear during every trip. The same applies to those suffering from a nasty sunburn. It's easy to underestimate the amount of walking you'll be doing every day at the theme parks. I can say from personal experience that walking 5-10 miles in a day is not unusual when visiting Walt Disney World.

Planning your Days at Walt Disney World® with Preschoolers

Extra Magic Hours - A perk available to Walt Disney World® Resort hotel guests is Extra Magic Hours. Every day, one of the Walt Disney World® theme parks either opens one hour early or closes up to three hours later in the evening. Walt Disney World® Resort hotel guests are entitled to this benefit. Taking advantage of the Morning Extra Magic Hour will allow you to visit the parks while you're rested, the weather is cooler and the crowds are thinner. When booking any character breakfasts, select a day when your family is not interested in taking advantage of the Morning Extra Magic Hour. If you are "night owls", you can take advantage of sleeping late, having a leisurely brunch and getting in some pool time before going to the parks later in the day as many people are leaving to take a break. Keep in mind that sometimes the FastPass for the most popular rides may become unavailable earlier in the day.

Tip Children under the age of three (3) do not require a park admission. I recommend bringing a copy of your child's birth certificate in the event a cast member questions your child's age. This is particularly true of preschoolers who look older than their age. Additionally, these children are free at family style and buffet restaurants. Many buffet restaurants offer character dining. These buffets are a great opportunity for your preschooler to enjoy the character dining experience while staying within your budget for children who are not yet three.

Attractions

The following attractions are ones that I would recommend for preschoolers based on my own experience. This list is just a suggestion and a starting point for your planning; it is by no means intended to be a comprehensive list. As always, your preschooler's interests, fears and personality should be taken into account. For additional resources, please see Appendix A at the end of this guide.

Magic Kingdom®

1. Ariel's Grotto - Not only is this area fantastic for meeting the one and only Ariel, but it also has water features which make it a great playground to cool off from the Florida heat.

2. The Barnstormer at Goofy's Wiseacre Farm - This mini roller coaster is a great introduction to thrill rides for more adventurous preschoolers.

3. Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin - This delightful ride is addictive for children and adults alike. Board your space cruiser and try to outscore your opponent by earning points shooting the brightly colored targets with your laser. Smaller preschoolers may have difficulty aiming at the targets during this moving ride.

4. Cinderella's Golden Carousel - This is a classic ride that hearkens back to days gone by. Preschoolers will enjoy riding the horses on this traditional carousel ride.

5. Country Bear Jamboree - This animatronics stage show is popular with the preschool crowd and features musical numbers and corny jokes.

Heed the Warnings

The Walt Disney World® attractions offer comprehensive signage that describes instances in which guests should not ride the attraction; the signage also includes a warning list of attraction features that may scare guests. Some of these attractions are highly enjoyable and appear innocuous. I admit that I have been tempted to ignore the warnings with respect to attraction elements that could scare my son. However, after being witness over the years to small children crying and being carried out of the theatre on some attractions, I have found it best to heed the warnings if I have any doubts about my preschooler's capacity to enjoy the attraction.

Below is my personal list of attractions that preschoolers may be afraid of. This list is by no means comprehensive and your judgment as a parent should always be exercised.

Note: This list does not include attractions that should be avoided for height restrictions or based on physical warnings such as those for motion sickness.

Magic Kingdom®

Astro Orbiter (Tomorrowland); Fear of heights
The Haunted Mansion (Liberty Square); Takes place in the dark; spooky elements
Snow White's Scary Adventure (Fantasyland); The Wicked Witch is a prevalent character throughout the ride.
Stitch's Great Escape! (Tomorrowland); Takes place in the dark; Anticipation of scary elements builds; Shoulder harness

Taking a Break

After a couple of hours at the theme parks with little ones, it is sometimes wise or even necessary to take a break or cool off a bit with some more relaxing attractions. Below are some of my favorites.

Epcot®

Circle of Life; Entertaining; air conditioned theatre
Club Cool; Refreshing area to sample beverages from around the world.
Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros; Relaxing boat ride.
Jumping Fountains; Water playground.
Living with the Land; Relaxing, air conditioned boat ride.

Strollers

Stroller Parking - During one of my trips to Walt Disney World®, I sat in the same monorail as a tired family with two small children and a stroller. I overheard the mother commenting to her children how glad she was that they had previously decorated the stroller with their stickers. This made it easy to pick the stroller out of a crowd. Just as you mark your suitcase with some identifying feature when you travel on an airplane, it will be helpful to mark your stroller. Many strollers are similar and this will make it easy for you to not only identify it as your own but to prevent others from mistakenly taking it. Please be aware that cast members may move your stroller while you are on an attraction in order to keep the stroller parking area neat and orderly.

1. Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique - Disney has deftly leveraged the popularity of spa treatments and has developed a unique and special experience for little girls. Little princesses can make an appointment at this boutique and after selecting their favorite hair and makeup styles, they will be treated to a princess style-makeover. Little girls can even select a princess outfit and a photo package. Your daughter is sure to feel like pampered royalty after this unforgettable experience.

Magic Kingdom®

1. Main Street Vehicles - Guests often focus on the large attractions and overlook the simple enjoyment of taking a short, enjoyable ride in these vintage vehicles. There are a variety of cars to select from. The vehicles travel between the Town Square, right past the entrance to Magic Kingdom®, and Cinderella's Castle. The days and times these vehicles operate will vary.

2. Toon Park - This imaginative, shady play area is located in Mickey's Toontown Fair, across from Mickey's House. It features slides, "tunnels" and a small house. An added bonus is the benches for Mom and Dad.

3. Fairy Tale Garden - This small garden is tucked away near Cinderella's Castle. Here, Beauty and the Beast's Belle is the hostess of story time at select times during the day. The daily performance schedule will list story times.

4. The Laughing Place - This small, themed play area is tucked away near the entrance to Splash Mountain and the restrooms in this area.

5. Cool Ship - This water "mister" is located in Tomorrowland across from the Merchant of Venus.

Character Dining

Character dining, although costly, is a fabulous way to guarantee one-on-one interaction with your preschooler's favorite Disney characters. Many of these dining experiences are buffets and children under the age of three eat for free. Characters move throughout the venue and stop to visit and take pictures with each table. If for any reason you have not had a sufficient visit from a character, please speak to a cast member and he will be more than happy to assist. Please note that all characters are subject to change and are not guaranteed by either the author of this guide or Walt Disney World®. Please contact Disney Dining at 407-WDW-DINE prior to your visit to confirm the current character line-up.
Resort Dining

1. 1900 Park Fare - Located in the Grand Floridian, this restaurant offers different character experiences during a breakfast and dinner buffet. At the Supercalifragilistic Breakfast your preschooler can expect Mary Poppins, Alice in Wonderland, the Mad Hatter, Pooh and Tigger. Cinderella's Happily Ever After Dinner is a Cinderella themed meal with characters that include Cinderella, Prince Charming, Anastasia, Drizella and the Stepmother.

2. Cape May Café - Character dining is offered during this breakfast buffet at Disney's Beach Club resort. Your children will be delighted by Chip & Dale, Donald Duck and Goofy.

3. Chef Mickey - Mickey and friends are present during this breakfast and dinner buffet at the Contemporary resort. Minnie, Goofy, Donald and Pluto join Mickey to interact with your preschoolers.

All of the content on this page is copyright 2008 by Lisa M. Battista. Nothing can be reprinted with my written permission. You may print one copy for your personal use.