Disney with Young Children
Walt Disney World has something for everyone! In our next several blogs, we are going to be exploring Walt Disney World for different audiences, and where better to start than your stereotypical family with young kids. This might be the demographic most people think of when they think of who travels to Walt Disney World, but even so, there are some important considerations.
In this post, where going to recommend best resorts, dining, and attractions for young kids, and discuss a few other considerations that are important to know.
Places to Stay
While any Walt Disney World Resort hotel is welcoming for kids, there are a few that stand out that might be worth considering.
Art of Animation Family Suites - If you have a larger family or just want the extra space, Art of Animation is the one value hotel that offers family suites. These are larger rooms, with several sleeping areas, including a bedroom you can close the door on from the rest of the suite, two bathrooms, and a kitchenette.
Beach Club Resort - While this is a deluxe resort, it also features arguably the best pool for kids. It's really more like a water complex, called Stormalong Bay, and spans 3 acres with 3 unique pools, including a sandy bottom zero entry pool. There is another pool with a shipwreck and small water slide. Also, there is a lazy river and a zipline. If your kids love pool time and you are ready to indulge them, this is a great stay.
Where to Eat
Again, almost all Disney dining is welcoming to children, with perhaps the exception of Victoria and Albert's. We have even seen well-behaved children at the fanciest of restaurants including Tiffins and California Grill. And kids will find something they don't eating pretty much anywhere.
But again, there are some experiences that are especially fun for kids.
Character Meals - When it's not a pandemic, you can find character meals in several locations in and outside of the parks. Character meals are a great way to get your kid some attention from a character they love without having to stand in line at a character greeting. The convenience does come at a price, but you can also get a decent meal. My best advice is to research what characters will be appearing and tailor where you go to what characters your kids love. When my daughter was 4, she both loved the classic Disney characters (Mickey, Donald, Goofy, Pluto), and the Disney Channel characters (Handy Manny, Agent Oso, etc), so we made sure to choose meals with each. Here are some mainstays of character dining:
Chef Mickey's - at the Contemporary resort, this buffet will allow kids to meet the classic characters (Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, and Donald)
Ohana - at the Polynesian Village Resort kids can meet Lilo, Stitch, and Pluto
Restaurant Akershus - In the Norway pavilion at EPCOT, this meal features Disney princesses and is an easier reservation to get than Cinderella's Royal Table breakfast (which also features princesses). It also costs a good deal less than CRT.
Hollywood & Vine - at Disney's Hollywood Studios you can have breakfast with Disney Junior characters like Doc McStuffins and Vampirina.
Crystal Palace - In the Magic Kingdom, this meal features the characters from Winnie the Pooh
1900 Park Fare - at the Grand Floridian, dine with Mary Poppins, Alice in Wonderland, the Mad Hatter, Tigger, and Pooh
There is also other dining that is sure to check all the boxes for kids, including:
T-Rex Cafe - at Disney Springs, dine among dinosaurs
Sci-Fi Dine In - at Disney Hollywood Studios, this restaurant is set up so that you sit in "cars" at a drive in theater
Coming Soon - Space 220 - this will soon open at EPCOT and will be designed to feel like you are dining in space
Be Our Guest - Quick Service during the day and Table Service at night, this restaurant at the Magic Kingdom lets you dine inside Beast's Castle
Ride Logistics
Be aware that some rides at Walt Disney World have a height requirement and if your kid is close to the threshold, Disney will likely err on the side of safety, meaning the kid can't ride. The most common height requirement is about 40 inches, though some rides have a lower threshold and others have a higher requirement. Measure your kid before traveling and use the MyDisneyExperience app, map, or signs posted at the entrance to attractions to avoid any nasty surprises.
For kids with strollers that can ride, the stroller parking varies by ride. Some stroller parking is outside of the queue entrance, meaning your kid needs to be able to travel down the length of the queue, and possibly stand in line, to ride.
For families with some kids that can and some kids that can't ride, or just two parents that want to ride even if their kid can't, many rides offer a rider swap or baby swap. The way that works is you all enter the queue together. At the loading area, one parent rides with the kids who can ride (or rides alone) while the other parent watches the younger child. Then, when the first parent finishes, the second parent can ride without having to re-enter the queue. Ask a Cast Member at the entrance to the attraction about it.
Rides & Attractions that Appeal to Kids
The Magic Kingdom is the park most kids gravitate toward. At the Magic Kingdom, most kids love Dumbo, It's a Small World, and Prince Charming's Royal Carousel. Fantasyland is full of rides your kids might enjoy (though be careful, some of the dark rides can seem scary to children). My kid also loved the Tomorrowland Transit Authority, and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (as long as the height requirement is met).
At EPCOT, if your kid meets the height requirement, they may love Soarin' and most kids want to go on Frozen Ever After, even if there is a small slightly scary drop toward the end. If your kid is crafty and you have the time, also consider visiting the Kidcot stops around World Showcase, where kids can make crafts themed to the country they are in.
At Disney's Hollywood Studios, Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway and Toy Story Mania are favorites for all ages.
And at Disney's Animal Kingdom, get your kid sworn in as a Wilderness Explorer and then earn "badges" in the field guide by exploring the park while learning about animals and the ecosystem. Kids will probably like the Legend of the Lion King, Kilimanjaro Safari, the various trails where there are animal viewing opportunities, and Na'Vi River Journey.
Attractions That Can Be Surprisingly Scary
When we first took our daughter at 4 years old, we figured Mickey's Philharmagic would be a benign attraction. About 5 minutes in, my daughter was screaming "get me out of here!" because of the intense in-your-face effects. And for someone who hasn't experienced a 3D movie before, she probably really couldn't differentiate between what was amusing because it "seemed" real and what was really happening right in her face.
Kids will surprise you about what scares them and what doesn't. The best advice I have is to know your kid's fears. Talk to them about what the attraction is before you ride (this is the mistake we made with Mickey's Philharmagic... we didn't prep her at all). And if you aren't sure if it's scary, ask a Cast Member.
There are the obvious scary rides like Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (it's in the name!), and then the less obvious. Less obvious includes those shows Disney bills as 4D. Meaning, 3D with some sensory effects. Mickey's Philharmagic falls into that category as does It's Tough to be a Bug (even though the show is cute, there is a moment where there are "stingers" that get you.)
Be aware that "dark rides" can be scary too. "Dark rides" are classic Fantasyland style rides. The plot is often not that scary, though it can be, but the ride itself is in the dark with black light effects and some kids don't like the dark.
The same goes for heights if your kid is afraid of heights. Soarin' and Flight of Passage both involve sitting at a height and "flying". Of course, these two have height requirements, and Flight of Passage is somewhat intense for all ages (but also beautiful!).
Strollers
If your kid needs a stroller, you can bring your own stroller or rent one from a vendor or from Disney. Disney parks have restrictions on the size of a stroller which you can find here. If you rent from a vendor, be aware that you have to be present to pick it up and return it from your resort. This is often less expensive than renting from Disney. If you rent from Disney, you will need to return the stroller upon leaving the park and rent a new one upon entering the park, but you can get a length of stay rental which gives you one fee to pay, and then you just show your receipt at the park to get a new stroller.
Other Things to Know
If you are traveling with young kids, there are a few things you an do to save you from meltdowns and tantrums.
1) Stick with the routine
There are two important parts of the routine you need to stick with as a parent. First, respect nap time if your kid naps (or even if they don't but they stopped recently). Skipping naps means crankiness. It doesn't matter if you are at the happiest place on earth or not. Take a midday break each day OUTSIDE of the park if at all possible, or at the every least inside a baby care center at a park where it's quiet. Baby care centers are great for kids toddler age and younger because they offer places to nurse, change diapers, purchase supplies, and rocking chairs for soothing kids in, and they are quiet and air conditioned. But for kids who just need one nap a day, we recommend leaving the parks for the nap. Even if the kid doesn't want to nap, the time in a room or at the pool to cool off and decompress is so important.
The second part of the routine to stick with is the rules. If you set certain rules at home, now is not the time to suspend rules about behavior. Kids will get confused and will act up when their expectations are called into question by inconsistencies like suspending rules while on vacation.
2) Carry sunscreen and snacks
Nothing sours a kid's mood like a sunburn or low blood sugar. Bring and apply sunscreen often (to both yourself and your kid). And it's a good idea to have some small snacks on hand. We handled this by giving our daughter her own small backpack that was just big enough to fit some fruit snacks and juice boxes. Kids have a way of "suddenly" getting hungry, so it helps to have these snacks on hand for when hunger strikes while standing in line or waiting for a show. Don't worry about how many snacks are being eaten. The kid is probably walking more than they have so far in their life and the energy from a snack is important.
3) Go in with realistic expectations
Traveling with kids can be especially hard for parents who are going for the first time. This is because the parents also likely have a huge list of things they want to do and that list doesn't always jive with what a kid wants to do. Your kid may be perfectly content riding It's a Small World and Dumbo on repeat, spending long hours at the hotel pool, and other long hours in character meet and greet lines. If I was asked as an adult if these are the things I really want to do, I would answer with a resounding "no". Good lord, I hate It's a Small World. But as a parent traveling with a young kid who has riding that on repeat as their priority, I need to understand that there is a reason I chose to travel with my kid and that reason was so that my kid could have a fun time too.
So there will be times when you as a parent don't get to do what you most want to do. And there will be times the kid won't get to do what they most want to do because you as a parent want to have a sit down meal or something. Understand that at the very least, this is going to have to be a compromise.
I'm going to take it one step further, though, and say it's even better if you can let go of your plan to do all the things you want to do and focus on your kid. Walt Disney World is enjoyable for everyone, but it's made for kids and kids at heart. To see the magic of a Disney vacation through a kid's eyes is a gift that you only get during a short time period before that kid grows up. The way my daughter made a bee-line to Cinderella's Castle the first time she saw it made taking her worth it. The way she whispered a wish when they asked her to during the "Wishes" fireworks show made it worth it. The way she ran to Stitch and hugged him like they were old friends was worth it. You, parents, don't get that opportunity for very long. There is a short window in which to enjoy it. For me, I will gladly give up my priorities to let her watch Nemo the Musical over and over again just to see the pure joy on her face. And I have to tell you, watching fireworks, meeting Stitch, and watching Nemo the Musical is not the worst in the world for me either.
So if you feel that doing the things your kid wants to do at the sacrifice maybe of some of the things you want to do is a waste because of how expensive the vacation is, and you are not willing to compromise on your wish list, my advice then is don't go with your kid.
Well, are you ready to travel with a kid? Hopefully for those who plan to, we gave you some good advice to make it a great vacation. I have traveled to Walt Disney World in all sorts of different parties, but I do not for a second regret traveling with my 4 year old child. It was a magical vacation.
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