my kids will be 8 and 10 when we go to disney, They tend to be a bit timid at our local amusement park, they don't like the haunted house rides at all. the youngest has never done a fast roller coaster. they haven't ridden anything in the dark either. but yet they are old enough that if the dumbo rides have only toddlers on them they might feel a little self concious. hubby wants to do teh hall of presidents but i wonder if they kids would be bored.
so what top 4 rides would you recommend for that age/maturity level at magic kindgom? I have not done a ton of research it really over whelms me and i shut down. so taht's why i'm askng here.
also another question. how many rides should we expect to be able to fit in say in one day if we get there when the park opens, we grab a quick counter service lunch and then a sit down dinner, and leave the park at 9 pm IN JULY??
There will be 2 adults and 2 kdis and i had planned that we would all stay together and all ride together but now i'm worried that some rides will only fit 3 or one of us won't be able to ride because we have to hold the backpack or one of us will be running for fast passes and we'll end up back tracking all over the park and not being together.
i would alppreciate any help.
to all of you recommending the Haunted house is that because it isn't the least bit scary and nothing jumps out at you??? or was i too wordy and you missed the beginning where i said they are scared of that stuff. as in the 10 yo does't like walking down the Halloween aisle in a fully lite grochery store where the laughing skeletons and goblins with light up eyes are.
Can a 10 yo really go from 8 am until midnight?? and get up and do it the next day? or are you suggesting they take naps? cuz they haven't napped since they were 5, and they usually go to bed at 8 pm I know it's vacation and all but i don't want any meltdowns. maybe there is some magic i don't know about that turns everyone into lovely non whiney non overtired angels?? i'm getting cranky already.
I love M kingdom. I like most anything there.
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/attractions/magic-kingdom/
This is the attractions. it give you the Heigh restriction and a few key words about it. This might help.
Good luck and have fun!
Toy Story/Buzz Lightyear ride
Runaway Mine Train
Those are my two favorites. Believe me, it won't just be toddlers on the Dumbo ride :-) The Alladin ride is pretty much the same as the Dumbo. Peter Pan is sweet and definitely slow. The people mover was always one of my boys' favorites. You will be able to fit in most of the rides the park has to offer but may find you want to sacrifice a few for shows instead. Be prepared, July in Orlando is hot and sticky. It will be busy so bring lots of deodorant and patience :-)
We just moved from Orlando to Dallas last August so if I can answer any questions you have just let me know!
I think kids of all ages would enjoy all of the rides at Magic Kingdom. It was designed to be a family park not any age specific like Universal (for older kids) or Legoland (for little kids).
They limit fast passes, I think you can get two at a time. Not all the rides will have long waits just the newest and/or most popular. The new fantasyland will be the busiest place and the Peter Pan, Pooh Bear are also busy all the time. There are plenty of other rides and attractions to see though.
I would grab a park map as soon as you enter and start on one side of the park, it makes a big circle and you can decide as you go. Do you need to leave right at 9pm? The park stays open to midnight or 1 am in the summer and I can say it is cooler and less crowded at night.
Added*
If you are on vacation then let the kids sleep in and go later or go back to your hotel and rest (if you are staying on the property). Most kids that go at any age will have meltdowns because they are so over stimulated. It is very exciting for them to be there and seeing everything can become overwhelming. If you can plan two days there would be better and please don’t try to see everything, it's impossible even in the slow season.
I would not go in the haunted house if your children get scared easily, my daughter is 6 and still refuses to go inside.
You've gotten some good answers but I wanted to make the suggestion of letting them watch some videos on YouTube of some of the attractions you feel they may be scared of. There are "walkthrough" videos of about every attraction/event at Disney World. This could 1) give them an idea of what to expect 2) allow you to gauge their reactions so you can either allow it or nix it. This is what I am doing with my 3 year old in preparation for our trip to Disney World in May. I've let her watch some and at first she was a little hesitant, but has asked to watch the same videos over and over and has gotten less frightened. I've done this with Haunted Mansion and some Character meals.
Another suggestion is to plan a mid day break. Whether you go back to the hotel and take a nap, swim or whatever, a break would help keep them from breaking down. And even though they usually don't take naps, Disney World can be overwhelming and you might be surprised at how tired they get and willing to take a quick nap.
Good luck and have fun! It is the Happiest Place on Earth!! (Or is that Disneyland?? Either way Have Fun!!!)
My kids were 3.5 and 5.5 when we went to Disney back in December. My daughter LOVED all the rides she was able to ride on. Son - not so much!! I bet your kids would LOVE them all. My nephew is 7 and rode Space Mountain for the first time (they googled it first so he knew what to expect) and LOVED it as well. We did see a 5 year old on the Haunted Mansion ride and I advised the mom/dad to put their hands over the kids lap so they do not feel like they are 'falling' so much - and the mom thanked me over and over again after it was all said and done.
I'd say Space Mountain for sure...and the Splash Mountain for sure. The other roller coaster close to Splash Mountain as well (can't remember the name). There is also a really cool race track where they can 'drive' - they will probalby like that. My kids LOVED that!
You should all stay together . No need to run like crazy for fastpasses because you can only get one about every 2 to 4 hours when your first is used. There will be room for your backpack on the rides.
There are so many non fast rides, small world , Mickey's Philharmonic(3d movie)Dumbo (everyone rides it ), Flying carpets, Buzz Space Ranger Spin , cars at the Speedway,Winnie the pooh, the new Ariel ride , Country Bear Jamboree, Tiki Room ,
Then work your way up to Pirates of the carribbean,Teacups,etc.
Make sure to stop by the city hall and get first time buttons (free). and of course see one of the parades(3) or later and the fireworks!
The day will go fast so just have fun and do what you can . Let the kids look at the Disney website to pick out what rides they really want to go on . If you do it ahead of time , you can make a map of what you want to see and they will send it to you . Really helps to organize your day .
If you need anymore help let me know .Have a magical trip !
You really need to put the effort into planning, it will make it so much more magical. You can see and do everything in magic kingdom (outside of tom sawyer's island) in July if you have a good touring plan and make good use of fast passes. www.disboards.com will be your best friend.
The haunted mansion is the favorite of me and my son, age 5. Nothing really jumps out at you (it's not like a haunted hay ride) - it's more spooky than scary. Splash mountain will probably fit in well with what your family likes.
The backpack can go on rides with your or there will be a place to set it aside when you go on.
I take my 1 year old on haunted mansion and have been since she was 6 weeks old. It's really not scary. Personally it's a small world freaks me out more...shiver! And I agree taking a break mid day and going back for the light parade.
Just a suggestion - I would plan to spend more than one day at the Magic Kingdom- and then there are 3 other theme parks and two water parks that you might want to visit. Seating is not a problem. In some rides, you can all go together and in others you can split 2 and 2. No need to leave anyone behind. I would also plan to stay later than 9 pm. The fireworks are wonderful and it doesn't get dark until after 8;30 or so. Some people start at the beginning of the park (closest to the entrance). It is very tempting to start going in all the stores on Main Street. I would go to one of the outlying areas and get a fast pass early in the morning for mid morning and then visit the rides/attractions in that area. Make a plan of what you want to see and try to work those in. It is best to eat at odd times - you will get in and out faster. So if you want to plan a late lunch - bring some snacks to hold you over to lunch. If you want to eat in a full service restaurant for dinner, you will have to make reservations in advance. You can order a free disney DVD and it will show some of the rides and activities. Have fun on your trip. We love Disney and have been going there for years.
First of all I suggest you calm down. You seem VERY stressed about the whole thing and its supposed to be FUN!!! Hopefully you are spending more than one day there. Usually the first day we spend morning to midnight there and eat lunch, dinner and snacks there. We sleep in the next day and leisurely get there when we get there and stay until crankiness sets in. If we feel the need to go back after a short nap, we do, if not, bo big deal.
My favorite ride is It's a Small World. The boat you sit in is large and it moves gently and slowly. The music and the sights are wonderful !
I love going on the Teacups. We were there in May --and all ages were on the teacups !
The shows are great, too:
The Country Bear Jamboree is a fun experience ! The Tikki Bird Show is great! The Hall of Presidents is on the longer side. Save it for midday when you will want to sit in an air-conditioned room.
The electric parade is wonderful. Check the schedule !
My two favorite are Pirates of the Caribbean and Indiana Jones. Also love the haunted house. All great for that age.
There are so many rides and attractions for all of you. It will be hot and crowded. So I would hit parks in the morning swim in the afternoon, rest and then back early early evening. Just try to have some sort of a plan ahead of time. Plenty of room for backpacks etc at each seat.
I would suggest Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Small World, Peter Pan, Buzz Lightyear, Tomorrowland Transit Authority or Wedway PeopleMover is smooth and easy, dark at times, but not certainly not scary. Alladin Magic carpets (like Dumbo but a cooler theme), and Jungle Cruise. If they are feeling good after Thunder Mountain, try Splash Mountain. There's also the train and Tom Sawyer Island for exploring.
Don't worry about your backpack. You will be able to carry it with you on all the rides. We do this all the time with my medium sized backpack.
It's asking a lot to be in the parks from open to close, without any afternoon rest or swim break, especially in the heat. If you only have one day, and your kids are troopers, it's possible to do, but if you're going to do the parks for several days, we've always found it pretty tough to burn the candle at both ends, even now that our kids are 11 and 13.
Accept the fact if you're there during peak season, you will likely not get to do everything, pick a few top must do's and consider anything else a bonus.
the hall of presidents is not a ride it is a show. but I love it and my kids did too. it has some stuff that they may or may not remember for school lol. disney rides are not really scary although my kids did freak out on the snow white ride when they were little lol. but t hey were much younger than your kids. most of the rides will fit at least 2 and some up to 5 or 6 and they will all be able to be seated either right in front of or right behind each other. so one adult one kid. i would definitly do the train that takes you around the magic kingdom not the mnorail but the actual train. and i would not go in with the "I know you will be scared attitude" go in with the this is going to be so cool attitude. skip the roller coaster but all other rides should be fine
Please no no NO haunted mansion. Of course it's scarey! My niece pestered us every time about going through so when she was 4 we relented. Awful. I saw the ride in a whole new way. Scarey Gould jump out from tombstones, it's pitch black, hand knocking on doors with no bodies oh and constant screeching. It's so so creepy. Yes I love it but not for children who are easily scared. Take a look at the park map and talk about what looks fun and if you are planning a sit down meal even with a reservation ( which you MUST make) it takes forever!!! Have fun!!
ETA - your kids are old enough to stay out late and might be a bit cranky but so are lots of kids in the MK.
As for the Haunted House - it's not scary fun it's fun ghosts. My daughter at 4 loved it. They won't be scared out of their minds or anything. Maybe a bit spooked at first but they will leave with smiles!!
Do Buzz Lightyear's ride for sure. Fun for all.Teacups are fun, Peter Pan is the BEST!!!
Go see Mickey's Philharmagic. It's SO GOOD if you love Disney movies.
Give Thunder Mtn a go. Kids love it. And the log fume. The haunted mansion is all laughs.
Seriously, you will be less overwhelmed if you plan ahead. Disney takes a bit of work to see and spend appropriately. Get the unofficial guide!
Most rides have a net at the feet for purses, etc. I had a crossbody purse and rode with it on everything. The hubby had a backpack.
One day in MK is not enough. Don't expect all that much in July as it will be very crowded. But it's wonderful anyway!
My kids l love the Buzz Lightyear ride, Peter Pan, Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Carribean, the jungle safari boat ride (can't remember the name but it is by the Aladdin ride). There are a lot of options. We go every 1 and 1/2 yrs and there is something for all ages. Order the customized maps and you can see where the rides are and pick the ones you def want to ride even before you go. You get them at Disneyworld.com
Thunder Mountain - it's tame - really tame.
Teacups
Peter Pan
Pirates of the Caribbean
*Definitely see Mickey's Philharmagic. It's a 3-D movie and it's really cute.
We did MK in one day on an extra magic hours day. My 5 year old went on everything - even Space Mountain. It wasn't his favorite, but he thought it was cool.
Go to touringplans.com and use this site and the recommendations of plans. It works wonders! Download the app to your smart phone too to check wait times. It was priceless.
Have fun!
