Is it worth it?
We get asked this question often! Is it worth it to take littles to Disneyland? Our answer is a hard yes! There are so many reasons to take little ones to Disney. One, they are free! Kids under the age of three are free! Two, seeing the magic through their eyes is unlike anything else! In this post we will give you all the tips and tricks for a day at the parks with toddlers. We will even talk about what rides to go on when! Lets plan your Disney day with your littles!
Some quick tips
- Bring your own stroller
- You don’t want have to pay to rent one, save $18 a day!
- It’s a great place to store all your “stuff” (diaper bag, snacks, jackets)
- It’s the perfect place for your little one to take a much needed nap
- Baby wear! Baby wearing will save your life! Especially in line, and if they fall asleep you can baby wear on most rides
- Come prepared! Some things we don’t come to the parks without:
- snacks, lots and lots of snacks
- a change of clothes/pajamas
- a toy or two to play with
- Know how to use Rider Switch, read more about that HERE.
- Use the Baby Care Center! They have everything you need. Read more about that HERE.
- Know where the characters are easy to spot
- On the train station platform overlooking Town Square on Main Street USA
- At Princess Fantasy Faire
- Toontown (currently closed til 2023)
- On the terraces near it’s a small world entrance
- Make sure your kiddo has your phone number somewhere on them, write on a sharpie on them, or use our Lost Child Pin Hack HERE.
Itinerary
Now the itinerary we are going to get into is based on little ones, so I will not be incorporating any “Big Kid” rides, BUT if you do want to do some big kid rides utilize the Rider Switch, read more about that HERE.
You have probably heard the term “rope drop” before, that means the time that the park opens. We highly recommend being at the park 30 minutes before rope drop. That means inside the park, on Main Street waiting for the rope to drop! Leaving your hotel about an hour before rope drop should get you there in time. Most of the people will be rope dropping the “big” rides like Rise of the Resistance, Space Mountain, etc. But since this is a day dedicated to little ones we recommend rope dropping Peter Pan. Peter Pan is a popular ride and the line tends to be long all day. So Peter Pan is in Fantasyland, here is the order of rides I would do in Fantasyland:
- Peter Pan
- Snow White
- Pinochio
- Dumbo
- Casey Jr Circus Train
- Mad Tea Party
- Alice in Wonderland
- Storybook Land Canal Boats
- it’s a small world
Now that is 9 rides, that you honestly should be able to get done in 2-3 hours. Everyone else will be on the “big” rides so you should be basically walking on to most of these rides! This is why rope drop is so important. Take breaks where you need it! Sit down and have a snack, nurse a baby, change a diaper, just enjoy the hopefully empty Fantasyland!
Next up, Tomorrowland!
- Finding Nemo
- Autopia
- Buzz Lightyear
- Astro Orbiter
Now at this point would be a good time to take a break and eat lunch! We always pack our lunch into the park to save some money. Some of our favorite kid friendly lunches are uncrustables or lunchables. After lunch is usually when our kiddos need a nap (if they’re still in the napping phase). I lay their stroller seats back, give them their binky, close the shade and walk the stroller around. It’s already been a pretty exhausting day so they usually end up falling asleep pretty quickly! While little ones nap, the other adult or big kids could go hit up a few rides! Whoever pushes the stroller around gets to soak up the ambiance and maybe even grab a treat!
Next up, Adventureland!
- Tiki Room (not a ride but my kids love watching the birds sing!)
- Jungle Cruise
- Explore Tarzans Tree House
Then to New Orleans Square
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- Haunted Mansion (my little ones have never been scared of this ride, but I know some can be!)
And lastly, Critter Country
- Winnie the Pooh
- Go over to Pooh’s Corner, my favorite place to grab a treat!
Galaxy’s Edge
Sadly there are no rides for little ones in Galaxy’s Edge but I highly recommend going over there and exploring! You really feel like you are in the movie.
Where to eat with little ones?
We all know kids can be a little picky. But Disney has all the go to meals for kids! Here is where to find them.
- Chicken nuggets/tenders
- Galactic Grill in Tomorrowland
- Hungry Bear Restaurant in Critter Country
- Stage Door Cafe in Frontierland (tenders)
- Grilled cheese and tomato soup at Jolly Holiday on Main Street (my personal favorite!)
- Mac n cheese (every kids favorite!)
- Alien Pizza Planet in Tomorrowland (toddler meal only)
- Red Rose Tavern in Fantasyland (toddler meal only)
- Blue Bayou in New Orleans Square (reservations recommended)
- Cafe Orleans in New Orleans Square (reservations recommended)
- Carnation Cafe on Main Street (reservations recommended)
- River Belle Terrace in Frontierland (reservations recommended)
- Pizza
- Alien Pizza Planet in Tomorrowland
- Red Rose Tavern in Fantasyland
- Burgers
- Carnation Cafe on Main Street (reservations recommended)
- Galactic Grill in Tomorrowland
- Hungry Bear Restaurant in Critter Country
- Red Rose Tavern in Fantasyland
More to explore
After you have gone on all these rides you can either one, go on them again! Or two, explore some more! You can do the castle walk through where you will see the story of Sleeping Beauty. You can head over to Tom Sawyers Island, the perfect place to run around. And hopefully soon the play areas will be open again in Toontown! Don’t forget to check the app for any parades or firework shows, you do not want to miss those!