Shelly

This is the second post of my Disney Attractions series and it is going to be all about the top Disney attractions for kids at the Magic Kingdom (in my opinion.) I’ll go through the attractions according to how I go through the park, again, rather than my favorites. These attractions are geared towards young kids but can still be fun for the adults riding with them. 🙂 Again, if you have any questions regarding anything Disney, don’t be shy, ask away!

When we go to the Magic Kingdom we always take the same route (the same one described here.) If you are a kid, there’s nothing better than feeling like you’re the center of attention. Disney is GREAT for making kids feel special! The Harmony Barber Shop is a great first stop in making your kids feel like the main attraction! You can also check out The Pirates League or the Bippidi Bobbidi Boutique for an even more unique experience (but with more attention comes a bigger price tag.)

I’m not going to mention any character meet and greets in this section. All of them are awesome! The characters and princesses are very attentive and give kids plenty of time to talk. First stop–Adventureland! The Magic Carpets of Aladdin are essentially the Dumbo ride but you can ride with 4 people rather than 2. The Jungle Cruise is a great ride for kids to explore nature from a boat and spot their favorite animals. The tour guides say ‘punny’ jokes throughout the ride to keep the adults engaged and the kids laughing. Pirates of the Caribbean is a classic that kids will recognize from the movies. It is dark though, so beware if you have children who are not fond of dark rides.

‘Drink up me ‘earties, yo ho. Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate’s life for me…’ sorry…that song ALWAYS gets stuck in my head! After Pirates we head to Frontierland where we get a Fastpass for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and go ride Splash Mountain while we wait. There’s a high chance that your kids will get wet on this ride, along with any cell phones or cameras that are not in a ziplock bag. We always ride this ride early so we have time to dry off throughout the hot day. If you don’t want to get wet you can always wear a poncho. 😉 I also think Tom Sawyer Island is really fun for kids to run around and explore. There is no longer a hidden paint brush, but if you mention that you looked for it to the raft captain, they’ll likely give you fastpasses for your family. 😉

*Tip: Remember to measure your kids’ height and check the requirements before waiting in line to take them on rides. Nothing worse than a disappointed child who had their hopes up to ride a certain ride. Also, if you have a smart phone, be sure to get the Disney Experience Mobile App. This mobile app tells you the wait times for attractions throughout the parks as well as allows you to make dining reservations.

The next must-do attraction is the only attraction we like in Liberty Square- Haunted Mansion. Going through the ‘fun que’ will actually put you behind by a couple people but we always go through it anyway! The Haunted Mansion is a scary ride for children who are afraid of the dark, however, most children think it’s a ‘funny scary.’ Congratulations b/c by this time you’ve survived taking your kids through almost half of the park!

Now is where the REAL fun for your kiddies begins! 😉 Since the Haunted Mansion is right next to Fantasyland, we head on over to Peter Pan’s Flight to get a Fastpass and go ride It’s a Small World while we wait. It’s a Small World is KEY in a successful break for your kids b/c it has air conditioning, has small lines, is full of glitter and lets you rest your feet!! All great things in my book. Once we wave adios at Small World we hit up Peter Pan (ALWAYS get a Fastpass for this ride or you WILL be let down. The line is deceptive because it swirls all over the place.) After Pan we go watch Mickey’s PhilharMagic which is one of my FAVORITE attractions in all of Magic Kingdom. Please do not overlook this attraction. Your kids will love it!

After singing along with Jasmine we go to my VERY favorite spot of Disney– THE Castle! It’s a great time to get up close and personal with the castle for a picture break! Disney has PhotoPass cast members that will take your picture with their DSLR cameras and you can buy them online once you get home. You can also ask them to use your camera to take a picture to make sure Mom AND Dad get in the shot as well! Don’t forget to bring change for the wishing well. 😉

Once we get all of the pictures of our home the Castle, we ride Prince Charming Regal Carousel because there’s never a line, I like running around until I find the perfect horse and I love the music. Every kid[at heart] loves the carousel. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is a MUST, not only because I worked that ride, but because it’s SO DARN CUTE! The line is really fun too! After eating cake with Pooh and his friends we always take a spin in Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups! Be sure to plan your meals accordingly so you’re not full when you go on this ride. This is not a suggestion…I’m telling you this as a friend. 😉

NEW FANTASYLAAAAAAND! THIS is a whole new section of the park that they’ve expanded over the past few years. New Fantasyland has taken the place of Toontown and is completely new, other than The Barnstormer (which I recommend b/c it’s a gateway roller coaster…not quite as big as Thunder or Space but bigger than the normal kiddie coasters.) If you get a Fastpass in this area, get it for Under the Sea- Journey of the Little Mermaid or (if it’s open) Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. Journey of the Little Mermaid is a very similar ride to Winnie the Pooh so if you’re short on time, choose your kid’s favorite character.

The top attraction that I would recommend for kids to see in New Fantasyland is Enchanted Tales with Belle. SO CUTE! Parents, if your kids like Beauty and the Beast in the slightest, you won’t regret this. The classic ride– Dumbo the Flying Elephant is now back in this area and is twice as big with two sets of flying elephants. The ‘line’ is also a fun place to let your kids run around at the circus playground while you wait. Another place to let your kids burn off some energy or cool off is Casey Jr. Splash N’ Soak Station.

Honestly, everything in Tomorrowland is awesome! 😉 I’m such a fan! If there’s one I wouldn’t do (have never and will never do) it’s Stitch’s Great Escape. I’m not a fan of Stitch and I’ve heard he burps at one point and it smells like coney dogs. 🙁 Sorry if that just grossed you out…I just wanted to prepare you! Astro Orbiter is the same concept as Dumbo and Aladdin but up reeeeally high. Kinda cool to do at night but not worth the wait if your kids didn’t like one of the other two rides. I am a fan of all the other rides in Tomorrowland but if you’re running low on time I would recommend three above the rest. Monster’s Inc. Laugh Floor, Space Mountain and Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin. Monster’s is a comedy show put on my Mike and will have both you and your kids belly laughing! Space is a classic but is dark, fast and usually has a long line so make sure it’s the right choice for your family before getting in line (or getting a Fastpass.) Buzz is dark but very fun for little kids because they get to be in control of a laser gun to shoot Zorg! Buzz is always very crowded so if you’re to get a Fastpass for anywhere in Tomorrowland, this is where you should get one.

I had to check back at the list of Magic Kingdom attractions because I felt like I just named every single one of them! I didn’t…but I came close! They’re all so good and I wanted to mention all of the rides above b/c you’ll better be able to decide what your kids like and weed out the rides that are too big for them right now. Also, if you don’t think Disney World is worth the money or vacation time…you’re very wrong. It’s a place filled with magic and wonder for people of ALL ages. Seriously, it makes me tear up just thinking about how many people have felt special at the Happiest Place on Earth!

I won’t be doing a post on character meet n’ greets so if that is something you’re interested in, send me a message. 🙂 Next week’s series post will cover Attractions for Adults at EPCOT! What are your kid’s favorite rides? Any they love that I missed? Anyone else feel like a kid when they go to Magic Kingdom? *Tip: wearing Mickey ears WILL make you happier while at Disney. 😉