Disneyland with Toddlers
I love Disneyland and I usually say it’s more of a trip for the kids but really, it’s for me. My husband always wonders why so many adults get so into it. From the Minnie ears, pins, themed shirts, it’s really the magic that Disney is capable of easily creating for people of all ages and backgrounds. That feeling of being a kid again, the fantasy, “the happiest place on earth”.
The best way to access Fantasyland through the Sleeping Beauty Castle at sundown.
Although I can’t deny that I always enjoy a Disneyland and Disney California Adventures day, it makes me happier to know my girls also enjoy it too. Disneyland is a great place for a family vacation especially with all the lodging and food options readily available. It is the epitome of kid-friendly and is certainly one of the best places for a family trip.
When it comes to Disneyland or California Adventures, it is best to do some planning ahead of time. These theme parks are almost always busy, so it’s a good idea to map out places that you would like to dine at or mobile order and also the attractions that you would want to get out of the way first. Do the planning ahead of time so you can spend more time being present with those Minnie ears on while enjoying the look on the kids’ faces.
The Disneyland app is so helpful in planning your day(s) so make sure to download it ahead of time and explore everything you can do on it.
The mini ones are definitely going to spend the most time in Fantasyland since almost everything there has no height requirement. The lines do get fairly long for each of these short rides so I recommended the ones that we enjoy the most.
Here are my suggestions when it comes to the rides with no height requirement at Disneyland Park:
- Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway (Mickey’s Toontown)
- Jungle Cruise (Adventureland)
- Casey Jr. Circus Train (Fantasyland)
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant (Fantasyland)
- “It’s a small world” (Fantasyland)
- King Arthur Carrousel (Fantasyland)
- Peter Pan’s Flight (Fantasyland)
- Alice in Wonderland (Fantasyland)
- Haunted Mansion (New Orleans Square)
- Pirates of the Caribbean (New Orleans Square)
- Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters (Tomorrowland)
Click here for a full list of attractions with no height requirement.
Since Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway is a new ride at the back of the park, we usually like to get to this one early and then work our way back down to the middle of the park, going on “it’s a small world” and back to the central area of Fantasyland with the carrousel, Casey Jr. Circus Train, etc. The Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean can be a bit frightening for the little ones under 5 years old, but both are slow, dark and typically fun for those of all ages. The lines for those two typically can get pretty long as well (especially for the Haunted Mansion during the Halloween and Holiday season).
Here are my suggestions when it comes to the rides with no height requirement at Disney California Adventure:
- Toy Story Midway Mania! (Pixar Pier)
- Pixar Pal-A-Round-Swinging/Non-
swinging (Pixar Pier) - Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue! (Hollywood Land)
- The Little Mermaid – Ariel’s Undersea Adventure (Paradise Gardens Park)
- WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure (Avengers Campus)
If you have older kids, we would start by going on the Guardians of the Galaxy ride, then going through Avengers Campus to go on the WEBSLINGERS: Spiderman attraction. From there, we’ll work our way through Cars Land by going on Radiator Springs. We’ll head to Pixar Pier and take photos on the scenic bridge before queuing at Toy Story Midway Mania. After that we usually check out the Boardwalk games and go on the Little Mermaid and then Soaring Around the World or Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue! Keep in mind, we were able to do a lot of these rides because we purchased the Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lanes.
There’s so much to do at Disneyland Park and is more baby/toddler friendly when it comes to its attractions in comparison to California Adventures. Since there is so much to see and do, keep in mind that if you do go with older kids and/or adults that want to go on the other rides, you may want to look into the Genie+ service and/or individual “a la carte” Lightning Lane entrance selections to make the most of your time during your visit. Having gone with these options, we saved a lot of time so I definitely recommend looking into it. Disney Genie+ and Lightning Lanes are worth it.
To learn more about Individual Lightning Lane entry and Disney Genie+ services, click here.
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