By Wishes Diva
When planning your Walt Disney World Trip it can be hard to prioritize which attractions you have to do and which ones can be lower on the list. The amount of things to do on a Walt Disney World vacation can be completely overwhelming! So I am here to help you prioritize. This list would be for a family with small children. If you are interested in a list for older kids or adults check out my other article here.
Magic Kingdom- This Park is going to be the best for attractions that accommodate all ages, so it will probably be your hardest park to prioritize. My advice is to take a day and a half or two days here to fit everything in without being rushed.
Scene from inside of the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Top 3 attractions: The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Peter Pan’s Flight and Prince Charming Regal Carousel.
These three attractions are favorites of my family because they feature gentle motion (other than one mildly bouncy part in Pooh) that is suitable for anyone to enjoy! I have seen infants in carriers be brought on all of these no problem. Peter Pan’s Flight is a staple of Magic Kingdom. It was be on my list forever I have a feeling! My two-year old was obsessed with the carousel on our trip last summer and would’ve ridden it 8 more times if we had let him. We figured 3 was enough for one day! All the familiar characters and fun stories will keep you wanting to come back to these attractions.
Mini Wishes Devo loves the carousel!
Elephants on the Kilimanjaro Safari ride
Animal Kingdom- This is the park that people historically call a half day park. I would absolutely say in my experience that is not true- especially if you are a family that loves taking trips to the zoo! Between the attractions, shows and walking trails there is plenty to do!
Top 3 attractions: Kilimanjaro Safari, Na’vi River Journey and the walking trails (Maharajah Jungle Trek & Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail).
Kilimanjaro Safari
These are attractions are my top choices for a few reasons. The safari and the walking trails are amazing chances to see some great animals up close. The safari features animals from giraffes to elephants to hippos and more! It can be a bit bumpy for little ones so keep that in mind. The walking trails are similar to what you would find at your local zoo, but still another chance to experience wildlife that you don’t see on a day-to-day basis! Now the Na’vi River Journey is one of the more immersive experiences at Walt Disney World. The ride takes you on a gentle boat trip through the forests of Pandora. The incredible part of this ride is the technology they used to create the scenery around you. There are creatures and Na’vi people all through the jungle with you and for that reason it makes my list.
EPCOT- There are really two halves to this park when you look at the attractions: Future World and World Showcase. Each part has attractions however most of them are housed in the Future World portion of the park.
Manatee viewing in the aquarium after the Seas with Nemo and Friends
Top 3 attractions: Frozen Ever After, The Seas with Nemo and Friends and Gran Fiesta Starring the Three Caballeros.
These attractions are sure to please the younger travelers in your family! Frozen has all your favorite characters along the boat ride through Olaf’s story! Be warned this ride does have one substantial drop and it is in the dark. The Seas with Nemo and Friends is my favorite attraction in EPCOT. If you see the Finding Nemo musical at Animal Kingdom you will recognize the song that plays as your ride your clam through the underwater setting. This ride also drops you off to a great aquarium area that includes big and small tanks to view many kinds of sea life such as turtles, dolphins and manatees. The Three Caballeros is also a boat ride and can be found in the Mexico area of World Showcase. It will take you through the adventure of Donald and his buddies getting ready for the big show! All three of these feature family favorite characters that you will definitely want to see on your trip!
Hollywood Studios- This park is going through a lot of changes right now including the addition of Toy Story Land and Galaxy’s Edge and there are more attractions to come that could possibly change this list in the future! But as the park stands for me writing this today, here is my list.
Top 3 attractions: Muppet Vision 3D, Toy Story Mania and Alien Swirling Saucers.
These attractions are all have the possibility of becoming your family favorite at Studios. Muppet Vision 3D is the veteran on this list. It has been at Hollywood Studios for quite some time and truly represents the phrase “an oldie but a goodie” when it comes to attractions. It is a 3D immersive experience that takes place in a theater; complete with all your favorite Muppet friends! Make sure you stop by the courtyard out front of the entrance to see your Muppet favorites in fountain form! Toy Story Mania gives you a hands-on experience where you get to race through different arcade games and try to beat your riding partner. Alien Swirling Saucers is the newest of these rides and can be found in Toy Story Land. It is similar to the teacups at Magic Kingdom in the way that it is set up and it moves- but you will see it is definitely not the same ride!
As I’ve been writing this I can say it is extremely hard to pick the top things to do on a visit to Walt Disney World. There is so much to see and explore! My greatest tip to you is to plan ahead and know your family. Those two things are sure to make your vacation most magical!
For more tips, check out my article on planning Fast Passes for your toddler!
