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  |  Family Travel  |  Theme Parks and Parks  |  An age-by-age guide to Disney World activities
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An age-by-age guide to Disney World activities

continued from page 3
Preschoolers (Ages 3 Through 6 Years)

  • Keep In Mind: Preschoolers love repetition and will ask to go on their favourite rides again and again. This is fine if the lines aren't long. During crowded times, however, move on to the next attraction. Children may beg for wilder rides, such as Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Splash Mountain, but must be at least 40 inches tall to board them.

  • Parks to See: The Magic Kingdom, Disney-MGM Studios, and Animal Kingdom. Epcot is too enormous, and has little to interest most young kids.

  • Touring Strategies: Spread the sights out over the course of your vacation. Plan to see Magic Kingdom's Fantasyland, Tomorrowland and Toontown Fair one day; Frontierland and Adventureland another. Set aside another day for Animal Kingdom. A half-day is enough for the compact Disney-MGM Studios. Occupy evenings with sit-down events like the Magic Kingdom's SpectroMagic parade, the Fantasmic show at Disney-MGM Studios, or the Electrical Water Pageant (which can be seen from all of the Disney monorail hotels). Set aside your last day for revisiting the kids' favorites.

  • Don't Miss:
    In the Magic Kingdom: Dumbo, the Flying Elephant; Peter Pan's Flight; Cinderella's Golden Carrousel; It's a Small World; The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh; Mad Tea Party; Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin; Mickey's Toontown Fair (especially Minnie's Country House, and the Barnstormer rollercoaster-a tame coaster that's perfect for pint-sized riders); The Magic Carpets of Aladdin; Jungle Cruise.

    In Disney-MGM Studios: Voyage of the Little Mermaid; the new Playhouse Disney-Live on Stage! show, where kids can meet Bear in the Big Blue House and friends; Jim Henson's Muppet*Vision 3-D. In the Animal Kingdom: Kilimanjaro Safaris; TriceraTop Spin in Chester & Hester's Dino-Rama!; Conservation Station, where you can meet animal experts and ride a train to a petting zoo.

  • Parades to Catch: The Magic Kingdom's Share a Dream Come True Parade (a must-see for preschoolers!) The parade is interactive and stops periodically so kids can actually march and dance with the characters. If you have time, also check out: The Disney Stars and Motor Cars Parade in Disney-MGM Studios (get there about 45 minutes beforehand, and snatch one of the shady benches in front of the Sounds Dangerous theater); and Mickey's Jammin' Jungle Parade in Animal Kingdom.

  • Skip:
    At Magic Kingdom: Space Mountain (Kids must be a least 44" to ride, and are seated individually, so you will not be able to sit next to them); Alien Encounter (too intense and scary for children under 12); Tomorrowland Speedway (kids can't drive their own cars unless they're 52 inches tall).
    At Disney-MGMStudies: Tower of Terror (has a dark, foreboding pre-show and frightening 13-story free-fall); Rock 'n' Roller Coaster (kids must be at least 44 inches to ride); Walt Disney: One Man's Dream (young kids will find it boring)

  • Kids May be Scared by:
    In the Magic Kingdom: Snow White's Adventures (the witch pops out); the Haunted Mansion (dark, scary pre-show and ghosts galore); Pirates of the Caribbean (gunfire and menacing pirates).

    At Disney-MGM Studios: Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular (contains fire and many explosions); The Great Movie Ride (some kids think the gunfight is real); Sounds Dangerous Starring Drew Carey (some of it takes place in complete darkness); Fantasmic (loud noises and lots of mean-looking villains); Studios Backlot Tour (which contains fire, a flood, and explosions).

    At Animal Kingdom: It's Tough to Be a Bug (though comical, the 3-D bees and spiders can frighten some); Dinosaur (a T-Rex lunges unexpectedly from the darkness).

  • Meal Plans: Duck into counter-service restaurants by 11 a.m., before they get busy. Also check out the McDonald Fries carts, located at select locations throughout the parks. For leisurely dinners, try out sit-down restaurants that have kids activities and entertainment. Two kid-pleasing favorites: Whispering Canyon Cafe in the Wilderness Lodge hotel, where children can compete in hobby-horse races; and the Ohana Grill at the Polynesian Resort, where kids participate in Hawaiian-style sing-alongs and coconut-rolling races.

    Best Bets for Character Meals: Magic Kingdom's Crystal Palace, for buffet breakfast, lunch or dinner with Pooh and the gang; and the Once Upon A Time Breakfast at Cinderella's castle in Magic Kingdom, where kids can dine royally with Disney princesses. Preschoolers also enjoy Chef Mickey's buffet breakfasts and dinners at the Contemporary Resort.

  • More Great Spots to Greet Characters: Character caravans that come to Disney hotels in the morning - ask at your hotel desk for times); Mickey's Toontown Fair in the Magic Kingdom; Mickey Avenue in MGM; and Camp Minnie-Mickey in the Animal Kingdom.

  • Places to Chill Out: One of the sprinkler areas in the Magic Kingdom, located at Ariel's Grotto and Donald's Boat (water revives even the crankiest children!); Disney-MGM's Miss Piggy Fountain, in front of Muppet-Vision 3D (kids love splashing their hands in it; Animal Kingdom's Boneyard (a gigantic sandbox and interactive playground with caves, slides, and climbing nets).

    Hot Tips:

  • Bring a stroller (or rent one). The kids will need it.
  • Buy the children a small trinket on the first day to keep them from hounding you constantly. Then tell kids you'll buy them one special souvenir at the end of the trip.

    Check the age-by-age guides for the lastest tips and hints to make the most of your next Disney vacation:

  • Babies and Toddlers (Ages Birth to 2 Years)
  • Preschoolers (Ages 3 to 6 Years)
  • School-age kids (Ages 7 to 10)
  • Preteens and Teens (10 and over)


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