I want you to help you understand what each Walt Disney World theme park offers young children! Because one of the most common things we hear from parents when planning their first Disney vacation is, “we’re skipping Epcot, we heard it’s not for kids” or, “we only need 2 days to visit the parks.”
To start, I am here to tell you that 2 days is barely enough time to visit the Magic Kingdom! ? As far as skipping Epcot, I always like to ask if your child is into Frozen? Running around? Meeting princesses? Seeing Nemo and all his friends? Meeting Mickey? Stretching their imagination with Figment? You get the point!
You may have a short visit, or just being very thoughtful about how you’ll spend your time! With fewer days, a park hopper can be a great option to visit more than one park in a day. I know that sounds like a lot with little ones so it’s not necessary, but an option. Let’s explore what each of the theme parks offer young children because I promise you, there’s a lot! And this doesn’t even touch on the fun dining opportunities children love in the theme parks. You can explore character dining options here though.
Walt Disney World Theme Parks with Young Children
Each of the four theme parks will offer something for young children but we get it that sometimes your days are limited or you might not know what you don’t know! I’d like to share with you what each Walt Disney World theme park offers for younger children so you can make the most informed decision about your vacation and where to spend your time.
I also have lots more tips on touring the parks with children that I share with my guests including tips on:
- Rope dropping
- Renting strollers
- Character dining & character meets
- Using Lightning Lane
- Rider Switch
- Baby Care Centers
- Height Requirements
The Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom is the iconic park and were classic stories come to life. This theme park truly offers so much for families and there is little that children can’t, or won’t, want to experience here. You can find our Height Requirements Guide Here to see just how much littles can do. Believe it or not, most attractions are baby friendly!
It’s important to note that parades and shows at the Magic Kingdom are also a huge draw for littles. They’ll be enamored by the live entertainment so be sure to take time for those in your day!
Let’s take a quick look at offerings by land at the Magic Kingdom and I’ll lead these off with the top things you can’t miss with young children!
Fantasyland
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- it’s a small world
- 7 Dwarfs Mine Train
- Mad Tea Party (tea cups)
- Prince Charming Regal Carousel
- The Many Adventures of Winne the Pooh
- Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid
- Enchanted Tales with Bell interactive show
- Goofy’s Barnstormer
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant
- Mickey’s Philharmagic
Frontierland
- Country Bear Musical Jamboree show
- The Walt Disney World Railroad (one of multiple stops)
Liberty Square
Adventureland
- Enchanted Tiki Room show
- The Jungle Cruise
- Pirates of the Caribbean (slightly dark)
- The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
Tomorrowland
- Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover
- Monsters Inc Laugh Floor show
- Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin
Main Street, USA
- Kids love Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire, a show that takes place in front of Cinderella Castle, multiple times per day. They’ll see their favorite characters in this magical extravaganza with music, dancing, and some special effects!
Play Areas
- Casey Jr. Splash ‘N’ Soak Station – a Dumbo themed water play area
Character Meets
- Meet Mickey Mouse at Town Square Theater
- Meet Disney Princesses at Princess Fairy Tale Hall
- Meet some friends at Circus Stars at Pete’s Silly Sideshow
- Meet Winnie the Pooh & Tigger at the Thotful Spot
- See Mickey, Minnie and pals partying along the Magic Kingdom parade route during Mickey’s Celebration Cavalcade
- You’ll see lots of favorites each afternoon in the Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade
Nighttime Shows
- Don’t miss Happily Ever After, Magic Kingdom’s beloved nighttime show.
- I recommend a dessert party if camping out long before the fireworks starts sounds like too much! You’ll have reserved viewing areas, along with great treats!
- Coming in summer 2025, is a new nighttime parade, Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away! I’m very excited for the return of a nighttime parade!
EPCOT
Epcot is home to imagination, celebration, discovery, nature, and exploring 11 different countries! There’s so much for children to explore here. It’s always been my kids’ favorite park! Let’s explore some of things you can’t miss!
World Celebration
World Nature
- The Seas with Nemo & Friends
- Then, visit the giant aquarium at SeaBase, where you may spot sea turtles, dolphins, rays, sharks and more.
- You can next head over to Turtle Talk with Crush and chat with him. Kids ask the best questions!
- Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana – this is a walk through attraction. it features some water play so kids can opt to cool off here!
World Discovery
- There are some amazing play areas for children – one is located across from Test Track outside of Creations Shop. It’s a great place for kids to burn some energy and parents can see them at all times!
World Showcase
- Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
- You can also sing along with friends in Beauty and the Beast Sing-along while you’re in France.
- Frozen Ever After.
- Step into 11 different countries across World Showcase— and learn the sounds, signs, and some flavors. You can even make craft souvenirs at World Showcase Kidcot Fun Stops, and learn some new languages along the way.
- Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros.
- See other beloved Disney Characters, like Belle, Donald Duck, Snow White, Anna & Elsa, and more. I can share with you a guide to meet 20 different characters in Epcot!
More Family-Friendly Fun
- I promise your whole family will enjoy the seasonal festivals that take place almost all year long! Each offers delicious food, fun scavenger hunts, amazing entertainment, and more. You can even meet the big guy around the holidays. (Not that big guy! Mickey is always around! The one that lives in the North Pole!)
- Watch the skies come alive in Luminous The Symphony of Us. This nighttime show can be seen from all around World Showcase Lagoon.
- DuckTale’s World Showcase Adventures – you can discover exciting mysteries with Scrooge McDuck in the Play Disney Parks mobile app!
- Additional play areas pop up during seasonal festivals!
- Play with water at the nostalgic area out side of Imageworks.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Hollywood Studios is where you can find your favorite stories from the movies! I always recommend this park for Disney Jr. fans as it’s the one place you’ll find those characters! There are more height requirements here than the other parks so be mindful of that for your littlest ones. There are some fantastic shows and character meets though!
Animation Courtyard
- Disney Junior Play and Dance
- Meet Disney Jr. Pals in Animation Courtyard
- The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure (new!) – Preview with spoilers below!
Toy Story Land
Hollywood Boulevard
Sunset Boulevard
Echo Lake
- For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
- Vacation Fun – An Original Animated Short with Mickey & Minnie
Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge
Characters
- Meet more than 25 including Ariel from the live action, BB-8, Buzz, Sulley, Joy, Olaf, Woody & Jessie, and more!
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Animal Kingdom is the largest park by size, it’s full of trails and spaces to explore. With lots of shade, this park offers young ones ample opportunity to burn energy, see wildlife, and explore! Kids will love the interactive Wilderness Explorer quest – and there’s no cost!
Discovery Island
- Tree of Life – check out more than 300 carvings in the tree!
- As you enter the park, stop by the first Wilderness Explorers station. Kids can earn badges throughout the park! This is a great task to keep kids engaged.
- Discovery Island Trails
Pandora – The World of Avatar
Africa
- Festival of the Lion King – a personal favorite!!
- Kilimanjaro Safaris
- Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail
- Rafiki’s Planet Watch – board the Wildlife Express Train to Affection Section to meet some animals
Asia
Dinoland USA
Attractions in Dinoland are phasing out in 2025 to make way for a newly reimagined part of the park!
How to Plan Your Days at Walt Disney World with Young Children
Recommendations for Park Days if you have 4-5 day tickets
- 1 or 2 days at Magic Kingdom
- 1 day at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- 1 day at Epcot
- 1 day at Animal Kingdom
Recommendations for Park Days if you have 3-day tickets
Our first recommendation is a park hopper! This will allow you to still hit all four theme parks splitting one or two of your days.
- 1- 1.5 days at Magic Kingdom
- .5- 1 day at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- .5 day at Epcot
- .5 day at Animal Kingdom
Get all the news, tips, & tricks for your next Walt Disney World vacation!
Recommendations for Park Days if you have 2-day tickets
Again, we recommend a park hopper or reconsider that 3-day ticket. It’s a challenge to decide what you’ll miss out on. You need at least 1 full day at Magic Kingdom but would be able to hit a few things at two other parks with a park hopper or 3-day ticket. If you can only visit one park on your second day, read on below to see what each park offers to decide what will be of most interest to your little ones.
- 1 day at Magic Kingdom
- Decide on second park by reviewing what’s offered above to see what makes sense for your family!
Are you ready to explore the parks with young children?
Let me know how I can help! Our team at The Magic For Less Travel is full of parents, grandparents, aunts, & uncles who frequent with littles often! My three daughters have grown up visiting the parks and always choose Epcot as the park we spend a part of each day at! They’re in their teens now and that hasn’t changed. Bringing our foster baby recently had us spending more time in Magic Kingdom! There’s so much there to see and do with the little ones but she loved ever park as well!
