Top 10 Disneyland Rides and Attractions for Babies and Toddlers

By: Colleen Lanin, The Travel Mama
May 25th, 2009

Before I brought my daughter to Disneyland to celebrate her first birthday some well-meaning friends warned, “It’s better to wait until she’s five or six to go. What’s the point in taking her now? She won’t even remember it.”

When I held my birthday girl in my arms as we soared through the air on Dumbo’s back and she clapped her hands, grinning and baring her two teeth, I knew that moment mattered. Even if she doesn’t remember it, for that moment she and I were soaring through joy. 

Now that I am a Disneyland Annual Passholder, I visit the Happiest Place on Earth once every couple months or so with my four-year-old daughter, Karissa, and one-year-old son, Leo.

Many parents worry there are not enough rides for babies and toddlers, but amusements for all ages abound at Disneyland! The best part is that the entire family can enjoy most attractions together.

Here are my picks for best Disneyland attractions for babies and toddlers:

1. Dumbo the Flying Elephant in Fantasyland
After failing to get my daughter (then age three) to ride Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride and instead taking my infant son, who clawed at my face with fear throughout, I have given up waiting out the ridiculously long lines for the dark rides in Fantasyland. Instead, we head to everyone’s favorite flying elephant.

2. It’s a Small World in Fantasyland
It is worth getting the cutesy Small World song stuck in your head all day for the smiles this ride will induce for your child. Plus, you get a big return (an eight-minute ride) for your small investment (typically a brief wait in line).

3. A Bug’s Land at Disney’s California Adventure
This area includes three rides for little ones that you can hit pretty quickly since the lines tend to be minimal. While Tuck and Roll’s Drive’Em Buggies bumper cars are fun for preschoolers, the other two rides are wonderful choices for kids and babies alike. There is Flik’s Flyers, which is a slightly less magical version of Dumbo’s ride, and Heimlich’s Chew Chew Train, for which you board a talking caterpillar who chews his way though a garden of sweet-smelling treats like watermelon and animal crackers. Wait until kids are older to brave the 3-D film It’s Tough to Be a Bug! I took my daughter when she was a little over age two. Too scary!

4. Minnie’s House in Mickey’s Toontown
When you tire of waiting in lines, this walk-though attraction keeps toddling kids busy with dials and buttons galore.

5. Jungle Cruise in Adventureland
Here’s an old-school ride for the whole family. Adults will chuckle (or groan) at the humorous commentary of the adventure guides. As for the kids, I remember believing I had actually been to Africa and back when I embarked on this ride during my first trip to Disney World at age four. What fun!

6. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh in Critter Country
This is my four-year-old’s favorite ride! I keep hoping my 15-month-old son will warm to it, but the overwhelming bright colors and loopy feel are not his cup of milk. It’s worth checking out to see what your wee one will think.

7. Mickey’s Fun Wheel at Disney’s California Adventure’s Paradise Pier
Formerly the Sun Wheel, this huge Ferris wheel provides a great aerial view of the park. Skip the long lines for the swinging, scarier gondolas and opt for the milder, merely-swaying ones.

8. Disneyland Railroad 
I have yet to meet a child who is not enthralled by choo-choo trains! You can climb aboard or disembark at Main Street U.S.A., Tomorrowland, Mickey’s Toontown, or New Orleans Square. The best part is the “surprise” trip through the Grand Canyon and Primeval World (a scene of animatronic dinosaurs) between Tomorrowland and Main Street.

9. The Enchanted Tiki Room in Adventureland
Birds and flowers serenade the audience in this pleasant indoor show, giving you time to rest your tootsies while the baby nurses or sips a bottle out of the sun (or rain, as the case may be). Beware of a brief, somewhat scary tropical thunderstorm at the end of the show.

10. King Triton’s Carousel at Disney’s California Adventure’s Paradise Pier or King Arthur’s Carousel in Fantasyland
Whether you choose Triton’s underwater-themed carousel with seahorses, whales, and other ride-able sea-creatures or you choose Arthur’s classic hand-carved horses, most tots love a carousel! It may seem like a boring choice to grown-ups, but not so for the kiddos!

 

What are your favorite rides for young children at Disneyland or Disney World? Leave a comment below!

For more information on this topic see:

• Amusement Park & Disney Resources

• Epcot’s Best Rides & Hidden Treasures for Kids & Toddlers

• Holidays at Disneyland

• Inspiration from a Disney Expert 

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Tags: California, Disney's California Adventure, disneyland

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This entry was posted on Monday, May 25th, 2009 at 10:44 pm and is filed under Where to Travel with Kids. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.