In this post, we discuss the best rides for toddlers at Magic Kingdom. Really, this post is more broad and covers pretty much all the activities offered for toddlers at Magic Kingdom, so we really recommend you read the entire thing rather than just the top ten list. Except where specifically stated, none of the rides or attractions on this page have height requirements. We close with a discussion of using Genie+ at Magic Kingdom with a small child.
None of the commentary on this page has to do with how we personally feel about the overall quality of the rides—keep any comments focused on whether attractions are suitable for toddlers. We have a ranking of all the rides at Disney World if you’d like to see our personal assessments.
Recommended Reading
Here are some other posts you might be interested in reading:
We’ve also got a post looking at some of these issues from the other side. Read about the Scariest Rides for Little Kids at Disney World.
Is Magic Kingdom Good for a Two Year Old? Three Year Old?
Magic Kingdom is a good park for all ages. This definitely isn’t true of every Disney park. While this post focuses mostly on rides, the shows and character greetings also make the park ideal for kids of all ages. If they’re old enough that the question is worth asking, they can have a great time at Magic Kingdom.
What rides can toddlers go on at Magic Kingdom?
The following 17 rides at Magic Kingdom are options for toddlers, as they have no height requirements: Astro Orbiter, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Haunted Mansion, “it’s a small world,” Jungle Cruise, Liberty Square Riverboat, Mad Tea Party, The Magic Carpets of Aladdin, Main Street Vehicles, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Peter Pan’s Flight, Pirates of the Caribbean, Prince Charming Regal Carrousel, Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover, Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid, Walt Disney World Railroad.
That’s more rides for toddlers than the other three parks combined (13). We discuss height requirements across the resort more in our Walt Disney World height requirements post.
If you have a taller toddler, they also might meet the requirements for these rides:
Tomorrowland Speedway (ride or drive with supervision) - 32 inches / 81 centimeters
The Barnstormer - 35 inches / 89 centimeters
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train - 38 inches / 97 centimeters
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad - 40 inches / 102 centimeters
Is [ride] too scary for toddlers?
Through our first few years with a baby, it’s been a whirlwind sorting out what is and isn’t scary. Early on, maybe even past a year, babies might not be scared of much anything within reason because they simply don’t know to be scared. For about 15 months, Zoe had no fear whatsoever of Haunted Mansion.
Then sometime around 18 months, things changed and suddenly they were afraid of everything. Not just Haunted Mansion or the explosions in Pirates of the Caribbean, but even the mouse that comes out of the tea cup in the middle of Mad Tea Party.
The point is that most rides have some scary or dark moment, and for some of their lives its likely toddlers will find fright in the most unexpected places. If you’re unsure about a ride, I recommend going on YouTube and watching a video of it (make sure you’re watching the ride at Disney World, as many rides are cloned in modified form at other parks).
Finally, while it applies more to rides not on this list (i.e. for bigger kids), you might want to plan to use Lightning Lanes for rides your little one is nervous about. Nerves will not dissipate during the hour you wait in line, if anything, you’re just in for a tense wait with an anxious kid, and that’s just going to make the ride experience even worse.
Also, check out our post about the Scariest Rides for Little Kids at Disney World. Now, let’s talk more about the specific attractions.
Top Ten Rides for Toddlers at Magic Kingdom
We’ll discuss the top ten rides for toddlers before discussing the remaining seven rides and then the other activities for toddlers at Magic Kingdom. This list is mostly based off our own experience with our toddler, but we’ve taken other factors (reader feedback and our own expertise) into account too.
Here are the top ten rides for toddlers at Magic Kingdom:
Peter Pan’s Flight
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid
Walt Disney World Railroad
Dumbo the Flying Elephant (Tie #5)
The Magic Carpets of Aladdin (Tie #5)
Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
“it’s a small world”
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
Jungle Cruise
You can read more about all the rides at Magic Kingdom in our Magic Kingdom attractions guide. But we’ll offer a bit of discussion of the options for toddlers in the rest of this post.
1. Peter Pan’s Flight
While we think the ride is somewhat overrated, there’s no doubt that Peter Pan’s Flight is the most popular ride for small children at Magic Kingdom and that it is a very good, unique ride.
Unlike the other dark rides on this list, Peter Pan’s Flight has the added quirk of putting you in a “flying” ship, high above the storyline. While this doesn’t make much of a difference to adults, it can make all the difference to kids.
Genie+ is highly recommended for Peter Pan’s Flight. Read more in our Magic Kingdom Genie+ Strategy. Alternatively, start your day with Peter Pan’s Flight—read our Magic Kingdom Rope Drop / Early Entry post for more on that.
2. The Many Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is a fun dark ride that offers a touch more effects than older dark rides. We think it’s got a bit more creative spirit than Journey of the Little Mermaid, but these are pretty equal attractions.
3. Under The Sea ~ Journey Of The Little Mermaid
Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid is a prototypical dark ride. Kids get to sit in a shell and be taken through the story of The Little Mermaid.
4. Walt Disney World Railroad
The Walt Disney World Railroad is a train attraction that takes trips around the Magic Kingdom, stopping at Main Street USA, Frontierland, and Fantasyland. There are some sets throughout the ride, and it’s a cool chance to ride on a train pulled by a real steam locomotive.
T5. Dumbo The Flying Elephant, The Magic Carpets Of Aladdin
There’s not much reason to fret over where we rank these two aerial carousels of Magic Kingdom. Each is sure to have fans in kids who love some aspect of one more than the others.
Dumbo is a classic with decent views. The Magic Carpets of Aladdin doesn’t offer as appealing views, but Aladdin obviously has a good number of fans.
We leave the third aerial carousel, Astro Orbiter, out of this list. While its views are the best of the three, it’s a pain to ride (no Lightning Lane, long standby line) and it definitely exerts more force on its riders.
7. Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
Prince Charming Regal Carrousel is the carousel at Magic Kingdom. There’s not really much to say about it beyond that, but it’s still a fantastic ride for kids. Early in the day you’ll be able to get on with no wait, but the ride can see waits of 20 minutes or more.
8. “it’s a small world”
Some kids will definitely love “it’s a small world.” They’ll love the song and be impressed by the wide variety of vibrantly designed sets and singing dolls. The ride can be quite long, but we’ve never had an issue with our little one getting bored.
9. Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
Like Jungle Cruise (next on the list) Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin suffers in comparison to a counterpart in another park—Toy Story Midway Mania! Most toddlers won’t get satisfaction out of the game aspect of it, as its difficult even for adults to distinguish their red laser dot from the dozens of other ones in the room.
But even if they don’t love the game aspect, the ride still offers vibrant visuals and some cool features like a giant toy robot and animatronic Zurg(s).
10. Jungle Cruise
25 years ago Jungle Cruise would have ranked higher on this list. Now, with Kilimanjaro Safaris at Animal Kingdom offerings kids the experience of seeing actual animals, Jungle Cruise is a bit outdated. Plus toddlers won’t get any of the jokes.
That said, we’re talking about Magic Kingdom, not Animal Kingdom, and this is a good change to see some animatronic animals at work. There’s one fake gunshot during the course of the ride (you’ll be told to cover your ears beforehand).
Other Rides for Toddlers at Magic Kingdom
Honestly—someone could probably list the next seven rides as their top seven for toddlers at Magic Kingdom and we wouldn’t really quibble with it. The truth is simply that if you’re picking the top ten you’ll leave seven good rides behind.
Main Street Vehicles
The first four rides in this section follow a similar premise—grab a seat and enjoy the views. In our heart of hearts, and in our experience with Zoe, these are just as good as anything in the above top ten list. The reason they don’t make it into that list is mostly hype. All things being equal, most families don’t come to Disney World to ride Main Street Vehicles, they come to ride Peter Pan’s Flight.
The Main Street Vehicles are a set of vehicles that drive people up and down Main Street USA in the morning hours. They typically have no wait (other than waiting for the vehicle to get there every few minutes) and sometimes run before the park opens. Ask a Cast Member near the flag if they’re running and where you can board.
Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover
PeopleMover doesn’t have colorful characters or any sort of story, but it’s a really relaxing, enjoyable ride. For younger kids without a ton of attachment to films and their characters, the scenic views might even be preferable to some of the more popular offerings in the park. Our toddler loves it.
Astro Orbiter
As mentioned above, Astro Orbiter is the third aerial carousel at Magic Kingdom. It definitely has fantastic views, but something about the motion is more physically straining (maybe it’s faster). On top of that, it doesn’t have a Lightning Lane and usually has a longer wait than Dumbo and Magic Carpets.
Liberty Square Riverboat
The Liberty Square Riverboat is a leisurely ride on a steamship around the Rivers of America. As long as it’s not too crowded it’s a good chance to give your child a chance to walk around the boat a bit and for you to point out some of the views.
Haunted Mansion
Haunted Mansion is not a traditional haunted house where you walk through rooms encountering spooky characters. It’s a dark ride (like Journey of The Little Mermaid or The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh) through a house that is home to 999 “happy haunts.”
Haunted Mansion isn’t really scary, at least not to adults. It’s more fun, whimsical, or quirky. Of course, that might be a little lost on kids, who will more experience the spooky voices, dark rooms, and ghostly animatronics. That doesn’t make it bad for kids, but it’s definitely a step in a different direction than the traditional Disney dark rides.
Pirates Of The Caribbean
Obviously kids with an affinity for pirates will enjoy Pirates of the Caribbean. Jack Sparrow makes several appearances, and kids who are fans of the films will no doubt enjoy the opportunity to “spot” Jack.
Kids might find trouble appreciating many of the scenes, though, as the juxtaposition of the whimsical pirates in the burning town might be a little lost on them. There are some good visuals in there, and the sets themselves are more impressive than the other dark rides, but they lack the animated character many kids prefer.
There are some particularly dark parts at the beginning and some mildly loud explosions at the beginning as well. Overall while we think the ride is a good ride, and older toddlers might even put it at number 1, it just can’t crack the top ten here.
Mad Tea Party
Mad Tea Party is a spinning teacup ride, like pretty much every spinning ride ever built. Our toddler is starting to warm up to it, but overall it might be better for older toddlers who get a little more thrill out of the spinning experience.
Other Attractions for Toddlers at Magic Kingdom
Here are the remaining attractions we think families with toddlers might consider. And don’t forget that by using rider swap you can still visit attractions even if your toddler isn’t tall enough to ride.
Characters
While we generally treat characters separately from attractions, it seems important to highlight that Magic Kingdom is a great place to meet characters. There are several character greetings on Genie+ at Magic Kingdom, and we have a few other posts explaining how to meet characters:
Enchanted Tales With Belle
Enchanted Tales With Belle is a character greeting with a bit of a twist. Rather than just meeting and greeting Belle, participants will put on a small performance of the Beauty and the Beast for Belle.
Mickey’s PhilharMagic
Mickey’s PhilharMagic is an indoor 3D animated show featuring popular characters and songs from Disney movies like Aladdin, The Lion King, and The Little Mermaid.
Country Bear Jamboree
Note: Country Bear Jamboree is closed for a reimagining until summer 2024.
Country Bear Jamboree is a tough one. Firstly, we love it. We know many people who love it. We think the jokes are hilarious. Some parents will definitely find the jokes inappropriate for some kids. It’s still a Disney attraction, but if lines like “all the boys that turn me on turn me down” aren’t your cup of tea, you might skip the Jamboree.
All that said, it’s really just about the singing bears. Toddlers especially aren’t likely to catch onto the brand of humor, and they’ll hopefully get a kick of out singing bears.
Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor
Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor is an indoor show where Mike Wazowski headlines a stand-up show by characters from the Monsters, Inc. universe. The jokes tend to be very accessible, and this is one kids tend to really enjoy.
Tom Sawyer Island
Tom Sawyer Island is an explorable island reachable by raft from Frontierland. Kids can run around the island at their leisure (always supervised, of course).
Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room
The tiki room is an indoor audio animatronic show featuring singing birds (and a few other singing things). Unlike Country Bear Jamboree there’s not much of jokes that may or may not go over kids heads—they should just be entertained by the singing animatronics.
Other Activities for Toddlers at Magic Kingdom
There are plenty of other activities you can do with toddlers at Magic Kingdom. Cinderella’s Royal Table and Crystal Palace both have character dining, which is your chance to enjoy a meal while encountering characters (reservations required).
The Festival of Fantasy Parade occurs one or two times a day. A cavalcade or two may also occur throughout the day. Check the times guide or “Entertainment” section of the My Disney Experience app to learn about some of the less popular pieces of entertainment.
Kids will also enjoy seeing Disney characters take the stage in Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire on the castle stage. And of course you can catch the nightly showing of Happily Ever After.
Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, for ages 3 to 12, offers the opportunity for guests to receive a makeover into either a prince/ss. These are paid activities and reservations are required.
BOOKING Genie+ WITH TODDLERS AT Magic KINGDOM
Our separate Magic Kingdom Genie+ Guide and Walt Disney World Lightning Lane and Genie+ Guide don’t really cover planning specifically for small children, so we wanted to add a section here.
Keep in mind that these rankings only apply if you’re not planning on using rider switch for adults to ride the rides with height requirements. If you are planning to rider swap, then we still recommend the adults stick to our regular Genie+ plan (links above).
Here are the top five Magic Kingdom attractions we’d consider using Genie+ on when traveling with a small child:
Peter Pan’s Flight
Jungle Cruise
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Dumbo or Magic Carpets of Aladdin
Any Character Greetings
If you secure Peter Pan’s Flight, you can start your morning as calmly as possible with your pick of other rides for small children. If you don’t get that one, you’ll want to start your morning there.
The next three tend to carry the highest waits among the remaining rides for small children. Additionally, you’ll probably prefer to start your day in Fantasyland, surrounded by rides without height requirements, so grabbing Genie+ on the other side of the park makes sense.
What are your favorite activities for a toddler at Magic Kingdom?
All Your Other Disney World Planning Questions Answered
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Know what to ride with our guides to: Magic Kingdom rides, Hollywood Studios rides, Epcot rides, and Animal Kingdom rides! Plus learn about the water parks with our guide to Blizzard Beach and our guide to Typhoon Lagoon! And for some some fun prep, check out our Ranking of Every Ride at Walt Disney World.
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