Walt Disney World can be overwhelming -- not only for babies and toddlers, but also for the adults who cannot take their little ones on many of the rides. While Disney has geared a number of rides to children at the preschool level and above, some rides are slow enough that baby can sit on mom or dad's lap and enjoy the surrounding visuals and sounds. At the various Disney World parks, you can find shows, parades and activities designed to entertain the youngest of children.
Shows
Disney offers shows featuring favorite characters from movies including "Beauty and the Beast" and "The Lion King" to please the pre-preschool age group. "Finding Nemo -- The Musical" offers a 30-minute song and dance show with oversized theatrical puppets in an air-conditioned theater in the Animal Kingdom Park. At Hollywood Studios, Mickey Mouse leads a 25-minute fireworks and water show called "Fantasmic!" Calling the show a major hit with kids, ages 2 to 4, DisneyFamily.com says "Voyage of the Little Mermaid" is one of the most popular shows at Hollywood Studios.
Parades
The vibrant colors, musical sounds and famous Disney characters make parades a smart way to break up the day for babies and toddlers. Find the parade times in your day map and claim a spot while enjoying a snack or lunch as the parade passes. The "Move It! Shake It! Celebrate It! Street Party" uses music and popular characters to get your little ones dancing in Magic Kingdom Park. Nearly 60 cast members dance on "Mickey's Jammin' Jungle Parade" at Disney's Animal Kingdom in the afternoon. Every night, the "Main Street Electrical Parade" passes through Magic Kingdom. Fireworks follow the parade.
Rides
One of Disney's oldest rides, "It's a Small World" at Magic Kingdom Park takes the family through a world of singing dolls from over 300 countries. Pooh's honey pot seats any size child for a ride through the Hundred-Acre Woods in "The Many Adventures Of Winnie the Pooh" ride at Magic Kingdom. Also at Magic Kingdom, the teacup ride called "Mad Tea Party," spins the family in circles at speeds you control. Epcot's Imagination Pavilion includes many rides for little ones, including "Journey Into Imagination With Figment," a tour of the friendly dragon's sensory lab, filled with different sounds, sights and smells.
Activities
At Affection Section, located in the Animal Kingdom, children pet and feed domesticated animals such as sheep and llamas. In The Boneyard at Animal Kingdom, preschoolers can dig in the sand, climb through tunnels and bang on the xylobone -- a xylophone made from giant bones. To see Cinderella come to life, take a tour of the intricately decorated Cinderella Castle in Magic Kingdom. Get wet at Ketchakiddee Creek at Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park. Disney designed this area of the park with slides and rides for little ones under 48 inches tall.
References
- Walt Disney World: Attractions at Walt Disney World Resort : Pre-Schoolers
- DisneyFamily.com: Disney-MGM Studios Thrill Seeker: Voyage of the Little Mermaid
- Baby Center; Walt Disney World: Getting the Most out of a Trip (Ages 2 to 4); Clark Norton; December 2006
- Mouse Vacations; Traveling With a Baby; Cindy Grant; 2005
