It might be a hassle to bring your young children to Disney, but when they’re under 3, they’re free. Plus they’re extra cute.
Fast Passes at Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom is the best park for young kids. Almost everything is designed for kids, or at least with kids in mind. They might not care for the some of the rides or might be frightened by the Haunted Mansion or the Country Bear Jamboree, but overall – this is their paradise.
Sadly, due to how many children are there, a lot of the best rides for them will be slow loading, popular, and packed to the brim.
The best fast pass for families with small children is without a doubt, Peter Pan’s Flight. The line for this is often upwards of an hour – the line itself is entertaining, but it’s tough to wait an hour for a 3 minute ride.
Peter Pan is also conveniently located near some other kid friendly attractions: It’s a small world, Fantasmic, King Arthur’s Carousel, and the cinnamon buns from Gaston’s Tavern.
Next for fastpasses is the Jungle Cruise. It’s a fun little boat ride, easy and light-hearted. The wait for this can vary wildly. It’s often 45 minutes or more. The line is outside, hot, and not entertaining like Peter Pan or other rides. Definitely prioritize this fastpass.
The Jungle Cruise is by a few other kid favorites, the Tiki Room, Aladin’s Magic Carpet, Swiss Family Robinson’s Tree House, and of course, Dole Whip.
For anything else, use your judgement. Pirates of the Caribbean, or the Haunted Mansion may be too frightening for your young one. Dumbo, the Teacups, Winnie the Pooh, or the little mermaid ride might be better options. Buzz Lightyear is a good choice if they’re able to actually play the game.
The People Mover is also a great ride for kids, and a great way to take a little break and no fast pass is required.
Tom Sawyer Island is really often overlooked. It’s great for kids – there’s underground caves to explore out of the sun. An old fort, a barrel bridge. And you have to take a boat over there. It’s a really good spot to bring a little snack and enjoy yourself for a little while.
Fast Passes at Hollywood Studios
Hollywood studios is a different animal. The rides are slightly more intense than most of the rides at Magic Kingdom, and there just isn’t that many of them. Most of the park is dedicated to shows, which may or may not be a good thing for your little one.
If they meet the height requirement (31 inches), and aren’t the type to get carsick, Alien Swirling Saucers is a great Tier 1 fast pass. It’s not controllable like the teacups, but swings in a back and forth motion, rather than a circular motion. Let them watch it go before deciding.
Toy story Mania is a gentle ride with a game. The cart seats 2 and there’s no height requirement. This is another great option.
Slinky Dog Dash is a gentle, fun roller coaster, but the height requirement is 38 inches.
There’s also Disney Junior Dance Party, a Muppets Show, Beauty and the Beast, Frozen, Indiana Jones, and tons of character meet and greets.
Fast Passes are plentiful for the shows and character meets, but hard to come by for Toy Story Land Rides.
Fast Passes at EPCOT
EPCOT is generally regarded as the “Adult Park”, due to Drinking Around the world.
However; there’s tons of fun things for kids as well. And usually, no fast pass is required or they’re easy to come by.
For Tier 1 rides for children, there’s one obvious king at EPCOT. In this case, it’s Frozen Ever After. Definitely prioritize getting this. It’s Frozen themed, and just an easy boat ride. It’s located in the Norway Pavilion.
Soarin is a great option – but the height requirement is 40 inches which will likely bring it off the table. It also could be intense for some young ones.
The Sea’s With Nemo and Friends, and Turtle Talk with Crush are great options for kids. The Sea’s With Nemo and Friends lets you out in an aquarium area. It’s actually the second largest single tank in North America. The First Largest is the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, which is home to Manta Rays and Whale Sharks. The EPCOT Tank is home to Dolphins, sharks, rays, turtles, and tons of fish. There’s also 2 gigantic Manatees: Lou & Lil’ Joe. This is a wonderful way to visit with one of Florida’s most iconic and gentle creatures.
Once you’re out of the aquarium area, I would head to Living with the Land. There’s usually a very short wait, and it’s a sort of long, interesting ride that is always changing.
A fastpass for Spaceship earth can’t hurt either. Sometimes the lines back up, but this is a great family ride with a great look back into mankinds history.
For non-fastpass things to do, check out Los Tres Amigos inside the Mexico Pyramid. It’s comprable to It’s a Small World.
Club cool is also a favorite of ours. It’s a good place to relax and walk around on sticky floors, trying some strange sodas.
It may also be worth fast passing character meets. EPCOT has some unique ones like Baymax, Wreck it Ralph, and Anna and Elsa.
Fast Passes at Animal Kingdom
Animal Kingdom probably has the fewest good fast passes for kids.
Na’Vi River Journey is a subpar ride, but it is visually appealing – Kids might not enjoy it since it’s mostly dark. But, nothing scary happens or anything. It’s on the boring side. The line can be very long though.
Kilamanjaro Safaris is probably our favorite. The height requirement is 32 inches but it’s a great way to sit, see some exotic animals, and relax. The best times to go (especially with kids) is early in the morning. Lots of animals are active then, and they are more likely to see one of their favorites.
There’s a new “UP” Bird show, and a new Drawing Class at Rafiki’s Planet watch. We haven’t had a chance to experience these yet, but these seem like great candidates for your last pass. There’s also a lion king show, but it’s typically easy to walk up – consider not fast passing this unless it’s a “Must do”.
Outside of that – there really isn’t much. Definitely do the nature trails and see the animals. Consider “It’s tough to be a Bug”, and the carnival atmosphere and dig site area of “Dinoland USA”, but the other rides just aren’t going to be possible due to height requirements or intensity.
Just enjoy your time
Being at Disney with your kid is an experience all to itself. Watching them waddle down Main Street, and ooh and ahh at the fireworks and characters is likely to be experience enough. Don’t worry about cramming too much into a day – it will probably be cut short by nap time anyways. Most things are designed for young children, but feel free to ask a cast member if you have questions or concerns about any rides, or where to park your stroller!