Park for preschooler

[UMaineTeach]

We are considering 2 days of park tickets with an off property hotel to Disney World (we would tag along with H’s work travel)

I know I want Magic Kingdom, because that just “feels” like actual Disney World to me. Which other park would people recommend for a 4 year old with this profile:

She hates anything remotely scary.

She likes to walk and doesn’t seem to whine about her legs being tired.

She requires a life jacket and within arms reach for swimming. Lesson haven’t happened yet.

She might like character visits or she might cower on my leg. She has zero favorite characters or movies. Mickey and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse are the closest. She pretty ‘take it or leave it’ about everything in her life.

She thinks she likes animals, but when face to face with farm animals she’s 20’ away. Loves to spot them from the car window and watch videos (unless they get too intense with predators and/or turf wars).

I don’t really have anything I must do, especially with the kid so young. Maybe if we go again when she 10 or so it will matter more. This is more of a need something to do/let’s travel trip than a Disney vacation.

[mccallister84]

Honestly I’d just do 2 days at magic kingdom. Make it easy.

[Patsy Baloney]

I have 2 thoughts (besides the aforementioned “go to MK twice”)

1. If she’s into Disney Junior or Toy Story at all, Hollywood Studios

2. If those don’t ping with her, I’d go Animal Kingdom. Much of that is zoo-like walking trails and animal shows. The Safari is fun and there is a cool boat ride in the Pandora area, a drawing class, petting zoo, train, one of the chill Dumbo-like rides in the Dinoland area, and fun live entertainment like drummers, bird flights, a Nemo show, lion king show, and the wilderness explorers scavenger hunt thing.

[dcrunnergirl52]

I agree with 2 days at Magic Kingdom.

[purplepenguin7]

What time of year are you going? We went with a nearly 4 year old last summer. 1 day at MK was enough for us. We couldn’t do a lot of rides (thunder/splash/space mountain, mine train, haunted mansion, and a few others) either due to height or intensity. We were able to get to everything else in one day without genie+ in late August. A more peak time would be harder.

For day 2, I’d suggest Epcot, followed by Animal Kingdom. I think HS might be boring if she doesn’t know Disney jr, or Toy Story.

I’d probably suggest park hoppers so you can head somewhere else if your daughter seems less into things. More so on the non MK day, or if you want to do a second half day at MK then try something else.

[UMaineTeach]

Mar 14, 2023 19:30:07 GMT -5 purplepenguin7 said:

What time of year are you going? We went with a nearly 4 year old last summer. 1 day at MK was enough for us. We couldn’t do a lot of rides (thunder/splash/space mountain, mine train, haunted mansion, and a few others) either due to height or intensity. We were able to get to everything else in one day without genie+ in late August. A more peak time would be harder.

Unfortunately, it’s in the middle of July.

Thank you all for your input.

[redheadk]

Either 2 days at MK or 1 day at MK and 1 day at AK. DD liked AK a lot at that age. Plenty of walking and looking to be done and she really loved the street show with the drums.

[sent]

When DD was 3.5, we did 1 day at Magic Kingdom and 1 day at Epcot to maximize our princess and character meet times. Last year when my son was 4, we skipped Animal Kingdom. He also didn't have a favorite character or movie but likes Mickey. He seems to remember Hollywood Studios and Epcot the best. Hollywood Studios because he saw a lot of things related to characters/stories he knows like the Frozen sing-a-long, Toy Story land, Mickey & Minnie's Runway Railroad, the Cars show, Disney Junior sing a long. Epcot because they have a bunch of those slow moving rides which were basically his level and pace. He also doesn't like anything scary and was not a fan of meeting characters and still talks about how some of the rides at Epcot were in the dark, but a short period of the dark was ok. Barnstormer at Magic Kingdom was not ok LOL.

I think he turned out to not care about Magic Kingdom as much because the park is so big and some of the rides appropriate for his level reminded him of Sesame Place (we go to Sesame Place a lot). So in his little mind, it was "just like Sesame!" when we got on the tea cups and the carpet ride.