Best Disney World Parks for Toddlers

One of Walt Disney’s goals was to make his theme parks fun for all ages AND fun for everyone to experience together. Therefore, it makes sense that there are plenty of opportunities for even the smallest kids among us to be able to enjoy attractions, rides, and shows at Walt Disney World Resort.

But with four Disney World parks, which ones are best for you to take your toddler to? We’ve taken my 2-year-old son multiple times to Disney World, and we’ve found great things for him at every park. Oh, and don’t forget that kids under 3 are free, so why not try them all? But if you can't do that, I've done my best to rank the Disney Parks for young children.

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What Makes a Disney World Park Good For Toddlers?

It takes several factors to make a park good for toddlers. First, there’s obviously the fun factor. A good park for a toddler will have multiple options for rides. Most toddlers need to stick to rides without height restrictions. There are a few rides with low restrictions that toddlers can possibly ride on, but rides without height requirements also allow you to hold or even wear your child on the ride. You can always check the My Disney Experience app for the height restrictions of any ride, but ​here’s a printable pdf of all the rides with no height restrictions.

Next, Disney World has plenty of shows that can keep a toddler’s attention with special effects, catchy music, characters, and silly antics, even if your toddler can’t follow the plot of the show. Finding a park with shows like this will help them (and you) enjoy the experience.

The last element of fun is character interactions. Every child will be different as to what characters they recognize and want to interact with, and two of my three kids went through phases where they were scared of any character with a mask/helmet on. However, some parks have more character interactions targeted to their age range.

My little guy is more interested in running at the camera.

Finally, the best parks for toddlers will have lots of amenities for them. All parks except Hollywood Studios have fun play areas for kids. Every Disney Park has Baby Care Centers where you can change your child, nurse, buy supplies, or just get out of the sun and over-stimulation into the air conditioning. I also want to let you know that every bathroom (women AND men) has a changing table. However, some parks have far more air conditioning than others. If it’s hot at Disney, you might want to stick to those parks.

One of the Disney World Baby Care Centers. This one is in Magic Kingdom.

With these factors in mind, I’m going to rank them for toddlers. If you don’t like my rankings, argue with me in the comments.

Best Park for Toddlers: Magic Kingdom

Magic Kingdom is the best Disney World park for toddlers. That should come as no surprise given that it has the most attractions overall. The theming at Magic Kingdom draws even the youngest children into the fantasy. The castle awes them as soon as they step in. Then, they are drawn into the jungle in Adventureland, the desert of Frontierland, and the future of Tomorrowland.

Then, there are So. Many. Rides. Especially for young kids. They can enjoy the Prince Charming’s Carrousel, It’s a Small World, Peter Pan's Flight, Jungle Cruise, Dumbo the Flying Elephant (my son’s favorite), and so many more. As the magic of these rides wears off for older kids, the wide-eyed experience for small children can endure for multiple rides.

I’m not kidding when I say my son loves this ride.

There are also plenty of shows to keep your toddler’s attention. The slapstick humor of Philharmagic will have you laughing with your toddler at Donald Duck stuck in the wall. The interactive nature of Beauty and Beast and Monster’s Inc. Laugh Floor will have your toddler thoroughly engaged, and the Tiki birds will amaze toddlers long after your older kids get tired of them.

And we can’t overlook the most important shows. The character, dance, and music experience of the Magic Kingdom parades might be the most captivating thing my toddler has ever seen. And, the fireworks show will amaze toddlers with the explosions of color and unbelievable castle projections. You may want to invest in some ear protection for the fireworks though, just in case it scares your little one.

Cinderella waving at my mesmerized Third Baby to the Right.

Magic Kingdom also has plenty of great character interactions, especially Mickey Mouse and Friends, princesses, and Buzz Lightyear. It also has plenty of souvenir shops with age-appropriate toys, and a few places to stay in the air-conditioning—both rides and restaurants. And, it has multiple play areas for smaller kids, one is even inside a ride line at Dumbo. They have to be wearing shoes though. Found that out the hard way.

Two other places for toddlers that Magic Kingdom has is Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique and Harmony Barber Shop. At BBB, little girls can get makeovers to become princesses and boys can be made into knights. Harmony Barber Shop is our favorite though, where babies and toddlers can get their first haircut. Here’s my full review of Harmony Barber Shop.

Our little guy thoroughly enjoying his (second) first haircut at Harmony Barber Shop.

Runner-Up: EPCOT for Toddlers

Epic Mickey jumper on my little dude. And a great cat sweater if I do say so myself.

EPCOT easily comes in second as the best Disney Park for toddlers. It also has amazing rides for toddlers (but not as many as Magic Kingdom). For any princess or Olaf fan, Frozen Ever After is a great experience (as long as they aren’t freaked out by the small drop). Ratatouille is a highly engaging, frenetic ride that kids love, but it’s gentle enough for my little guy to sleep through. Over at the Seas pavilion, Nemo is a great ride, especially if your toddler knows the characters. And I have to give Figment and The Three Caballeros Gran Fiesta Tour a shout out. These rides are great with a toddler, but we love them either way.

Our little Mouseketeer ready to sleep through Ratatouille.

EPCOT doesn’t quite have the level of shows for toddlers that Magic Kingdom has, but it does have many engaging environments, especially the Seas aquarium and Moana’s Journey of Water. Moana’s new area is one of the greatest interactive experiences for toddlers. There’s great music at the American Adventure pavilion and several other countries for your kid to dance to.

The Moana Journey of Water is a great attraction for all ages.

As far as characters, EPCOT has plenty. They frequently have more princess interactions than Magic Kingdom, and you can usually meet some great Pixar characters at the Imagination pavilion (as well as Figment). Winnie the Pooh, Alice, and Mary Poppins are also great interactions.

Where EPCOT really shines, though, is air-conditioning. There are stores and restaurants in every pavilion, the Connection Café, Coke store, the Seas, the Land, and the huge souvenir shop are all great places to rest. Even more amazing, every last ride at EPCOT has an indoor, air-conditioned line.

I think our toddler (and my middle daughter at the top) likes the aquarium.

EPCOT is my favorite park as an adult, but I love taking our toddler there. The only downsides are that it can be a lot of walking (or stroller pushing), some of the more educational elements in the pavilions can be boring to small kids, and the fireworks show in the middle of the lake can be difficult for small kids to see without being held.

Animal Kingdom vs. Hollywood Studios for Toddlers

I have Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios tied for last when it comes to bringing your toddler to Walt Disney World. Don’t get me wrong, they still have great things for your toddlers to enjoy, but far less compared to EPCOT and Magic Kingdom.

I have them tied because they both have very few rides for toddlers. However, what they do have is vastly different from each other. Hollywood Studios has more theming and characters. Both have great shows, but Animal Kingdom has live animals. If your child is into that, Animal Kingdom can jump up the rankings. My toddler is obsessed with rhinos, elephants, and giraffes, so he likes Animal Kingdom more than my younger daughter did when she was a toddler. She loved Hollywood Studios for the Frozen sing-a-long and the Toy Story area.

Animal Kingdom for Toddlers

Animal Kingdom only has four rides that the smallest kids can ride. It has the Kilimanjaro Safaris, Na’vi River Journey, TriceraTop Spin, and the Wildlife Express Train. The safari is one the best features at Animal Kingdom. Rather than feeling like a zoo, the safari gives you the impression that you are actually transported to Africa, with potential up close encounters with herbivores like giraffes and gazelles. You also get views of more dangerous animals like lions and hippos. They are enclosed environments, but Disney does a good job making it look natural. One other benefit is that you can push your stroller all the way through the line.

Toddlers love the animal encounters on the safari.

Na’vi River Journey is a beautiful journey through the bioluminescence of Pandora but can be a little scary for small kids. TriceraTop Spin is just a rotating ride identical to Dumbo or Aladdin’s Carpets, and the Wildlife Train is really just a transportation vessel rather than an attraction.

My middle daughter when she was three on Triceratop Spin.

Animal Kingdom does have some amazing shows that your toddler will love. If your little one knows Finding Nemo or Lion King, they’ll be amazed by the music and entertainment of those shows. Even if they aren’t familiar with the movies, the Finding Nemo Musical and Festival of the Lion King are really engaging.

Animal Kingdom also has several live animal shows, like Feathered Friends in Flight, that can draw toddlers in with the exotic animals and trained behavior. Finally, Animal Kingdom has several shows and musical acts on the walkways that are fun for the whole family.

My wife and son enjoying the music at Animal Kingdom.

Animal Kingdom is limited on character experiences, but if your toddler loves Pocohontas or Up!, then they’ll be in for a treat. Animal Kingdom also doesn’t have much in the way of air-conditioning, especially where the live animal habitats are.

Hollywood Studios for Toddlers

Toy Story Land is amazing for toddlers

Hollywood Studios has the fewest rides without height restrictions of any of the parks. It only has two rides—Mickie and Minnie’s Runaway Railway and Toy Story Mania—that the smallest toddlers can board. However, both rides are amazing. Runaway Railway is a fun journey through lots of beautiful and humorous scenes in the animation style of the new television series. My son loves it.

Toy Story Mania is a ride that that’s basically a moving carnival game where you shoot a gun to score points. Depending on your child’s level of understanding, this can be incredibly fun or frustrating if they don’t know how to use the gun. Toy Story Land also has Aliens Swirling Saucers, which only has a height restriction of 32”, so most toddlers can ride it.

However, Hollywood Studios does have some great shows, environments, and character experiences to counterbalance its lack of rides for toddlers. The most obvious place to take toddlers is the Disney Junior Plaza where they can meet Disney Junior characters like Doc McStuffins and Sophia the First. They can also partake in the Disney Junior Dance Party. Our whole family loves this experience.

An air-conditioned dance party for little kids and toddlers. We love it.

They also have a great Beauty and the Beast show and the Frozen Singalong is laugh out loud funny, even for adults. Toy Story Land is a great area for any toddler familiar with the franchise. They can see popular toys from the perspective of a toy, and they can meet Buzz, Woody, Jessie, and Bo Peep.

At the end of the night, Hollywood Studios has an amazing show called Fantasmic, where Sorcerer Mickey leads you through a montage of movies, and he fights villains with lots of special effects and other characters. In my opinion, this is better than the fireworks shows for little ones because you can sit down and hold your toddler during it.

My 2yo mesmerized by the Fantasmic Show.

So that’s Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Before I conclude, here’s a few questions you might have.

Are the Water Parks good for Toddlers?

While both Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon have toddler areas, unless you’re planning on dedicating the entire water park day to watching your toddler there, it will be difficult for them. There’s no rider swap for little kids, so if your older kids or adults want to ride a ride too tall for your toddler, a parent will have sit out. There’s plenty of fun to be had, but I can’t imagine doing a full day at a water park with a toddler.

What is Rider Swap?

Rider Swap is a special service where parents can take turns riding rides that a toddler can’t go on. Here’s a scenario, my family has 3 kids. If the older kids and both parents want to ride a ride, we can scan a rider swap at the beginning of the ride with a cast member who has an iPad. Then one adult and my two older kids can ride the ride through the standby line while the other adult walks around with the baby. Then, when they finish the ride, the other adult can use the Lightning Lane to ride the attraction with one of the kids while the others watch the baby.

Toddlers sleep a lot at Disney World, and it makes rider swap relaxing.

Pro Tip: Don’t wait at the entrance. Go do something fun with your toddler and return when you’re ready. There’s no time limit on when you have to use the rider swap.

Conclusion and Further Reading

Disney World strives hard to make sure there’s something fun for all ages. That being said, I think Magic Kingdom and EPCOT have a lot more to offer than Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. But this is also YOUR vacation. My son had a great time playing with pine straw while everyone else rode a roller coaster. If you want to go to all the parks, you’ll find stuff for you and for them. Don’t sweat it.

If you want more tips for taking toddlers to Disney World, I’ve got you covered:

Tips for taking toddlers and babies to Disney World

Best Stroller for Disney World

Best Rides for Toddlers at Disney World

And if you’ve brought a toddler to Disney World, how did it go? What’s your advice? Put it in the chat.