Top Tips for Visiting Disneyland with a Baby or Toddler

What are the best Disneyland attractions for toddlers?

Joshua Sudock/Disneyland Resort

Here are Allison’s Disneyland recommendations for this age: 

• Top pick: Allison raves about Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room for families as it is quieter than other areas of the park, there is A/C, you don’t usually have to wait too long, and best of all, you can bring your own food! Plus, most of the action is overhead so kids can easily see.
• Anything in Fantasyland
• Mickey’s Toontown. This part of the park underwent reimagining and will open later this month. Toddlers love seeing Mickey and Minnie and riding Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway.
• Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters and The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh are great rides for this age.
• It’s currently under renovation, but the Adventureland Treehouse is a top pick for little ones.
• Don’t miss the Magic Happens Parade!
• What about the Haunted Mansion? Allison says that if you start them early, kids will know what to expect and won’t be afraid.

What are the best Disney California Adventure attractions for toddlers?

• Disney Junior stage show—it has all their favorites!
• The Little Mermaid ride is great for little ones because it is slow-moving and quiet with familiar songs.
• Everything at Pixar Pier (minus the Incredicoaster)
• The Redwood Creek Challenge Trail is a great spot for families when you need to get away from the crowds. Toddlers can run around here and explore the play structure. There’s never a wait.
• All of Cars Land
• Web Slingers and Monsters, Inc. are great rides for this age.

What are the easiest ways to meet characters at Disneyland?

Laura Green

The great thing about Disneyland is that characters just walk around the parks. You’ll find them greeting you when you walk in. They also gather around the train station on Main Street and are also found under the awnings near Disneyland Presents Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. Character meals are a guaranteed way to meet some of your favorites. The Disney Jr. show in DCA is another good option. If you want to find a specific character, use the app to locate them.

What are some strategies for making the most of your time at Disneyland and DCA?

Allison says that Genie+ works great at these parks because of their smaller footprint, and she recommends families take advantage of it. You can only start using it once you are in the parks so you are only fighting for Lightning Lane privileges with those already in the parks.

Rider Switch is also a great option for families with little ones. You choose the ride you want to go on and approach a Cast Member there to let them know you are interested in rider switch. Adult 1 would wait in the normal queue, while Adult 2 stayed with the kids outside the ride. Once Adult 1 has completed the ride, Adult 2 returns to the ride and boards through the attraction return line and doesn’t have to wait in the normal queue.