Favorite experiences for kids (besides rides)?

[aronny]

Yeah, our 3.5 year old's favorite "ride" was the skyliner. Also loved riding the boat between MK and our hotel. And the monorail. Basically any form of transportation.

Another suggestion I'll throw into the mix is the Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor at MK. She was way more into it than I expected.

 

[Shellyred8]

If you find your kiddos like boat rides, there are lots of options for that! The boats between DS and Port Orleans is a nice ride. You can then get out and walk around the resort and play at the playground for a bit to let them burn off some energy. Take them on the monorail and do the resort loop and then do the Epcot loop. There are also boats between MK and most of the MK area resorts that you can hop on just to ride them. Then there are the Epcot boats that go between EP and HS and the resorts in between. If you are by the Boardwalk resorts, you can stop at the Boardwalk Ice Cream shop for some ice cream. No reservations needed!
If you do the skyliner loop, I would recommend going to the Art of Animation and just walking around their buildings. They have a nice sidewalk that goes around the property and it's just fun to walk around. You can let the kiddos run around a little bit here and burn off some more of their energy.
I'll give another vote for the Tri-circle D ranch at Ft. Wilderness campground. It's not a huge place that is going to take up all of your day, but it's a fun place to go for a couple of hours.
There are a couple of Mini-Golf courses on property if you want to check those out. Probably not so great for the two littlest ones, but it might be a fun trip for the 5 year old and a parent/grandparent or two or three (someone has to watch the two littlest ones!!! LOL!).

 

[westie55]

Last time we were in WDW when my sons were almost 4 and almost 6, Blizzard Beach was a huge hit! They loved the water slides (toboggan racers in particular), the family raft ride, and the wave pool.

 

[wabbott]

It technically is part of a ride, but my girls loved running around and seeing all the fishes in the aquarium at the living seas.

At AK, I would try to get a breakfast reservation at Tusker House. Great character interaction. Also, my girls loved the wilderness explorer at AK. They get stamps for visiting different parts of the park.

This. A couple of years ago, I recall the squeals of delight from kids there: DORY!!!. Also, take note of the animatronic seagulls at the entrance to The Living Seas.

 

[disneygolfer1985]

This. A couple of years ago, I recall the squeals of delight from kids there: DORY!!!. Also, take note of the animatronic seagulls at the entrance to The Living Seas.

Our early day at Epcot we made sure we got ILL for Remy and Frozen, so when the park opened for early mornings we headed straight to Living Seas and rode Nemo and let the girls run around until our frozen reservation at 10. The girls literally had 30-45 minutes where they were basically the only ones running around. My girls love aquariums so it is a great place to go especially in the morning or late when there are fewer crowds.

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

Did Kidcot stations in the countries in EPCOT return? I did that as a kid and it was fun!

If the animation building in Rafikis Plant adventure has reopened in AK do that whole area.

Character meals are always a win.

Hopefully Enchanted Tales with Belle will be back soon!


See if any of the hotels have extra activities-same goes for Disney Springs!

 

[AnnabelleTheTalkingTree]

I'm going to say dining that has entertainment - kids are happier (and parents are more relaxed) during meals when there is something to entertain the kiddos. Our favorites are Biergarten (kids love the live music and dancing to it) and Hoop Dee Doo.

 

[AnnabelleTheTalkingTree]

Did Kidcot stations in the countries in EPCOT return? I did that as a kid and it was fun!

If the animation building in Rafikis Plant adventure has reopened in AK do that whole area.

Character meals are always a win.

Hopefully Enchanted Tales with Belle will be back soon!


See if any of the hotels have extra activities-same goes for Disney Springs!

yes KidCot is up and running. We did it in May. My 5 year old got really into collecting all the passports.

 

[flowergleam1211]

When my kids were four, I took them to the Art of Animation to look at the storybook landscapes. They especially loved the Cars one and they make for such great photos. You can also ride the Skyliner to and from the resort. These activities were so fun and memorable for my kids and they didn't cost a thing!

Similarly, my kids loved the Friendship Boat which you can take from Hollywood Studios and EPCOT. I'm sure they would enjoy the monorail as well.

And if you are staying at a place with a pool and it's warm enough, you should definitely set aside time for that! It may not be Disney-specific, but my kids just love their pool time.

 

[arich35]

When my kids were four, I took them to the Art of Animation to look at the storybook landscapes. They especially loved the Cars one and they make for such great photos. You can also ride the Skyliner to and from the resort. These activities were so fun and memorable for my kids and they didn't cost a thing!

Similarly, my kids loved the Friendship Boat which you can take from Hollywood Studios and EPCOT. I'm sure they would enjoy the monorail as well.

And if you are staying at a place with a pool and it's warm enough, you should definitely set aside time for that! It may not be Disney-specific, but my kids just love their pool time.

Are you able to park at different resorts at this point to explore?

 

[flowergleam1211]

Are you able to park at different resorts at this point to explore?

I didn't have a car during my most recent trip but I have definitely seen people discuss parking at resorts (and whether or not it's permitted) on different threads.

 

[mmbm1720]

You can pick up the booklet at any place in the park that has the wilderness explorers logo. From there I think there are like 15-20 different spots you can visit to get stamps.

This is super helpful! Thanks!