Disneyland: Must-See & Must-Do Things - 2

Must-Sees for Toddlers

• Head straightaway to “Dumbo the Flying Elephant.” When my daughter was a toddler, we’d run to this attraction as soon as we got through the gates—both because it was one of her favorites and because the small capacity of the ride makes for long lines later in the day.

• Check out “The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh” for a light-hearted trip through a storybook favorite. The lighting of this inside attraction is bright enough that even very young children will feel comfortable.

• Glide through the Tomorrowland Lagoon in a bright yellow submersible on the newly opened “Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage.” Young children will be thrilled to encounter Crush, Shark and other beloved characters from the popular movie. (Because this is a new attraction, waits can be oppressive. Be sure to visit this ride early in the day—or very late, after most young children have gone home to bed.)

• Warning: Keep toddlers away from “Snow White’s Scary Adventures.” The day-glo interior is truly creepy, and the darkness and dramatic music are too much for little ones. (My husband and I made the mistake of taking our daughter on this ride when she was 2, and it was so traumatic that we couldn’t coax her on an inside ride again for several years!)

• Big Thunder Mountain looms over Frontierland.
• wolves4moe

Must-Sees for Children Ages 6-10

• Roar along the “Big Thunder Mountain Railroad,” a runaway train coaster ride thrilling (and gentle) enough for children 6-10. (Sit in back for the fastest ride.)

• Brave the long lines for “Pirates of the Caribbean”—it’s well worth the wait. (Note: This is a mild motion ride, but the noise of simulated cannon blasts might be too intense for children sensitive to sound.)

• Crawl inside a video game with “Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters,” where you’ll shoot lasers at Toy Story-themed targets and rack up points for each successful hit. It’s fun for family members to compete to see who gets the highest score—something children especially appreciate, because they are generally better at video games than their parents.

• Catch the classic “Jungle Cruise” in Adventureland; this tame boat ride floats through a simulated African jungle, and children 10 and under will crack up at the captain’s corny jokes (which haven’t changed since I was 10).