Disney World Rides by Age
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If you’re wondering what Disney World rides are appropriate for your kid, this guide of Disney World rides by age will help you out! Sure, Disney World is a family friendly place, but that doesn’t make all rides at Disney World kid-friendly. There are definitely some scary Disney rides!
Whether you’re traveling to Disney World is a 2-year-old or 5-year-old or 15-year-old, here’s a breakdown of every ride based on what ages it’s right for. I’ve been a (scaredy-cat) kid at Disney World and taken my kid to Disney World at various ages, so I’ve gotten a good feel for what rides are right for what ages (plus, what rides are still too scary for me to ride!).
And don’t worryโthere’s something for every age at every park, from babies to thrill-seeking older kids and adults. That’s what makes Disney so magical for the whole family!
Also, looking for Disney World ride height requirements? You can find a full list of every ride here.
Plan the Perfect Disney Trip!
Where To Stay:
- Save money at Deluxe Disney Resorts by using David’s Vacation Club Rentals! This is by far the best place to save money on the best hotels!
- Want to stay off-property? Here’s a map of the best hotels and vacation rentals near Disney World.
Tickets & Reservations:
- Use Undercover Tourist (an authorized ticket seller) to save money on Disney tickets. You can save up to $80 per ticket!
- Need a stroller? We loved using Kingdom Strollers for on-site stroller delivery!
Need Help Planning?
- Aren’t sure where to start? Sign up here for a free 7-day email course that will walk you through each step of planning your Disney World trip!
- Download our Disney Planning Spreadsheet, a Google sheet you can take with you on the go, to organize all your Disney World plans! (And use some of our tried and true itineraries!)
Disney World Rides for Babies
There are plenty of Disney rides that are baby-friendly! From Dumbo to It’s a Small World, there are so many classic rides to take the littlest members of your family on. Your best bet for rides with babies are going to be at Magic Kingdom and Epcot.
Be sure to check out the rides for toddlers and preschoolers too, because while some of them may not work for really little babies, some of them should be fine for older babies.
These are all rides that are great for 0-2 year olds.
Note that these are also great rides for expecting mothers.
Magic Kingdom Rides for Babies
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant โ Loop around the sky in a Dumbo car that is still gentle enough for a baby.
- It’s a Small World โ This boat ride with colorful sights and cheerful music is a ride your baby will love!
- Jungle Cruise โ A gentle cruise through the jungle, complete with corny dad-jokes.
- Magic Carpets of Aladdin โ This is almost identical to Dumbo, except in a flying carpet…and a camel that sometimes spits water on you, so be aware of that.
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh โ A gentle dark ride through Pooh’s adventures. There are some gentle bumps and sways, but it’s still pretty baby friendly!
- Peter Pan’s Flight โ Soar over the streets of London in this classic family-friendly ride. (It’s also one of my absolute favorites!)
- Prince Charming Regal Carousel โ A classic carousel everyone will love. Includes benches you can sit on with small babies.
- Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover โ This is a basically an open air tram that takes you through Tomorrowland. It’s so relaxing.
- Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid โ A gentle dark ride similar to Pooh and Peter Pan, although slightly smoother.
Epcot Rides for Babies
- Spaceship Earth โ This is a slow-moving dark ride in tram-like cars through the history of humanity. Very slow and gentle (although a bit long, so be aware of that especially if you have a baby who might get fussy).
- The Seas with Nemo and Friends โ Ride through the Seas pavilion in this family-friendly Nemo themed ride. Very similar to Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid at Magic Kingdom (except with real fish!).
- Living with the Land โ A gentle boat ride through the greenhouses of the Land pavilion.
- Gran Fiesta Tour โ This small boat ride in the Mexico Pavilion has a similar feel to It’s a Small World, but on a smaller scale.
Hollywood Studios Rides for Babies
Honestly, in Hollywood Studios your best bet for fun with your baby is going to be the shows. Stage entertainment has long been the focus of Hollywood Studios, and there are many more shows here than there are rides.
We especially love Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage and For the First Time in Forever Frozen Singalong.
Some of the more toddler appropriate rides may also be appropriate for your older babies, so be sure to check those out too.
Animal Kingdom Rides for Babies
- Na’vi River Journey โ This dark boat ride through the Pandora forest is gentle and lovely. Like It’s a Small World, but updated and on a different planet.
- TriceraTop Spin โ TriceraTop Spin is just like Dumbo, except in dinosaur cars.
- Wildlife Express Train โ You can take a train ride to the petting zoo and exhibits at Conservation Station.
Disney World Rides for Toddlers and Preschoolers
Disney rides for preschool-age children and toddlers are still very gentle, with just a couple of thrills (like small drops on boat rides and kid-friendly roller coasters). These are great rides for kids ages 2-5.
Know your kids though! If they are going to completely freak-out over some loud booms or a small drop, maybe don’t expect them to love Pirates of the Caribbean or be brave enough for Slinky Dog Dash.
(Confession: The first time I went to Disney World when I was 3 I was so scared on Pirates that I hid on the floor of the boat.)
But most of these are rides your preschooler (or brave toddler!) are going to be able to handle! And obviously, all of the baby-friendly rides will still be rides your preschoolers and toddlers will love!
Plan the Perfect Disney Trip!
Where To Stay:
- Save money at Deluxe Disney Resorts by using David’s Vacation Club Rentals! This is by far the best place to save money on the best hotels!
- Want to stay off-property? Here’s a map of the best hotels and vacation rentals near Disney World.
Tickets & Reservations:
- Use Undercover Tourist (an authorized ticket seller) to save money on Disney tickets. You can save up to $80 per ticket!
- Need a stroller? We loved using Kingdom Strollers for on-site stroller delivery!
Need Help Planning?
- Aren’t sure where to start? Sign up here for a free 7-day email course that will walk you through each step of planning your Disney World trip!
- Download our Disney Planning Spreadsheet, a Google sheet you can take with you on the go, to organize all your Disney World plans! (And use some of our tried and true itineraries!)
Magic Kingdom Rides for Toddlers and Preschoolers
- Astro-Orbiter โ This ride operates just like Dumbo. But because of its height and speed, it is a bit more intense than Dumbo and therefore more appropriate for toddlers, preschoolers, and other older kids.
- Barnstormer โ This short coaster makes for a perfect first roller coaster experience for your kiddo! Height requirement: 35 inches (89 cm).
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin โ Really this ride would be fine for babies to go on, but will be more exciting for your preschoolers because of the interactive laser gun element!
- The Haunted Mansion โ This ride is dark and gentle, but it is a haunted mansion and has some spooky stuff and flashing lights and lots of ghosts, so know how scared your kid is going to be.
- Mad Tea Party โ The Tea Cups are a spinning ride your preschooler is sure to love! And grown-ups are sure to feel queasy after!
- Pirates of the Caribbean โ This dark boat ride is mostly pretty gentle, but it does have one small drop and some loud noises that might be frightening. So again, know your own kid.
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train โ A gentle coaster most kids will love! It’s a bit more intense than Barnstormer, but also smoother. For brave preschoolers! Height requirement: 38 inches (97 cm).
- Tomorrowland Speedway โ Drive a car on the Tomorrowland Speedway, a favorite with kids! Height requirement: 32 inches (82 cm).
Epcot Rides for Toddlers and Preschoolers
- Frozen Ever After โ This boat ride in Norway will be a favorite with your Elsa and Anna loving toddlers preschoolers. It does have two small drops, but even your hesitant toddlers will be so overcome with Frozen fever they probably won’t mind.
- Journey into Imagination with Figment โ A dark slow ride about the 5 senses and imagination with a purple dragon named Figment. The darkness, sounds, smells and storyline are a bit more intense than most dark rides though, especially one part with a VERY loud train whistle.
- Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure โ This new addition to Epcot’s France pavilion is perfect for young kids. It’s a 3D trackless dark right with some definite adventures (there are a few loud noises and surprises), but most young kids should love this.
Hollywood Studios Rides for Toddlers and Preschoolers
- Alien Swirling Saucers โ This fast-paced spinning ride is perfect for the toddler and preschool age group! And it’s less intense on the spinning than the Tea Cups. Height requirement: 32 inches (81 cm).
- Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway โ A trackless dark ride the whole family will love! It’s a bit fast-moving for really little babies, but should delight your preschooler (and honestly older babies should be fine too).
- Slinky Dog Dash โ If you have a brave preschooler, this kid-friendly roller coaster is perfect! Height requirement: 38 inches (97 cm).
- Toy Story Midway Mania โ A dark ride that takes your through a series of virtual 3D carnival games.
Animal Kingdom Rides for Toddlers and Preschoolers
- Kilmanjaro Safaris โ The only reason Kilmanjaro Safaris didn’t make our baby list is because it can get a little bouncy over the rough roads. Otherwise, the whole family will love it!
Disney World Rides for School-Aged Kids
Once you get into elementary school-aged children, the lines of what rides are appropriate gets a bit more blurred. You might have a kid that is still too scared to go on Barnstormer, or you might have a child who is all in on Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster’s loops.
For this list, we’re going to stay pretty middle of the road. These are rides for kids who want a few thrills but aren’t quite ready for going upside down on a roller coaster yet. So these rides are generally going to be good for 6 to 10 year-olds.
Plus, obviously everything on the baby and preschool lists still applies here, and they are still fun enough for your older kids!
Magic Kingdom Rides for School-Age Kids
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad โ A perfect coaster for kids who have graduated from Barnstormer and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. Faster and more intense, but not too many drops! Height requirement: 40 inches (102 cm).
- Space Mountain โ If they love Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, they might also be ready for Space Mountain. Make sure they won’t be afraid of riding a coaster in the dark though! Height requirement: 44 inches (113 cm).
- Tiana’s Bayou Adventure โ Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is 100% tame…until the big drop at the end! Most brave elementary school kids will love it and the storytelling with Tiana is adorable. Height requirement: 40 inches (102 cm).
Where will you get wet at Disney World? Check out our guide to Disney World Water Rides!
Epcot Rides for School-Age Kids
- Soarin’ Around the World โ Feel like you are flying over the world in this motion simulated ride. Gentler than Flight of Passage (see below). Height requirement: 40 inches (102 cm).
- Mission: SPACE Green โ Mission: SPACE Green is a space shuttle simulator that is much less intense than the Orange counterpart. There is some motion simulation, but most kids will be fine. Just make sure you choose the green side! Height requirement: 40 inches (102 cm).
- Test Track โ A ride that simulates auto tests, from swerving roads to sudden stops. The favorite is always the 65 mph racetrack at the end. Height requirement: 40 inches (102 cm).
Hollywood Studios Rides for School-Age Kids
- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run โ Get into the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon in this motion simulated and interactive ride. Height requirement: 38 inches (97 cm).
- Star Tours โ A simulator similar to Smugglers Run, but less intense and in a more auditorium like vehicle than a small cockpit. They have some fun new scenes from recent Star Wars shows and movies too! Height requirement: 40 inches (102 cm).
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance โ This ride makes you literally feel like you are in a Star Wars movie, so if you have a kid that won’t be afraid of some laser beams being shot at them and a short drop, they’ll be fine! Height requirement: 40 inches (102 cm).
Animal Kingdom Rides for School-Age Kids
- Avatar Flight of Passage โ A 3D motion simulator that has you riding on your own banshee through Pandora. Absolutely magical, and if your kid loves Soarin’ they can try this next. Height requirement: 44 inches (112 cm).
- Kali River Rapids โ The raft in this ride is circular and spins around on the track, meaning you never know who will get soaked! Height requirement: 38 inches (97 cm).
Ready to buy tickets for your Disney World vacation?
We love using Undercover Tourist! They are an authorized theme park ticket vendor, and will absolutely save you money on the price of your tickets. For example, you could save $68 on a 4-day Park Hopper ticket.
Disney World Rides for Older Kids
Here’s where we get into the more intense rides: the single Disney roller coaster with an inversion and some rides that I don’t even like to ride. These are the rides for the thrill-seekers in your family!
Magic Kingdom Rides for Older Kids
- TRON Lightcycle/Run โ This new coaster is Magic Kingdom’s most thrilling ride! Climb aboard a motorcycle and enter the grid for a race. The launch is fast, quickly accelerating to 60 mph. Note that there are accessible cars for people who can’t fit on the motorcycle seat (I had to use one of these after my ACL surgery!). Height requirement: 48 inches.
Epcot Rides for Older Kids
- Mission: SPACE Orange โ This ride is known to be THE most intense ride at Disney World. It’s a space shuttle simulator with 2G forces, and it’s known to make many an adult queasy. Height requirement: 44 inches.
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind โ My favorite ride at Disney World! This new roller coaster in Epcot is a dark, indoor coaster with new technology: ride vehicles that rotate to face different story elements of the ride. It also has a backwards launch. While there aren’t any inversions or giant drops, it is fast and somewhat intense. However, if you have elementary schoolers who love a thrill, this will probably still work for them. Height requirement: 42 inches (107 cm).
Hollywood Studios Rides for Older Kids
- Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster โ This coaster has the claim to fame of Disney World’s only inversion. It also starts out with a burst of speed, reaching 60 mph in under 3 seconds. Height requirement: 48 inches (122 cm).
- Twilight Zone Tower of Terror โ Enter this haunted hotel with an elevator that drops you into free fall over and over again. (Honestly, I hate drops so I refuse to ride this one. I did it once in my life and that was enough for the rest of eternity.) Height requirement: 40 inches (102 cm).
Animal Kingdom Rides for Older Kids
- Dinosaur โ This is a dark ride that moves through a land of dinosaurs until an incoming asteroid becomes…a problem. The ride vehicle is a Jeep, but there are plenty of bumps and scary situations to make this a true thrill ride. Height requirement: 40 inches (102 cm).
- Expedition Everest โ Another one of my favorite coasters! Ride up high into the Himalayas until you encounter a yeti, and have to escape backwards. If you have a brave kiddo, they will love this. (When my kiddo was 8, we rode it six times in one day!) Height requirement: 44 inches (113 cm).
A Note About Disney World Shows
Almost every single show at Disney World is going to be appropriate and enjoyable for all ages.
The one exception to this rule is Animal Kingdom’s It’s Tough to Be a Bug. This is a 3D show inspired by the movie, complete with smells and feels (including things that poke you from your seat). There are also spiders that drop down from the ceiling at one point.
I think It’s Tough to Be a Bug is supposed to be family friendly, but I have legitimately seen families get up and leave the show with crying children in the middle, so I wouldn’t recommend it to young kids or for anyone who is afraid of bugs.
However, it’s been announced that Disney will soon be changing this show into a Zootopia themed show, so we’ll keep you updated when we know more.
More Disney Planning Resources
- Disney 101: A Guide for Beginners
- Guide to Planning Your Disney Trip
- How to Use Disney World’s Genie Plus Service