Tips for entertaining toddlers in Magic Kingdom (while waiting for older siblings)

When travelling with one family member who wasn’t tall enough to go on all the rides, our daily Disney World travel plans included activities for one parent to do with the two-year-old while the other parent took the five-year-old on roller coasters and other thrill rides.

Here are some tips for others who are in the same situation:

Attractions to experience when the others are riding Big Thunder Mountain Railroad or Splash Mountain:

Country Bear Jamboree
One of our daily conversation topics after returning from Walt Disney World was singing bears. Two-year-old Big Boy quickly became an expert in singing bears. It turned out that one of the attractions that was far down my list of must-sees ended up being his favourite holiday memory from Magic Kingdom. The singing bears were in the Country Bear Jamboree indoor stage show, a 12-minute show with impressive animatronics. We ended up taking him twice as even in a packed park there was no queue and both times we only waited a few minutes before the next show started.

Swiss Family Treehouse
Another activity we managed to visit without queuing was the Swiss Family Treehouse. Visitors walk on a narrow path that leads up into a tree and passed the different rooms and areas made by the Swiss Family. There are lots of steps to climb and I felt I started getting worried about heights, which is a first for me, but it kept Big Boy entertained while waiting for Daddy T and Big Girl to do Splash Mountain.

We also loved The Magic Carpets of Aladdin, which I took Big Boy on twice, and next time I also plan to take him on the short log raft trip to the play area in the fort on Tom Sawyer Island and to the Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room show.

Attractions to experience when the others are riding Space Mountain (only for Daddy T in our party):

Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover
For a slow ride through Tomorrowland, including Space Mountain, the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover train is the go-to attraction. Riders sit in the shade and can relax on a moving train while getting an overview of the area. There was a posted 20-minute wait when we tried to get on at an extremely busy time in the park, so we decided to wait until next time as this is a ride otherwise known for short wait times.

Tomorrowland character spot
Near Space Mountain there is also a character spot, and when we visited Buzz Lightyear was greeting guests there. The outdoor queue meant other family members could easily have come and found us after taking a thrill ride, so I found it a good place to wait with Big Boy.

Attractions to experience when the others are riding Seven Dwarfs Mine Train:

There are a number of rides in the area near Seven Dwarfs Mine Train that are suitable for toddlers and preschoolers, but we wanted to go on “it’s a small world”, Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid, Peter Pan’s Flight and The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh together as a family as they were also must-sees for Big Girl. Some of the other options are:

Dumbo The Flying Elephant
Dumbo The Flying Elephant is a couple of minutes walk away from Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, but I think it is a sweet ride for a two-year-old to get to do an extra time, which is why we prioritised Dumbo for Big Boy. The waiting area is interactive, and instead of joining a normal queue, much of the queue time can be spent running around in a fun circus-themed play area. In my view, Dumbo has the very best queuing area for a family travelling with young children. Escaping from the sun and letting the children run around inside while waiting for an attraction can be pretty fantastic. Sitting in the flying Dumbo and moving the handle up and down to adjust the height of the rotating elephant was also a hit.

Walt Disney World Railroad
One of the rides two-year-old Big Boy was super keen to go on was the Walt Disney World Railroad–or in his words “the toot toot train”. With the Walt Disney World Railroad stations being in Fantasyland, Frontierland and Tomorrowland, it is a nice 20-minute ride to go on while others are doing something else. There’s always a station not too far away, and taking the steam-powered train can also be a good way to get to Main Street for anyone leaving the park. I enjoyed that there’s even some history to learn along the way, and there was lots to see for Big Boy who seemed to thoroughly enjoy his train journey. The station in Fantasyland is not particularly near Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, but I think it can be a good option for some–unless the rest of the party is joining the FastPass queue and it may be fine to simply wait in the Winnie the Pooh shop across the entrance from Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.

Other options include the Prince Charming Regal Carrousel or Mad Tea Party, or a nearby character spot, such as the one by The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.

Tags: Attractions, Big Thunder Mountain, Disney, Dumbo, Magic Kingdom, Orlando, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Space Mountain, Walt Disney Railway, Walt Disney World