Hi Jacklyn,
So excited for your trip with your little one! I have visited the park with my 3-year-old multiple times and she always has a magical time. Her favorite ride is the Mad Tea Party. She loves it when I give our cup an extra twist; giggles galore!
On the Disneyland app and website, you can filter rides that are great for
any height. These are rides that are perfect for little ones, including Emotional Whirlwind (Disney California Adventure) and Dumbo (Disneyland). Be mindful, that some rides may go through the dark, like the Little Mermaid (Disney California Adventure) or the Alice in Wonderland (Disneyland). If you are not familiar with which rides have dark sections, both the app and the website have filters for
dark rides. This can help you avoid unnecessary tears; Fear and Sadness don’t need to rain on a Joy-filled day.
I would also recommend measuring your little one ahead of time to see if they might meet the height requirement for some other rides. I have a particularly tall 3-year-old who went from 35” to 40” in one year; this opened up a whole new world of adventures.
Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree is a fun ride at Disney California Adventure that requires little ones to be 32”. My daughter loves this ride, and it adds just a little more thrill. Despite the height requirement, you need to use your best judgment on what your little one is emotionally ready for. For example, my three-year-old is tall enough to ride Space Mountain, but we will be skipping that ride for a while.
Knowing what your little one can get on (and are ready to experience) ahead of time will save you time navigating the park. You got this!
Toddle Tip: If your little one has the wiggles and you need a rest, head over to Goofy’s How-To-Play yard in Disneyland’s Toontown They can run and play on the playground and you can rest your feed while eating some popcorn.
Wishing you a magical trip!
-Melinda