Hi Karen,
Welcome back to the Disney Parks Moms Panel! I can imagine how excited your 4-year old is for a trip to the Walt Disney World Resort!
The good news is that there are a number of activities your little one might enjoy! Review the
Planning for Preschool Kids & Little Ones Guide first. Also, check the attractions list at each park -
Magic Kingdom,
Epcot,
Disney's Animal Kingdom and
Disney's Hollywood Studios. When our girls were younger, I checked the height requirements to see which rides they could experience and then I searched videos on YouTube to get an idea of the actual ride experience. Given that your little one does not like dark and loud activities, I would avoid the following:
- Magic Kingdom - Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion
- Epcot - Mission: SPACE, Spaceship Earth
- Disney's Animal Kingdom - Na'vi River Journey, DINOSAUR (definitely no)
- Disney's Hollywood Studios - Star Tours - The Adventures Continue
Karen, I will add that some rides are dark but not loud and others are loud but not dark. He may actually enjoy some of these attractions. It is hard to predict. Some must-do rides are The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Astro Orbiter, The Barnstormer, Mad Tea Party, Kilimanjaro Safaris and Slinky Dog Dash. I have also discovered that little ones love the excitement when they are in the parks and can find more courage than we might imagine!
Magic, memories and Minnie Mouse hugs,
Donyell