Hiya Christina!
Thank you so much for visiting planDisney with your park questions! How exciting that you’ll be heading to The Most Magical Place on Earth with your family. Like you, I also have two kiddos who are four years apart—now 4 and 8—but we started bringing them when they were younger. And let me tell you… Seeing Disney World through their eyes is pure pixie dust. The wonder, the joy, the giggles—it all becomes even more magical when you experience it with little ones.
Let’s jump right into your question! When choosing between a Park Hopper or Standard Admission ticket, it really comes down to your family’s style. If you think you’ll want to visit more than one park in a day, then the Park Hopper is a great option. Personally, when my kids were younger and even now, we rarely park-hop. We love spending the day in one park and, if we needed a midday break (for naps, pool time, or snacks!), we simply returned to the same park later. That’s the beauty of the standard ticket—you can come and go from the same park all day.
If you're staying at a Disney Resort hotel, don’t forget about Early Theme Park Entry, which lets you enter the parks 30 minutes before they open. It’s a great way to enjoy an attraction or two before the crowds arrive—especially helpful with little ones.
Now let’s talk Lightning Lanes. If you're staying at a Disney Resort, you can purchase Lightning Lanes starting 7 days before your trip at 7:00 AM. If you're staying offsite, you can buy them 3 days before. Everything is done through the My Disney Experience app. Lightning Lanes are a wonderful time-saver, especially with younger kiddos who may not love long waits. With the Multiple Lightning Lane Pass, you pick three attractions to start, and then you can choose more one at a time as you use them.
Now, when it comes to rides and attractions, here are some of my girls’ favorite attractions at each park:
- Magic Kingdom: Enchanted Tales with Belle (You feel like you're stepping into the storybook, and you get to meet Belle at the end, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, and Pirates of the Caribbean
- EPCOT: Journey Into Imagination with Figment, Spaceship Earth, and Frozen Ever After
- Animal Kingdom: Kilimanjaro Safaris (a must!) and Festival of the Lion King (such a fun show)
- Hollywood Studios: Alien Swirling Saucers (this one does have a height requirement), Toy Story Mania!, and the Frozen Sing-Along
Of course, every family is different, but these attractions have become our must-dos.
Christina, I hope this helps give you a magical head start on planning your trip. If any more questions pop up along the way, we’d love to help you again.
See ya real soon,
Christina