Welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel, Julie!
Last year, I spent two super fun days with my kiddos at Walt Disney World Resort, and I was living the single parent life while my husband was away with the Navy. Like you, I was a little concerned (and a little confused, to be honest) about how we were going to make it work with the attractions, and let me tell you: we ended up having the
best time!
You didn’t share your Mouseketeers' ages, so let me clarify the
Park Rules before we talk about logistics. Guests under age 7 must be accompanied by a person age 14 or older in order to board an attraction; this means that if you have a child who is 6 or under, he or she cannot sit with a sibling on many two-seater attractions unless the sibling is over age 14. My youngest just turned 7, and he and his big sister were so excited because they can now sit together on every ride at Walt Disney World!
Disney’s Rider Switch Service will only be an option if one of your children is 14 or older. Guest under 14 must be supervised by an adult at all times, so the non-rider would have to be old enough to wait alone. This does mean that if you have a child who is not tall enough to ride or chooses not to ride, you'll all have to miss the attraction if there is only one adult in your party. You can check the
list of attraction heights (you can use the "height" filter) to see where this might be an issue; the good news is, there are lots of wonderful
"any height" attractions in all four theme parks.
If you’re all tall enough, and you all want to ride, Cast Members can help you determine the best seating configuration. On
7 Dwarfs Mine Train, my kids were able to sit together in one row with me right behind them, but this is at each Cast Member's discretion for safety reasons. Boat-style attractions like
Pirates of the Caribbean,
"it's a small world" or
Frozen Ever After will be fine because you can all sit together in a row.
I hope that helps, Julie! Even if you're not able to ride an attraction or two, there is so much to see and do around the theme parks, and you will make the best memories laughing until your tummies hurt at shows, chowing down on Mickey-shaped ice cream and treats, meeting your favorite characters, and taking in all the magic all around you.
You are going to have so much fun with your two kiddos in The Most Magical Place on Earth! Please come see us if you have further questions - we are happy to help as you plan and dream.
Wishing you a magical vacation,
Robyn