Hi Brittney, and welcome to planDisney! As one of three kids in a family of five, growing up I had plenty of experience navigating attractions with an odd-numbered group. I'm happy to provide you with some ideas!
In
Disneyland, the whole family can fit in one vehicle on a number of attractions such as Pirates of the Caribbean, the Disneyland Railroad, Tiana's Bayou Adventure, Storybook Land Canal Boats, Star Tours, Jungle Cruise, and others. Over at
California Adventure, the same goes for Soarin' Over the World, Grizzly River Run, Pixar Pal-A-Round, and Guardians of the Galaxy - Mission: BREAKOUT (ask to sit in the back row).
You'll need to be strategic for the attractions that fit two, three, or four guests in a single row or vehicle. How you decide to split up for each attraction depends on the age of each person in your group. When my siblings and I were young, we’d often pair two kids with one adult, and one kid with the other adult. As we got older, sometimes one person (usually a parent) would ride solo on attractions like Haunted Mansion. Occasionally, we’d bring along a friend or relative to round out our group to an even six, which made pairing up easier. Guests ages seven and older can ride alone if they meet an attraction's height requirement and are comfortable doing so. Guests younger than that need to
ride with someone in their group who is age 14 or older. This provides a little more flexibility if you're traveling with older kids.
If you have younger kids or babies in your party, you might be interested in
using Rider Switch for certain attractions. If a little one in your party doesn't meet the boarding requirements or is unwilling to ride an attraction but can't wait outside the queue alone, you can split into two groups. One group would experience the attraction first while the other group stays back with the one who isn't riding. Once the first group returns, the other group (up to two people) can board the ride without waiting in the regular line while the others stay back. Just approach the Cast Member outside an attraction and let them know your party would like to participate in Rider Switch.
Brittney, I hope this helps you plan a magical trip with your family! Please let us know if you have any other questions in advance of your visit to the Happiest Place on Earth. We're always happy to help here at planDisney!
Your pal,
Kriss