Hi Kimberly, and welcome back to planDisney! Oh, I love this idea with your tiny Mouseketeers! And yes, you can absolutely visit
Tri-Circle-D Ranch without a reservation just to see the horses.
The stable is over in the Settlement area of
Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground and is currently open from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM each day. You can walk through and visit the horses, and you might even spot Cinderella’s Ponies or some familiar four-legged friends from Main Street, U.S.A.!
If your grands are younger, you can also check out the pony rides while you’re there. Those are available on a walk-up basis and have age, height, and weight requirements, so take a peek at those details before you go.
Here’s my tip for getting there: think Hoop-Dee-Doo! The ranch and Pioneer Hall are both in the Settlement area, so I find it easiest to use Disney transportation that gets you to that side of Fort Wilderness. If you’re coming from Magic Kingdom, take the boat! It’s such a relaxing ride, and you’ll arrive just a short walk from the horses.
And speaking of
Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue, if you have room in your plans, DO IT! It's seriously one of my favorite experiences at Walt Disney World. It’s silly, the food is yummy, and it’s just good old-fashioned Disney fun. Visiting the horses, then heading to Pioneer Hall for Hoop-Dee-Doo, would make for such a fun afternoon and evening with your grandchildren. You’ll want a reservation for the show, so that part I would definitely plan ahead.
I hope you have the best time, Kimberly! Give those beautiful Disney horses an extra hello from me.
Happy trails!
Emille