SKIPPABLE DISNEY WORLD RIDES
Every ride at Walt Disney World is worth trying.
But not at the cost of your sanity.
If your pace it getting too intense–or you just need to cut some time out of your vacation–the image (click to enlarge) presents a few rides that almost no one will regret missing, and a longer list of rides that appeal to some and not to others, with notes about to whom these would most appeal when it’s not obvious from seeing the ride.
(See the Comprehensive Guide to Rides for a view of rides that includes not just skippable rides but also favorites by age group.)
For detailed reviews of each Disney World ride and attraction, see this.
ITINERARY LINKS
- For itinerary design goals and the basic December Itinerary, see this
- For shorter and longer itineraries targeted at the same December week, see this
- For itineraries covering all the other parts of the year, see this
- To design your own itinerary, see this
- For rides that might be skipped, see this
- For a comprehensive guide to rides and attractions, see this
LINKS FOR HOW OLD/TALL YOUR KIDS SHOULD BE
- How Old/Tall Your Children Should Be
- What if They’re Too Short/Young?
- Taking Your Too Short/Young Kids Anyway,&*#$@!!
- The Comprehensive Guide to Rides
- Rides That Might be Skipped
Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook or Google+ or Twitter or Pinterest!!
Hi Dave: What a fantastic website! I am beginning to be lost even before I get there. We (2 adults and 2 kids 5 and 11 yrs old) are staying at the Broadway Inn near Epcot and will arrive on 13th February 2014 AM from the UAE and departing 19thFeb AM. Which itinerary is best for me to follow. Would appreciate your help. Thanks in advance.
Reply
Hi Zee and thanks!
Did you mean the BoardWalk Inn?
I don’t have an itinerary that covers those days or that short a visit. Another issue is that it’s really hard to keep both an 11yo and a 5yo happy–see this https://yourfirstvisit.net/planning-your-first-family-trip/how-oldtall-your-children-should-be/what-if-theyre-too-shortyoung/taking-your-too-shortyoung-kids-anyway/
You can build itineraries on your own by using Josh’s cheat sheets–see this: http://www.easywdw.com/category/cheat-sheets/
Reply
Hey Dave,
I am so excited about our trip scheduled for our arrival July 13, 2013-July 18th, 2013. We will be traveling with a variety, from 4 adults (which one of us is almost 7 feet tall), a 17, 13, 12, two 9 yr olds, 5, 4, and 3 yr old. As it is most of the groups first time at Disney, I am going to treat it as though it were mine as well, seeing how I can actually testify to being one of those people who may only get in 9 rides in the Magic Kingdom park in one day because of awful planning. I desperately want to take the challenge of nine by noon, but is that even possible with such a diverse group? We will be residing at the Shades of Green because we are on a very tight budget, unfortunately we can’t get the dining option, but can you help us with some less expensive options for eating with such a large group. I was reading about the switching parents options so there is always someone with the little ones and all the grown-ups get to ride without too much line time, so we can treat it like an itinerary that will be catering more to the bigger people, but we are not going to “not include them”, just still need to get in as many rides as possible as I am not sure when we will be able to come back. We were also possibly interested in great dinner experiences. I have been reading a lot of information and am overwhelmed at this point. We are getting the four day park hopper plus water park tickets, so I plan for us to do one day for MK, one day for AK, one day to combine Epcot ans Hollywood (everyone seems to think other than a couple of the rides, Epcot is going to be boring), and one day for a water park and to finish up some rides we didn’t get to. You know way more than me, so what ever you can give me will be very helpful.
Thank you for all you do to keep us sane:)!
Tremekia
Reply
Hi Tremekia! Couple of thoughts in response…
First there no great way to fix the little kids problem. See this for some ideas: https://yourfirstvisit.net/planning-your-first-family-trip/how-oldtall-your-children-should-be/what-if-theyre-too-shortyoung/taking-your-too-shortyoung-kids-anyway/
Second, you have too little theme park time for either hopping or a water park to be worth it. See this: https://yourfirstvisit.net/planning-your-first-family-trip/how-long-to-stay/ In yuor shoes I’d do a day each at MK, AK and HS, and decide the night befroe how to spend your fourth day–which will lamost certainly be a return to MK.
Third, there’s no inexpensive way to eat at WDW! The Shades options will be least expensive, but you don’t want to return there for meals–you’ll miss too much in the parks. Counter service is cheaper than table service, and lunch table service cheaper than dinner. Given how short your trip is, I wouldn’t focus much on table service–try for maybe lunch at the Crystal Palace–a buffet, so not only can everyone find something to like, but also you can fill up!!
Finally…to get more than 9 rides done in a day there’s just one secret: arrive at the turnstiles before the parks open, head to the rides that build long lines later first, and use Fastpasses!
Hope this helps…
Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook!
Reply
Hi – my 19 year old daughter and I are going to WDW for the first time. We arrive on 12/30 am (red eye) and leave early morning on 1/6/13. Can you help with an itinerary that would work for us. We are avid Disneyland fans and have had annual passes for the last 19 years. We will be on the quick service dining plan so have no need for dining reservations. Also, I want to thank you for your website, a lot of great information.
Thank you,
Reply
Hi Cynthia, and thanks…that’s a wildly busy time…take a look at this https://yourfirstvisit.net/2009/11/09/6-night-walt-disney-world-itinerary-sunday-arrival/ It’s not a tight fit, but is as close as I have. Opening and extra magic hours will be earlier/more common respectively. So you definitely need to double check the mornings!
As you likely already know, AK is the most distinct park compared to DLR, with Epcot almost as distinct.
Reply
Dave, they’re 7 and 10, and I agree that it’ll probably be pretty dull to them. However, it won’t be dull to us or my parents who will be with us, and it’s good that you planned that the first day. They’ll be all hyped up, so we can “get away” with going to something dull – as opposed to the last days when they know the good stuff that’s out there. Since our day is so long, we’ll probably do the 4 pm dinner so we can wind the day up sooner rather than later and get some rest before our long day at Hollywood since we’re cramming it into one day.
Wow, too much info for you that you don’t care about. 🙂 Thanks.
Reply
Troy the 4p dinner will give you plenty of time! And while the thought of resting up for HS the next day is sound…you’ll be so wound up just to be there that you should not worry to much about leaving–so long as you leave before Illuminations–as the kids won’t sleep anyway…
Reply
I have to agree with Stitch’s attraction. It’s all dark in there, you get wet, lots of noises, you get cramped with your shoulders and small children get scared and yell at the top of their lungs. Plus, it ain’t funny
By the way, taking a look at your list, I must say that after being like 4 times to WDW there are attractions I have never been to and most likely never will
Reply
🙂
Reply
Dave–
As noted above, we come in 11/24. I really don’t need to be worrying about these details yet, but that’s me. 🙂 We’re on a 6 am flight and get to Orlando around 1 pm. It’s gonna be a long day. We’re booked for dinner (not Akershus) at 4 and another at 6 just in case – we’ll cancel one before we leave. How crucial is it that we get a lot of the World Showcase done this day? It appears that we’ve got a lot of stuff crammed in the next Fri, and I don’t know how we’re going to be able to fit it all in that 2nd Fri. But I know we’re going to be exhausted, and I’m concerned about getting us completely worn out the very first day.
I realize that you say in the itinerary for the 2nd Sat that instead of leaving for the afternoon, we can finish up the worlds. But will that be enough time? Crowds should still be low for that 2nd Fri, right?
As always, many thanks for what you do.
Reply
Troy, I forget how old your kids are. The “World Showcase” section of Epcot can be dull as dirt to younger kids…my itins (which have an arrival by 5.30p on the first Sat)–should give plenty of time on that day for you to understand whether you’ll need to devote much more time to it on Friday afternoon…
Reply
Thanks, Dave. Where would you stick Under the Sea in the Basic December itinerary?
Reply
Troy, right now it’s part of the instruction “Then see the rest of Fantasyland.” That is, I don’t highlight it as a first-thing attraction because, having seen its identical twin at Disney’s California Adventure, it’s just not that great a ride…see https://yourfirstvisit.net/2011/11/29/preview-ariels-undersea-adventure-at-the-magic-kingdom/ Depending on traffic patterns that emerge, I may revise the instructions later…
Reply
Dave–
Test Track: I know it opens Dec. 6 – our last day at Epcot is 11/30. What do you think are the chances of a “soft opening” for it having it open when we’re there…and the Under the Sea ride for that matter? How does Disney normally handle new rides? Surely it has to run it a lot before the official opening day to make 100% sure it’s good, right? (fingers crossed) I know we won’t know for sure until we’re there, but after hearing and reading so many good things about Test Track, I’m sure hoping it’ll be up. Thoughts?
Reply
Troy, Under the Sea soft openings begin 11/19 so you should be fine there–and I’d expect test Track will be doing soft openings by 11/30 as well!
Reply