Taking your family to Disneyland requires a lot of planning, from figuring out where you’re going to stay, to planning dining reservations, and getting those all important boarding groups for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure. One thing you might be thinking about for your trip is does Disneyland have rides that even my littlest kids can ride where there’s no height requirement. Well, the answer is yes, and there’s a lot of them.
We’re breaking down what rides the entire family can go on at both Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure, including the brand new attraction inside Avengers Campus. While a few of these rides might be a little intense for some kids, all of them are family-friendly.
Disneyland Park
Disneyland Park has the most family-friendly rides at the Disneyland Resort. While Disneyland technically includes things like The Disney Gallery, the indoor area near Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln, as an attraction, we’re only talking about rides that move on our list.
Alice in Wonderland
Alice in Wonderland continues to be a family-favorite. While on this ride your family will sit inside a giant caterpillar and take a journey with Alice and the White Rabbit through Wonderland. The line for this ride can get long so try to get here first thing in the morning.
Astro Orbitor
Disneyland’s version of the Astro Orbitor is a spoke-and-wheel attraction similar to Dumbo but with a space theme. We would choose the classic Dumbo attraction over this one if pressed for time, but this is a good one to do at night when the park is lit up.
Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
Competitive kids and adults will love challenging themselves to a round of Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters. On this ride you can help Buzz defeat the Evil Emperor Zurg. Rack up enough points and you’ll walk away a galactic hero.
Casey Jr. Circus Train
Fantasyland is full of kid-friendly attractions, including the Casey Jr. Circus Train. You might remember this train from the Disney movie Dumbo. Climb aboard and take a ride around Fantasyland before stepping off for your next attraction.
Davy Crockett’s Explorer Canoes
Davy Crockett’s Explorer Canoes is one of the most challenging attractions at Disneyland because you’re actually the ones rowing the canoe to make it around the Rivers of America. Little kids will definitely struggle with this one, so unless your child can actually row a canoe for 10 minutes as a group we would suggest skipping.
Disneyland Railroad
The Disneyland Railroad is a must-do at least once on a trip to Disneyland Park. As part of your grand circle tour around the park you’ll see some of Walt Disney’s original dioramas that were used in the World’s Fair, and enjoy seeing other sights and sounds of the park.
Dumbo the Flying Elephant
Dumbo the Flying Elephant is a Disney classic. In fact, it’s often the first ride that kids are able to do when they go to Disneyland. The Fantasyland attraction takes you up and down in a giant elephant, with the help of a little magic and Timothy Mouse.
Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage
Over in Tomorrowland you’ll find the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage. On this ride your family will go beneath the sea to see Nemo, Marlin, Dory and all of their friends from the reef. This ride may not be suitable for those with fear of tight spaces because the submarines are quite small.
Haunted Mansion
A stately manor graces the walkways of New Orleans Square. The Haunted Mansion is another classic attraction that hasn’t gone out of style. Step through the iconic Stretching Room before boarding your doom buggy for a tour of the mansion. This ride does get a fun holiday makeover themed to The Nightmare Before Christmas from September through December.
“it’s a small world”
The boat ride through “it’s a small world” is relaxing and kids love singing along to the ear worm of a song as they spot adorable dolls that look like their favorite Disney characters.
Jungle Cruise
The World Famous Jungle Cruise is filled with punny jokes and all new scenes thanks to a recent refurbishment. Kids will love seeing the backside of water and giggling at the antics of the skippers.
King Arthur Carrousel
The King Arthur Carrousel is filled with pretty horses, where kids can pick their favorite as adults ride next to them. Be sure to look for Jingles, who is Julie Andrews’ favorite horse. You can tell you’re at the right one because it’s the only horse with a set of bells around its neck.
Mad Tea Party
Almost every Disney park around the world has a version of the Mad Tea Party. Kids will love spinning fast in a giant tea cup under the canopy of trees and dimly lit lanterns.
Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Ride through the Hundred Acre Wood with Pooh and his pals in a giant hunny pot on this attraction. Kids and adults will love seeing the larger than life characters. The line for this ride is rarely long, so head here after doing some of the bigger rides at the park.
Mark Twain Riverboat
Relax along the Rivers of America on the Mark Twain Riverboat. This is a great spot for kids and adults to rest and regroup as they take in the sights of Frontierland and New Orleans Square.
Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride
Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride doesn’t have a height requirement, but it may be a little intense for children near the end. To make sure your kiddos love this ride as much as we do, consider showing them a YouTube video of the ride before heading to Disneyland.
Peter Pan’s Flight
Besides Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Peter Pan’s Flight is a ride that most adults remember riding as a kid, and now are taking their kids on. You’ll board a whimsical pirate ship before setting off to London and using a bit of pixie dust to get to Neverland.
Pinocchio’s Daring Journey
Pinocchio’s Daring Journey retells the story of the puppet turned boy. This Fantasyland attraction is best at night when the lines are low while people watch the fireworks. Younger kids may think portions of this ride are scary, so try to prepare them as best you can before boarding.
Pirates of the Caribbean
Everyone loves a ride on Pirates of the Caribbean. The iconic attraction starts in the waters just off Blue Bayou restaurant, then you float past a few pirates who have suffered a dreadful fate before being immersed in pirate lore and storytelling.
Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin
Located in Mickey’s Toontown, Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin is a silly dark ride that follows the lovable Roger Rabbit while he’s doing his typical zany antics. If your kids are scared of the dark, you should skip this one, but otherwise it’s good family fun.
Sailing Ship Columbia
The Sailing Ship Columbia is a replica of the original Columbia that sailed around the world. The attraction takes the same path as the Mark Twain Riverboat and Davy Crockett’s Explorer Canoes, so if you’ve already done those two rides you can probably skip this one.
Snow White’s Enchanted Wish
The recently reimagined Snow White’s Enchanted Wish retells the story of Snow White, but with a much less frightening ending with the Wicked Witch falling to her demise. The new ending is much more kid-friendly, and it’s likely that if your kids have been on this before and have been scared they won’t be now.
Storybook Land Canal Boats
Take a tour around Fantasyland while checking out tiny replicas of enchanted Disney movie castles and homes. The Storybook Land Canal Boats are an original Disneyland attraction, so even if you only ride it for nostalgia and history, it’s worth it.
Disney California Adventure
Disney California Adventure has fewer family-friendly attractions that don’t have a height requirement, so it’s definitely easier to get all of these in over one day.
WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure
The newest attraction at Disney California Adventure is WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure. Kids will love virtually slinging webs at spider bots and helping Peter Parker. To get on this attraction you will need to secure a boarding group, which can be done through the Disneyland app.
Monsters, Inc. Mike and Sully to the Rescue
One of the cutest attractions at Disney California Adventure is Monsters, Inc. Mike and Sully to the Rescue. The line for this ride can be long throughout the day, so check to see if they are using a buddy pass, which allows groups of one or two to skip the line and enter through the exit to ride with another group that waited in the stand-by line.
Golden Zephyr
Paradise Gardens Park is where you’ll find the Golden Zephyr. While on this attraction you board into a chrome rocket before blasting off into circles around the pier.
The Little Mermaid – Ariel’s Undersea Adventure
The Little Mermaid – Ariel’s Undersea Adventure is just steps away from the Golden Zephyr, so it’s easy to hit before moving on to something else. The ride is a retelling of the Disney movie, with familiar characters like Ariel, Prince Erik, Ursula and Sebastian.
Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind
The new-ish attraction, the Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind takes you around the Inside Out Headquarters to see Riley’s memories. As you spin around you’ll also get great views of Pixar Pier.
Jessie’s Critter Carousel
If you’ve already ridden the carousel at Disneyland you can likely skip this one if you’re pressed for time. But if you’ve got a little extra time on your hands, jump on one of Jessie’s critters like a bunny or rattlesnake to take a ride around.
Pixar Pal-a-Round
The Pixar Pal-a-Round is one of the most divisive attractions at the Disneyland Resort. People either love it or they hate it. If you’re taking younger kids consider riding the stationary gondolas for a more relaxing ride. The swinging gondolas can be quite scary, even for adults.
Toy Story Midway Mania!
Toy Story Midway Mania! can be found at a few of the Disney parks around the world. The attraction takes you through a set of interactive midway games like ring tosses and darts with balloons to see who can get the most points. This attraction also utilizes the buddy pass system so be sure to use it if it’s available.
