Is Disney World Worth It for Toddlers and Babies?

Have you heard about Disney World’s awesome deal for parents? All children under three are allowed to enter the parks for free. Yay, right?! Except…is it? Between the temper tantrums and messed up nap schedules and lack of toddler-friendly rides, is Disney World worth it for toddlers and babies?

I’m going to start this article with a slightly controversial statement: I went to Disney World with a twenty-month-old (and a five-year-old), and loved it! Yes, we had to make quite a few adjustments, but overall, it was a very enjoyable, memorable trip. However, based on my experience, I’d say Disney World probably isn’t for every parent of young kids, nor is it right for every young kid. In this post, we’re going to discuss the awesome and not-so-awesome aspects of visiting Disney with toddler, so you can decide if its worth time and money.

Is Disney World Worth It for Toddlers and Babies

Is Disney Worth It For a 2-Year-Old Or Younger: The Good

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Mom and Dad need a break

I mean, seriously.

A little R&R was our main reason for going. Our youngest was a screamer. Meaning, if she didn’t like anything, she’d scream. So, understandably, we were a little nervous about flying her hundreds of miles to the busiest amusement park in the United States. In the end, we figured that if she’s going to scream, she might as well scream somewhere enjoyable.

We were pleasantly surprised by how much we, and she, enjoyed the trip.

There were several moments, while we walked with a stroller that she was content and we were just able to enjoy the ambiance of Disney. We also loved taking her on toddler-friendly rides that she actually enjoyed. After it all, I feel like we learned so much about her, and it gave us a break from the monotony of every day life.

Being a parent is difficult. Doubly so when your young protege is under the age of two. When you’re eyeballs deep in parenthood, sometimes you just need a change of scene. Disney World is an incredible place, whether or not you get to enjoy the rides or not.

Going with toddlers does require some additional planning, but there’s pockets of pure enjoyment that make it worthwhile.

Rider Swap Makes It Worth It

Disney offers a few rides that toddlers can go on, but the vast majority were not created for extremely young riders. 

However, many of these rides offer a “rider switch option.”

Rider switch allows you to stand in line once and switch with your partner, saving yourself hours of wait time. Basically, you walk up to the entrance of the ride line, let the cast member know that you’d like to participate in the rider switch, and the cast member will tell you what to do from there.

Free Benefits for Children Under Three

Is Disney World Worth It for Toddlers - Character Meets
Character meets are one of the many free events your toddler or baby can attend!

Not a lot of things at Disney World are free, so it’s important to take advantage of what is.

Several buffet-style restaurants inside Disney actually allow guests under 3 to share with their parents. For example, the Garden Grill Restaurant (Epcot) and Chef Mickey’s (Disney’s Contemporary Resort).

Disney offers several rides that don’t have age or height limits. So, even though your toddler’s free pass obviously won’t work for more advanced rides, they’ll get to enjoy the more laid-back ones.

It creates memories for you and experiences for your baby

When you’re the parent of a small child, it’s easy to box yourself into the same rigid routine. Days blend together, and we don’t remember the feedings and diaper changes. But we do remember trips like Disney.

I cherish my memories of Disney because of the wonder in my girls’ eyes as they met their favorite characters for the first time.  

Disney is also a brand new experience for your little one. While your toddler may not consciously remember Disney, they will have a brand new experience on their belt that subtly affects their development. It also gives your toddler a chance to experience unfamiliar changes in a safe environment.

For example, I had no idea how my extremely volatile baby would respond to a crowded environment like Disney or a hotel, but she did great. I think the experience instilled more confidence in myself and more confidence for her to weather new experiences later.

The ambiance is magical

Is Disney World Worth It for a 2 Year Old - Ambiance (1)
Disney isn’t just about the rides. It’s the full immersion in your favorite worlds!

I’ve only been to Disney World once in my life. I wasn’t prepared for the sheer magic of it. If you’ve never been to Disney, it’s hard to imagine it. Just think about opening a door and suddenly being transported into an entirely different world. That’s what Disney feels like.

Disney World is more than just rides, food, and characters. It allows you to pretend that you’re in an entirely different world.

So, even if your little one isn’t riding a roller coaster, they’re still experiencing the magic of Disney. From the towering Disney castle to the savory scents floating in Epcot’s Morocco, your two-year-old is learning about new sights and smells at every turn. 

The Cons of Going to Disney With a Toddler

They won’t remember specific memories

It’s true, your toddler will unlikely remember that spectacular hug Mickey gave him. For many parents, this defeats the purpose of going. If that’s you, it might just be better to wait until your little one is a bit older.

For us, this simply put less pressure on us to do things. 

For example, our five-year-old wanted momentos and had a host of characters on her bucket list. I remember feeling so stressed out when I didn’t think we’d make it to the live action version of Frozen!

On the other hand, our baby didn’t care. We just walked around the park and pointed out whatever was ten feet from her. A lot less pressure!

They can’t go on a lot of rides

Is Disney World Worth It for Toddlers - Roller Coasters (1)
One of the few rides our toddler could enjoy at Magic Kingdom. We were pleasantly surprised by how much she loved it!

In fact, there’s only a handful of rides guests three and under can go on, and it’s highly dependent on which park you go to. Right now, in 2025, Magic Kingdom has about ten rides that are baby and toddler-friendly, Epcot has seven, Animal Kingdom has four, and Hollywood Studios has two.

This list changes fairly frequently, so make sure you go to the Disney website and look at rides without a height or age limit.

Just remember though–even if baby can’t go on the ride, Mom and Dad can, thanks to the ride swap!

The heat is no joke

You really need to account for the midday heat wave. We visited Disney World in August, thinking the heat might be somewhat bearable, but NOPE. Ninety-five degrees by eleven o’clock. You need to treat Disney World like a trip to the beach and pack accordingly.

Here are some tips on how to keep your baby cool at Disney. 

Like I said, we did it and had a great time, but the heat is definitely a factor to consider, especially if your little one finds it uncomfortable.

What’s the Verdict

For us, going to Disney with a 2 year old was worth it. Totally worth it. We had fun, and we enjoyed making new memories with our toddler. She might not remember them all, but I’m convinced the experience still helped develop her little mind and filled her with an abiding love for all things Disney. That said, now we desperately want to go back so she can enjoy it even more.

What do you think? If you love exploring with your little one and don’t mind a little extra planning, I’d say go for it! If you’d rather get the best bang for your buck though, wait a year or two, until your little guy can enjoy more rides.

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