Rides Good for ALL Ages

Hi Companions, 

You’ve seen the "Rides Worth the Wait" in Natalie's post. I am going to talk to you about the rides that are good for all ages, especially little ones. I grew up going to Disney and when I was little there were rides I HAD to go on. Even today, they are still some of my favorites for nostalgia reasons. As I get older, this list gets longer and longer. Thrill rides are wonderful, but I LOVE these rides too...so much!! So without further adieu…

1. Peter Pan’s Flight. Y’all Peter Pan’s line is long FOR A REASON! You are flying over London in a pirate ship dusted with fairy dust, and you get to see a very brief version of the Peter Pan story. There is even a secret, special line for it! (We will get to that in another post, but know that it’s there and it is VERY real!) 

2. it’s a small world. Now some people will disagree with me but I love this ride. I love that recently they added the newer Disney characters into the ride to make little Easter eggs for children to find. I personally like the Disneyland version MUCH better than the Disney World version as it is longer, has more countries and is much grander than the World version but I love them both. (Fun Fact - The Lilo character on the surfboard was a boy originally.) 

3. Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Astro Orbit(e)/(o)r, The Magic Carpets of Aladdin. You are flying over everyone and you can control the up and down! I lumped these three together because they are very similar in type of ride and mechanics. Although the Magic Carpet is only at Disney World, it is definitely worth mentioning. (Fun Fact - Astro Orbiter in the Magic Kingdom  is called Astro Orbitor at Disneyland.) 

4. Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters/ Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin. You are riding around in a car you control and you get to shoot at aliens for points! These are the same ride but called something different in each park and while the mechanics are similar they are not exactly the same. (Fun Fact - Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters is what it is called at Disneyland and Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin is what it is called in the Magic Kingdom)

5. Kilimanjaro Safaris. I know, I know you can only ride this ride at the Animal Kingdom in Florida but y’all, every time I ride this, I see something new and exciting! This ride is like going to a zoo without having to leave the comforts of your car. 

6. Alice in Wonderland. Since we picked one that was just at WDW, I decided to pick one that is only at Disneyland. I love this ride! The line is always so long but for a child, this ride is beautiful, with vivid colors and follows the Alice story. It is even TWO stories. 

7. Disneyland Railroad/ Walt Disney World Railroad. Is this technically a ride? Yes! I loved this attraction so much as a child that I would ride it all over the park multiple times waiting for my sisters to finish their “big girl” rides. It is STILL a requirement that I ride this at the end of the night. (There are secret things all throughout the ride!) 

8. King Arthur Carrousel/Prince Charming Regal Carrousel. There is something about the carrousel that brings me so much joy! Maybe because I have a picture of myself on it when I was two. Maybe because it reminds me of my mom and grandmother but either  way, it is still a classic. My niece and nephew rode it several times when at WDW and I imagine my children will too when that day comes. (Fun Fact. King Arthur’s Carrousel is what it is called at Disneyland and it is called Prince Charming Regal Carrousel at WDW.)

(Little Susan at the age of 2, or 3. Fashionista right?! hahahah!)

These last few are slightly more intense than the 8 above. 

9. Frozen Ever After. Yes, this is ONLY in Epcot, but it is WORTH IT! I am not going to spoil this ride for you, but know that this does have a few small drops and goes backwards. I LOVED IT! As did my 5 year old nephew and 7 year old niece. (4 & 6 at the time) 

10. Haunted Mansion. It is dark and has ghosts but the tune is jaunty and although the theme is a bit darker, it isn’t scary per say. When I was little, I found it fascinating but maybe I’m a tad weird? (Fun Fact. I had a friend from high school work on this ride. They can see everything you are doing while in the buggy.)

11. Pirates of the Caribbean. This is also kind of a dark and dank ride with a few small drops, but this is A MUST for me. I’ve seen this ride go through all the adaptations and honestly, I still love this ride. ESPECIALLY at Disneyland. (Fun Fact. The restaurant inside the ride can be eaten at and reservations can be made to eat there!) 

I know I am missing some but if I don’t stop this list will just get longer and longer. Comment below and the ones you think I missed!! 

“When there’s a smile in your heart, there’s no better time to start.”

-Peter Pan

Your Companion, 

Susan

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