Best Orlando Area Theme Parks for Young Children

Children of all ages are delighted by Magic Kingdom's evening parades.

If you think your toddlers and preschoolers are too young for the Orlando area theme parks, think again. Children of all ages will find plenty of attractions that will delight them, and with free admission for children under three at most parks, there is no added expense to bring your wee ones along.

That being, some Orlando area theme parks are more entertaining for the stroller crowd than others. Theme parks cater to young families, so all of the basics for feeding, diaper changing and stroller parking will be covered no matter where you go, but as far as individual attractions are concerned, here are the parks that do the best job of keeping the youngest visitors engaged:

Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom: While all of the Disney World parks cater to children of all ages, attractions like “It’s a Small World” and the numerous Disney princess sightings are a big hit with the toddler crowd, as is the Grand Carousel and the Winnie the Pooh ride. Depending on their height, kids as young as four years of age can have their first roller coaster ride in the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.

Rides like Snow White, Haunted Mansion, and Pirates of the Carribbean are as mellow as they come, although your child’s enjoyment of the ride might depend on how sensitive he or she is to a dark tunnel ride with animatronic characters. Keep in mind that the other three Disney parks–Epcot, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios–all have areas that very young children will find entertaining, but for a child’s first foray into Disney World, nothing beats the backdrop of the iconic Cinderella castle at Magic Kingdom.

Another super family friendly theme park in Orlando is SeaWorld, with its Sesame Street characters, children’s play area and rides, and the enthralling  live shows featuring killer whales, dolphins, and even cats and dogs. While Believe with the orcas draws the largest crowds, the Pets Ahoy show offers plenty of entertainment with familiar household animals.

Add to that SeaWorld’s extensive kids’ area with places to climb and explore, and you’ll find plenty of things for young kids to do during a day at SeaWorld. Halloween and Christmas in particular are festive times at the park.

The newest addition to the Central Florida theme park scene is Legoland in Winter Haven, Florida. This park is specifically aimed at kids 12 and under  and the attractions in the Duplo Village specifically target the youngest visitors.

In addition to the playgrounds and rides designed for preschoolers, the live water ski shows are sure to please audiences of all ages, especially with the characters dressed in full Lego costumes. The interactive attractions where children build with Legos are especially popular with the younger crowd, as are pint size rides such as junior driving school and boating school.

While older children tend to “graduate” from the Disney parks to Universal and the water parks, any of the Orlando area theme parks can accommodate young children, but for parks that really cater to te younger crowd, be sure to make some memories–even if they are only for Mom and Dad–at Magic Kingdom, SeaWorld or Legoland.