Taking Elementary-Aged Kids to Disneyland

The age group 5-9 is the sweet spot for taking kids to Disneyland for a lot of reasons. You are pretty much done with strollers, potty training, clothing changes and naps. (Although parents, please take them if you need them!) The kids get caught up in the magic of characters, rides and special effects. They are not tweens who may get embarrassed to be seen with you in public (yet). And they get to experience their first times on roller coasters and thrill rides. Even though this is easier territory than bringing a baby or toddler, there are still some things to know about bringing an elementary-aged child to Disneyland. Here are our tips for making the best of the years between toddlers and tweens with your kids at Disneyland.

Hop To

• Preparation
• Disneyland Rides
• Disney California Adventure Rides
• Entertainment
• Best Kid Foods
• Hotels
• Tips

FAQs

• What ages are Kids Tickets good for at Disneyland? Disneyland child tickets and kid ticket offers are for ages 3-9. Sometimes you can take advantage of huge savings when there's a Special Kid Ticket Offer.
• What should I bring for my kids to Disneyland? We have a whole blog post on what to bring for kids. But in a nutshell, we suggest a thin extra layer for mornings and evenings, hats, sunscreen, snacks and refillable water bottles.
• How many days do I need at Disneyland? You can see and do most of it within two to three days, but longer if you want to take midday breaks or schedule a rest day (highly recommended) to swim and sightsee in the area.
• Where should we stay with kids? There are a number of kid-friendly hotels very close to Disneyland and at Disneyland Resort. There's something for every budget, and you can save when you book any of them through Undercover Tourist.
• How can I feed my picky eater at Disneyland? Good news! Disneyland has kid-friendly food even your picky eater will love. You can view all the restaurant menus in advance in the Disneyland app or online.

How to Prepare for a Trip with Kids to Disneyland

When to Visit

Deciding on the best time to visit means considering school breaks, weather and what's hoppening at the parks (including special events and seasonal entertainment). One deciding factor is price. There are cheaper times to visit, which might make a big difference in your best time to visit. Multi-day tickets are consistent in pricing year-round (outside of special offers), while 1-day tickets can vary significantly. Then, there are special, limited-time offers.

In summer 2026, there is a Kids Ticket Offer for as low as $48 per day (through Undercover Tourist) for kids ages 3-9, saving up to $368 per ticket! The kids are out of school, and there's so much to do! It's a great deal for families with kids in that age range. This ticket is good for visits May 22 through Sept. 7, 2026. Parents can save by purchasing multi-day tickets through Undercover Tourist.

Here's a look at new summer offerings for Kids Rule Summer:

• Mickey's Park Rangers activity booklet. Pick up the free booklet at Pioneer Mercantile in Frontierland. Do activities, collect stamps and receive a sticker at the end.
• Bluey's Best Day Ever! at Fantasyland Theatre
• Stitch's Interplanetary Beach Party: A dance party in the evening in Tomorrowland.
• Disney Friends Dance Party in Hollywood Land
• Toy Story 5 characters in Pixar Pier (as of June 5)
• Pixar Shorts in Tomorrowland
• Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run (new adventures involving Mandalorian and Grogu)
• BDX Droids and classic Star Wars characters in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge
• Youngling Saber Building Expo – A Loth-Cat Crew Experience (free unless you choose to purchase your lightsaber)
• Soarin' Across America (as of July 2)
• Pool Parties at Disneyland Hotels (select days) and a dance party with Dug at Disney's Pixar Place Hotel (Friday nights)
• Bubbles Experience at Downtown Disney District, every afternoon and evening from July 10 through August 16

Then, there are Tier 0 days scattered throughout the year. For 1-day tickets, the price varies each day, based on expected demand. There are seven pricing tiers, from 0 to 6. The Tier 0 days cost $104 for adults and $98 for kids. These cheapest days to visit are select midweek days in January, February, March, April, May, June, September and November. They might be worth pulling the kids from school to take advantage of pricing. But keep in mind, these days could have shorter hours (sometimes closing the parks at 6 or 8 p.m.) and have limited entertainment. So take all of those factors into consideration.

We have blog posts dedicated to finding the best days and cheapest days to visit Disneyland. You can also consult our Los Angeles Crowd Calendar in case you are looking for the least crowded days to visit.

Where to Stay

If you are visiting from afar, you'll need a hotel stay. There's something for every budget. Staying on-site means a short walk, Disney magic and staying within the "Disney bubble." However, there are many kid-friendly and budget-friendly hotels within walking distance to Disneyland or within walking distance to free Disneyland transportation buses and shuttles. Many off-site hotels are great for families with waterslides, splash pads, games, free breakfast and other perks.

You can book your Disneyland Resort hotels with a refundable $200 deposit and save up to 30% on select stays! You can also book nearby hotels through Undercover Tourist to save money.

What to Pack

What do you need to bring on your journey? We recommend consulting our Disneyland weather post to see what you need for the time of year you visit. California is drier than Florida and usually a lot milder in temperature. Cool mornings can turn into very warm afternoons, and then the temperatures can drop again at night. So bringing layers is key. Smaller children can use a spare set of clothes in case they get messy, but older kids should be good with just an extra layer for most of the year. Plan on your kids wearing at least two outfits per day, especially if you stop to swim midday.

Sun protection (hats, sunscreen, lip balm, sunglasses) is important. Staying hydrated is also important. There are many water bottle refill stations around the park, and you can get free water from restaurants. That will keep you and the tadpoles hydrated and save money on beverages.

Pack good socks and shoes because you will be walking ... a lot! Also, bring swimwear because you'll want to take advantage of the hotel pools or an excursion to the beach.

Spare Clothes

Your kids may have been potty-trained for years. But they may get too excited and distracted to go to the bathroom, or may have to wait for long periods of time without easy bathroom access. Parades and fireworks/nighttime spectaculars are very tricky times to move around the park to get to a bathroom. Accidents happen more frequently than you'd think, even with elementary-aged kids. Carry spare underwear and bottoms for your kids. But if you do get caught unprepared, the clothing shops in the parks do sell kids underwear.

On that note, also bring wipes to keep hands and faces clean. You may no longer need wipes for diapers, but you'll be glad to have them so your kids don't wipe messy hands on their shirts (or you).

Deciding Where to Eat

Disneyland has a variety of quick-service restaurants, table-service restaurants and so many iconic snacks. You can view all restaurants' menus and prices in advance, so you can set budgets and locate kid-friendly meals. One of the perks of buying discount Disneyland tickets through Undercover Tourist is that every ticket comes with free Dining Dollars promo codes. You can apply those codes to purchase discount Disney or restaurant gift cards. These allow you to save on your theme park dining and shopping, or even dining outside the park, including spots close to home.

Here's some further reading about dining:

• Top Kids Foods at Disneyland Even Your Pickiest Eater Will Love
• The Best Disneyland Snacks (and Where to Find Them!)
• Best Quick-Service Restaurants at Disneyland Park
• Best Quick-Service Restaurants at Disney California Adventure Park
• The Best On-the-Go Disneyland Foods
• The Yummiest Places to Fill Up on Breakfast at Disneyland
• Get the Full Dish on Disneyland Character Dining
• The Ins and Outs of Disneyland Dining Reservations
• Disneyland Dining Packages — Where to Splurge & Where to Save
• How to Have the Best Day Ever with Bluey at Disneyland

We'll go over some kid-favorite foods later.

Best Rides and Attractions for Kids at Disneyland

Whether your kids are happy with family-friendly rides or looking to try that next thrill ride that they are finally tall enough for, there is something for every type of kid at Disneyland. Our Disneyland height requirements post can help you determine how your kids measure up for either park.

For Thrill Seekers

It's toadally exciting when your tadpoles are tall enough to try a new ride. Your little thrill seekers may love these rides:

• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Indiana Jones Adventure
• Matterhorn Bobsleds
• Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run
• Tiana's Bayou Adventure (may get soaked)
• Space Mountain
• Star Tours
• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

Bring enough adults (or people over 14) for each child under 7 who wants to ride the thrill rides. For some thrill rides, such as Space Mountain and Matterhorn Bobsleds, one adult can supervise one child under 7 at a time. For other rides, such as Big Thunder Mountain, a parent can sit with two children. Once kids are 7 years old, they can technically ride alone.

For Kids Who Prefer Gentle Rides

• Pirates of the Caribbean (two mild drops)
• Jungle Cruise
• Haunted Mansion
• "it’s a small world"
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
• Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway
• Roger Rabbit's CarTOON Spin
• Chip 'n' Dale's GADGETcoaster
• Casey Jr. Circus Train
• Disneyland Railroad (hop tip: ride it between Tomorrowland and Main Street U.S.A. to see dinosaurs!)
• King Arthur Carrousel
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• Mr. Toad's Wild Ride
• Snow White's Enchanted Wish
• Storybook Land Canal Boats
• Alice in Wonderland
• Mad Tea Party
• Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
• Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage
• Autopia
• Sailing Ship Columbia
• Mark Twain Riverboat
• Main Street Vehicles

Fun Non-Ride Attractions for Kids

Here are some fun things to do that aren't rides:

• Bluey's Best Day Ever! at the Fantasyland Theatre.
• Play in Toontown and explore Goofy's, Minnie's and Mickey's houses
• Build a lightsaber or droid for an additional fee
• Get a princess makeover at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique for an additional fee
• Meet princesses at the Royal Hall
• Walk through Sleeping Beauty Castle
• Climb the Adventureland Treehouse
• Take a boat to Tom Sawyer's Island to explore the caves and bridges of Pirate's Lair
• Relax in the Enchanted Tiki Room (grab some Dole Whip before you enter and enjoy the AC)
• Interact with wandering characters in Fantasyland

Best Rides and Attractions for Kids at Disney California Adventure

Here are some of the best ride options in Disney California Adventure.

For Thrill Seekers

• Goofy's Sky School
• Grizzly River Run (may get soaked)
• Guardians of the Galaxy — Mission: Breakout!
• Incredicoaster

For Kids Who Prefer Gentle Rides

• The Little Mermaid — Ariel’s Undersea Adventure
• Pixar Pal-A-Round (a unique enclosed Ferris wheel that has thrilling rocking gondolas and less-thrilling, non-rocking gondolas)
• Jessie's Critter Carousel
• Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind
• Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue! (closing 2027)
• Golden Zephyr
• Jumping Jellyfish
• Silly Symphony Swings
• Soarin' (catch Soarin' Over California from Feb. 6 to July, before Soarin' Across America debuts July 2)
• WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure
• Toy Story Midway Mania!

Fun Non-Ride Attractions for Kids

• Animation building — talk to Crush, meet Anna & Elsa and take an art class
• Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live!
• Mickey's PhilharMagic 3-D show
• Explore, swing, climb and play in Redwood Creek Challenge Trail
• Play Games of Pixar Pier (for a fee)
• Do free crafts during festivals
• World of Color (breathtaking show for guests of all ages, but it is late at night)
• Sights and meeting cars of Cars Land
• Seasonal dance parties

"Hoppers" Mabel's Seek & Find Free Activity at Disneyland

For a limited time, there is a fun "Hoppers" activity (with a free map and stickers) in the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail. With Mabel's Seek & Find, solve a puzzle, explore and take a picture with a beaver prop.

Best Entertainment for Kids at Disneyland

Here are the best parades, shows and other entertainment your kids will love.

• Parades
• Cavalcades
• Dance Parties (Summer 2026 has dance parties in both parks!)
• Fireworks
• Fantasmic!
• Storytelling at the Royal Theatre
• Bluey and Bingo at Bluey's Best Day Ever!

Best Entertainment for Kids at Disney California Adventure

• Super Heroes in action — See Spider-Man swing across rooftops and other shows in Avengers Campus
• Operation: Playtime! — featuring the Green Army Patrol
• World of Color
• Seasonal entertainment (during Lunar New Year, Food & Wine Festival, Halloween Time/Plaza de la Familia and Holiday Time)

Favorite Foods for Kids at Disneyland

Whether your kid is a picky eater or one who wants to try all the classic foods, snacks and even some more adventurous options, here is our list of tadpole-approved Disneyland foods. Depending on how much social media your kids have access to, they might have some ideas of their own about must-try foods that have gone viral.

Rest assured, you can find pastas, mac and cheese, pizza slices, chicken tenders, burgers and corn dogs/hot dogs in the park. But here are a few items the kids in our lives must get.

Snacks

• Pickles
• Popcorn
• Mickey ice cream bars
• Churros
• Cotton candy
• Dole Whip
• Mickey pretzels
• Blue Milk or slushy drinks
• Caramel apples, crisped rice treats and other snacks from candy shops
• Power Packs
• Harbour Galley cookies
• Mickey-shaped beignets with mint julep
• Fresh fruit and snacks from the produce stands

Kid-Favorite Food Items

• (New as of March 22, 2026) Bluey $5.99 kids meal at Troubadour Tavern, as well as other Bluey-inspired foods
• Soup or mac and cheese in a bread bowl (various locations)
• Mickey pancakes or waffles
• Cheesy garlic pretzel bread with or without the bratwurst
• Jolly Holiday Special grilled cheese with tomato soup
• Meat skewers from Bengal Barbecue
• Cheesy Pizza Flop-Overs from Cafe Daisy
• Plaza Inn Fried Chicken
• Quesabirria Tacos at Cocina Cucamonga
• Sourdough bread
• Bacon Mac 'n' Cheese Cone or Chili Cone Queso at Cozy Cone

The Best Hotels for Kids Near Disneyland

There are several great hotels for kids near and at Disneyland.

First of all, there are three on-site hotels. They all have a water slide, while two have splash pads. And at times, you may get to meet characters at the hotels.

The Disneyland Villas offer some accommodations with kitchens, washers and dryers, which give you all the comforts of home, plus more living space than a standard hotel room.

The Disneyland Hotel and Pixar Place hotels pipe the fireworks music to viewing areas outside so you can watch from the hotel and go right to bed. If your Disneyland Resort room has a fireworks view or a World of Color view, the room TV has channels that play the music that goes with the shows! This is a great way to view them with tired kids.

Then there are a few hotels within walking distance that have good pools, even water slides and some with games and sports courts. We love it when we can save money and time at a hotel with free breakfast. Our post on staying near Disneyland will cover some nearby options.

Tips for Taking Kids to Disneyland

Here are some tips for kids at Disneyland:

• Take pictures early in the day and ask for MagicShots from PhotoPass photographers.
• Reserve character dining and let the characters come to you.
• Get a locker to store extra layers, sunscreen, purchases and more. It will save your back.
• Use package pick-up. You can drop off large purchased items (with a receipt) at select stores in the parks and Esplanade, so you don't have to carry them with you all day.
• Take midday breaks for pool or nap time.
• Bring some snacks and refillable bottles with you to save money on snacks and drinks.
• Bring enough adults to ride some thrill rides with each kid under 7.
• Use your free Dining Dollars promo codes that come with Undercover Tourist tickets to save 15% on Disney Gift Cards that you can use for food and merchandise at the parks.
• Travel with resealable plastic bags. They are great for snacks, saving leftovers for later, storing popcorn, or holding wet or dirty clothes.
• Take frequent potty breaks. When you stop for one person to go, make everyone go. Go before getting in line and before getting in place for parades and shows.
• Bring wipes, spare underwear and spare clothes. Accidents happen even for kids who have been potty-trained for years. They get too excited to stop and go, or lines/ride breakdowns and waiting for shows make it hard to get to a bathroom in time.
• Hop over to our post on how to avoid your kid getting lost at Disneyland, especially if you have an eloper.
• Find out each kid's must-do ride, food and experience.
• Consider booking extras such as Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, dining packages, or building a lightsaber or droid (droid building is walk-in only).
• Decide if you are a Rope Drop family or a nighttime spectacular family. It is very hard to do both with kids back-to-back. They need sleep and doing late nights AND early mornings is hard on everyone.
• Let your kids hold a map and have some input on your trip and what you do.

Are you ready to make some hoppy memories with your tadpoles? You can save on all Disneyland tickets, hotel stays and more when you purchase through Undercover Tourist.

Related: Disneyland Park Plan for Toddlers and Preschoolers

Related: Tips for Going to Disneyland with Teens and Tweens

Hoppy planning!