Let me preface this by admitting I am not an expert in 5-year old’s, and whether or not your child is a boy or a girl may have a bit of an impact. But I was recently asked this question on Quora, and I thought it was interesting enough to post here, too. Here are the questions I’d ask to pick a park if I was bringing a 5 year old:

I’ve listed each park below, and beneath it I’ve put the things your 5-year old would have to enjoy to love that particular park…

EPCOT

  • Hands-on exhibits about random worldly things
  • Learning about other people, countries, or culture
  • Being exceptionally well behaved at delicious restaurants
  • Wants to meet the Frozen characters
  • Fish / Ocean life / aquariums

Animal Kingdom

  • Animals!! And, really, who doesn’t?
  • Lion King (they have a great Lion King show)
  • Exceptional theming (being fully immersed in another world)
  • BBQ food

Hollywood Studios

  • Star Wars or The Muppets
  • Fun restaurant themes (like 50’s kitchens or drive in movie theaters)
  • General old Hollywood theme or vibe
  • Little Mermaid (they have a cool show)

Magic Kingdom

  • Traditional (or newer) Disney characters
  • Shorter, fun dark rides based on Disney movies
  • Wide variety of food, especially snack food

Honestly, Magic Kingdom is almost always going to be a no-brainer. But, the other 3 parks may be hit or miss if your 5 year old isn’t into any of what I listed. And, if none of that appeals to your 5-year old, you might also consider…

  • Do they love water and water parks? Try Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach
  • Cruising 20+ feet off the ground and enjoying scenery? Try riding the monorail and exploring the resorts along the way.
  • Walking around and shopping? Head to Disney Springs

 

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