The first time I brought my young son to Walt Disney World, it felt as though I had never been there before. Rides, shows, and even restaurants I thought I knew intimately felt fresh, as if I’d never fully experienced them before. Being there with my bubs made every aspect feel new and special. He made it possible for me to appreciate the parks in ways I couldn’t otherwise. But…
Going to Disney with a young child is fundamentally different than going alone, with other adults, or even with older kids. It’s a whole lot harder. Young children require way more rest and attention. They can’t control their emotions as well as (most) grownups in a place designed to make them feel big emotions. And they pose logistical issues you don’t have to deal with otherwise. Hopping on a bus by yourself to get to EPCOT so you can drink around the world is easy. But “easy” does not describe desperately struggling to quickly fold up a stroller you’re unfamiliar with so you can squeeze onto an overcrowded bus at 11:30 at night. While exhausted. And overheated. And hoping your kiddo can hold it together for 20 long anxious minutes.
As he gets older, it will get easier for my wife and I to take him (We noticed a big difference just from age three to age four.) But while we’ll age out of those issues, they will always exist for families who take their little ones to Disney. Fortunately, our most recent trip made it obvious the company knows that and is trying to make things easier both littles and their bigs. Because while countless vloggers and fansites can make it seem as though Disney parks have become more geared towards adults, new additions and a renewed focus on kids show Disney is still very much a place for families.
Last year, Walt Disney World invited my family and I down to experience the kickoff of the first ever Cool Kids Summer. I described it as a boondoggle for worn-out parents. Clearly many others agreed. Executives told media in attendance for this year’s Summer Fun Fest event it was a resounding success with guests, which is why Disney brought Cool Kids’ Summer back this year.
The program once again includes discounted tickets for children. There is also a free kids dining plan offer and lower rates at select Disney resorts. During the summer, those participating hotels also run unique activations and experiences for youngsters. Children can enjoy special character interactions, libraries, pajama parties, sing-a-longs, campfires, and more. Plus, once again everyone in your party gets free entry to one of two Disney World water parks on the day you check into any Disney resort.
(Of all the Cool Kids’ Summer perks, the free water park entry might be my favorite. I love both Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon for very different reasons. And it’s possible to do both. You can go to either one on the day you arrive. Or you can do a split resort stay and go to a water park in the middle of your trip. Either is a truly fantastic way to take a break from the theme parks without feeling like you’re missing out. Some of our favorite moments on both vacations happened at the water parks.)
All of that is great for kids, since youngsters always need more breaks from the hot summer Orlando weather. That means more time at the resorts. But this year Disney is also making it physically easier for parents and caregivers to take them there. Cool Kids’ Summer now includes complimentary amenities adults would otherwise have to trudge along or forego entirely. In addition to pack and play cribs, Walt Disney World is now providing free-to-use items like bottle warmers, baby bathtubs, diaper trash cans, nightlights, and bed bumpers. If you don’t have to worry about things like baby bottles or your toddler sleeping in a tall bed, that might not sound like a big deal. If you do, it’s like having the Blue Fairy grant a wish you didn’t even know you could make.
Disney’s focus on families and its youngest guests extends well beyond ticket discounts and hotel bonuses. The parks are full of attractions and shows meant for them. During the Summer Fun Fest media presentation, we got sneak peeks at three new park activations that opened after Memorial Day. Animal Kingdom is now home (full-time) to Bluey’s Wild World at Conservation Station.
It’s a free-flowing interactive experience with dancing, games, and photo ops inspired directly by the show. The reaction from my four-year-old and the other kids in attendance to playing magic asparagus with Bluey and Bingo was exactly as joyous and exciting as you’d think. It was like the kids version of The Beatles arriving to play The Ed Sullivan Show.
The children at the event also went wild for the song, dance, and games addition that has arrived at the Magic Kingdom for the summer, Jessie’s Roundup: A Rip-Roarin’ Revue. Toy Story‘s Jessie, Woody, and friends have taken over the Diamond Horseshoe during Cool Kids’ Summer. Like with Bluey’s Wild World and the third activation, the returning GoofyCore experience at EPCOT, kids went wild for this show. All told my son spent an hour dancing and having the time of his life with all three activities.
And for me? I didn’t have to do much more than enjoy watching him have fun while cast members helped keep him engaged and entertained.
Like I said last year, Cool Kids’ Summer is secretly just as much for parents as it is little ones.
(Like its east coast counterpart, Disneyland Resort is also offering special experiences and discounts for little ones as part of its own Kids Rule Summer celebration. It features the Disney Friends Dance Party at DCA’s Disney Theater. You can also find Experiment-626 at Stitch’s Interplanetary Beach Party Blast at Tomorrowland. And there are new opportunities and characters in Galaxy’s Edge, as well as special ticket and hotel rates.)
My optimism as a park-loving Disney dad is about much more than special summertime activations, though. I’m far more excited about the permanent additions and updates that have arrived or are coming to Walt Disney World, because it’s obvious Disney is making a big family-centered investment in its parks. There are already far more characters and live-performers than there had been in years. They’ve added a kinetic energy that each park was clearly missing. Last year Magic Kingdom also introduced the lovely nighttime Starlight Parade. It’s exactly what it needed. My little guy loved Starlight the way I adored the old Main Street Electrical Parade when I was a kid.
Walt Disney World’s signature theme park also just underwent two huge refurbishments on famous attractions, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin. The latter was my son’s favorite ride last year. And while he loved it (and rode it) more than ever thanks to the ride’s special new blasters and targets, the former was his favorite this year. With good reason. Big Thunder Mountain has never been smoother or more fun.
(My son was obsessed with the new story behind Big Thunder. I never fully appreciated the storytelling aspect of Disney attractions until a toddler started asking me four million questions after every ride. Every time. And I do mean every ride, every time. Weeks later he’s still asking about the Na’vi after going on Na’vi River Journey at Animal Kingdom.)
Magic Kingdom, which is getting a giant Carousel of Progress overhaul in 2027, will soon be home to the new Cars-themed Piston Peak and Villains Land as well. Meanwhile Hollywood Studios, where a refresh has made Smuggler’s Run a lot more re-rideable, is working on Monstropolis (which I got to visit) and Animal Kingdom is building its new Tropics of America area. These are giant, park-shifting changes that will offer even more experiences for youngsters and their families.
While those new lands are years away, Hollywood Studios has already opened an incredible new area. It couldn’t be anymore family-centered. The newly revamped Animation Courtyard is a big open whimsical space full of characters and shows for kids. I already covered the area and why it’s going to be even better in just a couple of months when The Magic of Animation opens. The multiple experience space, located next to the wonderful new Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live! kids’ show, will include the park’s first playground for little ones. It will also feature plenty of seating and charging stations for parents, another small but meaningful way Disney is prioritizing the big people who take little ones to the parks.
Another way Disney is trying to simplify things for grownups is by making things easier before you even arrive. The company is working on a big refresh of its Disney parks apps and websites. I attended a media panel about how they’re doing exactly that. Executives and designers talked about making the apps and sites less cluttered more intuitive. They’re also focused on making things easier for non-Disney veterans. They know booking, planning, and going to the parks can feel like a puzzle to solve. They also know not everyone knows what that puzzle even looks like.
I (generally) know how to use the apps and sites. Yet even after spending countless hours on both, there are still features I don’t know about. There are also ones I don’t like or wish existed. Some important elements are hard to locate even after you’ve already found them once. Disney has heard from guests about those problems. It is trying to make it easier for everyone to use, but in a way that won’t make newcomers feel overwhelmed . The goal is to make it so someone trying to book their first vacation doesn’t feel like they’re forgetting a bunch of things.
(I am generally enthusiastic about Disney’s efforts to make both booking a trip and using the apps once you’re in the parks less cumbersome. I’m less excited by the new AI search tool execs say they’re adding. It’s the one component the panel did not seem eager to elaborate on. It’s unclear if that’s because they know it’s a controversial subject or because they’re still developing the technology they plan to employ. In either case, they very intentionally did not get into specifics when asked about it.)
I’ve had wonderful times in Disney parks by myself or with just other grownups. Solo or adult-only trips are great. They’re also easier for the same reason taking young children anywhere is inherently harder. It’s less physical and emotional work to only worry about your own energy level, body temperature, and what you want to eat and drink. But you know what else rules? Seeing your kid’s face erupt in pure joy because he didn’t know Encanto‘s Mirabel was going to come to your table. Nothing compares to hearing him tell strangers about “the wildest ride in the West” while waiting to go back on his new favorite attraction. There’s simply nothing better than watching him give Mickey Mouse a hug.
It’s a lot of time, money, and effort to make those moments happen. Any adult who has taken a small child to Disney knows why. They also know there’s no level of exhaustion or frustration, no amount of heat and humidity, they wouldn’t endure to see him their little ones that happy. So while Walt Disney World has evolved to become a place adults can enjoy on their own, it’s still a magical place to bring children. And Disney has made it priority to keep it that way. And it’s doing so by making it easier to visit with your kids.
Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. His bubs especially loves the “magic” pictures you can get with Photo Pass photographers. You can follow him on Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.