Are you or someone in your group one of the people who are ride-averse, have medical problems precluding you from rides, or maybe you're pregnant and can't ride? Don't worry. Disney is full of amazing experiences that don't involve rides. We'll go over some of the fun things we have found to do at each park that don't involve being strapped into a a seat. Some of these are technically rides, but they are so slow that even literal babies are allowed to ride. You should definitely download the Play Disney app before your trip. There are lots of cool games on the app that are specific to the parks, themed areas, and rides, which are helpful in keeping you and your kids entertained while waiting in lines. For more details on non-ride option at each park, check out our detailed individual park options through the links posted in each section.
Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom (MK) is a Mecca of family fun. It's geared toward multigenerational guests. Rides such as Peter Pan's Flight and it's a small world have no drops, no spinning, and no height or medical restrictions and are appropriate for pregnant women. There are over a dozen rides in this park without height requirements, but some are not suitable for people with sensitivities to spinning (like me) or a fear of heights. A great way to get from one area of the park to another is by riding the Walt Disney World Railroad. This open air train is both an awesome ride and a great form of transportation. It has three stops around the perimeter of the park, but we like to just ride it for fun. For a full list of all rides that are appropriate for every member of the family, check out our full guide to Magic Kingdom for non-riders.
For people who won't or can't do ANY ride, even the slow ones, don't worry. There are a ton of options available for you. MK is filled with amazing shows. Every single show in MK is inside in the air conditioning, a huge perk during the warmer months (which are most months in central Florida). There are a total of six indoor shows. All of the shows at MK are performed by animatronics except for Enchanted Tales with Belle, which has a human performer (spoiler, it's Princess Belle) and Mickey's PhillharMagic, which is a screen show. With the use of animatronics and screens, these shows run continuously, meaning as soon as one ends, the next starts. You will need to check scheduled times for Enchanted Tales with Belle. The waits are never very long and you get a nice break to sit down in the AC for a while.
Character meet and greets are another aspect that makes Disney quintessentially Disney. Popular characters can draw lines of an hour or more. Check out our guide to meeting your favorite characters at Disney World. Hugging my favorite characters is legit one of my favorite things to do at Disney.
Meal time at Disney is also a perfect family time experience. Unfortunately, this park has the worst food in all of Disney World. However, they do have some cool dining experiences. If it is within your budget, I highly recommend eating at Cinderella's Royal Table at least once. This restaurant is located inside of Cinderella Castle and boasts some amazing views all while dining with your favorite princesses. Another family bonding meal can be found at Liberty Tree Tavern where it's Thanksgiving meal all year long.
In addition to everything we have already talked about, there are also scheduled parades, stage shows, and live performers throughout the day. And of course there is the nightly fireworks show. Times vary throughout the year, so make sure you check the My Disney Experience (MDE) App for times during your trip.
What trip to Disney would be complete without a little shopping? Inside of MK, you can find everything from your typical souvenirs to one of a kind specialty pieces. We love Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe located near The Hall of Presidents. We always come home with multiple Christmas ornaments every trip.
Hollywood Studios
Hollywood Studios is a park all about the magic of movies. Unfortunately, you will not find any rides without height or medical restrictions here. However, there are quite a few shows to enjoy. Most of the shows at this park feature real human actors, unlike the MK shows that have animatronics. Outdoor shows include the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular! and Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage. These are amazing shows, but they are outside. They are covered amphitheater type stadiums and can be pretty warm in the summer and fall.
There are several indoor (air conditioned) shows to enjoy. For all of the Frozen fans, there is the show called For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Singalong Celebration. The actors in this show are hilarious. They tell different, but similar jokes each time. For the littles, there is a Disney Junior Play and Dance show and also Lightning McQueen's Racing Academy.
There are two indoor screen shows. Muppet Vision 3D and Vacation Fun - An Original Animated Short with Mickie and Minnie are both screen shows that run continuously throughout the day. The Shorts is The Kiddo's favorite show there. It's done in the new animation style they are doing now for Mickey. It's a cute show, but the best part is after you exit the theater, where you can take your picture at Potatoland. It makes a lot more sense if you've seen the shorts at home already.
Some of our favorite restaurants are at HS. 50s Prime Time Cafe is one of our absolute favorites. This is an interactive restaurant where the Cast Members mess with you. Check out our video on TikTok when The Kiddo was airplaned a spoonful of corn when she didn't clean her plate. If this all seems like too much pressure, or you have anxiety and interaction isn't something you can handle, just let the CM know when you check in and they will serve you without all of the shenanigans. Another Table Service restaurant that is family friendly is Sci-Fi Dine-In. The newest restaurant at Disney World is a Toy Story themed BBQ restaurant called Roundup Rodeo. Use this dining time to enjoy family time together and keep the non-riders engaged in your trip. Unlike at MK where the dining is all theming and no taste, the food here is delicious.
There are also quite a few character meet and greets at this park. If you have a Chase Disney Visa, there is a special Star Wars character meet and greet that you can do. You do have to show either your physical card or open the Chase app to prove you have one. For details on how and where to do meet and greets, check out our guide to meeting your favorite characters at Disney World.
Theming at HS is also excellent. Take time to really explore Galaxy's Edge (the Star Wars area). I'm not in any way a Star Wars fan, but I still find this area enjoyable. While walking around Galaxy's Edge, pull out your phone and open the Play Disney app. There are lots of interactive features in this land that you can explore with your phone. Click here for a full review of non-ride options at HS.
EPCOT
EPCOT is an amazing park for littles and non-riders. You can spend an entire day in the park just eating and drinking. Every season has a different festival with its own theming, food, shows, and special activities. Check out our Seasons of Disney post to find out all of the specifics of each festival.
There are several rides at EPCOT that have no drops, spins, acceleration, or quick stops. Click here for a full list of no-thrill rides at EPCOT.
Inside of the building with The Nemo ride you will find a huge 2-story aquarium. Keep an eye out for some of the famous residents that were featured on the Disney+ show Magic of Disney's Animal Kingdom. Turtle Talk with Crush is also found in this building. This is an interactive "show" where Crush from Finding Nemo is there live to answer all of your turtle related questions.
There is also a Disney Visa Card meet and greet at this park. Same rules apply. Beside of the exit to Figment is Pixar Shirt Film Festival. This is a screen show of the best Pixar shorts made 3D (you wear 3D glasses). It's a new way to experience the shorts.
EPCOT offers a Beauty and the Beast sing along. This is not live actors, but rather a tale told by LeFou with the original animated film music and animation on a screen. The American Adventure show is, well, it's there. All I'm going to say about this is that two out of three of us fell asleep.
EPCOT has a DuckTales scavenger hunt that you can do in World Showcase on Play Disney. There are also Kitcot Fun Stop locations throughout World Showcase if you want something hands-on vs being glued to your phone. Despite their name, these Kitcot locations are not just for littles. These stations are manned by Cast Members native to the respective country. They are a wealth of knowledge and love sharing information and fun facts about their home countries with guests.
Honestly, I would be perfectly happy going to EPCOT and not riding a single ride. There is just so much to see and do (and eat and drink). There are art galleries in a couple of the countries. Heck, the countries themselves are an experience. There are "shows" in a couple of the countries that are round theaters with pictures from different areas of the said county. These are standing show that takes you on picture tours of the county, so we don't typically do these because we need time to sit and rest during shows.
EPCOT is actually my top pick for park to visit with non-riders!!!
Animal Kingdom
Disney's Animal Kingdom has some really great options for non-riders (full list here). Na'vi River journey is a slow moving boat ride, much like small world, but is themed to Avatar. Unfortunately, this ride can draw really long wait times because it's one of the few ride option in this park that do not have any height restrictions. Triceratops Spin is the exact same ride system as Dumbo, so you do have to be able to handle going around in a circle. The last ride without any restrictions is Kilimanjaro Safaris, which as the name implies, is an African Safari. Disclaimer on this ride is that it can get really bumpy. If you have back or neck problems and/or are sensitive to bumpy roads, you should avoid this one.
The area where this park shines for non-riders is their shows. These are indoor, air-conditioned, Broadway style shows. Festival of the Lion King is literally my favorite show in all of Disney World. There is also another show called Finding Nemo: The Big Blue... and Beyond! This show was revamped upon reopening in 2022, for the better I might add. In this stage show, the actors have huge puppets they carry around while singing. Since these are live actor shows, they do not run continuously like the animatronic shows do. Check the MDE app for showtimes.
It's Tough to be a Bug! is a screen show, but is in 3D (so you have to wear the 3D glasses), and are also a couple of animatronics. I will put a disclaimer here that this show can be scary for some guests. If you guys remember the movie, Hopper is a pretty scary character and he is prominently displayed during one part of this show. The cool part of this show is that it is INSIDE of the Tree of Life. It is a really long walk to get to the show, but the queue takes you all around the Tree of Life. There are so many things to see along the route.
While we're talking about the Tree of Life, let's talk about just how amazing the Tree itself is. The Tree of Life is hand carved and displays over 300 animals throughout its roots, trunk, and branches. You can spend all day just exploring the Tree and still not see every single carving. If you weave in and out of the base, you will see different animal habitats scattered throughout. Animal Kingdom is, after all, a huge zoo and conservation facility. If you go deeper into the park where Africa and Asia are located, you will find long walking paths that take you to animal habitats, or as we usually refer to it, the Zoo. AK is The Kiddo's favorite park because she loves animals and she loves zoos.
Streetmosphere is top notch at AK. There is a band that performs Caribbean style music. Just in front of the giant Tree of Life you can see macaws fly right over your head several times a day. Over in Africa The Tam Tam Drummers perform amazing African inspired music and there are amazing Acrobats that perform really cool stunts.
Other Options
Disney is not just the four parks. It's also made up of dozens of uniquely themed resorts and the shopping and dining area called Disney Springs. While you can't drive and park at the individual resorts without staying there or having a dining reservation, there are still plenty of way to get to them. One of our favorite things to do is to explore the different resorts. Each has unique offerings and themes. At Easter, the Grand Floridian displays beautiful hand crafted chocolate eggs. All of the pictures below are eggs made out of carved chocolate, even Kevin!!! During the holiday season, all resorts have their own Christmas trees, with the most phenomenal displays at the Deluxe resorts. Several have life size gingerbread displays as well. Christmas also brings a Christmas tree stroll at Disney Springs.
You can even take a cast member led tour of the Disney Vacation Club (DVC) resorts. It's something fun that our family loves doing. Just be warned you may come out with a DVC contract, lol. If you are staying on property, all resorts have different offerings throughout the day and evening to keep you entertained. Our pool days are actually The Kiddo's favorite days. There is also a mini-golf location on Disney property.
I hope this helps to give you a starting point when trying to plan your Walt Disney World Vacation. For help booking a room and park tickets check out Jillian with Destination Dreaming Travels. She's a FREE travel agent waiting to help you book your most magical vacation ever.
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