Disney World Hack for Parents: 19 Disney Rides with No Wait

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I’m a mom who doesn’t spend extra when I don’t have to. As a Florida-raised kid in the ‘90s, I saw Disney World in its hey-day. Back when it was simple - buy a ticket, enter the park, wait in line. Now it’s almost obscene how complicated the booking systems have gotten for visitors to Disney World.

In order to skip the lines, guests are paying buku bucks on top of their already astronomical admission fees for Genie+, Lightning Lane, fast lane something or others and so on. Honestly, I ignore all of it.

(To see discounted Disney tickets click this link)

If you want real advice from a thrifty local mom, here’s a roundup of the best Disney World rides with the shortest wait times for you and your family. Each one (by experience) is typically under 20 minutes - and if for some god awful reason the sign board displays longer, just move on - it will decrease at another point in the day.

Parents - I'm Talking to You!

By skipping the major line attractions you are not only allowing yourself some sanity, but ensuring your 2-5 year old kid is having a good time without a meltdown in the line.

Let’s face it, Florida is hot, they get tired, overstimulated and juiced up on sugar so it is best to just keep the flow moving. The ideal day with toddlers at Disney is to pick and choose a few things that entertain them in and out of the A/C, and not to overdo it.

Are The Disney Rides With Short Lines Worth It?

Yes! It’s Disney!

Consider this - I’ve taken my niece and nephew and even my own child on the ‘cheap tour’ or ‘fake tour’ of Disney more times than I can count. We go to places like Disney Springs or even mini golfing in the Lake Buena Vista area, and the whole air of tourism is what they remember.

They remember a fun day out, not the dollars spent or the fairytale characters they met that day. (Pro tip: wave and freak out when you see characters but skip the line to meet them. It’s good enough!)

Seeing the rides and attractions with short lines is a great day builder for fun times, and trust me no one will feel like they missed out on the other stuff.

Not to mention, some of the items on this list are as classic as it gets. Ditch the next-level thrills and horrendous wait times of Star Wars, Avatar or Tron and just focus on getting the most bang for your buck. Do you want to wait in line all day or do you want to spend a joyous day with your family?

Think about it!

In that frame of mind, YES the short line attractions are definitely worth it. Let’s break it down by park.

Magic Kingdom Attractions With Shortest Wait Times

The Tiki Room

A classic attraction indoors that will have you singing all day long

Tom Sawyer Island

An adventurous retreat by log raft for you, an exotic playground for the kiddos

Swiss Family Treehouse

Good luck climbing the stairs

Carousel of Progress

A heartwarming sit down in the A/C, full of dreams of nostalgia

The People Mover

Your teenagers will canoodle in the dark, but your toddlers will be fascinated by the relaxed ride through some of the Tomorrowland buildings

The Disney Railroad Train to Frontierland and Fantasyland

A hidden gem at Disney’s entrance and at two way points in the park. Hop on board for a slow-paced chug along the tracks surrounding the parks different lands

Epcot Attractions With Shortest Wait Times

Living with the Land

A favorite little boat ride during food festivals, see the plants showcased in the dishes served around the park, including exotic plants. Kids will love pointing at what they see.

The Seas with Nemo and Friends

A fun-filled and colorful ride through the story of Finding Nemo, ending with an aquarium visit. (Pro tip: skip the ride if the line is long and go straight to the aquarium to see manatees, sharks, seahorses and more)

Pixar Short Films Festival

A respite from the heat, a quick show of short films will entertain and calm down weary little kids

Journey Into Imagination with Figment

A weird but fun journey along a slow track.

Kidcot Fun Stops around the world

Find these around the world showcase and collect crafts, stickers and more.

Spaceship Earth

A classic journey through the dark and through time. Educational and fun.

Mexico’s Gran Fiesta boat ride

A "trajinera" boat ride around Mexico’s version of “It’s a Small World”. Colorful and sweet.

Circle Vision: Canada

With a cool walk around waterfalls and boulders, the shady waiting area is just as nice as the indoor A/C at this stand up show about Canada.

Reflections of China

This show is also a stand up show, highlighting China. If you see the doors open for the next show, it is worth getting out of the heat for a bit.

Hollywood Studios Attractions With Shortest Wait Times

MuppetVision 3D

Oh how I love my Miss Piggy. This 3D show is a kick for kids and adults.

ANY of the shows!

Just check the show times and get there about 20 minutes early. The Beauty and the Beast show and the Indiana Jones Show are my favorites.

Animal Kingdom Attractions With Shortest Wait Times

Kilimanjaro Safaris

The only thing you need to do at Animal Kingdom. Take the kids around safari lands and ooh and ahh at the variety of animals.

Wildlife Express train

A secret locomotive ride that takes you on a 7 minute journey to a preservation center behind the scenes at Animal Kingdom. Get out and explore the center before re-boarding.

Hopefully I have illustrated that you don’t need to blow your life savings trying to skip the line at Disney. There are plenty of amazingly fun attractions that you can try for little to no fuss with the kids. Happy kids = happy day at Disney. Anything more than 20 minutes in line and you are losing momentum to what should be a pretty relaxing day. Everyone just wants to have a good time! Hopefully some of these great attractions at Disney with the shortest wait times are just the ticket to you and your family enjoying a magical vacation in Orlando.

Want more relaxing ideas for your Orlando vacation?

Consider these amazing vacation rentals, resorts with pools and campgrounds to retire to after a long day.