For kid-priced tickets and dining 

Between the ages of three and nine, children are eligible for kid-priced tickets, which can put a nice dent in your Disney expenses. This is also the age range for the kids menu at Disney dining locations. While you can typically ask for a child meal for anyone in your party, your buffet prices fall solidly within the adult or child range.

Taking your children to Disney world around the ages of seven and eight is a great way to experience the parks with minimal restrictions on what you can ride, and maximum excitement about the pixie-dusted experience. Pre-teens and teenagers can be hit and miss when it comes to Disney. While there are plenty who will still enjoy theme park highlights, you’re also at a higher risk of eye rolls and requests for independence with older kids.

If you’re visiting with children in this range, you may want to consider including some of these more action-packed highlights in your visit:

• Big Thunder Mountain (40” height requirement)
• Splash Mountain (40” height requirement)
• Space Mountain (40” height requirement)
• Test Track (40” height requirement)
• DINOSAUR (40” height requirement)
• Avatar Flight of Passage (44” height requirement) 

If your child isn’t quite ready for the thrill rides, you can still have an outstanding time with activities like:

• Collecting stamps on a passport in Epcot (available in most gift shops)
• Participating in Wilderness Explorers activities at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
• Getting hands on with the animals at Conservation Station

For a well-rounded ride experience 

If your kids are thrill seekers who want to be able to do it all, wait to plan your visit until they’re tall enough to meet all the necessary height requirements. You don’t want to drain your vacation fund for a Walt Disney World visit just to find that your roller coaster fiend is only 39 inches tall. The tallest height requirement at Walt Disney World is 48 inches for Primeval Whirl and Rock-n-Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith. While you can ride the Tomorrowland Indy Speedway at any height with an adult, this one has an even higher limit to ride alone. You can’t take off in a car on your own unless you’re at least 52 inches tall.

The average child will reach 52 inches in height around nine years old. You can use this as a general guideline if you’re planning far in the future, but avoid buying your tickets until your child actually hits their goal height for hitting those attractions. To be safe, aim one or two inches higher to account for variances in height sticks. It won’t matter if your doctor deemed your child 40 inches tall if they can’t hit their head on the height stick.

Kids age ten or older will be able to do a little bit of everything around Walt Disney World. If you have pre-teen or teenage Disney fans who enjoy indulging their inner princess or pirate, this is a great age to enjoy some family bonding time, as kids around this age are often swamped with school, homework, extracurriculars, and friends during their day-to-day lives.

With older kids, consider:

• A wild waterpark day trying the most daring slides
• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (38” height requirement)
• Expedition Everest (44” height requirement)
• The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (40” height requirement)
• Rock-n-Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith (48” height requirement)

Whatever age you choose, you’re sure to find highlights to keep you busy during your stay. Remember to stay flexible with first-time theme park visitors and go with the flow for the best vacation experience.