Disney - what are the must-do rides?

[silverfrog]

we are off to Orlando at Easter.

dd1 is 6 (has ASD), and is quite a little thrill seeker - loves quite fast things, probably not so great if a lot of throwing around, though, as she cannot anticipate well, so would bump and bang around a lot.

dd2 is 4, quite small so height restriction will apply at times (she's about 98cm, I htink). more reserved, but if she gets on the rides she will love it.

have character meals etc booked.

what rides should we really not miss?

and equally, which ones are not all that great/overhyped?

Hi,

I thought i'd try to help. It's been a long time since I went to florida but one park definately not to be missed for all ages is Animal kingdom. Also as you have young girls Magic Kingdom is a good park there is a cinderellas castle and they have lots of the disney 'characters' walking around for interaction. Although for thrill seakers it definately has to be busch gardens although as they are bigger rollercoasters there does tend to be height restrictions. Also Test track at epcot is one for all the family! Sorry I haven't been more ride specific! :)

I would suggest you get the Unofficial guide, which has a lot of information on rides. However I have heard the Passporter ones are good for special needs too. Do also use the WDW Mums forum for advice too.

I've been to Orlando several times and it is just the best possible holiday. Cannot wait to take DD when she is old enough to enjoy it! For kids the age of yours head straight to Magic Kingdom. your little girls are sure to love the "fantasyland" area, where the Peter Pan ride and "it's a small world" are must-dos. These are nice gentle rides. There is also a carousel and flying dumbo ride that i'm sure your DD2 would enjoy. Do not miss out "Big Thunder Mountain". It is a runaway train ride which actually goes quite fast - thrilling for children and parents alike! Lots of fun. Always long queues for this one and for most of the good rides so make sure to make use of the Fast-Pass facility. There are machines throughout the park where you can print out tickets that get u to the front of the queue for selected rides. The catch is that the tickets are for specific 10-min time slots and you can only hold a fast-pass ticket for one ride at a time. But DEFINITELY get them for Big Thunder Mountain - i think i'm right in saying it's the most popular ride there. Be sure to catch the parade - ur DDs will love to see all the characters coming by on floats. Also, if u plan to stay late one night to see a fireworks display, the Magic Kingdom one is the best. Highly recommended!
Aside from Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom is a must. Be sure to do the safari. You'll get the chance to see lots of different wild animals, such as giraffes, rhinos, etc.
Hollywood Studios park is great fun - very fast ride here - the Rock'n'Roller coaster, but prob too ferocious for 6-yr-old and height restrictions may rule her out anyway. But check out Toy Story Mania! A brilliant interactive ride. You ride around in little vehicles zapping things with your "guns" in toy story-themed games. Oh, and it's 3D to boot! Great fun!
RhiRhi above mentioned the Test Track at Epcot. This is a good ride but I found the rest of Epcot to be a disappointment and wouldn't go back. Not many rides - more arcade-style interactive, scientific activities, perhaps better for older children.
Hope this is of some help to you. I'm sure you'll have a great holiday!
Oh, you mentioned you'd like to know which rides to avoid. Space Mountain is a good ride but quite a lot of throwing around - in fact very uncomfortable. Although height restrictions will probably rule your DDs out anyway!
Have a fab time!

Don't forget to research the guest assistance card (gac), it's for families travelling with anyone with special needs, and will mean you can avoid queues in the parks. You can pick it up in the parks, many have said its great for avoiding meltdowns.