For kids, a trip to Walt Disney World isn’t just a vacation—it’s an adventure to another world.
Kids are often the most magical part of a visit to the Most Magical Place on Earth. Whereas we stodgy adults get easily frustrated with everything from mediocre food to renovations on our favorite rides (how many of us still haven’t forgiven Elsa and Olaf for spreading Norwegian winter cheer all over Maelstrom?), kids just want to have fun. Most kids are used to exercising their imaginations and playing pretend, and Walt Disney World is the ultimate playground to live out their favorite stories.
Want to be the coolest parent/family member ever on your next Walt Disney World vacation? It’s time to put away the smartphone and put on your pirate sword! Here are seven tips to seriously up your game at playing pretend with your kids at the Most Magical Place on Earth.
1. Embrace larger than life moments
Image: Disney
I will never forget the first time we took our four-year-old niece to Magic Kingdom. Previous to that visit, I honestly had grown somewhat jaded towards Disney’s flagship park. Little did I know how much bringing a bouncing little princess could melt my crusty husk of a heart. The gates were just about to open, and music blared as cast members began the countdown. As the song crescendoed, the Walt Disney World Railroad steam engine pulled into Main Street Station with Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and the whole gang on board. My niece lit up with joy, and these shriveled tear ducts started pouring happy tears. It was a truly magical moment, and we seriously played together for the rest of the trip!
While keeping a healthy pace is a good thing, know when it slow down and embrace magical moments at Disney with your kids. Let them ogle at the size of Cinderella Castle. Linger for a bit the first time they see Expedition: Everest, the Tree of Life, the AT-AT’s outside of Star Tours, or even the serpentine fountains at Journey Into Imagination. If you see your kid goes wide-eyed at something, stop and take in the magic.
The key to playing pretend is to embrace the story around you just like your kids are already doing. You see neatly trimmed bushes—they see a hiding place for an army of ninjas. You see murky ride water—they see a kraken that must be defeated. Pay attention and don’t be afraid to point things out to encourage this sort of natural daydreaming.
2. Have fun with character encounters
Image: Disney
Being an adult can be an awfully dull experience. We get stuck in the part of our heads that knows Disney characters are actually cast members—real people with real lives. For those cast members, however, the highlight of their day is often happy kids with good attitudes—little ones who get lost in the story.
Instead of treating characters like automatons (or actors) and rushing kids through for a fast autograph and picture, play up character encounters. Don’t be afraid to get them excited and fangirl/fanboy out a bit. Speak to the characters like they really are who they are supposed to be. If your kids gets freaked out for any reason, you can change tactics but start from a place of embracing the world where your little one really is meeting Belle, Star Lord, or Mickey. Treat Chewbacca like the noble Wookie he is. Attempt a whistling conversation with BB-8. Permit your little one some verbal jousting with Gaston or Flynn Rider. For fans of Disney princesses, don’t miss opportunities for extra character time with experiences like the princess breakfast at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall in Epcot (you’ll get a lot more time with the characters than you will at Cinderella’s Royal Table!).
3. Take an interest in your kid’s stories
Image: Disney
Kids are masters at the art of the imagination, and for many, a trip to Walt Disney World is a chance to step right into the story. Even something as seemingly straightforward as the Peoplemover becomes a transport to the unknown for kids. Disney parks are playgrounds for the mind, especially for kids—indeed, ultra-immersive sections of the parks like the World of Pandora and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge were designed with this specifically in mind.
Instead of just leaving your little one to their own story-making, take an interest in the tales they’re secretly telling. Ask questions about what they see, what they think, and what their favorite parts of the story are. If they are playing pretend as someone else, as them who they are and help them craft the story even further. If they want you to play, choose a part for yourself and dive in! This works both while wandering through the parks and on rides. The most important thing is to take an interest in the things your kid is interested in.
4. Play!
It’s easy to play with kids on rides, but there is far more to the “play” part of playing pretend then just oohing and aahing at the scenery. Look for places in Walt Disney World where your little one can get opportunities to cut loose and play pretend without a ride spoon-feeding them the story.
For kids with very active imaginations, playgrounds are often their favorite part of the vacation. The Boneyard at Dinoland USA, Tom Sawyer Island, and free-exploration zones at both of Disney’s water parks are perfect examples. Linger in attraction play areas like the Imageworks “What If?” labs at Journey Into Imagination or the Casey Jr. Splash and Soak Station. Take your time exploring immersive trails like the Maharajah Jungle Trek in Disney’s Animal Kingdom and pretend with your kids that you’re really in the setting around you. Physical play isn’t just great for playing pretend—it will also help hyper kids burn off energy and keep you in shape!
5. Dress up together
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Kids costumes are becoming a more and more commonplace part of the Walt Disney World experience. Disney has fully embraced this with shops and experiences galore where kids can get dressed up as their favorite princess, Jedi, Sith, or pirate.
While megastores like the World of Disney at Disney Springs or Mouse Gear at Epcot have huge selections, you can also opt for an immersive experience where your kid can play pretend while they are getting their costume, like those available at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique or The Pirates League. Beautifully themed shops like Tatooine Traders at Disney’s Hollywood Studios or Windtraders at the World of Pandora are great places to play pretend while letting your kids shop. When Star Wars: Edge Arrives, multiple locales within the Black Spire Outpost will offer this exact experience for choosing in-world costumes! Kids can also wear home-made costumes—some of which are even more dazzling than the official character costumes!
For adults wanting to dress up, your options will be slightly more limited. Disney does not permit visitors over the age of 14 to wear costumes (for security and safety reasons). You can get around this, however, by adding costume accessories to your normal clothes or by Disneybounding—a practice where you theme normal or vintage clothes to look similar to popular Disney characters (without really looking like costumes). Your kids might really enjoy this, and it’s a great boost for your playing pretend time! They might even want to try Disneybounding themselves!
6. Choose souvenirs with a story
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Too often, adults assume that kids get as excited about sippy cups and socks as we do. While many sweet kids are still grateful for these gifts, if you really want to have some fun playing pretend with your kids, choose souvenirs that encourage this sort of fun! Autograph books and stuffed animals are great, but don’t be afraid to take your kids to hunt for cool souvenirs that facilitate playing pretend.
Some shops at Disney really shine at this. The shop outside of Pirates of the Caribbean in Magic Kingdom is a great example. World Showcase is full of extra-cool souvenirs for kids who want to play pretend, especially in Mitsukoshi (in the Japan pavilion), as well as the Norway and Germany pavilions (even as an adult, I seriously would buy those toy swords and shields!). Windtraders offers the most immersive souvenir experience so far with the “Banshee-pairing” experience in the World of Pandora, as well as tons of souvenirs that look like they belong in world.
Star Wars fans have the most to look forward to in this area. Kids can already create their own lightsaber or droid at Tatooine Traders, but when Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opens, not only will all the souvenirs and toys be designed to belong in world—kids will even be able to participate in an experience where they are chosen by a secret society of scavengers to build their own lightsaber! These will be a significant upgrade from the current build-your-own saber models. Now that’s some fun fuel for playing pretend!
7. Have an adventure
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Once you start playing pretend with your kids, every stop in Walt Disney World can become an adventure. However, there are some really standout experiences that Disney has made available that can give you some help keeping the fun going.
Magic Kingdom has two scavenger hunts currently where kids and adults can go on an interactive mini-adventure through the park—Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom and A Pirate’s Adventure—Treasures of the Seven Seas. These ultra-interactive hunts are like attractions in and of themselves, and kids with a bug to explore love them! Similarly, Epcot has special scavenger hunts for each of its festivals, as well as Phineas and Ferb: Agent P’s World Showcase Adventure. For a more easy-going experience, Disney’s Animal Kingdom has the Wilderness Explorers quests. While the Magic Kingdom adventures really stand out in the Disney magic department, all of these can provide plenty of opportunities to play pretend while you hunt for clues together!
Along with scavenger hunts, don’t miss some of Disney’s best entertainment experiences for playing pretend, like Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple, the March of the First Order, and Turtle Talk with Crush. For an extra-special adventure, consider some of Disney’s upcharge experiences for an exclusive adventure like a Pirate Adventure Cruise.
The sky is the limit when it comes to playing pretend with your kids at Walt Disney World. The most important element? Have fun!
How do you play pretend with your kids at Walt Disney World?
