Planning a trip to Disney World and wondering what there is for your 4 year old to do? You’re in the right place. In this post, we’ll review the best rides at Disney World for 4 year olds. We’ll cover height requirements, figuring out what’s too scary, what to do for kids who can’t ride, and more. Read on to start learning what a 4 year old can ride at Disney World!

Basics

Before we get to the list of rides, I’m going to talk through four points:

Ride Restrictions are By Height, Not Age
Heights Will Be Checked, Checked, and Checked Again
Rider Switch
How To Know if a Ride is Age Appropriate

These points are discussed in all our age-by-age posts, so if you’ve read them and want to jump right to the rides list, click here.

Ride Restrictions are By Height, Not Age

The first thing to know is that rules about who can go on which rides at Disney World are based on height, not age. This means that your child will only be able to go on some rides if they are tall enough, regardless of their age.

In this post we talk about average heights and what rides those heights qualify a child for, but you need to remember that your specific child still needs to be that height. So when this post mentions that most 4 year olds will be able to ride Slinky Dog Dash, you still need to confirm your child is actually tall enough for it (38 inches) even if they’re 4 years old.

We’ll talk more about age-appropriate rides below, too. But the hard rules are related to height, not age (the only exception that springs to mind is that kids must be at least 7 to ride alone).

Heights Will Be Checked, Checked, and Checked Again

If your child is right on the boundary of a height requirement, or even if they aren’t, there’s a good chance their height will be checked multiple times to get on the same ride. It’s very common to have them checked once at the entrance and then again right before the ride.

A few notes about this. First and foremost, don’t be a jerk about this. It’s frustrating if your kid doesn’t like having their height checked, but at the end of the day it’s a simple rule: They stand under the bar, and if their head touches it, they’re tall enough, if not, they aren’t. (I’m not going to get into hairstyles, chiefly because I just don’t know anything about how those are handled.)

But telling the Cast Member “oh he doesn’t like this” over and over or “oh she was tall enough yesterday” is not helpful. Getting rude and reminding them the kid was already checked outside the queue as your kid continues to duck under the bar is also not helpful.

When Zoe was just tall enough for Barnstormer they stood confidently under the bar one day and then kept ducking under it the next. They got to ride one day but not the other. That’s just the way it went.

If you’re concerned about this, practice at home. On a recent trip when we talked to Zoe about standing straight under the bar, they responded with “like at the doctor!” because they’d just gotten their height checked this way at the doctor. Familiarity goes a long way. Here’s a cheap height bar for at home, or you could DIY one.

I’d also add the bars are (as you’d expect) very accurate. We knew Zoe was just at 38” one trip and, indeed, they needed a perfect straight stance to touch the bar, but a perfect stance got us through quickly every time.

Rider Switch

We have a post that focuses in more detail on height requirements and rider switch particularly. Here I just want to let you know the basics about this option.

Rider switch is available at all rides with height requirements and is an option for families with a rider who doesn’t meet the height requirement (a “non-rider”). The basic outline is this:

The entire group approaches the entrance to the ride with the non-rider
The entire group splits into two smaller groups, A and B
Group A stays with the non-rider; the Cast Member gives Group A “rider switch” passes
Group B waits in line for the ride
Once Group B finishes, they stay with the non-rider
Group A can now use their “rider switch” passes to access the Lightning Lane for the ride

How To Know if a Ride is Age Appropriate

There’s no right answer as to how you can know if your kid is ready for a ride, but I want to give a few pointers. I’ll give my opinion on some specific rides below, but again, these are just my opinions.

First, the youngest kids are really tough to predict. At 2, Zoe would ride Barnstormer but was terrified of the mouse that came out of the teapot in the middle of Mad Tea Party. Haunted Mansion was fine at 6 months then not at 1 year then okay at 18 months then scary again at 2 years. Dark rides are hit and miss without rhyme or reason.

Second, some rides can be seen, in their entirety or near entirety, from outside. This allows you to see what to expect for your kid. Personally, I also like to let Zoe watch a ride from the outside before deciding whether to go on it, but you might feel the opposite (of course, sometimes it’s unavoidable).

Third, related to the above point, Lightning Lanes might be helpful in quickly cutting through any tension. You can hear constant screams from the Tower of Terror queue. I wouldn’t wait an hour in that line with a young kid. Go with the Lightning Lane if possible.

Fourth, you can find videos of most Disney World rides on Youtube. Maybe you want to avoid spoilers, but trust me when I tell you someone in your party needs to see what rides like Smugglers Run or DINOSAUR are like before you put a small child on them.

Fifth, you can also find ways to get on rides before (and without) your child. Using single rider at Test Track, Expedition Everest, Smugglers Run, and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster is a good way to get in a test ride to decide whether it’s good for your child.

One parent might also separate from the group at rope drop, or use a Lightning Lane, to test out a ride. These options have the obvious disadvantage of splitting up the group. Personally, I’d just watch some online video rather than either of these options. The only exception to this would be Mission: SPACE. For a kid under 12 (a more or less random age I picked), I’d say a parent should experience Mission: SPACE before subjecting a kid to it (I admit that’s easy for me to say given how many opportunities I’ve had to ride it).

Best Disney World Rides for 4 Year Olds

4 year olds typically range from 37 inches to 43 inches. This means at Disney World they will be typically allowed to ride:

30 rides without height requirements
2 rides with a 32-inch height requirement
1 ride with a 35-inch height requirement
4 rides with a 38-inch height requirement, once tall enough
9 rides with a 40-inch height requirement, once tall enough
1 ride with a 42-inch height requirement, once tall enough
for a tall 4-year old, 3 rides with a 44-inch height requirement, once tall enough

We’re not going to list all the rides without height requirements (you can find them listed, including a park-by-park breakdown, here), instead we’ll talk through a few that are “must do” rides along with a few that you might be cautious about with a 4 year old. Then we’ll talk about all the relevant rides with height requirements and how to know whether they’re appropriate for your child.

I’ll give my opinions on what’s appropriate for what age, but keep in mind these are just my highly subjective opinions. More than anything, my goal is to help you know where to focus your prep. If you have a 4-year old who just hit 40 inches, you probably need to spend more time researching Mission: SPACE than Dumbo the Flying Elephant.

Must-Do Rides Without Height Requirements

Magic Kingdom has 17 rides without height requirements and one could easily call them all must-do with a 4 year old simply because you shouldn’t have much trouble fitting them all into a single day. But, to set some limits, we’d say the five must-do rides without height requirements for 4-year olds at Magic Kingdom are:

Jungle Cruise
Haunted Mansion
Pirates of the Caribbean
Peter Pan’s Flight
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin

At Epcot, there are seven rides without height requirements, and we’d call four of them must-do:

Frozen Ever After
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure (more on this ride below)
Gran Fiesta Tour
The Seas with Nemo & Friends

At Hollywood Studios, there are two rides without height requirements, and I’d call both Toy Story Mania and Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway “must do” at this age, but I say a little more about Runaway Railway below. Read more about visiting Hollywood Studios with a toddler.

At Animal Kingdom, there are four rides without height requirements. Here are all four, but we’d call the first two “must-do”:

Kilimanjaro Safaris
Na’vi River Journey
TriceraTop Spin
Wildlife Express Train

Rides Without Height Requirements to Think Twice About

I want to emphasize right off the bat: I’m not tell you to avoid any of these rides. We have taken Zoe on every ride without a height requirement and think that all are worth a try. That said, some require a little bit of context before we tell you to jump right in.

At Epcot, Journey Into Imagination With Figment has a few “jumpy” moments but is otherwise fine for 4 year olds. Living with the Land and Spaceship Earth are totally fine for 4 year olds, but might be a bit long and they probably won’t be blown away by them. Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure is a little intense, but most 4 year olds should be fine.

At Hollywood Studios, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway is a must-do, but I just want to say it is a pretty intense ride. Having the “sensational six” characters on the ride helps a lot, but you should be prepared for your little one to need a bit of help on this one.

32 Inch and 35 Inch Height Requirements

Your 4 year old is probably at least 32 inches, tall enough for Alien Swirling Saucers at Hollywood Studios and Tomorrowland Speedway (with supervision) at Magic Kingdom. We don’t consider either of these must-dos or notable in any way.

Barnstormer is the first Disney World roller coaster your child will be able to ride, with a 35-inch height requirement that will usually be reached while your child is 2. It’s a short ride, so if things don’t go well your little one shouldn’t be stressed for too long. If your 4-year old is tall enough for some of the other coasters, Barnstormer can still be a good way to see if they’re ready for the longer, more intense rides.

The Four 38 Inch Height Requirement Rides

A 4-year old will typically have already hit their first major Disney World milestone—38 inches. This height unlocks four rides: Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run (Hollywood Studios), Kali River Rapids (Animal Kingdom), Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (Magic Kingdom), and Slinky Dog Dash (Hollywood Studios). Let’s go through these…

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train & Slinky Dog Dash. If your kid has been on Barnstormer without melting down, they can probably try Mine Train and Slinky Dog Dash next. If possible, I’d recommend riding Seven Dwarfs Mine Train before Slinky Dog Dash. They’re about the same intensity, but Mine Train has a small break in the middle for a dark ride component that can be calming for a little one.

Kali River Rapids. This is probably fine for a 4 year old who doesn’t mind a bit of unpredictable motion and drops. More importantly, they need to not mind that they might get soaked.

Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run. Since the single rider line on this one is usually short, I’d still recommend a parent try this out before taking a 4 year old on it. But if you don’t have the time, just know that it’s about 3 minutes of intense space chase in a cramped cockpit. Try not to let your kid stress about whatever “role” they’re given.

The Nine 40 Inch Height Requirement Rides

40 inches is indisputably the most significant of the Disney World height milestones, as it unlocks nine rides. These are going to be a real mixed bag for a 4 year old through.

For starters, I’d say that DINOSAUR (Animal Kingdom), Mission: SPACE (Epcot), and Tower of Terror (Hollywood Studios) are too intense for most 4 year olds. These are rides that are too intense for many adults.

I think it’s necessary for a parent to at least watch a video of these rides if not to experience them on their own before deciding whether the ride is right for your kid. (There’s no judgment here—I fully intend on encouraging Zoe to try these rides right at 40 inches, but no one could say my opinion on these rides is uninformed.)

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (Magic Kingdom) is a natural next roller coaster once your kid has conquered Slinky Dog Dash and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.

The remaining five—Soarin’ (Epcot), Tiana’s Bayou Adventure (Magic Kingdom), Test Track (Epcot), Star Tours (Hollywood Studios), and Rise of the Resistance (Hollywood Studios) are probably going to be fine for a 4 year old. Star Tours is the only one of these that’s continuously intense, but the others have elements of intensity.

42 Inches - Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind

As a starting point, I’d make sure your kid is comfortably on Slinky Dog Dash, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad before diving into Cosmic Rewind. But it also has to be said that Cosmic Rewind is very different from those outdoor coasters.

Cosmic Rewind is indoors, mostly in the dark, on rotating vehicles. It’s an intense, oft-nauseating experience. It’s also tons of fun. I wouldn’t have any hesitation putting a 4 year old on it, provided that they have some comfort with coasters. A kid who doesn’t do well with the motion of coasters is going to be doubly distubured by Cosmic Rewind.

Three Great Rides at 44 Inches

It’s unlikely you’ll have to think about these rides, but some 4-year olds might be tall enough for Space Mountain (Magic Kingdom), Expedition Everest (Animal Kingdom), and Flight of Passage (Animal Kingdom).

I’ve got absolutely no qualms about Flight of Passage. The biggest thing is the unfamiliar ride vehicle and setting could cause some unease. But the actual ride experience is fun and breathtaking.

My advice on Space Mountain mirrors that of Cosmic Rewind. You want to take a kid who is comfortable on coasters and have them understand that Space Mountain is just another coaster, but in the dark. If they aren’t comfortable with coasters, adding the darkness element will probably make things worse.

Expedition Everest is a little trickier. Personally, I think a kid who can handle Slinky Dog Dash and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is at least good to take a try at Everest. That said, Everest does have a bit of a twist that makes it more intense than most coasters (I’ll avoid spoilers, but it’s not hard to find). It also has a single rider line in case one parent wants to test it out to see if it’s a fit for the whole family.

Conclusions

3 and 4 are tricky ages at Disney World because Disney is giving you a lot to think about with the 38”, 40”, and 44” height requirements. Some of these rides are too intense for a lot of adults, which is going to leave you scratching your head about strapping your toddler into them. More than any of timeframe, this is when you’re going to need to do your preparation and not just rely on Disney’s height requirements to make the decisions for you.

All Your Other Disney World Planning Questions Answered

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Know what to ride with our guides to: Magic Kingdom rides, Hollywood Studios rides, Epcot rides, and Animal Kingdom rides! Plus learn about the water parks with our guide to Blizzard Beach and our guide to Typhoon Lagoon! And for some some fun prep, check out our Ranking of Every Ride at Walt Disney World.

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