My boys, Will, 8, and Cam, 5, can hear the jaw-dropping screamers the older kids are on, but height restrictions won’t allow them the same thrill. And, let’s be honest, their fears would likely stop them, too. However, there are alternatives.

Favourite Must-do Freebie

The novelty wanes as the weekgoes on, but the first ride on the Disney Monorail seemed like the first ride at Walt Disney World for the boys.

Favourite Meal

The location didn’t seem to matter, as long as chicken strips and fries were on the menu. And they are—at pretty much every dining stop in Walt Disney World. But, for dessert, the hands-down winner was the “Sand Pail Sundae” at Typhoon Lagoon.

Favourite Attraction

Easy decision—Splash Mountain. The thrill of sitting in a makeshift log, winding through the briar patch of Br’er Bear and Br’er Rabbit, followed by a tumble down a waterslide that soaks everyone on board—never got tired for our boys.

Favourite Find

When the weather is slightly cloudier than usual—or if the temperature falls to the mid-20s, rather than the low 30s—take the kids to one of the two Disney water parks, Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach. Locals seem to stay away from these parks if weather conditions aren’t perfect, which means fewer line-ups for us sun-starved Canadians.

Favourite Shopping or Souvenir

A pair of toy guns from the gift shop following the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular continues to be enjoyed months later. At US$20 apiece, they’ve already paid handsome returns.

Photos courtesy of Walt Disney World