One of my two year old's favorite places to go is Downtown Disney. Whether it is rainy or sunny, hot or cold, she always seems to have fun there. These are some of her favorite things to do:
- The Splash Pads- There are two splash pads in Downtown Disney, a large one between Once Upon A Toy and Earl of Sandwich and a smaller one between the Christmas Shop and T-Shirt Shop. Both are very welcoming on a hot day. The larger one can get busy during the summertime because it is a popular spot for local children and camp groups but the smaller one is rarely crowded. An added bonus to the smaller one is that it is located right next to a bathroom. If you are going to let your child play in either of the splash pads be sure to bring a towel and a change of clothes! (We also bring water safe shoes because the surface can be very slippery and hot.)
- The Carousel-The carousel is located by the Christmas Shop and costs $2.00/child. An adult can join them on the ride for free. In addition to horses the carousel also has stationary benches and a seat that spins around like the teacups at Magic Kingdom. Some of the horses are also stationary so pay attention to which one you are putting your toddler on if they will be upset they are not going up and down. For some reason my daughter really loves riding on the bench too and it rocks a little back and forth.
- The Miniature Train Ride-This ride is located outside the Pin Shop and also costs $2.00/child (an adult can join them for free but there is no height limit on this one so as long as your child will stay seated they can ride alone). My daughter loves riding in the caboose and the engine. What child doesn't like riding on a train?
- Building With LEGOs outside the LEGO Store- Outside the LEGO store there is a small area set up where kids can build cars at LEGO tables and then race their finished product down a track. My daughter still needs help building a car but she really enjoys picking out pieces and helping to add them to the car. She also really enjoys watching her car race down the ramp. There are a limited number of wheels so you must get them from the employee running the car races and return them when you are done. Thre are also some DUPLO tables for younger children.
- The Free Chocolate at Ghiradelli- Every once in a while we'll stop at Ghiradelli for an ice cream but even on days when we don't we always stop in the retail store for our free chocolate. Flavor varies by season but there is always somebody standing at the door with a little basket giving anyone that enters on the retail side a free sample square of Ghiradelli chocolate. If you choose to get ice cream instead there is a separate entrance to the ice cream shop. They no longer offer kid's sundaes so the smallest size is a single scoop and will run you about $4.00. There are tables indoors and out and because the ice cream is so rich they also have an area indoors with free self serve small cups of ice cold water.
- The Sand Pit by the T-Rex Restaurant- Even when we are not dining at T-Rex Cafe, we always spend some time in the little sand pit. The sand pit is located outside of the very front of the retail store. You have to go into the store to access it. Several dinosaur bones are buried in the sand and kids can use the provided paintbrushes to "excavate" them. When your toddler is finished playing there is a sink right outside the sand pit where they can wash their hands. It is also fun to explore a little inside the shop if your child isn't terrified of the roaring dinosaur at the entrance.
- The Dance Parties- At certain times of day and night there is entertainment on the stage located outside the World of Disney Store. In the early evening the entertainment is often a dance party with a DJ up on the stage spinning tunes. My toddler loves to dance along! Other times they have performance groups showcasing their skills or sometimes even special events. All of the entertainment is free. Last year my daughter got to see Jake and the Neverland Pirate Band in concert!
- The Remote Control Cars in Ridemakerz- The Ridemakerz Store is located inside the Sports Store. They have a small arena set up where you can practice driving one of their remote control cars. When the weather is nice they sometimes move it outside by the pin store. My toddler enjoys watching the cars race around and with a little help she can also navigate her own.
- The Boat Ride-Downtown Disney has a water taxi that takes you from one end of it to the other. It also has a second boat at the Marketplace Dock (located right by the Rainforest Cafe) that takes you over to Port Orleans Resort. My daughter enjoys taking a ride on one of the boats (both are free and we usually just jump on whichever one happens to be at the dock). When we take the Port Orleans one we get off at the Resort and let her run around for a little while before taking the boat back. Either water taxi is a nice, relaxing boat ride.
- Getting A Treat at Goofy's Candy Co- Goofy's Candy Co is a must-do for anyone that has a major sweet tooth. My daughter happens to be one of those people. Inside Goofy's Candy Co you will find plenty of candy but also a small bakery with fudge, cookies, cupcakes, brownies, candy apples, etc. They also have a build your own treat area where you select a treat and the toppings you would like on it, fill out a small paper "menu", and then watch them build your treat just the way you ordered it. If you are looking for something cold to drink Goofy's Candy Co also has several flavors of frozen slushies. Sometimes the store gives out samples of one of their sweet treats or slushies but even when they do we always end up buying something. My daughter loves the Mickey Mouse cake pops, and they are the perfect size treat for a toddler.
(Note:As of July 2013 all information on this page is current. Downtown Disney os about to undergo some major changes in the next few years and construction has started so some of these things may not be available at the time of your visit.)
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