Disneyland with Toddlers: Best 15 Helpful Books to Read First

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Disneyland books for kids are one of the best ways to prep your kids for a Disneyland vacation.

They can connect with the characters and storylines in whatever way works best for their age.

Toddlers especially will benefit from reading these Disneyland books for kids to help make character meetings and Disneyland rides a success for their first Disneyland visit.

Notes About a Toddler’s First Disneyland Vacation…

Squeals of utter delight, running towards each new sight with sparkling eyes, pure excitement at meeting her heroes...not even 3 years old and loving every second of every day! My heart melted with every new discovery of hers, my spirits soared with happiness at seeing her fall in love with the same Disney Magic that first captured my own dreams all those years ago...Sure, she may not remember details other that what we tell her, but her happiness was pure and real and I will remember every moment forever.

So many people are questioning going to Disneyland with babies and toddlers, and here I am counting down the days until we can go again with them before they turn school-age. It’s true, they may not remember the trip- or at least, not for very long, BUT they can still enjoy every moment.

They may not be able to ride on every ride, but there are so many rides they can go on, so many characters to meet, and foods to eat, and parades to see– Disneyland is an entire experience, not just a theme park of roller coasters. In fact, her favorite part was meeting the characters.

OK, but how do you make sure they have fun? Aren’t little kids afraid of costumed characters and terrified of rides? Don’t they get overstimulated and hopped up on sugar then have epic meltdowns that frustrate the whole family?

Top 3 Tips to Prep Toddlers for Disneyland

Regarding Toddler Meltdowns at Disneyland: 

Try our Snack, Nap, Distract routines. These tips for little (and adults) help minimize and bypass tantrums, and give you the needed tools to keep positive and keep up everyone’s spirits despite any potential setbacks.

Regarding Disneyland Rides for Toddlers:  

Ride on little kid rides at local fairs or theme parks BEFORE going to Disneyland. That way you can

1. See how they react
2. Get them used to the concept of rides
3. Enjoy most if not all Disney rides they can go on

Regarding Disneyland with Toddlers: 

Disneyland: the rides, parades, characters, environment, and experiences all come down to recognizing familiar faces and storylines.

Being able to connect the seemingly chaotic theme park around them with cherished stories from the safety of home is a huge help in not only minimizing potential meltdowns but in helping littles to fully enjoy the experience.

There are so many lists of what movies to watch before going to Disneyland, but I believe books are a better way to prepare them.

Don’t get me wrong, we watched some movies with our girls before going, but not all movies are appropriate and books have a tangible aspect that movies will never accomplish. 

Our toddler was obsessed with “Star Wars Land” (Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge) because of the set of kid-friendly star wars books she always begs me to read. She still hasn’t seen any of the saga but recognized Chewy and the Storm Troopers.

Books can be read to babies and toddlers. They can flip through the pages themselves. They can look at pictures. They can learn letters and words. It’s something that is good for them and something they love to do. 

So, if you want your Epic Family Disneyland Vacation to be a success, I recommend reading together as a family the list of books below.

If you don’t have the exact book I do, then just find a book that has the same story or the same characters- there are so many remakes of the same Disney stories to tailor the different reading levels and types of books. 

Reading any of the following books will accomplish the following:

1. Family Fun
2. Reading to Increase Vocabulary and Creativity
3. Disney Introductions

Side Note: There are more books you could read, but I focused on those that had not only a character meet & greet option, but also had a ride or attraction attached to them- and were our focus for our girls’ first Disney Vacation.

Fantasyland Books for Kids

1. It’s a Small World

A classic Golden Book for a classic Disneyland Ride.

It’s a Small World is the perfect ride for everyone. It’s slow, goes through air conditioning, and has no height requirement.

The story takes you through the different parts of the world represented in the Disneyland Small World ride and has the word “Hello” in various languages (with a pronunciation guide).

For some extra fun, sing the song along with your toddler. Music is such a great way to play and connect.

2. Peter Pan

Ride: Peter Pan’s Flight (no height requirement)

Character: Meet Tinkerbell in Pixie Hollow

Peter Pan’s Flight is one of my favorite rides. It’s just so relaxing and magical- truly a favorite every time we go. Our girls loved it too- although to be fair our then 4-month-old wore the noise-cancellation headphones and slept through it.

We read the story Peter Pan ahead of time so our then almost-3-year-old would recognize Peter Pan and Tinkerbell. She loved riding on the ship and seeing the characters.

Plus: she and her cousin were so excited to meet Tinkerbell in Pixie Hollow, and Tinkerbell made an appearance in the parade.

3. Dumbo

Ride: Dumbo the Flying Elephant (no height requirements) 

Ride: Casey Jr. Circus Train (no height requirements)

Dumbo has 2 rides represented: the Dumbo the Flying Elephant and Casey Jr. Circus Train.

Nice, easy, introductory rides for the whole family to go on, and so easy to connect back to the book.

There’s even a stationary Dumbo for a photo op. SeaWorld actually has a similar Elmo-themed ride we had gone on before, so our toddler was very excited about this one. 

This particular book is called Walt Disney’s Fantasyland. It compiles many classic stories that end up represented in Fantasyland, Disneyland.

4. Alice in Wonderland

Ride: Mad Tea Party (no height requirement)

Ride: Alice in Wonderland (no height requirement)

Character: Meet Alice & the Mad Hatter 

I used to ride the Alice in Wonderland ride with my grandma instead of going on the Matterhorn with everyone else. Now, of course, I love the Matterhorn, but the Alice ride holds a special place in my heart and it was so exciting to share it with my own little girl.

This Alice in Wonderland story was her favorite for several weeks before she let me read something else at bedtime.

She was absolutely ecstatic to go on these 2 rides and to meet Alice and the Mad Hatter.

We even did an Alice in Wonderland theme for our Halloween costumes later that year: she was the Red Queen, her baby sister was Alice, and my husband and I were Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum.

The teacups are a bit much for some kids even though there is no height limit- the spinning can make them a bit nervous.

We went on a similar ride at SeaWorld multiple times before going to Disneyland, so with that and reading the book, she was prepped and ready to go!

If your little one is nervous about too much spinning, you don’t have to turn the middle wheel to spin faster, just sit back and enjoy the ride’s slower spins.

5. Sleeping Beauty

Attraction: Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough (no height requirement)

Character: Meet Aurora

Enjoy this set of Disney Princess short stories. Each story is in a different book compared to most current editions which are put into one large book. Not looking for separate short stories? Try this book of 5-minute Princess Stories.

In the Disneyland parks, Aurora makes an appearance as a meet & greet opportunity and in the parade and Fantasmic, but the real reason for making this list is the castle walk-through. 

It’s such a beautiful story, and the walk-through literally walks you through the pages. All ages can enjoy beautifully recreated scenes from this Disney classic through dioramas.

For all of the princesses, there are fun additional short stories that give you a glimpse into their lives before and after the time frame, the movie covers. It’s a great way to really connect with the characters and get that much more Disney magic out of the fairy tales.

6. Snow White

Ride: Snow White’s Enchanted Wish (no height requirement)

Character: Meet Snow White (Royal Hall)

This ride can be a bit loud and scary at the end with the dwarfs chasing the evil queen (still disguised as an old hag) up to a cliff, so it’s really good to have gone through the storyline already. 

Read Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Little Golden Book, or check out the additional Snow White short stories in the collection mentioned above.

Comfort and familiarity made it easy to explain away the sudden scary music that quickly changes to happily ever after. 

You may also be able to see the 7 dwarfs dancing along in the parade. And who can resist a photo op with the littlest munchkins dressed like Snow White?

Royal Hall was a great place to meet 3 princesses back to back. We were there with Cinderella, Snow White, and Ariel. Take a look at our post on Meeting Characters at Disneyland and California Adventure for more info.

7. Beauty and the Beast

Entertainment: Storytelling at Royal Theater (no height requirement)

Character: Meet Belle (Royal Theater & Fantasyland)

Our little one’s absolute favorite. We watched the live theater performance which is entertaining even for adults with the witty banter and side comments. It’s such a fun introduction to live theater for the little ones.

After the performance is the only photo op with Belle in her yellow dress.

Belle was so sweet as she taught our munchkin to hold her dress off to the side for a picture like a princess. They also talked about books, and Belle was surprised to find out our toddler’s favorite books were Star Wars books.

It made my nerd heart so proud. Belle has been our munchkin’s favorite since day one. I didn’t even think a 2 year old would fully recognize Belle’s dress for what it was when she got it for Christmas, but she knew exactly what it was. Belle’s Song (Tale as Old as Time) is still her bedtime song of choice every single night.

You can also find Belle walking around Fantasyland in her blue dress, and the Red Rose Taverne also has Beauty and the Beast-themed treats. Try the grey stuff…it really is delicious!

Read this Beauty and the Beast Seek and Find Book to make story time fun and interactive. The movie can be a bit tense for toddlers (like the wolf scene!), so reading a storybook is a great help!

New Orlean’s Square/Critter Country Books for Kids

8. The Haunted Mansion

This is perhaps a ride that both works and doesn’t work for families with young kids.

The Haunted Mansion is a slow ride with no height requirement, so anyone can go on it.

Babies don’t usually have issues. Put on noise-cancellation headphones, and they will probably nap the whole time on the air-conditioned Disneyland ride.

Toddlers, however, might start to be more aware of the haunted surroundings and get a little nervous.

My first tip is to read this book with them. It follows a kid character and sums up the layout of the ride and the different ghosts and haunts they will come across.

My second tip is to go on it when it is the Nightmare Before Christmas holiday layover. This happens in September and goes through January.

I find it to be a much less spooky version of the ride (even if they haven’t seen or read the Nightmare Before Christmas), and it gets them excited to go on the original version of the ride on their next trip.

9. The Princess and the Frog

Ride [future]: Splash Mountain remodel (height = 40” or 102 cm)

Entertainment: New Orleans Square shops and restaurants

Character: Meet Tiana 

This one made it on here because of 2 reasons: 1) they are remodeling Splash Mountain after a Princess and the Frog theme, and 2) New Orleans’ Square with its music and beignets is the perfect environment to connect with Tiana’s story.

Oh, and in case you didn’t know- beignets taste like donuts and Disney makes an amazing beignet. May seem silly, but if you’ve never had one you don’t know, right?

Try The Princess and the Frog: Tiana’s Cookbook for Kids. It’ll be another fun read with delicious activities.

10. Winnie the Pooh

Ride: The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (no height requirement)

Character: Meet Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore (Pooh’s Thotful Spot)

Who can resist riding the Winnie the Pooh ride and singing along to the heffalumps and woozles song? Slow ride, perfect for the little ones. It is inside, which usually means it’s louder audio, so we used the noise cancellation headphones for our 4-month-old.

Plus there’s an amazing meet & greet opportunity in an adorably themed “Pooh’s Thotful Spot” right next to it. This was so fun for our toddler and her cousin- they were bouncing up and down just like Tigger.

Read up on several of Winnie the Pooh’s Adventures with this Classic Adventures of Winnie the Pooh Treasury.

Adventureland Books for Kids

11. Jungle Cruise

Ride: Jungle Cruise (no height requirement)

I can’t tell you how excited I was to find this gem at Barnes & Noble one day. It’s also available on Amazon. If you find any more Disney-themed kid’s books that focus on the rides, let me know!

It captures the essence of the ride, including the skippers who make it just that much better with their jokes.

Really, who can resist jumping aboard to go see the backside of water?! Hehe.

12. Tarzan

Attraction: Tarzan’s Treehouse (no height requirement)

*2022 Update: Tarzan’s Treehouse is still closed for Refurbishment. We will update this post once a release date is announced. The newest information (as of 12/23/22) is that this will be rethemed as Adventureland Treehouse.

Another favorite for me growing up- although it wasn’t Tarzan themed to begin with (Swiss Family Robinson). I absolutely love this tree house and it’s great for the kids to walk through and play around a bit.

Our Tarzan story comes in this beautiful compilation of Disney’s Animal Stories. We are talking Lion King, Bambi, Dumbo, Lady and the Tramp- all of your animal favorites put into one book.

Side note- if you try and watch the movie Tarzan in Spanish to help with learning new words in another language…well, there isn’t a lot of dialog to go off of…anyway- off to Toontown!

Mickey’s Toontown Books for Kids

*2022 Update: Toontown will be reopening on March 8, 2023!

13. Chip and Dale

Ride: Gadget’s Go Coaster (height = 35” or 89 cm)

Attraction: Chip & Dale’s Treehouse (no height requirement)

Character: Meet Chip & Dale 

This roller coaster is so fun, but it’s not for every little munchkin. Still, it’s fun to point out then walk through Chip & Dale’s treehouse. We actually met Chip & Dale at the Storytellers Cafe Character brunch, but you can also see them around the park.

Our girls love reading about these fun-loving chipmunks. The stories are just so cute and many have a detective aspect as they follow the full Rescue Ranger crew.

The Big Cheese Caper is a fun story that involved some great detective work, and a lot of cheese!

14. The Fab 5: Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy

Attraction: Mickey’s House (no height requirement)

Attraction: Minnie’s House (no height requirement)

Attraction: Goofy’s Playhouse (no height requirement)

Attraction: Donald’s Boat (no height requirement)

Character: Meet these characters around the park

*ToonTown is being refurbished/remodeled and will open on March 8, 2023.

I don’t think I need to explain this. The Fab 5 are everywhere in the park- Mickey & Friends are kind of the staple of Disneyland and Toontown is where they live.

Enjoy walking through their houses, experiencing meet & greets, and don’t forget to wear your Mickey Mouse ears too!

So many stories to choose from to show the kids the magic of Mickey Mouse and the imagination of Walt Disney.

The girls get so excited when they see anything Mickey or Minnie Mouse themed.

Our Character Meal mentioned above (Storytellers Cafe) let us meet all of these wonderful characters, but you can also meet them around Disneyland and some in California Adventure.

This Disney Mickey Mouse & Friends Music Sound Book is one of their favorites. Anything with buttons, music, and dancing!

Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge/Tomorrowland Books for Kids

15. Star Wars

Ride: Millennium Falcon: Suggler’s Run (height = 38” or 97 cm)

Ride: Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance (height = 40” or 102 cm)

Attraction: Droid Depot (no height requirement)

Character: Meet many Star Wars Characters

The rides are not for little kids (you can use rider swap to still go on them), but oh my goodness. My munchkin was attached to the Star Wars world from these books.

She absolutely loves it- and she’s never seen any of the movies (yet!). Our friends gave us this boxed set of Reading Level 2 Star Wars Books and she continually asks me to read them over and over again to her- which, of course, I happily oblige.

When we got to Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge (“Star Wars Land”), she was so excited to be in the cantina, drink Blue Milk, meet Chewbaca, see Storm Troopers, get her very own Ewok, and make her own droid.

She even got excited over the bathroom, telling me “look mom…a Star Wars bathroom!”

Something to keep in mind is that this land is an immersive experience.

You won’t be lining up for autographs, because the cast members act out their roles as if you’ve really stepped foot onto Batuu. It truly is an unforgettable experience for everyone.

16. Toy Story

Ride: Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters (no height requirement)

There are more Toy Story themed things over at California Adventure, but that doesn’t mean we skip over it here. Astro Blasters is so fun, and easy for the kids to get involved.

Personally, I prefer Toy Story Midway Mania over in California Adventure because I think it’s easier to hit the targets, but I’m not good at aiming.

It’s still really fun and the line for the ride is full of Toy Story themed fun including an animatronic Buzz Lightyear.

There are Character Meet & Greets over at Pixar Pier in California Adventure.

This Pixar Storybook Collection has all of your favorite Pixar Stories, including Toy Story, and Finding Nemo mentioned below.

17. Finding Nemo

Ride: Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage (no height requirement)

*Update 2022: Finding Nemo Submarine is currently being refurbished. Join our e-mail list for updates!

This is one we actually didn’t get to go on for the girls’ first Disney trip, but she keeps saying she needs to ride the submarine ride next time. 

We were with many family members over 6 feet tall, so scrunching in on the submarine ride didn’t take priority.

Still, you could hear the seagulls shout “mine! Mine!” and see the submarines go around.

I have always loved this ride (although it wasn’t always Finding Nemo themed), and I can’t wait to go on it next time. Our girls love Nemo and Dori, I’m sure they would find this so exciting.

Planning Your Disney Vacation

I can keep adding in more and more stories such as Tangled, Pinnochio, the Haunted Mansion, and a whole host of other stories that have themed rides, meet & greets, & photo ops, but these were the ones we focused on the most. 

You have your own personal favorites and use storytelling, toys, equivalent rides (at SeaWorld and fairs), and Disney movies to really get your little ones into the spirit.

Is it all necessary? I like to think so. Chances are our girls would have still had so much fun at Disneyland even if I hadn’t made sure to read these stories to them and expose them to similar rides and beloved characters, but it increased my own confidence.

It helped me know what my girls liked and didn’t like- both with characters and types of rides. It helped me connect things to stories and prior experiences when I started seeing overwhelm or nerves or confusion. 

When we were younger, my mom showed us the movie of a play before we went to the live theater performance of it. This let us ask as many questions ahead of time (when she could press pause) and we all had a more enjoyable theater going experience because of it.

So I like to think my pre-planning and pre-reading helped immensely, but I’ll be honest when I say every kid is different. There’s only so much you can do to plan out the perfect Disney vacation, and the most important things you can do are to be patient and flexible.

The kids will be over-tired and overstimulated. Check out our Top 3 Tips on How to Avoid Tantrums for more info on preventing and sidestepping these issues.

5 Tips for Planning Your Perfect Disney Vacation

1. Prep for the Parks: Read Disney books, watch Disney movies, play with Disney character toys. Ride rides and meet costume characters at fairs and amusement parks. Get an idea of what your little ones are ok and not ok with before the big Disney Vacation.
2. Plan Ahead: Make reservations, have ideas of an order of rides and attractions in mind, think about what food you want to buy vs. what food you want to bring. List your “Must Do, Could Do, Won’t Do.” 
3. Be Flexible: You made a plan- now forget the plan. It’s good to have a general direction but be able to stop and pivot when needed. Kids are unpredictable.
4. Be Patient: Soak everything in- look at their reaction to the magical world around them. The environment is just as important as the food and the rides. Enjoy slowing down and living in the moment.
5. Remember: Scrapbook, photo album, picture frame- somehow, make sure to capture at least a couple of highlights for you to look back on and smile. You’re not just paying for a fun vacation, you’re paying for an experience. Memories of that experience will last forever.

Really it comes down to Plan, Enjoy, Remember – our approach to all of our adventures.

Your Family Adventure

Ready to book your next Disney Vacation? I know I am! Get Away Today is booking for now and in advance, so if you’re looking to go next week or next year, take a look at their discounted Disneyland Parks tickets and Vacation Packages.

They are such a fun-loving, family & Disney-centered company. They work with you on flexible payment plans and see how they can help save you money. Give them a call today.

What Would You Read?

How does your list of books line up with ours? Anything you would add or take away?

Disneyland is so magical for so many different reasons.

What do you enjoy most about the parks that you want to share with your kids or nieces or nephews or grandkids?

It’s our goal to inspire and help families go on adventures so they can make amazing memories, learn about the world, and spend quality time together.