Walt Disney Family Museum Tips for Visiting with Kids

Ready to visit one of the best Disney experiences for families? Check out The Walt Disney Family Museum Tips for Visiting with Kids to start planning your trip pronto. This post is sponsored by Disney for the #Incredibles2Event. All magical opinions are my own.

Walt Disney Family Museum Tips for Visiting with Kids

What does San Francisco and Disney have in common? One of the BEST value Disney experiences in the world.

The Walt Disney Family Museum is more than just a museum – it’s a magical place filled with emotion, rare Disney relics, and personal connection to man who continues to impact the world today. If you’re planning on taking your kids to this one-of-a-kind Disney destination, today I’m sharing the top 12 Walt Disney Family Museum Tips for Visiting with Kids and why this family travel hot spot needs to go on your bucket list PRONTO.

Save on Tickets

Traveling with kids can get expensive. The Walt Disney Family Museum tickets are actually pretty reasonable price-wise since this is a non profit organization, about $25 for adults, $20 for seniors (65+) and students with ID, $15 for kids aged 6-17, and under 5 is free with paying adult.

You can also grab FREE Walt Disney Museum tickets by using your Disney Movie Rewards Points. Adult tickets go for 1000 DMR points, go out of stock quickly, and can take 2-4 weeks to come in. Keep that in mind when planning your trip. Look for San Francisco attraction coupon books like the Bay City Guide to save up a few bucks off of tickets as well. Active military get in free with military ID too.

Go Early

This museum tends to get packed. Lots of school groups come through, as well as hardcore Disney fans. This can be overwhelming for families trying to explore with little ones. The Walt Disney Family Museum opens daily at 10 am. I recommend getting there for the rope drop.

Keep in mind that last entry every day is 4:45 pm most days and some exhibits will close before the 6 pm closing time.

Use the Complimentary Bag and Coat Check

There’s nothing more stressful than lugging around all of the things when you’re a parent. Take advantage of one of my favorite Walt Disney Family Museum tips for a less stressful visit. The lower lobby of the museum has a complimentary coat and bag check to store your family gear while visiting.

Less stuff = more fun.

About Pushing Them Strollers

The Walt Disney Family Museum is stroller and wheelchair accessible with ramps and elevators for guests to use. Please note that oversized strollers will need to be checked. But those traveling without strollers, the museum does have some available for check out on a first-come, first-served basis.

Slow Down

I know, it’s hard to do with kids in tow. But when possible, really take it all in. It’s a total of 10 galleries, theater and special exhibit all packed in 3 floors. The average time to get through this museum is 2-3 hours.

The Walt Disney Family Museum is really special in many regards, mostly because there are items in this museum from Walt Disney’s personal collection that you won’t find anywhere else. The stories and fun facts behind each piece are really interesting, especially when you’re a big Disney nerd like myself.

Explore the Interactive Exhibits

It’s hard to keep those little hands from touching everything! But one of the great things about The Walt Disney Family Museum is that there are interactive features in every gallery. From listening stations to drums, movies and ALL of the buttons, this museum does a great job at keeping things engaging for everyone.

Don’t Forget the Lower Level

While many folks just focus on the main part of the museum, the lower level has more great exhibits that rotate throughout the year. Right now the Glen Keane exhibit is downstairs with some of the best original sketches from the most iconic Disney characters: The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Pocahontas, Tarzan, Tangled and more. A not to miss exhibit!

Take ALL of the Pictures

You’re going to want photos to commemorate your visit. Photography is highly encouraged throughout the museum, so make sure you have ample time to grab pics of your favorite areas. Keep in mind, no flash photography is allowed, period.

There are areas of the museum where no photos are allowed (the areas are clearly marked with a staff person nearby). For example, the Glen Keane exhibit on the lower level had a big N-O for pictures and video, but we were able to get them for press purposes. (See video below for more from that exhibit.)

Enjoy the Best View of The Golden Gate Bridge

This museum seriously scored some amazing property. Nestled in the heart of San Francisco, this former barracks building sits right on land facing the most famous bridge in the country. But before you run to the back of the road to take an ugly fence pic (trust me, I did it too), be sure to take pics inside of the museum. The second level has an amazing glass encased ledge to see The Golden Gate Bridge. It also happens to be the same spot where the famous Walt Disney bench sits. Perfect photo ops!

Give Your Kids the Highlights

One of the things I do to keep my kids focused is to give them some of the best museum highlights they will see along the way (like a mini scavenger hunt). From the huge mini model of Disneyland to the full size vehicles, miniature furniture room to THE bench, there are lots of great museum highlights for your kids to look forward to.

Prepare for the Last Room

The Walt Disney Family Museum goes through a wide variety of emotions as you walk through Walt Disney’s life in a very intimate and personal way. Beginning with his birth and ending with his death, you can imagine what the last room will bring.

This may be difficult for your kids to experience. I recommend prepping little ones that are prone to emotional experiences – and yourself as well. While tears may flow, I appreciate how the museum doesn’t shy away from hardships of life. This is an important gallery to highlight. There’s also a bench in the last room for those that need a “moment.” Take it.

Shop at the Store

Ok, this is totally not a “sell the museum” point that I’m making. The Walt Disney Family Museum store is really, really special. Featuring exclusive products and one-of-a-kind merchandise, you’re going to want to poke around for those amazing gifts that will really WOW the Disney fan in your life. I loved the replica train sets and nostalgic toys from Walt’s life.

The Walt Disney Family Museum Video

Want to get a taste of what The Walt Disney Family Museum is really like? Check out my full walk through video, including snippets of each gallery. Did I cry in the last room? You’re going to have to watch to find out.

If you have a Disney bucket list, The Walt Disney Family Museum should be on it. This is a one-of-a-kind Disney experience for kids of all ages. It certainly was a visit that I won’t forget any time soon. Grab your museum tickets now and explore one of the best Disney experiences for families.

Located at 104 Montgomery Street in the Presidio, San Francisco, CA 94129. Be sure to follow The Walt Disney Family Museum via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube for the latest new exhibits, discounts and more.

Which of these Walt Disney Family Museum Tips is your favorite? Do you have a tip to share?

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I was invited to attend an all-inclusive #Incredibles2Event press trip in exchange for this Walt Disney Family Museum Tips post. All opinions are my own. Be sure to follow Raising Whasians for more Disney insider information, movie updates and entertainment!