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Take Kids On Virtual Disney World Rides From The Comfort Of The Couch

I think it's pretty safe to say that when dictionaries and cultural media look back on 2020 this December, the phrases "flatten the curve" and "social distancing" will be top contenders for Words of the Year.

Whether you have kids or not, it's not going to take very long for boredom to set in and people are looking for ways to entertain themselves.

Disney parks may be closed around the world right now, but it turns out that many of the coolest rides can be experienced at home.

Online ride-throughs are available for free on YouTube, and some even offer 360-degree viewing or support for VR.

So when you're going stir crazy or your kid's about to start watching Paw Patrol from the beginning for the third time this week, maybe try one of these for a change of pace?

It's A Small World

A word of caution with this one: if your kids are already driving you batty, reminding them that the most irritating song in the world exists may just make things worse.

Space Mountain

I saw a few social media posts where parents made "roller coaster cars" for their kids with laundry bins and moved the bin in time with the video.

Which is a pretty awesome hack.

Frozen Ever After

With Frozen 2 dropping on Disney+ early, I think it's safe to say that many kids would love to check out this one.

Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure

What's great about a lot of these is that they aren't nausea-inducing roller coaster rides. Many of the slower-moving experience-first rides are great for those prone to motion sickness (like me).

Splash Mountain

All the fun without the need for towels afterward!

Although, for some people, the splash may be the point. Your mileage may vary for this one.

Mystic Manor

This one may not ring a bell to most Americans, but the Mystic Manor ride at Hong Kong Disneyland is praised around the world.

And if you're going to experience rides from your home, why limit yourself to the North American parks?

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

Still buzzing from the end of the Skywalker Saga? Check out this one from Galaxy's Edge.

Hogwarts Express

If you run out of Disney rides, there are plenty of other theme parks you can "visit", like Universal Studios.

Of course, there's no way I could list every video here, but I hope that these give you enough of a taste to want to search out more.

YouTube is full of professional and amateur videos that can be found by searching for "POV rides" or "ride-through".

Here's a great playlist from the channel iThemePark to get you started. They have 92 different rides from Disney, Universal Studios, and other incredible parks.