Here’s an ultimate family-friendly guide to visiting PortAventura World with kids, Spain’s largest and most iconic theme park!

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Visiting PortAventura World with kids

A Family-Friendly Guide to PortAventura World

Our visit to PortAventura World with kids

Since our last trip to PortAventura World with kids took place a few years ago (back when my girls were toddlers), this recent visit to Spain´s most iconic theme park ended up as a completely new experience. Every year small kids match more height requirements, so we were excited to return to PorAventura as a family once again to test new attractions.

While planning my getaway to PortAventura World, I searched for detailed reviews of the park from travelers with kids of the same age. The grown-ups and teenagers can enjoy a huge variety of attractions at PortAventura World – that´s what was clear to me right from the start, but my concern was whether my 5- and 6-year-old could have a blast at PortAventura World as well.

So, I came up with the idea of sharing the details of our visit, while creating this quick guide for visiting PortAventura World with kids.

The Sesame Street in Port Aventura spain
The Sesame Street 
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Mexico in PortAventura Park

About PortAventura World

PortAventura World is the largest and most iconic theme park in Spain, known as one of the top family-friendly destinations in the country. It is conveniently located in the Costa Daurada area and can be easily combined with holidays in Tarragona, Reus, Salou, Cambrils, and even Barcelona.

The whole entertainment complex of PortAventura World includes PortAventura Park, Ferrari Land, PortAventura Caribe Aquatic Park, and a few unique themed hotels: Hotel PortAventura, Hotel El Paso, Hotel Gold River, Hotel Mansión de Lucy, Hotel Colorado Creek, and Hotel Caribe.

Staying in one of the PortAventura hotels has many additional benefits: free and unlimited entrance to PortAventura Park, special discounts on Express Passes, discounts on tickets to PortAventura Caribe Aquatic Park, free 1-day access to Ferrari Land, preferential booking for table service restaurants, pick-up service at park shops (the staff delivers your purchases to the hotel), and even the ability to pay in the park using your room key.

So, PortAventure World hotels fit the bill for people who want to make the most of their visit. Not to mention that right after opening, there are tons of cars accessing the park at the same time, so it’s always the guests of the PortAventura hotels jumping on the first rides with no crowds.

So, when visiting PortAventura World with kids you can find everything you might need for a fun holiday in one place, which is handy.

How many days do you need for PortAventura World?

To see all of the parks (e.g., PortAventura Park, Ferrari Land, and PortAventura Caribe Aquatic Park), I would suggest at least 3 days.

Many travelers visit PortAventura World on a day trip from Barcelona, but note, that this won´t be enough to check out all the rides and shows.

During our recent day in PortAventura World with kids, we only managed to see one show, despite avoiding any queues longer than 20 minutes. Since we return often, it´s not a big deal. But for those of you planning to visit PortAventura World as part of your Spain vacation, I suggest giving it at least a few days. This way, you can see a few different shows each day and still experience most of the rides.

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Shambhala and Dragon Khan – PortAventura´s top rollercoasters

When is the best time to visit PortAventura World?

PortAventura World closes from January 7th to March 22nd; for the rest of the year, you can enjoy the rides anytime.

The perks of visiting the park in the off-season are avoiding higher temperatures and longer queues. However, during the summer months, you can make the most of the extended park hours, while all the attractions, including the water park, are fully operational.

This time we visited PortAventura World with kids in June. While it was on a weekday, I’d say the park was moderately busy. The weather was quite hot (but nothing like July or August). Our previous visits took place in October around Halloween and next time, I plan to visit PortAventura World before Christmas to enjoy the festive decorations and holiday-themed performances.

Is PortAventura World good for small kids?

At PortAventura World, you can find attractions for all ages.

This year, my 5- and 6-year-olds had a blast since they have grown up a bit and were able to check out more attractions. Almost all the rides at PortAventura World have strict height limitations, so always measure your child in front of the entrance at each attraction. The staff is very strict with measurements, so if the kid’s height is almost meeting the requirements – they will not let you in.

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The major rollercoasters of PortAventura have a minimum height requirement of 1,40 m (but you can still enjoy the smaller alternatives)
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A wide range of restaurants in PortAventura World

Buy Your Port Aventura Tickets

You can skip the ticket line while purchasing your entrances in advance:

You can use the ATC5 code for any park entrance via this link to get an exclusive 5% discount (except bundles & day passes).

PortAventura World Checklist:

Here´s a brief checklist for visiting PortAventura World with kids:

  • Get your direct entrance a few days in advance here
  • Measure your children before visiting, then check out the height requirements for each ride here
  • Check out the show schedules here and pick a few performances per day
  • Check out the list of restaurants here, especially if your kids are fussy eaters (note, that some venues might be closed if you are not visiting during the peak season)
  • If you want to make the most of your time at the parks, consider booking one of the PortAventura World Hotels in advance here (these are highly popular, so do not leave it till the last moment)
  • If you are traveling with teenagers and seeking to test the popular rides, like Shambhala or Dragon Khan, getting an Express Pass might be a great idea (since these attractions involve the longest waits)
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Grand Canyon was so much fun
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Carousel in the Far West area of PortAventura Park

All About Our Fun Day in PortAventura World with Kids

During our day at PortAventura World with kids, we mainly focused on PortAventura Park, while briefly visiting Ferrari Land at the end of the day.

Far West

We started exploring the park with the Wild West area of PortAventura Park. Our family favorites were Crazy Barrels and Grand Canyon. The kids have also enjoyed Buffalo Rodeo and Carousel on their own.

The most popular attractions in the area are Silver River Flume and Grand Canyon, which I recommend visiting earlier in the morning or later in the afternoon—otherwise, the waiting lines are usually 40+ minutes. Nevertheless, both are 100% worth it and perfect to share with the whole family.

We also had lunch in this area at Jeremias Food – this place has lots of pizzas and pasta, so the kids were happy.

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Different areas of PortAventura Park
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PortAventura World with Kids: Exploring the Far West
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Crazy Barrels – our first ride in PortAventura World with kids
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Having fun at Crazy Barrels

Mexico

In the Mexico area, our girls have enjoyed Los Potrillos. Another options for the kids of the same age here could be El Diablo Tren De La Mina (we skipped it due to a waiting line) and Armadillos (was closed during our visit)

China

Afterward, we headed to China to enjoy the Magic Bubble Show. It was great for the kids; the performer kept creating bubbles of all sizes and colors, from thousands of smaller bubbles to the biggest soap bubbles any child could imagine. I recommend arriving at least 15 minutes in advance to be seated – some of the shows take place indoors and the space is limited.

After the performance, we headed to Área Infantil, an amazing playground where the kids could enjoy free play for a short while.

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Waiting for the Magic Bubble Show
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Area Infantil – a playground in the China area of PortAventura Park

The Sesame Street 

The Sesame Street area is one of the must-stops for anyone visiting PortAventura World with kids. It’s the park’s area designed especially for children, so there are lots of rides the little ones might enjoy.

I deliberately left The Sesame Street area for the afternoon because it is quite popular during the day. My girls loved Tami Tami, Coco Piloto, Árbol Mágico, Kiddie Dragons, and Mariposas Saltarinas. Additionally, the little one was able to check out Waikiki on her own and the oldest one – Magic Fish (with me).

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The Sesame Street 
port aventura spain tips for visiting
Taking pictures with fairies in The Sesame Street area

Other areas: Mediterranea and Polynesia

We skipped the Mediterranea and Polynesia areas during our day in PortAventura World.

During my last visits I enjoyed Tutuki Splash in Polynesia, but this time the waiting line was always 40+ minutes and we were quite short on time. Another nice option is Estació del Nord, a train ride through the park, suitable for all ages (but unfortunately, it was closed during our visit).

Ferrari Land

Our PortAventura World entrance also included Ferrari Land. So, during the last hour, we quickly stopped by to test Kids Tower and Flying Race. But if traveling with the boys, I would leave more time for Ferrari Land.

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Flying Race at Ferrari Land

Is it worth visiting PortAventura World with kids?

Absolutely. PortAventura World is one of the best places to enjoy in Spain with kids.

The park offers a wide range of fun, family-friendly experiences to cherish in one’s memory box. I have never met a child who would say no to amusement parks, so visiting PortAventura World with kids is a must-do on any Spain Bucket List.

Read more about traveling in Spain with kids:

  • 10-day Spain Itinerary for Families from Barcelona (read it)
  • Our Favorite Travel Essentials for Kids +Toys On The Go (read it)
  • Where to Enjoy Snow in Spain with Kids (read it)
  • Cute Spain Books for Kids You´ll Love (read it)
  • Barcelona Weekend with Kids: Top things to see and do (read it)
  • Valencia With Kids: Top Places Your Children Will Love (read it)
  • 5 Epic Reasons to Visit the Spanish Pyrenees with Kids (read it)
  • A Weekend in Mallorca with Kids (read it)
  • My Favorite Cool Places to Visit in Spain with Kids (read it)
  • Travel-themed Activities With Kids: Our Creative Playroom Tour (read it)
  • Kids Bookish Inspiration: Favorite International Illustrators Around the World (read it)

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