Disney World is definitely the most magical place on earth. We had so much fun visiting the four theme parks: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios.

If you are not sure on how long you need to stay in each park or which park fit you more this article is perfect for you. Even though you can buy a park hopper pass and visit all the parks during one day, that might no be the smartest idea. Disney is busy all year round meaning there would be long lines in each ride. Lines that will be as long as 3 hours. We strongly recommend to do one park a day or at most two parks.

The first thing that you need to know before heading to Disney is what each park has to offer and see which one is more interesting for you. Before you arrive buy the tickets online, download the Disney app and set the times for the FastPasses.

If you are traveling in a group make sure to keep the passes organized as you will need your fingerprint to re-enter the park.

All the parks except for Animal Kingdom have character meet points. Make sure to snap a photo with Mickey and Minnie.

5 tips to help you get the most out of your Disney vacation

1. 1. Make sure to check what parks offer Extra Magic Hours during your visit. This only works for people who is staying on Disney property. Extra Magical Hours allow you to enter early and stay late in the park. This happens every day in different parks so make sure to check this out before you start planning your vacations.

1. 1. Visit Disney in September or early October. It is less crowded during the start of fall, before the Halloween festivities begin.

1. 1. Use and schedule your FastPass. This allows you to skip line and get to your favorite ride without waiting for hours. Everyone gets 3 FastPasses per day, keep in mind that they only work in one park at the time and after you used your 3 initial FastPasses you can sign up for additional ones one at a time. It is easy to schedule them in your Disney phone app. You can even schedule it from home up to 30 days in advance.

1. 1. Download the Disney app. It is great to see the current wait times of every ride across all parks and schedule your FastPass. There is a super helpful map and description of all the attractions each park offers.

1. Bring food and water with you. Disney allows you to bring in snacks and bottled water, soda and juice. Food is expensive inside the park so make sure to bring enough food for the day. Unlike many other theme parks, most of the rides at Disney allow you to go with your bag at your feet.

What is in each park?

Magic Kingdom:

Magic Kingdom is our favorite theme park in Disney and the park that offers the most out of the 4 parks in our opinion. It has many rides and attractions for people of all ages. Starting with the early morning Welcome Ceremony at the entrance of the park and ending with the best firework show.

When visiting Magic Kingdom you must witness the main street parade, you can see all the characters dancing and singing. The Welcome Ceremony takes place before the park officially opens. Make sure to get the classic shot in front of Cinderella’s castle.

Make sure to check the app to see the times for the daily parade and the firework show time. Stay until the sun goes down to enjoy the Happily Ever After Fireworks Show, the best out of the four parks.

Magic Kingdom Sections: Adventureland, Liberty Square, Frontierland, Fantasyland, Main Street and Tomorrowland.

Must see attractions: Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, The Haunted Mansion, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, It’s a Small World (our favorite) and Mickey’s PhilharMagic.

Recommendations: We recommend to use your Fastpasses for Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain and Space Mountain as they are the most popular rides in this park and all of Disney.

Animal Kingdom:

Animal Kingdom is a zoo theme park with many animal exhibits, thrilling attractions and great shows to enjoy. The main thing to do in Animal Kingdom is to see the animals and learn more about them.

Animal Kingdom Sections: Africa, Asia, Dinoland USA and Avatar themed land. 

Must see attractions: Expedition Everest, Kali River Rapids, Kilimanjaro Safaris, Finding Nemo, The Musical, Festival Of The Lion King.

Recommendations: We recommend to use your Fastpasses for Expedition Everest (Our favorite), Kali River Rapids, and Kilimanjaro Safaris as they are the most popular rides in this park.

Epcot:

It is all about the world and learning about other cultures and the possibilities of tomorrow. Take a photo in front of the Spaceship Earth before entering a world of imagination. Epcot consists of two sections, Future World and The World Showcase. Take a trip around the world or just build your own car at the Test Track. This park is great for those looking for a fun experience and are less worried about riding the biggest roller coasters.

Epcot Sections: Future World and The World Showcase.

Must see attractions: Soarin’, Test Track, and Mission Space.

Recommendations:  The World Showcase opens later than the rest of Epcot. Take your time in Future World, and ride the most popular attractions in the morning to avoid longer lines.

Hollywood Studios:

It is all about Hollywood in the 50’s. The main attractions are Rock ‘n’ Roll Coaster and the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. This park is not as big as the others, but has a wonderful concentration of fun rides. You can easily finish the whole park in half a day if it is not too busy.

Hollywood Studios Sections: Pixar Place, Star Wars.

Must see attractions: Aerosmith’s Rockin’ Rollercoaster (our favorite),  Tower Of Terror,  Toy Story Mania, Beauty And The Beast Live,  Star Tours.

Recommendations: Aerosmith’s Rockin’ Rollercoaster, Tower Of Terror, and Toy Story Mania as they are the most popular attractions in this park.

Save this article for later ⇟

 

Sharing is caring!