A guide to Walt Disney Parks – Orlando, Florida

I think we all know that Orlando is the place to be for any Disney or theme park fans, it is crammed with the best Disney parks, water parks and rollercoasters out there.  In this post I’m going to run you through all of the Disneyland theme parks as well as my favourite rides and why…

First off, the park we all know and love, Magic Kingdom!  Open from 9am-10pm everyday, this is where the Disney fanatics gather for great rides, character meals and the wonderful Disney Parade.  Magic Kingdom is also where Cinderella’s castle is based and this one is much bigger than the others with opportunities to dine inside and see wonderful mosaics of the Cinderella story.  It also has a stage in front of it for live performances and light/firework shows.  The parades take place every single afternoon at 3pm and the fireworks are almost every evening, depending on if there’s a special event or day of the year so check online before booking to check if they’ll be on when you’re there.

There are 42 attractions in Magic Kingdom, 20 of which are sit down rides so it’s a perfect combination for both adults and children.  The biggest thrill rides include Space Mountain, Thunder mountain and the Seven Dwarfs mine train, all of which are pretty much guaranteed to have a long queue most days so fast passes for these are a must if you’re there for the thrills.  Some of the more experience based rides include Peter Pan’s Flight, Pirates of the Caribbean, It’s a Small World and Buzz Lightyears Space ranger spin.  The wait time for experience rides are usually on the long side but can depend on the day so getting an early start and checking out the queues will help you decide where to use your fast passes.  Finally, there are always characters walking around the park and Character meet and greets dotted between building and outdoor spots so check out the DisneyWorld website on the day you’re attending to see specific times and locations of your favourite characters. 

Next up, Animal Kingdom, one of my favourites!  This park is open 8/9am-7pm everyday and brings the magic of nature to Disney.  It is full of animal themed rides, characters and real animals too, as well as the famous Tree of Life covered in over 300 animal carvings right in the centre of the park.  To top it off, this is where the new Pandora: The World of Avatar lies, with a brand new thrill ride ‘Flight of passage’, along with the other thrill rides Expedition Everest, Kali river rapids (Water ride!) and Dinosaur.  The park itself is split into 5 sections; Africa, Asia, Dinoland, Oasis and Pandora.  Each area of the park has rides and experiences based on their location, for example in Africa there is of course the Festival of Lion King and a whole African Safari!  There are less character experiences in Animal Kingdom but you will find the odd character such as Moana and Chip and Dale wandering around so catch them for a photo when you can!

Now for the ride enthusiasts, Hollywood Studios is less about character experiences and more about the thrill.  It’s open from 8:30am to9/10pm and has an even selection of thrill and character show/performances.  The thrill rides that will definitely require fast passes are Tower of Terror and Rock n Roller Coaster, which as I’m writing this (May 2023) is under refurbishment but aiming to re-open for Summer 2023.  

Hollywood studios of famous for Fantasmic, the firework and character show that takes place every night in Sunset Boulevard, including songs and characters from the newest and the most loved Disney Movies.  Check out the Disney World website for daily times of the shows.  Other shows include a Frozen sing-along, the Wonderful World of Animation and the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular which is definitely one not-to-miss!  Keep an eye on the Entertainment schedule, available on the My Disney Experience App, to see performance times as they are subject to change due to weather.

The last of the 4 parks is Epcot, a celebration of the world and all of the countries in it.  The park is divided into counties that surround a large lake, each with their own cultured restaurants, rides and experiences, with the famous white dome right at the entrance to it all.  As far as rides go, Epcot isn’t bursting with them, the biggest and best ride is Mission: Space, a spinning thrill rollercoaster in darkness on a mission with NASA.  But to make up for the lack of large rides, there is the spectacular Epcot forever firework display every evening, which takes place in the centre of the lake.  And to top it off, Epcot is full of great restaurants, bars and pop up dining spot to keep you fuelled all day whilst experiencing so many various cultures.

As well as theme parks, Disney world has 2 fun filled water parks, Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach, check out my Water Parks Florida to hear about them and more…

To finish off this post I’ll leave you with my top tip… Plan your park visits in advance!  Use your My Disney Experience app to see average wait time for rides and choose your fast passes accordingly, and then start early to get through as many of your other choices as possible, time will fly by!