How should you schedule your Disney World adventure?
Dubbed as the happiest place on Earth, Disney World continues to be one of the most memorable places to visit. If you are planning a vacation, the theme park certainly offers many rides, attractions, and sights that can help you relax and unwind. That said, the key to having the best vacation experience is planning your trip to ensure you have enough time and days to visit all the Disney World parks on your itinerary.
To have a smooth and seamless time in Disney World, you must know what parks you want to visit and on which day you will go to each. Thus, one of the first things to do will be to determine the best order to visit Disney World parks. Technically, the answer will depend on how many days you will be allotting for the trip since there are five different parks to choose from, all of which offer something unique and exciting!
As much as possible, visiting every park is advisable to maximize your vacation and make the most out of your experience. Below, you will find the best order to visit Disney World parks and some suggested itineraries for your trip. Use this guide to help you decide on a schedule that suits your availability, preferences, and interest.
Best Order to Visit Disney World Parks
Generally, the best order to visit Disney World parks will be as follows:
Magic Kingdom
No matter what your plans may be, Magic Kingdom will always be the best choice for your first park. Seeing the iconic Cinderella Castle, watching your favorite characters parade around, and walking onto Main Street USA is the perfect way to get you into the Disney mood and help you feel the magic, as its name suggests.
Without a doubt, Magic Kingdom can bring back all the memories, sentiments, and feelings that the Walt Disney Company is known for.
Hollywood Studios or Epcot
The second park to visit can either be Hollywood Studios. You can start your day with some breakfast at Hollywood Studios before you go on an adventure exploring your favorite films and shows. After, you can then go to Epcot to get a taste of some of the best food and drinks. Depending on the time of the year, you may also be able to catch some of their annual festivals and events like the International Flower and Garden Festival or the International Food and Wine Festival.
Alternatively, you can also choose to go to Epcot first before heading over to Hollywood Studios. Epcot has several food and drink options to ensure your stomach is filled right when you arrive. Likewise, the crowd is not as packed in this theme park, but you can still keep busy with all the beautiful sights. If your day at Magic Kingdom left you tired and exhilarated, Epcot offers a small break to allow you to dial down a bit.
Animal Kingdom
Traditionally, it was highly recommended that you put Animal Kingdom at the latter part of your itinerary to maximize your chances of getting a FastPass+ once you reach your 60-day mark. However, due to the pandemic, Disney World has temporarily suspended this feature to maintain social distancing requirements.
While that may be the case, visiting Animal Kingdom later on in your trip allows you to really immerse yourself in the theme park, which is known for having some of the best attractions like the Avatar Flight of Passage in Pandora – The World of Avatar.
Shopping, Dining, and Magic Kingdom
At this point, you would have visited all of the Disney World parks already. Thus, you can take a step back and relax by staying within the premises of your Walt Disney World resort or shopping at Disney Springs.
That said, if you truly want to make the most out of your vacation and have the energy for another adventure, returning to Magic Kingdom is the best way to end your trip. Return at sundown because the park truly comes to life at night with rides like the Haunted House, Regal Carousel, and other similar attractions that give you a completely different experience from when you visited in the morning.
The order above is merely a recommendation on how you can organize your Disney World vacation plans. However, if you need assistance mapping out your schedule, you can always get a Disney VIP tour to get rid of the hassle and stress involved in planning a trip. Likewise, you still have the freedom to move things around and adjust them based on what you want to get out of your trip.
Alternative Itineraries for Disney World
Ideally, having five days to visit Disney World is best to give you a whole day to explore each park and an extra park day to go back to Magic Kingdom. However, if you are short on time and have less than five days for your trip, you can either handpick what parks to visit or visit more than one per day. Make sure to check the park hours for each of Disney World’s parks to visit at the right times.
To help you out, here are some alternative itineraries that you can take if you are unable to follow the best order to visit Disney World parks.
Park Hopping
Park hopping is a great way to fit as many parks, attractions, and rides as possible, even when you have limited time. While Disney had to disable the park hopping option for some time due to the pandemic, the park recently brought it back in early 2021. However, the new rule is that you can only start park hopping at 2 PM each day, and the first park you visit must still be indicated when you reserve your Disney Park Pass.
Since Disney World is trying its best to maintain a limited capacity for each park. The 2 PM rule likely means that the parks are less congested at that time of the day, so you can use this chance to squeeze in two parks in a day’s schedule.
Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom
If, say, you only have three days to spare, it can be challenging to decide how you should spend your time. One option would be to visit Magic Kingdom on your first and last day and Animal Kingdom on your second day. The reason is that these two parks are known to be the most popular in Disney World as they have the best attractions, so they are sure to give you a great time.
Additionally, there is no better way to experience the magic of Disney than by visiting the park at the start and end of your trip. At the same time, going back to Magic Kingdom on your last day allows you to have some rest after exploring the two parks. This way, you can wake up a bit later, go for a swim in the resort, or shop around Disney Springs before you go to the park.
Week-Long Trip
While five days is generally enough to explore each park thoroughly, it never hurts to add in more days to your trip! In fact, Disney World is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2021, so if you plan to visit the parks this year, it is the perfect time to have a longer trip. Allotting 7 days will give you plenty of time to enjoy the celebration while also allowing rest times, where you can lounge around, de-stress, and go shopping or swimming.
As always, start with Magic Kingdom to get into the Disney mood, then allot a half or whole day for Hollywood Studios, Epcot, and Animal Kingdom after. In between, you can add in a half-day where you return to Magic Kingdom but visit at night, especially since the 50th anniversary is expected to have some beautiful light works to illuminate the park. You can even revisit the other parks or hop between two on your extra days, so you can really do as much as you can while on your trip.
All in all, you can see that no matter how much or how little time you may have, there are ways to prepare to get the most out of your vacation. From the day you arrive until the day you leave, you can be assured that there will be something to do and some place to explore.
Book a Disney World Tour with World Class VIP for a Seamless Experience
Planning Disney World vacations may be challenging, but doing so can ensure that you get the best possible vacation experience. However, you need not do this alone. You can reserve a Disney World tour and customize your itinerary based on the guide above and other considerations you may need to make.
To book a VIP tour for your Disney vacation, contact World Class VIP at (407) 270-3784 to learn more about your package options and rates. We will be happy to work with you to craft the most suitable tour for your needs and preferences. Get your free VIP tour quote today!