Disney World Guide

Getting to Know the Four Parks

Walt Disney World in Orlando is really four parks in one resort: Magic Kingdom (classic Disney castle and rides), EPCOT (world showcase and innovation pavilions), Hollywood Studios (Star Wars and Toy Story lands), and Animal Kingdom (wildlife and Pandora). Most families need at least four full days to properly cover all of them without rushing.

Magic Kingdom is the busiest park by far and the one most people picture when they think of Disney World, so plan to arrive at rope drop if you want the headline rides without long waits.

Tickets and the Lightning Lane System

Base tickets are sold per park per day, with multi-day passes working out cheaper per day the longer you stay. On top of the base ticket, Disney's Lightning Lane system lets you pay to skip standby lines on popular rides — worth it for anything with a wait over 45 minutes.

Book your ride reservations as early as the system allows (currently at 7am on your visit day, or earlier for resort guests), since popular attractions like Tron and Guardians of the Galaxy sell out within minutes.

Best Time to Visit Disney World

Late January to mid-February and early September to early November are the quietest windows, with shorter queues and cooler weather. Avoid major U.S. school holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas–New Year, spring break in March) if you can, as wait times can triple.

Florida summers are hot and humid with frequent afternoon thunderstorms — factor in midday breaks back at your hotel if you're visiting June through August.

Where to Stay

Staying on Disney property (Value, Moderate, Deluxe resorts) gets you early park entry and free shuttle transport, which matters if you don't have a rental car. Off-property hotels along International Drive are considerably cheaper and still only 15–20 minutes from the parks.

Families planning to also visit Universal Orlando often split their stay between a Disney-area hotel and an International Drive hotel to cut down on driving.