#disneyworldnavigation

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Animal Kingdom Part 1: Overlooked Adventure

When I went to Disney World in 2014, Animal Kingdom was our first stop.  The last of the four parks to be built, Animal Kingdom had a reputation of being a glorified zoo.  This was also the one I was least excited about.  While the park features live animals and messages about conservation, Animal Kingdom also houses some of the best attractions in Disney World. It wasn’t my favorite park (it would be very difficult to beat Epcot), but I really appreciate the unique experiences Animal Kingdom offers, and I would look forward to returning in the future.

Opening in April 22, 1998, Animal Kingdom is isolated from the rest of the parks in order to minimize the disruptions to the animals.  As you walk past the gate and enter the Oasis, you’ll find yourself feeling lost.  When you enter the other three parks, their iconic monuments (the castle, Epcot globe, Sorcerer’s hat) are visible and provide a point of reference.  Here in Animal Kingdom, the idea is to get lost in the adventure, like you would if you were to explore the jungles of Africa or Asia.  Waterfalls, trees, and bridges welcome you.  Rather than be tied down by a checklist, the intention is to pick a path and see where it led.

Only after crossing the bridge to Discovery Island do you finally see Animal Kingdom’s symbol: The Tree of Life.  Discovery Island is the central hub that connects the other lands.  The storyline for Discovery Island is that there once was a great storm in ancient times, flooding the world.  This brought people from all across the world to this island, and along with them came their animals and cultures.  The architecture of the shops is a fusion of Caribbean, Australian, and Pacific island influence.  Inside the shops, the walls tell the story of this flood.  When the flood receded, most people left.  But left behind was a fusion culture that became Discovery Island. These islanders are also responsible for the carvings on the Tree of Life.

From there, you can travel to Asia or Africa or a land of dinosaurs.  To travel to another land, you’ll need to cross a bridge.  This fits the theme of bridging the gaps between all these diverse lands/cultures and promoting unity.  In Africa, you can go on Animal Kingdom’s signature ride, the Kilimanjaro Safari.  Unlike Jungle Cruise, these animals are real.  You can also learn about different animals and conservation.  While this is may feel like a zoo, Disney has gone through many lengths to make this experience as magical and educational as possible.  Asia is home to two of Animal Kingdom’s most popular attractions: Expedition Everest and Kali River Rapids.  It’s also the location of their night show, Rivers of Light. I’ll talk more about those later.  Dinoland is geared more towards children.  Explore fossils, play carnival games, or check out the Dinosaur ride (Orlando’s equivalent of Indiana Jones).  Animal Kingdom’s newest addition is Pandora, the world of Avatar.  Their signature ride, Flight of Passage, remains one of the most popular attractions in Disney World.

An interesting note about Animal Kingdom: it’s the only Disney park where the restrooms have doors. Think about it: When you go to the restroom in Adventureland or in Tomorrowland, there’s no doors at the front you’d need to pull.  You can walk straight inside.  Animal Kingdom is the exception, and this is designed in case of an animal escape.  In case of an emergency, all restrooms, shops, restaurants and other buildings provide safe refuge for guests.  In fact, there’s enough space to safely house everyone in the park.  Thankfully, this kind of incident has not happened, but that’s an amazing foresight to ensure the safety of Disney’s guests and cast members.

Animal Kingdom is more than just a zoo or a sermon on conservation.  It’s more than the sum of its rides and shows.  Buried deep beneath the trees is an adventure full of rich details and interesting stories.  Most people will rush past to get to Expedition Everest or the Safari.  If you take the time to explore the details, you might be surprised by the experience your path leads to.

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Hollywood Studios Part 2: Navigating the Park

If you’re planning to spend time at this park, what are some things you should know going in?  

With the park themed after Hollywood, it’s fitting that Hollywood Studios is best known for its shows. These include shows for Indiana Jones, Star Wars, Muppets, Beauty and the Beast, Frozen, Little Mermaid, and Disney Junior.  With such a wide variety, there’s a show for everyone.  Show times are staggered, which helps disperse the crowd.

If you’re a rides purist, this may not be the best park for you.  There are some rides, including Tower of Terror and Rock n’ Rollercoaster, for the thrill seekers, or Toy Story Mania for the younger crowd.  When Toy Story Land and Star Wars Galaxy Edge open, there should be a wider variety of attractions.

If you’re using FastPass+, your top tier choices are Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster, Toy Story Mania, Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage, and Fantasmic.   Which should you choose?  If you’re traveling with kids, Toy Story Mania or Beauty and the Beast would be a good choice.  If your party is older and more interested in thrill rides, Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster is your best bet.  Of the rides in Hollywood Studios, Rock ‘n’Rollercoaster has the longest ride queue and most likely to run out of fast passes.

As far as shows go, if you’re traveling with children who love Star Wars, sign them up for Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple.  It’s essentially equivalent to the Jedi Academy at Disneyland where kids learn how to become a Jedi and master their lightsabers.  Sign up is located at the Indiana Jones Adventure Outpost.  Get there early.

If you’re traveling with an older group, they might be interested in the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, a live stunt show reenacting scenes from “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” It’s the oldest attraction in Hollywood Studios and one of the last remnants of the park’s original vision.

As you may have noticed, Fantasmic is one of the selections for FastPass+.  Unlike Disneyland CA, Fantasmic requires a fast pass for viewing. Guests are taken to an amphitheater completely isolated from the rest of the park for the show.  It’s also distinctly different from its Disneyland counterpart.  The decision to get this fast pass comes down to your choice of nighttime show.  In front of Chinese Theater, a special firework show, Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular, lights up the sky (and the theater building, much like how Disneyland’s recent firework shows would animate the castle).  If you’re a Star Wars fan, I would highly recommend it.  If you’ve read my review on Disney Showdown, you’ll know my opinion is that Disneyland CA has a better version of Fantasmic than Disney World. The Star Wars firework show is much better in quality and won’t require you to sacrifice a fast pass slot.

If you’re interested in character meet and greets, Hollywood Studios offers several unique characters. At Pixar Place, you can meet Woody and Buzz Lightyear together.  Or you can meet Cruz Ramirez from Cars 3.  At Echo Lake, you can meet Olaf from Frozen.  Or you can check out the Star Wars Launch Bay, where you can meet Chewbacca or Kylo Ren.  

With Hollywood Studios becoming a miscellaneous park, there’s something for everyone.  Whether it’s shows, rides, or character opportunities, the wide diversity means you’ll likely to find something of interest.  While I did find a lot to appreciate, it still wasn’t my favorite park.  In fact, when I went in 2014, I was fairly underwhelmed.  That said, Disney is bringing many changes.  Once the new areas for Toy Story and Star Wars open, Hollywood Studios will likely turn into one of the most popular parks.

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Hollywood Studios Part 1: Identity Crisis

Having developed a partnership with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Disney-MGM Studios opened its third park in May 1989, operating as both a theme park and as a movie/television studio. This was very similar to Universal Studios, which may not be a coincidence.  It was just a few years earlier when Universal announced it would open its Florida counterpart in December 1989.  Disney-MGM Studios opened a full year before Universal, which experienced a number of delays.

To further drive home the similarities, one of the star attractions for Disney-MGM Studios was a backlot tour.  Sound familiar?  Here, guests would see props from movies such as “Who Framed Roger Rabbit,” “Honey I Shrunk the Kid” and “Pirates of the Caribbean.”  It even contains a section called Catastrophe Canyon, which combines elements of Universal’s tram tour, notably the Mexican flood and the subway earthquake.  Originally, this combination of a walking tour and tram ride would last over two hours.  It was trimmed down to a more manageable 35 minute experience.

To further compete with Universal Studios, Disney-MGM Studios has a history of featuring unexpected characters you wouldn’t expect to find.  Among them are Dick Tracy, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Doug (yes, the cartoon from Nickelodeon), Goosebumps, Ace Ventura, and Power Rangers.  None of them are currently at the park, but they made for some interesting times in the 90s and early 2000s.  

Originally, the theme of this park was a celebration of film, drawing heavy inspiration from the golden age of Hollywood (the 1930s and 1940s).  It centered around two star attractions: the Backlot Tour and the Great Movie Ride.  

In addition, the intention was to have a functioning movie and television studio.

In this original park map, the purple represents the studio portion.  That’s a sizeable percentage of the space.  It was here where movies such as “Mulan” and “Lilo & Stitch” were produced, as well as TV shows such as the “Mickey Mouse Club” and WCW Nitro.  

Disney parted ways with MGM after a war of lawsuits throughout the early 90s, resulting in Disney renaming its park as Hollywood Studios in January 2008.  Over time, the production studios were shut down to make space for new attractions.  The Backlot Tour closed in September 2014 to make way for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge (opening 2019) and Toy Story Land (opening June 30, 2018).  Its other signature ride, The Great Movie Ride, closed in August 2017 and will be replaced by a new Mickey Mouse train ride. Because of all this, Hollywood Studios currently feels like a park without a solid identity.

If you’re a veteran of Disneyland CA, you’ll find the following attractions here: Star Tours, Jedi Training (aka Jedi Academy), Star Wars Launch Bay, Muppet Vision 3D, Disney Junior Live on Stage, Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Toy Story Mania, and Fantasmic.  While Disney World doesn’t contain Indiana Jones the ride, Hollywood Studios features Indiana Jones as a stunt show.  Some of you might even remember Beauty and the Beast live on stage.  Well, that’s here too.

You might notice that many of these attractions are found (or were formerly) at Disney California Adventure (DCA).  This is fitting.  DCA was originally intended as a celebration of California.  One of its areas is Hollywood Land.  Both parks evolved over time as many of its original attractions were replaced in favor of drawing crowds.  Because of these new attractions, both parks began to lose sight of its original intention.  DCA became a miscellaneous park housing attractions that didn’t fit in Disneyland. This mixture includes Pixar attractions/areas, the Tower of Terror ride (which was replaced by Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy), a Little Mermaid ride, and a Frozen live show.  In addition, the Pier is being rethemed into Pixar Pier, and Bug’s Land will become a Marvel Land.  Meanwhile, Hollywood Studios is also a random mixture of properties, which includes Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Indiana Jones, Muppets, Pixar, Star Wars, and Aerosmith.  One could argue that at least these are all film properties (except for Aerosmith), keeping to the theme of Hollywood.  Then again, Disney is a film company, so any of its properties could fit into this category.  

With so much to talk about here, I needed to split this into two parts.  In Part 2, we’ll go through tips and advice for navigating Hollywood Studios.

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Epcot Part 2: Putting the World in Disney World

If you’re a foodie, or a fan of traveling and experiencing different cultures, Epcot is the park for you.  In order to truly experience Epcot, you should allow for two days.  Last time, we talked about Future World, which is where the bulk of the popular rides are located.  The second half of Epcot is the World Showcase.  

Eleven pavillions wrap around the lagoon, each one representing a different country: Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, United States (themed after the colonial days), Japan, Morocco, France, United Kingdom, and Canada.

Each one contains a shop and at least one restaurant.  Most of them contain an attraction, whether a circle vision show that puts you in a 360-degree theater (such as China and France) or a boat ride (like Mexico and Norway).  Some of them have live performances.  At United States, I got to see an acapella group.  China also had some live dancers outside with a variety of acts. In addition, there are character meet and greets, depending on where the character is from.  You can meet Aladdin and Jasmine in Morocco, Snow White in Germany, Belle in France, and Donald (as one of the Three Caballeros) in Mexico.

The cast members who work there are actually from the country.  So when you buy German chocolate, talk to the cashier and ask about life in Germany.  This also adds authenticity to the food.  Whether you’re eating pasta from Italy, shawarma from Morocco, or macarons from France, you can rest assured that your food is prepared by chefs from that respective country.

How do you navigate all that?  After all, if you spend one hour in each pavilion, that’s eleven hours of your day.  If the park hours are 9am to 9pm, that’s almost the entire day.  If you allow two days at Epcot, this should be an easier task.  When I went to Epcot, we spent two days there, and we were able to cover everything at World Showcase (and most things from Future World).  We didn’t cover all the food, but that would’ve required a week or so.  We also spent more time in some countries than others.  We spent a lot of time in Germany, China and Mexico.  But not much time in UK and Canada.  Choosing which countries to spend more time in may depend on your interests.  What countries would you like to learn more about?  What countries has food you’d want to try?  Which countries has the best snacks?  Each country is rich in details, so no matter which ones you choose to spend more time in, it’s well worth it.

Don’t forget to check out the nighttime show, IllumiNations: Reflections on Earth.  It’s one of the best shows Disney World has to offer.  This fireworks/water show takes place at the lagoon. You can view it from any of the countries, and it feels like the world has united to share in this experience.  The buildings from each pavilion light up, proudly proclaiming their country.  It’s really neat knowing that the building behind you is part of the show, immersing you further into the experience.  

If you’re using FastPass+, which attractions should you prioritize?  The top tier attractions are Test Track, Soaring, and Frozen.  It depends on your party’s interest.  If you have kids who love Frozen, I would recommend getting that.  It’s a dark ride in Norway similar to Pirates of the Caribbean or Snow White.  It’s relatively new and currently one of the most popular attractions, so your best chance to experience it is through a fast pass.  If your party is older, or simply not into Frozen, then I would recommend Test Track.  This ride is also very popular, and fast passes go quickly.  Soaring is the same ride as California Adventure, and since they added more theaters, you could probably get in without too much trouble.  There is an option to get a fast pass for IllumiNations, but it’s not necessary.  Fast pass reserves a special section, but you can get a really good view from anywhere around the lagoon.

When Walt originally envisioned Disney World, he wanted a city that would lead the way in technological innovation and cultural unity.  Although Epcot didn’t become a city, it represents both aspects of his vision with Future World and World Showcase.  Together, they put the world in Disney World.

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Epcot Part 1: Vision of Tomorrow

When Walt made plans for Disney World, he envisioned a concept called EPCOT (Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow) as his star attraction of Disney World.  EPCOT was intended to be more than just an East Coast Disneyland.  It was meant to be a fully functioning city built on innovation and a constant blueprint for the future.  Citizens would rely solely on monorails and people movers for transportation.  It would have its own airport, industrial park, schools, recreation centers, and apartments.  At the center of the city would be a massive hotel.  Surrounding it would be shops and restaurants reflecting cultures from around the world.  it was meant to be the perfect city and a role model to cities everywhere.

When Walt died, his vision for EPCOT was put on hold while construction proceeded for the Magic Kingdom. In the late 1970s, the concept of EPCOT was revisited, but the board decided to make it a theme park instead of a city.  Epcot still holds Walt’s vision for a place of technology and innovation.  The front half of the park is called Future World, which celebrates human achievement in technology and science.  The second half is called the World Showcase, which honors Walt’s other vision for uniting cultures around the world.

Earlier, I wrote an overview of the park and my experience with it.  There’s so much more to say, so I’ll cover Epcot in two parts, starting with Future World.

Epcot is probably best for teens and adults.  While there’s certainly a lot for children, many of the attractions are geared for an older audience.  Adults would also more likely be able to appreciate the details, especially in the World Showcase.  The World Showcase is also the perfect place for foodies.

One tip: If possible, set aside two days for this park.  While it’s possible to cover the gist of the park in one day, there’s so much to see and experience.  Trying to cram as much as possible into one day can be stressful, and you’ll inevitably miss a lot.  A second day will allow you to fully appreciate everything that Epcot has to offer.

Future World holds the bulk of the popular rides.  One of its most popular ones is Test Track.  Here, you get a chance to design your own car.  You then board your vehicle and see how it performs under varying conditions.  The big highlight comes when you enter an outdoor track, reaching a speed of 64.9 miles per hour.  If you can secure a fast pass, I would highly recommend it.

Another popular attraction is called Mission Space.  This is one of my personal favorites.  It’s a motion simulator where you experience what an astronaut goes through in a space craft to Mars.  Each capsule holds four passengers, and each person has a unique role.  You’re an active participant, and the success of the mission lies in your hands.  There are two versions: green and orange.  Orange is the normal version.  When you launch, the capsule spins, simulating the acceleration into space. It’s a really trippy feeling, but it can make some people feel sick.  Green is the less intense version (aka no spinning).

If you’re a veteran of Disneyland, you may recognize a few attractions.  Soaring Around the World is here.  In addition, there’s a ride called The Seas With Nemo and Friends.  It’s very similar to the Finding Nemo Submarine ride in Disneyland.  Instead of going into a submarine, you board clam shells (similar to Haunted Mansion or Little Mermaid).  I didn’t really care for the Disneyland version, but Epcot’s ride is a huge improvement.  I’ll talk about it more another time.  Within this same area, you’ll also find Turtle Talk with Crush.  Those of you who remember Innoventions in Disneyland will be happy to know it’s here in Epcot.

While Epcot features a lot of great rides in Future World, its main event lies behind in the World Showcase.

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Magic Kingdom: Familiar, Yet Different

In 1959, Walt Disney began scouting for a place he could set up a supplemental park.  At the time, Disneyland wasn’t reaching the majority of the population, which lived east of the Mississippi River.  Disney covertly found and purchased land in Orlando.  Walt passed away in 1966 before his vision could come to fruition.  His brother, Roy, stepped in to oversee construction.  Magic Kingdom was the first of the parks to open, and Roy dedicated it to his brother.

One of the most unique elements of Disneyworld is the journey getting there.  Not only is it the most isolated of the parks, but it’s also separated by the Seven Seas Lagoon.  Once you reach the parking lot, you’ll need to travel more than a mile across the Lagoon in a ferry.  Or you can travel around through the monorail.  This will be important to keep in mind as you plan your day.  Allow extra time to get to the park.

Of the four parks, Magic Kingdom is the most similar to Disneyland in its structure.  Most of the lands are similar, including Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, Adventureland, Frontierland, and Main Street.  New Orleans Square is replaced by Liberty Square, which is themed to the American colonial period.  Toontown doesn’t exist.  However, in its place, the edge of Fantasyland has an area called Storybook Circus.  Primarily themed after Dumbo, it also includes attractions featuring circus versions of characters, such as the Great Goofini and Pete’s Silly Sideshow.

Many of the classic rides of Disneyland can be found here, including Space Mountain, Thunder Mountain, Haunted Mansion, and Small World.  Many of the ride queues are expanded and more elaborate.  Pirates of the Caribbean takes you through an entire lair complete with cannons.  While each ride feels familiar, Disney World adds little tweaks here and there to make it its own.  For example, the log design for Splash Mountain is slightly different.  As your log is circling around the top of the mountain, there’s an added garden and a few more homes to pass by.  When you’re inside, more time is given to flesh out the story of Brer Fox and Brer Bear pursuing Brer Rabbit.  It’s the same ride, but the Disney World version feels like a subtle upgrade.

On the other hand, there are a number of attractions that aren’t here or are shifted around to other parks.  Star Tours and Fantasmic are found in Hollywood Studios.  There’s no Matterhorn, but Animal Kingdom has an upgraded version called Expedition Everest.  No Indiana Jones, either, but Animal Kingdom has a similar ride called Dinosaur.  Finding Nemo Submarine can be found in Epcot.

Disneyland’s iconic castle is the one from Sleeping Beauty.  Magic Kingdom’s is Cinderella’s castle.  While it doesn’t contain a walkthrough, it does contain a suite available only to specially selected guests.    

If you’re looking for rides you won’t find in California, there are a few.  The Seven Dwarves Mine Train is a mild roller coaster that will take you through Snow White’s world.  In Storybook Circus, Barnstormer is a child-friendly roller coaster where you travel in Goofy’s biplane in a barn setting.  In Adventureland, there’s the Magic Carpets of Aladdin, which is essentially the same as the Dumbo ride.  In Tomorrowland, check out the Monsters Inc Laugh Floor, which is similar to Turtle Talk with Crush.  I would advise avoiding Stitch’s Great Escape.  It is notorious as one of the worst attractions of the theme parks, and I have to agree.  It was anticlimactic and pointless.

There’s also an area called the Enchanted Forest.  It’s an expansion of Fantasyland, and it’s one of my personal favorite spots of the park. It feels like you’re walking through Belle’s quiet village from Beauty and the Beast.  Lanterns hang above you as walk through the village from Tangled. A waterfall rushes in front of you as you enter the world of Little Mermaid.

One piece of advice: Get reservation for the Be Our Guest Restaurant.  Themed after the castle in Beauty and the Beast, this is one of the most popular restaurants in Disney World.  I wasn’t able to get in because they only take reservations, and they fill up very quickly.  If you do get a chance to dine inside, try the gray stuff.  It’s said to be delicious.  Don’t believe me?  Ask the dishes.

Overall, Magic Kingdom is the most similar to Disneyland, yet holds just enough differences to maintain its own unique identity.  Unlike Disneyland, Magic Kingdom can probably covered in a single day during less busy times. Disneyland is much more compressed, making it impossible to see everything in one day.  Magic Kingdom has more breathing room, so it can expand its queues and build unique experiences like the Enchanted Forest and Storybook Circus.

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Planning Disney World: How Long?

If you’re planning a trip to Disney World, an important factor is figuring out how many days to allot. As mentioned earlier, Disney World is a very different beast from Disneyland, so some of the strategies in planning a Disneyland trip may not apply here.

Disney World consists of four parks.  Unlike Disneyland in CA, most parks (with the exception of Epcot) can be covered in one day. Plus, there are two parks at Universal Studios, and I recommend a day for each one.  I would also highly recommend setting aside at least one or two days where you take a break from the parks.  Theme parks move at a fast pace, and each one is an all-day commitment. It helps to have a day or two where you can slow down the pace.  Do some laundry.  Shop at International Drive.  Check out downtown Orlando.  Don’t forget to stop by Downtown Disney.  It’s like a mini vacation from your vacation.  It’ll help you avoid burning out.

So far, it covers eight days.  There are other theme parks, such as Sea World or Busch Gardens.  Or you may end up wanting to visit Epcot or Animal Kingdom a second time.  Don’t forget to set aside time for your flights to and from Orlando.

Suppose you only have a few days to spend in Orlando.  Many of my friends who’ve gone recently told me they only had one or two days and wanted to know which parks to prioritize.  It really depends on what you’re looking for.

I would recommend Magic Kingdom if:

-          You’re a beginner to Disney parks

-          You’re interested in the classic rides such as Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, and Pirates of the Caribbean

-          You want a picture with the iconic Cinderella Castle

I would recommend Hollywood Studios if:

-          You prefer shows over rides

-          You’re looking for thrill rides geared more towards grownups (but don’t worry…there’s also plenty for kids)

I would recommend Animal Kingdom if:

-          You have an interest in animals and/or conservation

-          You’re a fan of Avatar

I would recommend Epcot if:

-          You’d love to travel around the world, experiencing a variety of cultures and foods

-          You’re interested in science and technology throughout history

I would recommend Universal Studios if:

-          You’re a fan of Simpsons, Transformers, Spongebob, Shrek, or Minions

-          You’re a fan of Harry Potter

I would recommend Universal Studios: Islands of Adventures if:

-          You’re looking for something similar to Universal in Hollywood but on a grander scale

-          You’re looking for something very different from Universal Hollywood 

-          You’re a fan of Harry Potter

Another question that comes up is whether to purchase single park vs. park hopper tickets.  For Disneyland CA, I find great value in the park hopper.  But for Disney World FL, the distance among the four parks makes a huge difference.  You lose a lot of valuable time hopping from one park to the next, even with the monorail.  Depending where your hotel is, you may lose even more time with transportation between the hotel and the Disney property.  Park hours also vary.  Some parks close earlier than others, and weekdays will close earlier than weekends/peak seasons.  I personally find the single park option to be sufficient.  

On the other hand, Universal Studios and Islands of Adventures are next to each other.  Overall, it makes sense to use the single park option here too.  The main advantage to getting a park hopper is if you’re a Harry Potter fan.  Each park contains a Harry Potter land, and they’re connected by the Hogwarts Express.  In order to ride it, you’ll need the park hopper option.

Planning for a Disney World trip is very different from Disneyland.  As you decide on trip length and park ticket options, it’s important to weigh what’s important to you in terms of time, money, and objectives.  Next, we’ll take an overview look of each park.

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Disney World: From Land to World

Over the past year, a lot of people I know either have traveled to Disney World or are planning to go. For those of you who live on the East Coast, this may not seem like a big deal.  For those of us from Hawaii, it’s about a five or six hour plane ride to get to California, which is roughly the same amount of time it would take to fly from California to Florida.  To hear this many people traveling to Disney World in such a short time span is pretty surprising.

I traveled to Disney World for the first time in September 2014.  I was a veteran of Disneyland, a walking park map.  Going to Disney World was a bucket list item, so it was fitting that I did it shortly after turning the big 3-0.  I did a lot of research leading up to the trip, including the rides that wouldn’t be found in Disneyland.

When I first entered the Disney property, it struck me how huge it was.  It goes without saying that Disney World is much larger than Disneyland, but it’s not until you’re there when you see how much so.  Disneyland consists of two theme parks next to each other, a Downtown Disney district, and a few hotels.  Disney World consists of four parks, two water parks, a Downtown Disney that’s probably about three times the size of California’s, its own highways, gas stations, camp sites, and a much larger variety of hotels.  At 43 square miles, the Disney property is about the size of San Francisco or twice the size of Manhattan.  For those of us who live in Hawaii, Honolulu (which is everything from Moanalua to Hawaii Kai) is 60.5 square miles of land (68.4 if you count the water). Imagine Disney owning 2/3 of that.

This allows the four parks to be spread out from each other.  From my observation, it’s about 10-15 minute drive from one park to the next—still within Disney property.  In Disneyland, everything on property is within walking distance of each other. In Disney World, you’ll definitely need a car, shuttle, or monorail.  A ferry is required in addition to access Magic Kingdom.  Even Downtown Disney is isolated.  This ensures that each park is enclosed.  When you’re in Epcot, you’re experiencing only Epcot.  You won’t see or hear the fireworks happening at Hollywood Studios or Magic Kingdom.  When you’re at Animal Kingdom, there’s no outside force distracting you from experiencing it the way it was intended.

Because of that, we decided not to pay extra for parkhopper tickets.  It made more sense to stay at a single park through the entire day and leave only when closing.  We had gotten a deal where we bought four days and got two days free.  We spent one day at each of the four parks, then decided which ones were worth repeating.  The first bonus day was spent at Epcot.  That was definitely worth it.  The second was spent at Magic Kingdom.  That…wasn’t as worthwhile.  There was nothing wrong with Magic Kingdom.  When you’re so accustomed to Disneyland, the novelty of Disney World is experiencing new attractions.  Magic Kingdom is just like Disneyland—with fewer attractions.  By late afternoon, we decided to call it a day.

Over the course of this series, I’ll go into more details of each park, sharing more tips and advice. I’ll share my experiences, what worked and what didn’t.  Most of the advice I shared earlier about navigating Disneyland applies here with a few exceptions here and there.  If you’re planning to travel to Orlando, there’s a lot to experience that won’t be found in California.  This not only applies to Disney, but also to other parks like Universal Studios.  With some preparation, your trip to Orlando can be truly magical.