Updated March 19, 2023.
Disney World in a day. Can it be done? Should it be done? I’ve previously visited Orlando with my family. Our focus for this particular trip was not Disney World, but how can you visit Orlando and not visit Disney World? As a result, here are 6 tips for Disney World in a Day!
Tips for Disney World in a Day!
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Tips for Disney World in a Day
1. Do Your Research and Be Realistic
Think of it as the two Rs. You aren’t going to be able to experience everything in all four parks in one day, especially if you have young children with you. It’s important to do your research and narrow down the parks and attractions that you really want to experience. Do you and your children like the more traditional rides? If so, Magic Kingdom would be your best bet. However, my family visits Disneyland on a regular basis. As a result, we were not really focused on many of the rides at Magic Kingdom, such as Dumbo and Pirates of the Caribbean. BUT, I really wanted to go on the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at the Magic Kingdom, so we decided to start off there. We went to Epcot after Magic Kingdom, mostly to ride the Frozen Ever After ride, and then ended our day at Animal Kingdom.
The sky’s the limit, but make sure you are realistic and do your research when planning a day at Disney World.
2. Be Prepared…..
Be sure to download the official Disney World app. It will not only tell you the wait times for the rides, but it will also tell you the locations and times of character greetings, as well as locations of restrooms and where you can find food.
We also ended up experiencing rain during our day at Disney World but we were prepared for it. Make sure you check the weather forecast, and pack ponchos and umbrellas just in case. You can purchase ponchos at places like Walmart for less than $1. I bought my son an inexpensive raincoat through amazon and it was a huge hit.
Cloudnine Children’s Froggy Raincoat, for ages 5-12 One size fits all
3. But Don’t Get Disappointed When Plans Don’t Go Accordingly
I should have known better. I’d read that lines can get really long at the end of the day, waiting for the monorail or the boats. But, we needed to get back to our hotel shuttle by a certain time, and the line was extremely long for the monorail and the boats. Some of the cast members ended up taking pity on us and let us on the monorail so we could get to our hotel shuttle in time. Make sure you have plenty of time to get back to your hotel, especially if you’re not staying at a Disney hotel.
4. Genie+ and Lightning Lanes
To minimize time waiting in line, you might want to consider purchasing lightning lanes through Genie+. Guests staying at Disney resorts, the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin, and Shades of Green can begin reserving lightning lanes at 7 am the day of their visit. Guests of other resorts can begin reserving lightning lanes during normal park opening hours. To find out more about Genie+ and Lightning Lanes, click here. And to find out if Genie+ is worth it, you’ll want to read this article written by my friend Christine from Treasured Family Travels.
5. Pick a Park
Pick a park that you know that all members of your family will enjoy. I knew that my son would love Animal Kingdom so that’s the park we wanted to really focus on.
Another tip for Disney World in a Day? Pick a park you want to focus on.
We eventually had to call it a day when it starting raining in full force. But not before we were able to go on the Kilimanjaro Safari. This was one of my son’s favorite attractions and I highly recommend it for all family members.
Once the downpour started, we went to one of the theaters to see a Lion King performance and we all loved it!
6. Have Fun!!
Don’t forget your reason for visiting in the first place. At the end of the day, it’s not about how many rides you go on, or how many attractions you experience – it’s about the memories you make with your family.
My son loved the Gran Fiesta ride at Epcot and tried on a sombrero!
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Tips for Disney World in a Day!
This is great info! Thank you!