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You’re going to Walt Disney World! However sadly, the journey needs to be a brief one. It’s an unlucky conundrum. There merely gained’t be time to see and do all of it. Selections must be made.
For guests to Walt Disney World on shorter journeys, the massive query is which parks to prioritize and which parks to skip. The proper reply to the query of which Disney park to skip will differ from visitor to visitor.
It will depend on an extended laundry checklist of issues:
What number of days at Disney do you will have?
What are the ages of your kids, if any?
Are there any rides you merely can’t see your self lacking?
Are there new rides which have opened since your final go to?
What rides are closed for refurbishment throughout the time of your go to?
What are the anticipated crowd ranges?
What’s the climate throughout your go to?
The place are you staying?
Do you will have a park hopper ticket or are you restricted to 1 park per day?
Trying again alone Walt Disney World travels during the last decade with and with out youngsters, the 2 parks I’ve skipped probably the most have been Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. I’ve not but missed Magic Kingdom or Epcot on a single journey. However I’ll admit to being an Epcot fanatic. Not everybody goes to really feel the identical means.
Rather a lot has modified in any respect the parks in that decade of time. What Disney park I tended to skip in 2017 (once I first revealed this information) is just not essentially the identical as what I’d skip now in 2023.
So with my biases disclosed, let’s dive in to methods to make the neatest park choice selections for you and your loved ones. If it’s essential skip a park or two in your subsequent Walt Disney World trip, listed below are the important elements to think about for every one.
(Journeys With Tykes makes use of affiliate hyperlinks which implies I’ll earn a small fee if you buy by hyperlinks on this put up. See our full disclosure coverage linked within the menu on the backside of this website.)
Ought to You Skip Magic Kingdom?
Until you’re a very frequent customer to Walt Disney World, I merely can’t advocate that anybody skip the Magic Kingdom on any Disney journey, regardless of how brief. It’s a basic. Seeing the spires of Cinderella Citadel is a part of feeling like you will have actually come residence to Disney once more. For those who solely have a single day at Walt Disney World, that is actually THE park to go to.
Even should you’re an everyday to different fort parks like Disneyland in Anaheim, California or the principle park in Disneyland Paris, you’re going to wish to expertise Magic Kingdom. The fort parks all have some similarities after all, however there’s sufficient that’s distinctive within the Magic Kingdom that it shouldn’t be missed.
So many rides within the Magic Kingdom are the right match for each age and curiosity. There are thrill rides like Seven Dwarfs Mine Prepare, House Mountain, Thunder Mountain and the bran new Tron Lightcycle / Run. There are Disney classics for the entire household like Pirates of the Caribbean and Jungle Cruise. And there are rides which are favorites with little ones like Winnie the Pooh and Dumbo.
In case you are touring with toddlers and preschoolers, Magic Kingdom is actually the one must-visit park. In reality, I’d typically advocate households with youthful kids spend additional time at Magic Kingdom even when it means skipping two or all three of the opposite parks on a fast journey.
Which Disney Guests Can Skip Magic Kingdom?
Who can skip it: Frequent Disney World guests solely!
Who actually shouldn’t miss it: Households with younger youngsters
Ought to You Skip Epcot?
The traditional knowledge the previous couple of years has been that Epcot is the park to skip. It’s been in a relentless state of building, a few of which continues in 2023. There are nonetheless building partitions up in World Celebration, the nighttime spectacular Harmonious has come and gone, and the Moana-inspired Journey of Water expertise remains to be forthcoming. So there’s a robust case to be made for skipping Epcot now, particularly in case you are planning a visit in a yr or two when extra can be full.
Even on this state of flux, nevertheless, Epcot has added fairly just a few headliners to its lineup in recent times. Remy’s Ratatouille Journey opened in an expanded France Pavilion in World Showcase in October 2021, adopted not lengthy after by Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind in Might 2022. House 220 restaurant opened lately as properly. If all of that’s new to you, which may be sufficient of a draw to maneuver Epcot up your checklist. It actually was for my son and I once we took a visit final summer time collectively – we went to Epcot twice!
For those who occur to have a foodie within the household, Epcot ought to most likely be your first selection park. The meals selections round World Showcase are intensive and engaging. This rule is doubly true in case you are visiting throughout one of many particular festivals (Meals & Wine Pageant, Flower & Backyard Pageant, or Pageant of the Arts) that deliver much more meals selections to Epcot.
Journey-lovers additionally shouldn’t miss this park. Strolling all over the world and seeing all of the nations represented is de facto significant. I bear in mind so properly trying round Epcot once I first visited with my household throughout my childhood and considering “I’m going to go to each a type of nations at some point.” (Two extra to go.) It’s an inspiring academic expertise that isn’t replicated anyplace else at Walt Disney World.
That mentioned, I do assume it’s most likely sensible proper now for households with younger youngsters to skip Epcot. The park is kind of unfold out (a lot of strolling) and there are only a few sights aimed on the little child set for the time being. That mentioned, when you’ve got a little bit Frozen fan within the household, you might have to throw this advice out the window. Using Frozen Ever After in Epcot’s Norway Pavilion and seeing Anna and Elsa are nonetheless prime attracts for a lot of.
Which Disney Guests Can Skip Epcot?
Who can skip it: Households with younger youngsters, anybody additionally planning a go to in 2024 when extra can be open
Who actually shouldn’t miss it: Foodies, travel-loving adults, thrill trip lovers who haven’t ridden Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind but, Frozen followers
Ought to You Skip Hollywood Studios?
After I first revealed this information years in the past, earlier than Toy Story Land opened in 2018 and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opened in 2019, I really helpful that plenty of company skip Hollywood Studios. Again then, the standard knowledge was to attend till these “coming quickly sights” have been full. Now that they’re right here – together with Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway in 2020 too! – there’s much more in Hollywood Studios worthy of a cease.
It most likely goes with out saying that when you’ve got a Star Wars fan within the household, you may cease studying this part now. Hollywood Studios is a can’t-miss for you. However that comes with one caveat. For those who go to Disneyland typically already, you may contemplate skipping Hollywood Studios. Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Walt Disney World is sort of equivalent.
In case you are touring with teenagers or thrill trip junkies, Hollywood Studios must be in your must-do checklist too. It’s residence to 2 of the perfect thrill rides at Walt Disney World – Tower of Terror and Rock ‘N’ Curler Coaster. The addition of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance seals the deal. And the cherry on prime is Slinky Canine Sprint – a very enjoyable household coaster.
I hear typically that households with younger youngsters ought to skip Hollywood Studios. I don’t essentially disagree, however solely to some extent. Magic Kingdom is undoubtedly higher for little ones. And plenty of younger youngsters (significantly those that love animals) will desire Animal Kingdom to Hollywood Studios.
However Hollywood Studios truly has loads to supply toddlers and preschoolers too. The park has Disney Junior Dance Celebration, Disney Junior character meet-and-greets, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, the Frozen Sing-a-Lengthy present, and all of Toy Story Land. The smaller footprint of the park makes it manageable for strolling with youngsters with plenty of sights shut collectively. It’s simply accessible to plenty of inns due to its connection on the Disney Skyliner. So don’t write it off with little youngsters, relying on their pursuits and favourite characters.
The problem of Hollywood Studios although is that the park nonetheless isn’t fairly as sturdy because it might be, even with all of the current additions. It’s nonetheless not a full day park. You probably have a park hopper ticket and may cut up certainly one of your days between Hollywood Studios and one other park, it’s properly price it. However when you’ve got solely one-park-per-day tickets, it’s onerous to justify utilizing a full day on Hollywood Studios alone.
Which Disney Guests Can Skip Hollywood Studios?
Who can skip it: Some households with younger youngsters
Who actually shouldn’t miss it: Thrill trip lovers, Star Wars followers
Ought to You Skip Animal Kingdom?
Animal Kingdom is my most-skipped park within the final decade, each with and with out my household. I all the time felt it was sort of a half-day park with a little bit of filler. Longer hours and the opening of evening choices in Animal Kingdom helped enhance upon that notion considerably.
Finally, it was the opening of Pandora: The World of Avatar that modified loads for me and for a lot of guests. Anybody who hasn’t seen Pandora but is just not going to wish to skip this park. The land itself is superbly immersive. The trip Avatar Flight of Passage is certainly one of Disney’s greatest sights anyplace on the planet. After all, Flight of Passage is a thrill trip with a 40 inch peak minimal. So guests with youthful youngsters of their touring group must weigh rigorously whether or not the youngsters are large enough and prepared for this trip!
You probably have an especially brief go to (lower than two full days), I’m undecided I can advocate doing Animal Kingdom only for Pandora – even when everybody within the household is able to trip. With the park’s distant location, you may lose plenty of time in transit simply attending to Animal Kingdom. That point could be higher spent at a park nearer to your resort.
Moreover, there’s nothing that new in Animal Kingdom to justify a go to for some company. Pandora is now six years previous, and it’s basically the most recent factor within the park. For those who’ve been to Walt Disney World since Pandora opened and have seen it, however haven’t seen a number of the newer choices within the different three parks, they need to probably take precedence.
I additionally significantly don’t advocate including Animal Kingdom to your lineup except you will have park hopper tickets. As with Hollywood Studios, there merely isn’t sufficient to do within the park to fill a full day. Though there are just a few nice thrill rides at Animal Kingdom (Expedition Everest and Flight of Passage particularly), Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom now have extra must-do choices for adrenaline junkies per capita.
So who shouldn’t skip Animal Kingdom? Animal lovers. For those who or your youngsters have a delicate spot for animals and already love visiting zoos in your travels, nothing else will compete with the distinctive choices of Animal Kingdom like Kilimanjaro Safaris. But when your theme park holidays are all concerning the rides (like my household’s), you then gained’t get sufficient bang on your buck.
Which Disney Guests Can Skip Animal Kingdom?
Who can skip it: Anybody with out park hopper tickets, anybody who has already skilled Pandora however not the most recent 2018-2023 trip openings in Epcot, Hollywood Studios, or Magic Kingdom
Who actually shouldn’t miss it: Animal lovers, anybody who hasn’t seen Pandora but
Tricks to Make the Most of Shorter Disney World Visits
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In case you are planning a shorter go to to Mickey’s Orlando residence, listed below are just a few parting Disney World ideas that will help you take advantage of your journey.
Planning is Key: Planning is all the time necessary for benefiting from your time at Disney World, however that adage is very true on shorter visits. Write down your must-dos and sketch out an itinerary to enhance your probabilities of having the ability to hit everybody’s prime selections. If there’s ever a time to work onerous to maximise Disney Genie+ and spring for a paid Lightning Lane buy or two, that is it. Time is cash on shorter holidays!
Don’t Waste Time on Transit: Disney’s transportation system is hit and miss every now and then. You probably have a brief journey, you actually can’t afford to waste an hour standing at a bus cease for a shuttle that by no means comes. Thankfully, alternate options are actually low-cost and plentiful. Uber and Lyft are alive and properly on Disney property. Uber even affords Uber Automotive Seat when you’ve got a kiddo who wants secure transportation. Or splurge on the Disney-run model, Minnie Vans, for a themed trip, some particular Disney forged member interactions, and a direct dropoff at Magic Kingdom that bypasses the Transportation and Ticket Middle.
Keep on Disney Property: With maximizing time as a precedence on shorter journeys, contemplate staying in a Disney resort reasonably than an off-property resort or condominium. In spite of everything, for only a evening or two, you aren’t going to be saving plenty of money by staying off-property. Moreover, shorter journeys imply you’re much less prone to want the facilities of most of the off-site choices like condos with kitchens to cook dinner, and many others.
Guide the Proper Disney Lodge: Even should you do keep on-property, I’d take your resort planning a step farther. Assume forward to what parks you wish to go to earlier than reserving your resort. It will be foolish, for instance, to pay the massive bucks to remain in Yacht Membership or Seashore Membership (inside strolling distance of Epcot) and never plan to go to Epcot. Equally, it could be a serious waste to splurge on the Grand Floridian or Polynesian and never go to Magic Kingdom. (Associated: Which Disney Resort is Proper for Your Journey: Worth vs. Reasonable vs. Deluxe)
Park Hop if You Can: As you most likely picked up on when studying this put up, there are a number of parks at Walt Disney World that won’t have a full day of choices for your loved ones or touring group, relying on ages, pursuits, and many others. You’ll get a lot extra worth on a shorter journey from park hopping, and can in the end need to skip fewer parks. So if funds permits, severely contemplate this add on.
Watch Out for Climate: One other issue to think about in selecting your parks is the impact of climate. Outside sights shut when there’s thunder and lightning, and also you’ll most likely wish to do indoor experiences if it’s raining. Epcot and Magic Kingdom have extra choices of size indoors. However be aware one consideration – as a result of Disney World nonetheless requires park reservations in 2023, you will not be as in a position to alter on the fly final minute. Verify long run forecasts early and sometimes! (Be aware: park reservations will not be required in 2024 for many company).
Have a look at Park Hours and Analysis Particular Occasions: One remaining consideration in selecting what Disney parks you’ll go to is the park hours on the times you may be on the resort. Disney parks host some particular occasions like after-hours events that can lead to one park closing early for normal company. Chances are you’ll wish to keep away from these parks! For instance, in Summer season 2023, there can be after hours occasions on some evenings in each Epcot and Hollywood Studios. And in fall 2023, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween events lead to early Magic Kingdom closures.
If you go to Walt Disney World, what parks do you skip and why? We wish to hear within the feedback!
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