There is a lot of debate about how much time to spend at Walt Disney World. For starters, are you a first-time visitor who is taking a one-time right-of-passage trip? Or are you an annual visitor with plenty of past experience? Or somewhere in between? And, at what time of year are you going? And, are there any special events happening during your trip? And, what are the demographics of your visiting party? Those are just some of the factors to consider!
But all of that aside (inasmuch as possible), if you want to try to do everything there is to do in the parks, then what is the ideal Walt Disney World itinerary?
Well, actually, you can’t do everything there is to do in the parks! Some stuff would just not be age appropriate. If you’re travelling with a young family, you’re probably not spending much time in bars and lounges having drinks and just soaking up the atmosphere. But if you’re travelling without any kids, you’re not actually allowed to play in The Boneyard (a playground at Animal Kingdom), no matter how much you want to (and I get it if you do!).
Some travelling parties span multiple generations and are willing to split up to enjoy different activities, but even then, older adults travelling with younger kids are usually there to enjoy the children’s reactions to Disney World and to create cherished family memories, rather than to indulge in their own enjoyment of the parks.
The travelling parties that might find themselves with a little less to do are those with teenagers and no young children. They probably don’t want to do “kiddie” stuff, but can’t do adults-only stuff. Unless they have a niche interest where they might want to spend extra time and money (like on specialty tours at Animal Kingdom or souvenir-making experiences in Star Wars Land at Hollywood Studios), they might not find as much to do for their age group, especially thrill-seekers.
So then, accounting for activities that can be switched out as family-friendly or adults-only, there is absolutely an ideal amount of time to spend in the parks in order to experience “everything” they have to offer. As of Summer 2024, this is 9 days, plus 3 rest days, plus 2 travel days, for a total of 14 days — an even 2 weeks!
That’s not to say that every park day of this itinerary would be from rope drop to closing time. To the contrary, this itinerary has a few days that either start late or finish early — or both! Some might think that’s a waste of park time and hence of money, but it’s actually a good thing! It helps avoid park fatigue, and it frees up time to enjoy dinner at the excellent venues outside the parks (or at least, to make it back to the resort on time for a Movie Under the Stars, for once!).
Here is a breakdown of how to ideally spend your time at Walt Disney World:
- 3 days at Magic Kingdom
- 2 days at Epcot
- 2 days at Hollywood Studios
- 2 days at Animal Kingdom
- 1 day including Disney Springs
- 1 day including Disney’s BoardWalk
- 1 ALT day (details below)
Magic Kingdom:
- Day 1: Fantasyland, fireworks
- Day 2: Frontierland, Liberty Square, Adventureland, Main Street USA
- Day 3: Tomorrowland, Storybook Circus, stage show, parade(s)
Epcot:
- Day 1: World Showcase
- Day 2: Former Future World
Hollywood Studios:
- Day 1: Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Star Wars: Launch Bay
- Day 2: Rest of park
Animal Kingdom:
- Day 1: Pandora, Africa, Rafiki’s Planet Watch
- Day 2: Oasis Exhibits, Discovery Island, Asia, DinoLand USA / Tropical Americas
On the three days off, spending each morning at the hotel would be ideal. Whether you enjoy the pool, the jogging trail, the playground, the spa, or simply just lazying about in your room as long as possible, it’s a good time to wind down.
In the afternoons is when you can do something fun, like head out to the BoardWalk or Disney Springs.
At the BoardWalk, you can play a round or two of mini-putt at Fantasia Gardens & Fairways Miniature Golf. There are plenty of dining options for both lunch and dinner, as well as snacks and sweets, and even a few shops. Plus, it’s a fun 1.3 km walk around Crescent Lake. You can even take a leisurely boat ride around the lake! In the evenings, adults can also enjoy a dance club or a duelling piano bar.
Disney Springs is where you should plan to do your souvenir shopping, and then some! There’s so little spare time in the parks that it’s hard to stop and buy souvenirs while touring. Most of what you can find in the parks will be available at Disney Springs, as well as many specialty shops, lots of dining options and bars, and a few entertainment options, like a bowling alley and Cirque du Soleil’s Drawn To Life show.
On the ALT day, if you’re looking for something family-friendly to do, it’s a good time to visit ‘Ohana at the Polynesian Resort for a late brunch and a meet-and-greet with Lilo & Stitch. Then you could head to Fort Wilderness for archery, trail rides, or other family-friendly activities. Plus, you can loop the boat and/or monorail transportation options from Magic Kingdom to add a “ride” element to the day.
If you’re looking for something adults-only to do on the ALT day, then you’ll be looping the boat and/or monorail transportation as well, but with the intention of visiting various restaurants, lounges, and bars to taste their specialty foods and drinks.
Either way, ending the day with dinner at the Contemporary Resort is the perfect way to catch the Magic Kingdom fireworks from afar, then watch the Electric Water Pageant.
This plan allows you to “do it all,” but that doesn’t mean you can do every single thing offered at Walt Disney World (nor would you want to!). In reality, it means that you will do most of what’s available — probably everything that interests you, leaving aside stuff you don’t care for. Although if you’re a foodie, you might still have to make some tough restaurant choices. And if you love meeting characters, you might have to cut out the least important ones on your list. And again, it’s doubtful that you would be able to catch every single entertainment offering, especially the streetmosphere acts, so you would have to prioritize based on your interests. For instance, a big music fan or film buff probably won’t have time to see all of the acts or shows in Epcot’s World Showcase, and will need to choose just two or three (at the time of writing, there are 7 musical acts and 5 short films shown at Epcot).
Of course, most people don’t have the time needed to “do it all,” even with all of the above caveats to what that really means. If you’re planning a Walt Disney World trip, Journiac Travel & Tours can help you figure everything out! Extra magical services include:
- Advising on the best time of year to visit;
- Finding the right accommodations for your travel group, whether at a Disney resort or off-property;
- Helping you decide which theme parks to visit;
- Determining on which days of your trip to visit which theme parks based on crowd predictions and operating hours;
- Learning about your group’s Disney likes and dislikes to make the best suggestions possible;
- Creating theme park touring plans and devising strategies to make sure your time in-park is well-spent;
- Suggesting the best rides, shows, and attractions for everyone in your group, including which characters to meet;
- Booking advance ride selections, as applicable;
- Recommending delicious foods, drinks, and snacks, and making advanced dining reservations;
- Researching the latest magic shots and PhotoPass pictures;
- Planning activities for non-park days.
Additionally, Journiac Travel & Tours can help plan travel to other Orlando and Florida destinations, such as:
- touring the parks at Universal Orlando Resort;
- shopping at Orlando’s outlet stores;
- visiting the Kennedy Space Center;
- spending time at one of the many beaches (Vero Beach, Cocoa Beach, Clearwater Beach, Panama City Beach, Hollywood Beach, and South Beach in Miami all instantly come to mind!);
- participating in animal-friendly experiences such as seeing alligators in Everglades National Park or spotting manatees in one of several state parks.
Get in touch without delay to start planning your ideal Walt Disney World itinerary!