Disneyworld: The Most Magical Theme Park Destination

Hi Readers! This week I’ll be writing about the happiest place on Earth, Disneyworld! This theme park provides the visitor with a completely immersive experience, and allows you to escape from the real world. Disneyworld encompasses 47 miles in Orlando, Florida, and features four different theme parks, two waterparks, and over 20 resort hotels. There’s something for everyone here; intense rollercoasters, live musical shows, boat rides, Disney characters, fireworks… just to name a few! Since Disney is so popular, crowds will tend to get very large.

Peak season to visit is summer months – June, July, August – since kids are on summer break and summer being the most popular time to vacation. I would not recommend going at this time if you can avoid it, since crowds will be crazy and the hot, humid Florida weather will be in full swing. The least popular times to visit are January/February, September, and November.  Holidays are a big deal at Disneyworld, which can make the parks more special, but also significantly more expensive and crowded.

TRANSPORTATION

Unless you’re from Florida, I would recommend flying. I once took a bus to Orlando for a school trip, and it was easily one of the roughest 24 hours of my life. The best part is, flights to Orlando are generally non-stop and comparatively pretty cheap! Basically, every major airline flies here, which corresponds to cheaper tickets. Visiting during the off season will allow you to score round-trip tickets for under $200, but even during peak season tickets will only be around $300 if you book early enough. Once you arrive at Orlando International Airport, there are plenty of shuttles or cabs that will take you to your hotel.

LODGING

There is an outrageous amount of options for hotels in Disneyworld, ranging from deluxe Disney owned and themed resorts, to privately owned less extravagant hotels. I’ve picked the top three Disney resorts for a more luxurious, immersive experience, and three non-Disney affiliated options that will guarantee to save you some cash.

Disney Resorts

• Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa – Top rated, luxurious Victorian style resort just one monorail stop away from magic kingdom
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge – African safari themed resort on a 33-acre wildlife reserve, providing a one of a kind experience where you can wake up to zebras and giraffes grazing outside your window
• Disney’s Boardwalk Inn Resort – great location right on the Boardwalk with plenty of restaurants and shops surrounding the property, as a bonus Epcot and Hollywood studios are just a quick walk away

Non-Disney Affiliated Properties

• Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham Orlando Lake Buena Vista – an affordable but still high-quality option, includes free breakfast and free shuttles to the Disney parks
• Drury Inn & Suites Orlando – Depending on the time of your visit, room rates can drop to under $100 while still including complimentary breakfast and dinner
• Avanti International Resort – walking distance to great shops and restaurants with a free bus to the theme parks

FOOD

For breakfast, I’d suggest grabbing your meal from your hotel. Its’s quick but delicious option, thus allowing you to get to the parks sooner. For lunch, you should eat inside the parks, but not to fear, unlike regular theme parks the food in Disneyworld is GOOD, and there’s plenty of options at each park. There are a lot of your standard, greasy park food, but also fancier options that go with the theme of each park. The food at Epcot is going to be the best because of the great, authentic international cuisine. I’ve put together a list of some of the best dining options and their respective locations to curb your hunger after a long day riding rollercoasters:

• Flying Fish Café – Disney boardwalk
• Rose & Crown – Epcot
• Sci-Fi Dine-in Theater Restaurant – Hollywood Studios
• Victoria & Albert’s Restaurant – Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
• Carnation Café – Main Street U.S.A
• Trattoria al Forno – Disney’s Boardwalk

 

ACTIVITIES

Pick a theme park to visit each day, or mix and match and do a couple each day! Also included are some non-theme park activities in case you need a break from riding rides all day.

• Hollywood Studios
• Animal Kingdom
• Magic Kingdom
• Epcot
• Blizzard Beach
• Typhoon Lagoon
• Downtown Disney
• Disney Boardwalk
• Central Florida Zoo
• Disney Springs