Hi, Caroline! Thank you so much for stopping by to see us here at planDisney!
We're locals and Annual Passholders in my family, so we're always driving to the Walt Disney World Resort. Plus, we usually do a little park hopping, too! Here's what I'd do to plan your practically perfect day at The Most Magical Place on Earth!
It looks like your epic Disney day will be on October 16, so the first thing to do is
check the park hours for that day. I think your plan to start at
Disney's Animal Kingdom Park is a great idea, since it's the earliest to open and the earliest to close. I'd go ahead and drive to Disney's Animal Kingdom Park and enjoy your morning there (remember you'll need to make a
Disney Park Pass theme park reservation for that park first). Then, just before
park hopping opens at 2 p.m., I'd drive to the Transportation and Ticket Center lot that serves the
Magic Kingdom Park and park your car there. If you decide to go to
EPCOT at that point, go ahead and leave your car at the Transportation and Ticket Center lot and
hop aboard the monorail to EPCOT. That way, after you've returned to the Magic Kingdom and spent some time enjoying all the magical things to do there, you can just head out to the parking lot and hop right in your car to end the day. Trust me, it feels so good to just get right to your car when you've spent a long day in the theme parks!
And the best part? Once you've paid for
parking at your first theme park, you're covered for the whole day! So don't worry about moving your car to the next park - it won't cost you a penny extra.
Caroline, one of my favorite resources at the Walt Disney World Resort is the transportation Cast Members. If you find yourself unsure of where to go or what to do next, seek out someone in the gray transportation costume. They're truly the experts when it comes to getting around the World!
I'm so excited for your adventure to begin! I hope you have an amazing day exploring the theme parks, and that you'll come see us again if you have any more questions!
Keep Disney Dreaming,
Kathy K.