Hiya, Greg!
A warm welcome back to planDisney. I'm delighted you've brought me your
Walt Disney World Resort vacation planning question! Greg, I've visited The Most Magical Place on Earth countless times throughout my life - as a child myself, then as a young couple, and most recently as a parent of a young child. Though every single visit has been unique and memorable,
nothing compares to seeing the magic of the Walt Disney World Resort through your child's eyes. You and your family are in for a very special adventure!
Greg, my family likes staying at a
Disney Resort hotel nearest to the theme park we plan to visit the most during our vacation. We've found that being close to the theme parks enables us to easily return to our Resort hotel for a mid-day break, without compromising much theme park time! Typically, our group splits up for a couple of hours, with some taking naps and others enjoying pool time or other recreational offerings. Resting in the middle of the day will allow your family to enjoy later evenings. If you'll be staying at a Deluxe Resort hotel or Deluxe Villa Resort, you'll be able to take advantage of
extended evening hours in the theme parks on select nights! My club of Mouseketeers loves "rope-dropping" for
early theme park entry and staying up late during extended evening hours, as wait times tend to be lower during these periods, allowing us to maximize our time in the theme parks!
When it comes to theme park ticket options, I recommend tickets with the
Park Hopper option, Greg. Starting the morning in one theme park and ending the night at another adds a layer of excitement to an already magical day! My family tends to spend more time at Magic Kingdom Park and EPCOT than we do at
Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park, so having the Park Hopper option allows us to be
wherever we want
whenever we want. Your family may gravitate towards certain theme parks as well, and the Park Hopper option will enable you to follow your heart to your favorite parks!
Greg, the Walt Disney World Resort is full of attractions and shows geared toward entertaining little ones. My little Mouseketeer would tell you these are not-to-be-missed:
- Frozen Ever After and Remy's Ratatouille Adventure at EPCOT
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Magic Kingdom Park
- Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway at Disney's Hollywood Studios
- Kilimanjaro Safaris and Na'vi River Journey at Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park
There's a chance that
Tiana's Bayou Adventure may be open during your visit, as it's targeted to open in late 2024. If that's the case, be sure to stop by Frontierland to visit everyone's favorite bayou princess and see her new expansion at Tiana's Foods. (But beware: you may get wet!)
Greg, I hope this information helps you to plan an
unforgettable Walt Disney World Resort vacation for your family. I'm wishing you a magical and memorable visit! If you have any additional planning questions, feel free to stop back by planDisney again anytime. We're all ears!
See ya real soon,
Lauren