Howdy, Josephine, and welcome to planDisney. I'm a road warrior myself, as I always drive my family down to Walt Disney World from North Carolina. You and your husband must be so excited to be taking your granddaughter on both a road trip and a Disney vacation! Four days is a perfect amount of time to visit, and I'd be happy to help you map out an itinerary for your family. Let's go!
Your visit will occur right as
Cool Kids' Summer is kicking off! The celebration begins May 26th, and there's an incredible lineup of entertainment, attractions, and offerings across the resort area. If you're staying in a Disney Resort hotel, your water park admission on check-in day is complimentary! Even sweeter news: both water parks will be open for you to choose from and enjoy. My personal recommendation is Typhoon Lagoon for its amazing wave pool and tropical vibes.
For your first theme park day, head over to Magic Kingdom. Early Entry is at 8:30AM, and this is a great way to sneak in a few attractions before many guests are even awake! Some of my favorites include Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Space Mountain, and Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin. In terms of dining, I always grab a waffle that's smothered with chocolate hazelnut spread and topped with fresh fruit from
Sleepy Hollow. For a more substantial meal, try lunch at Columbia Harbor House. The park will be open until 10PM and you can stay to enjoy
Happily Ever After.
My recommendation for your next morning is to rope-drop Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT. You'll then have the whole morning to stroll through World Nature and take in experiences like
Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana and
Soarin' Across America. Dining is a treat at this park, as you can snack your way around the world in World Showcase. I love the pastries in France, the fish and chips in the UK, and the kakigori shaved ice from Japan. Don't miss the recently reimagined Test Track and perennial favorites like Frozen Ever After and Remy's Ratatouille Adventure. EPCOT's nighttime spectacular,
Luminous The Symphony of Us, kicks off at 9PM.
To cap off your multi-park adventure in Disney World, spend your last day at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run will be featuring new storylines with the Mandalorian and Grogu, and you can take in the recently reimagined The Little Mermaid - A Musical Adventure. I absolutely loved this show when I visited in February, and the updated staging and puppetry was a sight to behold. For dining, I recommend taking a walk down memory lane and booking a meal at
50's Prime Time Cafe or the
Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant. These are nostalgia picks for me, and what could be better than comforting home style cooking or watching retro clips on a huge movie screen? Most importantly, this park has my favorite (and arguably the best) nighttime spectacular:
Fantasmic! Traverse Mickey's imagination as he battles villains and evil forces to reclaim his dream!
I hope you have the best vacation, Josephine! Come back and see us if you need more planning advice.
Stay magical,
Scott