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This lifelong Disneyland girl finally made it to Disney World. Let's talk about everything I learned (and all the mistakes I made) from my trip!
I have always been a big Disneyland girl. Growing up near the West Coast, my parents took us to Disneyland on a few special occasions when we were small all the way up until we became adults. I am part of the generation that could be considered “Disney Adults” but who can really argue that Disney magic doesn’t exist? The fairy tales and happily ever afters did a major number on my adolescent brain and I consider myself lucky to have grown up during Disney’s Golden Age!
Disney World was always on my bucket list, knowing how much I love Disneyland. I was always told by my fellow West Coasters that nothing compares to Disneyland, considering it is the original Happiest Place on Earth. That always made sense to me, but given the opportunity to see for myself, I absolutely wanted to find out if it was true.
We ended up planning a trip for February of this year and I couldn’t have been more excited. I did my research and geared up for an absolute marathon of Disney Parks. I ended up having such a great time! Today I’ll share with you some of the highlights, some of the mistakes I made along the way, and the final word as to which one I like better: Disneyland or Disney World!
Some fun facts I enjoyed about the history of Disney World when I was doing my trip research -
Walt Disney's Vision: Walt Disney originally envisioned Disney World as a "Florida Project" where he could experiment with futuristic urban planning, including his idea of the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow (EPCOT), a living city with cutting-edge technology and innovative design.
The Size of Disney World: Walt Disney World Resort is HUGE — it spans over 43 square miles, making it roughly the size of San Francisco. In fact, you could fit all of Disneyland (the entire park) inside Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and still have room left over!
The Magic Kingdom’s Opening: Magic Kingdom, the first park at Disney World, opened on October 1, 1971. It was the second Disney park to open in the U.S. after Disneyland in California.
The Underground Tunnels (Utilidors): Beneath Magic Kingdom lies a series of underground tunnels called the "Utilidors," which help employees navigate the park without being seen by guests. This helps maintain the magic by keeping cast members out of view of the visitors.
The World's Largest Disney Store: Disney World boasts the largest Disney store in the world, located in Disney Springs. It's a must-visit for any Disney fan looking to shop for exclusive merchandise.
Walt Disney’s Brother: Walt Disney's brother, Roy O. Disney, was instrumental in the creation of Walt Disney World. He worked tirelessly to see the project completed, and in fact, the resort opened under Roy's leadership after Walt passed away in 1966. He also ensured the park was officially called Walt Disney World rather than Disney World to honor the man who dreamed of it.
Space Mountain's Secret: When Disney World’s Space Mountain opened in 1975, it was one of the first completely enclosed roller coasters in the world. The attraction was designed to look futuristic, with the idea that the ride took guests through deep space!
The Iconic Cinderella Castle: The Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom stands at 189 feet tall, making it the tallest structure in the park. Interestingly, the castle’s "turrets" are designed to look taller and thinner through forced perspective, giving the illusion of greater height.
EPCOT's Early Concept: EPCOT (which originally stood for "Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow") was supposed to be a futuristic city rather than a theme park. Walt Disney's dream was to create a city of the future where technology, urban planning, and community would blend harmoniously — but after his death, this idea evolved into the EPCOT we know today, a cultural and technological showcase.
Here are some of the basics:
I went with my husband’s family and we are all adults! For the best itinerary options if you have kids, you can still use this as a framework and mix in the children’s rides!
I would say we operated at a medium pace the whole week! We didn’t get up at the crack of dawn every day, but we did do some late nights, and we didn’t take a resort day.
We all like coasters, but we’re not necessarily thrill seekers. For reference, I get VERY nauseous on Star Tours and Smuggler’s Run - these are a no go for me. I’m okay on Guardians: Mission Breakout! and Incredicoaster if I have a break after the fact. Soarin’ is fine for me for the most part. Space Mountain is okay too but I can’t ride it over and over and over.
At the end of our trip, there was a high school cheerleading competition (or something of that nature) happening so that made the parks a little busier. Be sure to check for events like that prior to planning your trip.
We stayed at The Grand Floridian (highly, highly recommend but have also heard that BoardWalk and the other on-property resorts are a great choice as well.)
We went the very first week of February. This was the PERFECT time to be in Florida. I was nervous leading up to the trip since that week was so cold, but the weather was a high of 78 and a low of like 65 when we got there. I could wear a t-shirt and shorts all day without needing a jacket or without being too hot during the day. I was very nervous about the humidity but it was perfect.There were a very few select times I whipped out my portable fan and going on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure was a welcome cool down. But it was great! I would go back that same week again and again.
We had 5 day park hoppers but honestly, if I were to do it again, I would have selected one park for each of the first 4 days and then get a park hopper for the last day! 5 days sounds like a lot, but if you can swing 7 days, that’s better. You’ll be completely tired of Disney by the last day, but you can spread your trip out a bit and even take a pool day with a 7 day schedule. There are 4 parks to cover and they are all worth it in my opinion! Park hoppers are a nice option to have, but since the parks are so far away from each other, it’s really not necessary.
It felt like we accomplished a lot in our 5 days, but again I wish we would have had a few more days so we could be a little less hurried and take in more of the vibes rather than trying to check off every ride on the list.
We did:
Monday
Animal Kingdom
Animal Kingdom was awesome! We really enjoyed the Dole Whip, Avatar Flight of Passage, and Kilimanjaro Safari (sleeper hit). We didn’t feel like Na’vi River Journey was worth the wait, Everest is a good coaster for those wanting to thrill seek, but it make me suuuper nauseous (although many things make me nauseous). Spoiler, it does go backwards in the dark. We felt like Satu’li Campaign was a good lunch spot - you can make your own rice/noodle bowls. Get the green sauce and the Cheeseburger Pods too.
If you are worried about motion sickness on Flight of Passage, don’t be! I get extremely sick on Star Tours and Smuggler’s Run but I was 100% fine on Flight of Passage. They even warn you when you get in the room that if you are prone to motion sickness you can opt out, but I’m so glad I didn’t. Of course, everyone is different. If you get very sick on Soarin’, maybe stay away. Flight of Passage actually made me kind of emotional the first time I rode it! It feels like you’re really flying.
Animal Kingdom is definitely lighter on rides so if you are wanting to park hop, this would be a good park to do that from. We popped over to EPCOT to see the fireworks after our AK day. You could also hop to Magic Kingdom to see those fireworks, hop to Hollywood Studios to see Fantasmic or even go to Disney Springs for dinner. That being said, I would NOT skip Animal Kingdom! I loved the Tree of Life and it probably got the award for most underrated park in our books. I think Flight of Passage was our favorite ride of the whole trip!
Tuesday
Hollywood Studios
Disney Springs
Hollywood Studios probably had my favorite theming of any park! It looks like Sunset Blvd from the 1940s! It’s probably most similar to Disney California Adventure but doesn’t have Cars Land or the Incredicoaster.
I was warned to skip Oga’s Cantina years ago and didn’t listen. I should have listened. For smaller parties they make you stand and share a table with limited space with people you don’t know. It’s loud and the food is kind of strange. My drink was really delicious though. I got the Fuzzy Taun Taun if you are planning on going. They have good alcoholic and non-alcoholic options.
I didn’t realize that Tower of Terror is original to the Florida parks, I always thought it was in California first. It was fun to go on to relive my nostalgia for Tower of Terror, but I would skip it next time. Made me pretty nauseous and the drop didn’t feel as high as it used to be. I much prefer the Guardians of the Galaxy version in CA. A lot of rides here are the same as in Disneyland. Rise of the Resistance is always amazing. Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway is the exact same but always a cute one.
We actually really liked the ABC Commissary for a lunch break. They have some good salad options for when you haven’t had anything green for several days, a frozen strawberry lemonade slush, it’s super clean and quiet and air conditioned in there too. They have the refillable soda machines here so you can sit and have a few helpings of a crisp Coca Cola when you need it most. Sometimes the kids meals even have good portion sizes and good side options as well for when you want a snack.
Rockin’ Roller Coaster was GREAT! It’s very fast and has some inversions in the dark. Probably the fastest coaster of all the parks! It reminds me of the Incredicoaster a little bit, I am fine when I am on the ride but a little shaky once I get off. I know this one will be gone soon so if you’re wanting to check it out, I would plan a trip ASAP! Slinky Dog actually made me a little woozy but it really is a coaster for children. It would be best described as maybe a child’s first real roller coaster. I think it made me a little nauseous because it does a lot of up/down hills if that makes sense. It’s very cute but I’m not sure it was really worth the long wait. The theme of Toy Story Land is very cute and worth a visit. Toy Story Mania is classic and the queue for this one is better than the one in California!
We liked the popcorn here, the frozen slushies, churros, etc. This park doesn’t have the best food options out of all of them, but I know there are people who LOVE some of the restaurants here.
Disney Springs actually blew my mind it was so good! It really is a must visit and is the equivalent to Downtown Disney (although I find Disney Springs to be nicer than DD). I wish we had more time there. The only disadvantage is it’s not connected to a park so you have to go a little further if you want to visit it. Transportation will connect you there but it’s just not the closest. We had dinner at Terralina - it was REALLY good. Not too fancy but not too casual. DS has live music and a huge World of Disney store along with several other Disney stores. They also have high end stores and regular stores featuring Disney-related brand items. There is a waterfront part and I just found it to have a really lovely, calm vibe. It seems like a popular place for Orlandoans to have dinner/shop around. Overall it felt very upscale but still had an outdoor mall feel.
Wednesday
Magic Kingdom
We tried to go to Magic Kingdom on an off day since I heard most people like to start there (so it’s most busy on Mondays/Fridays/Saturdays). I’m not sure if it made a major difference or not but that was our plan. Magic Kingdom is great, it’s like Disneyland in California. The castle is much bigger than the one in Disneyland and there is a lot more room to spread everything out. The fireworks show is a must and you should try to find a spot an hour before right in front of the castle. There is a projection show on the castle and it’s really worth it!
We absolutely loved Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. Have not had a chance to go on it in Disneyland yet, but the ride lasts a lot longer than Splash Mountain used to (at least that’s how it feels) and there are a few little bonus drops. You WILL get wet if you are in the front row like we were. Luckily, it didn’t soak our shoes and we dried off very quickly. I don’t see the need for a poncho but I only rode it once so not sure if the splash zone is different every time.
Definitely try out Sleepy Hollow for food, love a classic corn dog and they have this really delicious looking Belgian waffle with Nutella and fruit. Peter Pan was a bit of a disappointment as it’s always one of my favorites at Disneyland, but the stars don’t twinkle like they do in the original, which is the best part. Maybe this was a malfunction and the queue is much better than it is in Disneyland. But I wouldn’t wait for more than 15 minutes for this unless you just need to get your Peter Pan fix in!
The Ariel ride is pretty much the same, but the queue is cool. Same with Pirates, Haunted Mansion, and Small World. Definitely ride Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. It’s really cute and a good coaster. It’s very smooth, maybe the smoothest coaster I’ve ever been on. It didn’t make me nauseous. You can make your cart move by shifting your weight side to side. This is a ride I wish would last a little longer since the wait is always so long.
Tomorrowland is great, maybe even better than the one in Disneyland. They have the People Mover which is an underrated ride that I would not skip. It takes you around Tomorrowland and gives you great views of the castle. If you can time it right, you might even catch the fireworks. It takes you inside Space Mountain too. Space Mountain is original to Florida as well and it’s more like Matterhorn in terms of the seat structure. You go one by one versus two by two. It was great, but I may just have a bit more nostalgia for the Disneyland version for some reason.
TRON is definitely not overhyped in my opinion. Another amazing ride. Yes, the wait is long and the ride only lasts a short time but it’s SO FUN! Makes me the tiniest bit motion sick once I get off, but as long as I take a beat I can ride it again and again.
I feel like Magic Kingdom is where I preferred Disneyland a bit more. Since Magic Kingdom is essentially a copy of Disneyland (barring a few things), Disneyland just has a little more of that original charm in my opinion. I will say I loved Liberty Square and I was very upset that the Hall of Presidents was closed for refurbishment during our trip (I know, I was devastated, but just an excuse to come back!) but it was nice that Magic Kingdom had a little more room.
We did Magic Hours this day and it was soooo worth it. I expand a little more about this below.
Thursday
EPCOT
EPCOT was another crowd favorite. It’s just so cool. There’s nothing really like it. The World Showcase allows you to travel “around the world” and it’s super fun, it just takes you a while to get through the whole thing - it’s huge!
Remy’s and Frozen are two of the main attractions at the World Showcase. They’re cool. But the waits are so long I wouldn’t ride them again on the same trip. Frozen has great theming and it’s like Pirates but if Pirates had a small backward drop instead of the forward drop. Little kids can ride this no problem. Remy’s is very cute, it’s 4D and you can feel and smell things in the ride. Nothing scary. It made me the tiniest bit nauseous but nothing too bad at all. It felt like the ride was over very fast for me, but maybe that was just because the wait for that one felt so long haha.
Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind I left to my husband to check out (due to the motion sickness). Him and his dad are pretty good with motion sickness and they were left reeling pretty bad after that ride. But they really enjoyed it! I didn’t get insane rave reviews from them, they preferred Tron and Flight of Passage, but it was definitely up there for them. This is a must ride for some people, so I know everyone is different, that was just our experience!
We didn’t love the Figment ride, but I know it’s nostalgic to a lot of people. The best tip was the photobooth we found in the gift shop after the ride! It’s $7 and you get to choose your frame and photo color (we chose Rapunzel). It’s so worth it and maybe my favorite souvenir from the trip.
We liked Spaceship Earth (another slow, classic ride inside the EPCOT ball). Our favorite places to eat there were Les Halles (tucked inside France). You can get baguettes, sandwiches, and French pastries there. Sooo delicious. We also loved La Cava del Tequila. It’s inside the large structure in Mexico. The BEST margaritas and the best chips and guac are here. Actually craving them right now.
The thing I will not stop raving about at EPCOT is (obviously the EPCOT ball all lit up) but also the fireworks show. DO NOT MISS THIS SHOW. It’s called Luminous: The Symphony of Us. I watched it twice and I’ve never seen fireworks like it. We didn’t even camp out for a spot although that might have been a good idea. But since the show is done over the water in the center of the World Showcase, the fireworks look so close no matter where you are. The finale is an insane burst of fireworks and in true Disney fashion, it’s super moving and set to a great song. It’s kind of like World of Color in that there is some water and a light show element.
Friday
AK
HS
EPCOT
MK
Friday was our “Greatest Hits” day where we rode all our favorite rides and any rides that we missed. It was fun hopping to each park, but it took us all day just to do a few rides since the parks are so spaced out. I was happy with how this turned out because it was fun to revisit all the parks.
Some general tips:
I have taken this on a few Disney trips and it has carried me through each time. It's lightweight and small enough to put in a purse and has 2 settings for air flow. The charge has lasted me for my entire trips before and even got me through my hottest Disneyland day ever (110 degree heat. For real.) You can even use it as a portable battery and it has a nifty flashlight feature which I use to help me find the exact thing I need in my cavernous bag haha. It's rechargeable which is nice, too. One of my favorite features, though is the fact that you can fold it so it will sit up hands-free on the table. That was the best when I needed some cool air when we were eating, but I didn't have a hand to hold it.
I used to be able to go on roller coasters again and again and again no problem. Nowadays I get nauseous after literally anything. Needless to say, I always ensure I have enough Dramamine on hand for all my Disney trips.
I really have found the combination of things that keeps my nausea at bay. My friend turned me on to peppermint oil in a rollerball. This always works for me. Before the more intense rides, I roll this on my temples, behind my ears, and carefully on my upper lip. This in combination with the Dramamine helped me go on all my favorite rides! If you haven't tried this, you should give it a go!
This lip balm is my go-to for a day at the parks. It gives the appearance of a gloss but it has the lasting power and the relief of a balm. I'm super picky about my lip products because my lips can get very dry, so this is a must for me.
This is genuinely one of my most used products! I take my digicam on all my trips and if you use any kind of SD card for photos/video, you need this! This plugs directly into your phone so you can immediately upload your content into your camera roll so you can post ASAP! I'm always careful not to lose this on my trips - if I did lose it, I would be Googling the nearest Apple store because it is a MUST.
You know when you go to TJ Maxx and you find a cheap phone charger or portable charger and it is so tempting to purchase because it's such a good deal but you know they'll literally break in a day? I made that mistake on this trip and tried to bring one of these lightweight portable chargers from TJ Maxx. Do NOT be me. I love you TJ Maxx for everything besides technology. Anyways, be sure you have a quality portable charger because you will need it at WDW.
We all know that charging your devices on a Disney trip is so important. It took me a while to pull the trigger on a USB-C cable, but this cuts my phone charging time in half. I pair this with the USB-C block and it helps me charge my phone really fast. I made sure to buy the long cable so I can plug it into an outlet far away since you never know what the outlet situation will be like in your hotel room or while you're waiting at the airport.
I really can't believe it took me so long to buy one of these but it has improved my life drastically!
I have repurchased LMNT packs 11 times over the past 2 years. They are by far my favorite electrolyte packs and one of my most repurchased items on Amazon. They taste so good and are very low in sugar! I honestly have to hold myself back from drinking these every day they are that good.
The Grand Staircase at the Grand Floridian.
Benches outside in the Grand Floridian Courtyard.
The main chandelier in the Grand Floridian.
Foliage right after main entrance to the left (by Rainforest Cafe).
Anywhere with a view of the Tree of Life.
Blue wall by shops on Hollywood Blvd.
Inside Rise of the Resistance.
Outside the shops on Sunset Blvd.
By the Millennium Falcon.
Any plush wall on Main Street.
The castle, duh!
The EPCOT ball to the right of the main entrance, on the other side.
The telephone booths in the UK at the World Showcase.
The EPCOT ball at night!
Here are some conclusions I’ve drawn from my Disney World trip:
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