If you only have a few days to visit Disney World, you may be wondering which park you should skip. The answer is Epcot. I know, I know, Epcot is a beloved park but trust me, I have some really good reasons as to why it's the Disney park to skip when you simply don't have enough time to visit each one.
If you're in a situation where you have to skip a park, you'll want to compare Epcot and Animal Kingdom. As a default—Epcot has the newest ride, along with the World Showcase, a legendary, unique Disney World experience, so we give it the edge.
Epcot or Animal Kingdom? – The Short Answer. Epcot is best for adults and for guests who love eating, drinking, and experiencing cultures from around the world. Animal Kingdom is best for guests who love animals, rides, and live stage shows.
As you can see, Magic Kingdom covers the smallest area of land. However, in terms of sidewalks, Hollywood Studios wins out with the fewest miles of the total walkways. Based on our calculations, Hollywood Studios requires the LEAST amount of walking, and Epcot requires the MOST amount of walking.
Disney Water Parks, Blizzard Beach, and Typhoon Lagoon are the least busy during the late spring and early fall on weekdays.
A Magic Kingdom itinerary is simply a must if your family only has one day at Disney World. The main reason being the Magic Kingdom Park is by far the most-visited theme park in the world.
Both parks have plenty of opportunities to meet your favorite Disney characters, but Hollywood Studios has extra fun character experiences, like stormtroopers roaming Galaxy's Edge, as well as Mando and Grogu.
A: The three best Disney World parks are: #1 – Magic Kingdom, #2 – EPCOT, #3 – Animal Kingdom. Unfortunately, Hollywood Studios comes in at fourth on our list because it is very busy with long lines and better suited for teens.
As a general matter, Animal Kingdom is the park that requires the least strategy and is the easiest place to beat the crowds in all of Walt Disney World. It doesn't require Genie+ or Individual Lightning Lanes, and is pretty easy to knock out everything–and then some–if you stay for a full day.
Many guides suggest that you start with Magic Kingdom first, followed by Epcot and then Hollywood Studios. This leaves Animal Kingdom as the last Disney theme park to visit on your trip.
I think of all of the Disney theme parks, Animal Kingdom is the one you can pretty well knock out in a single day. The only reasons to do more than one day are missing out on Avatar Flight of Passage in Pandora – which is a truly great ride – or you just love the park.
If it's your first time at Disney World and you want to meet as many classic characters, go with Magic Kingdom. But if you're looking for unusual and unique character experiences, Animal Kingdom is the place to be.
You technically only need one day at Animal Kingdom, but so much of it will depend on crowds. And some rides are naturally more crowded than others. The Disney Genie selections in Animal Kingdom worth choosing are Kilimanjaro Safaris, Na'vi River Journey, and Expedition Everest.
If you're interested in classic Disney attractions, character meet and greets, and special holiday events, then Magic Kingdom is the park for you. But if you're looking for a more educational and cultural experience, as well as international cuisine, then Epcot is the way to go.
Both parks have some really cool rides across the spectrum, from fun and family-friendly to thrilling experiences. Hollywood Studios is king when it comes to Star Wars and Toy Story (or really all of Pixar), whereas Animal Kingdom has Avatar, plus wildlife and nature focused attractions.
Which Disney Park has the fastest rides? Epcot has the two fastest rides at the Walt Disney World theme parks. They are Test Track and Guardians of the Galaxy -Cosmic Rewind with a top speed of 65 mph and 60 mph, respectively.
Walt Disney's Magic Kingdom
In addition to being the most popular theme park from among all Disney-affiliated parks, the Magic Kingdom park is also the most widely visited theme park in the world.
Visiting the Magic Kingdom is a full-day event. The Walt Disney Company knows this too and the Magic Kingdom usually has the longest hours of the four parks. I recommend planning to be at the Magic Kingdom from open to close if you want to hit all the best attractions.
Epcot – Epcot is a widely considered to be the most adult theme park of the four at the Walt Disney World Resort, and with good reason. Not only are there attractions here that appeal to adults (Soarin', Mission: SPACE and Test Track), but the entire World Showcase is full of things for adults to see, taste and do.
The short answer to whether or not Epcot is for kids is yes — the park is a great place for kids. It's not as obviously kid-friendly as theme parks such as the Magic Kingdom Park, but Epcot has both attractions and activities that are geared toward children.
You can absolutely purchase a single-day park ticket to visit both Disney's Hollywood Studios and EPCOT. You'll need to add the Park Hopper Option to your ticket in order to visit both parks in one day. Unfortunately, no senior citizen discounts are being offered at this time.
Hollywood Studios is one of Walt Disney World's smaller parks, and can most easily be done in one day. With the arrival of Toy Story Land, Galaxy's Edge, and the return of evening entertainment, there are definitely some options for those hoping to spend one full day at Hollywood Studios and how to fit everything in.
Many of Disney's rollercoasters aren't super high thrill and can be handled by guests of all ages. A great park to start for at for a 7 year old would be Hollywood Studios or Animal Kingdom. If your little one is wanting to try bigger rides, but not fully get scared, these two parks would be great.
When done right, half days can be just as productive as a full day, but less tiring, and we have some tips on how to make your half day in Disney World the most productive it can be! Before we get into specific tips for each of the four parks, let's start with some general tips for half-days in Disney World!