A Practical Guide to Disney World Resorts, Orlando

Tips and useful guide to the most famous and most visited theme park in the world

Altogether Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida is split into 6 different attractions and theme parks. They are Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Disney's Animal Kingdom Park, Disney's Blizzard Beach and Disney's Typhoon Lagoon. Your Walt Disney World Park ticket will cover all these parks, therefore you will not have to buy individual ones, but you will need to have your ticket when you arrive at each location.

Magic Kingdom
Every little girls and boys dream is to witness the enchanting atmosphere of Disney's Magic Kingdom. For decades Magic Kingdom has been one of Orlando's main focal points. Children of all ages can have their fairytale dreams come true and even have the opportunity to meet some of their best loved characters. Magic Kingdom is home to the magnificent Cinderella's castle which is a prime photo spot for tourists and holiday makers; so be sure to have your camera ready.

When travelling to Magic Kingdom (either by car or shuttle services) you will enter the car park and shuttle station, from which you can then either board the monorail or ferry boat to take you directly to the ticket gates; where you will then enter the actual park. The first thing that will greet you is what's locally called Main Street, which is the main boulevard leading towards Cinderella's castle. Main Street is also part of the frequent parade route that takes place throughout the whole day (if you wish to see all your favourite characters, there are designated spots along the route where you can stop to take a look).

As Magic Kingdom is more popular with the younger Disney audience, be prepared to notice more prams and strollers and more people stopping on the spot. Expect this to happen a lot on Main Street as sometimes the parade holds everything up while people take their photos. When you come closer to the main castle you will notice that the pathways split off; each leading to a different part of the park. There are six different sections of Magic Kingdom which include Fantasyland , Adventureland, Tomorrowland, Mickey's Toontown Fair, Liberty Square and Frontierland. Each section has a different theme, different rides and are home to different characters, so if your looking for your favourite be sure to grab a guide map on entrance.

Cinderella's castle is one of the breathtaking structures at Magic Kingdom, set as a main focal point with the rest of the park surrounding it. You will also be able to see the iconic Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse statue located in front of the castle. The castle itself is accessible, although the route is sometimes closed due to scheduled shows (if you have a park guide handy this will be able to tell you show times) Through the castle you will enter Fantasyland which is home to all your favourite Disney princesses such as Cinderella, Rapunzel, Ariel, Merida, just to name a few. Fantasyland is every young girl's dream.

On from Fantasyland you are able to access other sections of the park, another section is known as Tomorrowland which has a futuristic/space theme and includes characters such as Buzz-Lightyear, Lilo & Stitch and Monsters Inc. Tomorrowland has many rides and attractions included, along with a large food court where you can choose from a variety of cuisines.

Continuing on to another part of the park you will come across Adventureland, which has the more exciting adventure rides available such as The Pirates of the Caribbean ride and also Aladdin's magic carpet adventure, and of course souvenir shops, dining and shows to keep everyone entertained throughout the day.

Next to Adventureland you will find Frontierland which has some of the wetter rides in the park. Rides here include Big Thunder Mountain, Tom Sawyer Island, Splash Mountain and Country Bear Jamboree. If you feel like keeping cool on a hot day then Frontierland is the place to go. Or if you want to save getting wet till last make Frontierland last on the list.

Liberty Square is yet another section of Magic Kingdom and is home the Hall of Presidents, Liberty Square River Boat (the river boat is available for short tours along the river) and the ride Haunted Mansion, as well as a selection of shops and restaurants to choose from. The River Boat is a short tour across the river where you can take in the scenery and also have a rest from the busy crowds.

Epcot
A land of discovery, Epcot is one of the theme parks that make up Walt Disney World. With two distinct areas; Epcot's Future World and World Showcase allow visitors to explore new habitats and cultures from the future and from around the world. Future World offers rides such as Test Track, The Sea with Nemo and Friends, Mission Space, Capitan EO and many more along with interactive attractions you can get involved with.


From Future World you can head on to World Showcase which is situated around the huge lake at Epcot. With cuisines from all over the world, Epcot offers you flavours from every continent. Surrounding the lake there are a different range of restaurants and dinning spots each originating from a different country such as France, China, Italy, Mexico and more. As you walk around the lake you indulge in a different environment and culture and are even able to eat your way around the globe.

At the end of your busy day at Epcot be sure to stick around for the award winning firework display which takes place over the lake, the magnificent fireworks light up the whole lake and are certainly not to be missed, so be sure to get a good view. The firework show usually takes place 15 minuets before closing time.

Disney's Hollywood Studios
If you're a huge fan of Disney movies or just a huge movie fan in general then Disney's Hollywood Studios is a must visit park at Walt Disney World. The park features 8 sections; Hollywood Boulevard, Echo Lake, Sunset Boulevard, Streets of America, Commissary Lane, Pixar Place, Mickey Avenue and Animation Courtyard.

Rides at Hollywood Studios include Rock ‘n' Roller Coaster, Toy Story Midway Mania, Honey I Shrunk the Kids, The Legend of Capitan Jack Sparrow and the famous Tower of Terror. Hollywood Studios is also home to interactive attractions and rides and the likes of Pop Idol Express where you can get involved and pick you favourite singer.

Here at Hollywood Studios you can also see Beauty and The Beast in action along with endless shops to pick out your favourite souvenirs. If your feeling slightly hungry throughout the day there are a vast variety of places to eat and dine suitable for even the most fussy eaters; and why not get a famous Disney ice cream for desert. You can also find some of your favourite characters at Hollywood Studios including Woody and Jesse from Toy Story.

Disney's Animal Kingdom
Disney's Animal Kingdom Park has exotic animals and exciting adventures all rolled into one. Animal Kingdom has more than 1,700 animals covering 250 different species; this theme park is the largest animal theme park in the world. Explore 7 different captivating areas: Oasis, Discovery Island, Camp Minnie-Mickey, Africa, Rafiki's Planet Watch, Asia and DinoLand.

Everything you see in Animal Kingdom has been researched and designed to give you a true sense of wilderness and adventure. One of the park's most charming attractions is the iconic Tree of Life where you can see the tribute designs to the animals (see how many animals you can spot). Inside the tree itself you can see a performance from Pixars “It's a Bugs Life”, which is a 3D movies called “It's Tough to be a Bug”

One of the newest rides at Animal Kingdom is Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain, this is an extremely thrilling ride with big drops. Other rides at Animal Kingdom include Dinosaur, Kali River Rapids, Primeval Whirl and more. Throughout the day, don't forget to check out the parade with Mickey and Minnie, also you will get to see some of the staff that work at animal kingdom as well as the impressive parade float designs.

Disney's Blizzard Beach
One of Orlando, Florida's many themed water parks; Disney's Blizzard Beach was once a frosty reception turned into a melted water wonderland for the whole family. Blizzard Beach is suitable for family members of all ages, whether you want to relax on the white sandy beaches or challenge Mount Gushmore (which is one of the tallest and fastest waterslides in the world).

There are many different attractions to go on, such as Downhill Double Dipper, Melt Away Bay, Runoff Rapids, Slush Gusher, Snow Stormers, Summit Plummet and much more, each ride is suitable for different heights and ages. Whilst you're at Blizzard Beach there are a range of food and refreshment stands located in different areas, so you are bound to find something nearby.

Disney's Typhoon Lagoon
Yet another impressive attraction centre, Typhoon Lagoon is another water park created by Walt Disney. Although themed like Blizzard Beach you can be sure that there are no similarities. All attractions provided by Disney are unique and original and you can be sure that they all meet the high expectations of the visitors.

Typhoon Lagoon is all about fun in the sun, where you can snorkel with sharks, swim with stingrays and interact with tropical fish. If you want fast pace water fun, relaxing water rides or simply just to relax on the sandy beaches; Typhoon Lagoon caters to each individual so you can be guaranteed a great family day out. Feeling a little peckish during the day? Fear not Typhoon Lagoon has ice cream, snacks, food bars and refreshments to offer.

Tips

Shoes – Magic Kingdom is one of the biggest parks, so make sure you bring comfortable shoes. Make sure you bring shoes that you feel comfortable wearing for the whole day, There is nothing worst than having sore feet or blisters during the middle of the day when you have the rest of the adventure still to go.

Drinks – Bring your own drinks. Drinks prices all throughout the major parks can be avoided, if you take drinks in with you .If you're running on empties there are water fountains dotted around the park as well. Saving money on pointless drink prices will make a big difference. Or if you don't mind paying the price, just be prepared.

Restaurants – If you plan on having sit down meals whilst at Disney then it's probably a good idea to decide which ones you want to eat at and when, then make reservations as this is the case with a lot of serviced dining. If you don't make reservations at the places which require it, you will be unable to get a table. Organise in advance.