Walt Disney World was truly a dream come true for our family. With our kids at the perfect ages—3 and 6—it felt like we were stepping into a real-life fairytale. They still believe in the magic, adore princesses, and see every character as completely real, which made the experience even more special. Each day, we found ourselves getting more and more “Disney-ified,” swept up in the joy, the wonder, and songs ( I am currently listening to Disney’s Greatest Hits as I type this). By the end of our trip, we were full-blown Disney obsessed, already talking about when we could go back. In this post, I’m breaking down our 5-day itinerary—everything we did, loved, and learned—so you can plan your own magical adventure with confidence and ease.
5 DAY DISNEY ITINERARY⬇️
Thursday: Arrival, Resort Day, Dinner at Disney Springs ( we ate at Summer House on the Lake but Boat House and Enzo’s Hideaway are other popular options)
Friday: Magic Kingdom ( Full Day from 7:45AM-4PM)
Saturday: Animal Kingdom ( 8:30AM-2PM), Back to Hotel to Rest, Epcot ( 5:30PM-9PM). This would be the day you purchase Park Hopper tickets
Sunday: Resort Day
Monday: Hollywood Studios ( 8:30AM-1PM), Back to the Hotel to Rest, Back to Hollywood Studios for Fantasmic ( SO SO INCREDIBLE!!)
While we did 3 full days at Disney World parks with 2 arrival/resort days, you can honestly spend a solid week between all the parks and attractions. Someone told me to remember that you can’t see everything in one trip and I kept that in mind so that we didn’t overpack our days. We definitely still covered a lot of crowd though and felt like we saw SO much!
Do you need Park Hopper Tickets?
Park Hopper tickets allow you to visit a few parks in one day. We did this on Day 2 and felt that Animal Kingdom and Epcot were a great combination for Park Hopper. You definitely don’t need this for everyday of the trip in my opinion but it’s a great way to combine parks if you are limited on time!
What is Rope Drop?
“Rope Drop” at Disney refers to being at the park entrance before it officially opens, so you can enter right when the gates open—often called “dropping the rope.” It’s one of the best strategies for beating crowds and getting on popular rides with minimal wait. It is also WAY better to get to the parks earlier in the hotter months.
What is Lighting Lane?
Lightning Lane is Disney’s paid skip-the-line system that lets you bypass the regular standby lines for popular rides and attractions at Walt Disney World. Lightning Lane is not included with your regular park ticket ( roughly $32 extra per person for 3 rides each) and you can only hold a limited number of reservations at one time unless you keep using and booking more.
Best Character Dining Reservations
I recommend splurging on one Character dining experience and doing it on the first day if possible. Doing it at the beginning gets meeting a lot of the special characters out of the way so your kids aren’t begging to meet them as the days pass!
Cinderella’s Royal Table (Magic Kingdom) – Dine inside Cinderella Castle with royal treatment from classic Disney Princesses in a truly enchanting setting. We did this one because it went with our itinerary and we wanted to eat INSIDE the Castle. We are so happy we chose this because it was a big hit and the food was AMAZING!
Be Our Guest Restaurant (Magic Kingdom – Dinner only) – Meet the Beast in his castle while enjoying French-inspired cuisine in one of three stunningly themed dining rooms.
Chef Mickey’s (Disney’s Contemporary Resort) – Enjoy a lively buffet with Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, and Donald under the iconic monorail inside the Contemporary Resort- which is the closest resort to the parks!
Tusker House Restaurant (Animal Kingdom) – Savor African-inspired dishes while meeting Mickey and friends in safari gear in a vibrant Harambe marketplace setting.
Akershus Royal Banquet Hall (EPCOT) – Enjoy a Norwegian feast alongside a rotating lineup of beloved Disney Princesses in a regal medieval castle. Apparently there are more princesses at this one than Royal Table!
Hollywood & Vine (Disney’s Hollywood Studios) – Join seasonal dining parties with characters like Minnie, Mickey, and friends dressed in themed outfits that change throughout the year.
‘”Why don’t some of the Characters talk?”
This was a question my 6 year old asked a few times and it’s a valid one. I was a bit stumped on what to say and quickly said they see so many people so they don’t want to get tired. But I had a great response from one of my followers:
“They don’t talk because they meet so many people every day from all around the world and not everyone speaks the same language. So instead they use big smiles, hugs and fun hand motions to talk to everyone in a way we can all understand”
5 DAY DISNEYWORLD ITINERARY:
Your first day you are arriving, chilling at your resort and doing a dinner at Disney Springs so I am not going into a huge amount of detail there
Day1: Magic Kingdom
We woke up and headed to Magic Kingdom for 7:45AM ( using our Minnie Lyft- see below for more details) and had a jam packed morning of rides there. If you stay at a Disney Resort you get Early Access to the parks so while the normal opening hours are 9AM, anyone staying at a Disney hotel gets access at 8:30AM. What they don’t mention though is generally the parks open even earlier. Main Street Disney for example opens as early as 7:30AM!
We did a drink break at 11:30AM at Jungle Canteen ( where we did a loop of stops after- Jungle Cruise, Swiss Robinson, Tiana’s Adventure). We then did Royal Table at 1:30PM followed by the Parade at 3PM. Finito! If you wanted to, you could go back to the hotel and nap and head back for fireworks but our hotel had an amazing view of fireworks each day so we stayed put!
You can spend a full day morning to night at Magic Kingdom and if your kids are at a decent age- maybe you will however with our kids being 3 and 6 we were done for after our 7:30-4PM shift there!
Rope Drop Pick: Peter Pan’s Flight
Rides that normally don’t have super long wait times: It’s a small world, Enchanting Tales with Belle ( HIGHLY RECOMMEND!), The Barnstormer, Mad Tea Cups, Haunted Mansion (sometimes 20 minutes or so)
Lighting Lane Selections:
- Tiana’s Adventure– SO SO SO good and long at 11 minutes
- Seven Dwarf’s– a little scary for my 3.5 year old but we loved it!
- Jungle Cruise– such a great ride for the entire family!
Single Individual Lighting Lane Add on’s– ( doing this is extra per person but is great for any parents that may want to only ride these older thrill rides). Each one varies in price!
- Tron ( roughly an additional $20-22 pp)
- Space Mountain
Top Places to get Snacks at Magic Kingdom
–Cinnamon Buns at Gaston’s Tavern: Ooohy and chewy, my husband who is a cinnamon bun snob gave these 10/10 (FantasyLand)
-Cheeseburger Spring Rolls at the Spring Roll Cart: These crispy rolls are filled with cheeseburger goodness and served with a special dipping sauce ( Adventureland)
–Mickey Waffles from Sleep Hallow: Everything is better Mickey shaped, right? This is an excellent mobile order in the morning option to get your day started!
Day 2: Animal Kingdom- MORNING + Epcot – NIGHT- Park Hopper Day
Animal Kingdom completely exceeded my expectations in every way. I was truly blown away by the incredible attention to detail—it genuinely felt like I had stepped into the heart of Asia and Africa. Of all the parks, this one felt the most immersive and authentic to me. And if nothing else, Pandora – The World of Avatar is reason enough to visit on its own. It’s absolutely breathtaking
We finished Animal Kingdom by 2PM, went back to the hotel to nap/rest and Park hopped to Epcot from 5-9PM. Could we have had WAY more time at Epcot? Yes, absolutely but we still felt like we saw a lot!
Animal Kingdom
Rope Drop Pick: Kilimanjaro Safaris. The animals are most active in the cooler morning hours.
Rides that normally don’t have super long wait times: Dinosaur, Kali River Rapids
Lighting Lane Selections:
- Na’vi River Journey -beautiful, slow-moving, but gets long lines. Really great ride for the entire family ( young kids)
- Avator– Quite literally felt like I was flying through the sky. Wild!!! My 6 year old did this with me but she was a little scared! It’s a longer ride so it’s worth the experience
- Expedition Everest– This is for the thrill seekers and takes you up the main mountain in the park
Top Places to get snacks at Animal Kingdom
–Seasoned Fries from Mr. Kamal’s ( Asia)
-Night Blossom Drink or Pineapple Lumpia ( a sweet spring roll with pineapple cream cheese!) from Pongu Pongu (Pandora)
–Dole Whip with Rum from Tamu Tamu Refreshments ( Africa)
–Yeti Sundae from the Anandapur Ice Cream Truck ( Asia)
Epcot
Since we had a shorter amount of time at Epcot, we just got Lighting Lanes and zipped through the 3 rides that have on average about 50 minute wait times. It allowed us to see all of the top rides and then we easily went to the other shows and rides that didn’t have long times.
Lighting Lane Selections:
- Frozen Ever After
- Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
- Guardians of the Galaxy
Rides and shows that don’t have long wait times– Soaring around the World, The Seas with Nemo and Friends, Turtle Talk with Crush, Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana
Top places to get snacks at Epcot
Left: Mexican Sangria, Center: Italian Pavilion, Right: Troll Horns
EPCOT has become a true foodie haven—especially during its seasonal festivals—where emerging trends and global flavors collide. Here are some of the most popular and trendy snacks and dishes you shouldn’t miss:
–Mexican Sangria- I ordered this on a whim and I am so glad I did. SO good and did not taste like regular Sangria at all ( La Cava del Tequila in Mexico Pavilion)
-Churro Sundae – So good that the phone did not eat first and I devoured it, Sorry folks! ( La Cava del Tequila in Mexico Pavilion)
-Grapefruit Beer– I am not a beer girl but this was so refreshing and like something I have not tried before ( Sommerfest in Germany Pavilion)
–Troll horns-a crunchy, flaky dough horn that’s been filled with cream and chocolate ( Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe in Norway)
Day 3: Resort Day
I would definitely recommend a Resort day in between some of the parks. After 2 full days of Park adventures, we decided on having a full rest day before the last and final day at Disneyworld. We stayed at the Four Seasons Orlando and it was a dream. Yes its on the pricier side of things but there is so much value added perks within ( water park, kids club, complimentary shuttle to ALL parks) and you get views of the fireworks from Magic Kingdom and Epcot!
While we certainly did rest and went at a slower pace, we still had a full day by doing a Character Breakfast right at our hotel! We enjoyed the hotel’s lazy river and splash pad and carved out time for the kids to visit the Kids Club and for us to relax by the adult pool.
Early Access to Walt Disney Parks
So if you stay at a Walt Disney Resort ( any of them) you get access to the parks 30 Minutes before they open. This is a huge perk and allows you to “Rope drop” some rides (get on the rides as soon as the rope goes down). We arrived an hour before the 30 minute early access time and would recommend that! Early bird gets the worm
Day 4: Hollywood Studios
Hollywood Studios truly surprised me with how many incredible rides it has. One of the biggest hits for our family was Toy Story Land—my kids were absolutely obsessed, even though they haven’t seen the movie all that many times! The whole area completely blew me away, especially the marching Green Army Men (seriously, OMG). We even spotted Woody and Buzz Lightyear roaming around, and the attention to detail in the land is just next-level—it really feels like you’ve stepped into Andy’s backyard.
We also asked about 10 different people who go to Disney regularly and they all said Hollywood Studios is a park they never miss and that Fantasmic – their nightly show- is the best
Rope Drop Pick: Minnie and Mickey’s Runaway Railway ( one of my most favourite rides at all of the parks!)
Lighting Lane Selections:
- Slinky Dog– This is one of the most popular rides not only at Hollywood Studios but at Disneyworld. My 6 year old said it was her favourite. No question to use one of your Lighting Lanes here
- Tower of Terror OR Toy Story Mania- This is going to depend on what the ages of your kids are but we did Toy Story Mania so we could all do it!
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Millennium Falcon: Smugglers OR Run or Rock n Roller Coaster- We choose Smugglers Run here- another great one for the entire family. Our 3.5 year old was a little scared but ended up warming up to it by the end. Getting into the ride is pretty cool too! Either of my kids could do the Rock n Roller Coaster but its a popular one too!
Rides and shows that don’t have long wait times– Frozen Sing Along ( ok this actually does have long lines sometimes but plan your day around the show and come about 20 minutes ahead and you should be good), The NEW Little Mermaid show, Muppet*Vision 3D (show)
Single Individual Lighting Lane Add on’s– Star Wars Ride of Resistance
Top places to get snacks at Hollywood Studios
-Coco Puff Cold Brew: Not sure how I will drink coffee without cereal in it moving forward ( Star Wars)- Pictured above
-Lunch Box Pop Tart: Another delicious snack in Toy Story Land ( Woody’s Lunch Box)
-Totchos – I never actually ate these but I had like 10 DMs about them ( Woody’s Lunch Box)
-Carrot Cake Whoopie Pie– Something I didn’t think I needed but am so grateful I had ( Trolley Car Café.)
Overall Tips, Freebies and Things to know: All Disneyworld Parks
Disney’s Memory Maker Photo package. With Memory Maker, you’ll get digital copies of all your family photos captured during your trip—including meet & greets, ride photos, and scenic spots throughout the parks. Disney photographers are located throughout the parks to help you capture the magic. Purchase the package in advance to save money—it’s $185 instead of the regular $210. This is a great thing to do BUT you need to make sure to stop in when you see the photographers around the park!
Lyft Minnie Vans: These cute vans are decorated like Minnie Mouse, and can get you to your destination quickly. In my opinion, this is a MUST DO ONCE! Yes, it’s more expense ( about $20 USD more than a normal ride) but it’s an experience and such an amazing way to kick off your trip. All the drivers are actual Disney employees! Pricing varies on the time of day and destination.
Free Pixie Dusting: If you are not doing Bippity Boppity Boutique or just want a special little add on in your day, spot by Sir Mickey’s ( Magic Kingdom) OR Discovery Trading Co ( Animal Kingdom). They will sprinkle glitter on you for some extra magic 😉
Celebration Pins: This is another free item to get to make you feel special. If it is your First Visit, Birthday or Anniversary, you can get a pin from Guest Relations! There are Guest Relation booths everywhere! When you wear your pin, cast members will greet your kiddo all day long!
A note on the Restrooms: As someone who pees every 30 minutes lol I was worried about restroom lines and finding ones close to the rides we wanted to visit. I was relived that this did not impact my day at all. There are washrooms EVERYWHERE and they are AC’ed which was really nice. No lines!
Breakfasts: We did breakfasts on the go for 2 of the park mornings. We did Instacart for yogurts, oatmeal and some fruit to our hotel and since we wanted to get to the parks PRONTO we just had these items in our hotel and ate them the minute we got up. It saves a ton of time and also saves you from having to do this in the park
Snacks/Food: You can bring in as many snacks and food items as you want. Bring your water bottles to refill water too otherwise you will be buying it at $4.75 a pop USD! Even with bringing your own food though, I will recommend booking some sort of reservation for a cold drink where you can sit and get some AC. This is more recommended if you are visiting in the HOT months ( May-September). We booked a DRINK reservation only for margaritas and slushies for the girls at Jungle Canteen and it was amazing
Strollers: BRING A STROLLER EVEN IF YOU ARE KID IS OLDER! You do not want to be carrying a massive bag with snacks and items. You can rent them INSIDE Disney, you can bring one from home or rent from a 3rd party. We rented from a 3rd party called Buena Vista Strollers and we are SO glad we did because you do a lot of walking even before you reach the gates. They even delivered it to our hotel *chefs kiss*
Here are some TOP THINGS I bought ahead of our trip to make it smoother!
Park Maps
This is very Millennial of me but before Disney I printed off park maps and made myself familiar with the lay of the land and what rides we would want to hit and when. I also recommend downloading the Disney app and getting really familiar with it ( how to do mobile ordering etc, where to check wait times). This will be your holy grail when you are there.
Animal Kingdom
Epcot Epcot Map
Hollywood Studios
Free Transportation Within The Parks
Disney has you covered with free transportation between all the parks
Monorail: The monorail is only available in Disney at select parks & hotels. Our hotel had free shuttle so we didn’t use this but it’s super convenient for those staying at a Disney resort- gets you to the park quickly
Skyliner/Gondola: Disney’s Skyliner is a gondola transportation system that connects Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and select nearby resorts. It’s a fun and scenic way to travel—and even worth riding just for the experience during your Epcot or Hollywood Studios days. We did this on Day 2!
Boat Transportation: Certain Disney resorts provide boat service to the theme parks. It’s a relaxing and enjoyable way to travel—perfect for adding a little extra magic to your day at Epcot, Magic Kingdom, or Hollywood Studios.
Bus: All Disney hotels have bus transportation to the parks and between the parks!
Looking back, our five days at Disney World were nothing short of magical—filled with joy, surprises, and memories we’ll hold onto forever. It truly is a place where the little things become big moments, especially when experienced through the eyes of young kids who still believe in every bit of the magic. I hope this itinerary helps you feel more prepared, excited, and inspired for your own Disney adventure. Whether it’s your first trip or your fifth, there’s always something new to discover—and if you’re anything like us, you’ll leave already dreaming about your next visit.
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