Which Disney World Park to Go to
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Disney World can indeed be the most magical place in the world. At its best it's pure, stress-free fun and a blissful escape from the real world.
To make the most of a trip to Disney and avoid long queues, you need to plan in advance.
Prioritize the attractions you most want to do and ride them first thing in the morning or use the new paid Lightning Lanes. A little planning makes Disney much more enjoyable.
Disney World in Orlando, Florida has four main parks: Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios.Each one is very different and I recommend dedicating at least one full day to each park.
Below I have listed the best Disney World rides not to miss in each park, as well as a strategy to help you avoid queues and our favourite places to eat.
I've focused on the best things to do at Disney World for adults and older kids, but many of these are suitable for the whole family.
Contents
- 2021 Changes at Disney World
- Video of Best Disney World Rides
- How to Avoid Queues at Disney World
- Arrive Early
- Use Lightning Lanes and Genie+
- Wheelchair Access for Disney Rides
- Best Rides at Magic Kingdom
- 1) Space Mountain
- 2) Thunder Mountain
- 3) Splash Mountain
- 4) Pirates of the Caribbean
- 5) Haunted Mansion
- 6) Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
- The Best of the Rest at Magic Kingdom
- Best Genie+ Rides at Magic Kingdom
- Where to Eat at Magic Kingdom
- Best Rides at Animal Kingdom
- 7) Avatar Flight of Passage
- 8) Na'vi River Journey
- 9) Kilimanjaro Safari
- 10) Expedition Everest
- 11) Kali River Rapids
- The Best of the Rest at Animal Kingdom
- Best Genie+ Rides at Animal Kingdom
- Where to Eat at Animal Kingdom
- Best Rides at Epcot
- 12) Soarin' Around the World
- 13) Test Track
- 14) Mission: SPACE
- 15) Spaceship Earth
- 16) Frozen Ever After
- 17) Remy's Ratatouille Adventure
- The Best of the Rest at Epcot
- Best Genie+ Rides at Epcot
- Where to Eat at Epcot
- Best Rides at Hollywood Studios
- 18) Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
- 19) Rock 'n' Roller Coaster
- 20) Slinky Dog Dash
- 21) Toy Story Mania!
- 22) Star Tours
- 23) Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
- 24) Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run
- 25) Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway
- The Best of the Rest at Hollywood Studios
- Best Genie+ Rides at Hollywood Studios
- Where to Eat at Hollywood Studios
- Summary
Much has changed since our last visit to Disney World, although things are gradually returning to normal and all the top rides are open. Check the Disney website for the latest details.
The main restrictions currently are:
- You must make a reservation to visit a park using the Disney Park Pass Reservation System on their website.
- Masks are required indoors, on attractions, and on transportation, regardless of vaccination status.
- FastPasses have been replaced with a new system (see below for details).
- Extra Magic Hours have been replaced with Early Theme Park Entry, which gives Disney Resort guests a 30-minute early entry to each park every day.
- Parades and some attractions are currently suspended.
- Some restaurants are temporarily closed.
- Fireworks resumed on July 1 at Magic Kingdom Park and EPCOT.
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How to Avoid Queues at Disney World
There are two main ways to avoid long queues on the best rides at Disney World. By using them we rarely queue more than 15 minutes (30 minutes is our maximum).
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Arrive Early
The first is to arrive at parks at least 30 minutes before the official opening time (which you can check on the Disney World website) to be near the front of the queue waiting to get in.
For the first hour of the day, you can get on most rides without much queuing.
If you are staying at a Disney resort, you can enter every park every day 30 minutes early—definitely take advantage of this. I recommend arriving 60 minutes before official park opening as they sometimes let guests in early.
In addition, if you are staying at a Deluxe Disney resort, you can stay late at select parks on certain days.
Check this Disney World crowd calendar for the best days to visit each park.
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Use Lightning Lanes and Genie+
The second way to avoid queues, even if you don't arrive early, is to use Disney's Lightning Lanes. These replaced the FastPass+ system.
Lightning Lanes are a way to skip the queue by choosing the next available time to go on select Disney World rides.
Access to Lightning Lanes is primarily via a new paid service called Genie+ which you can buy from the My Disney Experience app for $15 per ticket per day (or include it when you purchase your park ticket).
Ride reservations can be made on the app. They can only be made on the day (from 7am) and you can only book one at a time. As soon as you tap into the ride, or after 120 minutes has passed, you can select your next ride.
You can only use Genie+ for each ride once.
The two most popular rides in each park are not included in the $15 bundle. Instead, line-skipping for these is priced individually (called Individual Lightning Lanes) and the cost varies depending on demand. They can be purchased from the app at park opening or at 7am for resort guests.
While Genie+ is a service that's worth paying for, especially for Magic Kingdom, you should be able to avoid paying for individual attractions by arriving early and riding them first.
Below I've included recommendations for Genie+ priority rides.
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Most of these Disney World rides are accessible for guests in wheelchairs or ECVs (Electric Conveyance Vehicles), although many require transfer from a wheelchair to the ride vehicle.
On the Disney website, you can see this list of services for guests with mobility disabilities which shows which rides are accessible for wheelchair users.
This guide to going on Disney rides in a wheelchair is also useful and answers common questions.
Wheelchairs and ECVs can be hired at all the parks on a first-come, first-served basis.
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Best Rides at Magic Kingdom
If you only have time for one park at Disney World, make it Magic Kingdom. It's the most classic Disney park with the fairytale castle and famous characters like Mickey and Minnie Mouse.
The best attractions at Magic Kingdom for adults are the three mountains. I haven't included any Fantasyland rides below as they are aimed at small children, and the queues for rides like Peter Pan and Winnie the Pooh are usually very long and not worth it to us.
The most popular ride of all is the gentle rollercoaster, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. We rode it once and enjoyed it, but we don't think it's worth the very long queues.
If you really want to ride it, head there first thing (but everyone else will be doing the same and it gets a bit crazy), wait until the very end of the day, or purchase Individual Lightning Lane access (currently $10-12).
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1) Space Mountain
Magic Kingdom's most thrilling ride is a high-speed rollercoaster in the dark with plenty of twists and turns (but no inversions or large drops).
As you fly through the galaxy you never know what's coming next.
We often ride this first thing and it's quite the way to wake up! As Space Mountain is not available on Genie+, this is the best time to ride.
It's indoors inside a mammoth futuristic structure, and there are interactive games to keep you occupied in the queue (which we never have time to use as it's usually quiet after park opening).
Space Mountain is definitely a Disney World must do.
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2) Thunder Mountain
Thunder Mountain is a fun outdoor rollercoaster in Frontierland, which is our favourite area of the park with its Wild West theme.
It's not as wild as Space Mountain, but we love the theming—you're on a runaway mine train during the Gold Rush—and the views of the park.
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3) Splash Mountain
We have a real soft spot for cheery Splash Mountain, and it's certainly one of the best rides at Disney World on a hot day.
This leisurely log flume ride tells the story of Br'er Rabbit who goes off in search of adventure with Br'er Bear and Br'er Fox in pursuit.
The ride is mostly inside with cute animatronic characters and catchy songs, before going outside for a fun drop down a five-story waterfall.
We don't usually get soaked, but it is possible if you're sitting in the wrong seat at the wrong time.
There are rarely queues for Splash Mountain in the morning or evening and we usually ride it multiple times.
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4) Pirates of the Caribbean
Pirates of the Caribbean is a gentle indoor cruise through scenes of a pirate raid from the bombardment of a fortress to debauchery after the victory.
Every time we ride it we notice new details. The films were inspired by this classic ride and you can now see an animatronic figure of Captain Jack Sparrow.
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5) Haunted Mansion
A slow ride through a haunted estate full of ghosts and ghouls. It's fun (and often humorous) rather than scary with lots of spooky details and special effects to enjoy.
The queue features interactive elements like a musical crypt, so a slightly longer wait here is fine.
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6) Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
On this Toy Story themed interactive ride, you shoot targets with laser cannons and earn points as your spinning car (you control the spin) makes its way through the scenes.
It's not as good as the similar ride at Hollywood Studios, but Simon still wanted to ride it again to beat his score.
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The Best of the Rest at Magic Kingdom
Once you've got the main rides out of the way, one of the best things to do at Magic Kingdom is just wander, soak up the atmosphere, and pop into one of the random shows and attractions that rarely have long waits.
If you are wondering what to do at Disney World when you're feeling hot and exhausted, I recommend musical shows like the Enchanted Tiki Room, Country Bear Jamboree (which is surprisingly racy!), and Mickey's PhilharMagic. You won't need to wait for long and they are perfect when you need a break.
We also love having a picnic on Tom Sawyer's Island, clambering up the Swiss Family Treehouse, and getting on the water on the pun-tastic Jungle Cruise or the leisurely Liberty Square Riverboat.
The Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover takes you behind the scenes of Tomorrowland's attractions and is especially lovely at sunset when you can see the park from above. We enjoy taking the Railroad around the park in the afternoon when we're feeling tired.
Finishing the day with the Magic Kingdom fireworks above the castle is a Disney World must do.
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Best Genie+ Rides at Magic Kingdom
If you've purchased Genie+ for Magic Kingdom, I would prioritise Thunder Mountain and Buzz Lightyear.
Other popular selections are Jungle Cruise (which was revamped in 2021), Peter Pan's Flight, Splash Mountain, Haunted Mansion, and Pirates.
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Where to Eat at Magic Kingdom
We're only eaten at the cheaper quick service restaurants at Magic Kingdom.
Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn in Frontierland is our top pick for eating at Disney World on a budget as they have a huge free toppings bar where you can liven up your meal with salsas, cheese, jalapeños, pickles, and lettuce.
The veggie nachos and veggie rice bowl with beans and vegetables are pretty tasty once you've added the toppings. Save time by ordering on the Disney app.
Columbia Harbour House in Liberty Square is another good option. We enjoyed the hummus and broccoli slaw sandwich and vegetarian chilli.
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Best Rides at Animal Kingdom
With the addition of the new area, Pandora – The World of Avatar in 2017, Animal Kingdom has become one of the most enjoyable parks at Disney World.
There are fewer major attractions than at other parks, but this makes for a more relaxing experience (with fewer queues), and there's still plenty to do.
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7) Avatar Flight of Passage
Avatar Flight of Passage is by far the most popular ride at Animal Kingdom and this unique experience is a Disney must do.
Queues were up to three hours when we visited, so it's essential to arrive before the park opens or pay for an Individual Lightning Lane (currently $11-14). You could also try midday when queues can sometimes ease off.
We arrived 30 minutes before Extra Magic Hours opening (they let us in early) and only had to wait 25 minutes.
Flight of Passage is well worth the wait and the beautiful queue and fun pre-show are part of the experience. This may be Disney's best ride yet.
It's an exhilarating 3D flight simulator ride where you fly on the back of a dragon-like banshee. You can feel it breathe beneath you as you soar over the extraordinary Pandora world through forests and waterfalls.
While flying over the ocean a whale even jumps out of the water and splashes you. It's magical and incredibly immersive.
While it's not necessary, I'm glad I watched the Avatar movie before we went on the ride.
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8) Na'vi River Journey
The second Avatar ride is not as spectacular, and the queues can be long, but it's worth doing if you don't have to wait over an hour.
Na'vi River Journey is a peaceful river ride in the dark through a bioluminescent rainforest.
It's a beautiful world with plenty to see, and the graceful Shaman of Songs is Disney's most life-like animatronic character yet.
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9) Kilimanjaro Safari
On Kilimanjaro Safari you board a jeep to head out into Disney's safari park to see real live animals.
It's best first thing in the morning (we went after Flight of Passage and didn't wait) when the animals are more active and the queues shorter.
The guides are genuinely informative and we got to see elephants, lions, giraffe, rhinos, and cheetahs.
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10) Expedition Everest
Expedition Everest is a fast rollercoaster train that speeds through the Himalayan mountains trying to avoid the mythic Abominable Snowman.
The details in the queue (and in the whole Asian area of the park) reminded us so much of Nepal.
There's a single rider line that's much quicker, so Simon usually rides it a couple of extra times by himself.
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11) Kali River Rapids
This whitewater rafting ride is fairly gentle with a few thrilling drops. The fun is in the nervousness over whether you'll get just wet (as everyone does) or truly soaked (as about one person per raft does).
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The Best of the Rest at Animal Kingdom
If you have time, the Dinosaur ride is surprisingly scary and was empty at the end of the day.
There are many attractions at Animal Kingdom that don't have queues. It's well worth walking the informative Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail and Maharajah Jungle Trek to see gorillas, tigers, and many other animals.
Our favourite show is It's Tough to be a Bug, and it's also worth seeing the Festival of the Lion King and Feathered Friends in Flight. There's plenty of street entertainment going on all day, too.
In the evening, don't miss the Tree of Life Awakening (every 10 minutes after dark), Rivers of Light show, and wandering through Pandora.
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Best Genie+ Rides at Animal Kingdom
Genie+ is less useful at Animal Kingdom as there are fewer rides.
Your Genie+ priority should be Na'vi River Journey followed by Kilimanjaro Safari. Kali River Rapids and Dinosaur only really need it on busy days.
Unfortunately, Avatar Flight of Passage and Expedition Everest are only available if you pay individually. I recommend arriving early and riding them both first.
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Where to Eat at Animal Kingdom
Animal Kingdom has the most vegetarian-friendly food in all of Disney World and there are lots of options. For breakfast we love to share a giant Mickey cinnamon roll at Kusafiri Bakery.
On our latest trip, as it was Simon's birthday, we had lunch offsite at Sanaa restaurant in the nearby Animal Kingdom Lodge. You can watch giraffe and zebras wandering past as you eat and the Indian food is delicious (but pricey).
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Best Rides at Epcot
We always start the day at Epcot thinking there's not much to do, then end up running out of time.
The park is divided into two sections—Future World has the most rides, while World Showcase has pavilions representing 11 countries with shows, shops, and restaurants.
Epcot is currently undergoing major changes with new rides including a Guardians of the Galaxy rollercoaster due in 2022.
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12) Soarin' Around the World
Soarin' is a wonderfully relaxing hand gliding ride where you soar above the world and see famous sights like the Great Wall of China, Iguazu Falls, and Sydney Harbour. It's my favourite ride at Epcot.
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13) Test Track
Test Track is unique because you design your own vehicle, choosing to prioritise power or efficiency or responsiveness, before taking it for a high-speed test ride.
There's a quicker single rider queue for Test Track, but you miss the design stage, so I'd only use it for a repeat ride.
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14) Mission: SPACE
If you've ever wanted to be an astronaut, this space shuttle simulator is for you.
The Orange Mission is intense as you experience the real feel of a space launch as you rocket to Mars and dodge meteorites. The g-forces are incredibly realistic and unlike anything we've experienced before.
The Green Mission is a less intense ride without spinning where you orbit the earth.
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15) Spaceship Earth
Spaceship Earth is a gentle journey exploring the history of communication from the Stone Age to the computer age.
After the ride there are interactive games and displays in Project Tomorrow—it's areas like these that mean Epcot takes longer than you expect.
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16) Frozen Ever After
This took over the old Norway ride and follows the same route. It's a must for Frozen fans with excellent animatronics of Elsa and friends as you slowly ride a Norwegian vessel through the wintery world of the popular movie.
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17) Remy's Ratatouille Adventure
Epcot's newest ride opened in the France Pavilion of World Showcase in October 2021. We've ridden the same attraction at Disneyland Paris and loved it, so it is definitely now one of the best things to do at Epcot.
This exhilarating 4D ride is based on the Ratatouille movie—you feel like you've been shrunk to Chef Remy's size as you whizz around the bustling kitchen and restaurant in Paris.
You can only ride it by joining a virtual queue on the Disney app. There are two chances to join the queue—at 7am and 1pm. Have the app ready as places sell out in minutes.
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The Best of the Rest at Epcot
In Future World you can follow Nemo on The Seas and visit the aquarium afterwards. Living with the Land and Journey into Imagination are also worth doing.
In the afternoon, heading over to World Showcase is a must do Disney experience.
You don't have to worry about queues here—just make your way around the different countries, eat and drink your way around the world, and pop into any of the shows that take your fancy.
Impressions de France is very pretty. The American Adventure is also a must-see.
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Best Genie+ Rides at Epcot
Genie+ is less useful at Epcot unless you are park hopping.
The priority is Test Track followed by Soarin'.
Remy's Ratatouille Adventure and Frozen are only available as paid attractions. Instead, you could ride Frozen at park opening and enter the virtual queue for Remy.
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Where to Eat at Epcot
Eating and drinking your way around the world is part of the fun at Epcot and there's plenty to choose from.
On our last visit, we had a late lunch at San Angel Inn in Mexico. It was fun to have a romantic candlelit meal under the stars overlooking a river, temple, and volcano.
The vegetarian options looked rather boring, but we shared the guacamole and Plato Vegetariano (sautéed vegetables and black beans with tortillas) and it was delicious.
We also loved their range of interesting margaritas, especially the Wild One with ginger liqueur and passion fruit and mango purée.
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Best Rides at Hollywood Studios
Hollywood Studios has two of our favourite Disney World rides, and we love the Hollywood theming of this movie-focused park.
There have been some exciting changes at Hollywood Studios. Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge is the newest land and opened in 2019. Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway is the newest ride and opened in March 2020.
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18) Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Tower of Terror is a Disney classic and is brilliant (and different) every time we ride it—it's probably our favourite Disney ride.
The theming of the abandoned hotel is exceptionally detailed and atmospheric, and there's nothing like the anticipation as you ascend in the elevator and wait for it to plummet.
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19) Rock 'n' Roller Coaster
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster is one of the best things to do in Disney World for thrill-seekers.
It's the scariest rollercoaster at Disney with a fun introduction (you join Aerosmith on a race to their gig), super-fast launch, and fun inversions.
There's a single rider queue which saves time, so Simon rides this one again and again. It's one of the best rides at Disney World for adults.
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20) Slinky Dog Dash
Toy Story Land opened at Hollywood Studios in 2018, and its main ride, the Slinky Dog Dash, is one of the most popular attractions at the park.
It's a gentle outdoor rollercoaster designed to look like Andy built it out of Tinkertoys. It's fun but I wouldn't queue too long for it.
Ideally, ride this with Genie+ or head there as soon as the park opens.
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21) Toy Story Mania!
This is a much better, 4D version of the interactive Toy Story game at Magic Kingdom where you rack up points by shooting in carnival games.
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22) Star Tours
Head into space on a 3D, motion-simulated space flight to popular destinations from Star Wars. Each ride is different so it's a good one to repeat.
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Hollywood Studios' most popular ride (which opened in December 2019), is in the new Star Wars land.
This immersive, interactive ride takes you to the distant planet of Batuu where you join the Resistance in an epic battle against the First Order.
We haven't ridden it yet, but it's supposed to be Disney's most ambitious ride yet, and we're very excited to experience it.
You used to only be able to ride this using the virtual queue on the Disney app, but there is now a regular standby line (or you can pay around $15 to skip the queue). It's currently quietest in the evenings.
Star Wars fans will also want to ride the new Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run.
On this interactive experience you fly the Millennium Falcon on a smuggling mission as the pilot, engineer or gunner.
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Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway is Hollywood's Studios newest ride and opened in March 2020.
This trackless dark ride takes you into the world of cartoons with Goofy driving your train. It's charming and fun with unexpected twists and is suitable for all ages.
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The Best of the Rest at Hollywood Studios
There are some good shows at Hollywood Studios including Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, Muppet Vision 3D, and Beauty and the Beast (the latter is not a must-see but good for a break).
It's worth staying after dark for the Fantasmic show using pyrotechnics, water, laser lights, and fireworks.
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Best Genie+ Rides at Hollywood Studios
The Genie+ priority is definitely Slinky Dog Dash—you may need to book at 7am to get a good return time and they can sell out.
After that I'd choose Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run, Tower of Terror, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, and Toy Story Mania.
Star Wars Rise of the Resistance and Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway are only available as paid Lightning Lanes. Rise of the Resistance is worth considering, but passes can sell out early.
Note that wait times at Hollywood Studios peak in the morning, so if you can stay until the evening (or park hop), you'll have shorter queues.
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Where to Eat at Hollywood Studios
The food at Hollywood Studios tends to be more junky than at other parks and we usually end up getting pizza. On our last visit we enjoyed lunch at Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater instead.
We got a table without a reservation, but had to wait 40 minutes in the bar next door which has a surprisingly good selection of craft beers.
The restaurant is very cool—a huge space set up like a drive-in with a starry sky, vintage cars which you sit in to eat, and a screen showing 60s cartoons and movie clips. We enjoyed the tofu lettuce wraps and falafel burger.
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After three visits to Disney World Orlando as adults, we can attest that the magic is still alive!
I hope our round-up of the best things to do at Disney World has helped you prioritize your time in the parks. Make sure you do some advance planning, arrive early, and have fun!
If you are wondering how much a trip to Disney World costs, we share our expenses in our post on visiting Disney World on a budget including lots of tips to save money and still have an amazing trip.
You can also see our guides for adults visiting Disneyland California, Disneyland Paris, Tokyo Disneyland, and DisneySea Tokyo.
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Are you looking for Christmas gift ideas? See our guide to the 50 Best Gifts for Travelers which includes unique suggestions for every budget.
Which Disney World Park to Go to
Source: https://www.neverendingvoyage.com/best-things-to-do-at-disney-world/