Our proper good guide to Walt Disney World, Florida
Parks
The when, where and how of Walt Disney World Parks
Theme Parks
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Magic Kingdom Park
The original. The G.O.A.T. (thats the Greatest Of All Time, btw). The Disney Park where fairytale dreams come true. The Magic Kingdom Park opened in 1971 and is now the most popular Disney Park drawing in visitors from right around the world. Split into six enchanted lands and entered via Main Street, U.S.A., Magic Kingdom Park is home to all the greats; think the Pirates of the Caribbean boat-ride back in time to the golden days of swashbuckling and the high seas, The Haunted Mansion where the ghosts sing songs and are dying to meet you, and Space Mountain, where you don’t have to be mega rich to go to outer space.
But don’t forget that Magic Kingdom Park is also where you’ll find attractions like Jungle Cruise, a ride through the rivers of Adventureland where the piranhas are quick and the skippers even quicker with their comedic zingers. This is for the ones with a sense of humour, that’s for sure. Fingers crossed you get a good skipper, because their gift for the gab can make or break your cruising experience.
The thrills are chocka in this neck of the Walt Disney World Resort woods, but if you wanna take it slow, hop onboard the Liberty Square Riverboat and float around Frontierland.
Magic Kingdom Park map
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EPCOT
More than twice the size of Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT opened its doors in 1982 and is dedicated to the celebration of human achievement, technological innovation, and international culture. Think of it as a kind of permanent world’s fair. Fancy. In 2022 a number of new attractions have joined the line-up, one of which is the widely anticipated Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, a family-friendly rollercoaster full of wow moments and hijinks. A smooth and steady ride, you move in tandem with screens that tell a compelling story (no spoilers here!) featuring characters from the film. Word on the street is that it’s a hit all around.
We know you’ve seen the viral videos of groups of children hanging out with Crush from Finding Nemo. Now, come hang out with him in person at Turtle Talk with Crush, a screen-based attraction that mimics a water tank. Crush the turtle engages with the kids who love it, and of course, the parents love it too.
For more charming interactions with family-favourite animation characters, try out Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, a trackless 3D screen-based ride that simulates a rat scurrying around a restaurant. For the grown-ups, there’s the Reflections of China, a Circle-Vision 360 film about the country featuring sweeping views and a soaring soundtrack.
Top tip: seasonal events are a big thing at EPCOT, so plan your trip around them if you want to try out the Flower & Garden, Food & Wine, or Holidays festivals.
EPCOT Park map
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Disney's Hollywood Studios
At Disney’s Hollywood Studios you’ll find everything for everyone. There’s stuff for the Star Wars super fans, like Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, and stuff for those who prefer Toy Story, such as Slinky Dog Dash and Toy Story Mania!.
There’s even something for the cool kids into the Twilight Zone. Free-fall thrill the Tower of Terror is just as good before the ride begins as it is during it! Some say it’s the best attraction to open in the last 20 years…
Walt Disney Presents… is a walk-through tribute to the man, the myth, the legend, Mr Walt Disney himself. With a peek behind the curtain on how the park operates, putting it in a whole new light. One for the history buffs and Disney die hards.Disney's Hollywood Studios map
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Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park
One of the largest animal theme parks in the world, Animal Kingdom contains over 1,700 animals across 250 different species and is a legacy of Walt Disney’s dedication to conservation work.
Don’t go to the safari, bring the safari to you with a ride through Kilimanjaro (or Disney’s miniature version of it) or take to the water with Na’vi River Journey and encounter bioluminescent flora and fauna. But that’s not all, the finale features a breath-taking Imagineering Animatronics figure…
While we're talking about Pandora - The World of Avatar, climb onboard the best ride ever (in our opinion). Avatar Flight of Passage is like flying on an actual banshee with the fire in between your legs, this VR experience exploring Pandora is so realistic it's untrue! Head to the Valley of Mo'ara at night where the exotic plants come to life - the bioluminescence fills the paths as you follow animal's footsteps.
The only way is up with Expedition Everest, a rollercoaster that not only goes backwards but also encounters a yeti. Blimey.
Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park map
Water Parks
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Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park
Featuring one of the world’s largest outdoor wave pools, expect to get hit by six foot waves every 90 seconds at Disney's Typhoon Lagoon. Thrill seekers get ready - it's so much fun, we swear. But don't just take our word for it, it’s one of the most visited water parks in the world.
The vibe here is a tropical resort area in the aftermath of an epic typhoon, and the scale here is epic too. Notepads at the ready? There’s water slides, raft rides, a propelled water-coaster, 3D motion simulators, and fan favourite lazy river.
Typhoon Lagoon is a real gem if you ask us, especially when you consider it has a ship-wrecked shrimp boat on the top of a volcanic mountain that erupts every half hour.
What else could you ask for?
Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park map
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Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park
Let’s take a moment and set the scene for you: Disney's Blizzard Beach was once a ski-resort, so the story goes. One day, a freak storm - that’ll be the blizzard bit, then - appeared over part of Walt Disney World Resort, blanketing the area with snow. Some entrepreneurial folks put their heads together and came up with the idea to use this snow to build Florida’s first ski-resort. But the weather soon returned to normal, and the snow melted. Wanting to make the most of their investment, what was left of the ski-resort was transformed into a water park - genius! We think that’s how it goes?
Anyway, just like Disney's Typhoon Lagoon, there’s a long list of things here to keep you entertained: slides, raft rides, play areas, another wave pool, and a lazy river. All the attractions are organised by the ‘slopes’ they’re located on: the Green Slope, Purple Slope, and the perfectly named Mount Gushmore. We love a pun here at Netflights. But don’t worry, these slopes are only differentiated by location, not intensity!
Top tip: head straight to the Green Slope for Teamboat Springs, the world’s longest family raft ride.
Disney's Blizzard Beach Water Park map
