Plaza rest hdr resizedBy Magic Maker® Brenda Wenk

So you’ve decided you are going to make your first trip to Walt Disney World® Resort – how exciting!   At Walt Disney World® Resort you will experience a vacation unlike any other.  The unique, immersive experience is a result of Walt Disney’s genius and his quest to create a place where parents and children would equally enjoy their time together.

The size of Walt Disney World® Resort alone is daunting – more than 25,000 acres!  Throw in four theme parks, two water parks, over twenty resorts, a campground, a sports complex, golf courses, a shopping and dining district and it is overwhelming as to how you should start planning.  That is why we are here! We want to be sure you are able to experience all that you can within Walt Disney World® Resort’s 40 square miles!

As a first-timer, we know there is a lot to learn, so we wanted to introduce you to the four cornerstones of Walt Disney World® Resort, the theme parks.

Magic Kingdom® Park – This is where the “world” began, opening in 1971.  As you approach the entrance, you will pass under the railroad tracks and leave reality behind! Welcome to Main Street, U.S.A.® Area!  This street is lined with shops and eateries and leads to Cinderella Castle beckoning at its end.  Note that the shop windows are lowered so that children can view the displays easily.  This park is laid out in a hub and spoke pattern.  The central hub is located in front of the castle.  From this hub, you access Adventureland® Area, Frontierland® Area, Liberty Square Area, Fantasyland® Area and Tomorrowland® Area.  Each land is packed with rides, attractions, restaurants, and shops.  Parades, live entertainment, character meet and greets and fireworks are daily happenings.  Pick up a Times Guide and map as you enter to help plan your day. The Magic Kingdom® Park can be accessed by monorail, bus, boat or car.

Epcot® – Epcot® opened in 1982, and celebrates world cultures, the past and the future.  It is divided into two areas.  Future World is anchored by Spaceship Earth (the huge golf ball looking structure) and boasts Innoventions® Pavilion, The Seas with Nemo and Friends® Attraction, The Land, Imagination!, Universe of Energy, Mission: SPACE® Attraction, and Test Track® Presented by Chevrolet.  Shopping, eating, rides and live entertainment take place throughout Future World.  The second area in Epcot® is World Showcase which is positioned around World Showcase Lagoon.  The countries represented include Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, America, Japan, Morocco, France, Great Britain and Canada.  Cast members in each country’s pavilion are from the host country.  Shops contain items from the nation, the cuisine is typical of the area, and native entertainment can be viewed as well.  Children’s activities are available throughout World Showcase at the Kidcot stations.  You can visit multiple countries in one day without ever going through customs!  The park closes with the nightly fireworks and laser spectacular, IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth.  Be prepared for lots of walking.  Epcot® can be reached by monorail, bus, boat or car.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios® – Opening in 1989, as Disney-MGM Studios, this park harkens back to Hollywood of the 1930s.  It is divided into streets and can be a little trickier to navigate.  You enter the park via Hollywood Boulevard with Sorcerer Mickey’s hat as its showpiece.  Directly behind the hat is a replica of Graumann’s Chinese Theater.  Off of Hollywood Boulevard you will find Sunset Boulevard which boasts two of the most popular attractions in any of the parks – Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster® Starring Aerosmith and Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™.  Animation Courtyard, Mickey Avenue, Pixar Place, Streets of America and Echo Lake are the studios featured areas.  Other major attractions and rides include Toy Story Mania!® Attraction, The American Idol Experience, Star Tours® – The Adventures Continue Attraction, Muppet Vision 3-D and Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular.  Parades, live entertainment, and character meet and greets occur daily.   Fantasmic! Show is Hollywood Studios after dark show filled with Disney characters and special effects. You can get to the studios by bus, boat or car.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park- This newest park opened in 1998.  Creating this 403 acre theme park was a huge step for Disney Imagineers.  How to combine and maintain an entertainment venue that has traditional rides and attractions with live animals was quite a challenge.  But they were up to the task!    You enter the park through the Oasis with a rain forest like atmosphere.  The hub of Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park is the Tree of Life® Attraction positioned in the middle of Discovery Island® Area.   From this hub you can go to Dinoland USA® Area, Asia® Land, Africa, Camp Minnie-Mickey or Rafiki’s Planet Watch® Land.  This park also has live shows, thrill rides, a safari, live animals, eateries and shopping.  Mickey’s Jammin’ Jungle Parade takes place daily.  Access to this park is by bus or car only.

All four parks have tours and tour guides available, guest services, baby care centers, first aid stations, lost and found (for things and people,)  package pickup, locker, wheelchair and stroller rentals, as well as services for guests with disabilities.

This brief overview will hopefully spark an interest to learn more about the “happiest place on earth” that you are to visit soon.   Walt Disney once said, “I only hope that we never lose sight of one thing – that this was all started by a mouse.”  We are here to help create a lasting, memorable experience as you head off to meet that mouse!

Walt Disney World® Resort may be large, and feel overwhelming, but our Magic Makers® are here to help you navigate through the planning so that you don’t miss a thing!