Ranking the Four Walt Disney World Parks for Parents
Every parent dreams of that first magical vacation at Walt Disney World. It’s the time when your child realizes that all things are possible thanks to Disney.
You’ll take so many pictures and legitimately make memories that will last a lifetime. I still have several vivid childhood recollections of Disney visits.
Of course, you want to establish the right tone for your trip. So, you need a bit of assistance about which parks work best/worst for families traveling with children.
Here is how I would rank Walt Disney World’s theme parks for parents.
Photo: Disney
Please understand this is just one person’s opinion, as every family is different.
4) EPCOT
This one hurts me to type, as I’m a diehard EPCOT evangelist. I consider it the best Disney theme park and also the one that provides the best bang for the buck.
Photo: Disney
Throughout the year, guests can experience several attractions here almost immediately. These are walk-on rides, and I categorize them as having waits of 15 minutes or less.
During slower times on the Disney calendar, EPCOT can host as many as eight of these. Even better, many of these attractions cater to children.
I’m talking about The Seas with Nemo & Friends, Turtle Talk with Crush, Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros, and Journey into Imagination with Figment.
Kids love all these attractions. However, it’s rare for the lines to be long except during peak season.
Photo: Disneyfanatic.com
Also, many of the World Showcase pavilions host live performances of musicians, dancers, and other artists.
Your child will gaze in awe at the “normal” happenings during an EPCOT visit.
Photo: Disney
These sound like strong positives…and they are! All four Walt Disney World theme parks will dazzle families!
When ranking them all, one has to finish last. I’ve chosen EPCOT because it remains a park that targets adults more than children. That’s a feature, not a bug.
Photo: Visit Orlando
Still, when we talk about the best parks for families, one that’s decidedly adult lags behind the rest.
3) Disney’s Hollywood Studios
I wouldn’t say that the top three parks at Walt Disney World are interchangeable. That’s objectively inaccurate. If they were, they’d all share similar attendance.
Photo credit: DisneyWorldVacationGuide.com
Even so, I must confess that I carefully evaluated all three and listed reasons why each one could claim it’s the best.
With Hollywood Studios, the advantages for parents are plentiful. First, the park is small, saving you plenty of aggravation when pushing a stroller.
Of course, there’s a downside to that comment. You’ll also face more congestion at stroller storage areas.
The good and bad with this stuff are always in the eye of the beholder.
Some parents spend an entire week at Disney and never experience any such aggravation. Others cannot visit for an hour without something going wrong.
Still, at a minimum, you won’t walk as much at Hollywood Studios, which helps.
Photo: PassportToTheParks.com
Also, the rides here claim the title of the gold standard at Walt Disney World right now. That’s because Toy Story Land and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge are both new.
Similarly, Mickey’s & Minnie’s Runaway Railway is just two years old. Not many theme parks on this planet have five E-ticket attractions that are less than five years old.
Photo: D23
Then, there’s the theming. Kids delight in the premise of Toy Story Land, a place where they shrink down to the size of their toys.
Many of these themed elements are subtle, though. Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge goes an entirely different way by hosting a fully immersive experience.
Matt Stroshane, photographer
No matter how old your child is, the droids and light sabers at Black Spire Outpost will grab their attention.
Similarly, that first sighting of Chewbacca will impress them as much as any character on the Disney campus…even Mickey Mouse!
2) Disney’s Animal Kingdom
These rankings are challenging, and the proof is this selection. Animal Kingdom could easily take the top spot on this listing due to its intrinsic premise.
Disney has joined a city-sized zoo with a theme park! What kid wouldn’t love that?!
Photo: Disney Parks Blog
Then again, I could have just as easily slotted Hollywood Studios ahead of it for two reasons. First, Hollywood Studios hosts better rides. Second, it’s smaller.
The size of Animal Kingdom makes it challenging to rank. Remember that stroller problem I just mentioned? It’s not worse at Animal Kingdom, just different.
You’ll find substantially larger walking lanes and less congested parking areas (mostly). However, you’ll walk exponentially more here than at any other park.
Seriously, wear comfortable shoes whenever you visit Animal Kingdom. Otherwise, your feet will be too numb to feel it when the stroller rolls over you.
Image Credit: Disney
Animal Kingdom more than justifies the aggravation of its size, though. Disney truly has managed the impossible here.
Countless animals live in their natural habitats at this theme park. When you ride Kilimanjaro Safaris, you can see how they live, eat, and play.
Photo: Disney
To them, you’re the intruder, but they’re plenty used to it by now. To your child, this experience is unforgettable.
How would you have felt as a child if you rode a roller coaster and then walked straight to a gorilla habitat? Exactly!
Photo: Disney
Animal Kingdom has been spectacular since it opened. Still, it somehow got a bit better thanks to Pandora – The World of Avatar.
Now, you can take your kids to an area that seems like another planet, one brimming with verdant scenery.
Photo: Disney
At night, Pandora turns into a bioluminescent wonderland full of bright lights and breathtaking colors. It WILL leave an impression on your child.
1) Magic Kingdom
I seriously contemplated picking Animal Kingdom as well as Hollywood Studios as the best park for families. Ultimately, I couldn’t do it, though.
For many years now, Magic Kingdom has claimed the title of the most visited theme park in the world. Of course, that wouldn’t happen unless it was the ideal destination for families.
Disney has combined many magical elements into a single spot. For example, you can meet characters like Mickey and Minnie Mouse at Town Square Theater.
Credit: Disney
Disney Princesses like Merida and Tiana hold court in other parts of the park.
Meanwhile, the attractions at Magic Kingdom run the gamut from shows to interactive experiences to family-friendly E-ticket rides.
Photo: Disney
You can exit Mickey’s PhilharMagic and have your choice of It’s a Small World, Peter Pan’s Flight, Prince Charming Regal Carrousel, or Princess Fairytale Hall.
Just think about that for a second from a child’s perspective. ANY of those experiences would be the best thing that happened to them during a typical week.
Photo: Disney
At Magic Kingdom, you can experience all of it in two hours when you time your visit right! That’s why this park is now and always will be the best for families!
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