The Best Things to Do at Disney World
Walt Disney World is Orlando’s top tourist attraction—and one of the most popular travel destinations in the United States. With four theme parks and dozens of hotels, restaurants, and shops, there’s an endless source of entertainment for travelers of any age. Relive your childhood on classics like Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted Mansion, and discover new favorites with Avatar Flight of Passage or in Toy Story Land. Here are the top 15 experiences you can have while visiting Disney World—and by our vote, none of them are to be missed.
Courtesy DisneyactivityExpedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain
Perhaps the best coaster at Disney World, Expedition Everest at Disney’s Animal Kingdom is a thrilling ride through the Himalayas, where you'll assume the role of a mountain climber setting off to conquer Everest. Disney’s team of Imagineers traveled to the mountains of Nepal, Bhutan, and Tibetan Sichuan to research and create the village of Serka Zong, where the ride is supposedly set. The group brought back about 8,000 props: camping gear from the base of Mount Everest, Nepalese Coke bottles, and antique ceramics, and sourced more than 2,000 handcrafted items from artisans in the region.
activityKilimanjaro Safaris
Disney’s Harambe Wildlife Reserve is home to 34 species on 110 sprawling acres meant to resemble East Africa. Kilimanjaro Safaris takes you on a tour of the savanna in an open-sided vehicle for up-close encounters with giraffes, okapi, waterbucks, crocodiles, and warthogs. Thanks to the animals’ unpredictable nature, each ride is a new adventure. While you’re basically guaranteed to see animals at any time of day, visit early in the morning for the best chance at up-close encounters—not to mention shorter wait times.
David Roark/Courtesy DisneyactivityEpcot's World Showcase
Epcot’s World Showcase is a permanent World’s Fair with 11 pavilions dedicated to countries around the world through architecture, food and drink, entertainment, and attractions. Spend a day strolling the banks of the Seine, listening to the powerful Taiko drummers in front of a Japanese pagoda, and cheering for Sergio the clown as he juggles an absurd number of soccer balls on an Italian piazza. There's lots of eating and drinking here, too, from Scotch eggs in the U.K. pavilion to sake flights in Japan. A word of advice: If drinking around the world is on your agenda, begin your journey on the west side of the World Showcase in Canada. The jalapeño margaritas in Mexico have derailed many outings with a too-strong start.
Todd Anderson/Courtesy DisneyactivityStar Wars at Hollywood Studios
Disney’s Hollywood Studios is the ultimate place for Star Wars fans. Start your experience at Star Wars Launch Bay, where you can view costumes, models, and props from the film series, then choose your alliance in meet-and-greets with Chewbacca and Kylo Ren. The highlight attraction here is Star Tours: The Adventures Continue. You'll board a StarSpeeder for a routine voyage across the galaxy; then, you and C-3PO, your pilot, have to unexpectedly deliver a rebel spy to safety, visiting locations like Hoth, Jakku, and Tatooine.
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Avatar Flight of Passage
This 3-D flight simulator is the most impressive and technologically advanced Disney attraction yet. Part of Pandora: The World of Avatar at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Avatar Flight of Passage, based on the record-breaking 2009 film, allows you to soar over the Pandora landscape on the back of a mountain banshee. The visuals are stunning—be sure you look around and take it all in—but that’s only part of the experience. Feel the banshee breathing as its “body” expands and contracts beneath you, the wind in your face, and the spray of the ocean. Even the smells are realistic.
AlamyactivityThe Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
The Hollywood Tower Hotel, looming at the end of Sunset Boulevard, is an icon of Disney’s Hollywood Studios that houses one of Disney World’s most thrilling attractions. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror dares you to enter a rickety service elevator to the hotel’s 13th floor and propels you up and down—then back up again—for a truly hair-raising experience. The ride is in a dark, enclosed space, and the drops are fast and unpredictable enough to frighten plenty of kids—not to mention adults.
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Matt Stroshane/Courtesy DisneyactivityToy Story Land
Andy’s backyard comes to life at Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Woody stands at the entrance to his parallel universe, which is designed to make you feel as though you’ve shrunk to the size of a green army man—roughly two inches tall. Even the landscaping is on point, with plants chosen to look like oversize blades of grass. The area features two new attractions, Slinky Dog Dash, a roller coaster, and Alien Swirling Saucers, a spinner ride; as well as Toy Story Mania, a carnival-themed 4-D arcade game that has long been one of Disney World’s most popular attractions.
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Pirates of the Caribbean
Set sail from Dead Man’s Cove and through an old seaport town in Pirates of the Caribbean, a classic Disney attraction that has spawned a series of blockbuster movies. Like any great Disney attraction, this one has its own theme song and will leave you humming “Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate’s life for me,” as you walk the plank toward the exit. The ride has been updated to include Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow character, with an audio animatronic of Depp’s likeness appearing in multiple scenes. Another big update? In 2018, the red-headed damsel in distress from an auction scene was replaced by Redd, a shotgun-wielding woman pirate who's after the town’s rum supply.
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Matt Stroshane/Courtesy DisneyactivityHappily Ever After
More than a fireworks show, Happily Ever After marries pyrotechnics, lasers, and video projections—all cast across Cinderella Castle—with Disney’s beloved songs and characters. The net effect: a story of dreams, friendship, love, adversity and triumph. The show runs nightly at the Magic Kingdom and features its own original theme song. You can catch this show from nearly anywhere around the castle and along Main Street, U.S.A., but for a guaranteed viewing spot, reserve at the Fireworks Dessert Party, which combines sweet treats (chocolate-covered strawberries, gooey toffee cake) with prime seats.
Doris Cai/Courtesy DisneyactivityMonsters, Inc. Laugh Floor
Monsters, Inc., Laugh Floor is a one-of-a-kind comedy experience and one of the most underrated attractions at the Magic Kingdom. The interactive show, hosted by Mike Wazowski, converts human laughs into energy to power the fictional city of Monstropolis. This is a live show and not every joke lands, and if you’re not amused by bad puns or knock-knock jokes, this may not be right for you. But like any good comedy routine, the show is always evolving—some jokes are even retired after flopping too many times.
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Mickey's PhilharMagic
Mickey’s PhilharMagic is a millennial’s dream mashup of Disney animated favorites, with hit songs from '90s blockbusters like Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King. Head to Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom to join Donald Duck on a 3-D adventure as he chases Mickey’s Sorcerer’s hat through familiar animated worlds, encountering the characters you know and love along the way. While this is primarily a movie experience, Mickey’s PhilharMagic features one of our favorite audio animatronics at Disney World: keep an eye on Donald at the end of the movie and follow his trajectory to the back of the theater for a peek at his tail and flippers.
Todd Anderson/Courtesy DisneyshopDisney Springs
Disney Springs is an outdoor dining, shopping, and entertainment complex at the edge Disney World. It’s home to the world’s largest Disney store, aptly named World of Disney, and underwent a transformation in recent years that doubled the number of shops and businesses, as well as concepts by a number of James Beard Award–winning chefs. The most recent addition is Jaleo by José Andrés, featuring wood-fired paella and tapas like croquetas, though other chefs with Disney Springs outposts include Masaharu Morimoto, Rick Bayless, and Guy Fieri.
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Garth Vaughan/Courtesy DisneyactivitySplash Mountain
The centerpiece of Frontierland at the Magic Kingdom, Splash Mountain is based on the animated scenes from Disney’s controversial 1946 film Song of the South. And they don’t call it Splash Mountain for nothing. Combine the 50-foot final drop with the 950,000 gallons of water flowing through the ride and, yeah, you’re gonna get wet—especially if you’re placed at the front of the boat. If you can bear to look out instead of down at the crest of the final drop, you’ll be treated to a fantastic view of Cinderella Castle and Space Mountain off in the distance.
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Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
The newest roller coaster at Disney's Magic Kingdom is a family-friendly ride that takes you inside the mine shaft with the Seven Dwarfs as they collect gems and jewels—and, of course, sing along the way. The ride is broken up with scenes more typical of a classic dark ride, with audio animatronics of the Seven Dwarfs, Snow White, and the Evil Queen. Just be sure to plan ahead: The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train has some of the longest wait times at the Magic Kingdom, with the standby line routinely topping 90 minutes.
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Courtesy DisneyactivityHaunted Mansion
Enter the Haunted Mansion, a Gothic revival-style manor at the back of Liberty Square in Magic Kingdom, and board a “doom buggy” for a tour of the 999 haunts that reside within. The gravestones that line the queue are delightfully punny, but our favorite element of the Haunted Mansion is the small pet cemetery to your left as you exit. Peer to the back to see a small stone statue of J. Thaddeus Toad—a nod to Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, one of the park’s former attractions. Try to hit the Haunted Mansion early or late in the day for the lowest wait time.
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