As a general matter, Animal Kingdom is the park that requires the least strategy and is the easiest place to beat the crowds in all of Walt Disney World. It doesn't require Genie+ or Individual Lightning Lanes, and is pretty easy to knock out everything–and then some–if you stay for a full day.
As you can see, Magic Kingdom covers the smallest area of land. However, in terms of sidewalks, Hollywood Studios wins out with the fewest miles of the total walkways. Based on our calculations, Hollywood Studios requires the LEAST amount of walking, and Epcot requires the MOST amount of walking.
A Magic Kingdom itinerary is simply a must if your family only has one day at Disney World. The main reason being the Magic Kingdom Park is by far the most-visited theme park in the world.
Magic Kingdom is actually technically the smallest park, if you can believe that as you wander the countless streets! The zones of Magic Kingdom are: Frontierland, Fantasyland, Liberty Square, Adventureland, and Tomorrowland.
In 2021, the United States' Magic Kingdom (Walt Disney World) was visited by over 12 million people, making it the most visited amusement park worldwide.
Magic Kingdom
Sometimes, Fridays are even busier than Saturdays! But if you want that lower-crowd experience, just swap your Magic Kingdom park day to a Tuesday. Since it's toward the middle of the week, it tends to be less busy and you might be able to hop on your favorite rides with shorter wait times.
The cheapest days to visit the parks or stay at Walt Disney World are Sunday-Thursday. Plan your visit when children are in school, no festivals or events are taking place, and there are no national holidays to save the most money.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ Exclusive Vacation Package. At Islands of Adventure, you can visit Hogwarts™ castle and explore Hogsmeade™ village.
At 300 acres, EPCOT is almost twice the size of the Magic Kingdom. Magic Kingdom is broken up into six areas, including Main Street, U.S.A., Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, Frontierland, Liberty Square and Adventureland.
No, in fact, Animal Kingdom is much bigger than EPCOT. Those who have visited all the parks may be surprised to learn that EPCOT (300 acres) is larger than Magic Kingdom (142 acres) and Hollywood Studios (135 acres) combined! At 580 acres, Animal Kingdom is by far the largest of the Disney parks.
Disney said, “Disney's Animal Kingdom, like the world itself, will evolve and grow. It's truly a living thing.” And it's really true! The Park has seen many changes over the years, and it just keeps getting better! So spoiler alert, to answer the question, “Is Animal Kingdom worth it?” Just yes!
When done right, half days can be just as productive as a full day, but less tiring, and we have some tips on how to make your half day in Disney World the most productive it can be! Before we get into specific tips for each of the four parks, let's start with some general tips for half-days in Disney World!
A: The busiest day at The Magic Kingdom tends to always be Monday. This is because many families plan a week long vacation to Disney World, and typically receive the best deals by traveling Sunday or Monday.
Disney World Parks to Skip to Avoid Crowds
To accomplish this, you will want to skip Magic Kingdom. Magic Kingdom is the headliner park of Walt Disney World, and draws in the highest crowd levels, especially on weekends. Instead, try EPCOT and Animal Kingdom.
If you're in a situation where you have to skip a park, you'll want to compare Epcot and Animal Kingdom. As a default—Epcot has the newest ride, along with the World Showcase, a legendary, unique Disney World experience, so we give it the edge.
A: The three best Disney World parks are: #1 – Magic Kingdom, #2 – EPCOT, #3 – Animal Kingdom. Unfortunately, Hollywood Studios comes in at fourth on our list because it is very busy with long lines and better suited for teens.
Epcot – Epcot is a widely considered to be the most adult theme park of the four at the Walt Disney World Resort, and with good reason. Not only are there attractions here that appeal to adults (Soarin', Mission: SPACE and Test Track), but the entire World Showcase is full of things for adults to see, taste and do.
Both parks are great for kids, with a few drawbacks. Kids can ride more things at EPCOT, but can have more immersion and character experiences in Hollywood Studios.
Both parks have some really cool rides across the spectrum, from fun and family-friendly to thrilling experiences. Hollywood Studios is king when it comes to Star Wars and Toy Story (or really all of Pixar), whereas Animal Kingdom has Avatar, plus wildlife and nature focused attractions.
Yes, it is possible to see both Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in one day. You will need a one-day two-park ticket to experience all that the Wizarding World has to offer, since Diagon Alley is located in Universal Studios and Hogsmeade is located in Islands of Adventure.
Walt Disney World offers more theme parks, dining options, entertainment outside the theme park, hotels, and just more to do. The land owned by Walt Disney World dwarves the area used by Universal Orlando Resort. This disparity will reduce some when Universal's Epic Universe theme park opens in 2025, but not much.
Is the Wizarding World of Harry Potter worth it? Yes, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is worth it. The rides are very impressive and fun, and the atmosphere of both Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley are extremely immersive and magical. Every muggle will love it!
Disney's Magic Kingdom – Best for Ages 3 to 12
Children ages 3 to 12 will especially enjoy Disney magic here, and there are only 3 rides with height requirements. Most of Magic Kingdom's attractions are for all ages, but there are some rides designed just for youngsters.
#1 August – Disney World Least Crowded Months
If you're looking for the slowest time of year at Walt Disney World, the crowds in August are not horrible. But the weather is genuinely… scorching. August also offers the start of Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party.