First time at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida
Whether you’re considering a trip to Walt Disney World Resort in Florida or you’ve already booked the holiday of a lifetime, you might not be sure exactly what to expect or even where to start when it comes to planning.
Which is why we’ve put together this helpful beginner’s guide to give you all the information you need about Walt Disney World Resort, including preparing for your trip, how to get around once you’re there, where to eat, and which are the best attractions to experience.
Here’s everything you need to know to enjoy the most magical holiday ever!
What’s a good age for Walt Disney World Resort?
Let’s kick this article off by saying that Walt Disney World Resort is for everyone, and there really isn’t just one “good age” for Disney! Children under 10 will enjoy the fairy tale magic and meeting the Disney Characters, older children and teenagers will love the thrill rides, and adults will appreciate all of these things and the shows.
If you like having fun and making memories, then a Walt Disney World Resort holiday is for you!
If you have smaller children, you may wish to check the height restrictions for some of the rides so that you can manage their expectations before you travel – you don’t want any disappointment during your holiday!
About Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resort is located in Orlando, Florida in the USA. And it is huge! The resort covers over 27,000 acres and has everything you need. It’s basically a city in itself! There’s so much to do here and lots to consider when it comes to getting around.
We recommend spending 14 days in Florida if you can. In fact, you could spend two weeks here and still not tick off everything!
Walt Disney World Resort comprises:
- 4 Theme Parks – Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park
- 2 Water Parks – Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park and Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park
- Disney Springs – shopping, dining, and entertainment
- Disney’s BoardWalk – shopping, dining, and entertainment
- 30 hotels and villa resorts
Before your trip
Before you arrive in Orlando, there’s some pre-planning needed to ensure you have the best time. The first thing to tick off your list is booking your hotel and park tickets. Then, it’s time to think about what to pack!
Walt Disney World Resort hotels
One thing you might be wondering is where to stay at Walt Disney World Resort. Well, you’re in luck, as Disney has its own hotels here. Staying at one of these hotels gives you access to some fantastic benefits, including on-site activities and early entrance to the theme parks.
There’s also a lot of choice, with 30 hotels split across three different categories:
Value Hotels - Cost-effective Disney magic
Moderate Hotels - Great value with added extras
Deluxe Hotels and Villas - Luxurious Disney holidays
Our Recommendations
Disney's All-Star Music Resort
Category: Value
Disney’s All-Star Music Resort is perfect for music lovers, with its playful, music-themed décor celebrating genres like jazz, rock, and country.
Disney's All-Star Movies Resort
Category: Value
Step into the spotlight at Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort, where larger-than-life Disney film characters bring the magic of the movies to life!
Disney's All-Star Sports Resort
Category: Value
The original of Disney’s three All-Star Resorts, Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort is a celebration of competitive sports, ideally located near Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Blizzard Beach, and Hollywood Studios!
Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort
Category: Moderate
Celebrate the spirit of the Caribbean with blissful sights and fun-filled activities - including colonial forts, lively markets, pristine beaches, splashy florals and swaying hammocks—sure to awaken the imagination.
Disney's Port Orleans - French Quarter
Category: Moderate
Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter is peaceful with a charming atmosphere – it feels like a little slice of New Orleans tucked away in the heart of Walt Disney World!
Disney's BoardWalk Inn
Category: Deluxe
Surrender to the turn-of-the-century elegance of this Atlantic City-styled Resort, set against a breezy boardwalk entertainment complex and lake.
Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge
Category: Deluxe
Who doesn't want to stay in a hotel with giraffes, gazelles, zebras, and many more animals & birds on your doorstep? Book a savannah room and view the animals from the comfort of your room.
Disney's Contemporary Resort
Category: Deluxe
Just steps from Disney’s Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Contemporary Resort is a truly unique experience with its iconic monorail running straight through the heart of the building.
With so many options, it can be a tricky decision. We’ve put together this guide to Walt Disney World Resort hotels <ADD LINK HERE WHEN LIVE> to help you choose.
Walt Disney World Resort tickets
It’s best to buy your Disney tickets in advance of your visit to Florida. Doing so can save you time (as you don’t need to buy your tickets at the gate) and money (as you’ll also get the best deals when you book before your holiday).
At AttractionTickets.com, we offer two options for Walt Disney World Resort tickets: 7-Day Magic Tickets and 14-Day Magic Tickets. These tickets allow unlimited admission to the theme parks and water parks and come with Park Hopper Access so you can explore multiple Disney Parks on the same day.
We also offer a range of Orlando combo tickets that will give you access to all the Walt Disney World Resort parks, plus other Orlando attractions including Universal Orlando Resort, and the SeaWorld Parks!
As an added benefit, these tickets also include Memory Maker – an unlimited package of photos which includes digital downloads of all the professional photos you have taken during your trip to Walt Disney World Resort.
Disney 14-Day Magic Ticket
Disney 7-Day Magic Ticket
Disney and Universal Combo Ticket + ONE day at Universal Epic Universe for 2025 Arrivals
Disney and Universal Combo Ticket
Orlando Freedom Ticket™ + ONE day at Universal Epic Universe for 2025 Arrivals
Orlando Freedom Ticket™ for 2026 Arrivals
What to pack for your Disney holiday
Now that your tickets and hotel are sorted, let’s get the suitcases out! Here are a few things that we recommend you bring with you:
- Shorts and t-shirts
- Sun cream
- Sunhat or cap
- Trainers, closed sandals, or good walking shoes
- Umbrella, waterproof coat, or poncho
- Reusable water bottle
- Solar power bank
We’ve also got some more tips for packing for your Orlando holiday here.
Top tip: If you’re planning to do lots of shopping during your trip, we’d recommend bringing an empty suitcase with you! You can get lots of clothing in the Disney shops, so you can save space in your case and leave some clothes at home, if you are thinking of buying some here anyway.
During your Walt Disney World Resort holiday
This section of our guide gives you an idea of what to expect when you arrive in Orlando and some top tips for making the most of your holiday.
My Disney Experience app
When you get to Orlando, you can download the My Disney Experience app. It’s a must-have tool to help you plan your time in the parks. You’ll have access to your park tickets and Disney hotel reservation on here, plus ride wait times, dining options, park maps, and the latest news from around the resort. You’ll also be able to access all your photos from Memory Maker on here.
Using the My Disney Experience app means you don’t need to print anything out, and you can have everything you need in the palm of your hand. Even better, there is free Wi-Fi in the majority of public spaces throughout the parks.
Top tip: You’ll be using your phone a lot during the day for the My Disney Experience app, plus taking photos, so bring a solar power bank with you so you can charge your phone if you need to.
Getting around during your trip
Where you stay will determine how you get around during your trip. The Walt Disney World Resort hotels are close to the parks and offer complimentary transport between the hotels, theme parks, and water parks, which makes getting around a breeze.
Depending on your hotel, you can travel by bus, boat, monorail, or Skyliner – a cable car system. Buses usually run every 20-25 minutes, but check your hotel for timetables.
If you have a rental car during your trip, you can drive around the resort. If you choose to stay at one of the Disney hotels, you’ll get free parking at the theme parks and water parks, but you’ll need to pay for parking if you’re staying elsewhere.
Theme parks and water parks
As we’ve already mentioned, there are four theme parks and two water parks at Walt Disney World Resort. Each theme park has a wide variety of attractions, from gentle teacups to thrilling roller coasters.
As well as rides, there are also some incredible stage shows which wouldn’t look out of place on the West End, plus magical parades, fireworks, and light shows. You will also be able to meet Disney Characters, including classic characters like Minnie and Mickey and the Disney Princesses.
In an ideal world, you’d be able to spend a day at each one. However, if you can’t do that, we’ve got a quick guide here to help you choose how to spend your time.
Park | Description | Best for |
Magic Kingdom Park | Classic attractions, entertainment, parades, Disney Characters, and fireworks | Everyone! Children especially will love the magic surrounding this park |
EPCOT | A theme park celebrating culture, nature, and human progress. | Anyone interested in science, culture, and food – you can eat your way around the world here! |
Disney’s Hollywood Studios | Iconic attractions, entertainment, and thrill rides | Movie lovers and adrenaline seekers |
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park | Exotic animals, safari tours, animal experiences | Animal lovers |
Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park | Water park with record-breaking waterslides, wave pools, and family raft rides | Children and adults that love slides and swimming |
Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park | Tropical oasis with waterslides, a surf pool, and a lazy river | Children and adults that love slides and swimming |
Magic Kingdom Park
Home to Cinderella Castle, Space Mountain, 'it's a small world', and the Festival of Fantasy Parade
EPCOT
Home to Spaceship Earth, Test Track, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, and the World Showcase
Disney's Hollywood Studios
Home to the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Star Wars - Galaxy's Edge, and Toy Story Land
Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park
Home to the Tree of Life, Kilimanjaro Safaris, Expedition Everest, and Avatar - Flight of Passage
Please note: Depending on when you visit, only one of Disney’s Water Parks may be open during your visit. This allows for maintenance at the other park. Both are fantastic, and it’s tricky to choose between the two, so this really helps make the decision for you.
Top tip: We would call Magic Kingdom Park an absolute must-visit during your time in Florida. It’s quintessential Disney, and Cinderella Castle here is exactly what springs to mind when you think of Walt Disney World Resort.
Children and adults alike will love the magical feeling here, classic rides, and fantastical fireworks. Don’t miss Disney’s Festival of Fantasy Parade, where you’ll see the Disney Characters move through the park to a musical soundtrack on elaborate floats.
Lightning Lane Passes
Lightning Lane passes allow you to skip the regular line (also known as the standby line) and join a shorter queue for select attractions and experiences. You can choose from a Lightning Lane Single Pass for just one ride or a Lightning Lane Multi Pass for up to three attractions at a time.
Lightning Lane is a paid system, and it’s a good option if you’re short on time or if you want to tick off every ride in the park.
Lightning Lane experiences include:
Magic Kingdom Park | EPCOT | Disney’s Hollywood Studios | Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park |
Jungle Cruise | Frozen Ever After | Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway | DINOSAUR |
Peter Pan’s Flight | Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure | Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run | Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain |
Space Mountain | Soarin’ Around the World | Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith | Festival Of The Lion King |
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure | Journey Into Imagination With Figment | Slinky Dog Dash | Finding Nemo: The Big Blue…and Beyond |
Walt Disney World Resort dining
If you’re a bit of a foodie, you’ll be pleased to hear that there are so many fantastic dining options at Walt Disney World Resort. There are almost 200 different places to eat and drink across the Walt Disney World Resort.
Quick service
Think of Quick Service a bit like fast food. You order at the counter, get a tray of food, and take it to a table to eat it
Table service
A standard restaurant experience where you’re seated at a table, and a server brings you a menu and the food. You’ll need a reservation for these, which can be made up to 30 days in advance of your stay
Character dining
A sit-down meal where you’ll meet Disney Characters at your table
Disney Dining Plans
For those staying at Disney hotels you can also get a Disney Dining Plan, a great value way to eat during your holiday. There are two options for dining plans: Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan and Disney Dining Plan.
Disney Quick Service Dining Plan per person per night stay includes:
- 2 Quick Service meals
- 1 non-alcoholic or alcoholic drink per meal
- 1 selected snack or drink
- 1 resort-refillable mug per stay (unlimited refills of fountain soda, coffee, and tea at beverage islands at self-service locations at any Disney Resort hotel)
Disney Dining Plan per person per night stay includes:
- 1 Quick Service meal
- 1 Table Service meal
- 1 non-alcoholic or alcoholic drink per meal
- 1 selected snack or drink
- 1 resort-refillable mug per stay (unlimited refills of fountain soda, coffee, and tea at beverage islands at self-service locations at any Disney Resort hotel)
Top tips for first-time visits to Walt Disney World Resort
- Have some downtime: exploring the parks can be quite tiring, so you might want to schedule in some downtime to your itinerary to just chill
- Schedule in time for transport: If you’re planning your day to the last detail, be sure to factor in time for getting to and from the parks, including waiting times for shuttle services
- Use Rider Switch: If you’re travelling with small children, then make use of Rider Switch, where you can take turns riding the attraction
- Use Single Rider lanes: If you’re going on a ride on your own, look out for a single rider line, as this sometimes gets you on the ride quicker. This line is used to fill up empty spaces, so it’s best for if you are riding alone or if you don’t mind not sitting with the rest of your group
If you’re ready to start planning your dream trip, get your Walt Disney World Resort tickets today and get ready to enjoy the magic.