Walt Disney World Touring Plan: Two Day Park Hopper

Introduction and Overview

Walt Disney World is simply huge. Housing four theme parks as well as golf courses, water parks, and many other recreational activities, Walt Disney World is a place where one could vacation for a month and still not see everything. Nevertheless, with only two days to tour, it is entirely possible to see all of the highlights of all four gated theme parks. Careful planning is required, however, which is why we recommend that you make a Walt Disney World Touring Plan.

If you have only two days in which to see the parks, begin by determining operating hours for the days of your visit. You will want to see two parks each day, ending your day in whichever of the two is open later. Do not plan afternoon breaks away from the parks, and prepare yourself for early mornings and late nights.

It is generally best to pair Animal Kingdom with Epcot and the Magic Kingdom with Hollywood Studios, due to the nature of crowd flow and normal operating hours.

Day One - Animal Kingdom and Epcot

Animal Kingdom and Epcot

Animal Kingdom

Start your day at Animal Kingdom bright and early (at least an hour prior to the scheduled park opening). Enjoy The Awakening (a show that takes place 15 minutes before the park opens). Then make your way over to Kilimanjaro Safaris, where the animals are most active early in the morning. Grab a Lightning Lane for Expedition Everest and ride Kali River Rapids.

See those attractions that are most important to you, and try to move in a circle rather than backtracking. Carry a small bag of snacks with you, to keep your energy up and avoid wasting time in junk food lines. By using Genie+ and moving purposefully rather than aimlessly, you should be able to finish the major attractions at Animal Kingdom by 1 or 2 pm.

Epcot

Make your way over to Epcot as quickly as possible. You will probably be hungry by this point, and Epcot is full of counter-service restaurants with excellent food. Once at Epcot, take your pick of the wide variety of quick counter service meals. An excellent option is the food court at The Land. The food is both good and plentiful, and the service is generally fast. You may want to get a Lightning Lane for Soarin’ before lunch, allowing you to eat while you wait for your return time.

After lunch, visit the attractions that are most important to you. The front of the park normally closes at 7:00 PM, while World Showcase stays open until 9:00 PM. Plan to see as much as you can until around 6:00, then make your way into the World Showcase.

World Showcase

The World Showcase makes a circle around the lagoon in which Harmonious is performed nightly at park closing. The show can be seen from any point around the lagoon, so simply start at one end and make your way around. Realize that you will not have time for all the attractions, but simply making your way through a pavilion’s shops and streets will give you a flavor of that country.

If you want a dinner stop, the quick-service restaurants in China and Japan are highly recommended. The food is the same as that served in the table service restaurants, but is both less expensive and much faster. Another option is to get snacks or even a meal just before Harmonious and watch the show from the restaurant’s outdoor seating area.

Day Two - Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom, Genie+ and Lightning Lane

Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom

Hollywood Studios

Begin your day at Hollywood Studios, arriving an hour prior to park opening. Many of the major attractions at Hollywood Studios are shows that take place at specific times throughout the day, so download the My Disney Experience App and plan your show times while you wait for the gates to open. Again, carry snacks and water with you to keep you going through the morning. If you plan to ride the Tower of Terror and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, then it is generally best to make your way to that side of the park first. Grab a Lightning Lane for one of the two and then ride the other.

If you wish to see Galaxy's Edge, go there first. Rise of the Resistance has a generally long wait throughout the day and is known to break down. So head there first or if you are staying on property, get a Lightning Lane. Ride Smugglers run through the single rider line, it will save you time but you will get separated. Next, head to Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway with Genie+. For lunch, mobile order a Ronto Wrap in Galaxy's Edge. It is very popular and you can mobile order once the park opens.

Magic Kingdom

If the Magic Kingdom is open until midnight, you can spend far more time at Hollywood Studios than if the Magic Kingdom will close at 7 PM. Generally speaking, however, you should be able to finish the major attractions at Hollywood Studios by around 2 PM.

After arriving at the Magic Kingdom, a great lunch stop is Casey’s Corner. Casey’s sells hot dogs and other traditional amusement park food in a highly-themed quick-service restaurant. Both the food and the theming are superb, and the service is generally quick. The umbrella tables outside are especially nice.

Do not stop to shop on Main Street. The shops there will be open for at least two hours after the park closes, so keep moving. Turn either left to Adventureland or right towards Tomorrowland. Make a circle of the park, finishing the attractions in one land before moving on to the next.

Genie+ and Lightning Lane

Genie+ is a service you pay for that includes Lighting Lanes for several rides. You can make reservations for them to have a shorter wait. It costs $15 a person, per park, per day. You can get your first reservation at 7 am and 120 minutes after your last reservation. The best parks to use it are Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom as they have a lot of popular rides.

Individual Lightning Lane is a separate pay-for-service. The price depends on the ride. Typically, it is available for 1 or 2 of the most popular rides in that park. These rides will not be included in Genie+ and therefore if you want to get their Lighting Lane, you have to pay separately. You can start getting them at 7 am the day you are going.

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