The Parks

There are 4 theme parks at Walt Disney World Resort. The Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and Epcot.

Magic Kingdom is divided into 6 themed "lands": Main Street U.S.A., Adventureland, Frontierland, Liberty Square, Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland. The park is layed out in a wheel pattern with the hub being located in front of Cinderella's Castle. Each land features a variety of attractions and entertainment. There is no possible way to see and do everything in a single day, or even a week. You should look at the park on Disney-pal and read descriptions of the attractions to see which ones would be of the greatest interest to your family. Study the map on WDWinfo so that you have a general idea of where things are before getting to the park. You will have an easier time getting around and will be able to maximize your time by being able to go to what you want and avoid the things you don't. Be sure to book FastPass+ for anything you absolutely don't want to miss! Each night is ended with an amazing show at the castle, and the Wishes fireworks show. I would recommend a minimum of two days in Magic Kingdom. Most people aren't going to have the time for that, but that's what subsequent trips are for, right?

Animal Kingdom is divided into 6 themed lands: The Oasis, Discovery Island, Africa, Rafiki's Planet Watch, Asia, and DinoLand U.S.A. Several of the attractions in Animal Kingdom feature animals. The park itself has a central theme of animal conservation. Animal Kingdom is the second largest them park in the world, and covers more than 500 acres. Don't worry about trying to walk that though, a large portion of the space is dedicated to the Kilimanjaro Safari. Animal Kingdom closes earlier than any of the other parks, and a lot of people don't even stay in the park until closing. Animal lovers will probably want to be at the park at opening and leave at closing. Checking Disney-pal will help you decide where you want to spend your time, and you can study the map to know your way around. Don't forget to make those FastPass+ reservations for any must see attractions!

Hollywood Studios is divided into 6 themed areas: Hollywood Boulevard, Echo Lake, Streets of America, Pixar Place, Animation Courtyard, and Sunset Boulevard. The layout is reminiscent of a motion picture studio with the streets and buildings blending into each other. Decorative elements are like set pieces lying around. The whole park has a very nostalgic feel. Each night at Hollywood Studios is punctuated by the Fantasmic show. Disney-pal will help you narrow down the attractions you want to see and studying the map will help you navigate the park. One day at Hollywood Studios will probably be sufficient for most guests. Once again, make sure to book your FastPass+ reservations!

Epcot has two areas: Future World, and World Showcase. The name EPCOT is actually an acronym for Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. Future World explores innovative aspects and applications of science and technology, and is home to the parks iconic landmark, Spaceship Earth. World Showcase contains 11 pavilions, each themed with architecture, landscapes, streetscapes, attractions, shops, and restaurants to represent a specific countries culture and cuisine. The countries represented are: Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, United States, Japan, Morocco, France, The United Kingdom, and Canada. Each pavilion is completely staffed by natives of the country it represents. Each night in Epcot end with the Illuminations: Reflections of Earth fireworks show. Ideally you would devote 2 days to Epcot. One for Future World and one for World Showcase. By now you know the drill concerning Disney-pal, studying the park maps, and making FastPass+ reservations.

Beyond the parks there are tons of things to do. You may want to stick to the parks, they do take up a lot of time, or you may want to venture out and explore some of the other activities. Personally, I think it's best to take one day off for every two park days. Use those days to sleep in, have a long lazy brunch, and then spend a few hours exploring the Disney resorts, or Downtown Disney, or at one of the water parks. Or use the day to just relax beside the pool at your hotel.

The DIS has maps of the resorts and some of the other areas that you might want to explore.