Are you planning a trip to Walt Disney World? Or just want to learn more about the parks and don't know where to start? Disney Darling breaks down the basics for you!
Disneyland vs. Walt Disney World
Disneyland and Disney World are two different parks, located on opposite sides of the country. As mentioned in this post, it is a common misconception that Disneyland and Disney World are the same thing.
Disneyland is the first Disney theme park ever, opening in 1955. It is located in Anaheim, California, near Los Angeles. Disneyland has two different parks: Disneyland Park (with the castle), and Disney's California Adventure (or DCA). Disneyland also has three hotels and the Downtown Disney shopping district.
Walt Disney World is located in Bay Lake, Florida, near Orlando. It opened in 1971, after Walt's passing. Walt Disney World has 4 different theme parks, 2 water parks, 28 hotels, and the Disney Springs shopping district.
There are quite a few more differences, but location and size of each park are most notable.
Disneyland is smaller, but more historical and charming. Walt Disney World is grander. When it comes to which park is better, that is all subjective. Both parks are amazing.
There are even more parks located outside of America. There is Tokyo Disney Resort, Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland, and Shanghai Disney Resort.
Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom is the park most people think of when they think of Walt Disney World. It is the signature castle park, similar to Disneyland Park. However, there is a difference in castles. Disneyland features Sleeping Beauty Castle, while Magic Kingdom features Cinderella Castle.
Magic Kingdom is home to classic rides such as the Jungle Cruise, Dumbo, and Space Mountain.
Magic Kingdom is laid out in a wheel spoke design, with the castle in the center and different "lands" jetting out from the center.
Like Disneyland, Magic Kingdom has a few different "lands" or themed areas. The first one is Main Street, USA. This land is themed to a turn-of-the-century small town. Here, you'll find gift shops and horse drawn carriages. Then, there is Adventureland. This land is a combination of different exotic parts of the world. Frontierland is themed around the Wild West. Fantasyland is located behind the castle, and features many rides based off of Disney animated films. Tomorrowland is about space exploration and celebrating technology of the future. Liberty Square is themed around colonial America.
These lands were included in Disneyland first. If they seem random, they are not. They are actually themed based off popular movie genres in the 50s. Adventureland represents animal documentaries. Frontierland represents cowboy westerns. Tomorrowland represents sci-fi films. And of course, Fantasyland represents Disney movies. Main Street is meant to be the "opening credits" of the movie.
There is the exception of Liberty Square. Since Florida is so close to the original 13 colonies, Imagineers thought that the inclusion of this East Coast culture would be appropriate.
Magic Kingdom is the quintessential Walt Disney World park and a must-do for many.
For more fun facts about Magic Kingdom, check out Hidden Mickey: History and Secrets of the Magic Kingdom.
For some information about recent additions to Magic Kingdom in 2024, check out this post.
For more information on attractions and planning your visit to Magic Kingdom, check out this post.
EPCOT
EPCOT is often described as "science fair meets world fair". It opened in 1982 and is the second theme park addition to Walt Disney World. EPCOT is the park with the big "golf ball".
This big golf ball is actually called Spaceship Earth.
EPCOT is divided into two sections - Future World and the World Showcase.
Future World is about celebrating technological advancements in communication, transportation, and exploration. It is about celebrating our earth, our oceans, and our imagination.
The World Showcase features pavilions of different countries. A popular activity is to drink or eat around "the world" at EPCOT.
EPCOT features attractions such as Soarin', Frozen Ever After, and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.
EPCOT also hosts many festivals throughout the year with special offerings at each. In the beginning of the year is the Festival of the Arts. Spring sees the Flower and Garden Festival. Fall is the Food and Wine Festival, and the year closes out with the Festival of the Holidays. No matter when you go, it is an exciting time at EPCOT.
For more information on the attractions offered at Epcot, check out Disney Darling Blog's Attractions Guide.
For more fun facts on EPCOT, check out this post.
For more information about recent additions to EPCOT in the year 2024, check out this post.
Hollywood Studios
Disney's Hollywood Studios (formerly MGM Studios) is themed around an idealistic version of Hollywood and brings you into the middle of your favorite movies.
Hollywood Studios features Star Wars Land - Galaxy's Edge - and Toy Story Land. Hollywood Studios has attractions such as Mickey and Minnie's Railway Runaway, Tower of Terror, and Rock'n'Rollercoaster. There is a great mix of attractions for young children and thrill rides for adults.
Hollywood Studios opened in 1989 and actually functioned as a working studio for a few years. Some people compare it to Universal Studios Orlando, as both parks opened around the same time. Disney's Hollywood Studios, of course, features Disney properties such as Star Wars, Pixar, Indiana Jones, and the Mouse himself.
To learn more about what's at Disney's Hollywood Studios, check out Disney Darling's attractions guide.
Read Hollywood Studios 2024 for info about the latest additions to the park.
For more fun facts about Hollywood Studios, check out this post.
Interested in learning about the lands in Hollywood Studios? Read My Ranking of all the Hollywood Studios Lands.
Animal Kingdom
Disney's Animal Kingdom is often described as part theme park and part zoo. Animal Kingdom is all about celebrating the animals of Disney movies, both factual and fantastical. This park is all about adventure.
Animal Kingdom is home to Avatar: Flight of Passage, Expedition Everest, and the Kilimanjaro Safaris.
Like Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom is also divided into lands. There is Africa, where you can find lions, zebras, and giraffes. There is Asia, where you can find tigers and Komodo dragons. There is also Dinoland, where you can go back in time and visit the early animals that used to roam the earth. The latest addition of Animal Kingdom is Pandora, which is based on the alien planet featured in the Avatar movies (the one with the blue people, not the one with the bald Airbender).
The centerpiece of the park is the Tree of Life, a grand tree that is home to many animals.
Want to learn more about what to do at Animal Kingdom? Click here.
For more information on the park, check out Hidden Mickey: History and Facts of Animal Kingdom.
For the latest additions, check out this post about Animal Kingdom 2024.
Want to learn more?
If you are planning a first-time vacation to Walt Disney World, you may find these articles helpful:
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