Which Disney World Park to Visit? 9 Expert Tips to Pick the Best One

From the whimsical worlds of fairy tales to authentic cultural experiences, intimate animal encounters, and galaxies far, far away, Walt Disney World has so much to offer, making it difficult to decide where to start. And if you only have one day in Disney, you might be stressed about picking which theme park to visit to maximize your time.

While Disney offers Park Hopper passes to experience multiple theme parks in one day, the passes have gotten pricy recently, running at least $119 per person, per day. As someone who has done all four parks in one day more than once, and for a time “lived” in Disney World, trust me when I say it’s okay to save money and not pay for Park Hoppers.

Disney parks are designed to be full-day experiences, and you’ll find enough to do by visiting a single park. But before you pack your bags and head to the most magical place on earth, you’ll want to make a strategic and informed decision to make sure you’re picking the best park for your vacation.

After over 200 days visiting the Walt Disney World theme parks at various times throughout the year, I’ve put together a list of 10 things you should consider when picking which park to visit. Let’s dive in!

Learn how to pick the best Walt Disney World theme park for your upcoming vacation with this helpful guide

9 Keys to Picking Which Disney Park to Visit

#1 The Ages & Thrill Tolerance of Your Travel Partners:

The group you’re traveling with could have major implications on which park is right for you. Are you traveling with a bunch of adults hoping to enjoy adult beverages and some more intense thrills? You might be better served by a visit to EPCOT over a trip to the Magic Kingdom. But if you’re going on your first visit in a while with a toddler in tow, Magic Kingdom might be the perfect place for you. Generally, I recommend all first-time visitors see Magic Kingdom, but if you’ve been to the parks before, the world opens up quite a bit. Here’s a topline breakdown of which parks I think are best for certain groups:

Magic Kingdom

Best For: Families with young children, first-time visitors, and the “classic” Disney experience

Worst For: Frequent visitors, adults-only trips, and people who don’t like rides

EPCOT

Best For: Adults-only trips, foodies, mid-level thrills

Worst For: Families with young children, ride lovers

Hollywood Studios

Best For: Star Wars fans, families with teens, thrill seekers

Worst For: Disney Princess fans, foodies

Animal Kingdom

Best For: Animal lovers, multi-generational families, park hoppers

Worst For: Late-night park goers, first-time visitors, and construction

#2 Princesses, Pirates, Heroes, or Villains?:

Is your husband a low-key Star Wars geek? Or is your daughter so obsessed with Frozen that your Spotify Wrapped ranks “Let It Go!” as your song of the year? These are important considerations when you’re picking a Disney Park to visit. While some of the most popular characters make appearances at multiple parks, here’s a cheat sheet for some of the most popular characters and the best parks for super fans!

• Star Wars: Hollywood Studios for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge

• Marvel: EPCOT for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind

• Moana: EPCOT for Journey of Water

• Frozen: EPCOT for Frozen Ever After

• Toy Story: Hollywood Studios for Toy Story Land

• Other Princesses: Magic Kingdom for Princess Fairytale Hall and Character Dining at Cinderella’s Royal Table.

• The Lion King: Animal Kingdom for Festival of the Lion King & Kilimanjaro Safaris

• Mickey Mouse: Hollywood Studios for Minnie & Mickey’s Runaway Railway and Fantasmic!

• Winnie the Pooh: Magic Kingdom for The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and Character Dining at Crystal Palace.

Crystal Palace has been one of my favorite meals my entire life.

#3 Something New For Everyone:

Walt Disney is often quoted for saying “Disneyland will never be completed, as long as there is imagination left in the world,” and that same statement applies to Walt Disney World in Florida. On a near-annual basis, new attractions open across the Disney Parks. While new rides and shows tend to draw larger crowds, you may want to pick a park to experience something new. Recent updates include the opening of Tron LightCycle Run (2023) and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure (2024) in Magic Kingdom, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (2022), Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure (2022), Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana (2024) in EPCOT, Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After (Summer 2025) and The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure (Summer 2025) at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Pandora: The World of Avatar (2018) at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. If you’re a mega Disney fan, I recommend keeping an eye on the Disney Parks Blog for the latest and greatest updates around new additions to the park to help inform you decision on which to park to visit.

#4 Sorry Folks! Ride’s Closed Today!:

Don’t pull a Clark Griswold and run into unexpected closures during your planned vacation. Walt Disney World announces planned maintenance up to several months in advance, especially for its larger attractions. You can see the latest park maintenance plans here. That said, there are a few seasonal shutdowns to consider. Popular water-based attractions like Tiana's Bayou Adventure and Kali River Rapids frequently close in the winter months for annual refurbishment.

Also, keep an eye on long-term closures as a result of park expansions. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is expected to remain shut down for an extended period of time at the Magic Kingdom as the park makes way for new experiences. Similarly, Animal Kingdom’s Dinoland USA is closing in 2025 to make way for a new Tropical Americas-themed land. This means that lines for attractions like Expedition Everest and Avatar: Flights of Passage will see increased wait times as visitors have fewer attractions available to enjoy.

#5 The Wonderful World of Festivals:

Depending on the time of year, there may be festivals hosted at EPCOT that could be part of your next visit to the park. While the festivals are subject to change, generally they follow this timeline:

• Mid-January to Late February: Festival of the Arts

• Early March to Late May: Flower and Garden Festival

• Late August to Early November: Food and Wine Festival

• Early November – Early January: Festival of the Holidays

  

  Checking out some of the topiaries for Flower and Garden Festival

The festivals can add a myriad of special experiences to the park, including exclusive food and beverage stands, special performances, and themed merchandise. These limited-time offerings are totally worthy of a visit during your Disney vacation, but keep an eye on the calendar. The first days of festivals tend to draw large crowds of locals and uber Disney fans hoping to be the first to experience the festival and snag hot merchandise items like popcorn buckets and pins. During our recent Disney visit, our single day in Disney lined up with the first day of Festival of the Arts, so we opted against going to EPCOT due to the larger-than-average crowds.

#6 Merry or Scary Special Operating Hours:

In addition to festivals, the Halloween and Christmas holidays mark the start of special after-hours events at Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. These events, which are ticketed separately from regular admission, typically start around 7 pm. This means the parks may close early for day guests as the operations transition into the special event, thus limiting the amount of time “regular” guests can spend in the park. If you’re not attending the special event and hope to extend your visit into the evening, it’s advisable to visit another theme park. Alternatively, if you are planning to leave the parks early anyway, visiting on special event days can help keep crowds at bay, creating lower traffic for rides in the daytime hours leading up to the party. Keep an eye on the park operating hours to plan accordingly.

Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party

#7 Do as the Locals Don’t:

Florida natives want to escape to the magic of Disney, too! But unlike us out-of-staters, a visit to Disney World for a local is much less of a time and planning commitment. Florida locals tend to visit the Disney parks when school is out; over the weekend, on holidays, and during the summer. As a visitor, consider avoiding a visit during these busy times of year. If you’re planning a multi-day Disney vacation, you may want to consider visiting the busier parks (Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios) during the week and visiting the quieter parks (Disney Animal Kingdom and EPCOT) over the weekends. During the holidays, spring break, and peak summer months, consider purchasing a Lightning Lane Pass to make the long lines more tolerable.

Locals also tend to visit to experience “new” things; opening weekends for rides, shows, and festivals, for example. If a new attraction, show, or experience is opening during your visit, it might be best to avoid the park offering the new experience to avoid long lines and heightened park attendance.

#8 Seasons & Weather:

Despite its nickname “The Sunshine State,” Florida’s temperamental weather isn’t always sunny skies and warm vibes. During the state’s “wet season” between June and September, rain showers occur nearly daily in the afternoons. These showers aren’t a mere sprinkle; they’re full-blown monsoons with inches of rain falling daily. If you’re planning a visit between August and November, it's also important to keep an eye on the weather for hurricane season. If a severe storm does land on Disney property, it can impact ride operations and, in extreme cases, prompt the closure of the Disney parks.

Alternatively, winter weather can create chilly conditions with temperatures occasionally dipping into the 30s. While that might be warmer than your Midwest hometown, those temperatures don’t make for the most comfortable trip to Disney World. Conversely, the summer is known to be HOT with temperatures reaching the humid low 100s, creating a soupy atmosphere conducive to sweat and heat exhaustion.

All that to say, the weather can play a big part in picking a Disney World theme park to visit. Here are a few recommendations to consider based on the weather:

Total Rainy Days:

Best: Disney’s Hollywood Studios where the majority of rides are indoors and thus less impacted by rain.

Worst: EPCOT, where a big part of the experience is walking through the World Showcase

Peak Summer Heat:

Best: Magic Kingdom for its plethora of air-conditioned attractions

Worst: Animal Kingdom which requires significant walking with limited shade.

Chilly Winter Days:

Best: EPCOT for several indoor attractions and winter festivals, plus alcohol to keep you warm

Worst: Magic Kingdom due to the multiple attractions, ensuring a long and chilly day for the youngsters.

Hurricane Season/Afternoon Showers:

Best: Animal Kingdom because you can accomplish most attractions before the rain sets in

Worst: EPCOT where the World Showcase offers limited rain coverage and little to do for young children

A very chilly evening in Magic Kingdom

#9 Variable Ticket Cost:

Announced in March 2025, Disney is employing variable ticket costs that change based on forecasted park attendance. This means that parks expected to be crowded will cost more to visit than parks with lighter crowds in the forecast. There is some good news here; You’ll be able to glean which parks might have lighter crowds by simply looking at the ticket price, and you’ll save money comparatively if you pick a park with lighter attendance. The cons included higher ticket prices for more popular parks and unpredictability in ticket prices due to the new dynamic pricing model. If budget is a consideration for your trip, this new pricing may help you select a park as a result. You can check out the day-to-day ticket prices here.

Wrapping it Up!

There’s truly something for everyone at Walt Disney World, and it's nearly impossible to go wrong with any of the theme parks. That said, if you were struggling to pick a theme park to visit, I hope this guide provided some helpful considerations for your decision-making process. Which park do you think you’ll pick for your next trip? If you’re still deciding and need some help, I’m happy to share some more insights in the comments!

If you’re planning a trip to Walt Disney World, you may want to take a peek at my recent one-day planning guide for Animal Kingdom, linked below, or check out my “Great Florida Road Trip” series for other tips and tricks for visiting the Sunshine State.

Until next time, keep on exploring!