Walt Disney World is the most visited theme park in the world and has more than enough to see and do. There are 4 theme parks, 2 water parks, a downtown area and tons of resorts.
This means there’s a lot of things that have been deemed must-do or must-eat attractions when visiting. Here’s my Disney World Bucket List, which is always growing!
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See the Welcome Show at Magic Kingdom.
This is a great way to start the day for two reasons: it’s so cute and puts the biggest smile on your face and it means you’re in the park as soon as it opens. There is a new welcome show that allows you to enter the park about 5 minutes before the parks opening hours so you can be welcomed by some of your favorite characters.
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Go to all four parks in one day.
This is actually one of my favorite things to do and is so much easier if you’re staying on property and can utilize the extra magic hours. I typically start at Animal Kingdom right at park opening followed by Hollywood Studios then Epcot where you can monorail right to Magic Kingdom.
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Ride Space Mountain with the lights on.
This is a by chance occurrence and is one of the scariest ways to be on any ride let alone this one. You realize just how many bars and metal contraptions are everywhere, but it’s also so exciting and fun. Make sure you throw your arms in the air – don’t worry, you won’t touch the rails.
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Eat a dole whip.
I’m saying one dole whip, but you should definitely have as many as you want [I do]. Dole whip is pineapple soft serve [like ice cream] and is extremely refreshing. You can get your soft serve in a cup [pictured below], with pineapple juice, orange soft serve and more. So even if you don’t like pineapple there is a way for you to enjoy this treat. My absolute favorite is pineapple in a cup, but when it’s really hot out I get the pineapple juice in the bottom too.
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Try the kitchen sink at Beaches and Cream.
It’s a massively delicious dessert that should be shared with a group of people. This dessert is literally served in a sink and has eight scoops of ice cream accompanied by any and every topping you can think of. They do serve other food and desserts here so you don’t have to do the challenge, but it’s definitely a fun challenge.
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Take a picture with the “Fab 5.”
If you don’t know, the Fab 5 is: Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald and Pluto. There are plenty of opportunities to get a photo with each of them.
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Take a picture with a character in each park or land.
Every character visits each park at different times and some even have fun costumes that match the park or land they’re in. Try to find them in each spot so you can have a photo in all their costumes.
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Stay in Magic Kingdom until the kiss goodnight before park close.
At the very end of the night when the park is closed, there is a special moment. This happens every 30 minutes after the park closes and is a short two minutes so if you’re not paying attention you could miss it.
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Eat or drink around the world [showcase] in EPCOT.
This probably doesn’t need an explanation, but I find it’s best if you start right when the world showcase opens (typically 11 am). This gives you plenty of time to pace yourself with rides and food.
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Go to the Grand Floridian during Christmas.
This hotel is not only beautiful, but also has the largest gingerbread house during the holidays. I had the privilege of calling the Grand home during my College Program internship with WDW. Any holiday here is special, but Christmas is my absolute favorite.
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Find as many Hidden Mickeys as you can.
There’s even a book for it! The Disney Imagineers have included hidden Mickey’s all over the parks and resorts. It’s fun to find them in general, but definitely while you’re waiting in line.
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Resort Hop on the monorail.
There are 3 resorts on this monorail: The Contemporary, The Polynesian and The Grand Floridian. Each one is unique and so different from the last. They all have great restaurants with and without character dining. I love starting my day off with character dining at one of these hotels and then moving to the next one to explore.
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Have dinner and watch the fireworks from the Contemporary.
The California Grill is at the top of The Contemporary and has an incredible view of the castle. I recommend getting a reservation a bit before fireworks start and then going on the patio to watch and listen along. The food here is a little pricey, but is incredible. The other perk is the only people on the patio are guests who have dined there that night. The music from the parks is also playing so it feels like you’re there minus the crowds and being able to see everything.
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Watch the 3 o’clock parade from Main Street.
There’s an ongoing joke at Magic Kingdom about when the parade starts…it’s 3 o’clock. The parade starts back in Adventureland and makes its way through to Main Street. So the best view is near the castle so you can see everything, however, I prefer seeing it from Adventureland because you see it first and then you’re ready to get back on the rides after.
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Meet some villains during Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party.
The villains are some of my favorite characters to meet because they can be so rude and are pretty rare to see. Last Halloween Party I attended, I took a photo with Claude Frollo from Hunchback of Notre Dame. I haven’t seen him in the park since then.
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Buy and wear ears all day.
Purple Wall in Magic Kingdom There are tons of options when it comes to ears so you can’t go wrong. I have a few different pairs that I mix and match.
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Try out some pin trading.
If you’ve been to any Disney theme park before then you’ve seen people trading pins with each other. Some people are serious collectors while others just do it for fun. Either way, it’s fun to trade pins with cast members or other guests in the park. You can collect an entire series of pins or just pick ones you like.
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See the holiday parade during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.
I’ve been to Disney World for all of the major holiday attractions and events and Christmas is without a doubt my favorite. There are cookie and hot chocolate stations around the park, snow on Main Street, characters in Christmas gear and my favorite parade with a special guest at the end. If you like Christmas then you’ll love visiting for this holiday.
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Watch Magic Kingdom’s fireworks from the Polynesian beach.
This is another one of my favorites spots to watch the fireworks. I like to grab a [spiked] dole whip from the Poly and head to the beach or their dock. You can’t see the projections on the castle, but you can see the entire width of the fireworks without constantly turning your head. You’re also not standing in a crowd of thousands of people so you have more space to breathe and relax.
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Be the Rebel Spy.
Being chosen as the Rebel Spy on Star Tours is random and might take a while to achieve. I’ve done this ride at least 30 times and I’ve only been chosen once. Good luck!
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See Pandora lit up at night.
Pandora: World of Avatar is a sight to see in Animal Kingdom, but you definitely need to see it at night too. The ground, trees, etc. light up and transform the area and make it even more magical, if that’s possible.
