Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando is known as the most magical place on earth - and for good reason. Bursting with entertainment, live shows, musical performances, thrilling rides, character meet and greets and fun-filled water parks, a holiday here is unforgettable.
Our Disney villas are all situated within their own fun-filled resorts, just 13-20 minutes from Walt Disney World. This means you’re far enough out of the hustle and bustle of the parks but close enough that you can easily get to and from them each day. Plus, with on-site activities like tennis and golf, communal pools, spas and club houses, there’s plenty to keep you busy should you choose to have a more chilled afternoon away from the thrills and spills.
We'd recommend hiring a car for your holiday, allowing you to get around Orlando, to and from the parks, and also go on any grocery runs! Just give our friendly concierge team a shout and we'll be happy to arrange that service for you.
Why visit Walt Disney World Resort?
It’s entirely magical: nothing compares to seeing your child’s face light up when they meet their favourite character or go on a ride from their number one film.
Great for all ages: whether your family is composed of school-age kids, toddlers or teens, there's something for everyone here - from the young, to the young at heart.
World-leading technology: the resort boasts some of the most advanced ride systems and animatronics in the theme park realm, allowing you to get up close and personal with characters from fairytales, cartoons, and galaxies far, far away...
Style and character are everything at Oliver’s Travels, and our collection of handpicked Disney villas have this in spades.
We have destination experts who know the ins and outs of all our regions, picking villas that aren’t only unique, but also in the best locations. What's more, our villas are 100% family-friendly, and have the ‘wow’ factor.
Our helpful concierge team are on-hand to make your stay extra special. Whether you want a fully-stocked fridge, a local in-house chef to cook your meals, housekeeping or any other extra service – consider them your holiday genie, who will happily grant your wishes.
Once you’ve bought your flights for your family holiday to Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, the excitement finally sets in. But it’s also such a big trip, and we understand how hard it can be to get all the information you’re looking for. So, we scoured the internet to find some of the most asked questions and pulled them all together into one handy, easy-to-reach place.
Walt Disney World is twice the size of Manhattan, so to experience all 6 parks, you need at least 7 days. That's a day per park, plus an extra day to re-visit some of your favorite attractions at the end. The extra day can also be used to visit other Florida-based activities including Gatorland, Everglades Airboat Adventure, or perhaps a visit to the outlet malls.
The weather is warm year-round, but it's particularly hot in the summer. August is the wettest month of the year, and although Walt Disney World Resort is rarely affected, hurricane season runs between June and November. It's also worth noting that these are all-weather parks, so there are plenty of activities and things to do even if it rains - grab your poncho and ride on!
It depends on the restaurant you pick, as they range from around $15pp to over $60. Each restaurant is labelled on a range from $ to $$$$, hinting at the budgeting required. However, many of the portions are large, so you can definitely share meals or even opt for a kids portion at counter-service locations.
Both Typhoon Lagoona and Blizzard Beach are heated to around 27 degrees all year round, but it's working checking out any refurb/cleaning dates in the cooler season.
Yes - you can bring food and non-alcoholic drinks into the parks. However, there's plenty of exciting snacks to try that you'll probably be tempted anyway!
It's customary to tip when service staff carry your luggage, or if you've enjoyed a table-service meal - just make sure to check the gratuity has not already been added to your bill.
Yes! This time of year is particularly magical at Walt Disney World Resort, with various performances, decorations, firework shows and holiday dining options.
Best time to go
It’s busier than usual during major worldwide public holidays like Halloween and Christmas. This is largely due to an increase in separate ticketed events e.g. Mickey’s Boo Bash. Guests should be aware that Walt Disney World also closes one of the water parks for maintenance from October to March.
January to April is the best time to visit the parks as the temperatures are pleasant but not too hot, you avoid the busy summer crowds (unless you go in half-term) and the weather is generally dry. You also get to visit EPCOT's International Festival of the Arts.
What are the Walt Disney WorldResort parks?
Magic Kingdom Park
Epcot
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park
Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park
Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park
Getting there and around
Getting to Walt Disney WorldResort requires a little bit of forward planning, particularly when you’re staying outside of the parks. We recommend hiring a car for ease of getting around – which our concierge team can help you with.
Some resorts offer complimentary shuttle service to the parks, but for the most part, we highly recommend you hire a car to get around. If you'd like more resort-specific information, head over to our Florida page.
You're able to get the LYNX bus service to suburbs around Orlando, as well as taxis, Uber or Lyft. LYNX buses will drop you off at Disney's Transportation & Ticket Centre near the Magic Kingdom, and then you can take the park's monorail or ferry to the entrance point and other bus stations.
You can walk between Disney's Hollywood Studios and Epcot, and you can also get a monorail between Epcot and Magic Kingdom. However, the other parks aren't within walking distance of each other, so you'll need to take advantage of the bus system if you're planning to park-hop.
How do you get around Walt Disney WorldResort?
There are various transport options to get between the parks – you can use the bus, monorail, water taxis and ferries. Be sure to check the resort's app for live timings.
Family and kids
While you can visit a Disney park at any age, many family trips revolve around the kids. That being said, it’s hard to know what age your child should be before you take them to experience the magic. Here we talk about which park is good for what age, how to find the characters, and more practical information to make the most of your trip.
Magic Kingdom is your best bet, as many of the rides don't have height restrictions. There are also plenty of character meet and greets, shows and a parade to keep them entertained.
Both children and adults can have a great time at Walt Disney World Resort, no matter their age! However, we'd say the best age to take your child is around 6/7 years old - they'll be big enough for most rides, but still young enough to be fully immersed in the magic!
Characters can be found across the resort, with some having dedicated meet and greet locations in attraction-like spots, while others pop up in areas related to their story e.g. Belle can be found in EPCOT's France pavilion. Consult the My Disney Experience app for exact information on where and when you can meet the characters.
All guests can walk through the castle to get to Fantasyland, enjoying the mosaics on display. You can also dine inside it at Cinderella's Royal Table, but reservations fill up fast - you have to be ready 60 days in advance to secure your spot! There's also a Cinderella Dream Suite that some extremely lucky guests get to stay in, but this is a gifted experience and can't be bought.
A single stroller works out at $15 a day and a double stroller is $31 a day. You can save money by renting them for the length of your stay - single strollers then go down to $13 a day and double at $27.
Which Disney park is best for kids?
All the parks are suitable for children of all ages. Magic Kingdom Park is extra special, as this is where most Walt Disney World Resort characters can be found.
And for adults?
Disney’s Hollywood Studios for thrilling rides and Epcot for food.
Theme parks
Whether you and your family favour the princesses, pirates, heroes or villains, there's something for everyone at Walt Disney World. Boasting dedicated lands for some of film's most beloved stories, you can travel from the Star Wars planet of Batuu to Andy's Backyard in a matter of seconds. Let the magic begin!
You can currently park hop after 2pm. However, due to the time it takes to get between each park, we would advise visiting one park per day so that you can get the most out of them - especially if you're only visiting for a week. For longer trips, you may prefer to spend a morning in Fantasyland, an afternoon in Pandora and the evening strolling down Hollywood Boulevard - the choice is yours!
Magic Kingdom Park has the most attractions and rides, totalling over 40. This is why we'd advise starting and ending your trip here to make sure that you hit them all! You also can't beat that first walk down Main Street USA with Cinderella Castle looming in the distance.
What are the locations of Walt Disney World Resort parks?
The one that started it all, Magic Kingdom opened its gates in 1971 and has been delighting guests young and young at heart ever since. It's designed around a central hub system, where different themed lands extend out from the iconic Cinderella Castle. With the worlds of yesterday, tomorrow and fantasy ready to explore, where will you venture first?
One for the film fans, Disney's Hollywood Studios pays tribute to the "Hollywood that never was, and always will be". Guests will enter down Hollywood Boulevard before heading towards an authentic replica of Grauman's Chinese Theater. From there, you can singalong to Frozen songs, ride a super-stretch limo with Aerosmith and even jet off to a galaxy far, far away and fly a Millennium Falcon!
EPCOT was first imagined by Walt Disney himself as a futuristic city (hence the name: Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow). However, it evolved into a park with two distinct sections. Future World allows you to build your very own car, take a trip to space and dive under the sea. World Showcase is composed of 11 country pavilions, serving authentic cuisine and selling themed merchandise.
The biggest park of them all, Disney's Animal Kingdom is home to over 1700 animals - and you can see them in their natural habitats on Kilimanjaro Safaris! You'll also get to discover Avatar's world of Pandora, fight off a yeti on Expedition Everest, and celebrate the music of The Lion King in a dedicated, interactive show.
Perfect for the water babies among the family, Typhoon Lagoon boasts beaches, a lazy river, and plenty of thrilling slides. However, the main attraction is definitely the surf pool, with those brave enough wading out and waiting to be churned up by continuous frothy waves.
A fun way to cool down on a hot summer’s day, Blizzard Beach boasts high-speed rapids and toboggan racers among its attraction list. Love heights? Head to Summit Plummet where you'll freefall plunge down 12 floors.
Our team of wedding consultants are here to help! Whether you are looking for a traditional Chateau in France, a rustic and romantic Farmhouse in Italy or a good old-fashioned Grand Manor Estate in the English countryside, our team will help you find the right one for you. Although personalised and bespoke, this service is also complimentary. Give our specialists a call today or fill in the form below and they will get back to you!
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Oliver's Charter
Hand-Picked by Our Destination Experts
They have all lived in the country that they look after. And with an average of over 15 years' experience in their area, our Destination Experts have the ultimate insider secrets.
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We ensure every house meets the 10 demands on the 'Oliver's Essential Checklist'. From WiFi and hot tubs to the less tangible 'unique characteristics', only 2% make the cut.
Outstanding Quality & Value
Quality and character nab the top spot when it comes to adding to our portfolio, but great value for money is a close second, with all our villas going through a thorough competitive analysis.
