How many days should I go to Disney World for the first time?
Most Common Trip Length – 4 or 5 Days: This trip length works well for most people because you can visit all four Disney World theme parks, even possibly enjoy a second day at a favorite park, and it fits within most people's work vacation limits.
People Also Ask
Conventional wisdom says that you should spend a full day in each of the four theme parks, which would mean that you should spend no fewer than 4 days at Walt Disney World. This is our standard minimum recommendation–we usually advise doing at least 5 days at Walt Disney World, or even more if possible.
“A great Disney trip, if it's your first time, is seven to nine days,” Alder said. “Don't rush it.” Alder said travelers need at least four days to visit the parks, but staying beyond this allows visitors to see them at a more leisurely pace. Plus, there is so much more to Disney World than the theme parks, he said.
Most Common Trip Length – 4 or 5 Days: This trip length works well for most people because you can visit all four Disney World theme parks, even possibly enjoy a second day at a favorite park, and it fits within most people's work vacation limits.
Some Guests feel that Disney's Animal Kingdom park is a half-day park. But you and I know that those naysayers are incorrect! With so much to do and see throughout the park, my family and I always plan to spend an entire day at Disney's Animal Kingdom. It also happens to be our favorite of the four Theme Parks.
Just like there are more expensive times, there are also times of the year when it is cheaper to go to Disney World. As a rule, January, February, August, and September are the cheapest seasons, as long as you avoid any holidays in those months.
Take a whole rest day. It may sound extravagant to add an extra day to an already expensive trip, but recharging midway can make the back half of the trip much more enjoyable because you won't be running on fumes. And you don't have to feel like you're wasting a non-park day.
EPCOT is arguably the least family-friendly park at Walt Disney World, so you may not need more than a few hours to do everything of interest if you have small children. With that said, a full day at EPCOT is highly recommended for first-timers.
If you really just want to do theme parks every single day of your trip, then I'd suggest 2 full days at Magic Kingdom, 1 or 2 full days at Epcot, and then one day at each Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios.
Here's What Makes Animal Kingdom Great for AdultsAnimal Kingdom is a great “chill” park. While it has some fantastic rides (Flight of Passage and Expedition Everest are two of the best rides at Disney World) the bulk of the enjoyment of the park comes in between the rides.
#1 – The Best Disney Park – Magic KingdomComing in at number one is the original 1971 Walt Disney World park, Magic Kingdom! Home to the most magical castle on Earth and some of the most classic attractions in theme parks.
With so much to see and do, it's imperative that you plan to budget enough days for your Disney vacation and decide exactly which theme parks you simply must visit, so you and your family can enjoy the full flavor of the experience. In fact, the average length of stay at Walt Disney World Resort is six days.
As a general matter, Animal Kingdom is the park that requires the least strategy and is the easiest place to beat the crowds in all of Walt Disney World. It doesn't require Genie+ or Individual Lightning Lanes, and is pretty easy to knock out everything–and then some–if you stay for a full day.
Animal Kingdom is very appropriate for kids ages 6 to 12 or any kiddos who appreciate animals and nature. The park is nicely spread out, and there's definitely a slower pace here (compared to Magic Kingdom). This allows you to go at your own pace, explore the side trails, and take in the scenery.
That's how much time you should be spending in Magic Kingdom if your trip lasts a week or longer. Magic Kingdom is the only park at Walt Disney World that we believe requires two days to do everything without feeling rushed–you can do the other parks in one day each.
How much spending money will you need? Around $50 per day per person is a good start. A bit of extra cash is great for buying snacks, souvenirs, and alcohol. Disney prices are higher than regular stores, but they offer unique items and services you can't find anywhere else.
If you have Early Entry, you'll probably want to start with Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Peter Pan's Flight, or Space Mountain. We discuss the details of these rope drops in more detail in our dedicated Magic Kingdom Early Entry and Rope Drop post.
This makes the September/October 2023 a good time to visit. Even once Moana is open, we're actually expecting Walt Disney World to be relatively stable until “late 2024” when Tiana's Bayou Adventure opens. We expect TRON to keeps its virtual queue at least through the end of 2023.
The nightly rates and prices are almost always cheaper from Monday through Wednesday night — so if you want to save, those are the nights to visit Walt Disney World. Fridays and Saturday nights are often the most expensive.