You’re going to Disney World! The first thing most people think of is going to the Disney Parks. But there are a LOT of theme parks in Orlando with a ton of famous attractions. I don’t want you to be the person standing in Magic Kingdom asking where to find Harry Potter Land. So here’s your cheat sheet to what’s in each of the Disney Parks!
| Magic Kingdom | EPCOT | Hollywood Studios | Animal Kingdom |
Walt Disney World has four theme parks: Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom. First, I’m going to go through each of the parks and give you an overview of each. Next I’ll list the different lands (differently designed and themed areas of the park) that you will find in each Disney park. Then I’ll wrap up by talking about which major theme park attractions you will NOT find at Walt Disney World, and where you should go to find them.
1. Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom is Walt Disney World’s first park, and probably the one you think of when you plan a trip to Disney World. It is similar in many ways to Disneyland, the OG Disney park over in California. In Magic Kingdom you’ll find:
- Main Street USA– themed after a turn of the century American street. This is the entrance area of Magic Kingdom leading up to the castle. You’ll find several shops and restaurants and you can meet Mickey Mouse here.
- Tomorrowland– a sci-fi or futuristic themed area with several space and technology themed rides. Here you’ll find classics like Space Mountain, the PeopleMover, and Carousel of Progress. There are also rides and meet and greets themed to Monster’s Inc and Buzz Lightyear.
- Fantasyland– if you want to feel like a Disney princess, you’ll love Fantasyland. Here you’ll find Ariel’s grotto, Beast’s castle, and Rapunzel’s tower, and Seven Dwarves’ Mine Train, all connected by a quintessential Disney fairy tale theming.
- Liberty Square– a throwback to Walt Disney’s love of American History. This area is themed after colonial America. It includes several shops and restaurants, as well as the cult favorite ride, The Haunted Mansion.
- Frontierland– head back to this wild west themed area where you’ll find two of the most popular rides in the park–Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
- Adventureland– tribal jungle theming somehow connects the Amazon river on Jungle Cruise with the Pirates of the Caribbean and Aladdin’s spitting camels. You’re sure to have an exciting adventure set… somewhere exotic.
Magic Kingdom also holds fireworks shows at the castle every night, as well as parades featuring all of your favorite Disney characters.
2. EPCOT
Originally dreamed as an actual lived-in, working futuristic city, EPCOT (Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow) is not your typical theme park. This Disney park celebrates learning, creativity, development, and the community of the world. EPCOT is divided into four main areas or neighborhoods:
- World Celebration–this entrance area of the park is designed to pull you into wonder and imagination. Fountains, the monorail loop and Spaceship Earth are all designed to wow you on your first steps inside the park. Head inside Spaceship Earth for a classic Disney dark ride.
- World Discovery–the “science and tech” part of the park. This is where you’ll find your thrill rides: Test Track, Mission Space, and the new rollercoaster: Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind.
- World Nature– this neighborhood celebrates exactly what it says–nature. Visit the Seas pavilion to see one of the largest aquariums in the US. Then check out the Land pavilion to ride through the Disney greenhouses. Soarin’ Around the World in the Land pavilion is easily the most popular ride in this area. And don’t forget to head over to the Imagination pavilion for a somewhat trippy adventure with a dragon named Figment.
- World Showcase–a more than 1-mile loop through the countries of the world. Be sure to walk back and explore each country. They are full of shops, restaurants, and live entertainers excited to teach you about their country of origin. Notable rides are Frozen Ever After located in Norway, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure in France, and my personal favorite, The Three Caballeros in Mexico.
Visit EPCOT for a day of experiences rather than thrill rides. Make the most of your day by eating snacks from around the world and taking time to watch the entertainment. Stay into the evening for fireworks on the World Showcase lagoon.
3. Hollywood Studios
Once a working film and animation studio, Hollywood Studios is a celebration of favorite movies. Hollywood Studios has been in a state of change, almost since it’s opening as MGM Studios. Because of that, of the 9 lands or neighborhoods here, most guests only pay attention to 4 or 5 of them.
- Hollywood Boulevard– like Magic Kingdom, you enter the park onto a historic American street, this time pulled directly from Hollywood. There are lots of gift shops here, but other than that it’s mostly a well-themed walk through on your way to the rest of the park.
- Sunset Boulevard– the theming here is an extension of Hollywood Boulevard, but again, most guests head down here for the attractions at the end of the road. Here you’ll find Tower of Terror, Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster, and the night time show Fantasmic!
- Echo Lake/Commissary Lane– I’m not really sure why Disney designates these as two separate areas, as the theming is the same. This area is themed like the backlot area of a studio. You’ll find several restaurants– ABC Commissary, Sci-Fi Drive-In, 50’s Prime Time Cafe, and Backlot Express. There are also two really great stage shows, Frozen Sing Along and Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular.
- Animation Courtyard– pre-pandemic this areal was home to Little Mermaid stage show, Disney Jr. Dance Party, and Star Wars Launch Bay. I think the only thing that survived is the Launch Bay, where you can meet Darth Vader, Chewbacca, and BB-8. The Chinese Theatre and Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway may be part of this neighborhood, which would be the only thing keeping this area from being a walk-through.
- Incredible Celebration– themed to the Incredibles movies, this little alley has nothing in it except some incredibly good theming and a few benches to sit in the shade.
- Grand Avenue– also known as Muppet Courtyard, here you’ll find the Muppet Show 3-D, Pizza Rizzo, and some delightful Muppets style humor
- Toy Story Land– shrink down to the size of a toy and wander through Andy’s backyard. Here you’ll find Slinky Dog Dash and Toy Story Midway Mania. The theming here is larger-than-life, playful, and full of bright color.
- Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge–sometimes we have to save the best for last. 🙂 Themed to the Star Wars universe, this is one of the most (I would say definitely the most) immersive land in all of Disney World. Everything here feels other-worldly, and the two headliner attractions, Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run and Rise of the Resistance, are not to be missed.
While there are many areas of this park that are still in process, what is in Hollywood Studios is remarkable and immersive. It’s a top destination for Star Wars fans and thrill ride seekers at Disney World.
4. Animal Kingdom
Animal Kingdom is a theme park with animals. It’s a combination of rides, entertainment, and animal exhibits. The theming of this whole park is exotic and subtle, thanks to imagnineer Joe Rhode.
Discovery Island–the iconic Tree of Life centers the park on an island of trails weaving through its roots. Here you’ll find small animal exhibits and the beginnings of the Wilderness Explorers kids activity.
- Pandora- the World of Avatar– an immersive land themed to the movie Pandora. Flight of Passage is found here, and is easily the most popular ride in the whole park. Make sure you visit at night to see the bio-luminescent plants.
- Dinoland, USA–themed after a dino-dig and the roadside tourism that springs up around it. This area is home to Dinosaur, a dark thrill ride, and the Boneyard, a children’s play area. Be aware that this area is waiting for a re-theme, and much of what was once there is closing.
- Africa– follow the nature trail or ride Kilimanjaro Safari to see some African wildlife up close. The street acrobats and the Lion King stage show are not to be missed in this area. And this is also where you can catch the train to Rafiki’s Planet Watch and the petting zoo.
- Asia–Expedition Everist’s mountain peak draws you to Asia from across the park. Ride the roller coaster or visit the tigers on the Mahrajah Jungle Trek.
Come ride the rides and see animals, all in the same park. And add in some exotic food options and great entertainment, and that’s what you’ll find at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Not at Walt Disney World
There are a few major attractions that are not at Disney World parks. Here’s where you’ll find them:
- Harry Potter lands can be found at Universal Studios and Universal Islands of Adventure
- Jurassic Park and the Velocicoaster are also at Islands of Adventure
- Avengers Campus can be found at Disney California Adventure
- Mario World is currently only found at Universal Studios Japan, but is coming to Universal Orlando in the next couple years
- Cars Land and Pixar Pier are both at Disney California Adventure
- Sea World and LegoLand are their own parks and not part of Walt Disney World property
Want to follow our experiences in the Disney Parks? Check them out here!
