Visiting Disney World is an amazing vacation experience for guests all over the world. However, due to financial reasons, work, or personal circumstances, you might not be able to spend as much time as you would like in the parks. In this article, I will give the perfect itinerary, as well as some tips along the way, on how to complete 4 Disney World parks in 2 days. Let’s get started!
1. Don’t be ambitious.
Since you have a limited time in the parks, you should understand that you will not get everything done. You must choose between doing most of the rides, entertainment/shows, characters, or if you want to bask in the ambiance. You will not be able to do all these things, but you can mix and match what you value as your “must-do’s.” For example, if you want to do most of the popular rides and meet 1 or 2 characters, per park, it’s an attainable goal.
2. You must park hop.
This is a given if you intend to finish 4 parks in 2 days. If you are an annual passholder, this is included in your pass. However, if you are a regular park guest, you can buy the park hopper addition when you purchase your park tickets, as they are suggested on the website before you finalize the ticket purchase. Remember to buy 2 park hopper add-ons, for your 2-day, 2-park tickets.
Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios
Start your morning at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. I suggest getting there early, (if you stay at a resort, take advantage of early park entry) and heading straight to Avatar Flight of Passage (ride). Then, you can use the early morning to your benefit and ride most of the rides in that park. You can also squeeze in a character meet and greet. The park itself is easy to explore in its entirety, if you value visiting the different lands it has to offer. At around 2 pm, make your way to the bus terminal and find the Hollywood Studios bus. Make your way to Disney’s Hollywood studios and enjoy the rides, shows or character meetings, depending on your personal likings. The park closes at 9 pm, so you have 7 hours to explore the park. If you choose to watch Fantasmic, (which I suggest doing), make sure to line up at around 8:00-8:30 pm so you can guarantee a spot inside the auditorium.
Tip # 3: Buy Genie +.
I highly recommend purchasing the Genie + pass because it will facilitate the experience for you. If you stay at a Walt Disney World resort, you have the benefit of purchasing the pass and making your first lightning lane at 7 am. However, because we will be park hopping, the smartest thing to do is stack your lightning lanes for the park you will do in the afternoon. In this scenario, it is Hollywood Studios. Therefore, at 7 am book a genie + lighting lane for the most popular ride, e.g. Slink Dog Dash, Tower of Terror or Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. For those “fancier” rides, aka, the Individual lightning lanes, the choice is personal. However, I advise purchasing an Individual lightning lane for Rise of the Resistance at 7 am (as well as genie +) so you have it ready to use when you get to H.S in the afternoon (you may choose to stand in line for this ride). This is all based on personal preference and what you want to do when you get to the parks.
EPCOT and Magic Kingdom
On day 2, at 7 am make sure to book a virtual queue for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. As well as that, make sure to purchase an Individual lightning lane for Tron Light cycle power run, for Magic Kingdom in the afternoon. Remember to stack your genie + Lightning lanes for Magic Kingdom, not Epcot, so that you will have rides “stacked” once you arrive.
Start your morning at Epcot (with early entry for hotel guests). Depending on your preference, take advantage of the rides’ short wait times, or stand in line for the character meet and greets which begin at 9 am. If you choose to do a couple of rides, you can enjoy World Showcase from 11 am-2pm and taste the delicious foods and drinks. At around 2 pm, make your way to the front of the park and hop on the monorail that heads directly to Magic Kingdom. This park typically closes at 10 pm, so you have 8 hours to explore it. You can either take advantage of your stacked rides or meet the characters throughout the park. If you choose to watch Happily Ever After, make sure to stand in front of Cinderella’s Castle, on Main Street or at the back of Fantasyland, 30 minutes or 1 hour before the spectacle.
Tip #4: Be up for the challenge.
You must be realistic and understand that if you want to succeed in this feat, you should be ready to take on a challenge. You must also understand that this is not particularly easy to do; it can be tiring or exhausting for some. Therefore, if you truly do not have the time to do a Disney World Park each day and prefer doing 4 parks, in 2 days, please keep in mind the difficulty of this challenge.
While this challenge can be a burden for some, for those who want to truly squeeze the juice out of their Disney vacation, this is the perfect plan for you and your family. This is a good way to make use of your limited time in the parks. May this challenge be a success for you, dear reader. Have an amazing time at Disney World!
Featured Photos: Emily Murray.
Written by
Maria Mora
For as long as Maria can remember, there was always a Disney movie playing in her house. Whether it was The Little Mermaid, Dumbo, or Tarzan, she became enthralled with all things Disney. She has visited the Disney Parks over 100 times and on different continents! Her love of Disney goes hand in hand with her love of reading, which has motivated her through the years to become a zealous writer. She hopes that whatever she does helps her community. After all, with a little faith, trust, and pixie dust, anything is possible!
