Category — i. Itineraries for Walt Disney World

(Note: this is from the Disney World Genie+ Itinerary.)

SUGGESTED APPROACH TO EPCOT

Think of Epcot as being two parks combined into one: what used to be Future World (now being transformed into “World Nature,” “World Celebration,” and “World Discovery”) somewhat explores ideas, technology, and the planet Earth, and has most of the attractions; World Showcase suggests a permanent World’s Fair, with an intriguing mix of attractions, cultural experiences, themed architecture, shopping, and dining.

The favorite Disney World park of some adults, Epcot has recently deepened its attractiveness to children (historically Epcot’s weakest feature). Epcot has recently opened new attractions aimed at the younger set, including a Frozen Ever After ride, a Frozen Meet and Greet, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, and Harmonious, a Disney-character-oriented evening show, which will be shifting to a different show, Epcot Forever, on April 3, 2023 . Another broadly appealing attraction (albeit one with a 42” minimum height requirement and a bit of a motion-sickness warning), Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, also recently opened. Under construction and expected  to open in later 2023 is a walk-through Moana-themed attraction about water, Journey of Water.

Construction has led to the center of the old Future World section of Epcot being a bit of a mess, and the park still uncomfortably straddles two audiences, not yet being quite enough kid-pleasing (although much better than it was), while disappointing those whose greatest admiration for Epcot is reserved for incarnations from the 1980s and 1990s much more focused on ideas, technology, and the planet Earth.

Purely on attractions—and like Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Epcot offers much more than attractions—the best at Epcot includes (in alphabetical order) The American Adventure; the evening show; Frozen Ever After; Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind; Mission: SPACE; Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure; Soarin’ Around the World; Spaceship Earth; and Test Track. Experienced Epcot fans would likely add to this “best of” attractions list Turtle Talk with Crush in the Seas Pavilion and both the Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along and Impressions de France in the France Pavilion.

Most of these rides are accessible via Disney’s new paid systems, either “Individual Lightning Lane” (currently Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind), or Genie+ (most of the rest—not, though, The American Adventure, the evening show, or Impressions de France).

Other, more minor, rides are also available in Genie+.

Most of these better attractions are also available during Early Entry, including Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure and Frozen Ever After—although again not The American Adventure, the evening show, or Impressions de France. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind opened as a boarding group/virtual queue ride, and I expect that so long as it remains in that status, it will not be available during Early Entry. However, those eligible for Extended Evening Hours will have a special additional 6p option for booking a boarding group for Guardians during the extended hours.

While you can successfully do much of the best of Epcot in one long day, Epcot repays attention beyond the major attractions, and it’s hard to predict ahead of time what parts of Epcot will most appeal to your group. Thus, my suggested itinerary divides Epcot over two days.

EPCOT DAY 1: FIRST SATURDAY AGENDA

Your plan today is to see Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, and also two or three key Epcot World Showcase attractions, and to fit in among these what you can of other parts of Epcot’s World Showcase. You will complete your Epcot visit on another day.

You need to book an Individual Lightning Lane (ILL) visit to Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, and also Genie+ for both Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure and, if it sounds like fun to you, also for Frozen Ever After.

Your other priority today is seeing Epcot’s evening show: Harmonious until April 2, Epcot Forever, which will replace it April 3, or the third 2023 Epcot show, expected to debut later in the year.

LOGISTICS

Before 7a, buy Genie+.

At 7a, book an Individual Lightning Lane (ILL) time for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, and check the time available immediately Genie+ for Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure.  If it sounds like fun, later Sunday morning (2 hours after park open), come back to Genie+ and book Genie+ for Frozen Ever After.  Note that you may have to keep coming back to find Genie+ times for Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure and Frozen Ever After late enough to work for your park arrival time.

Book all these to begin no earlier than four hours after you expect to arrive in Orlando, and try to book Cosmic Rewind for the first hour you expect to be in the park.

Arrive at your hotel, and check in. Unless you are arriving late, your room will likely not be ready, but you can leave your bags.

Head to Epcot as soon as you can.

AT THE PARK

Your plan today is to see Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, two or three key Epcot World Showcase attractions, including its nighttime fireworks show, and to fit in among these what you can of other parts of Epcot’s World Showcase. (You will complete World Showcase on Day 2.)

You should have ILL for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, Genie+ for Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, and, if you are interested, also Genie+ for Frozen Ever After.

Those arriving late may have to thin the below to just Guardians, Remy, and the evening show.

Go through the turnstiles and pick up a park map and “Times Guide”–a schedule.

Head to your first booked ride, ideally Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, and then head to World Showcase, and while keeping an eye out for your Genie+ return times, see the pavilions starting with Mexico and going clockwise.

• Each pavilion will have some or all of shopping, special exhibits, a ride, a movie, and other special features.
• Check your map, times guide, and the pavilion itself, to see what each pavilion has.
• For scheduled events, sequence what you do when among items that are not scheduled (shops, exhibits, and rides), and bounce back and forth between nearby pavilions, so that you don’t have to wait long for the scheduled item

Have dinner from a convenient counter service. (World Showcase is loaded with them.)

Continue touring World Showcase clockwise until no later than 8:30p.

Pick a spot for the evening show. From where you are likely to be, the stretch along the lagoon between the American Adventure Pavilion and the Japan Pavilion is likely best. If you are ready well before 8.30p, then the other end of World Showcase—the area just at the edge of World Showcase and the rest of Epcot, between the Disney Traders and Port of Entry gift shops—is a great place to watch from, but it fills up much earlier and sometimes is used for special events.

Watch the evening show, and on your way out of the park, be sure to watch the lights on Spaceship Earth.

Return to your hotel.

PREVIEW OF TOMORROW

You will complete some early logistics tasks, then have the morning off before spending the first of two days at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

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(Note: this is from the Disney World Genie+ Itinerary.)

SUGGESTED APPROACH TO DISNEY’S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS

Note: Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster will be closed for refurb from February 20 into “the summer” of 2023.  This closure likely will put even more stress on an already very, very busy park.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios, at its opening in 1989, celebrated and illuminated the making of movies and TV shows in a setting of an idealized Los Angeles. While references to film, movie and animation franchises still dominate its offerings, over the last decade or so it has lost most of its “making of” attractions, and expanded its settings to imaginary places, of both this planet and other planets.

Recently completing a major expansion that includes new Toy Story and Star Wars lands, Disney’s Hollywood Studios now takes more than a day to see with reasonable waits, especially since many days of the year demand for its rides via Genie+ and Individual Lighting Lane purchases quickly can exceed supply, leading to some spectacular waits for those who are shut out. Moreover, reliable reliability issues with a couple of key attractions—Rise of the Resistance and Tower of Terror in particular—make it wise to plan a second day at the Studios just in case something breaks on Day 1…

The best attractions at Disney’s Hollywood Studios are Slinky Dog Dash, Rise of the Resistance, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster (if open), and Tower of Terror. In the next group are Toy Story Mania, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run (more appealing to deep Star Wars fans than to the general public), Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, and Fantasmic.

All of these rides except Fantasmic are accessible via Disney’s new paid systems, “Individual Lightning Lane” (currently Rise of the Resistance) or Genie+ (the rest). Among the half-dozen attractions beyond those noted above available in Genie+, none much needs Genie+, although it can be handy for the scheduled shows like Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration, and Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage.

A smaller group of these rides is available to those eligible for Early Entry. All those listed above as “best” and “next group” are on the Early Entry list, as are the minor rides Star Tours and the skippable Alien Swirling Saucers.

Given current guest preferences and wait patterns, how quickly ILL for Rise of the Resistance and Genie+ for Slinky Dog Dash, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run and Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway sell out, and how hard it can be on medium or high crowd days to get more than 2 or 3 high-priority Genie+ bookings, it can be very hard to do the Studios without substantial waits.

The most time-efficient way to visit Disney’s Hollywood Studios is to see Rise of the Resistance via Individual Lightning Lane, to see Slinky Dog Dash and Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway during or right after Early Entry (when almost everyone else in the park is heading for Rise of the Resistance), and to use Genie+ for a few other rides, with your highest priorities for Genie+ being Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run (if you are interested), Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, Tower of Terror, and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster.

While with luck you can successfully do much of Disney’s Hollywood Studios in one long day, probably missing some shows as their limited schedules can be hard to optimize, and facing some long waits, a more relaxing and forgiving approach divides it over two days.

In my suggested itinerary, your Day 1 focus is an afternoon and evening covering (mostly via Genie+) the attractions near Sunset Boulevard, interrupted by ILL for Rise of the Resistance on the other side of the park.

Later in your visit, Day 2 has you seeing the rest of the park, beginning with Slinky Dog Dash and Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway during Early Entry, your key Genie+ that day target being Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, and with more ILL and Genie+ available for re-rides of Day 1 attractions or re-booking rides that didn’t quite work out on Day 1…

DISNEY’S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS DAY 1: FIRST SUNDAY AGENDA

Your visit to Disney’s Hollywood Studios begins today. After you have done the logistics tasks in the early morning, the rest of your morning is free to sleep in and goof off, after which you will see the areas of the park near Sunset Boulevard, interrupted by a trek to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge to see Rise of the Resistance via ILL.

LOGISTICS

Buy Genie+ before 7a.

At 7a, book a time via Individual Lightning Lane for Rise of the Resistance. Take the earliest availability after noon that you can get. You may have little in the way of choices…

On Genie+, check the return times for Tower of Terror and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster (if open). If either shows availability noon or later, book the one that overlaps least with your ILL return times. If return times are still showing for the morning, refresh the Tip Board every ten minutes or so, as one or the other will start showing post-noon return times shortly. If both look about the same, pick Tower of Terror.

Two hours after official general public park open—that is at 10.30a for a 8.30a park open most days– come back to Genie+ and book whichever of Tower of Terror and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster you hadn’t already booked. Your return time will most likely be midafternoon to early evening, depending on crowd levels. If Rock ‘n’ Roller is closed, pick another available attraction–if any!–that you’d otherwise see on Day 2, considering especially Indiana Jones and Frozen Ever After, as these are the trickiest to fit in on Day 2.

Today you do not need to use Early Entry.

AT THE PARK

Arrive at the tapstiles at Disney’s Hollywood Studios no later than the opening of your first ILL or Genie+ window, unless they are 3p or later, in which case arrive by 1p.

Your plan today is to see all the attractions in the Sunset Boulevard area, including Fantasmic, and in addition Rise of the Resistance via Individual Lightning Lane. You will complete your visit to Disney’s Hollywood Studios on another day.

I can’t give you a schedule of which attractions to see when, as your Genie+ and ILL return times will shape your day, but your goal is to see and do the following:

In Sunset Boulevard:

• Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage
• Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy
• Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster (if open)
• Tower of Terror
• Fantasmic

In the nearby Animation Courtyard

• Disney Junior Dance Party (skippable if your party has no little ones)
• Star Wars Launch Bay (skippable if your party has no Star Wars fans)

Elsewhere via ILL:

• Rise of the Resistance in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge

Back on Sunset Boulevard:

• Fantasmic. Arrive at least 30 minutes before showtime, and ask the cast members where to go for Fantasmic Dining Package seating.

Check the times for Fantasmic and for Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage (most commonly on the hour into the late afternoon) at the links above to fit them in.

PREVIEW OF TOMORROW

You will have an early start for your final visit to Epcot.

Saturday  Sunday  Monday   Tuesday   Wednesday  Thursday   Friday   Saturday  Sunday

Summary of this Itinerary      To-Do List

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(Note: this is from the Disney World Genie+ Itinerary.)

EPCOT DAY 2: MONDAY AGENDA

(For the general approach to Epcot, see the beginning of Epcot Day 1.)

Today you will complete Epcot. You have no planned dining today, and no planned Individual Lighting Lane purchases, but do need to take advantage of both Early Entry and Genie+.

While you should be able to complete today without going into the evening, you may wish to stay longer, in particular if World Showcase captivates you, and/or if you are eligible for Extended Evening Hours. If you are eligible for and interested in Extended Evening Hours, you may wish to head back to your hotel in the afternoon for a nap and then return to the park for more time in World Showcase and then follow with the Extended Evening Hours.

FIRST THINGS

Before 7a, buy Genie+.

At 7a book Test Track on Genie+. You are unlikely to need Genie+ for anything else at Epcot unless you missed Remy or Frozen on your first Epcot day, but are of course welcome to use it as you wish.

Be at the park’s turnstiles by 30 minutes before the beginning of Early Entry.

AT THE PARK

When Early Entry begins, see Soarin’ Around the World

The order of what happens next depends on the timing of your Genie+ return to Test Track.

• If your return to Test Track begins in the next 30 minutes, head from Soarin’ to Spaceship Earth, ride it, then use your Genie+ at Test Track. Then ride Mission Space, and return to the “World Nature” area and see the attractions in the Seas Pavilion (the aquarium itself, The Seas with Nemo and Friend and Turtle Talk with Crush), then the remaining attractions in the Land Pavilion (Living with the Land and Awesome Planet). Fit in lunch when convenient—Sunshine Seasons in the Land Pavilion is a good choice.
• If your return to Test Track is later, then instead see the attractions noted above in the Land Pavilion and the Seas Pavilion until it’s time to head to Test Track. Do Test Track and Mission Space in “World Discovery,” next see Spaceship Earth, then complete the attractions in “World Nature” you have not yet seen. Fit in lunch when convenient—Sunshine Seasons in the Land Pavilion is a good choice

Next, head to the Imagination Pavilion and see the attractions there– Disney-Pixar shorts, and Journey Into Imagination with Figment.

If time presses, the most skippable attractions above are both of those in the Imagination Pavilion, and Awesome Planet in the Land Pavilion

Next is the completing the rest of World Showcase, starting in Canada and progressing counter-clockwise. Tour as you did Saturday night, checking out the shows and experiences as you wander.

If you are eligible for Extended Evening Hours, you may wish to head back to your hotel for a nap and then return to the park for more time in World Showcase and then follow with the Extended Evening Hours.

PREVIEW OF TOMORROW

Tomorrow you begin your visit to the Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

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(Note: this is from the Disney World Genie+ Itinerary.)

SUGGESTED APPROACH TO DISNEY’S ANIMAL KINGDOM

Disney’s Animal Kingdom combines the all-ages appeal of the Magic Kingdom with the repayment to intellectual curiosity that once was a key value of Epcot.

Its rides and shows appeal to almost everyone, but the park best showcases itself to those who also bring an interest in animals—real, imagined, and/or blue–and to those who can linger in and explore its themed environments and animal displays.

The best attractions at Disney’s Animal Kingdom are Flight of Passage in Pandora, Kilimanjaro Safaris in Africa, Expedition Everest in Asia, and DINOSAUR in Dinoland USA. In the next group are Festival of the Lion King in Africa, in Dinoland Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond and, on especially hot days, Kali River Rapids in Asia.

All of these rides are accessible via Disney’s new paid systems, “Individual Lightning Lane” (currently Flight of Passage) or Genie+ (the rest). Among the other rides available in Genie+, most notable is Na’vi River Journey—a more minor ride, but one whose lines can quickly build due to its location close to the wildly-popular Flight of Passage.

A smaller group of these rides is available to those eligible for Early Entry. Not on the Early Entry list are Kilimanjaro, Kali, Lion King, and Nemo.

Given current guest preferences and wait patterns, the most time-efficient way to visit Disney’s Animal Kingdom is to see Flight of Passage via Individual Lightning Lane, Na’vi River Journey during Early Entry, and to use Genie+ for a few other rides, with your highest priorities for Genie+ being Kilimanjaro Safaris, Expedition Everest, Festival of the Lion King, and Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond.

While you can successfully do all of Disney’s Animal Kingdom in one long day, a more relaxing (and forgiving) approach divides it over two days. In my suggested itinerary, with one exception you see the three central and eastern lands—Discovery Island, Asia, and Dinoland USA–on Day One, and the western lands Pandora and Africa on Day Two. The exception is Flight of Passage in Pandora, which I have you seeing via Individual Lightning Lane on Day One—because as sequenced, Day One has much more flexibility for fitting Flight of Passage into the flow of your visit, and if you really wish to, Day Two is designed so you can visit Flight of Passage again via Early Entry or Individual Lightning Lane.

DISNEY’S ANIMAL KINGDOM DAY 1: TUESDAY AGENDA

Your visit to Disney’s Animal Kingdom begins today. After you have done the logistics tasks in the early morning, the rest of your morning is free to sleep in and goof off, after which you will go to the park and see its Discovery Island, Dinoland USA, and Asia sections, interrupted by a trek to Pandora to see Flight of Passage.

LOGISTICS

• At 7a, book a time via Individual Lightning Lane for Flight of Passage. Aim for your window to begin 5p or later, and no earlier than noon.
• Today you do not need to use either Genie+ or Early Entry.

AT THE PARK

Arrive at the tapstiles at Disney’s Animal Kingdom by noon. Your plan today is to see all the attractions in the center and on the east side of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and in addition Flight of Passage in Pandora via Individual Lightning Lane. You will complete your visit to Disney’s Animal Kingdom on another day.

Today’s itinerary has a fixed beginning and end, but is otherwise not much structured, as much will depend on both the timing of your Flight of Passage window, and also how well the times of the shows you will be seeing line up against your general progress.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom is generally open until either 7p or 8p. Regardless, an arrival at the turnstiles of around noon will set you up for a relaxing day, with plenty of time to both see the attractions and explore the various trails.

You wish to see this afternoon and evening several shows that operate at fixed times, and also another seasonal minor show that, if available,  does not begin until after sunset. For the schedule for each, before your trip click the links below, or see your My Disney Experience app. Note when they show, and the last shows for each.

• Feathered Friends in Flight (typically 30 minutes after the hour from mid-morning until mid-afternoon)
• Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond (scheduled Nemo showtimes most days are 11a, 12 noon, 1p, and   2.30p, with later afternoon shows some days)
• Tree of Life Awakenings (seasonal; if showing, typically begins about half an hour after sunset)

(At the links, click the calendar icon to get to your date, and then click “View All Times.”)

Fit these shows and Flight of Passage into the general steps below

• Begin your visit by wandering in through the Oasis, checking out anything that interest you.
• Make your way to the Tree of Life, and see It’s Tough to be a Bug.
• Sample the nature trails around the Tree of Life, and view as many as you wish.
• Have lunch at Flame Tree Barbecue
• Move to Dinoland USA and see DINOSAUR
• Ride Triceratops Spin
• (You are near Nemo, so double check the next show for Nemo.)
• Make your way to Asia
• Double check the time for Feathered Friends in Flight, which you are now near, and fit it in with the below
• See the Maharajah Express Jungle Trail
• Ride Kali River Rapids
• If wait times are low, ride Expedition Everest.
• If you’ve seen all the shows, consider dinner. In Asia, Yak & Yeti Local Food Cafes is a good choice. If it’s time for you to start making your way to Pandora, Harambe Market in Africa and Satu’li Canteen in Pandora are also popular options.
• Explore Pandora
• Ride Flight of Passage using your Individual Lightning Lane
• If you still have plenty of time before sunset, and the wait time is comparable with the time until sunset, get in line for and see Na’vi River Journey. Na’vi River Journey is on your itinerary for your second day at Animal Kingdom, but seeing it now will simplify that day.
• Return to the Tree of Life and see Tree of Life Awakenings
• If you did not see it earlier, or if you did and you wish to re-ride, see Expedition Everest (you can enter the line up until a minute or two before the posted park close).

PREVIEW OF TOMORROW

You will sleep in, and then spend the first of two days at Magic Kingdom.

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(Note: this is from the Disney World Genie+ Itinerary.)

SUGGESTED APPROACH TO MAGIC KINGDOM

Magic Kingdom is the quintessential Disney theme park, and the heart of Walt Disney World.

Inspired by the original Disneyland, it presents iconic attractions ranging from Dumbo to Space Mountain. Loved by all ages, it is especially popular with younger guests.

My pre-COVID itineraries included dining on Magic Kingdom days at four table service venues—two in Magic Kingdom and two in nearby resorts: Chef Mickeys at the Contemporary, Cinderella’s Royal Table and Crystal Palace in the park, and Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue at Fort Wilderness. As a result of all this table service time, and the fixed points they added to schedules, my itineraries for Magic Kingdom pre-COVID included three comfortable days.

Given limitations coming out of COVID, I don’t particularly recommend any table service reservations on park days. Thus, for those tall and mature enough to enjoy everything in the park, and willing and able to use Genie+ and Early Entry, all its best can be seen in two days. If you choose to add back in some of this dining, you may wish to add the third day back. Thursday is open for such an addition (if you target in-park dining, you will also need another ticket day, and a park reservation for Thursday).

Magic Kingdom has both more attractions and a wider range of attractions than any other Disney World theme park. For first time visitors with kids old enough to enjoy everything, favorites will almost certainly include many of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, evening fireworks show (Disney Enchantment until April 2, Happily Ever After thereafter), Enchanted Tales with Belle (when it re-opens February 19), the afternoon Festival of Fantasy parade, the Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise, Peter Pan’s Flight, Pirates of the Caribbean, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, and, when it opens April 4, 2023, TRON Lightcycle Run.

All of these rides that are currently open except for the evening fireworks show are accessible via Disney’s new paid systems, “Individual Lightning Lane” (currently Seven Dwarfs Mine Train) or Genie+ (the rest). Among the dozen or so rides not on the list above but also available in Genie+, most notable for kids old enough to enjoy everything are Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, “it’s a small world,” Mickey’s PhilharMagic, and The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.

Magic Kingdom does Early Entry differently than any other Disney World park. First, only two of its lands are open for Early Entry—Tomorrowland and Fantasyland. Second, almost every ride in these lands is open during Early Entry—in Fantasyland only character meets are not available, and in Tomorrowland only Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor is not open. Since Fantasyland has many very short duration rides just a short walk apart, you can knock off several rides there during Early Entry, so long as you avoid Seven Dwarfs.

Given current guest preferences and wait patterns, until Ton opens the most time-efficient way to visit Magic Kingdom is to see Seven Dwarfs Mine Train via Individual Lightning Lane, and Peter Pan, Winnie the Pooh, and Space Mountain during or right after Early Entry. Then use Genie+ for a few other rides, with your highest priorities for Genie+ being first Jungle Cruise, and then the other more popular rides outside of the Early Entry lands—Big Thunder Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Haunted Mansion. Genie+ can also save you time at Magic Kingdom on other rides, so long as you pick nearby enough rides that you don’t dissipate the wait saving by extra walking. It can also save time at the Festival of Fantasy parade for those looking for a great viewing spot, as it will permit a good viewing spot without needing to line up along the parade route so early.

Because seeing everything takes two days, and because of the value that comes from avoiding extra walking, it’s best to mostly divide the lands at Magic Kingdom over your two days. In my itinerary, Day 1 is largely focused on an afternoon and evening visit to Adventureland and Frontierland, capped off with the evening fireworks. Day 2 is largely focused on Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, and Liberty Square, and begins with Early Entry.

MAGIC KINGDOM DAY 1: WEDNESDAY AGENDA

Your visit to Magic Kingdom begins today. Your morning includes logistics tasks but is otherwise free. At the park you will see the attractions in Adventureland and most of those in Frontierland, with a side trip to Fantasyland to see Seven Dwarfs Mine Train via Individual Lightning Lane. Your last scheduled event is the evening fireworks show, Disney Enchantment until April 2, and Happily Ever After beginning April 3. If you are eligible for Extended Evening Hours, you may wish to stay for these as well.

LOGISTICS

Before 7a, buy Genie+.

Right at 7a, start looking at Genie+ return times for Jungle Cruise, aiming for a return time noon or later. Most days they will be later than noon as soon as you look, and if so, book immediately. Otherwise, book Seven Dwarfs (see below) then check back on Genie+ for Jungle Cruise every few minutes and as soon as return times cross noon, book Jungle Cruise.

Book Seven Dwarfs Mine Train via Individual Lightning Lane for a window of around 2-3p or 3.30-4.30p.

Exactly two hours after official park open (official park open will most likely be 9a or 8a, so two hours after will be 11a or 10a) check the Genie+ return times for each of Pirates of the Caribbean, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and Haunted Mansion. Book whichever of these has the latest return time. (You pick the latest as this is the ride most likely to sell out of Genie+ availability by the time you get to pick your next one.)

Today you do not need to use Early Entry. If you are eligible for Extended Evening Hours, you may wish to stay for these as well.

AT THE PARK

Eat an early lunch in your hotel, and arrive at the tapstiles at Magic Kingdom by noon. Your plan today is to see almost all the attractions in the west side of Magic Kingdom (Tom Sawyer Island is the exception, reserved for Day 2), and in addition Seven Dwarfs Mine Train in Fantasyland via Individual Lightning Lane. You will complete your visit to Magic Kingdom on another day.

Today’s itinerary has a fixed beginning and end, but is otherwise not much structured, as much will depend on both the timing of your Individual Lightning Lane and Genie+ windows. You should enter the park with ILL for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, and Genie+ for Jungle Cruise and one other ride. As the day wends on, book Genie+ for whatever is available that you have not already booked among Pirates of the Caribbean, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and Haunted Mansion.

You can book your next Genie+ whenever the first of these two events happens: two hours have passed since you booked your last one, or you have fully tapped in to a ride via Genie+.

In Adventureland, your goal is to see the following:

• Jungle Cruise
• The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
• Pirates of the Caribbean*
• Enchanted Tiki Room
• Swiss Family Treehouse

In Frontierland, your goal is to see

• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad*
• Country Bears Jamboree

In Liberty Square, your goal is to see

• Haunted Mansion*

Among these, fit in your ILL for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

You should enter the park with Genie+ for Jungle Cruise, and with another Genie+ for one of the three asterisked rides. As soon as you are eligible, add Genie+ for the other two asterisked rides.

Most will end their day with the evening Fireworks show (Disney Enchantment through April 2, Happily Ever After beginning April 3), best seen from the half of Main Street that’s closer to the Castle.

If you are eligible for Extended Evening Hours, you may wish to stay for these as well. Revisit your favorite rides from today, or the rides in other lands.

PREVIEW OF TOMORROW

You have the day off.

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(Note: this is from the Disney World Genie+ Itinerary.)

MAGIC KINGDOM DAY 2: FRIDAY AGENDA

(For the general approach to Magic Kingdom, see the beginning of Magic Kingdom Day 1.)

Your complete your visit to Magic Kingdom today. You don’t need Individual Lightning Lane today unless you wish to re-ride Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, but will be using both Genie+ and Early Entry. Your goal today is to see the attractions in Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, and Liberty Square, to see the afternoon parade Festival of Fantasy, and to complete your visit to Frontierland by seeing Tom Sawyer Island.

Your key Genie+ priorities today are Space Mountain, Haunted Mansion (unless you were able to see it on your first day at Magic Kingdom) and the Festival of Fantasy parade, where Genie will give you a better view with probably less time parked in your spot. Other Genie+ bookings over the course of your day may well save you time so long as they are within a reasonable walk, so look for nearby Genie+ availability as you become eligible for them.

LOGISTICS

Before 7a, buy Genie+.

At 7a, book Space Mountain via Genie+.

AT THE PARK

Be at the tapstiles by at least thirty minutes before Early Entry begins.

Enter the park, make your way to Peter Pan’s Flight, and ride.

Go to The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and ride it.

Make your way swiftly into Tomorrowland and check the standby wait for Space Mountain. If things have gone smoothly so far, this wait should be short. If waits are short, ride it, and afterwards, if it is Genie+, decide whether to keep your Genie+ or cancel it and replace it with another ride. If you do replace it, your priority is Haunted Mansion—or Festival of Fantasy, if you saw Haunted Mansion on Day 1.

In Tomorrowland see in this order Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, Astro Orbiter, Tomorrowland Speedway, Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor, Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover, and Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress.

You should be close to eligibility for more Genie+ eligibility now or during the above. When you are eligible, prioritize Haunted Mansion or Festival of Fantasy on the conditions noted above.

In Fantasyland, see Mad Tea Party, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, The Barnstormer, Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid, Enchanted Tales with Belle (re-opens February 19), Prince Charming Regal Carrousel, Mickey’s PhilharMagic, and “it’s a small world.”

Doing them in roughly this order will minimize walking, but lunch, your Genie+ at Haunted Mansion, and possibly other Genie+ may re-route you.

What happens next depends on what time it is, when the afternoon parade is scheduled on your visit (this itinerary assumes a 3p parade is showing), and when the last boats go to Tom Sawyer Island.

By this point you should be into early or mid-afternoon. If it’s mid-afternoon, if you do not have Genie+ for Festival of Fantasy, grab a viewing area near the part of the parade route in Frontierland by half an hour before the parade is scheduled to begin. If you do have Genie+, arrive in the Genie+ viewing area a few minutes before the parade is scheduled to begin. Then do Tom Sawyer Island, and see the attractions in Liberty Square (see next para) after that.

If it is earlier in the afternoon, fit Festival of Fantasy in around some of the Liberty Square attractions Hall of Presidents, Haunted Mansion (via Genie+, unless you saw it on Day 1) and The Liberty Square Riverboat. Note that both the Hall of Presidents and the Liberty Square Riverboat begin on the hour and the half hour. Be sure to leave time for Tom Sawyer Island—you can see the Hall and/or the Riverboat after Tom Sawyer Island.

And you are almost done! The one remaining attraction is the Walt Disney World Railroad. Board it from either the Frontierland or Main Street Station (whichever is closer) and ride it to the Main Street station, circling most or all of the park.

PREVIEW OF TOMORROW

You will complete your visit to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, with an early start.

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