Some of our favourite things to do at Walt Disney World

Sometimes, when you’re planning a Disney holiday, it can all seem a bit overwhelming. When I was writing my post with my top tips for planning a Christmas trip to Walt Disney World, I think I touched on the fact that I’d let it all get completely out of hand and was rabidly writing lists and planning out days until Jim gently reminded me that this was, in fact, a lovely family holiday, not some sort of military operation. One of nicest things, I always find, is talking to people about their own cherished memories of their Disney holidays. And when they go all misty eyed and say ‘oh we loved XYZ’, those are the things you should be listening to. So with that in mind, here are our own misty eyed memories - some of our favourite things to do at Walt Disney World.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

I adore Animal Kingdom. The boys love it for Expedition Everest - Legend of the Forbidden Mountain, which is a whopper of a coaster, but I get all sentimental about the cute things like It’s Tough to be a Bug, and the brilliant Festival of the Lion King show too. I love how Harambe village is all so pretty and Instagrammable, and Animal Kingdom is just the loveliest place to wander at night.

Expedition Everest - if you look closely, you can spot a blurry Charlie and Amy

One of the best Instagram spots in Animal Kingdom - fichwa fellow at Harambe Market

Kilimanjaro Safaris is an absolute must do. This journey into the 110 acres of African savanna in an open air vehicle is different every single time you go and the guides are so knowledgeable. Bump down the dirt tracks while giraffes pick leaves off the trees right next to you, spot a big cat sunbathing on a rock… you won’t believe you’re at World Disney World. You can also do a night safari, which is breathtaking.

Up close and personal with a giraffe on a Kilimanjaro Safari

Pandora - The World of Avatar is an absolute work of art, and both the rides are worth the pretty long wait times (make sure you make these attractions your first choice for using your FastPass+). Riding a banshee on Avatar Flight of Passage is completely incredible, but my heart belongs to the beautiful Na’vi River Journey. This gentle boat ride through the bioluminescent forests will take your breath away. I could just do this ride over and over again.

The Na’vi River Journey

Pandora is absolutely incredible during the day, but once night falls it becomes sublime in its beauty. All the details you missed during the day magically come to life (don’t forget to look up, and look at the pathways too) in shimmering, bioluminescent colour, and it’s one of my favourite places to wander at night.

Pandora at night

And while you’re at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in the evening, you definitely need to experience Rivers of Light. Grab a drink from the Dawa bar in Harambe village (they do South African wines and some pretty awesome cocktails) and head towards Expedition Everest to the tiered seating for the most mesmerising show out over the water, featuring some astonishing technology including brightly coloured spirit animals seemingly able to come alive and leap out of the lagoon, and beautiful giant lilies that open and spread their petals in glowing colours, all created with video projections and laser animation, set to the most beautiful, ethereal score. Divine.

Rivers of Light at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Epcot

Epcot is one of those parks where the more you go, the more you discover. We like Club Cool where you can go and taste loads of different flavours of Coca Cola (for free! - watch out for the disgusting one), and we also love the Nemo and Friends Pavilion. First of all, ride on the super cute The Seas with Nemo and Friends attraction, then afterwards, take time to wander the huge aquariums (they contain 5.7 million gallons of salt water and more than one hidden Mickey). We’re all obsessed with aquariums and this one’s fabulous.

Checking out the aquarium at the Nemo and Friends Pavilion, Epcot

This leaves you in the perfect place to head to Soarin’ Around the World - definitely one of our favourite things to do at Walt Disney World favourite Disney attractions. The recently refurbished ride whooshes you across the world, and it’s the most wonderful, freeing experience as you glide over the Taj Majal and swoop lower over a herd of elephants in Africa, smelling the dirt that they kick up.

Soarin’ Around the World

I definitely think that you need to reserve at least one afternoon to wander World Showcase at Epcot. I mean, it’s not every day you get to walk around the world, plus you need to have a beer in the Rose and Crown pub in England, a crepe in France, a gelato in Italy, Tequila at La Cava in Mexico (I could go on, but you get the picture), and of course visit Anna and Elsa in Frozen at the Norway Pavilion. I adore World Showcase, especially when the International Food & Wine Festival is on and you get to taste all the little bits and pieces from the stands selling tastes of each destination (last year was end of August to mid-November, but this year’s dates are yet to be announced).

Have a beer in the Rose and Crown pub in England

Oh, and don’t miss the really cute Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros - a cute boat ride, kind of similar to Pirates of the Caribbean, in the Mexico Pavilion. Mary Blair fans will recognise some of her inspiration here (the San Angel Inn restaurant there is really good too - the food is amazing and it’s like dining under the stars, although you’re really inside!).

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Of course most people now head straight to Toy Story Land (click the link to check out my top five reasons why you need to visit), which is utterly amazing. If you can, time it so you get there early - not only will it be less crowded, but you can get some of the brilliant breakfast food from Woody’s Lunch Box (the lunchbox tarts are my absolute favourite).

Gorgeous Toy Story Land in the sunshine

I love the retro theming of Hollywood Studios, and the walk up Sunset Boulevard to the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and the Rock’n’Roller Coaster is one of my favourites. We always stop at Anaheim Produce on Sunset for one of their flipping delicious frozen cocktails. The Sunset Strawberry Daiquiri is so good (and much needed before the Tower of Terror.

Grab a frozen cocktail from Anahaim Produce on Sunset

As always, if you’re planning a Disney holiday, want advice or help with booking or anything else, there’s a ton of stuff on here (just use the drop down link from ‘travel’ at the top and click on Disney holidays). Next up, it’s Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party time!

As usual, many thanks to the lovely gang at Disney Destinations International and to Virgin Atlantic (some of our accommodation and a portion of our flights were gifted - all the rest was paid for by us). All words, photos unless otherwise stated, and opinions, are my own.