Disney World can be one of the most magical places on earth. I use the world can because lets be honest- it can also be the most stressful! I hope you can take some of my tips and suggestions and it can help you with your trip planning. We honestly had the best time with the girls and I left with my heart so full because of the joy they had. It was the best trip & I actually cannot wait to get back!
Where We Stayed at Disney World
For this specific trip to Disney World, we stayed at the Art of Animation. We stayed here with all of our extended family so it was a great place for a large group. The only other place we have stayed is the Rivera. The Rivera is NICEEEE but not nearly as kid friendly or budget friendly. I loved Riviera and would highly recommend it, but with a party of 14 in tow it just wasn’t the best option for this trip. Art of Animation is 100% geared towards kids. They have the most pools then any other Disney Resort , splash pads, an arcade, and it is just a little more chill environment. The characters are larger than life and there is always music playing- the environment is truly unmatched.
What We Did at Every Park at Disney World
This changes at every park, but we had plenty to do at each one. Here is what we did in each park each day with a 3 1/2 year old and 16 month old.
Day 1
Animal Kingdom – Na’vi River Journey (we did this twice right when we got to the park) the kids loved it. Stopped for danishes and to play the drums before the Safari. Next, a character meeting with Mickey and Minni. Lunch, then the Nemo show and Triceratops Spin. We also waited to see Pocahontas on the River. Dinner and then my in-laws stayed with the kids and some adults did Avatar Flight of Passage which is officially my all time favorite ride!
Animal Kingdom is super fun when it gets dark in Pandora because it lights up, but we ended up getting on the buses and going back to the hotel. I stayed with Jade and put her down and Eloise went to see fireworks with Andrew and the family at Epcot.
Day 2
Then we did a pool/rest day and ate at the Boat House in Disney Springs. 10/10 recommend eating here because the food and the service was so good. I would say getting a reservation ahead of time is key – especially with larger parties.
Day 3
Magic Kingdom – Started with lots of family pictures in front of the castle, which the kids did not love, but we needed to get them before we all turned into hot messes. We then went to The Little Mermaid ride -not one but TWO times. Next rides on the list was the Merry-Go-Round followed by Tea Cups. While waiting for lunch Andrew saw there was a line to meet Merida, the princess from Brave, so we got in line to meet her-which Eloise LOVED! Next was Jungle Cruise, Aladian’s carpet (we got to wave at Jasmine) and the Tiki Room – we mainly did for the AC because your girl was hot. It was getting pretty hot so we let the kids play in the splash pad by Dumbo to cool off. Changed clothes (which HIGHLY recommend packing a change of clothes) and did Barnstormer and small world). Then it was time for the big girls at Bippity Boppity Boutique. This was great because we thought we would let them look like Princesses and then go see all the princesses ,but Cinderella, Rapunzel and Elana all came to see the girls while they got ready. Absolutely one of my favorite memories of the trip. While we did this, Andrew took Jade to meet Mickey and Minnie with her baby cousin. Then we slid over Enchanted stories with Belle, super cute! Then of course the Little Mermaid again and tacos at Peco Bills. They were super yummy and everyone could sit. Half the group went home because it was getting late and the other half went to ride Pooh before Fireworks. Then, you guessed it- Little Mermaid for the girls one last time- could you tell the girls favorite ride?
Day 4
Today was another Rest and Pool Day then we had Character dinner at Chef Mickey. I know this is probably an unpopular opinion but I think there are cheaper and better options. Our kids just wanted to dance and have fun with the characters, but this was very much a sit down and eat and just look at the characters. We went to Tusker House in Animal Kingdom our last trip and that was right up Eloises’ alley. She was able to dance around and have the best time- I almost wish we did that again this time. Chef Mickey wasn’t worth the $ IMO, and there are more option that engage the kids! We still had fun but wouldn’t need to do it again!
Day 5
Epcot/ Hollywood Studios – Our hotel had a Skyliner that took you to and from these parks which was really fun for the kids. We got there and did Ratatouille and then got coffee and pastries at the french bakery around the corner (get there when it opens there is always a line). After breakfast we went to meet Aurora and then off to the Frozen ride. Next of course we had to see the princesses, but good grief the hour wait to meet Elsa and Anna that almost did our kids in before lunch. We follow that with lunch and face painting. On the walk to lunch we saw Snow White so stopped to say hi- you can never see too many princessess! The kids were in major need of naps at this point so we took some time to do that. Then the Epcot ball ride (could easily pass on this) and the Nemo ride a few times, when we find a ride we like.. we ride that ride ha! Then went to Hollywood and ran straight to the dance party, it was AC and they could dance their hearts out and LOVED it! They met Darth Vader, did Alien swirling saucers, Slinky dog and Toy Story Mania. We ate just a quick service dinner in the Star Wars area and did Rise of Resistance ( which was a cool experience) before Fantasmic. Fantastic is such a fun show- it can get VERY crowded and loud, so just prepare for that.
Outfits We Wore
Disney World Tips & Tricks
-We use my good friend Lia (from @onthebrinkofadventure) to help book our trips in the past. She is amazing and helps book dining, tickets , etc. It is a free to you service & truly helps relieve so much stress when planning a trip to Disney World.
-I would 100% recommend genie+ pass. It definitely costs more ( and feels like one more thing to pay for), but not having to wait in line was worth it. We were able to get lightening lane passes, fast passes, and barely waited in any lines. We zoomed around essentially hopping right on the rides.
-Even though it’s Feb the pools are heated so the kids were able to enjoy it comfortably.
-I would recommend COMFORTABLE walking shoes : brooks, hokas, on clouds- because you average 20k+ steps a day!
-I would pack extra clothes & pajamas to change the kids in to while they watch the fireworks. That was so sweet & easy!
-Here is a basic Disney World packing list that helped me while I was packing the family!
Thank you for following along & I hope this helps with your next trip to Disney World.
If you have the chance for a weekend away, check out my blog post about Chateau Elan!
