Disney 3 Day
As you get ready for your Disney 3 Day vacation, you will be looking for ways to maximize your time in Orlando. A 3 day Disney vacation is the perfect amount of time to experience all 4 main Disney parks with a Park Hopper ticket, or to select three parks where you will spend the full day. Keep in mind that each Disney World park is meant to be a magical universe with twists, turns and unique experiences, to continue to make your visit fun and exciting no matter how many times you return. It would be impossible to see and do everything that Disney World in a 3 day or week long visit. That being said, you can visit all of the main attractions including rides and shows at each park in 1 or 2 days. This guide will help you plan your 3 Day Disney itinerary to make the most of your Orlando vacation.
Magic Kingdom: 1.5 Days
With 7 separate areas of the park to experience called the “lands” of Magic Kingdom, 24 rides, and several exciting shows, it will take you at least one and a half days to do everything at Magic Kingdom. On a 3 day Orlando vacation, we recommend choosing one character meeting experience, one parade, and an evening show after the rides have closed. That leaves you the rest of the day to journey through all 7 lands and experience as many rides as possible.
You will need to reserve character meetings such as breakfast, lunch or dinner at Cinderella’s Royal Table, so be sure to plan ahead. Pro tip: do not promise your child that he or she will get to meet a specific character until you have confirmed that character will be present that day. Instead let them know they will get to see many Disney princesses and characters at Magic Kingdom.
Magic Kingdom has 24 rides total, with 6 of them having height requirements of 32 inches (82 centimeters) or taller. Space Mountain has the tallest height requirement of 44 inches (113 centimeters). The remaining 18 rides are designed for kids and adults of all ages, so you will be able to bring baby on the ride with you.
See our full list of Magic Kingdom rides to help you plan.
Epcot: 1.5 Days
While Epcot has only 9 rides, the park has 11 countries to visit and experience in its World Showcase : Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Morocco, Japan, the United States, Italy, Germany, China, Norway and Mexico. Plus, another section of the park called Future World features more shows and rides.
If you plan to visit every country and ride every ride, you will need more than one day to visit Epcot, so we have given Epcot one and a half days, like Magic Kingdom.
At Epcot, you will be immersed in different cultures. Many agree that the best way to experience Epcot is by eating and drinking around the world. Prepare for a lot of walking at Epcot and start at the back of the park first thing in the morning while most people are focused on rides at the front. As you work your way to the front of the park, you will experience shorter wait times throughout the day.
Click here for a full list of Epcot rides.
Animal Kingdom: 1 Day
Animal Kingdom is smaller than Epcot with 9 rides and seven themed areas: Oasis, Discovery Island, Pandora – The World of Avatar, Africa, Rafiki’s Planet Watch, Asia, and DinoLand U.S.A.
Each area features one or more rides, an educational show, a wildlife landscape with real animals, or a Broadway style musical. Some areas are packed with multiple forms of entertainment. The park opens at 9 AM and closes at 5 PM, so if you get there at park open, you can see and do almost all of Animal Kingdom in 1 day.
If your kids (or you) really love learning about the different types of animals, you may want to schedule Animal Kingdom for a repeat visit if you select a multi-day Disney pass. Animal Kingdom also has some of the best rides and shows at Disney World, so if you are unable to do all the rides the first day, it is definitely worth a second visit.
Hollywood Studios: 1 Day
You can do Hollywood Studios in one day or less. However, they will be expanding the park and adding rides over the next few years, so it will likely require more time to see all of Hollywood Studios in the future.
Like Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios is also divided into seven themed areas: Hollywood Boulevard, Echo Lake, Grand Avenue, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Toy Story Land, Animation Courtyard, and Sunset Boulevard.
For now, we recommend starting at the back of the park and experiencing all 8 rides at Hollywood Studios.
Number of Days for Each Disney Park
In summary, here’s a rundown of how many days you will need for each Disney World park:
Magic Kingdom: 1.5 Days
Epcot: 1.5 Days
Animal Kingdom: 1 Day
Hollywood Studios: 1 Day or less
3 Day Disney Package
Our 3 Day Disney vacation package is on sale! Choose any Disney park tickets for your 3 day stay in Orlando. Our passion is bringing you the best Disney vacation at the most affordable price so that you can make the most of your time in Orlando, Florida. Book your Disney Vacation Package today.
