Anyone who has ever visited a theme park knows that it doesn’t take very long before your feet begin to hurt and your back begins to ache. Most of us just don’t spend that much time walking — and standing — anymore. We often tucker out quickly. So it’s no surprise that Disney has placed seating options just about everywhere. It doesn’t take a genius to know that sore bodies make grumpy guests.
But like everything that Disney does, theming is paramount. In this multi-part blog I’ll be touring all four parks and pointing out benches, chairs, and other seating options that have been themed specifically for a land or area. For the most part, I’ll be concentrating on non-restaurant seating.
Let’s start in the Magic Kingdom.
Main Street doesn’t have much general seating. This is because this thoroughfare is primarily used to enter and exit the park. Most guests have little need to sit down here as they’re too busy getting to where they’re going. However, if you do decide you need to rest your weary bones, the porch outside of Exhibition Hall has a number of nifty rocking chairs to relax on.
Also in front of Exhibition Hall you can find Goofy taking a rest from the park. Although folks should remember, this bench is more of a photo-op than a place to spend any significant amount of time.
Across the Plaza near Package Pick-up is a beautiful turn-of-the-century wrought iron bench.
Halfway down Main Street, toward the back of Center Street you can find a number of tables and chairs. If you want to escape the crowds, this is one of the best spots in the Magic Kingdom as this area is seldom busy. The furniture here has an old-time, ice cream parlor design.
In The Hub we find what I call the “basic-green-Disney-bench.” This design and color has been around since the early Disneyland days and can be found in all five Magic Kingdoms around the world.
The old Swan Boat landing offers another tranquil spot to spend some time away from the hordes. Once again, a turn-of-the-nineteenth-century theme is used for the tables and chairs.
And for you smokers, Disney has set aside one of the most beautiful spots in the park to relax and unwind.
In Tomorrowland we find a trick that Disney uses time and time again — turn a retaining wall into additional seating. Here we see a planter, designed with a ledge at the perfect height to accommodate our bottoms.
Around many of the PeopleMover (TTA) pylons, the Imagineers have created sculpture-like benches. Artistic? Yes. Comfortable? No. But when you need to rest, “hard” is better than nothing.
In keeping with the futuristic theme of Tomorrowland, this next bench has a streamlined appearance.
Near the Indy Speedway are a number of sleek and modern tables and chairs.
In Fantasyland we find more ornate benches, befitting of the old-world charm of the area.
Near Ariel’s Grotto the tables and chairs are painted in festive colors. Also notice, another planter has been used to create additional seating.
Since Winnie the Pooh lives in the Hundred Acre Wood, it makes sense that the benches and chairs located here take on a more outdoorsy look.
The seating in Liberty Square reflects its colonial roots. The second bench is rather austere.
Liberty Square also offers two places in which you can find rocking chairs. One is on the porch to the right side of Hall of Presidents and the other is just outside the Yankee Trader Shop. Both of these spots are popular with guests and it’s often difficult to secure a seat here.
As you would expect, Frontierland offers rustic seating. The support for this next bench was fashioned out of wagon wheels.
A log cabin design can be found on this next resting spot.
In the mood for a game of checkers? This table and chairs is located out front of the Shootin’ Arcade.
And finally in Frontierland, more rocking chairs are on hand along the boardwalk. If you look closely, you’ll notice these are the exact same chairs as on Main Street and in Liberty Square, only with a different finish.
Our final stop in the Magic Kingdom is Adventureland. Near the entrance to this exotic land is a large planter made of volcanic rocks. Once again, seating has been designed into the structure.
Another planter/bench can be found near the Swiss Family Treehouse. If you look closely, you’ll see some of the wrecked ship’s flotsam incorporated into the design.
Across from the Treehouse is a covered porch. Here, a number of tables and chairs provide the perfect escape from the sun. Their color and design suggest a tropical feel.
Near the Enchanted Tiki Room simple slat benches can be found. This open-air design is perfect for a hot and humid climate.
Our next stop on this seating tour is Epcot. Come back tomorrow for Part 2!
Hi, just wanted to send a huge thank you. The information about the rest areas will be so helpful to us as we have seniors and small children in our group. I loved all the pictures and the comments. Well done. Thanks again.
Hi Jack,
It’s amazing how we count on these benches for a short rest while in the parks, but don’t realize they’re themed to the area. That’s one of the many things I love about WDW. You can walk miles and miles, but can always count on a spot to rest along the way.
I’ll take a stab at why lots of us have never noticed a lot of the detail or even unusual appearance of these seating areas. When we’re at the parks, people are sitting in them blocking our view!
Thanks, Jack, for getting up early, bypassing all the rides, and heading straight for…BENCHES!
Dear Jack,
I really enjoyed this series. I agree with you that we all love the BIG WDW things but what makes it truley special is their attention to detail. Some of my greatest memories came from when we slowed down and enjoyed the smaller things. I love that each area has it’s own unique bench. We are visiting WDW in the next few weeks and we have 3 preschool children. Neeldess to say we can’t go very fast and there is a lot of times where the only “down” moment I get, is when one of them falls asleep in the stroller while the other 2 are off with Dad. One of my favorite moments this trip, just might be sitting on one of these benches. I will be able to sit down for a minute and appreicate it’s design, and perhaps take a few minutes to people watch and enjoy the beautiful scenario they have created for us. Please keep writting pieces like this, that remind us to appreicate the smaller things. Thanks again!
Wow, do I love, love, love this post! Can’t wait for part 2!
I got it in my head years ago that I wanted to do a series of coffetable books featuring various “things” that can be found around Disney. The one I kept coming back to was dogs. (You know, the dog in the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction, the Haunted Mansion, the robotic dog seen as you exit Space Mountain). Of course, I never followed through, but it’s always struck me as such a fun idea. Maybe on my trip in March I’ll take a bunch of photos and turn it into a blog!
Or maybe I’ll just wait for you to do it! LOL
Great post.
Richard/Tralfaz
Hi Jack,
I live in Vermont but have been to WDW many times with family. Last March I met relatives from California at WDW and they were amazed at the size of the parks compared to Disneyland. Needless to say every day was a marathon from opening till closing as they wanted to see as much as they could with their “guide”. About day 4 backs were aching, knees were blown out and ankles were swollen (we aren’t exactly kids any more!). The numerous benches in the parks were a blessing for us all. I am going back all by myself this March and am looking forward to exploring all the overlooked nooks and crannies at a more relaxed pace. I hope a week is enough!
Thanks, I really enjoy all your blogs! 😉
This is great, Jack! Your pictures are fabulous and this has given me inspiration for my next Disney scrapbook! My daughter and I have been to WDW 9 times since her first trip in 2001 – the latest was this past November for her 16th birthday. We had a blast looking over your photos and reliving our memories sitting on – or walking by! – all those benches and chairs! Thank you!
What a fun article! I have a bunch of fun pictures of my kids with their cousins from our last trip in April around those TTA/People Mover pylons! (Not sure how we ended up in that spot, but they were being silly and getting along!)
Great article! I’m going to slow down and take in all the little details on my next trip.
Thanks Jack!!
wonderful take on the disney magic!! now for your magic: all the rocking chairs in the photos seem to ‘rock’ as i scroll down the blog. your doing or do i need a new mouse? (honest, i’m not on any drugs!!) a fan, barb
This is interesting you are doing this article. We started on our most recent trip in December creating a photo log of all the benches/relaxing areas in WDW. We’ve taken pictures, then rated each on our personal criteria of things like, amount of shade, how populated the area is, view, etc. This is like an ongoing thing we are planning on working on each trip.
My husband and I have been taking time to enjoy the rockers on Main St. for many years. It’s amazing to watch people from all over the world having so much fun.
I have to say that I got a lot of use out of all these benches. For my trip in November, I was 6 months pregnant with twins and stopped frequently at these benches. I was so happy to have so many options – it made the visit very enjoyable for me.
What a informative article to read as we are planning our yearly trip back to the Mouse House! We are always looking for a nice spot to rest our weary feet during our treck, this is such a nice article to earmark. It was great to see the pics and to take a walk down memory lane to see all the wonderful spots Disney has to offer. Can’t wait to read about Epcot. Take care, The Ziolkowski Family
What a great article. Who would think it would be so much fun just to see all the seating options at Disney! Thanks.
I love all of your blogs. I would like to know what time of year and what time of day you took all of your photos. There are no people there. That would be the time I would want to be in the park.
You forgot to mention the chairs upstairs by the Walt Disney World Railroad. These make excellent parade viewing seats especially to be close to the characters that ride high in the sky! 🙂 Great blog!
Love the article. I knew that the benches were themed, but never looked at them all in one place. When my brother, sister, and I would come off a thrill ride, we would find mom and dad on the “bench ride” many times. Now as a young adult, me and my husband love the rockers outside Hall of Presidents. Such an old couple in our early 20s! Thanks again!!
What a great article, I really enjoyed reading it!! I missed the setting with the wagon wheels, how did I not see those! haha look for those my next trip! Looking forward to reading more!
Jack, what a great idea for an article! Having a bad back, I appreciate knowing where I can take a break. May I ask, what time you were in the park? I am amazed at the lack of people in your photos! It looks blissfully quiet.
One of my favorite places to rest my feet in the Magic Kingdom is on the top floor of the railroad station overlooking the flagpole on Main Street. It’s a great place to watch people coming and going and doing the character greetings. It’s also a good photo spot for the castle!
Old Swan Boat landing provided us with a perfect spot for my daughter to take a nap. We were able to hear and see the top of the parade while she slept. It was quiet and there was a nice breeze to cool us down. It was perfect!
Looks like the chairs in the Swan Boat landing and Adventureland under the porch are the same style chair painted to match the surrounding theming. They both work in their respective spaces though.
My wife & I met on the Virtual Magic Kingdom (I guess we broke the rules 😉 ) and she often found me sitting on benches.
Now, when we visit WDW, we often sit on the real benches together. They’re now some of my favorite attractions – especially the planter one between Cosmic Ray’s, Mad Tea Party and the Tomorrowland Speedway where I proposed to my her at the end of our first Pirate and Princess Party fireworks.
Don’t miss the bench next to the barber shop in Town Square. It’s a fun view at the tail end of a parade.
Wonderful article about a subject often used but never really thought of.
Only you could take something as mundane as seating and turn it into something fun and interesting to read about!!! Thanks again Jack!
Great article ! and now more, that my family is visiting “the world” and my mom want some spots to relax and see the people pass wile we ride some atractions!!!!!
Jack,
I swear you wrote this article specifically for my Dad. For years growing up, wherever we went, my Dad would park himself on a bench and let us do whatever we wanted. It became a joke in our family-“where’s a bench? That’s where we’ll find Dad”. This article made me laugh and I really enjoyed it. It’s nice to see all the little spots that we usually stop and have a pretzel or now that we’re older, motrin. Thanks for doing this Jack!
Hey Jack- great info-as always! I to wanted to add the spot at Aunt Polly’s, nice rockers, and the kids have some room to run and play. We just got back from our trip and spent the week in the Florida “freeze”, the dock at Aunt Pollys got lots of sunshine and helped to warm us up, on those cold days! You can also wave to the folks for the liberty bell, and that’s fun too!
Thanks for the article. You don’t often think of where you can sit & rest! This info will be useful for our next trip!
Very interesting and well thought out article!!!
Here is something that I wish Disney would change…..the area you point out as the place to sit outside the Swiss Family Treehouse. Well that is also very close to the Aloha Isle where you can get those GREAT pineapple floats. My issue? It is also a smoking area. Nothing worse than enjoying a cool float and a cloud of smoke comes by….
Ah, the rocking chairs. I’ve watched many a parade from the ones on Main Street. I never thought much about the seating in MK, especially when I was exhausted and my feet hurt. I was nice to sit in the comfort of home and really appreciate something so simple for what it really was and the detail Disney puts even in seating.
Those Main Street rockers bring back memories of waiting for DH to get out of his work conference and join me in the Magic. Great place to people watch!
Hi Jack,
One of my favorite resting spots are the rocking chairs on the porch of the Liberty Tree Tavern. If we have dinner reservations we go early so we can sit and watch for awhile. The afternoon parade goes right by too so we often can sit and watch.
Hi Jack,
Great article. I just wanted to mention two other places that we have found great seating. Aunt Polly’s Dockside Inn on Tom Sawyer’s Island has rocking chairs. We were there last August and the Inn was closed, but there was a nice breeze coming off the water and no one was there except my daughter and myself. Also, in between the Mad Tea Party and the Enchanted Grove there is a small, air conditioned alcove. There isn’t any seating, but my mom is in a wheelchair and a very nice cast member suggested we have her wait there while we went on some rides. It was cool, quiet and out of the way. Perfect for her to read her book and people watch!
Jack,
How I envy you! To be able to walk around Walt Disney World with a creative mind as to what you’ll write about next…sounds like the life! Your articles are always interesting and most definitely fun. Thanks again, as always, for sharing! Looking forward to the next one!
Jack,
Fantastic article!
As an added area for seating in the Magic Kingdom, I’d also point out that near the spitting camel and Dumbo, there is a group of seats near the bazaar store that not only allows you to rest, but is in the shade. They are in the covered hallway that runs from the bazaar back up toward the bathroom near the Dole-whip area.
I think I got that right. 🙂
Love your articles – thanks for sharing.
Hi Jack! Once again great article! I can’t wait for the next part. This really helps people know where the good places are to sit down for a few. It would be awesome if you did one on drinking fountains at the parks!
Jack
The Liberty Square rocking chairs are a firm favourite of mine. When my daughter was small and a bit cranky with the heat I would try and seek this spot out. Just sitting there with my daughter on my lap watching the world go by while Daddy and big brother were off doing other things was so relaxing. Another seat that deserves a mention is the one near the fort on Tom Sawyer Island, bliss……
Amazing idea, I don’t think anyone else would have thought about the themeing like that! And I thought that those planters just coincidentally made good seats! Cool!
Jack,
Once again a very nice, informative, and interesting article that brings a Disney World stroll to a new light. Wonderful!
Jack, super fun article! I’ve never put it together that benches were built out of pylons from the TTA or wreckage from the Treehouse. And the theming to each land! Amazing. Thanks for this entertaining article.
great article. i too have probably used most of these seating spots in MK. i can’t wait to see a seating tour Epcot seating tour!
Nice article. I’ve probably used most of the seating highlighted in this article but haven’t really given it a good look before. I guess that is a sign of the great design and theming when it can be useful but not intrusive. Look forward to the articles for the other parks. Thanks.