It makes sense where Walt Disney World’s nickname comes from; the Most Magical Place on Earth can, indeed, feel as large as its own planet!
Any place as massive and immersive as Disney World can be intimidating and overwhelming, especially for those only visiting for a short time.
For many guests, a week at Disney World is just about the sweet spot in terms of length, but is it really possible to do everything in Disney World in a week?
Obviously, if you’re planning a vacation to Disney World, you want to see, do, and eat as much as possible in the time that you have there. There’s a lot happening here, though!
For residents in Orlando and central Florida in general, it’s certainly possible to do everything Disney World has to offer, but that comes with time. You’d be hard-pressed to find an Orlando local who jam-packs an entire week in Disney World!
For the vast majority of Disney World guests, though, they don’t have the luxury of time. So when it comes to planning a week-long vacation here, the issue of tackling as much as humanly possible comes into play.
Basically, it all boils down to your stamina, determination, sheer will, and luck (considering things like restaurant reservations, Remy’s Ratatouille Virtual Queue, and Disney Park Pass Reservations are somewhat out of your hands), but if we’re being technical here, then, no, it isn’t exactly possible to do literally everything in that amount of time.
Think about it: if you tally up the rides, attractions, shops, restaurants, events, and activities, it just mathematically doesn’t make sense. Unless you’ve got a literal Magic Lamp with your own Genie capable of bending time and space, you’ll inevitably miss out on a large chunk of things by week’s end.
But here’s the good news — and the flexible news — if your idea of “doing everything” in Disney World is more focused on a single thing, like rides or a bucket list of must-have snacks, then this task becomes much more attainable!
For the most realistic approach, though, let’s dive in and break down the best way to maximize your time at each park:
Magic Kingdom
Obviously, access to specific parks depends on Park Pass availability, but for the sake of this exercise, let’s assume you’re able to get into all of the parks at least once.
On the first day, you’d be wise to visit the OG Disney World park, Magic Kingdom. Get there at rope drop, and make a beeline to the most popular ride, the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, with a quick stop at Main Street Bakery for a Mickey Cinnamon Roll.
From there, you should be able to hit up the rest of the park’s most popular attractions (e.g. Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, The Haunted Mansion, Peter Pan’s Flight, etc.) with relative ease.
Have a Corn Dog Nugget lunch at Casey’s Corner and a Grey Stuff Cupcake from Gaston’s Tavern for dessert.
Stock up on merch and ears at Box Office Gifts and The Emporium, then while away the afternoon on whichever rides you haven’t done yet (don’t forget Pirates of the Caribbean, Big Thunder Mountain, and the PeopleMover!).
Cheshire Cat Tails or spring rolls make great late-afternoon snacks or dinner appetizers. If you weren’t able to snag a reservation for Be Our Guest or Cinderella’s Royal Table, then try and get in to Jungle Navigation Co., Ltd. Skipper Canteen for some Lost and Found Soup and Dr. Falls Signature Grilled Steak.
Afterwards, you’ll be conveniently close to Aloha Isle for some Dole Whip before closing out the day with a fireworks show.
EPCOT
For your EPCOT day, you’ll have some extra time in the morning, since the park opens later than the others. Maximize this opportunity by strolling around Disney Springs with a donut from Everglazed Donuts and Cold Brew.
Once the park opens, hit up some of the World Celebration, World Nature, and World Discovery rides first, like Spaceship Earth, Soarin’, and Test Track, before making your way toward the main attraction: World Showcase.
Depending the time of year you visit, there’s a good chance there will be a festival of some kind happening, so be sure and snag some snacks as you bounce around the pavilions, with stops in Norway for Frozen Ever After and Mexico for Gran Fiesta Tour (and a margarita from La Cava del Tequila).
Some solid meal options for Table Service restaurants include Rose and Crown Pub in the UK Pavilion, Tokyo Dining in Japan, La Hacienda de San Angel in Mexico, and Le Cellier in Canada. Just remember to save room for School Bread dessert!
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
You’ll be up early this day to head straight to Rise of the Resistance, so you’ll be wide awake to arrive right at rope drop.
Once you get Rise under your belt, stop at the Trolley Car Cafe for coffee and a snack, and then check wait times for the more popular attractions: Slinky Dog Dash and Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway.
By this point, you’re ready to start day drinking. You can do so with beer at BaseLine Taphouse, a Manhattan at The Hollywood Brown Derby (the outdoor lounge is much more casual and accessible, in case you aren’t able to get a lunch reservation), or some spiked Blue Milk from Milk Stand, which will scratch your Star Wars itch in case you can’t get into Oga’s Cantina.
In Galaxy’s Edge, Ronto Roasters is a solid lunch option, followed by a little shopping spree and a ride on Smuggler’s Run. Then loop through Toy Story Land for Toy Story Mania and a Lunch Box Tart.
Later in the afternoon, meander along Sunset Boulevard to ride the essentials: Tower of Terror and Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster.
From here, you’ve got plenty of time for shopping at any number of places, followed by an afternoon snack from Dockside Diner, which just reopened with Seaside Brownies!
You should still have time to ride the easier-to-get-onto attractions, like Star Tours, Muppet*Vision 3D, and Alien Swirling Saucers, before hopefully getting a dinner res at Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater or The Hollywood Brown Derby.
Animal Kingdom
One of the easier parks to get into shouldn’t be too much of a challenge to maximize.
Arrive bright and early and speed walk to Pandora to ride Flight of Passage and Na’vi River Journey, two of the park’s most popular attractions.
Before you get too Avatar’d out, stop at Satu’li Canteen for Cheeseburger Pods or a customizable salad bowl, paired with a Night Blossom from Pongu Pongu.
Exit Pandora, and mosey through Africa for Festival of the Lion King and Kilimanjaro Safaris, followed by a sweet treat from Zuri’s Sweets Shop.
Continue to Asia to ride Expedition Everest and Kali River Rapids, with a walk through the Maharaja Jungle Trek to spot tigers, bats, and exotic birds!
Speaking of birds, be sure and witness the bird show at Feathered Friends in Flight just around the corner!
For an afternoon snack, swing by Eight Spoon Cafe for…a Pulled Pork Jelly Doughnut Sandwich, then work it off by hustling through some shops like Island Mercantile.
You’ll still have time to brave the Dinosaur ride and It’s Tough to be a Bug before winding down with dinner and drinks at Tiffins — or Nomad Lounge next door if reservations aren’t available.
While you aren’t able to technically do literally everything, this is a surefire way to maximize your time in each park as much as possible, while remembering, of course, to round out your week with meals and snacks at Disney Springs and some quality pool time at your Disney resort! Happy vacation!
Disney Shares More Details on Genie Planning App
Do you think YOU have what it takes to do everything at Disney World in a week? Let us know in the comments!
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My sister and I did everything in a week back in 2019. Although we did have fastpasses so I guess it may be a bit different now