Travel to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida – Episode 942

Hear about traveling to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, as the Amateur Traveler talks to a longtime Disney expert, former attorney, host of WDW Radio, and Podcast Hall of Fame inductee.

Why Visit Walt Disney World?

• Nearly 87% of Americans visit a Disney park at some point—it’s a “rite of passage.”
• Offers a wide range of experiences for all types of visitors—first-timers, families, superfans, and solo travelers.
• The sheer scale and variety of things to do mean you can’t do it all in one trip—and that’s part of the fun.

When to Go (and When Not To)

Avoid:

• July 4th (too crowded and hot)
• Summer and major holidays (peak pricing and crowds)

Best Times:

• Early September (kids are back in school)
• Early December
• February (avoid Presidents’ Day)

Disney now uses seasonal surge pricing, so timing your trip well can save money.

Where to Stay

On-Property Perks:

• Early park entry
• Immersive Disney experience continues at themed resorts
• Convenient Disney transportation (monorail, buses, boats, Skyliner)

Budget Tip:

• Value resorts like Art of Animation offer affordability and convenience.
• You can also use points at good neighbor hotels like Hilton and Marriott near Disney Springs.

How Long to Stay

• Minimum: 4–5 days to visit each of the four main parks.
• Add a day to relax or explore the resort/Disney Springs.
• Disney ticket prices go down per day the longer you stay.

The Four Main Parks (Overview + Highlights)

1. Magic Kingdom

• Classic attractions: Haunted Mansion, Pirates, Space Mountain
• New rides: Tron Lightcycle Run, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
• Lou’s Pick: PeopleMover (underrated, relaxing)
• Hidden Gem: Top of Swiss Family Treehouse at golden hour
• Favorite Snack: Main Street popcorn

2. EPCOT

• Divided into World Showcase (11 countries) + attractions
• Best dining options: Japan’s Takumi-Tei, Shiki-Sai, and others
• New attractions: Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, Moana Journey of Water
• Underrated Ride: Living with the Land
• Hidden Spot: Shady bamboo area behind Japan Pavilion

3. Hollywood Studios

• Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge (Millennium Falcon + Rise of the Resistance)
• Toy Story Land: Fun rides like Midway Mania
• Classic: Indiana Jones Stunt Show, Tower of Terror
• Underrated: Indiana Jones Stunt Show still holds up
• Fun Dining: Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater
• Secret Spot: Sunset Boulevard bench at sunset with 1930s music

4. Animal Kingdom

• Signature: Safari, Expedition Everest, Pandora (Avatar rides)
• New: Zootopia ride coming
• Lou’s Pick: Na’vi River Journey (beautiful, immersive)
• Hidden Spot: Shaded riverside seating near Asia
• Favorite Food: Nomad Lounge cocktails + bites

Water Parks

• Typhoon Lagoon & Blizzard Beach
• Great for a full-day visit—Lou prefers Blizzard Beach for theming and Lazy River

Planning Tips

• Don’t just show up—WDW requires strategy and pre-booking (dining, Genie+/Lightning Lanes, etc.)
• Use the My Disney Experience app for everything from park navigation to mobile food orders
• Lightning Lane (paid FastPass): Worth it for key attractions to skip long lines
• Consider hiring a Disney-focused travel agent (like Mouse Fan Travel) to help plan for free

Bonus: Disney Springs

• Lou calls it the “fifth park” – free entry, great food, shopping, and live entertainment
• Lou’s top restaurant in all of WDW is The Boathouse

Lou’s Top 3 Dream Changes (if he ran the parks)

1. Bring Marvel to WDW (resolve Universal licensing issue)
2. Lower barriers to affordability—make Disney more accessible
3. Expand World Showcase with countries like Egypt, Greece, and India

Final Takeaways

• WDW is magical, immersive, and nostalgic—it helps you forget the outside world.
• Best advice: Manage expectations, do your research, and plan ahead.
• Lou’s three-word summary of Disney World:
  Magical. Delicious. Heartwarming.

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Show Notes

WDW Radio
Walt Disney World Resort
 Mouse Fan Travel

Community

Good afternoon Chris,

My name is Perry, I’m both a Christian and an amateur traveler myself, but without a blog/podcast. I’ve been listening to your Bible Study Podcast for many years, I’ve probably listened to most of the episodes over the years. Then a few years ago, I learned of your Amateur Traveler podcast, I listened to a bunch of those as well. As life goes, I kind of lost track of your podcasts. However, a few weeks ago, I was flying transatlantic on AA and low-and-behold the AMATEUR TRAVELER podcast was on their seatback entertainment portal!  I was able to fill about 5 hours of the flight with some great travel podcasting content. YOU, are officially big-time! Look out Rick Steves 🙂

As a side note, the podcast on AA was about Florida. I live in Wisconsin full-time but part-time in the Tampa Bay area. If you ever need some travel advice on either of those areas, I’m happy to help.

Thanks,
Perry

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