Disney World magic kingdom itinerary & experience

Visiting Dinsey World in Orlando is something that will stay with me forever. Being taken back to the happiest days of my life and my childhood is really precious and I’m so happy that there is a place in the world that can take us there and evoke these memories.

Actually, it’s not just a place, it’s more like an entire city devoted to happiness. Orlando and the Disney World is so beautiful and I must add quite large so to save you some time when researching and organising, I wanted to share our 5-day itinerary. There is so much to do and see that you truly need to organise yourself before heading to Orlando. In case you missed it you can read about how to get there and where we stayed in this Visit Orlando blog post.

So here it is our fully packed itinerary and I truly hope it helps you. Visiting Orlando was such a beautiful experience that everyone should experience at least once in their life. Please feel free to leave comments below should you have any questions about it 🙂

Day 1

Universal Orlando Resort

We started with a Universal Orlando Resort located on 6000 Universal Blvd. Orlando, FL 32819. Upon the arrival, you are required to pick your tickets up from the guest service and you can expect to queue for a few minutes here since its the main entrance to the Universal’s Islands of Adventure. Bear in mind the PARK HOURS which are Universal Studios Florida: 8 a.m. –7 p.m and Universal’s Islands of Adventure: 9 a.m. –8 p.m. The resort is comprised of Universal Studios Florida, Universal’s Islands of Adventure and Universal City Walk. We spent half a day exploring before heading out for some shopping and dinner. Here is a breakdown on each part and what you can expect.

Universal Studios Florida

12-2pm

Universal Studios Florida similar to the one in Hollywood features main attractions from blockbuster films and hit television shows based on pop-culture icons that most of us are familiar with. You can get lost in the Beverly Hills or explore NYC, go and grab a Krusty burger in Springfield or infamous Mel’s Drive-In and join the ranks of the Minions. It’s a beautiful place where you will want to stop and take loads of photos for your Instagram.

Also, there is Diagon Alley from The Wizarding World of Harry Potter bringing even more of Harry Potter’s adventures to life!

Universal’s Islands of Adventure

2-5pm

Has some of the most innovative rides and attractions ever made on seven themed islands: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Marvel Super Hero Island, Toon Lagoon, Jurassic Park, The Lost Continent, Seuss Landing and Port of Entry. We couldn’t help but try and win a teddy bear and enjoy a butterbeer at the World of Harry Potter. Photography is not allowed on any the rides so make sure you bear that in mind when going on.

Universal City Walk

5-8pm

The entertainment complex Universal CityWalk is located outside Universal theme parks. It’s a perfect spot to do some shopping and enjoy dinner and its open until 2 am. You will be spoiled for choice here as the complex features famous restaurants such as Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville, NBC Sports Grill & Brew and more. Other delicious dining options include The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium, Vivo Italian Kitchen, Antojitos Authentic Mexican Food, Hot Dog Hall of Fame and Red Oven Pizza Bakery.

City Walk highlights nightclubs for every spirit including Red Coconut Club, Pat O’Brien’s Irish Pub, Bob Marley’s Tribute to Freedom and Hard Rock Live.

Shopping wise Orlando has so many amazing outlets and the Universal City Walks includes Fossil, The Island Clothing Company, Quiet Flight Surf Shop and universal Studios store. It’s a perfect spot to grab a few gifts.  for your loved ones.

Day 2

Walt Disney World Resort

We dedicated an entire day to the Walt Disney World Resort as there is so much to do and see. I have added things in order of our experience and described everything you can find in each of the areas. The entire resort is so well organised and connected but it may be easiest to travel by car in between the parks.

We collected our tickets from one of the Will Call windows at the entrance to the Magic Kingdon and we had an unlimited admission to all four theme parks for 1 day

PARK HOURS Magic Kingdom Park: 9 a.m. –6 p.m; Epcot: 9 a.m. –9 p.m; Disney’s Animal Kingdom: 9 a.m. –8 p.m; Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 9 a.m. –8 p.m.

Magic Kingdom

10-2pm

The first thing we did after arriving at the No. 1 theme park in the world is purchase Minie Mouse Ears. They don’t come cheap but it’s my main souvenir from the Disney World. Plus I love them. The Magic Kingdom features seven magical lands with attractions, restaurants and shops based on favourite Disney themes. Popular attractions include Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Space Mountain and Mickey’s Philharmagic. Be sure to explore Fantasyland, with new takes on Dumbo and a roller coaster within the Storybook Circus area.

Our favourite experience was the Under the Sea, Journey of the Little Mermaid where you can also get a chance to meet the Little Mermaid. As predicted we spent quite a lot of time outside Cinderals Castle trying to nail that perfect Pinterest shot and I hope we did 🙂

There are many themed restaurants including Beauty and the Beast and the Princess Fairytale Hall –which allows guests to meet Aurora, Cinderella and other Disney princesses in the Castle Courtyard located in the centre of Fantasyland.

The dreamiest was to watch the evening fireworks show which was so spectacular. We watched it from our hotel’s balcony as we saved our main firework performance at Epcot. This was the most emotional firework display I’ve ever seen and it was all about bringing the world together.

Disney Animal Kingdom

2-4pm

We drove 12 minuted to the Disney Animal Kingdom and since we spent quite some time at the Magic Kingdom we decided to quickly check out the Animal Kindom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios and save the rest of our time for Epcot.

The Disney Animal Kingdom offers exciting adventures and unique encounters with real, exotic animals, plus one of a kind experiences with fictional animals and with giant dinosaurs from the prehistoric world. Sunset Kilimanjaro Safaris has been extended for a new nighttime adventure. Here you can literally travel through the African savanna amid the magically extended orange.

There is so much to do and see here and we wish we had more time especially as I wanted to experience a new Avatar-inspired land, Pandora -The World of AVATAR. You can literally spend the entire day here and have so much fun.

Epcot

4-9pm

I have to admit this was one of my favourite parks. The Epcot is 11 different nations at World Showcase offering a kaleidoscope of nations –The American Adventure, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, Norway and the United Kingdom brought together to celebrate the cultural heritage.

Newest to the park is Frozen Ever After, based on the popular film and located in the Norway pavilion.

Luckily we were there during Epcot International Food & Wine Festival featuring over 40 destinations. Destinations are located throughout the park, each offering unique dishes and beverages inspired by cultures from around the world.

We walked around taking our time to savour as many different dishes as possible and finally settling in for a dinner in England. I had fish and chips and Ashley opted for curry. We watched fireworks feeling so grateful for this amazing experience.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

We sadly didn’t have time to go to the Disney’s Hollywood Studios but I still wanted to share what it actually is.

This is a theme park with a complete motion picture and television studio. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, and Toy Story Midway Mania are among classic attractions. As well as the Star Tours attraction, featuring adventures complete with new Star Wars destinations and out-of-this-galaxy characters like C-3PO, R2-D2 and Darth Vader in Digital 3-D. The all-new Toy Story Land recently debuted, taking you into the world of the Disney/Pixar film.

If you are a movie buff then make sure you don’t skip this park.

Disney Springs

Sadly we also missed Disney Springs which are located on 1486 Buena Vista Drive Orlando, and only 8 minutes drive from the Hollywood studios. Disney Springs features an eclectic mix of unique boutiques, Disney eateries and jaw-dropping entertainment experiences. There are over 50 Disney-themed shops, boutiques and kiosks where you can find all the toys and presents for your loved ones.

Day 3

The Mall at Millenia

12-3pm

The Mall at Millenia is every girl’s dream. Located on 4200 Conroy Rd. Orlando, it’s an ultimate retail therapy stop. Here are some of the stores you can find here: Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s and Macy’s, Chanel, Gucci, Crate & Barrel, Burberry, Tiffany & Co and way more. The 1.2 million-square-foot space is not easy to cover but very satisfactory especially as they have big outlets saving you few pennies along the way on your favourite designers. If you’re into fashion, make sure you add The Mall at Millenia to your to-do list.

ICON Orlando 360

3.30-4pm

13 min drive from The Mall at Millenia at 8375 International Drive Orlando, you will find ICON Orlando an observation wheel providing some of the best views of Orlando and Central Florida.  ICON Orlando 360, a retail, dining and entertainment complex centred by a 400-foot-tall observation wheel called the ICON Orlando, along with Madame Tussauds Orlando and SEA LIFE Aquarium. The music is lovely and we enjoyed a glass of champagne on a 20-minute ride.

Madame Tussauds

madame Tussauds is within the same complex and even though we skipped it, it can be a lovely addition to your adventure. For those who don’t know, this is the world’s most famous celebrity wax attraction museum.

Sugar Factory Orlando

5-7pm

After our ICON ride, we popped next door to the Sugar Factory for a session of what I literally describe a guilty pleasure. This is a celebrity favourite spot can sure satisfy the sweetest tooth cravings. Signature treats include a number of celebrity-endorsed Couture Pops, smoking Goblet Drinks, candy infused cocktails, and the one-and-only King Kong Sundae with 16 scoops of ice cream, tasty toppings, and even sparklers!

This spot is perfect for girls’ night out, birthday and bachelorette parties and really got us in a happy mood. It could be all the sugar we consumed.

Day 4 & 5

Day 4 and 5 we leisurely spent mainly relaxing and eating and drinking as well as fitting in some work. Editing this much content is not an easy task but here are a few spots that we can recommend you visit whilst in Orlando.

Blu on the Avenue

Located at 326 S Park Avenue, Winter Park, Blu is a modern restaurant offering fresh seafood, prime steaks and classic cocktails. I love fusion restaurants and the fact that their sushi is made to order on the spot.

This a perfect lunch spot as there is something on the menu to satisfy any taste. You can have a look here.

Park Avenue

One minute walk from the restaurant is Park Avenue.  A brick-paved boulevard with quaint outdoor cafes, upscale shops, boutiques and much more offers a lovely spot to stroll down. You can tase some of the nicest American delicacies here and pop to one of the cafes that catch your attention. A leisurely stroll is recommended here 🙂

The Wine Room

We popped over to The Wine Room which is an upscale spot offering a wine store, a wine bar with more than 150 varieties of wine and deli making it a great place to unwind and socialize with locals. They have an exclusive state-of-the-art Enomatic wine-serving system, which allows you to purchase a smart card and dispense wine with the touch of a button in three serving sizes. Let’s just say we didn’t need much convincing.

This half a day we decided to dedicate to our hotel Four Seasons because truly it’s such a beautiful resort that we couldn’t help a spa and pool session. We ordered food by the pool and just enjoyed a full morning and half a day of peace and quiet before heading back home.

More photos can be found on my Four Seasons post.

I hope you enjoyed reading this long post. I really tried not to take many photos as I always end up with tons of content, but we couldn’t help ourselves. Visiting Orlando and experiencing Disney World was truly a magical experience and I can’t wait to return with my family.

I hope you enjoyed reading and let me know if you visited o planning to visit Orlando soon.

Tania xxx

This post is in collaboration with Visit Orlando.