My attempt at visiting all 4 Disney parks in 1 day has me wondering… If you were a Disney character, who would you be?
Me—hmm, maybe Cinderella? I’m really clumsy on staircases (with the hospital bills to prove it). Or perhaps Princess Aurora because no one loves a good nap more than I do. I’m absolutely the chicken from Moana before I have my morning coffee.
But if I had to choose just one I’d say, without question, I’m Lightning McQueen—the main car from the movie… Cars. Actually, “Lightning McQueen” is a pretty sick nickname so from now on I’ll answer to nothing else. The fact that I actually do drive a red sports car is a complete coincidence.When I’m not napping, I’m go-go-going. I have only two levels: “asleep” and “fast AF”. This blog is literally about doing as much as humanly possible in any given short amount of time. That’s why when I came up with the plan to visit all 4 Disney parks in 1 day, I thought it was going to be THE FUNNEST and my husband was like, “Uhh, I think I’m coming down with something.”
This post was originally published in October 2017 and has been updated for 2020. However, Disney World is currently not utilizing Park Hopper Passes or the FastPass+ system. For more on what it’s like visiting Disney World during the Pandemic, check out my full post in that link!
Can you do all 4 Disney parks in 1 day?
So, can you even do all 4 Disney parks in a single day? Absolutely! All you need is a 1-day Disney Park Hopper pass, comfortable sneakers, and a ton of unbridled Disney enthusiasm. Also, a big ol’ coffee to start your day doesn’t hurt.
People kept telling me I was nuts. But I kept saying, “Well they sell 1-day Park Hopper passes for a reason, right?” That obviously means they want me to visit all 4 Disney parks in a single day and nothing less. Lightning McQueen doesn’t half-ass her Disney vacations. (More on the Park Hopper pass in a minute.)
At the bottom of this post you’ll find this post in the form of a free printable guide to keep you on track. It covers the basics of how to visit all 4 Disney parks in one day as well as some recommended products and helpful links.
Before we get started, I’d like to point out that, in a perfect world where vacation time and six-figure paychecks are a-plenty, I’d absolutely recommend dedicating at least one day for each Disney park. (While we’re at it, that perfect world would also include members of the Hemsworth family portraying in-park Disney princes and actual flying carpets instead of shuttle buses.)
Walt Disney World is just that—its own world. To say there’s a lot to see and experience here is the understatement of the century. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t visit if you only have a day or two. You deserve magic in your life too!
It only means you need to be more prepared and smarter with your time. Don’t worry darling, Lightning McQueen is here to help. And you’ve never had a friend like me.
What doing all 4 Disney parks in 1 day looked like for me
Our whole day’s plan revolved around our 7:40 pm dinner reservations at the Biergarten restaurant in Epcot’s Germany Pavilion. And if you say it seems like our whole lives revolve around German beer and food, you wouldn’t be mistaken.
Since we wanted to end our visit to all the Disney parks in 1 day at Epcot, we started with the farthest away park, Magic Kingdom, and worked our way down. However, Magic Kingdom also had the earliest opening time of all the parks. And that should really be the deciding factor on where to start.
Visiting all 4 Disney parks in 1 day: our schedule
7:30 am – 7:46 am: Shuttle bus from All Star Movies Resort ⇢ Magic Kingdom
7:46 am – 8:00 am: Walking to park, getting tickets*
8:00 am – 11:15 am: Magic Kingdom
11:15 am – 11:33 am: Waiting for the shuttle, we just missed it
11: 33 am – 11:50 am: Shuttle from Magic Kingdom ⇢ Animal Kingdom
11:50 am – 2:36 pm: Animal Kingdom (lunch in there somewhere)
2:36 pm – 2:55 pm: Shuttle from Animal Kingdom ⇢ Hollywood Studios
2:55 pm – 5:30 pm: Hollywood Studios
5:30 pm – 5:45 pm: Waited for water taxi, husband napped on a bench
5:45 pm – 6:10 pm: Water taxi from Hollywood Studios ⇢ Epcot Center
6:10 pm – 9:30 pm: Epcot Center (dinner from 7:30 – 9 pm)
*I had to pick up my passes from Guest Relations at the park itself. However I highly recommend saving time by pre-purchasing your park tickets at your resort. More on that in a minute.
How to do all 4 Disney parks in 1 day: 17 Steps
Step 1: Believe in yourself!
A very “Disney” way to start, no? People will tell you you’re crazy for trying to visit all 4 Disney parks in 1 day. They’ll tell you it’s exhausting or that it just plain can’t be done.
But with visiting all 4 Disney parks in 1 day as in life, don’t ever let someone tell you that you can’t do something. You can do anything you put your mind and your magic band to. You’re not alone in this journey. You’ve got a fleet of Disney shuttle buses and water taxis and monorails at your disposal ready and willing to take you where you need to go, to infinity and beyond.
You don’t need to see everything
They’ll tell you you’re going to miss so much. But who cares? No big deal! You don’t need to see everything. I’ve seen everything at Disney World already and take my word that you can go ahead and skip like 1/2 of it.
You’re an adult (*term used loosely*). You don’t need to ride the teacups or see every single parade (so. many. parades.). You don’t need to meet every single Disney character you cross paths with. There were a couple there I couldn’t even name.
They’ll say you need at least a week to experience Walt Disney World, preferably more. Okay, Ritchie Rich. Open your wallet or shut your mouth. My name is not Ashley Moneybags and I bet yours isn’t either. Your name may very well be Ashley Smith though—I think the odds are pretty good on that one.
Step 2: Stay at a Disney resort
There are so many time-saving benefits to staying at a Disney resort you’d think you were a member of a really exclusive club like the Screen Actors Guild or the AARP (What? Not everyone can get in.)
Note: The following paragraphs are going to make me sound like I work for Disney but don’t be fooled. It’s just that I really, really think staying at a Disney resort is the bibbidi bobbidi bomb.
Here are some benefits to staying at a Disney resort:
Special “Extra Magic Hours”
Guests of Disney resorts are allowed early entry into parks (one hour) and extended time in the park after typical closing times (two hours). The schedule as to which park hosts Extra Magic Hours varies each day but if you plan your day right, you’ve just earned three extra hours in your quest to explore all 4 Disney parks in 1 day. You may be able to ride the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster after all! More on that in a minute.
Free transportation
Not only can you take free shuttle buses, water taxis, and the monorail between the parks at no extra charge, you can also take a free shuttle to all of the parks from all of the Disney resorts.
If you had to drive+park+walk every time you wanted to change parks, your 1-day 4-park Disney quest would be an absolute trash heap. I’m pretty sure Disney park parking lots are where episodes of Snapped are born.
Advance ticket purchasing
Waiting in line at a park to buy your Park Hopper pass for the day is wasted time. And what do we need when we’re attempting to visit all 4 Disney parks in 1 day, soldier? AS MUCH TIME AS WE CAN GET. SIR! Instead, get your ticket(s) at your Disney resort’s concierge desk at any damn time you want, day or night.
Extra FastPass+ privileges
With the FastPass+ you can reserve your spot in line for rides, entertainment, and character meet-and-greets up to 30 days in advance of your visit. If you stay at a Disney resort, that becomes 60 days. That’s a whole ‘nother month to plan your day but then completely forget what the hell you’ve chosen because that’s actually an absurd amount of time to wait in line for Space Mountain.
Gift shop / souvenir magic
If you want to purchase a souvenir (or more accurately, an entire wardrobe) at a Disney World gift shop but don’t want to carry around a ton of bags while you race from park to park, stay at a Disney resort.
Instead of hauling your purchases around with you all day, the gift shops can send your purchases directly to your resort for you to pick up when you finally call it a day. You might not have the strength to carry them back to your room, but let’s play it by ear.
Which Disney resort should I stay at?
And in case you’re like, “Okay, Ashley Moneybags. Disney resorts are disgustingly expensive,” then you haven’t met the Walt Disney World All Star Movies Resort.
This resort has all of the benefits, service, amenities, themes you’re way too old for, and magic of a Disney resort but with the price tag of like a Super 8 (for real, I just checked). I seriously don’t know how they do it but I don’t ask questions.
All Star Movies is located right there between parks and other resorts. It has pools, free parking, dining options, and we even got a Disney gift card for choosing to forego housekeeping during our stay. Getting paid to help our planet… it’s like the Peace Corps but for people who don’t wanna do any more for humanity than sleep in an unmade bed.
Step 3: Purchase a 1-day Park Hopper pass
Buying a Disney World Park Hopper Pass is going to be the only way to visit all 4 Disney parks in 1 day. Without spending your entire annual household income (pre-tax) that is.
Despite what it shows in this picture, the price may be something else. Disney World has three different ticket pricing options:
- Value
- Regular
- and Peak
Your 1-day Park Hopper ticket could be (as of October 2017) $162, $170, or $174 depending on which day of the year you visit.
This page will allow you to look ahead to see which days are which prices. Mirror, mirror, on the wall, which is cheapest of them all?
Step 4: Prioritize. Prioritize. Prioritize.
So, no, you won’t be able to experience everything Disney World has to offer. (There can only be one Lightning McQueen after all.)
Prioritizing what you want to see and do at each park is going to be key—as is a morning Starbucks run and not giving a damn what you look like all day under that hot Florida sun. (Visiting all four Disney parks in one day means not getting a single decent photo of yourself in front of a castle or a color block wall. Accept this, don’t waste time trying.)
Make a list
Make a list of everything you think you want to see, do, and ride at each park. Then rank them in descending order of importance (and be prepared to toss out a few at the bottom). If you don’t know what there is to see and do at Disney World in the first place, there’s an internet for that. To help with your list, answer these questions:
Which rides do you want to ride?
- The classics: Spaceship Earth, Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Expedition Everest (good god Disney, branch out a little), Tower of Terror, It’s a Small World, Pirates of the Caribbean, the Haunted Mansion, etc.
- The newer ones: Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, Avatar Flight of Passage, Frozen Ever After (AKA The Ride Formerly Known as Maelstrom), Na’vi River Journey, Star Tours, etc.
- A million others: Test Track, Animal Kingdom Jungle Cruise, Soarin’, Gran Fiesta Tour, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Kilimanjaro Safari, etc.
- Normally I’d say ain’t nobody got time for sitting down for a stage show but attractions like Mickey’s PhilharMagic and Muppet*Vision 3D take place in dark, air-conditioned theaters so we cool.
Pro tip: Check the Disney website to see which rides are closed for refurbishment. Cross those suckers off your list.
How old are you?
- If the answer suggests, “I’ve got hair growing in strange places,” go ahead and omit every single ride you’d be embarrassed to be seen on alone. Like: Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Mad Tea Party, the Magic Carpets of Aladdin, etc.
What entertainment do you want to see?
- For every show, concert, parade, etc. that you’d want to see, there is a well-defined schedule and these shows happen all the livelong day.
- My favorites: Let the Magic Begin at Magic Kingdom, the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, and the Jedi Training at Hollywood Studios. I write a whole piece on the Jedi training somewhere down there. ⇣
What or where do you want to eat?
- We prioritized the all-you-can-eat buffet dinner and liters of beer in Epcot Germany’s Biergarten restaurant so we centered our whole day around our reservation time.
- Maybe you want breakfast, lunch, or dinner at the Magic Kingdom’s Be Our Guest Restaurant or Cinderella’s Table or maybe you’re visiting in the fall and want to make the entire Epcot International Food and Wine Festival your dinner—no judgement. Actually, that’s a fabulous idea.
If a fancy meal doesn’t concern you, there are about a trillion places to eat at Disney World so you can just ignore this point. For all the more popular places, you’ll need a reservation made as in advance as possible.
What are your favorite Disney movies?
- For instance, if you love love love Frozen or the Little Mermaid or Toy Story, you can’t miss those park areas (Epcot’s Norway pavilion, the Magic Kingdom’s newest Fantasyland addition, and Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland, respectively).
- Similarly, if you think Dumbo is a big fat stupid loser (OMG YOU HAVE NO SOUL) then you should altogether skip the Storybook Circus Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom.
Get my drift? The great thing about Disney World is that it’s hella organized. If you don’t care for certain movies/characters you can cut out whole chunks of the parks.
Also check out
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I didn’t just plan my one day at Disney World this way, I actually use the time-saving tactics (and more) from this post in planning all my trips. Check out my post on how to plan a jam-packed itinerary for any destination. It’s got 29 super helpful time-saving tips you probably haven’t thought of–many of which would even help with your 4 parks in 1 day Disney challenge.
Step 5: Draw up a detailed plan of your day
The way to succeed at the Disney 4 parks 1 day challenge is to start organized and stay organized. Be your own Disney drill sergeant, maggot!
For me, I came up with a rough timetable of when I expected to arrive at each park and when I should leave to head to the next one. And don’t just divide twelve hours by four parks.
I knew I’d want more time at Magic Kingdom because it’s just so much bigger than the other three. And since I was actually going to be spending the entire next day at the Epcot Food and Wine Festival I cut time out of the Epcot portion of this program.
If Magic Kingdom has more you want to see than at, say, Animal Kingdom, give yourself more time there. This is not rocket science. However, if it’s actually rocket science you’re looking for, don’t miss Epcot’s Mission: Space.
Some things to consider when planning your day:
Is there any one thing this day is focused around?
Is there somewhere you absolutely have to be at a certain time? Ours was dinner reservations. Yours may be one particular ride and a reserved FastPass+ time for it, a particular character meet-and-greet, or meeting up with a friend, etc.
Maybe you’re dying to see the fireworks display at Cinderella’s castle (freaking Tinkerbell flies from the roof! Disney World, y’all hiring?), the Epcot Forever Nighttime Spectacular, or Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular. If so, you’ll have to order your parks so that you end at Magic Kingdom, Epcot, or Hollywood Studios.
Determine the order in which you’ll visit the parks.
Base this order on the question above combined with that particular day’s schedule of Extra Magic Hours. Ideally you’d benefit from starting at the park that opens the earliest and ending in the park that closes the latest. But I don’t need to give you such elementary advice—you’ve got hair in strange places! Yer a grownup!
Determine how long you’ll need at each park.
And base this on the number of things you want to see, do, and ride. And if you think you’ll have to ask for help or not. It’s almost impossible to speak to anyone at Disney World and keep it under a minute.
Hi, can you tell me how to get to…
– Well hello there princess. How are you this lovely day?
Great, thank you. Can you tell me where…
– I love your mouse ears. So festive and purple-y!
Thanks. So I need to find…
– Sure. I can certainly help you with that! But first, do you know who Ariel’s father is?
KINGTRITONOMGCANYOUJUSTTELLMEWHERETOGO!
– *gives directions*
Thank you!
– You’re so very welcome! Take Care! Have a magical day!
*…he says to Ashley-shaped dust cloud left where I once stood.*
Stick to your list!
Write down ideal times you’d like to enter and leave each park and STICK TO IT like a vegetarian to a soy diet.
I also gave myself an hour between parks because I had no idea what the shuttle situation was going to be like. Turns out I vastly overestimated how long those trips would take. Disney shuttle buses run every twenty minutes and the longest we waited for one was fifteen.
The trips between parks also average about twenty minutes; the water taxi from Hollywood Studios to Epcot took us twenty-five. I have no idea how long the monorail takes but it’s probably nowhere near as fast as they thought it would have been by now when they built it in 1971.
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If you’ve got more limited time in Florida, also check out my list of quick Florida itineraries. From St. Augustine to Sarasota, the beach and more.
Map out your time at each park.
Circle everything you want to see, do, and ride on each park’s map and do them in order. These parks are HUGE and running back and forth across them would be a massive time suck.
Find up-to-date Disney maps here: Magic Kingdom | Animal Kingdom | Hollywood Studios | Epcot Center
Step 6: Download the My Disney Experience mobile app
The My Disney Experience mobile app has many functions but as far as time-saving usage goes, with this app you can see:
- that day’s park hours
- show and parade times
- restaurant hours and menus
- character greeting times and locations
- current wait times for rides and attractions
- and all the times you tried to get a decent photo of yourself even though I told you to scrap that idea, soldier!
Through the app you can also:
- purchase park tickets
- manage your FastPass+
- manage your FatPass (that’s what I call dining reservations at the all-you-can-eat buffets)
- navigate the parks with GPS-enabled maps that offer step-by-step directions
- and find the nearest restroom (for the love of God, thank you Disney!)
Step 7: Utilize the FastPass+
Okay… so you’ve just stepped out of your underground Y2K bunker and you don’t know what FastPass+ is, I see. In that case, you should know that I am your queen and emojis are the new currency. Look how rich I am ➘
Disney World’s FastPass+ system is basically a way to stand in line for a ride but like, without putting on a bra and leaving your house.
Say your trip to Disney World isn’t for another six weeks but you know you’ll want to ride the new Pandora thing when you get there… go ahead and get in line now. In cyberspace. (Or in reality actually because whoa.)
As I mentioned before, you can make your FastPass+ selections (up to three per day) up to 30 days in advance and up to 60 days in advance if you stay at a Disney resort.
To begin using FastPass+ you’ll need to have already purchased your 1-day Park Hopper ticket so the two can be linked. To begin using FastPass+ earlier than the 30 days in advance, you’ll need to have already booked your room at a Disney resort.
You’ll also need:
- either the MyDisneyExperience.com website or the mobile app
- an idea of what rides you want to ride and when
- and patience, Iago, patience!
How the FastPass+ works
You’ll choose your visit date, a park, a ride or attraction, then the time you want to ride. They give you a 1-hour window during which you can show up to the ride and skip all those poor, unfortunate souls waiting standby.
For everything else you could ever want to know about using Disney World’s FastPass+ system, this page has it all.
Don’t have a FastPass+? Let it gooo, let it go!
Much like rebooting hit TV shows from the ‘90s and having no clue what our spouses’ phone numbers are, FastPass+ is the new normal. What seems counterproductive in theory (if everyone’s skipping to the front of the line, wouldn’t there just be another line, just as long as the original?) actually works because Disney knows a thing or two about logistics.
Turns out, using the FastPass+ system is really the only way to ride your favorite rides while visiting all 4 Disney parks in 1 day.
On my particular visit in October, standby lines were two hours for the new Avatar rides, 3 hours (I kid you not) for the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, and anywhere between an hour and two hours for all the other popular rides. If there’s something you just have to ride, all aboard the FastPass+ train, woo-woo!! (That’s a metaphor, not to be confused with the many actual trains to be found at Disney World.)
Without a FastPass+ reservation, don’t even think about riding some of the more popular rides. People were running to get in line for the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train when the rope dropped. RUNNING. It was a stroller stampede, I tell you! Parent pandemonium! An all-out dad dash for the end of the line.
Step 8: Wear comfortable shoes
You saw my Fitbit stats up there, right? Maybe walking 12 miles ain’t no thang to you but I’m a blogger. I work on a couch. Some days I don’t even walk as far as my mailbox. (Mystery of the staircase mishaps solved!)
I don’t care if it’s just a mile of walking, something about theme parks makes your feet hurt! I already told you to give up on your dreams of looking cute at Disney World so just focus on actually being able to walk for the entirety of the day.
Stick to cushy sneakers and leave the flip-flops at home. Your survival will depend on it.
My legs and feet and back were all still functioning properly as we headed for our very last shuttle of the day and I owe it all to my comfy shoes. Don’t get me wrong, I could still barely walk after 15 hours of Disney parks but that had everything to do with the all-you-can-eat buffet of heavy German food.
…And mouse ears
As a self-proclaimed Disney geek, I also encourage the wearing of mouse ears. This has nothing to do with physical endurance; they’re just cute.
I got a couple of pairs this year from my official ear sponsor, Abuzz Designs (I have an official ear sponsor, all of my career goals have been met), but afterwards had a thought. Because these ears are interchangeable, I should’ve gotten four different sets to change into when I switched parks. Facepalm to the max.
Instead I wore my hollow purple ears on my day visiting all 4 Disney parks in 1 day and switched to my Food and Wine ears for Epcot the next day. Like a boss.
Step 9: Don’t bring a bag if you don’t have to
Other than at the rides themselves, the longest lines I encountered at all 4 parks were the lines to get my purse checked. My husband skipped right on through the “people without bags” entrance. I got stuck, every time, behind “Mommy” and her purse, her backpack, her diaper bag, and her stroller all needing to be checked for whatever they check for.
At one point the lady starting pulling out gallon-sized bags of sliced apples. But I can assure you, Disney, if it’s weapons you’re worried about, the folks most likely to be packing are the broads with the poisoned apples. Have you learned nothing from working at Disney World???
Disney security was consistently fast and efficient. However, getting stuck in a line full of this shiznit wasted precious time I could’ve spent chasing down a Dole Whip.
Step 10: Know the shuttle schedules
Did you know… the shuttles start running 45 minutes before the parks even open? If the park’s opening time is 8:00 am, the shuttles begin running at 7:15. If it opens at 9 am, the shuttles can pick you up at your Disney resort as early as 8:15.
Visiting all 4 Disney parks in 1 day requires efficient use of every single minute so don’t be late for your very important date… with destiny.
Step 11: Don’t be fooled by those Magic Hour opening times
Those Extra Magic Hours are nice but they aren’t, in fact, magical. Yes, you can get into the park at 8 am instead of 9, but you can’t get all the way up in it.
At Magic Kingdom and Epcot (the two parks where I’ve experienced this), you can get into the park and are free to explore the main areas: down Main Street USA and up to Cinderella’s castle, or around Epcot’s Future World. However, you can’t get into the true guts of the parks (like Fantasyland or the World Showcase) until standard opening time.
You can still use this time
This blows a little, sure. But you can still use this time wisely. Use this extra hour to do your coffee drinking, your breakfast sandwich eating, your gift-shopping, your last-minute plan amending, and your picture taking.
One nice thing about being the first nerd in the park is that not a lot of people show up before the standard opening time so you can get some pretty great pictures with shockingly few strollers in them.
Step 12: Don’t waste time waiting for LeFou’s Brew
I thought the day had finally come when I could get a breakfast beer at the Magic Kingdom but, alas, I was wrong.
After waiting in line longer than I’d like to admit for a pint of Lefou’s Brew at Gaston’s Tavern, we came to find out it wasn’t beer after all, but apple freaking juice. “Frozen apple juice with a hint of toasted marshmallow and topped with all-natural passion fruit-mango foam served in a souvenir stein,” to be exact.
Here’s a souvenir stein to remember that time you felt like an alcoholic at Disney World! ⇠ The place that won’t let you drink beer but has no issue with helping children look like they’re drinking beer. Maybe they’ll start selling candy cigarettes too, Cruella De Vil style.
You’ve been warned.
Step 13: Be prepared to explain some things to your kids
If you’ve brought your kids along with you on your quest to do all 4 Disney parks in one day, be prepared to explain how certain Disney characters can be in two parks at once.
Personally, I think you’d be foolish to attempt visiting all 4 Disney parks in 1 day with a child in tow because isn’t one exhausted husband enough? Regardless, should you do this, be prepared for questions. Many of the same characters do meet-and-greets at different parks and your. child. will. notice.
Step 14: Don’t miss the Jedi training at Hollywood Studios
If there’s one show you want to make time for during your day, make it the Jedi training experience at Hollywood Studios. It is THE BEST THING AT DISNEY WORLD. It’s heartwarming; it’s hilarious; and it must be absolutely terrifying for these children, right?
Watch random kids (not actors) learn to fight as Jedis. Then watch them almost wet themselves when Darth Vader and Kylo Ren storm out and they realize how seriously being a Jedi is not their calling.
Some kids get super angry and take defeating these villains as serious as a Force choke. Others have no idea WTF is going on. Some are so over-the-top elated at their ability to “use the force” to fight the bad guys. Some kids cry and that’s my favorite.
Step 15: Take the water taxi to Epcot
Aiight, this’ll be the only time Lightning McQueen will ever tell you to slow your roll. The shuttle buses are always your quickest option when moving between parks but at some point your husband is going to need to take a nap. The water taxi, excuse me, the Friend Ship, is the perfect way to do so.
The water taxis run between Epcot and Hollywood Studios (with some resort stops in between). They’re part of Disney’s complimentary transportation network and, let’s be honest, at this point in your attempt at visiting all 4 Disney parks in 1 day you’re going to be begging for a break. Give yourself this time to chill out on a boat and gather yourself for your 4th and final park.
Step 16: Don’t forget to hydrate!
I can’t stress this point enough. Just because you’re not peeing every ten minutes doesn’t mean you aren’t losing vital fluids. It’s Florida; it’s hot AF; and you are tramping your tush off. You’re peeing out your pores! In a manner of speaking.
Keep a water bottle with you at all times. That’s what your husband’s cargo shorts are for, don’t you know this? There are water fountains all over all the Disney parks that I’m sure no little kid has put his or her lips on. Use those to refill your bottle constantly and just keep sipping… (I bring my Takeya water bottle everywhere.)
Step 17: Toast to a challenge complete and a job well done!
It is time. You’ve successfully visited all 4 Disney parks in 1 day! You deserve a beer that is actually beer and not fruit foam! When you wish upon a bar, makes no difference where you are.
Actually, that’s not true. If you’re at the Magic Kingdom for closing ceremonies you’re sh*t outta luck. There are a handful of places at MK where you can get a drink, but you can’t leave the restaurant with it. Good-bye fireworks + frozen margarita! So long Tinkerbell + tequila!
But while you’re stuck inebriating indoors at Magic Kingdom, the other three parks have plenty of op-booze-tunities. It may be time for me to go to bed.
This is another chief reason I vote for ending your day at Epcot. You can’t swing a honeypot at Epcot Center without hitting a booth to get hooch.
The 4-Park Challenge
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There’s a lot of talk going around about a so-called “Disney World 4-park challenge.” Word on the street is that there’s an “official” Disney-sponsored challenge centered around visiting all 4 Disney parks in 1 day, culminating in them bestowing upon you an official certificate of completion. However, this is pure shenanigans. Such an official challenge does not exist, at least not anymore if it ever did at one point.
Bonus: Don’t plan another park day the very next day. Just don’t.
Maybe you feel great after visiting all the Disney World parks in a 1 day—it’s those shoes, honey!—but don’t get cocky. Attempting another theme park day the following day is masochism in its purest form. It’s like you never want to walk or be able to stand up straight again. You’ll be little more than a dead person in very cute mouse ears.
How to Do All 4 Disney Parks in 1 Day
Visiting all 4 Disney parks in 1 day is absolutely possible! You just need a good plan, great shoes, and these 17 super-detailed steps and tips.
Materials
- This printed-out guide
- 1-day Park Hopper pass
- Disney park schedules
- Shuttle bus schedules
- Disney park maps
Tools
- Comfortable sneakers
- Magic Band with tickets and FastPasses already linked
- Refillable water bottle
- Fitbit / watch
Instructions
- Believe in yourself! You're not crazy for wanting to do this. You can do it!
- Stay at a Disney resort for all the added time-saving benefits. I recommend the budget All-Star Movies Resort.
- Purchase 1-day Park Hopper pass ahead of time through your resort.
- Make a prioritized list of what you want to see/do/eat/ride at each of the 4 parks: Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios.
- Draw up a detailed plan of what you want your day to look like and stick to it. Determine how long you'll need at each park, which order you'll visit them in, and how you'll navigate each one using park maps.
- Download the My Disney Experience mobile app.
- Organize your FastPass+ schedule.
- Wear comfortable shoes.
- Leave the bag at home if you can to avoid the long bag-checking lines at the entrance.
- Know the shuttle schedules.
- Take advantage of the extra Magic Hours opening and closing times.
- Don't waste time looking for beer at Magic Kingdom - there isn't any.
- Be prepared to explain certain things to your kids (if applicable).
- If you see one show today, make it the Jedi training at Hollywood Studios.
- Take the water taxi to Epcot for a much-deserved break.
- Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!
- Toast to a challenge complete!
Notes
Print this guide and take it with you, but feel free to come back to this post often for all the details, links, tips, and more. See ya real soon!
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More info for your 1 day at all 4 Disney parks
Heading to Disney World? Find great places to stay here.
But where do I personally recommend? the Walt Disney World All Star Movies Resort
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