Orlando Theme Parks Week

Magic Kingdom

Arrive at rope drop and go straight for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train before the queue triples. Stay for Happily Ever After — the evening fireworks projection show is the best 20 minutes in any theme park.

EPCOT

Hit Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind first on the virtual queue, then let the kids lead a lap through the World Showcase eating their way from Mexico to Japan. The Japan pavilion has the best ra

Disney's Animal Kingdom

Book the Kilimanjaro Safari for first thing in the morning — giraffe, rhino, and elephant sightings are best before the heat sets in. Pandora's bioluminescent night glow is the park's most surprising

Universal Studios Florida

Sprint to Diagon Alley at park open for Escape from Gringotts before the line forms. The butterbeer (cold, not frozen) is the one family ritual no one skips.

Islands of Adventure

Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure consistently ranks as the best theme park ride on earth — time your visit for late afternoon when the morning crowd thins. Hogsmeade and Jurassic World a

Hollywood Studios

Reserve the Millennium Falcon in Smugglers Run using the boarding group system at park open, then save Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance for afternoon when the virtual queue refreshes. Galaxy's Edge g

Gideon's Bakehouse

The half-pound cookies at this Disney Springs cult shop easily split between two kids. Pull a number on the app and browse Disney Springs while you wait — the cold brew coffee cookie is the parent's r

Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour

A one-hour pontoon glide through cypress-shaded lakes revealing lakefront mansions and nesting osprey — running since 1938. The perfect low-key wind-down after a week of sensory overload.

Discovery Cove

This all-inclusive reservation-only park covers meals, gear, and the dolphin swim — book the Ray Lagoon add-on for younger kids who can't meet the swim requirements. Unlimited SeaWorld access for 14 d