4 Disney parks in Orlando you need to know

Each park has its style and peculiarities. EPCOT with the food, Magic Kingdom with the fairytale settings, Animal Kingdom with the realism and Hollywood Studios bringing the glam from the big screen. An average of 120,000 people pass through these four parks daily and around 65,000 employees or cast members, as they are called. There are so many restaurant options that a person would need a few years to get to know the more than 300 establishments and their delicacies.

1. Magic Kingdom

For those going for the first time, I think nothing is better than starting at the most visited park in the universe. Upon arriving at the Magic Kingdom and encountering its iconic Cinderella castle, the visitor has that feeling of “I arrived at the magical world of Walt Disney World”.

My favorite rides are: Space Mountain (a roller coaster all in the dark), the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, which pays homage to the Seven Dwarfs and is even tricky at first, but delivers a lot of adrenaline along the way, and Splash Mountain, which gave way to a new attraction dedicated to Princess Tiana.

Don’t forget to tag one meeting and greeting with the characters, follow the parades and the fireworks at night.

2. Disney Hollywood Studios

In this park dedicated to cinema and TV, toys make the magic and emotion of art come true. Upon arrival, the visitor is faced with the iconic and frightening building of the Hollywood Tower Hotel – part of the famous Twilight Zone attraction or elevator that falls, for the intimate.

A simulator that promises to make even the most courageous ones feel terrified. Since 1999, Rock’n Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith has been taking visitors on a “limousine” ride that reaches over 90 km/h.

The area dedicated to Toy Story draws attention colored fur and the unmissable Slinky Dog roller coaster, which provides that delicious tickle in the belly. Star Wars fans also have time there, whether piloting the Millennium Falcon, in a daring flight, or Rise of the Resistance, an attraction with various mechanisms and systems.

Before you leave, be sure to watch the popular Fantasmic show, which, after years of running, was recently revamped! There are two sessions available, at 7:30 pm and 9:00 pm.

3. Animal Kingdom

Dedicated to nature, Animal Kingdom surprises a lot with its realistic decoration, vegetation and the number of animals that live there. It opened in 1998. In this park, visitors can embark on a safari with elephants, giraffes, zebras and hippos without leaving America, come across a flock of macaws, fly over the planet Pandora, habitat of the movie Avatar, riding a Banshee and until going on an expedition to the top of the world aboard Everest, a roller coaster electrifying. As in all parks, there are several food options. At Satu’li Canteen, you can order remotely through the app so you don’t waste time.

4. EPCOT

EPCOT stands for “Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow” or, in good Portuguese, “Experimental Prototype of the Community of Tomorrow”. In addition to the most famous golf ball in the world, the park is famous for having areas dedicated to different countries, many restaurants, bars and high technology.

One of the new areas is the France pavilion, with the very cute Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure simulator, which makes you feel like this famous mouse; and for car lovers, the Test Track gives visitors the chance to create a concept car and then feel engine power on a super test track.

Now, I dare say that the best toy of today is on EPCOT and it’s called Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. Inaugurated in May, the mix of simulator and roller coaster surprises by combining technologies from different attractions, at almost 100 km/h and with a soundtrack that makes everyone dance and want more!

By Camila Karam – Qual Viagem magazine