How many days do you need for a Disney World trip? Or rather how long should you stay at Disney World? Either way, you cut it, there’s never a right or wrong answer here. While these answers may be more about how much time you can get off work, the kid’s vacation, or your Disney budget, it’s still good to have a basic idea. Walt Disney World is a HUGE undertaking on any vacation, so you might as well give yourself enough time to enjoy it! With over 25 resorts, 4 theme parks, 2 water parks, a shopping center, and a Boardwalk area, there are a ton of things to do both inside and outside of the parks. So, Just How Long Should a Disney World Vacation be?
Contents
- 1 How Long Should You Stay at Disney World?
- 2 What Can You Do on 5-Day Disney World Trip?
- 3 What Can You Do on a 7-Day Disney World Trip?
- 4 What Can You Do on 9-Day Disney World Trip?
- 5 What Can You Do on 2 Week Disney World Trip?
- 6 How Many Days Do You Need in Each Disney World Park?
- 7 Walt Disney World Vacation Tips
How Long Should You Stay at Disney World?
A Walt Disney World Vacation should combine all the fun of a theme park vacation, with new experiences and some relaxation. That’s difficult to do if you’re rushing through each day trying to do all the things. We’ll break down a couple of options here for you, but let’s start with our favorite length of stay at Walt Disney World, 7-9 days.
How Many Days do you Need at Walt Disney World?
A good Disney World Vacation is a minimum of 5 days, while the best length for a Disney World trip is 7-9 days. Aiming for a 5 day Disney World vacation means you will be rushed trying to fit in 4 theme parks, and anything else you may do, but it is possible. Whereas a 7-9 day Disney World vacation offers you the time to visit all four theme parks, a water park, perhaps Disney Springs and the Boardwalk, as well as resorts.
If you’re hoping to really get into all the Disney magic that Walt Disney World has to offer, we recommend 9 days. Really that long? YES! Frankly, if you can afford it by all means stay longer! What’s our reasoning behind this? Well once you see how the parks break down you’ll see where this comes from. Of course, it’s not just all about the numbers either. Having been to Walt Disney World many, many, times we can tell you that the Best Disney Vacation is typically 7-9 days. Check out our page on Disney World Vacation Planning to get a handle of just how big Disney World is and everything you can do there.
What Can You Do on 5-Day Disney World Trip?
On a 5 day trip to Disney World, you can pretty much get in all four park, but little else. That said, you can still make the most of it, by Saving at Time at Disney World where you can. This is what a 5-day Itinerary for Walt Disney World looks like.
- Day 1. Arrival day. Head to Hollywood Studios for as much of the day as possible. Hollywood Studios is a small park, and able to be done in one day. So, even if you don’t get there until noon, you should still be okay to get most of the rides in. Be sure to stay for Fantasmic! visit Galaxy’s Edge and Toy Story Land.
- On Day 2, arrive at the park early and plan to spend all day at Magic Kingdom. Take a break in the middle of the day at the Monorail Resorts just outside he park, and head to Contempo Cafe at Disney’s Contemporary Resorts for lunch. Between 12-4pm Magic Kingdom is the busiest, and it’s the hottest time of day, so it’s a great time to take a break. After your break head back to Magic Kingdom, and get in the rest of the rides, and shows, and stay late for the Happily Ever After Fireworks Show.
- Day 3, plan to spend a full day at EPCOT Park. There are a lot of things to do, and be sure to get a Guardians of the Galaxy Boarding Pass at 7AM on your Epcot Park morning. Take a break at the Disney Boardwalk just outside the back gate of EPCOT Park in the afternoon, then head back into the park afterwards to tackle more rides, shopping, dinner and the nighttime show.
- Day 4 should be your Animal Kingdom day, as at this point you will need a break. And while Animal Kingdom is sprawling, and will require some walking, it’s Disney’s largest park, and won’t feel as crowded. It also closes early, usually by 6pm, meaning you’ll have time to get back to your resort to pack, before having to leave in the morning.
- Departure Day. If your flight leaves late enough head to Disney Springs, to get in your last bit of Disney before leaving. Check out our favorite things to do on Your Last Day at Disney World.
What Can You Do on a 7-Day Disney World Trip?
The average Disney vacation is 7 days long. Of course, it really isn’t long enough to get to the “vacation part” of your vacation. And we’d never recommend less than 7 days unless you were an avid Disney World Vacationer and were not trying to fit it all in.
Can you do a Walt Disney World Vacation in a Week?
Yes,a 7-day Disney World is possible, and offers you the chance to see all the parks, and maybe even the extra stuff. Better still, it will allow you to skip the parks on your arrival and departure days, meaning that you should have time to see the resort, head to Disney Springs, the Boardwalk, or even get in a round of Disney World Miniature Golf.
- Arrival day. With a 7 day trip you have time to take it easy and do no-park things on your arrival day. Believe us, this will make it feel like the whole vacation is more relaxing. Check out the best things to do on your First Day at Disney World, that doesn’t require a park ticket.
- Magic Kingdom
- EPCOT
- Hollywood Studios
- Animal Kingdom
- Head to the Water Park, or go to Disney Springs, the Disney Boardwalk or Resort Hopping
- Departure Day. Every Disney Resort has checkout at 11 AM. That said, you can easily stash everything in your car or leave it at Bell Services while you explore the parks one last time, or head to Disney Springs for last-minute souvenir shopping.
What Can You Do on 9-Day Disney World Trip?
We’ll break this down by park too, but for the most part, it goes like this. By Day this is what your plan will generally look like. The park order can change depending on which day you start your Disney vacation. At 9 days you can add 2 days for Magic Kingdom, which is a big deal, because with over 20 rides, it’s a huge amount of stuff to get into one day.
- Arrival day. Explore your Resort or Resort Hop for a Dinner Reservation. If you’re getting in extra early you can always head to the parks. Which park should you go to on Arrival Day at Disney World? Magic Kingdom. No contest. There is nothing like getting your first dose of Disney at the Magic Kingdom. Cinderella’s Castle, the cinnamon roll smells on Main Street, and Pirates of the Caribbean make this a great first day of vacation.
- Magic Kingdom
- EPCOT
- Hollywood Studios
- Animal Kingdom
- Disney Springs/ Ferry Resorts
- Magic Kingdom
- Resort Day/ Pool Time and Disney Boardwalk
- Departure Day. Every Disney Resort has checkout at 11 AM. That said, you can easily stash everything in your car or leave it at Bell Services while you explore the parks one last time, or head to Disney Springs for last-minute souvenir shopping.
See how even at 9 days you may feel a little rushed? The only park here that got two days was Magic Kingdom. But there are other things we left off this list too! There’s no Resort Hopping time when you can explore the Monorail Resorts, Skyliner Resorts, and Boardwalk Resorts. EPCOT usually requires the 2nd day, especially during a festival. Hollywood Studios usually requires a day and a half if you’re a Star Wars fan. And if you’re traveling during the holidays it’s important to build in time for the Festival of Holidays, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, Disney Resort Decoration Crawl, and the Christmas Tree Trail.
What Can You Do on 2 Week Disney World Trip?
At 12 days your Disney Vacation becomes a “Vacation.” You just simply have a little more time to make decisions, to do all the things you’re excited about, and see more than just the basics at Walt Disney World. As Disney Season Passholders, we can tell you there is more to do than you will ever know. After years of visits, we still haven’t done it all. Give yourself the time to experience the entire Walt Disney World Resort. Keep in mind that if you are attending any parties or special evening events you would naturally skip the park for that day- and only pay for your event ticket.
- Arrival day. Explore your Resort or Resort Hop for a Dinner Reservation. If you’re getting in extra early you can always head to the parks.
- Magic Kingdom
- EPCOT
- Hollywood Studios
- Animal Kingdom
- Disney Springs/ Ferry Resorts
- Magic Kingdom ( 2nd Day)
- Resort Day/ Pool Time Mini Golf
- EPCOT ( 2nd Day)
- Disney Springs Non Park Day
- Hollywood Studios ( 2nd Day) and Disney Boardwalk
- Departure Day. Every Disney Resort has checkout at 11 AM. That said, you can easily stash everything in your car or leave it at Bell Services while you explore the parks one last time, or head to Disney Springs for last-minute souvenir shopping.
To Consider
At 12 days you can add another day for EPCOT and a second Hollywood Studios day that is only a half-day, with the other half of the day being on the Disney Boardwalk since it’s within walking distance. You can also add a full lounge day at your resort, or head to a resort you’re excited to see! We love having a day at Animal Kingdom Lodge or heading to a fancy breakfast at Topolino’s Terrace at Disney’s Riviera Resort. Or a nice dinner at Toledo at Coronado Springs. And we always try to fit in a boat ride to Fort Wilderness Campgrounds for some walking and exploring.
How Many Days Do You Need in Each Disney World Park?
We alluded to this a little above, but we’ll be clear about how many days you need in each Disney park so you can see if it fits your schedule. Mind you this is also based on your interests.
How Many Days Do you Need for Magic Kingdom?
2 Days
Magic Kingdom is by far the reason most people visit Walt Disney World. Whether it’s to see Cinderella’s Castle, meet the Beast at Be Our Guest or head to Haunted Mansion, this is the most ride-heavy park to visit. It’s also the most kid-focused. With so many rides you will need at least 2 days to NOT feel like you’re rushing. Check out the Top 10 Things to do at Magic Kingdom and our Magic Kingdom Bucket List to get started planning what to tackle each day.
The best time to visit Magic Kingdom is usually on a Tuesday or Thursday. As Walt Disney World’s smallest park it will feel the most crowded faster, so be mindful to avoid weekends and holidays.
How Many Days Do you Need at Animal Kingdom?
1 Day
Animal Kingdom used to be a half-day park…IF you didn’t walk all the animal trails. But, with the arrival of Pandora it is now officially a 1 day, full-day park. AND technically, if you add in all the animal trails and Wild Africa Trek to your Disney Vacation, this could easily be a 2 day Park. Read through the Top 10 things to do at Animal Kingdom and check out our Animal Kingdom Bucket List for a checklist of rides, restaurants, and shows. This is probably the best multi-generational family Disney park. There are paths for walking and seeing the animals for taking it slow. Expedition Everest and Kali River Rapids for the thrill-seekers, and Dinoland for the little ones.
The best time to visit Animal Kingdom is usually on Mondays, Tuesdays or Wednesdays. Our best tip here is to plan to arrive very early before opening so that you can rush to Flight of Passage as soon as the park opens. This will give you time throughout the rest of the day to tackle all the things to do in Animal Kingdom, without waiting in the often more than 2-hour line for Flight of Passage.
How Many Days Do You Need at EPCOT?
2 Days
EPCOT is one of our favorite parks! No longer just a park for Disney adults, this park includes Frozen Ever Ever, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, and EPCOT World Showcase. Home to 4 Annual Festivals; the Festival of the Arts, the Flower and Garden Festival, the Food and Wine Festival, and the Festival of Holidays. Check out the Top 10 Things to do at EPCOT and our EPCOT Bucket List to get started planning what to tackle each day.
The best days to visit EPCOT are Mondays and Wednesdays. And if you’re adamant about avoiding the crowds, stick to daytime hours before 4 pm. EPCOT is a favorite spot for locals and annual pass holders. So, consider yourself warned. We adore EPCOT, but you can always feel the crowds when they start descending here.
How Many Days Do You Need at Hollywood Studios?
1 to 1.5 Days
Hollywood Studios is another park that used to be a half-day. But, with the arrival of Toy Story Land and Star Wars Galaxy Edge this park has jumped to a full 1-day park…and sometimes even more than 1 day if you can manage it.
The best time to visit Hollywood Studios is on Tuesday, Wednesday, and sometimes Friday. Another park you don’t want to be stuck in during the weekends, Hollywood Studios has key rides you don’t want to miss, like Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway and Rise of the Resistance. So avoiding crowds, in case you have to wait in lines, is necessary. Consider grabbing a Disney Lighting Lane Pass or Disney Genie+ for your ride strategy here.
Walt Disney World Vacation Tips
When planning how long to stay at Disney World, it’s important to know a few facts! Here are all our tips that may affect how you schedule your Disney Vacation.
Which Disney World Park takes the least time?
If you’re leaning towards a shorter vacation, there are ways to cut down on the magic and just do the necessities. In terms of size, and being able to navigate the park easiest, Hollywood Studios will take the least walking time to get through. Major Hollywood Studios rides include the following; Star Tours, Smugglers Run, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, Midway Mania, Tower of Terror, Rise of the Resistance, Slinky Dog Dash, and Rock n Rollercoaster.
Is Disney more crowded on Saturday or Sunday?
Disney Parks are ALWAYS the Most Crowded on Sundays. Of course, Saturdays come in a close second. This is why a 7-10 day vacation is PERFECT because then you can arrange your weekend days to be resort hopping or Disney Boardwalk or even Disney Springs days! Without entering the chaos of the parks.
When is the least crowded time to go to Disney World?
The least crowded times to visit Walt Disney World based on historical attendance and the DVC rate calendar are January 1st -31st, September 1st-30th, and December 1st-14th. While these dates align with the slowest times at Disney World, they also align with the cheapest times at Walt Disney World and are definitely worth a second look at when planning your Disney Vacation.
What is the best time to visit Disney World?
We’ve written before about the best time to visit Disney World and the decision really does come down to what you’re looking for in a Disney vacation. Disney offers different festivals and events throughout the year that you may want to attend. Specials and discounts show up throughout the year. And the weather should ALWAYS be a variable in your plans. For instance, we NEVER visit Disney World in the summer by choice. For us, the best time to visit Walt Disney World is a few times each year. We LOVE the Epcot festivals and try to get to them annually. If we have to choose one time of year we never miss Walt Disney World it’s Fall, usually in September before the crowds and prices get crazy.
How Long Is a Disney World Trip?
There you have it! Hopefully this post has given you an idea of what you can fit into a 5-day Disney Vacation, a 7-day Disney Vacation and more. While every Disney Vacation looks different, keep in mind you never have to do all the parks when you visit. And there are so many things to do outside the parks as well. When thinking of how many days to stay at Disney World, plan what you’re hoping to do each day, and then go from there. You may find you don’t need as many days as you thought. Or may want to build in an extra day for Universal Studios nearby. Happy vacationing!
Rochelle Mariah is a writer, designer and photographer with an MLIS in Information Science and a B.S. in Arch and Design. Determined to make Planning a DIY Disney Vacation easier she makes lots of lists and drinks lots of coffee. When not designing apparel at Polka Dot Pixie Shop, she's watching old movies and planning the holidays. She has been traveling to Disney destinations since 2010.
Thank you so much exceptionally useful information. Being in Australia, I’m trying to ensure we spend the right time frame for here. This helps me plan my trip greatly appreciated!!