How do you navigate each theme park?

[PrincessJasmyn]

So, my BF and I have only been to WDW once, last year, and we feel like we missed SO many attractions.
We are heading back in May, and I am wanting to know, pretend you dont have any fast passes, how do you navigate around the parks?
Do you have a certain order you like to see it all in?

 

[Aksmom]

For MK, we follow the spokes of the wheel. Usually, we start in Adventureland. I think at opening so many families head to Fantasyland, which is totally what we did when our daughter was younger. But, maybe heading in a different direction than all the strollers, will give you guys some advantage. When it comes to EpCot, we just kinda play it be ear. If most the crowds are heading towards Canada, we head to Mexico or vise/versa. Hollywood Studios is just a mess right now, so I have no opinion. And with Animal Kingdom we usually do an early morning safari, so my opinion there is probably useless. Just have fun, pace yourselves, and never give up an opportunity to sit and do some people watching while eating a pretzel or some ice cream! Have fun!

 

[Mainahman]

Magic Kingdom. Try for adventure land, because its got Dole Whip. Honestly it depends on why were there. if its attractions, its either tommorrowland, or Adventureland. if its for Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom, then its where ever merlin may need us.

Animal Kingdom its traditionally a Early Safari for us.

Hollywood, we head straight for Toy Story Mania personally, and then often split up since im a thrill seeker, and my wife and daughter are not.

EPCOT, we usually do a couple days. One for world showcase, and one for futureworld and whatever we missed.

Futureworld day, it would be dependent on fast passes, but its not EPCOT unless i see my Figment!

 

[Schneewittchen]

For my family, it's usually the spokes on a wheel thing and a bit of OCD planning. (If I'm feeling particularly insane, I'll use Google Keep to make a list of each attraction in each park and then as we experience each attraction, I'll check it off the list. And I'll cluster them by proximity on the list.)

For MK, we always rope drop and head immediately for Adventureland and slowly make our way around in a clockwise direction until we're melting in Tomorrowland by late afternoon.

For Epcot, also rope drop and more of a zig-zagging, then clockwise around the lake. First The Seas and The Land, then across to Future World East, then back to Imagination! and then across again to Mexico. For the afternoon, it's then a slow trudge around the world....

For AK, it's a counter-clockwise route. Dinos, then Asia, then Africa, then Discovery Island for the end of the day. With the addition of Pandora, we might start there and then head to Dinos.

 

[Jordanne Morrow]

DAK: Generally I start at Pandora, then work my way around the countries clockwise, starting in Africa for Kilimanjaro Safaris & Lion King show, then over to Asia for Everest, Dinoland for Dinosaur and I also like Primeval Whirl.

Epcot: Start in Future World, ride test track (and Soarin if you want), then up to World Showcase generally going clockwise (starting w/ Mexico, ending w/ Canada). I generally do this because Mexico has my favorite Epcot ride (Tres Caballeros), and my favorite character (Fiesta Donald!).

Hollywood Studios - Basically left to right - Star Tours, over to Toy Story, which is right next to character meeting spots (special rotating character in One Mans Dream, and all the star wars characters in Launch Bay), then to Tower of Terror.

I don't really have a game plan for MK b/c it's my least favorite park so I go there the least. But when I do go I always immediately start with Space Mountain, so I guess if I had to say I had a plan, it would be the spokes but counter clockwise, generally just hitting the big rides, Space, Big Thunder, 7 Dwarfs if we luck into a FP.

I'm mainly focused on the big thrill rides and meeting a couple of my favorite characters.

 

[JIMINYCR]

Without FP+ we would head for 7DMT first, then PP, to try getting in ahead of the crowds on those. Then hit our favorites of Splash, BTMRR, HM, PoTC. Then continue around clockwise. Saving the shops for last.
EP we hit MS and TT first. Then Soarin. We dont care about Frozen. Then start at Mexico and go around the WS in order. Then hit up JII, The Seas & Crush. Then hit the rest of the shops.
DHS we either head for ToT & RnRC first or TSMM first another day. Then ST multiple times to get various versions, Muppets 3D. then shops.
AK It will be FoP first. Followed by Safari, EE, Dinosaur, Nemo show. Its a bugs life usually falls in near the end.

 

[Minnie Mum]

I use touring plans to plot out each day's park plans. It means a bit more crossing back and forth, but on the customized plans you can filter to reduce walking. But you end up spending less time in lines and get to more attractions in a day as a result.

MK: start either in Adventureland or Tomorrowland and work towards Fantasyland. The next day, do the rest.
Epcot: We do it over 2 days, splitting the whole park into West and East sides. Start with the superheadliners (TT or Soarin'), then the other rides on that side of FW, then head into WS on that side for the rest of the day.
DHS: park layout makes any logical route impossible. We hit TSM first, then over to RNRC. and ToT. Then, whatever we feel like, hitting rides in between shows.
AK: Pandora at RD unless we've got FPs. Then KS, then work roughly clockwise thru Africa, Asia, and Dinoland

 

[Weather_Lady]

We tend to arrive at rope drop, do the headliners in 2 or 3 adjacent "lands," and then as the lines get long a couple of hours later, work our way back through those same lands, hitting the "anytime" attractions of interest. After lunch, we go back to the resort, rest up, swim, etc. until about 4pm, when we return to the park to finish off the lands we skipped in the morning, using FP+ for headliners.

The only park we do differently is MK, which really requires at least a day and a half (ideally, two rope drops) to get to all the headliners.

E.g.:

MK Day 1, morning (Adventureland, Frontierland, part of Liberty Square): Rope drop Big Thunder, Splash, Haunted Mansion, Pirates and/or Jungle Cruise. Then do, as time allows, attractions like Swiss Family Treehouse, Magic Carpets of Aladdin, Enchanted Tiki Room, and Country Bear Jamboree. Have lunch and go back to the resort for a few hours.

MK Day 1, evening (Tomorrowland, part of Fantasyland): Return to the park with FP+ for Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear and 7DMT. In between, have dinner and hit Monsters Laugh Floor, Carousel of Progress, Peoplemover, Mad Tea Party, Philharmagic, Carrousel, Little Mermaid, etc.

MK Day 2, morning or evening: At rope drop or with FP+, finish Fantasyland (e.g., FP+ for Peter Pan, Pooh, 7DMT again?). Visit desired character M&Gs and/or spend time on Tom Sawyer Island. See parade and/or fireworks if desired.

 

[PrincessJasmyn]

I use touring plans to plot out each day's park plans. It means a bit more crossing back and forth, but on the customized plans you can filter to reduce walking. But you end up spending less time in lines and get to more attractions in a day as a result.

ooo. This sounds like something I need!! Can you please explain what this is you use? is touring plans a website or something? THANKS!

 

[Weather_Lady]

ooo. This sounds like something I need!! Can you please explain what this is you use? is touring plans a website or something? THANKS!

It's a website run by the authors of the Unofficial Guide To WDW. It's free (if you just sign up for basic access). There are also premium features (such as personalized touring plans) available only to paid subscribers. Its not expensive, and for me, has been invaluable to my trip planning. There's an app as well with information on current wait times, and the ability to optimize your touring plan as you go to account for anomalies.