The Walt Disney World 4-Park Challenge: Our Ultimate Disney Day
The Walt Disney World 4-Park Challenge is an ambitious and fun way to experience all four Disney theme parks in a single day. To take on this challenge, you'll need a Park Hopper ticket, which allows you to visit multiple parks in one day. Recently, my friends and I decided to tackle this challenge during EPCOT’s Food & Wine Festival. It was our final day at Disney, and we had initially planned to visit Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios, with an evening stop at EPCOT. But when we realized Magic Kingdom was open late, we decided to push ourselves and attempt the 4-Park Challenge.
The goal is simple: visit all four parks, ride an attraction, enjoy a snack or meal, and take a photo in each park. Here’s how we did it, without using any special planning tools like the Lightning Lane or a strict itinerary.
1. Animal Kingdom (Arrived: 7:45 AM)
Arrival Tip: Aim to get to the park 30 minutes before opening. Disney often opens the park a little earlier for guests waiting at the gates. We strategically chose our attractions to minimize walking and maximize our time in the park.
Attractions:
Kilimanjaro Safaris: A great way to start the day when the animals are most active, and the lines are shorter.
Festival of the Lion King: We caught this live show next since it was nearby and a must-see if you have the time.
Pandora:
Na'vi River Journey: A peaceful boat ride through Pandora, a perfect prelude to the main attraction.
Avatar Flight of Passage: The park’s most popular ride. We used an Individual Lightning Lane for $16 each, but if you don’t use that option, it’s best to do this first thing to avoid long waits.
Dinoland U.S.A.:
Dinosaur: A thrilling dark ride with dinosaur encounters.
Asia:
Expedition Everest: A must-do for roller coaster fans!
Lunch: Before leaving the park, we grabbed a quick bite at Flame Tree BBQ using mobile ordering.
Time Spent at Animal Kingdom: 4 hours
Travel: We took a bus from Animal Kingdom to Hollywood Studios.
2. Hollywood Studios (Arrived by 12:30 PM)
Travel Time: About 20 minutes by bus.
Attractions:
Tower of Terror: A thrilling drop tower for those who love spooky thrills.
Muppet*Vision 3D: A fun and silly 3D show for Muppet fans.
For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration: A 30-minute show that’s perfect for all ages. You’ll laugh, sing, and get covered in “snow.”
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance: If you’re in the park at opening, head here first. It’s one of the most immersive rides at Disney World. (Pro tip: It broke down twice during our visit, and we ended up leaving after waiting an hour and a half. Next time, we’ll try using Lightning Lane for this.)
Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway: A newer ride that’s unique and fun for everyone.
Snacks: By this point, we were parched and still full from lunch, but we grabbed some popcorn for a quick snack along with some water and sodas.
Time Spent at Hollywood Studios: 4 to 4.5 hours
Travel: We took the Skyliner from Hollywood Studios to EPCOT.
3. EPCOT (Arrived by 6:00 PM)
Travel Time: About 20 minutes by Skyliner. The Skyliner drops you off in the back of EPCOT, which was perfect since we were heading straight to the Food & Wine Festival.
Attractions:
Soarin' Around the World: One of the most immersive flight simulators at Disney. It’s one of my personal favorites!
Frozen Ever After: A fun, family-friendly boat ride in the Norway Pavilion. The wait was short, so we jumped on quickly.
Snacks/Quick Bites: We made a few stops at food booths around the Food & Wine Festival to sample some delicious offerings or food and drink. My favorites was the Fry Flight. So good.
Since EPCOT closes at 9:00 PM and Magic Kingdom is open until 11:00 PM, we decided to head to Magic Kingdom a bit earlier to avoid crowds and complete the 4-Park Challenge.
Time Spent at EPCOT: 2.75 hours
Travel: We took the Monorail from EPCOT to Magic Kingdom.
4. Magic Kingdom (Arrived by 9:30 PM)
Travel Time: The Monorail ride took about 30 to 40 minutes, including the time it took to transfer at the Transportation Center. By the time we left EPCOT, the lines were long, and it was getting late so it took longer than usual.
Attractions:
The PeopleMover: A relaxing way to “people watch” while taking a break from the crowds. By this time, we were all a little tired.
Shopping: We spent quite a bit of time browsing stores, as it was our last evening in the parks.
Evening Entertainment: If you’re nearing the end of the day, try to catch the nighttime show or parade. Depending on the season, it could be Disney Enchantment or Happily Ever After.
Snacks/Drinks: We stuck to water and soda, but a little coffee helped perk us up for the last leg of the challenge. Oh, and we filled up our popcorn bucket one last time!
Time Spent at Magic Kingdom: 2 to 2.5 hours
Final Thoughts
We had an amazing time completing the 4-Park Challenge, but looking back, I think we could have fit even more attractions in if we had planned it out. Either way, it was a fantastic way to wrap up our Disney trip. The 4-Park Challenge is a fun, ambitious way to experience the magic of all four parks in a single day—but be prepared for a fast-paced, action-packed adventure!
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