Ultimate Walt Disney World Park Hopping Guide: Attractions, Festivals, and Tips

Intro

Hey Disney fans! 🌟 Ready to join me for an epic day of park hopping, festival fun, and thrilling attractions at Walt Disney World? 🎢

We started our adventure bright and early with a stop at Le Petit Cafe in Disney’s Riviera Resort for some much-needed coffee ☕️. Then, it was off to the Disney Skyliner 🚡 for a breezy ride to Epcot. First up, we explored the World Celebration Gardens and snapped a pic with the statue of Walt himself. 🌸✨

With our Disney Genie Plus passes, we hit up all the must-do attractions: from the high-speed thrills of Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (Virtual Queue required) 🚀, to the soaring views on Soarin’, and the culinary escapades of Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure 🐭. We even took a frozen journey through Arendelle on Frozen Ever After ❄️.

The EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival was in full bloom, featuring stunning topiaries and delicious treats like Frushi and the Toasted Pretzel Bread 🌺🍴. After soaking in the floral beauty, we hopped on the Skyliner to Disney’s Hollywood Studios for more excitement, including Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway 🚂 and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge 🌌.

Stay tuned as we wrap up our magical day at Magic Kingdom with TRON Lightcycle / Run and the enchanting Happily Ever After show. 🌟🏰

Let’s dive into the details! 🏰✨🚀

The Preparation for the Park-Hopping

I had had a beautiful 10 days in Florida, where I just had finished my first ever Disney Wish cruise. You can read all those posts now:

What We Did in Florida Before and After Our Disney Wish Cruise

Disney Wish Cruise: 4-Night Bahamian Adventure – Embarkation Day

Disney Wish Cruise Day 2: Exploring Nassau and Frozen’s Arandelle Restaurant

Disney Wish Cruise Day 3: Aqua Mouse, Castaway Cay Paradise, and Pirate Night Extravaganza

Disney Wish Cruise Days 4 and 5: Aladdin, 1923 and Debarkation

But now it was time to do a 3-Park Hopping around Walt Disney World. For this part of the trip, we stayed in Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Disney Springs Resort Area, and woke up very early in the morning to do 3 things:

1. Buy Disney Genie+ for the Park Hopper option. It is usually priced as whatever Magic Kingdom is for the day.
2. At 7:00 am jump into the Virtual Queue for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.
3. Immediately after, book the first Lighting Lane of the day, which in my case I got Slinky Dog Dash since it is the one that gets full the fastest.

When the park would open, I would also had to buy the Individual Lighting Lane Selection, which in my case was going to be Tron / Lightcycle Run, right at 8:00 am, and then I could choose another one since there is a limit of 2: Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. For more tricks and tips, including improve your chances of getting into the virtual queue, you can follow this blog post here.

Rope Dropping Epcot

Since I was staying close to the parks, I decided to take an Uber to Le Petit Cafe in Disney’s Riviera Resort. I had never been here, and I always saw videos about this little cafe, recommending it a lot. I got myself a cold brew, and then rushed to the Disney Skyliner at Disney’s Riviera Resort.

Epcot was going to open soon, and I walked fast to the skyliner, which is the cable car system in Disney World. It is really useful, and also offers a nice view of the Walt Disney World. It is a free attraction itself.

Got into the gondola, and off I went to Epcot.

New World Celebration Gardens

The World Celebration Gardens were just newly opened recently, and are a great addition to Epcot, not only because the walls are finally getting down, but also because it offers a sort of Oasis on this section of the park. They beautifully melds natural beauty with Disney charm. Situated in the heart of the park, these gardens offer a lush, landscaped retreat featuring vibrant flowers, shrubs, and trees that change with the seasons. During the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival, the area comes alive with intricate Disney character topiaries, adding a whimsical touch.

A statue of Walt Disney stands as a centerpiece, perfect for photos and reflection. With scenic pathways and peaceful spots to relax, the World Celebration Gardens provide a serene escape and a testament to Disney’s artistry and horticulture, making it a must-visit destination in Epcot.

Epcot Attractions & Disney Genie Plus

After walking around it was time to start hitting the attractions. Of course the first one I had to go to was the Virtual Queue for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.

This is one of my favorite attractions in Walt Disney World, probably tied to Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, which I had bought for later in the day.

In between attractions I did other stuff that I will describe later in this post, but the next one was Soarin’ which I got in the Disney Genie+ after the 2 hour cooling period had expired.

And right after I tapped on the second tap of Soarin’ I booked my next Lightning Lane: Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure.

I will be in Paris for the Olympics 2024, so I was just taking a peak of this culture for now. I like this attraction a lot but I could skip it during my visits to Epcot if I do not have much time.

So far, it seemed like not too many people had the Disney Genie+, because I was being allowed to grab other attractions for not too later in the day. Of course, it took me hours to do all these rides, but now I was on Frozen Ever After at the Norway Pavilion.

I had just seen Elsa and Anna in my Disney Wish cruise, what were they doing here.

For now, and before the Park Hop I had done 3 heavy hitter attractions in Epcot, and I had started stacking Lighting Lanes in other parks as well.

Stacking Lightning Lanes involves booking multiple Genie+ Lightning Lane reservations throughout the day to maximize your time and experience at Disney parks. By strategically reserving attractions, you can “stack” them, meaning you’ll have several Lightning Lane passes lined up for the afternoon and evening, allowing you to enjoy rides with minimal wait times consecutively. This approach is especially useful if you start your day with other activities and prefer to hit multiple major attractions later on.

EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival: Topiaries and Decorations

And like I said, in between attractions I was enjoying the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival, and the beautiful topiaries and decorations around the park. Mufasa, Sarabi and Simba were some of my favorites.

One attraction I had never experience, or at least I did not remember, was the Butterfly Landing by the World of Nature land in Epcot. All these butterflies in this one place were really beautiful. I was gladly surprised.

And by the France Pavilion you cannot only find the attractions and the great food, but also nice topiaries like this one with Lumiere and Cogsworth from Beauty and the Beast.

The Epcot monorail was going to be my tool later in the day, but for now I would see it pass around this park, while I would see the beautiful flowers all over the waters.

EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival: Food

But let’s be real for a second. Yes, the topiaries are nice, but the food of the festival is what really attracts the guests.

The EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival is a foodie’s paradise! 🌸🍴 The park is dotted with Outdoor Kitchens, each serving up fresh and tasty dishes. You can munch on Frushi (fruit sushi) in Japan, or enjoy Toasted Pretzel Bread with black forest ham and melted cheese in Germany. 🍣🥨 France offers Parmentier de Canard A L’Orange, and there are delicious ramen bowls to slurp up too. 🍜 Plus, there are plenty of desserts and drinks, from craft cocktails to fruity smoothies and gourmet ice creams. It’s a feast for your eyes and your taste buds! 🌺🍹🍦

I was finally able to taste the Frushi from Hanami in Japan and oh lord, it was really good!

What I regretted getting was the Ramen in a cup from the same booth. It was OK but I would have rather spend the money in something else.

Later, I got the Toasted Pretzel Bread topped with black forest ham and melted cheese from Bauernmarkt: Farmer’s Market in the Germany Pavilion. Cheese literally goes well with anything. I loved every bite of it.

Much later in the day, after coming back to Epcot (yes, we came back). We tried the Parmentier de Canard A L’Orange from Fleur de Lys in France pavilion. This is a Pulled Duck Confit with Orange Sauce and Garlic-Rosemary Mashed Potatoes. It is exactly what it sounds like, very delicious.

More Food and Beverages Options at Epcot

If you want to refresh yourself, definitely try the Club Cool with showcases free sodas with different flavors from all over the world.

And to completement the coffee I had earlier in the day, I of course got myself another cold brew while in Epcot. I still had a long day ahead of me, and 2 more parks to hop on.

When I came back to Epcot from Hollywood Studios, I did not only try the Duck Confit, but also got the Fish and Chips from Yorkshire County Fish Shop at the England Pavilion. You know I am an aficionado of Fish and Chips, so of course I had to try them again.

Park Hopping from Epcot to Disney’s Hollywood Studios

It was time to say by to Epcot after a fun morning/early afternoon, and now I had to be on my way to Hollywood Studios, where I had my first Lighting Lane: Slinky Dog Dash, and the Individual Lighting Lane Selection: Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.

There are many ways to go to Disney’s Hollywood Studios from Epcot, and the Skyliner is definitely one of the most popular ones, but could even walk there if you wanted.

On the way there, and I could see The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™ which I had a Lighting Lane already stacked for later in the day.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Attractions

Definitely the best way to use Disney Genie+ is to stack Lighting Lane, right at the time where the app tells you you are allowed to book a new one, or right when you tap your current LL on the attraction. It is a fight against time.

The first attraction we did on my second favorite park was Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway.

This is a cute ride, the first one that showcases Mickey and Minnie surprisingly, but for some people it is so immersive that almost looks like a fever dream lol.

Next up, and finally, since booked from 7:00 am was Slinky Dog Dash at Toy Story Land. Remember that time I went to Hong Kong and explored this same land?

And to finish regular attractions, also with Genie, we got into one of the most thrilling rides of all WDW: The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™. Remember that Disney Genie+ includes the photos from the rides, FOR FREE! In Digital form of course.

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge

And back where I belong, my favorite land of all WDW is Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. And for obvious reasons: 1. It is literally my favorite franchise, 2. It has Rise of the Resistance, my favorite attraction, probably tied with Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure in Universal’s Islands of Adventure.

My third coffee of the day was the Cold Brew Black Caf from Kat Saka’s Kettle, which I definitely love. It is very creamy and sweet. Love it.

Another plus of this land is that there’s always characters around, like Kylo Ren, storm troppers…

… Chewbacca and Rey. But the one I have not been able to see is The Mandalorian Din Jarin and Grogu.

Another new thing in Disney’s Hollywood studios are the new scenes on Star Tours – The Adventures Continue, and I had a Lighting Lane for this attraction, even though not too necessary. I liked the Ahsoka Tano scenes and the ones from Andor himself.

Back in Galaxy’s Edge, it was finally time to do the Rise of the Resistance attraction. The last time I was here I got evac’d from the ride, and could not finish it (I got the money back), but this time it worked perfectly.

The scale of this attraction is always impressive.

And the 5th Lighting Lane for Disney’s Hollywood Studios was going to be Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, which is always fun to do!

Park Hopping: Evening at Magic Kingdom

After Hollywood Studios, we had not much time before our Lighting Lane for Tron, so we went to the Skyliner to Epcot, went back into the park (as you saw earlier on this post), and then took the other Monorail to Magic Kingdom. We only did this to use this modes of transportation, but I would just recommend you to Uber or take the bus from HS to MK.

Regardless, we arrived, and now we had to rush to Tron. But of course, I had to take a look at Cinderella Castle first.

TRON Lightcycle / Run is a thrilling, high-speed coaster. 🚀 Riders board futuristic lightcycles and race through a dark, neon-lit grid, inspired by the TRON movies. It’s an adrenaline-pumping, immersive experience that combines cutting-edge tech with exhilarating twists and turns. 🌟🎢 It is quick, but my friend liked it the most of all the rides we did this day, wow!

It was time for the Happily Ever After show, and right before we had to get some ice cream to eat while we saw the fireworks.

And there it was, Happily Ever After as beautiful as always. We walked a little back into Main Street and found space for this showing.

Naturally, a sea of people ran towards the exit of the park, but I recommended to stay for one last ride and to wait for the crowd to disperse, so we did Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and dipped.

Thanks to Disney Genie+ we did 9 attractions, not bad for a day also spent on festivals, food and moving around the Skyliner and the Monorail.

Conclusion

Our epic Disney day was nothing short of magical. Starting with a serene coffee stop at Le Petit Cafe and a scenic Skyliner ride to Epcot, we dove into the lush World Celebration Gardens and took in the beauty of Disney’s floral artistry. With Disney Genie Plus, we maximized our time, tackling high-speed thrills on Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and Soarin’s breathtaking views. The EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival delighted us with vibrant topiaries and mouthwatering treats like Frushi and Toasted Pretzel Bread.

As we hopped to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, we experienced the charming Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway and the adrenaline-pumping Tower of Terror. Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge was a highlight, with immersive interactions and a thrilling ride on Rise of the Resistance. Our day wrapped up at Magic Kingdom with the futuristic TRON Lightcycle / Run, followed by the enchanting Happily Ever After fireworks show.

From savoring festival foods to navigating Disney’s innovative ride reservation system, our adventure was a perfect blend of relaxation and excitement. Disney Genie Plus proved invaluable, allowing us to enjoy multiple top attractions with minimal wait times. Each park offered unique experiences, making our park-hopping journey an unforgettable adventure filled with magic, joy, and a touch of Disney’s timeless charm.