3 days in Orlando

Day by day

1. Day 1: Magic Kingdom and EPCOT

   Magic Kingdom, EPCOT and Disney's Hollywood Studios, then Epic Universe in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Magic Kingdom

      Disney's original Florida park, opened in 1971, is built around Cinderella Castle and lands such as Fantasyland, Tomorrowland and Adventureland.

   2. Late morning

      EPCOT

      Eat your way around World Showcase in the evening, when it is cooler and the pavilions are lit up.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Dole Whip

      Aloha Isle in Magic Kingdom and Disney's Polynesian Village Resort.

   4. Afternoon

      Disney's Hollywood Studios

      Hollywood Studios has Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, with Rise of the Resistance and Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, plus Toy Story Land and The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.

   5. Evening

      Epic Universe

      Go to the land you care about most at opening; queues elsewhere are usually shorter later in the day.

2. Day 2: Disney's Animal Kingdom and Universal Studios Florida

   Disney's Animal Kingdom, Universal Studios Florida and Universal Islands of Adventure, then Disney Springs in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Disney's Animal Kingdom

      Ride Kilimanjaro Safaris early in the day, when the animals are most active and it is cooler.

   2. Late morning

      Universal Studios Florida

      Universal Studios Florida is built around film and TV sets, with Diagon Alley from the Harry Potter films, home to Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, plus thrill rides and shows based on movies.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Butterbeer

      Hogsmeade, Diagon Alley and Epic Universe's Ministry of Magic land at Universal.

   4. Afternoon

      Universal Islands of Adventure

      Ride Hagrid's and the VelociCoaster first thing, and save the water rides for the hottest part of the afternoon.

   5. Evening

      Disney Springs

      Parking in the Disney Springs garages is free, so it makes an easy evening out even if you are not staying at Disney.

3. Day 3: SeaWorld Orlando and ICON Park and The Wheel

   SeaWorld Orlando, ICON Park and The Wheel and Lake Eola Park, then Universal CityWalk in the evening.

   1. Morning

      SeaWorld Orlando

      SeaWorld Orlando combines marine-animal habitats — penguins, sea lions, dolphins and manatees — with some of Orlando's biggest roller coasters, including the hypercoaster Mako.

   2. Late morning

      ICON Park and The Wheel

      Ride after dark for views across the lit-up resort area.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Smoked turkey leg

      Snack carts in Magic Kingdom's Frontierland, EPCOT and other parks.

   4. Afternoon

      Lake Eola Park

      Lake Eola Park circles a lake in Downtown Orlando with a walking path of about 1.5 km, the illuminated fountain that is a symbol of the city, swan-shaped pedal boats and resident swans.

   5. Evening

      Universal CityWalk

      Bars, live music and clubs outside the Universal parks, open later than the parks themselves.

Before you go

• Magic Kingdom: Tickets are dated and prices vary by day; buy in advance on the official site and consider paid queue access for busy dates.
• EPCOT: The most popular rides may use a virtual queue or paid access; check the Disney app for the current system on your date.
• Universal Studios Florida: Buy dated tickets online; you need a park-to-park ticket to ride the Hogwarts Express between the two original parks.
• Epic Universe: Epic Universe tickets are sold separately from the original parks and can sell out on busy dates; book well ahead.

If it rains

• Swap in Morse Museum of American Art (Winter Park): Allow time for the reconstructed Tiffany Chapel, the highlight for most visitors.
• Swap in Orlando Science Center (Loch Haven Park): Pair it with the Orlando Museum of Art next door in Loch Haven Park on a wet or very hot afternoon.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 3 nights, Walt Disney World Resort keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Lake Buena Vista ($$) suits families and budget. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 52–71 hours of visiting over 3 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 10.3 hours in December to 13.9 hours in June.

More or fewer days

• One day in Orlando
• 2 days in Orlando
• 4 days in Orlando
• 5 days in Orlando
• 7 days in Orlando

Questions travellers ask