Three theme parks in three days? Challenge accepted! If you are a first-time visitor to Orlando, Florida with only three days to enjoy, you quickly realize it is a tall task to plan 3 different theme park days! Stress no more because here is my recommended & well rounded three-day itinerary to the best theme parks in Orlando.
THIS TRIP ITINERARY IS FOR:
FANTASY-LOVERS | FOODIES | ADRENALINE JUNKIES
Pro-tip: Pick a single park per day for a thorough exploration. — However, Disney and Universal both have multiple park options so you could spend the morning in one park and the afternoon in another if you desire!
**This itinerary is specified for one park a day.
The Best Times to Visit Orlando Theme Parks in 2020:
- Jan. 6-9, Jan. 13-16, Jan 27-Feb. 13
- Feb. 25-March 6
- The second half of August
- Most days in September
- Most weekdays in October
- Weekdays in November (minus the week of Thanksgiving)
- Weekdays in December (minus the weeks of Christmas and New Year’s Eve)
Source: Best Time to Visit Disney World in 2019 & 2020
We visited the second weekend of January and the crowds were extremely light since American schools were back in session. January is actually considered the all-around best month to visit Orlando theme parks. The weather was wonderful. Sunny and in the 70s during the day and a little chilly during the mornings and evenings.
ITINERARY AT A GLANCE:
DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3
Magic Kingdom Island of Adventure Epcot
Use my Orlando Vlog below as a visual guide for your three-day itinerary to Orlando theme parks! I include our whole trip from start to finish from Magic Kingdom to EPCOT. It was the best three days of the whole year and I am happy to have documented it.
My Personal Budgeting Tip:
Rule of thumb, I try to budget about $100 per day in a park for food, souvenirs, etc. This may look different for others but it helps give me an idea of what to save for the trip in advance. Though I usually don’t spend over $100 a day in a park unless I bought souvenirs.
For transportation, we found that it was cheaper to utilize Lyft/Uber rather than book our hotel shuttle. This was about $25 each day round-trip to the parks.
Where we stayed all four nights: Holiday Inn Club Vacations At Orange Lake Resort
Day 1 – Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom is where all your dreams come true! Home to the iconic Cinderella Castle, Magic Kingdom was the very first theme park to open at Walt Disney World Resort. First-time visitors need this park in their 3-day trip, especially if you are bringing children. Here, you’ll find a wide variety of family-friendly attractions across 6 distinct areas.
The child in everyone comes out to play when you’re surrounded by Micky, Cinderella, and the host of other Disney characters that you have grown up with. This theme park does have activities for people of all ages whether it be a gentle ride through It’s a Small World to the thrills of Space Mountain.
My Top Picks
A trip to Tomorrowland to take on Space Mountain is a must, as it is the biggest and fastest roller coaster the park currently has to offer. The lines can be intense but book your Fast Pass ahead of time and you can cut the queue times significantly. For those seeking more roller coaster thrills then Splash Mountain would be my second pick (but beware – you will get wet).
Most of Magic Kingdom’s rides cater to the child crowd, however, there are still a number of faster-paced attractions for the “big kids”.
Tickets
There are a variety of ticket options for Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom including single park or park hopper options. For all the latest information and ticket specials check out the Tickets Options website. Single park passes start at US$109 for those who are 10 years or older.
Day 2 – Universal’s Islands of Adventure
A big kid’s heaven. Universal’s Islands of Adventure was opened in 1999 and has since become a hit for high-thrill roller coasters and fast-paced action with Seuss Landing, a Super Hero themed area, Jurassic Park, and of course the most popular area of the park, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter!
My Top Picks
The Incredible Hulk coaster is the biggest and the baddest thrill ride in all of theme park history. From zero to 40 miles per hour in seconds, a weightless zero-G roll, and a steep plummet below ground level will be sure to leave your heart pounding and running back for more.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is the other big drawcard to the park with Hogwarts Castle as the star of the show. Try butterbeer and pumpkin juice, shop in Olivander’s Wand Shop and see the Hogwarts Express train as well as taking part in some wild roller coasters.
Check out my post: A Muggle’s Guide to Hogsmeade Village
My personal favorite ride at Universal is Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. Fly on a broomstick through Hogwarts castle grounds, passageways, and corridors visiting iconic locations such as Dumbledore’s office, the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, and more. You can also join Hagrid and fly deep into the Forbidden Forest on Universal’s brand new ride: Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure.
Tickets
Single park admission is US$115 for 1-park 1-day, and 2-park 1-day admission is US$170. With the 2-park pass for 1-day, you are able to ride the Hogwarts Express between the parks! (or just walk over like a muggle would) Depending on what you are looking for, thrill rides, or a classic “Universal Studios” experience, you will be just as happy getting a 1-park pass for the other side of the park as well! Can’t go wrong.
My pro-tip: Splurge and buy the express pass, especially during crowded park times. You get to enjoy every ride in the park without waiting in the long lines.
Day 3 – Epcot
Our visit to Epcot was my favorite day out of this whole three-day itinerary as it is one of the more relaxing and scenic areas of Disney World. Epcot consists of two themed areas, Future World and World Showcase. Future World features attractions that focus on energy, communication, the land, and our environment, imagination, and space exploration. Meanwhile, Epcot’s World Showcase contains replicas of eleven countries centered around a spacious lagoon. When you make your way around the lagoon you can soak in every culture, cuisine, and music of each country and feel as if you traveled there first hand!
My Top Picks
One of the most popular things to do at Epcot’s World Showcase (and my favorite activity) is what’s called Drinking Around The World. This is a challenge where guests aim to have a drink at every one of World Showcase’s eleven countries in one day.
For many years, Epcot was considered an ‘adult’ park. As far as “attractions” go, so you’re not going to find thrill rides but there are several movies, boat rides and shows that will give you an overview of the country you’re in.
My favorite experience of the day was eating a romantic candle-lit dinner in France.
Pro-tip: Reserve your dinner reservations a day early! All of the popular restaurants fill up quickly.
Tickets
The ticket pricing for Epcot is the same as Magic Kingdom. For more information on Epcot check out their website here.
Final words:
Taking on three theme parks in three days is hard work! The early mornings and late nights can leave you feeling exhausted but the memories you make will be so so worth it.
My advice is to always go to parks as soon as they open to beat the entry lines and make dinner reservations in the park before you head back to your hotel. Normally theme park restaurants get booked in advance during the popular dinner times so make sure to stay on the ball and save yourself some trouble.
Epcot was my favorite day because we had needed a laid back experience after both Magic Kingdom and Universal Studios. The food and drinks in Epcot were absolutely delicious. On top of this, there were fewer children and crowds.
There you have it, your ultimate three-day itinerary to Orlando theme parks. If you have been before, which theme park would you recommend to a first-time visitor?
