There’s no denying that a Disney trip in Lake Buena Vista is tiring. While it can be tempting to continue through the tiredness, your body will thank you for taking a break now and again. Resting will also help to avoid you returning home sick or in need of a vacation from a Disney vacation! Here’s how we take a break without missing out on the Walt Disney World Resort fun.
Explore the Disney Skyliner Resorts
You can board the Disney Skyliner at EPCOT International Gateway via World Showcase and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Using the Disney Skyliner is an excellent way to rest your legs while enjoying incredible views of the Walt Disney World Resort. Exploring the Disney Skyliner Resorts is a perfect way to escape the crowds and take things a little more slowly. You can access the following Disney Resort hotels via the Disney Skyliner:
- Riviera Resort – the first stop from EPCOT.
- Caribbean Beach Resort – the first stop from Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
- Pop Century Resort
- Art of Animation Resort
Take the Boat between EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios
If your Walt Disney World ticket is a Park Hopper Pass, you may plan on Park hopping between EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios during your Disney vacation. Our favorite way to do so is via the Friendship Boats. You can board the FriendShip Boats at International Gateway from EPCOT World Showcase. If you are traveling from Disney’s Hollywood Studios, keep to the left as you exit the Disney Park and head toward the lake in front of you. A boat ride between the Disney Parks takes around twenty-five minutes. Along the way, the boat will stop at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin, Disney’s BoardWalk Inn, and Disney’s Yacht Club Resort. You can expect a shorter line and less-crowded boat if you use the FriendShip Boats during the day.
Complete the Disney Monorail EPCOT Loop
Typically you will be familiar with using the Disney Monorail to travel between Magic Kingdom Park and the surrounding Disney Resort hotels. However, the Disney Monorail also travels to EPCOT. You can access the EPCOT line from the Transportation and Ticket Center. Alternatively, walk straight ahead when exiting EPCOT theme park. Completing the EPCOT loop on the Disney Monorail offers you the chance to escape the heat and take a break. Before stopping at the EPCOT station, you will also get a unique view of World Celebration and World Showcase Lagoon. Generally, completing the EPCOT loop takes between twenty and thirty minutes.
Watch a Show
There are plenty of shows in the Walt Disney World theme parks. Whether you choose an indoor or outdoor show, you’re guaranteed a chance to rest your legs and catch a break from the sun. The shows in the Disney Parks vary in length, so you can choose the one that suits your need to rest best. We won’t judge if you take a little nap, too, while ‘watching’!
The shows available in the Walt Disney World Resort, by Disney theme park, are as follows:
Magic Kingdom Park
- Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor
- Country Bear Jamboree
- The Hall of Presidents
- Mickey’s PhilharMagic
- Enchanted Tales with Belle
- Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room
EPCOT
- Awesome Planet
- Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along
- Canada Far and Wide in Circle-Vision 3D
- Disney and PIXAR Short Film Festival
- Impressions de France
- Reflections of China
- Turtle Talk with Crush
- American Adventure
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage
- For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
- Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular!
- Muppet*Vision 3D
- Fantasmic!
- Vacation Fun – An Original Animation Short with Mickey & Minnie
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
- Festival of the Lion King
- Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond!
- It’s Tough to be a Bug!
- The Animation Experience at Conservation Station
- Feathered Friends in Flight
Ride the Lengthy Attractions
Some attractions in the Walt Disney World Resort provide you with a lengthy experience. Such attractions offer you time to rest without missing the Disney experience. When you need a break, it’s time to ride the following attractions:
Magic Kingdom Park
- Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress
- “it’s a small world.”
- Jungle Cruise
- Liberty Square Riverboat
- Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover
- Walt Disney World Railroad
EPCOT
- Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros
- Journey into Imagination with Figment
- Living with the Land
- Spaceship Earth
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
- Toy Story Mania!
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
- Wildlife Express Train
- Kilimanjaro Safaris
Visit a Disney Water Park
Planning a day at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon or Disney’s Blizzard Beach is a great way to secure a break during your Disney vacation. While there are plenty of attractions to experience in the Disney water parks, the lazy rivers and beach areas encourage you to take time for relaxation. We never feel like we are missing out when we spend a day in the Disney water parks.
Watch a Movie Under the Stars
Every Walt Disney World Resort hotel offers movies under the stars. Every evening, Guests gather on the lawn or at the pool area to enjoy beloved Disney films. We love to watch a movie under the stars after a day in the Disney Parks. We always plan to spend time at our Disney hotel pool before or after the movie. Look out for your favorite Disney movie being shown. Or maybe you’ll watch a Disney film for the first time instead?
We love that you can enjoy a movie under the stars without a Disney Park ticket. So, if you ever plan on visiting the Walt Disney World Resort ahead of a Disney Cruise, and you don’t plan on visiting a Disney theme park, take advantage of all that there is on offer at the Disney hotels.
Sail the Sassagoula River
The Sassagoula River cruise is a mode of Disney transportation that is a hidden gem within Walt Disney World. The Sassagoula River boats travel between Disney Springs, Disney’s Old Key West Resort, Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort, and Disney’s Port Orleans Resorts. We love to plan an evening at Disney Springs (previously known as Downtown Disney) that coincides with sailing down the Sassagoula River. Generally, we secure an advanced dining reservation for dinner at a full-service restaurant in Disney Springs. Afterward, we stroll through the Marketplace to the boat landing and catch the boat to Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter Resort. For dessert, we can’t resist freshly-made Beignets at Scat Cat’s Club Cafe at the Disney hotel.
Next time you need a break during your Walt Disney World vacation, don’t feel you have to miss out on the fun! Enhance your Disney experience by planning some of these activities!
