Walt Disney World

The Magic is Calling.

Welcome to our Walt Disney World corner — grab a Mickey bar and settle in. We've been visiting since 2023, starting out with a humble package holiday and somehow ending up as Disney Vacation Club members, which means we now find ourselves wandering down Main Street U.S.A. far more often than is probably reasonable. Expect resort reviews, food reviews, attraction rundowns, write-ups of after-hours events, and a steady stream of the little hints and tips we wish we'd known sooner.

the entrance to akersurs halls — Princess Dining at Epcot

If you are visiting Epcot for the day and are looking for a different and fun dining experience, then Akershus Royal Banquet Hall in the Norway Pavilion is a place to try. Here you sit within a Medieval inspired castle, enjoy some tasty treats while Disney princesses come and visit you.

Image shows a large hotel building — Welcome to the Riviera

A little bit fancy yet lovely and relaxing. When people ask us where to stay at Walt Disney World, our answer comes out before they've even finished the question: Disney's Riviera Resort. It's our DVC home resort, so we're hardly impartial. But we bought in here for a reason, and every stay since has reminded us why. Here's the funny part. The first time we came to Walt Disney World back in 2023, we'd ride the Skyliner home from EPCOT, glide past Riviera, and giggle to each other, "that's where the posh people stay." Little did we know that by the end of that very year, Riviera would be our home resort.

Exterior Shot of Animal Kingdom Lodge with A Giraffe — Welcome to Animal Kingdom Lodge

One resort I have always wanted to stay in at Walt Disney World is Animal Kingdom Lodge, as I love giraffes. They are one of my favourite animals. Mr Disney even treated me to feed them back in 2021.

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So when we finally booked five nights here, expectations were high. Animal Kingdom Lodge is really two resorts in one: Jambo House, the main hotel, and Kidani Village, which is all DVC. We stayed at Kidani in a Deluxe Studio with a savannah view, and this is our honest take on it. And I was not disappointed.

image shows a man and woman posing with Minnie Mouse — Dining with Characters is fun

When you are planning your dining options at Walt Disney World, do not overlook the character dining. It is one of our favourite ways to meet the characters. Rather than spending hours queuing in the Florida sun for a few seconds with one character, you sit down to a proper meal and they come to you, table by table, while you eat. You get out of the heat, you refuel in the middle of a busy day, and you often meet several characters in one sitting.

In this guide we have shared the character meals we have dined at ourselves, park by park, with our honest take on each one. At the end we have also rounded up a few more that are on our list but we have not yet tried, in case they suit your trip.

picture shows a cartoon image of a lady and man holding a Mickey Mouse shaped lolly and a bucket of popcorn

During our summer trip to Walt Disney World, we went to the Epcot After Hours event. What's the event, you ask? It's one of those times where the park looks gloriously empty and everyone's wandering around with an armful of free snacks — yes, that means free Mickey Bars. You get a quieter park, unlimited treats thrown in, and rides that normally make you fight a virtual queue suddenly running as a regular standby line.

Image shows a man and a woman standing in front of a shell with a red lobster disney character inside — Caz and Mr Disney with Sebastian

Image shows a sign saying art of animation in different fun colours On our first trip to Walt Disney World, we stayed in Disney's Art of Animation resort. Of all the Disney resorts we have stayed in, this one I can say is one that is just such great fun it feels almost like stepping straight into a cartoon. It was back in 2023, and we based ourselves here for the whole trip, quite the introduction for first-timers like us.

Image shows a train style transport on a raised rail passing infront of spaceship earth which looks like a golf ball — Walt Disney World Monorail

When Mr Disney and I went to Walt Disney World for the first time, I was surprised at just how big it is compared to Disneyland Paris (where we’ve become seasoned pros at going). Unlike France, where you can happily walk between the resorts and the parks, in Florida transportation is your friend.

Image shows the Walt Disney World entrance archway over the main highway, with Mickey and Minnie Mouse on the pillars either side and cars driving underneath

When you land at Orlando International, you've basically got four options to get to your Disney resort: Mears Connect, a taxi, an Uber, or a private transfer. We delve into the options available.