Ten dream days at Disney World in Florida

Hi there! It’s been nearly 6 years since I last posted here or on my travel blog. But I’m back, at least for one post! I’m returning with a dream trip we took in April 2023: a stay at Walt Disney World in Florida. We went for 10 days. Ten days at an amusement park might seem like a lot, but you should know that Disney isn’t just one park—it’s 4 parks and 2 water parks (only one was open during our trip). So we split those 10 days across 5 parks, which worked out to about 2 days per park. The four main parks each have a different vibe:

Magic Kingdom: The most famous one, the one that most resembles our Disneyland Paris. It’s home to several "lands" (Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, Liberty Square, and Main Street USA). This is the park where you’ll find the iconic castle, the symbol of the parks. Disney’s Hollywood Studios: It’s a bit like the studios at Disneyland Paris, with the well-known Tower of Terror and Toy Story Land. It also features the stunning Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge (a must-see, even if you’re not a Star Wars fan). Animal Kingdom: A very nature-focused park, divided into several sections, including representations of Africa and Asia, as well as the breathtaking Pandora – The World of Avatar. Epcot: The park of countries, where different nations are represented around a large circular lake—including France!

The water park that was open during our stay was Typhoon Lagoon. We spent a morning there lounging and swimming before heading to Disney Springs (the equivalent of Disney Village in France). We’re not big on pools or chilling out, so we didn’t stay long, but there was no time limit.

We chose to stay at the Disney’s Art of Animation hotel, a Resort (huge, like everything there!) with 4 themed areas: Nemo, Cars, The Lion King, and The Little Mermaid (where the rooms for 4 people or fewer are located).



Here’s the itinerary we followed for those 10 days:

Day 1: Flight at 7:35 AM–4:40 PM (with a layover in London), stroller pickup, then shuttle bus to our hotel Day 2: Day at Magic Kingdom Day 3: Day at Hollywood Studios Day 4: Day at Animal Kingdom Day 5: Day at Epcot Day 6: Day at Hollywood Studios Day 7: Relaxing day at Typhoon Lagoon and Disney Springs Day 8: Day at Magic Kingdom Day 9: Day at Epcot Day 10: Day at Magic Kingdom Day 11: Morning at Hollywood Studios, then shuttle bus to the airport, stroller return at the airport, flight at 7:05 PM–1:50 PM (next day)

We rented the stroller from Kingdom Stroller. The rental process was super easy—everything was done online. On the day we arrived and the day we left, there was no staff at the counter, but the stroller was ready with a tag bearing our name. When we left, we just dropped it off at the designated spot, still with no one checking... We used the Mears Connect shuttle: you pick a day and time for them to pick you up at the airport and your hotel. Everything went smoothly, no surprises.

For planning, you’ll need to decide in advance which parks you’ll visit each day because a reservation is required (just like in Paris now). I’d recommend making a schedule ahead of time. Same goes for restaurants—figure out which ones you’d like to eat at beforehand. Some work like fast food and don’t require reservations, while others, the "Table Service" restaurants, operate like traditional restaurants and need to be booked in advance to guarantee a spot. These can be reserved 60 days before the first day of your visit, and that applies to all the restaurants for your entire stay (e.g., if you’re going from February 1st to 11th, you can make reservations for the whole trip 60 days before February 1st).

Not essential, but we found them super handy: MagicBands. These are connected bracelets you buy on-site (not cheap, of course) that let you, once linked to your account in the app, open your hotel room, enter the parks, validate Lightning Lane reservations at attraction entrances, and even make purchases (if you’ve linked a credit card). We got the cheapest ones and loved them!

As for the trip’s wrap-up, if I were to do it again, ... I’d do almost everything the same: The schedule and restaurant reservations I planned were perfect! ... I’d change one thing: Maybe I wouldn’t plan two full days at Epcot because it was the park we enjoyed the least. Some attractions (like the amazing Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind) were great, but it was really hot, the park isn’t shaded, and it felt stifling when the weather was scorching. That said, I don’t regret it because a big storm hit on our second day, forcing us back to the hotel.

That’s all for now—I’ll be back soon with photos from each park and the hotel. You’ll see, it was incredible! See you soon! :)

Here’s an original travel journal, far from the ones we usually read here—think deserted beaches, majestic canyons, exotic animals, and all sorts of other discoveries...

Okay, you’ve gotta love Disney to spend 10 days in its world 🙂 but hey, why not?

Stay tuned, then—even if it’s not enchanting, it might still be fun. At the very least, it already gets points for originality 😉.

Wow, respect! I consider myself a Disney fan—I was there for the opening in Paris (and for the 10th, 20th, and 30th anniversaries, etc.), but I don’t think I’d have the energy to do 10 days in a row! So I’ll be following from my couch because you don’t get this kind of feedback every day! Quick indiscreet question: what’s the budget? And another one right after: you mentioned a stroller—how old is the child? One last one for the road: I’ve often heard that American Disneyland doesn’t have the same magic as Paris (older, less detailed in its decor, etc.). Do you confirm that impression? Thanks

I was there for the opening of EuroDisney too! 😉

I was a huge Disney fan for years!

Annual pass holder at Disneyland Paris for 5 years Annual pass holder at Disney World, where I must have gone at least 4 times, including a 14-day stay in 1996 (the annual pass cost $200 back then). I’ve also been to Disney California at least 4 times.

Nowadays, I avoid it because the prices are just too high, unfortunately. But I’ll always keep the magic alive! I’ll be following along with pleasure to see any new updates.

I was there for the opening of EuroDisney too! 😉

To be completely honest, I wasn’t there on opening day but within the month that followed. But it sure doesn’t make us any younger 😕

Today I won’t allow myself to do it because the prices are just too high, unfortunately. But I’ll always keep the spirit alive! I’ll be following along with pleasure to see any new updates.

My last trip to Disneyland Paris was last July, right after the Marvel area opened. I took advantage of a Mickey/Olympics combo deal, and I’ll admit that thankfully the kids are older now—it still stings when it comes to prices

You're right 😄 I was there on opening day. I even slept in front of the ticket booths! 😏

Oh yeah, it’s gotten way too expensive! I haven’t been in years. Not that I don’t still love it, but a Disney park in the US is instantly a 1000 € budget for the family.

Hi there,

Thanks so much for your enthusiastic message! I’ll admit, we’re huge Disney fans (well, it was really my idea to begin with, but he absolutely loved the trip!). I’m not sure how to describe it, but when you’re there, all you can think about is having fun, picking the next attraction, admiring the amazing scenery... You completely disconnect from everyday worries—it’s such a nice break! We thought 10 days might be too much, but in the end, for anyone who loves theme parks, 10 days is really perfect!

Thanks for the kind words! And I hope the photos will take you on a little trip too! 🙂

Hi there, A huge thank you for your message! If you're a fan, then 10 days at Disney World is totally doable! I had some of the same questions and doubts about keeping ourselves "busy" and enjoying such a long stay, but the park is way bigger than ours: it's the size of the city of Paris, it has 4 parks (we only have two, and one of them has few attractions), plus there are water parks... so, needless to say, there's plenty to do!!

As for the budget, including absolutely everything (shuttle, stroller rental, extras, etc.), we spent 9000 € for the three of us. It's clearly a massive budget. We could afford it, so we went for it, but Disney isn’t within everyone’s reach (and it’s not getting any better ). Our little one was 4 years old during our trip. She walked well, but to enjoy the park all day, we chose to rent a stroller because those are days spent mostly walking, and over 10 days, it gets pretty tiring. We rented a stroller with a reclining back, which let her nap during the midday break. I don’t regret that investment at all!

So, for the comparison, I think you’re talking about Disneyland in California, right? We spent a day there during a trip in 2014, and quite a few attractions were a bit outdated. I don’t really remember the decor, though. The park I’m talking about in this post is the one in Florida, and it’s clearly a step above Paris (and I *love* the Paris park!!!). It’s much bigger, the vibe is amazing, and there are photographers all over the park if you want to get portraits taken as a keepsake. You’ll see—when I post the photos of Hollywood Studios, there’s a Star Wars land that, even for people who aren’t huge fans, is absolutely breathtaking. You really feel like you’re there—it’s mind-blowing! It’s the land that impressed us the most and left us with the most incredible memories!

Gorgeous photo of our beautiful castle

Thank you so much for your amazing message!

We’re (well, actually, it’s mostly me, and I’ve roped the whole family in!!!) big fans too!! I went there as a kid in the years after the park opened in Paris, but then had to wait nearly 15 years to go back. After that, we went regularly, and we even got annual passes two years in a row when our little one came along. Clearly, we stopped a year or two ago because of the pass price and the massive reduction in perks...

We spent a day at Disneyland in California in 2014, but weirdly, I don’t remember much about it.

I think Disney World has changed a lot since 1996, so I’m thrilled you’ll get to discover the new stuff with my photos :) Wow... 14 days—what a dream!!! But like you said, it’s a *huge* (colossal) budget...😕

Ugh... yeah, the prices are outrageous... but as long as there are suckers like us willing to keep paying, I don’t think it’ll get any better... it’s become a luxury destination 😕

Even in France, actually, because entry reaches 120 € in peak season, so if there are 4 of you, that’s almost 500 € right there... And inside, the food isn’t exactly cheap either. If you’re coming from far away, you’ve also got transport costs... so it quickly adds up to 1,000 € a day, or even more.

oh yeah! true fan!!😉

Hi

We went for 10 days. Ten days at an amusement park might seem like a lot, but you should know that Disney isn’t just one park—it’s 4 parks and 2 water parks (only one was open during our trip). So we split those 10 days between 5 parks, which worked out to about 2 days per park.

I get it... to each their own, but 10 days?! Is that even possible? Personally, I wanted to have this experience. (In Europe, we weren’t familiar with this kind of thing.) Since Pan Am gave us a flight ticket to Miami, I’d spent 3 days there (3 parks) with my son back when Disneyland Paris didn’t even exist yet. I did it to make my son happy (he was 6), but for me, it wasn’t a dream. Took me a week to recover! :(

I went to the USA for the first time just to visit Disney World... 😄 And then I realized there was a whole country around Disney World! Since then, I’ve been back to the USA 17 times to explore the country! 😏

Yep, there are enthusiasts for everything! 😉

In Florida, outside of Disney, everything felt like a somewhat artificial world for affluent retirees—a giant amusement park for tourists craving "childish activities," a kind of "kids' island," the realm of ersatz, in a way... And everything is laid out with military precision, nothing out of place—it’s too smooth, too neat for me.

That’s just how I felt.

Still, there were some positives: people are friendly and enthusiastic no matter what, and especially chill behind the wheel... Now *that’s* a change from France!

Anyway, this experience didn’t make me want to return to the US, even if I imagine not all of the US is like Florida—though I sure hope so... 😏

Awesome! I love it! I totally get you :)

Yes! 10 days!! And it was amazing! 😛

Yeah, we’re probably tourists craving kid-like fun! Guilty as charged—I love playing, having a blast, and the whole Disney vibe. It helps me disconnect from a reality that can sometimes be a bit tough and stressful. And that doesn’t stop me from enjoying nature walks, stunning landscapes, or even little details of everyday life. For me, one doesn’t rule out the other. Everything’s worth it to make the most of life and its pleasures.

But I know Disney can be super polarizing and might spark some misunderstanding, so just to clarify—my posts and photos aren’t here to convince anyone it’s "the best thing ever." They’re just a way to share my passion for Disney and some photos 🙂

Totally agree with you! The main thing is to be happy and at peace with yourself. I love places and moments that make me smile.

You just gotta be happy in life. 😉

Totally agree with you! The main thing is to be happy and at peace with yourself. I love places and moments that make me smile.

You just gotta be happy in life. 😉

And the great thing about Disney is, "It doesn’t take much to be happy—really, very little to be happy...."

Well spotted! 😂

Well, yeah... What's the point of living otherwise? Everyday life isn't exactly simple, so we look for happiness wherever we can find it 🙂

Oh yes!!! That’s exactly it ;) "You’ve gotta make do with the essentials"... and trips to Disney World too, of course!!!

And at Epcot, if I remember correctly, you can visit 7 or 8 countries in a single day! 😏

Yesss!!! Exactly!! There are even 11 of them. It’s really fun, even if it’s true that nothing beats the real countries 🙂 but it gives a nice little preview!

Oh yes!!! That’s exactly it ;) "You’ve gotta be happy with the essentials"... and trips to Disney World too, of course!!!

Yeah, I’m not sure a trip to Disney is at the base of Maslow’s pyramid either … ;)

Absolutely not!!! That’s why I mentioned BOTH Disney trips 😜

Hello! As I mentioned in the first article of the "Disney World" series, out of the 10 days we spent at the Resort, we dedicated 3 full days to visiting Magic Kingdom. I made this choice because it’s the iconic park of the destination, with a total area equal to the size of Paris… Yet it’s not the largest of the four parks (it’s actually the smallest!), but there are plenty of attractions suitable for little kids, and the atmosphere was, for me, the most quintessentially Disney.

Here are a few snapshots from this park, where we discovered different lands like Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, Liberty Square, and Main Street USA…

On our very first day at the park, we arrived under a beautiful sun, and it was absolutely breathtaking. The atmosphere lived up to our expectations.

We stopped to take some great photos of the park before heading to Fantasyland to ride The Little Mermaid.



The attraction is stunning, with gorgeous sets and incredible music… Next, we went on It’s a Small World. It was really nice too, but it didn’t quite match the one at Disneyland Paris, which is simply magnificent.



One thing we found really handy was the stroller parking areas all over the park, which let us leave the stroller without getting in the way while we enjoyed the attractions. After *It’s a Small World*, we headed to Storybook Circus, a small circus-themed area near Fantasyland with several kid-friendly attractions. We started with Dumbo the Flying Elephant. It’s the same ride as in Paris, but here there are *two* of them side by side!



We then did several rounds on The Barnstormer, a mini roller coaster that was perfect for getting our little one ready for more thrilling rides… And it worked—she loved it!

We spent most of the day exploring the park, ate at Pinocchio Village Haus (with a view of the *It’s a Small World* ride’s departure point), went on *Winnie the Pooh*, and tried other Fantasyland attractions. We also took lots of photos with the characters we met at the park’s various meet-and-greet spots (the Memory Maker option, which lets you download photos taken by park photographers via the app, was included for free with our booking). We had a blast on this first day, and it already promised an amazing trip.

In the afternoon, we visited Tomorrowland, the equivalent of Paris’ Discoveryland—a land representing a vision of the future from the first half of the 20th century. We started with Tomorrowland Speedway, the equivalent of Autopia, which was perfect for our little one who loves "driving."

Next, we tried Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress. We absolutely *loved* this attraction—it’s basically a rotating theater where you sit in seats that move around a circular stage with different "scenes" showcasing technological progress in the 20th century. Life-like animatronics, music, and atmosphere bring it all to life. It was so good we went on it 2 or 3 times!

We continued exploring Magic Kingdom with other attractions like Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin and the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover (a ride where you can relax, though it’s not the most exciting—it does offer great elevated views of the land!). In the late afternoon, we positioned ourselves to watch the parade. The floats were stunning, and we saw so many Disney characters—it was magical.



On the other days, we went on Seven Dwarfs Mine Train in Fantasyland (a super fun mine train ride) and Big Thunder Mountain in Frontierland (yes, our little one seemed ready for all these slightly thrilling rides!).



We also tried the attractions in Adventureland, like The Magic Carpets of Aladdin (flying carpets), the Enchanted Tiki Room (a show with animatronic birds—very fun!), and the Jungle Cruise (a boat ride where you discover jungle animals and settings, also animatronic).



On our last day at Magic Kingdom, we were lucky enough to catch the beautiful show *Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire*.



That same day, we decided—just this once—to stay late at the park to watch the nighttime show. We have such great memories of it, even though part of it was under pouring rain. It was still absolutely breathtaking.

These three days were packed, and I don’t regret spending 3 days instead of 2 at this park. Looking back, it seems like the perfect amount of time for a visit with a little one who can only do some of the attractions.

I’ll be back soon with the rest of this trip’s story, including an article on Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

I could only share a limited number of photos here, but there are many more on my blog. If you’d like to see them, check out the article here: Magic Kingdom photos.

See you soon!

A totally refurbished Parisian "It's a Small World," reopened last summer and even more magical!

Yes, it’s absolutely stunning, unmatched!

And then we lost our Dolma: "those people are out of their minds" 😄😄

After the story and photos from the park Magic Kingdom, here I am again with the photos from Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This park is a bit like our Walt Disney Studios with the iconic Tower of Terror and the Toy Story land. However, it has more attractions and lands, including one that really stood out for its immersive feel—Star Wars land.

We spent, as you can see in our previously published travel itinerary, two and a half days there, and I have to say it wasn’t too much—we loved the attractions and the immersion so much.

From our hotel, Disney’s Art of Animation, we could take the gondolas (Disney Skyliner), which let us get to the park pretty quickly using a fun mode of transport. The best part was having a gondola all to ourselves since we could fit the stroller inside (without folding it).



We started our park exploration with a fantastic first attraction, Slinky Dog Dash, located in Toy Story Land. The queue is filled with giant toys, and then we boarded the "Zigzag" dog for a roller coaster ride (no loops) that shakes you up a bit. At park opening, it’s still possible to ride twice in a row without too much waiting, so we took advantage! It was our Mini’s first real roller coaster—she was scared but wanted more!



After that fun emotional moment, we ventured further to the famous land Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Wow, it’s breathtaking! Even if you’re not die-hard fans, it’s impossible not to be amazed by the beauty of this area. The sets are incredible, and the attractions are just as amazing. In short, it was a real favorite for us. Since the attractions weren’t suitable for our Mini, we split up.



With my Mini, we stayed near the Millennium Falcon, and when the huge Chewbacca and Rey arrived, we took some photos.



Meanwhile, my husband went on the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run attraction as a single rider. He got through quickly, which let me go right after him, also as a single rider. I didn’t take any photos of this attraction, but it’s amazing: you enter the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon in a group of six, and everyone has their own role during the mission. We loved it!

Next, we moved on to another attraction. With my Mini, we checked out Muppet Vision 3D before grabbing an ice cream while my husband waited in line for Star Wars: The Rise of Resistance. When he finished, we used the Rider Switch system so I could try it. Wow! It’s an attraction like no other I’ve ever experienced: we’re Resistance recruits captured by First Order soldiers, and the ride lasts almost 5 minutes. We go from an outdoor area into a ship, then into the First Order’s vessel through a huge hangar filled with Stormtroopers. Without giving everything away, we end up in little carts moving through the Empire’s ship, where battles take place. It’s stunningly beautiful!



We took a lunch break at Backlot Express (one of my favorite restaurants because of the Teriyaki Tofu Bowl I really enjoyed!), then headed back out to explore the park. We all went on Star Tours together, then rushed to get in line for Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, a super fun kids' attraction where you move through wacky and wild scenes. We followed that with Vacation Fun, which let us relax in a theater and watch short Mickey and Minnie films.



We then went back to Toy Story Land, where we found attractions perfect for little ones: Alien Swirling Saucers (like "enhanced teacups") and Toy Story Mania (a game where you shoot 3D targets from a moving cart!).

During this first day, we also got to meet and take photos with Olaf and then Buzz Lightyear—such sweet moments for us and our Mini.

On the second day at the park, we visited Chewbacca (so impressive because of his size!!), Minnie, and Mickey for some really fun photo sessions. This day was mostly spent revisiting the attractions in our two favorite lands: Toy Story and Star Wars. We also explored Sunset Boulevard and saw two different shows. The first, Beauty and the Beast: Live on Stage, is a live performance of Beauty and the Beast with real actors.



The second was a Cars show where Lightning McQueen puts on a performance! It was great, especially since our Mini is in her Cars phase! After a well-deserved break, I went on the Tower of Terror, which has a different setup and is less intense than the one in Paris that I love, but it’s still really fun.



We crossed the park to head back to Star Wars Land, stopping along the way to see the special effects show Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular!. The show is impressive and really fun.

The end of the day was spent walking around the park and interacting with characters before heading to 50’s Prime Time Café, a table-service restaurant we’d reserved in advance. We were in a 1950s-style house, eating in one of the rooms—retro vibes guaranteed!

For our last morning at Disney World, we chose to spend it at Hollywood Studios, a decision I don’t regret at all. It was our chance to say goodbye to our favorite park by revisiting our favorite attractions. We also watched the Frozen Sing-Along Celebration, a show about the Snow Queen where you have to know the songs because it’s a sing-along!

That’s it for this new park—probably our favorite of the whole trip with its amazing attractions and lands. Another incredible discovery!



If you want to see more photos of the park, check out my blog: our travel photos. See you soon for the rest of the trip!

And then we lost our Dolma: “those people are out of their minds”

I’m not lost even if I’m a bit dizzy spinning from one photo to the next at breakneck speed while for Minibou it’s a stay in paradise !

Haha!!! Thanks for following my adventures in paradise despite the dizziness 😛

It almost makes me want to go back! 😉 Despite the prices I spent so much time in those parks. In 1994, it was even more magical, I think. There was an incredible Disney spirit, and many of Epcot's attractions were the original ones. Epcot was my favorite park back then. It's changed a bit now.

Yes, I get it—I went to Disneyland Paris when I was little, and I have such great memories of it too. I think it was the novelty and something that felt out of reach (it was for us, and a lucky set of circumstances made it possible for us to afford it). But I still think the magic holds up today—there are incredible sets and an amazing atmosphere... in short, I never get tired of it despite how many times I’ve visited!

Hello, hello! In my previous posts, I shared our experiences at Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the two parks we loved the most. Today, I’m back with a post about Epcot. As you can see in our itinerary from the very first article in the series, we spent two full days at Epcot. That seemed like enough, especially since on the second day, a big storm in the afternoon—along with our fatigue from the previous days—convinced us to cut the day short and head back to the hotel to rest.

This park is built around a very large lake and organized by countries of the world, so you’ll need to plan your visits a bit. That’s true for all the parks, but since there’s only one path here, you’ll have to think a little more about how to explore. During our visit, the park was hosting the Epcot Flower Festival. There were topiaries shaped like Disney characters—it was absolutely stunning!



For our very first day at Epcot, we decided to head straight to the Norway section because we wanted to prioritize the Frozen Ever After attraction for our little one. Epcot is a park with lots of exhibits and maybe a few fewer attractions for young kids, so Frozen is one that gets swarmed right at opening. Since we didn’t want to spend the whole day in line, we started with this attraction. It was a great choice—you ride a boat through scenes from *Frozen*, kind of like *Pirates of the Caribbean*. After that, we headed to another line, which was endless but let us meet Elsa and Anna.



Next, we made our way to the World Discovery section, near the entrance, which has several fun attractions. First up was Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. This attraction is just amazing! It starts in the queue, where you move through themed areas that set up the story. Then you end up in a big room with a visual animation featuring the movie characters to get you even more into the vibe. A giant villain appears, and we have to evacuate into little shuttles—it’s the start of the thrill ride, which is like a roller coaster where you hear one of the great 70s-80s songs, like “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire (if you ride multiple times, you’ll probably get a different song each time).



This attraction is my second favorite after the Star Wars one at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The soundtrack and atmosphere are a huge part of why I love it! The only downside is how you access it. There’s no traditional queue—it uses a virtual queue (see the link to an explanatory video in English at the bottom of the article). That means you have to join a virtual line to get a boarding pass, and you can only do this once per day. If you’re staying at a Disney hotel, you have to log into the app at 7 AM to try to snag a free spot (and they go fast—in seconds or minutes). If that’s not possible, there’s a paid Lightning Lane option (the paid equivalent of the old FastPass, which was 14 $ during our 2023 visit), but those spots also go quickly. There are two distribution times: one at 7 AM (you can get your spot outside the park) and one at 1 PM (you have to be in the park). The Rider Switch system works for this attraction.

Once you’ve got your spot, the advantage is that you can see a countdown of the time left before your turn in the app, so you can do other things while you wait. Still, personally, I hate this system—it’s stressful because you really have to be on top of the app, which sometimes glitches, or it’s disappointing when you can’t get a spot. The first day, we didn’t get a spot in the Virtual Queue, so I bought Lightning Lanes at the last minute. The second day, the app glitched until we entered the park, which let me grab a spot in one of the first boarding groups.

After that, I tried Test Track, which simulates a car circuit test. It’s definitely not my favorite! The heat was really starting to get to us in this very concrete park with not much shade. Our pace slowed down, we took a lunch break, and then continued our visit in the nearby World of Nature section. We started with the relaxing The Seas with Nemo and Friends attraction, which is a bit like *The Little Mermaid* ride: you’re in carts and pass through scenes from the movie. We loved it!



Next, we walked into a tent where we saw butterflies and learned about their life cycle. We spotted Winnie the Pooh in the corner and went to take some photos. We continued our stroll around the lake and headed toward France, represented by Paris, of course!



Then we went on to Morocco, where we took a break to meet Jasmine. Our little one was so happy to see her!

It was getting really hot, and we didn’t have the energy to walk all the way around the lake, so we turned back and found some shade to visit the aquarium and then meet Mickey.

For our second day, we started with Space Ship Earth. You board little carts that gradually climb inside the big sphere. You travel through time and see scenes representing the evolution of communication. It lasts 10-15 minutes—it’s very relaxing and interesting.



Next, we tried Mission: Space. You board a centrifuge that simulates astronaut training. You can choose between the green circuit, which is kid-friendly and good for people who get motion sickness (or aren’t sure if they can handle the other one), and the orange circuit, which is a step up—you hit 2.5G in no time. We started with the green circuit with our little one. After that first test, my husband and I felt confident enough to try the orange circuit—and we handled it just fine, though it had a really weird effect! The attraction is truly unique; I don’t know of any other ride like it, and it gives you a little taste of what astronauts and fighter pilots go through!





Before leaving in the morning, I managed to snag a free spot in the Guardians of the Galaxy Virtual Queue (yay... what a hassle! The app crashed, and I couldn’t do anything until we were in the park...). Our boarding time was scheduled for late morning, and we’d also booked a table at La Crêperie de Paris around the same time... We couldn’t miss our turn on the ride, so as soon as we got off, we rushed to the restaurant in the France section, hoping we wouldn’t lose our spot. We were a little late, but since we’d booked early, it wasn’t too crowded yet. The staff, mostly French, seated us, and we enjoyed our galettes as a couple while our little one napped in the stroller! We also took the opportunity to chat with our server about what it’s like to live and work in the park—it was a great moment.

We skipped the Ratatouille attraction because it’s exactly like the one in Paris, which we ride often. So we decided to move on. It was another hot and humid day, and we were dragging a bit... After that good meal, we decided to continue our tour of the lake to explore the sections we hadn’t seen the first day. We discovered the different countries represented: Morocco, Japan, Italy, and more.



At the end of our lake tour, in the Mexico section, we rode Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros. It’s a boat ride with the three caballeros through a Mayan temple.

We then went back to World Nature, near the park entrance, to try another attraction, Living with the Land, which takes you on a boat tour through greenhouses with an agriculture theme. We ended our day with the amazing Soarin’ attraction, which really took our breath away. You sit in chairs that lift you up with your feet dangling, and in front of you is a circular screen showing a film of different landscapes and countries. The attraction is super immersive—the landscapes were probably filmed with a drone, and the chairs move, so you feel like you’re right in the action. The scenery is stunning; it’s a feast for the eyes.

When we got off, the weather, which had been getting worse throughout the afternoon, had turned awful. It was pouring, so we decided to head back to the hotel to rest. Because of the rain, the Disney Skyliner wasn’t running, so we waited for the bus at the park entrance. The traffic was well-organized so we didn’t have to wait too long, and we got back pretty quickly.

That’s it for our visit to Epcot. It wasn’t our favorite park, but it’s a must-see for a few attractions that are truly extraordinary: Guardians of the Galaxy, Soarin’, and Mission: Space.

I’ll be back soon with the second-to-last post in the series, which will be about the fourth park in the resort: Animal Kingdom. In the meantime, for more photos, check out my blog here. See you soon!

Hello, hello! Today we're off to explore the fourth park at Walt Disney World resort: Animal Kingdom. It's a park that combines both attractions and a zoological section. I'll admit I wasn't too excited about visiting a zoo, so I only booked one day for this park. Looking back, that seems like enough for a first visit with a little one since our Mini did a few attractions but couldn't do them all.



For this visit, we started the day with the "Asia" section of the park. We wanted to try the Expedition Everest attraction to kick off the day before it got too crowded. We strolled around and reached the attraction, which is absolutely amazing! We got through quickly—my husband first, then me. We're fans!



Next, we headed to the Kali River Rapids attraction, a ride with big rafts on rapids. This one is also really great, and our Mini loved it! The perks: we got through quickly, our Mini was secured with an extra bar on top of the seatbelt (which was really reassuring), and there were free lockers (first come, first served) so we could keep our stuff dry while we got soaked!

We continued exploring the Asia section with a little excursion on the Maharajah Jungle Trek, which is a walking tour through sets and real animals, including a tiger.



We moved on to the Africa section, where we took the Wildlife Express Train. The ride was nice—we took a little tour before getting off to head to the Tusker House Restaurant. We loved this restaurant! Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, and Daisy came by the tables in turns to sign autographs and take photos. Since we had an early reservation, we had plenty of time to enjoy those moments with them. In short, I highly recommend it!

After this well-deserved break (it was starting to get hot!), we headed to the Kilimandjaro Safaris attraction, a truck safari where we were lucky to see beautiful animals like giraffes, zebras, elephants, rhinos... We had a wonderful time.



We continued our visit toward the Pandora - The World of Avatar section. The entrance to this land is just incredible—the immersion is so perfect. It had the same "wow" effect as the Star Wars land in Hollywood Studios! The sets are huge and stunning; it really feels like you're in another world. Whether you're a fan or not, this area is clearly one of the most beautiful in the park. Our Mini was too small for the Avatar Flight of Passage ride—oh well, maybe next time! But no problem for the Na'vi River Journey attraction, a boat ride through the Avatar sets. The attraction is gorgeous and really relaxing. We were blown away!

It was really hot, and we were starting to get tired, but we decided to check out Dinoland U.S.A. We ran into Kevin along the way—so funny!!

Then we went on the Dinoland ride, which was perfect for our Mini. We skipped the Dinosaur attraction since it seemed too scary for her age. Fatigue was catching up with us, but since we’d really made the most of our day, we decided to head back to the hotel.



I’ll be back soon with a new post and some photos of the hotel where we stayed during this trip.

If you want to see all the photos, check them out: on my blog.

See you soon!

I thought you were stuck at Epcot 😜

Haha!!! No, I was stuck at work 😉 It took me a while to post the Animal Kingdom article here, but it was already up on my blog! I’m working on the next part with photos of the hotel where we stayed :)

Hi there, what a lovely summary! We went in February this year but only spent 4 days there... which basically means we did all 4 parks at lightning speed. We also stayed at the same resort, which is really well located for transport.

I saw that you didn’t really enjoy Epcot, whereas we loved the representation of different world cultures. We definitely went to the French bistro and were served by French staff. But I’ll give you that—there aren’t many attractions in that park.

What we liked the least was actually the American dining, especially for breakfasts.

It’s a great experience to do once if you like theme parks. There’s so much more to do and see in Florida!

Thanks so much for your message and your enthusiasm! Yes, 4 days is quick, but it’s better than nothing and still gives you a great overview of all the parks! I think the heat didn’t help much at Epcot—I really felt like I was just enduring it there. And maybe since I’d seen several of the destinations around the lake in real life, I was less blown away by the change of scenery! We also really loved the crêperie; we had great chats with the staff—it was a lovely moment!

Yeah, the food there isn’t the best… We struggled with it too. I did enjoy the teriyaki, though! I ate at the Backlot Express restaurant in Hollywood Studios. It was a nice change from the usual burger, and it was good!

We’ll definitely go back someday… But Florida is also really tempting me now! !

The truck in 2007... hasn't really changed!

Awesome!! Yep, nothing’s changed ;)

Hi there! I’m back to talk about the hotel where we stayed during our entire trip to Disney World: Disney’s Art of Animation! Disney World’s hotel offerings are divided into three price categories: value, moderate, and deluxe. Disney’s Art of Animation is a value hotel (so one of the cheapest, along with Pop Century and the three All-Star hotels: Music, Sport, and Movies), but it’s the most expensive in its category.



It’s made up of four themed areas:

The Nemo section: This is the closest to the hotel entrance, so you always walk through it when entering the resort or heading to the Skyliner. When you leave the main building, you come straight to the large pool in this section, which was always pretty busy. There’s also a laundry room here. In the evenings, Disney cartoons are projected on a screen next to the pool. We couldn’t enjoy it because our little one was often tired in the evening, but the idea is really nice!



The Cars section, to the right of Nemo, also has a pool and a laundry room. The decor here is absolutely stunning—you really feel like you’re inside the movie. It might be my favorite, but we couldn’t stay there because the rooms were designed for larger families. The area also seemed quieter, but that might just be because we were there in the late afternoon.







The Lion King section is the first one to the left of Nemo, and you have to walk through it to get to The Little Mermaid section. The statues of the characters from the movie are gorgeous, but I found this area the least appealing—maybe because there was some construction going on, and it felt like a transitional space. Still, it’s one of the first things you see when you arrive at the resort, and even with jet lag and a long travel day, it leaves a lasting impression.





Finally, the Little Mermaid section, located on the far left of the resort, is the most remote area and where the rooms for four people or fewer are. It’s a 5–10 minute walk from the resort entrance, and I was worried I’d made a bad choice—thought maybe our room would be too far and we’d get tired of the walk after a few days. But in reality, the trip is quick and goes by smoothly, especially with all the scenery along the way. We loved the decor in this part of the resort—it’s just as beautiful as the Cars section. This area also has a pool and a laundry room (which we used during our stay). Our room was next to Ursula and had a view of the pool. It was really great! The room had two queen beds, like all standard Disney rooms (at least the ones in Paris), as well as a small bathroom with a bathtub, a sink/mirror area, and a little safe—perfect for storing cash during the day.



The Animation Hall, which includes the lobby, gift shop, and dining area, is beautifully decorated with giant sketches of the different animated films featured in the resort. The atmosphere is just as great, with music from the movies playing all day. One of our best memories is stepping off the shuttle from the airport, walking into the lobby, seeing those huge drawings, and hearing the music from *Cars*—*Life is a Highway*… what an amazing moment!



The gift shop is medium-sized. You’ll find Disney souvenirs there (we’re not huge Disney merchandise fans, so we just browsed), some MagicBands—those awesome bracelets that let you open your hotel room, enter the parks, and validate ride reservations—but fewer options than in the parks. As for the dining hall, don’t expect a restaurant like the one in Paris. I found it pretty impersonal and not very well decorated. It’s more like a mix between a convenience store and a cafeteria, with a huge central island for drinks and cash registers to pay. I didn’t take many photos because, honestly, it wasn’t that exciting. We did like being able to buy a refillable mug, though. It let us get as many hot or cold drinks as we wanted at the hotel (too bad it didn’t work in the parks). The food wasn’t bad, but it was fast food, so we really enjoyed our two crepes during our reservation at the *Crêperie de Paris* in Epcot. That said, budget accordingly—it’s not cheap. So yeah, this restaurant was a bit of a letdown, but we got over it quickly since we didn’t spend much time there anyway. Still, this resort has a major advantage: it’s on the Disney Skyliner line, a gondola transportation system. This connects the Art of Animation, Pop Century, Caribbean Beach, and Riviera resorts to Epcot and Hollywood Studios faster than the buses. That said, on our second day at Epcot, we got caught in bad weather (heavy rain and wind), which shut down the Skyliner. So we had to take the bus instead. The best part of the Skyliner? The incredible view of Caribbean Beach!

Another great thing about this transportation is that with a stroller, we always had a cabin to ourselves. Plus, we never had to wait long because we left the hotel relatively early to take advantage of the extra magic hour. The extra magic hour lets guests staying at Disney hotels enter the park one hour before it opens to the public (and stay two hours after closing, though we didn’t get to test that because of our little one’s age). This system is really well done and super useful, especially since, like in Paris, there are bag checks at every park entrance, which slows things down. In short, we loved this resort and I highly recommend it—for the atmosphere, the decor, and the transportation options (especially the Skyliner, which is a huge plus). Sure, since you don’t spend much time at the hotel, it might not be *essential* to choose this resort, which is pricier than the other value resorts. But if you can afford it, you won’t regret it. Plus, since we were there for a long trip, we got to spend some time at the hotel and not just in the parks, which let us enjoy it even more. I’ll be back soon with the last post about Typhoon Lagoon. It’ll be much shorter since we only spent half a day there, and I didn’t take many photos. If you want to see more photos and practical tips, check out the rest on my blog: click this link! I’ll be back soon with one last post about the water park, Typhoon Lagoon. See you soon

Hi there,

What a lovely report! 😊 As a fan of the Paris park, I’ve still never set foot in another Disney park—I hope I’ll get the chance soon. Eagerly awaiting the last part of the trip! !

Hi there,

Thanks for your message! If you love Paris, you’re gonna *love* Florida. It’s just so amazing! The size of the resort is mind-blowing—everything’s well thought out and organized, it’s easy to get around, and you’ll really have a great time there. All we can dream of is going back!

I haven’t had time to post my Typhoon Lagoon article here yet, but I’ll be back soon to share it. In the meantime, if you’re really eager to check it out, you can find it on my blog !