Our Epic Day Park Hopping from Magic Kingdom to EPCOT
There’s nothing quite like a Disney day that starts with Mickey-shaped magic and ends with EPCOT fireworks. Our family spent one epic day park hopping from Magic Kingdom to EPCOT, and it was everything you’d expect from a full day at Walt Disney World — excitement, laughter, sugar rushes, and a little Florida rain for good measure.
Starting the Day at Magic Kingdom
We kicked off the morning with an 8:30 a.m. Uber from Bonnet Creek and hopped on the monorail to Magic Kingdom. Walking down Main Street, U.S.A. always gives me goosebumps — though Maya was momentarily convinced that Magic Kingdom only had shops and no rides. Thankfully, Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor quickly changed her mind!
The show was a huge hit. Dwight even got spotlighted to dance (and absolutely crushed it!) and had his dad joke read during the show.
From there, we zipped through the morning with:
- Space Mountain (Lightning Lane) – a family favorite that left Maya’s stomach a little shaky.
- Auntie Gravity’s Galactic Goodies – the salted caramel cold brew float was incredible. Lucy devoured her brownie sundae, Hannah cooled off with a popsicle, and Maya pouted because she thought she was hungry but really just needed more time for her Space Mountain stomach to settle.
- Astro Orbiter (walk-on) – a fun, quick ride with awesome views.
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (30-minute standby) – worth the wait, everyone loved it. The interactive queue with water features and spinning gem barrels made the time go fast.
And then… Maya found her dream treat at Storybook Treats — the Aurora cone (strawberry Dole Whip + blue soft serve + white chocolate pearls). Disney ice cream perfection!
After everyone took turns trying (and failing) at the Sword in the Stone, we checked off a few more Magic Kingdom classics:
- Haunted Mansion (Lightning Lane)
- Mad Tea Party (walk-on)
- Tron Lightcycle Run (Lightning Lane + Rider Switch) – this ride blew us away. The launch was incredible, and the A/C in the rider switch area was a blessing in the afternoon heat.
We stopped for lunch at Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn & Café, a great spot for Tex-Mex comfort food and (much-needed) hydration.
Afternoon Showers and Swamp Adventures
We made our way toward Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, but Florida weather had other plans — lightning in the area temporarily shut the ride down. When the sky opened up, we ducked into Tiana’s gift shop to wait it out. Eventually, we grew tired of waiting so we braved the rain in our ponchos and headed to Pirates of the Caribbean, which was an unexpected walk-on.
Once Tiana’s reopened, we rode it — and loved it! The details, the music, the length of the ride — everything was fantastic.
As we made our way out of Magic Kingdom, we stumbled upon multiple live bands performing, including a New Orleans-style street group that perfectly wrapped up the vibe of the day. Before heading out, we grabbed some rainbow popcorn from the Main Street Confectionery and then caught the monorail to EPCOT.
Evening Fun at EPCOT
We started our EPCOT adventure with Moana: Journey of Water, a peaceful and interactive walkthrough that the kids really enjoyed. Then we headed to Journey into Imagination with Figment (always a quick and quirky favorite).
Next up were a few EPCOT must-dos:
- Soarin’ Around the World (Lightning Lane) – a family favorite from our last trip.
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (Lightning Lane) – this ride is pure joy. It’s part coaster, part dance party. Our song was Disco Inferno, and it was a total blast. Everyone came off laughing, singing and cheering.
- Mission: SPACE (Green and Orange) – Maya and I stuck to the green side (twice), while Dwight, Hannah, and Lucy went for green once and then orange once.
We grabbed dinner at Connections Eatery, and then had one final decision to make for the day: did we want to try to make it to Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure before park close?
At 8:15, it felt ambitious — a 15-minute walk across the park and a 45-minute posted wait with EPCOT closing at 9 (plus everyone’s feet/legs were already tired). We decided to go for it, and it totally paid off! The real wait was closer to 25 minutes, and we even caught most of the fireworks after riding.
By the time we reached the Lyft pickup and got back to Bonnet Creek around 10:15, everyone was happily exhausted — the best kind of Disney tired.
Final Thoughts
From dance parties and downpours to sweet treats and thrill rides, this was one of those perfectly imperfect Disney days that reminded me of why I love the parks so much. Two parks, countless memories, and one very happy (and sleepy) family at the end of the night.
If you’re thinking about park hopping during your next Walt Disney World visit, I highly recommend it! With the right plan (and a little flexibility for weather), it’s an unforgettable way to experience even more Disney magic in one day.
