Disney World Park Order: Best Sequence for Rides, Crowds, and Time Savings

When planning your Disney World park order, the strategic sequence in which you visit Disney’s four main theme parks to maximize ride time and minimize wait times. Also known as Disney park hopping strategy, it’s not just about which park to hit first—it’s about matching your schedule with crowd patterns, show times, and Genie+ availability to stretch your day further. Most visitors assume Magic Kingdom should be first because it’s the most famous, but that’s often the worst move. The real secret? Start where the crowds are thinnest, save the busiest park for when you’ve already burned off energy, and use the 120-minute rule to book your next Lightning Lane before you even leave the current park.

The Disney Genie+, a paid service that lets you reserve ride times in advance to skip long lines. Also known as Disney’s digital wait system, it’s the backbone of any smart park order. Without it, you’re guessing. With it, you’re planning. Pair Genie+ with the 120-minute rule, and you can ride seven or eight major attractions in one day, even if you’re not there at rope drop. And don’t forget park hopping, the ability to visit multiple Disney parks in one day after 2 p.m.. Also known as multi-park access, it’s your secret weapon. Most families waste it by staying put. The best travelers use it to dodge heat, crowds, and exhaustion—like hitting Epcot after a morning at Hollywood Studios, then ending the night at Magic Kingdom for fireworks.

Here’s how the top visitors do it: Start with Epcot on weekdays—it’s quieter in the morning, and you can ride Guardians of the Galaxy and Test Track before the crowds roll in. Then hop to Hollywood Studios in the afternoon for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Slinky Dog Dash. Save Magic Kingdom for last, especially if you’re going during a busy season. Why? Because it’s the most crowded, and you’ll want to save your best energy for fireworks and late-night rides. Animal Kingdom? Best on a hot day—it’s shaded, and the animals are more active early. If you’re staying at a Kissimmee hotel, you’re only 15 minutes from the gates. That means you can go back to your room for a nap, grab a snack, and come back refreshed. No need to power through 12-hour days. The goal isn’t to see everything. It’s to enjoy what matters most.

What you’ll find below are real, tested strategies from people who’ve done this dozens of times. You’ll see which days to skip which parks, how to time your meals around ride windows, and why some days are better for park hopping than others. You’ll also learn why Disney After Hours isn’t just for night owls—it’s a game-changer if you know how to use it. And yes, there’s a reason why some people swear by starting at Animal Kingdom on Tuesdays. It’s not magic. It’s math. And we’ve done the counting for you.