Intro
Are you ready for a challenge?! Something that is on a lot of people’s Disney Bucket List is the Four Park Challenge at Disney World! Completing this challenge means that you visited each of the four theme parks at Disney World in one day. This can be a difficult and exhausting task, but it feels so good to accomplish it!
This week, we are going to tackle this popular Disney World challenge! You will have to be sure you come prepared and well-rested in order to complete this busy trip! To make sure you still have some time to breathe and enjoy the vacation, you will be staying for three days at Caribbean Beach Resort. You will also be purchasing the Park Hopper ticket option in order to complete this challenge.
This will be a solo trip, which I actually did for the first time last week! I will write a whole post on doing a solo trip at some point, because I know that is something a lot of folks want to do! If it is feasible for you, I totally recommend doing it at least once.
Breakdown
- Theme: Four Park Challenge
- Length: 3 days
- Age and Group: Solo Traveler
- Spending: $$
Check-In
You’ll be checking in to the Caribbean Beach Resort for your Four Park Challenge trip! Once you arrive at the resort, you spend some time exploring (it is a huge resort) and enjoying the relaxing atmosphere.
Food
For dinner, head to Sebastian’s Bistro for some Caribbean cuisine! It is served “family-style”, but eating at this location by yourself will allow you to sample a bit of everything. You might even be able to take some back to the room for leftovers!
Day 1: All Four Parks!
Today is the day! I hope you got a good night’s sleep and have some caffeine in your system, because you will need all the energy for this challenge today.
For this fun-filled day, you are going to each park (Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom) and will ride at least one ride per park. Transportation between the parks comes in many different forms and you will be utilizing a little bit of everything today!
You’ll start the day by jumping on the Skyliner to EPCOT. One of the best things about traveling to EPCOT using the Skyliner, is that it drops you off at the International Gateway entrance to the park. This entrance is usually less crowded and it allows you to walk straight into World Showcase in the morning.
EPCOT
Welcome to EPCOT and the start of your Four Park Challenge day!
Rides
Once in the park, you head straight to the Land Pavilion and get in line for Soarin’. Soarin’ is definitely one of my favorite rides and is a great way to start your busy day! If you have time, you can also hop on Living with the Land afterwards because it is right there in the Land Pavilion.
Food
After riding some rides over in the Land Pavilion, you will enjoy some time in World Showcase. Go to the Norway Pavilion for some coffee and a pastry from Kringla Bakeri. Find a table or a nice place to sit and enjoy your snacks with the World Showcase ambiance!
To get to your next park from EPCOT, head over to the Monorail and you’re on your way to Magic Kingdom!
Magic Kingdom
As you’re coming into Magic Kingdom, take some time to enjoy the sights and sounds of Main Street USA!
Rides
After enjoying your walk down Main Street and a view of the castle, take a right into Tomorrowland. Your first ride at Magic Kingdom will be Space Mountain. Following your time in Tomorrowland, walk over to Fantasyland for a classic ride on It’s a Small World!
Food
Grab a snack in the Main Street Confectionary as you walk down Main Street and find a spot to just look at the castle for a bit!
After riding It’s a Small World, make your way over to Friar’s Nook for lunch. Friar’s Nook has unique hot dogs and Mickey’s Souvenir Hat Bowls. Enjoy your lunch in Fantasyland before heading to your next park!
Now, you’re off to the buses to get over to Animal Kingdom. Typically the buses from park to park don’t get extremely crowded, so it makes it fairly easy to park hop that way!
Animal Kingdom
Once you make it to Animal Kingdom, walk up to Discovery Island to see the Tree of Life! There are also some trails around Discovery Island that are a great way to see some animals and get unique views of the Tree of Life.
Rides
After exploring Discovery Island, make your way over to the Africa section and get in line for Kilimanjaro Safaris. This ride is always a must-do for my trips to Animal Kingdom! You get to see animals that you can’t see anywhere else in the park and learn some interesting facts from your driver.
Food
Tamu Tamu will be the perfect place to grab a pick me up before you leave for your last park! This location serves specialty and alcoholic Dole Whips that are always so fun and unique.
You’re almost to your last park of the day! Walk back to the buses and grab a seat on a Hollywood Studios bus to get ready to finish out your Four Park Challenge.
Hollywood Studios
Coming into your last park, Hollywood Studios, take a leisurely walk down Sunset Boulevard and hop in a shop or two!
Rides
While on Sunset Boulevard, make your way towards Tower of Terror! Tower of Terror is a classic Hollywood Studios ride and always a fun way to start your time at Hollywood Studios.
Food
To close out the night, you will grab appetizers and drinks from BaseLine Tap House. There is a cute, outdoor seating area to enjoy a Bavarian Pretzel or a Charcuterie Board. You can even Create Your Own Beer Flight!
Congratulations! You successfully visited each of the four Disney parks in one day! This is such an exciting challenge to be able to say you have accomplished and now you definitely deserve a relaxing day at the resort to celebrate.
Day 2: Caribbean Beach Resort & Disney Springs
For day two, you are going to enjoy a much deserved day of relaxation! If you want to see my plans for a fully relaxing vacation, check out this blog post! Most of the day will be spent at the resorts, then you will make your way over to Disney Springs for dinner. Besides being on the Skyliner route, another plus for Caribbean Beach is that it is right next to the Riviera Resort! So, you will get to enjoy two amazing resorts today!
Start off the day with enjoying the Fuentes del Morro Pool, the main pool at the Caribbean Beach Resort. There are two water slides and a spa to enjoy if you need a break! After your morning at the pool, you will either walk or get on the Skyliner to check out the Riviera Resort!
Later, hop on a Disney Bus headed for Disney Springs, to grab some dinner and maybe do some shopping! Disney Springs is a great way to spend an evening on property if you aren’t going to the parks. There are so many options for dining and always something to do!
Food
Lunch will be at Bar Riva, over at the Riviera Resort. This location is a pool bar, so it is the perfect place to relax and enjoy your resort day! After trying out some unique and refreshing cocktails, you can enjoy sandwiches and salads for lunch as well.
You’ll find dinner tonight in Disney Springs, at one of my personal favorites, Wine Bar George. Grab a seat at the bar or a table on the deck to best enjoy the ambiance of the restaurant and Disney Springs. If you enjoy wine, this is the place for you! Along with an extensive wine selection, they have some amazing charcuterie boards and small plates to enjoy.
Day 3: Animal Kingdom & Magic Kingdom
On your third and final day at Disney, you are back at the parks! Today will be a lot less busy than your first park day, but you will still be sure to make the most of it. Since you have Park Hopper tickets, you will be going to two parks today. You will start at Animal Kingdom bright and early, then end the night at Magic Kingdom!
Start Day at Animal Kingdom
Rides
I love to get to Animal Kingdom for rope drop and enjoy the early morning at the park! It also makes it easier to get in line for some of the more popular rides, like Flight of Passage. Head straight to Pandora at rope drop and hopefully you can beat the crowds and have a shorter wait time for this fan favorite ride!
Next, take a stroll over to the Asia section of the park and get in the single rider line for Expedition Everest. One of the best things about a solo trip is taking advantage of single rider lines! They always move a lot quicker and you can often meet other people who are on solo trips as well.
Lastly, make your way to Dinoland USA! This area of the park is sometimes overlooked, but I think it is so cute and well themed. The back story is that a collection of scientists and archeologists bought the land after dinosaur bones were discovered in the area. Later, two locals named Chester and Hester changed their gas station into a fossil souvenir shop and their parking lot into an amusement park! Next time you’re in Dinoland USA, look out for Chester and Hester and try out some of the games they set up in their park.
After exploring Dinoland USA, hop in line for DINOSAUR! DINOSAUR is a dark ride that takes you back in time to the Cretacious period on a tour that turns into an exciting rescue mission!
Food
Lunch today will be at Flame Tree Barbecue, located near the Tree of Life. Grab some delicious ribs or a Pulled Pork Sandwich and find a spot to sit near the Tree of Life. Enjoy the Animal Kingdom music and views before park hopping to Magic Kingdom to end your day!
Park Hop to Magic Kingdom
Rides
I love ending my trips with a night at Magic Kingdom! Once in the park, walk over to Adventureland to get on Jungle Cruise. This ride is an Opening Day attraction and definitely a classic! It has gained a lot of popularity with the movie coming out recently, so hopefully you can get to it when the link isn’t too long.
After spending some time in Adventureland, head towards the opposite side of the park to get on the People Mover. This ride is a great way to relax and see the park from a different view! It is something I absolutely have to ride anytime I’m at Magic Kingdom.
After Enchantment, rush over to Frontierland to get on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. This ride is a personal favorite to ride at night in Magic Kingdom. The views from the top of each hill are incredible!
Food
For dinner, get over to Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe in Frontierland. This quick service restaurant serves Mexican cuisine such as rice bowls and carnitas.
To me, there is no better way to close out a vacation than with the Magic Kingdom fireworks! The great thing about a solo trip is that it isn’t too hard to find a good spot to watch the show when it is just you. You won’t need to get to the hub hours early, so you can really enjoy your time while still having a great view of Enchantment!
Check Out
I hope you enjoyed checking the Four Park Challenge off your Disney Bucket List! It’s time to end your trip and maybe start to plan what challenge you want to concur next! What is at the top of your Disney Bucket List? Let us know in the comments!
Overview
- Check-In: Caribbean Beach
- Food: Sebastian’s Bistro
- Day 1: All four parks
- Rides: Soarin’, Living with the Land, Space Mountain, It’s a Small World, Kilimanjaro Safaris, Tower of Terror
- Food: Kringla Bakeri, Main Street Confectionary, The Friar’s Nook, Tamu Tamu, BaseLine Tap House
- Day 2: Resort/Disney Springs Day
- Food: Bar Riva, Wine Bar George
- Day 3: Animal Kingdom & Magic Kingdom
- Rides: Flight of Passage, Expedition Everest, DINOSAUR, Jungle Cruise, People Mover, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Food: Flame Tree Barbecue, Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe
