What Is Walt Disney World And How Many Parks Are There?

Our guide to what Walt Disney World is and how many parks there are.

What Is Walt Disney World And How Many Parks Are There?
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The Walt Disney World Resort, also called Walt Disney World or just Disney World (and sometimes abbreviated to WDW), is a 43-square mile plot of land in Lake Buena Vista, Florida (near Orlando), where the Walt Disney Company operates theme parks. How many theme parks are there at Walt Disney World? There are six in total. The resort opened on October 1st, 1971, and is home to four theme parks, two water parks, a shopping and entertainment district, over 25 themed hotels, golf courses, camping grounds, and much more.

The Magic Kingdom


The Magic Kingdom
Where it all started! Magic Kingdom Park was the first and flagship park at Walt Disney World. This is where you'll find the awe-inspiring icon that is Cinderella's castle, as well as over 6 different themed lands. Attractions include Pirates Of The Caribbean, Jungle Cruise, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, It's a Small World, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, Haunted Mansion, and many more.

EPCOT


EPCOT
EPCOT (Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow) has a giant geodesic sphere as the icon and is home to attractions such as Spaceship Earth, Test Track, Mission Space, Frozen Ever After, Cosmic Rewind, Soarin', and more. The second half of the pack is home to World Showcase which hosts 11 country pavilions around World Showcase Lagoon allowing you to sample different cultures from all over the world as well as hosting a fantastic firework show in the evening.

Disney's Animal Kingdom


Animal Kingdom
Disney's Animal Kingdom is Disney's zoological theme park. It's home to attractions such as Dinosaur, Expedition Everest, Kilimanjaro Safaris, Flights Of Passage, and more. It's also home to the stunning Pandora - The World of Avatar.

Disney's Hollywood Studios


Hollywood Studios
Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park is home to many attractions like Tower Of Terror, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, Star Tours, Muppet 3D, Rise of the Resistance, Toy Story Mania, Slinky Dog Dash, and more. The park has recently had new lands including Toy Story Land and Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge.

Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park


Typhoon Lagoon is one of two water parks. Typhoon Lagoon has one of the world's biggest wave pools, along with a few slide attractions. You can also grab an inner tube and enjoy some blissful floating in the 640m scenic lazy river which encircles the entire park.

Disney's Blizzard Beach Water Park


Disney's Blizzard Beach water park is centred around a smaller wave pool but contains many more slide-type rides. It's main attraction is Summit Plummet, a water slide with a 120-foot drop.

Disney Springs


Disney Springs
Disney Springs is Disney's shopping and entertainment district (previously called Downtown Disney). It's home to dozens of shops, restaurants, bars, and more. You do not need theme park tickets to enjoy Disney Springs, and if you're driving, parking is free, too.

Theme Park Tickets


To enter the four theme parks and two water parks you need tickets. Luckily, we Brits get access to 7 and 14-day Disney Magic tickets. To learn all about the tickets we get access to, view our Walt Disney World Ticket Guide.

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Ash Hales
Ash
About The Author
Ash Hales is a British Disney Parks writer and the voice behind Mickey From The UK. Based in the South of England, he's been visiting Disney Parks for over three decades and launched Mickey From The UK in 2017 to provide practical, straight-talking advice for British guests - without the American bias.

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