Walt Disney World in Florida has four theme parks: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom. This article goes into detail about the different Disney parks and experiences to consider for your upcoming trip.

Whether you’ve never been to a Disney theme park before or you’re used to Disneyland but have never made it to the parks on the other coast, knowing what to expect before you arrive — or even before you plan — is key to actually enjoying your vacation instead of spending half the time trying to figure out where to go. 😅

And since Walt Disney World is enormous, it’s worthwhile to get the lay of the land early.

In this article, we’ll give you an overview of the different Disney parks in Florida, including the water parks and Disney Springs. For more details about each of the four main theme parks, check out this article.

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What Are the Disney Parks in Florida?

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When someone asks, “What are the Disney parks in Florida?” they may be talking about:

  • 4 main Walt Disney World theme parks
  • 2 Disney water parks on property
  • Disney Springs shopping and entertainment district

Let’s go over them!

Walt Disney World’s 4 Theme Parks

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Walt Disney World in Florida has 4 main theme parks:

🏰 Magic Kingdom
🪩 Epcot
🎬 Hollywood Studios
🌳 Animal Kingdom

When comparing Disney World to Disneyland, the Magic Kingdom theme park in Florida is comparable to the Disneyland park in Anaheim. They both have a Main Street, U.S.A., along with different lands that you can access from the main hub-and-spoke section of the park directly in front of the castle.

A map of Magic Kingdom.

These theme parks require a ticket for entry. While you can access some parts of the Disney World Resort for free, like the hotel grounds, transportation options, and Disney Springs (we’ll get more into that in a bit), you can only get as far as the entrance gates for the four parks without a ticket.

Walt Disney World’s 2 Water Parks

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Disney World has two water parks: Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach. Only one water park is open at a time. That means you can always access one Disney water park (unless it’s closed due to inclement weather), but you can’t access both at the same time. Like the 4 theme parks, the Disney water parks require a ticket for entry.

🌴 Typhoon Lagoon has a tropical theme. The backstory is that it’s been hit by a typhoon, and you’re there to have a blast among the wreckage. It has an incredible wave pool, plus a lazy river, water slides, surfing programs and more.

❄️ Blizzard Beach has a snowy theme, and the setting is a ski resort that’s melting under the Florida sun. There’s a chairlift, water slides, toboggan-style water racers, and more.

Disney Springs

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Disney Springs is Walt Disney World’s shopping, dining and entertainment district, and to its biggest fans, it’s thought of as the unofficial 5th Disney park.

At Disney Springs, you’ll find Disney and non-Disney shops; plenty of restaurants, quick-service eateries, and food and drink stands; and entertainment options like live bands, a movie theater, bowling, and more.

We have lots of Disney Springs articles — here are a few we think you may like:

The best part about Disney Springs is that it’s free — you don’t have to pay for parking or entry. (In Disneyland, the Downtown Disney entertainment district requires payment for parking.)

👉 Is Disney Springs Free? Everything You Need To Know

Other Disney World Experiences

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In addition to the main theme parks, water parks, and Disney Springs, the Walt Disney World Resort has a number of options for staying busy during your trip, such as:

  • 9-hole Disney’s Oak Trail Golf Course and FootGolf at the Polynesian Resort
  • ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex with events, expos and dining
  • Fantasia Gardens and Winter Summerland miniature golf courses
  • Quarter-mile promenade at the BoardWalk Resort with shops, dining and nightlife

These attractions aren’t referred to as “parks” by any means, but they can really round out a WDW vacation, especially if you want to split up your park days for more relaxing experiences in between.

Also, you can visit any of the Disney resorts, whether or not you’re staying on property. If you’re not able to park at the resort (sometimes, parking is limited unless you have a restaurant reservation), you can always park at Disney Springs and hop on a Disney bus to take you to any resort. You can also travel between resorts via the Monorail or Skyliner, which won’t cost a thing.

🤗 See our Monorail and Skyliner stickers in the shop!

Going to Disney World on a just-for-couples trip soon? Add “Skyliner Bar Crawl” to your bucket list. Read our step-by-step guide here. (And check out our top recommendations for your packing list here.)