Roam Free with M&G

Day 1: Arrival, Disney Springs & Outlet Shopping – Once we arrived at Orlando airport, we caught Mears Connect which took us straight to our resort. The great thing about Mears is that they run 24/7 so no matter when your flight is due you don’t have to wait long for your bus to take you to your booked Disney hotel. We arrived well and truly before check in, so we stored our luggage with our resort and headed out to Disney Springs and did some outlet shopping. As we didn’t have a car, we used the local bus service (Lynx) and walked off the jet lag as we had to wrap our heads around the 10hr time difference between Australia and Florida. (We have travelled a fair amount, and our top tip is to get in the new time zone ASAP)

We used our first day to do some grocery shopping – if you don’t have time, you can get items delivered to your resort which will save you if you need breakfast items or even just food/snacks. Having some other food options made a huge difference in our food budget for the time we were at Disney (Food at Disney is not cheap!), but each resort has its own food court so, no matter what time of day you visit, you will have a decent selection of food to satisfy the whole family.

We spent our spare time wandering the resort, getting a feel for the layout and soaking in the atmosphere. Once our room was ready, we took a much-needed shower to freshen up after a long travel day. To fight off the jet lag and stay awake a little longer, we hopped on a Disney bus and made our way to Magic Kingdom for the evening. With low wait times, we jumped on a few classic rides, The Little Mermaid and Buzz Lightyear, grabbed a quick bite at Cosmic Ray’s, then it was back to the room for some well-earned rest.

Day 2: Magic Kingdom – A Classic Disney Day

After waking up early, we got ourselves ready and had some breakfast with the groceries we had purchased. We had a coffee machine in the room so that was a nice bonus for us coffee drinkers. Each room has a mini fridge so we were able to store milk and fruit we had with us. We got on the Disney Bus (operation starts 1hr before park opens) and headed to Magic Kingdom. As we are staying at a Disney resort we were able to access the park 30min before other guests, which is a great bonus to get in line for those popular rides. We took the morning leisurely and just enjoyed walking along Main Street, taking in all the sounds and seeing all the details that has been put into this park.

Our first stop was The Swiss Family Tree House, we knew that this was going to be demolished in the near future for Disney upgrades to the park so we decided to explore this now. We rode some rides, Pirates, Buzz, Space Mountain, Jungle Cruise, Carousel of Progress, It’s a Small World, Peter Pan’s Flight, the People Mover, Disney’s Railroad (great if you need to rest your legs for a while), and of course Haunted Mansion. We caught the end of the daily Castle stage shows, where Mickey and friends take to the stage for a musical extravaganza. We had lunch at Casey’s Corner which serves American baseball favourites like hot dogs, mini corn dogs and French fries.

If you’re only spending a few days at Disney, you’ll face another tricky choice, watch the Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade or use that time to jump on rides while wait times dip as other guests are busy finding parade spots. Today, we chose the parade, and I’m so glad we did. Seeing all my favourite characters stroll by and wave hello truly made my inner child happy.

We took a break to enjoy Mickey’s PhilharMagic, then squeezed in a few more rides before the evening wrapped up. By 9pm, we joined the crowds gathering in front of the Castle and found a spot to watch the nighttime spectacular—Happily Ever After. It was pure Disney magic and the perfect way to end our first day at Disney World.

Day 3: EPCOT – Flower & Garden Festival Fun

As we had a bit of a late night we took the morning nice and easy, we didn’t arrive to the park till after 9:30am. When we arrived, the day was already feeling very warm. As we visited EPCOT during the Flower and Garden Festival we spent the morning walking around and finding all the amazing topiaries.

We rode Spaceship Earth, and we then started our day in Mexico, jumped on Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros, which is a fun and relaxing boat ride, then walked around the shops and enjoyed the beautiful handmade items.

We continued our way around ‘The World’ following on to Norway, got in line for Frozen Ever After, we had seen on the My Disney Experience App that this ride always has a long queue, so we figured it must be a good one! But honestly, as adults without kids, we were left wondering what all the fuss was about. It’s your classic Disney boat-style ride and, while it was cute, it didn’t quite live up to the hype for us. So unless you’ve got little ones who adore Frozen, this is one you can probably skip.

We continued onwards, walking through all the shops in China, Germany, Italy until we stopped for lunch at Regal Eagle Smokehouse, where we enjoyed pork ribs and a specialty cocktail of Tennessee Lemonade. After lunch we continued through Japan, Morocco, France, UK and Canada. We were lucky enough to find Daisy and get some photos with her. There are heaps of shows to watch in EPCOT, including Reflections of China, Beauty & the Beast Singalong, Canada Far & Wide, Short Animation Films.

We also jumped on the rides – Soarin’ Around the World, Journey Into Imagination With Figment and we finished with Living with the Land. As the weather was turning for the worst and many rides were closed we decided to call it a day and pick up dinner from our resort food court.

Day 4: Animal Kingdom – Wildlife and Wonder

Early start today and we got into the park to rope drop Avatar Flight of Passage. This ride is in my top 5 at Disney and this is definitely one you need to wake up early for. It basically always has a long wait time, and the best time to get there is in the morning as soon as the park opens. Unlike Frozen, this is 100% worth the wait. I loved this ride so much, we rode it 3 times during our stay. After Flight of Passage we made our way straight to Kilimanjaro Safaris.

Morning is the ideal time to visit, as the animals tend to be more active in the cooler hours. That said, keep in mind these are free-roaming creatures, so delays can happen! We ended up waiting over an hour in the queue because a group of giraffes decided to block the path and take their sweet time. It was a bit frustrating in the moment, but also oddly delightful to realise the hold-up was simply nature doing its thing. Later in the day, we caught two of the park’s most popular stage productions: Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond! and Festival of the Lion King. Both are absolutely spectacular—definite must-sees. With stunning puppetry and larger-than-life performers, each show pulls you right into the heart of the story.

We headed to Yak & Yeti for dinner, which was a great spot to unwind. Afterwards, we made our way back to Pandora and jumped on the Na’vi River Journey. Once again, we were left wondering what all the hype is about. It’s a pleasant ride, but the consistently long queues feel a bit puzzling. That said, each to their own! Just before park closing we jumped in line for flight of passage, which was the perfect way to end our day at Animal Kingdom.

Day 5: Hollywood Studios – Thrills and Star Wars

We arrived just after park opening and our first ride of the day was Star Wars Star Tours as it was only a 5min wait. Wearing our matching Muppets T-shirts, we headed to Muppet Vision 3D to catch one of the final shows before the area is sadly set to be demolished. After that, we wandered through Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, soaking up the incredible attention to detail Disney has poured into every corner. We joined the queue for Smugglers Run and we got lucky with Pilot roles, it was such a thrill to actually steer the ship!

We stopped for lunch at Docking Bay 7 and enjoyed a tasty beef, rice, and veggie dish—a refreshing change from the usual burgers and chips. After refuelling, we made our way to Toy Story Land and jumped on Toy Story Mania, which was an absolute blast! It’s a fast-paced 4D shooting game where you zip through different scenes, firing at colourful targets. Next up was Alien Swirling Saucers. I was a bit hesitant, as I’m prone to motion sickness, but it was surprisingly gentle.

We carried on walking and joined the queue for Tower of Terror, and it was brilliant! The drop was so much fun, and that floating, out-of-your-seat feeling had me giddy.
Tip for first-timers: It looks scarier than it is! If you enjoy a bit of a thrill, give it a go—you might be surprised how much you love it. After that thrill ride, we took a break and grabbed seats for Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage. If you or your little ones are fans of the classic film, this show is an absolute must. It’s beautifully done and such a joy to watch—definitely one to add to your Disney must-see list.

After walking around the Walt Disney Museum we made our way to Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, when we got there the ride was down, so we stayed close and popped into a few stores but kept an eye out (on the App) to see when the ride was back on. And this paid off, we didn’t have to wait too long and the ride was back up, so we dashed to the line with only a short wait this definitely was worth sticking nearby.

Next up we got in line for Rise of the Resistance as there was short wait time. This ride is amazing, and it feels like you are actually part of the Star Wars Universe. Later it was time for the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, packed with plenty action. Afterwards, we grabbed dinner at ABC Commissary, classic burgers and a watermelon margarita made for a fun, refreshing treat to wind down the evening.

With full bellies, we headed off to find our seats for the final show of the day: Fantasmic!. The weather wasn’t entirely on our side, light showers and a bit of wind meant we got slightly wet but it didn’t dampen our evening. The show was spectacular and truly unforgettable. A perfect way to wrap up the day.

Day 6: Resort Day/Disney Springs/Park Hop

We decided to have an easy morning, breakfast at the food court at our resort. No trip to Disney is complete without Mickey Waffles! It had been raining all morning so we were very glad to have lazy morning. We opted to go to Disney Springs and do some shopping, it was still raining but we made a beeline to Gideon’s Bakehouse, stood in line and picked up some super delicious cookies to fuel our day. Did a spot of shopping, then got a Disney Bus towards the Boardwalk, walked along and the stores and of course had to pop in to the Cake Bake Shop, we didn’t buy anything this time as the pricing was quite steep (USD$22 for a slice of cake).

Following the boardwalk we continued walking to EPCOT. Once we made it through security we looked for a place for lunch. We opted for the classic British fish and chips at Rose & Crown Pub. Jumped onto The Seas with Nemo & Friends as it was something we missed on our EPCOT day. We followed this by walking through the Aquarium and said hello to the manatees. We continued our afternoon by walking through Moana Journey of Water Play area, its fun spot for all ages, my favourite was seeing a life size Te Fiti.

To wrap up the day, we jumped on the Monorail for a casual ride—no real plan, just hopped on the first one that arrived.
Tip for first-timers: If you’re aiming for a specific route, check the colour of the Monorail train, it’ll help you figure out which direction it’s heading. Later that evening we made it back to our hotel room for an early night.

Day 7: Park Hopping Day

If this is your last day, use it to go to all the rides and shows that you didn’t quite get to in your previous park days. For us that was getting on Guardians of the Galaxy and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster. So we started the morning with early entry to EPCOT, got straight in line for Guardians. We waited for about 40mins, this ride was 100% pure adrenaline, definitely makes it in my top 3 and can totally see why the wait time is always high. Next we got in line for Remy’s Adventure, it was a nice cute ride, definitely one for the kids. For a late breakfast we got in line at the bakery Les Halles Boulangerie and grabbed us some tasty Croque Monsieur’s and mimosas.

We then hopped on the Skyliner and travelled to Hollywood Studios, made the dash straight to Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster. It was insane, if you love thrills then this ride ticks all the boxes, this is one ride you cant miss. For dinner we had made diner reservations at Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue. The evening was just incredible, I would not have changed a single thing – the food was delicious, the show was pure joy and I think this was the perfect way to end a Disney Trip. (Obviously this is our last day, you can plan your day to your own needs and rides you missed out on).

This is just a rough overview of our trip—we spent a total of 12 days at Disney World, which gave us plenty of time to experience everything on our list. Of course, not everyone can dedicate that much time or budget, so it’s a good idea to create a personal “must-do” list of rides and shows, and plan your trip around those priorities. That way, you’ll make the most of your visit, no matter how long you stay.

🌟 Top 5 Disney World Planning Tips for First-Timers

1. Book Accommodation & Tickets Early

• On-site Disney hotels offer perks like early park entry, but nearby off-site hotels can be more budget-friendly.
• Consider proximity to parks, transport options, and amenities for international travellers.

2. Download the My Disney Experience App

• Essential for booking Lightning Lanes, checking wait times, mobile food orders, and navigating the parks.
• Link your tickets, hotel and dining reservations.

3. Make Dining Reservations Early

• Book popular restaurants (e.g. Cinderella’s Royal Table, Be Our Guest) 60 days in advance.

4. Plan Rest Days & Pack Smart for the Parks

• Schedule at least one non-park day to recharge—perfect for pool time, Disney Springs, or resort hopping. Your feet (and sanity) will thank you.
• Essentials: Refillable water bottle, poncho, portable charger, comfy shoes and sun protection.

5. Prioritise Must-Do Attractions

• Create a printable packing checklist for international travellers—include travel adapters and meds. Or use our checklist below.

Have you visited Disney World as an international guest? Or are you planning your first trip soon? I’d love to hear your questions, tips, or even your favourite Disney memory, pop them in the comments below! Let’s make this space a welcoming hub for first-timers from around the world.