105 Best Sights in Walt Disney World Orlando, Florida

In this attraction—which shines with the polish of enhanced facades, sound system, and boat-ride props—Donald teams with old pals José Carioca (the parrot) and Panchito (the Mexican charro rooster) from the 1944 Disney film The Three Caballeros. The Gran Fiesta Tour film sweeps you along for an animated jaunt as the caballeros are reunited for a grand performance in Mexico City. Donald manages to disappear for his own tour of the country, leaving José and Panchito to search for their missing comrade. For people with disabilities: The boat is accessible to guests using wheelchairs, but those using ECVs or oversize chairs must transfer to a Disney model. Equipped for handheld-captioning and audio-description devices. It's worth a visit if lines aren't long, especially if you have small children, who usually enjoy the novelty of a boat ride.

With the latest in Disney Audio-Animatronics (this attraction introduced the technology in 1971 and underwent a total high-tech transformation in 2017), this show, housed in a redbrick building inspired by Philadelphia's Independence Hall, tells a moving story of "The Idea of a President." Producers reshot the accompanying film in high-definition video and added more than 130 images culled from the National Archives, Library of Congress, and other collections. A digital soundtrack, LED lighting, and a dramatic narration further enhance the experience. The film covers more than two centuries of U.S. history and emphasizes what it means to lead the nation. Both George Washington and Abraham Lincoln grab a bit of the spotlight, the latter by delivering his famous Gettysburg Address.

The best part of the show is a roll call of all 45 U.S. presidents. (Fun fact: Joe Biden is officially the 46th president because Grover Cleveland is counted twice due to his having served nonconsecutive terms.) The current president always recites the oath of office. Each chief executive responds with a nod or a wave, and both George Washington and Abraham Lincoln rise from their seats. The robots nod and whisper to each other as the roll call proceeds. Anyone interested in presidential artifacts will enjoy the wait in the lobby area, where First Ladies' dresses, presidential portraits, and even George Washington's dental instruments are on display. For people with disabilities: The attraction is wheelchair accessible; enter through a door on the right. Reflective captioning available; equipped for assisted-listening devices. Visit in the afternoon when a chance to rest will be welcomed.

The basic question here is: do you want to get scared out of your wits in four seconds flat? Three side-by-side speed slides drop 214 feet downhill at a 60-degree angle in seconds. Oh yes, and then you go through a cave. In the dark. The average speed is 30 mph, but you can really fly if you lie flat on your back, cross your ankles, wrap your arms around your chest, and arch your back. A couple caveats: the ride lasts only a few seconds—too short for us—and lines are often too long to requeue for another plunge. Also, this ride isn't appropriate for guests who are pregnant or who have heart, back, or neck problems.

Race against your friends or family.

The intimate Palais du Cinema, inspired by the royal theater at Fontainebleau, screens this homage to the glories of the country. Shown on five screens spanning 200 degrees, in an air-conditioned, sit-down theater, the film takes you to vineyards at harvest time, Paris on Bastille Day, the Alps, Versailles, Normandy's Mont-Saint-Michel, and the stunning châteaux of the Loire Valley. The music sweeps you away with familiar segments from Offenbach, Debussy, and Saint-Saëns, all woven together by longtime Disney musician Buddy Baker. For people with disabilities: Wheelchair- and ECV-accessible; reflective captioning and equipped for assisted-listening and audio-description devices. The Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along has proved so popular, that Impressions de France is now only shown at select times. Check the My Disney Experience app.

Visiting Walt Disney World and not stopping for this tribute to terminal cuteness—why, the idea is practically un-American. The attraction is essentially a boat ride through different bright-color lands, each representing a continent, complete with landmarks. First created for the 1964–65 New York World's Fair, the original ride opened in Disneyland with the same peppy theme song of international brotherhood and friendship written by the Sherman Brothers (of Mary Poppins fame). You'll float by 450 dolls created by Disney legend Mary Blair—Dutch babies in clogs, Spanish flamenco dancers, sari-wrapped Indians waving temple bells, Swiss yodelers, Japanese kite fliers, Middle East snake charmers, and young French cancan dancers, to name just a few—all singing the earworm song together. Take enchanted tots through again if the line is short. For people with disabilities: You can board with your standard wheelchair through the designated entrance; if you use a scooter, transfer to one of the attraction's standard chairs available at the ride entrance. Equipped for handheld-captioning and audio-description devices.

Figment, a fun-loving dragon, takes you on a sensory adventure designed to engage your imagination through sound, illusion, gravity, dimension, and color. After the ride you can check out Image Works, where several interactive displays allow you to further stretch your imagination. Although this ride is geared to smaller kids, there are a few bangs and a brief period of darkness. Though Disney hasn't announced anything, there is constant speculation that this attraction is going to be updated or closed during the EPCOT renovations. For people with disabilities: Ride and Image Works are wheelchair accessible. Equipped for handheld-captioning and audio-description devices.

Cruise through three continents and along four rivers: the Congo, the Nile, the Mekong, and the Amazon. The canopied launches are loaded, the safari-suited guides spin the helm, and the Irrawady Irma or Mongala Millie is off for another "perilous" journey. The guide's shtick is surprisingly funny in a wry and cornball way, provided he or she has mastered the art of enunciation. Along the way, you'll encounter Disney's famed Audio-Animatronics creatures of the African veld: bathing elephants, slinky pythons, an irritated rhinoceros, and a bunch of hyperactive hippos. Then there's Old Smiley, the crocodile, who's always waiting for a handout—or, as the guide quips, "a foot out."

The animals are early generation and crude by Disney standards—anyone who's seen the real thing at the Animal Kingdom or even a good zoo won't be impressed. Unless you're an old-school Disney fan, the Jungle Cruise isn't really worth longer than a 45-minute wait. For people with disabilities: Several boats have lifts that allow wheelchair access. The ride is equipped for assisted-listening, and sign language is provided some days.  Don't go after dark—you miss too much.

Asia's thrilling water adventure ride mixes the fun of a rafting experience with a solemn message to save pristine lands and animal habitats that are threatened by development. Aboard a round raft that seats 12, you run the Chakranadi River. After passing through a huge bamboo tunnel filled with jasmine-scented mist, your raft climbs 40 feet upriver, lurches and spins through sharp twists and turns, and then approaches an immense waterfall, which curtains a giant carved tiger face. After traveling amid rain forests and temple ruins, you find yourself face-to-face with the denuded slope of a logged-out woodland burning out of control. There are many more thrills, but why spill the beans?

You will get wet—possibly even soaked. Unless you want to wring out your clothing in the nearest restroom afterward, bring a poncho. Better yet, bring a change of clothing in a plastic bag. Nearby lockers can keep bags dry while you ride. If you are pregnant or have heart, back, neck, or motion-sickness problems, sit this one out. For people with disabilities: Guests using wheelchairs must transfer to a ride raft. No service animals. The line moves fast and is rarely one of the longest. To avoid soggy sneakers, bring a pair of flip-flops—you have to wear shoes while on board, though.

If you need to chill out after the high-velocity Humunga Kowabunga, venture up to Keelhaul Falls, a laid-back trip down the left side of Mount Mayday. Just kick back and relax as your blue tube cruises down the 400-foot slide and into a pool. Although its winding path and scenic descent can be satisfying, thrill seekers might be disappointed. Nevertheless, this ride isn't appropriate for guests who are pregnant or who have heart, back, or neck problems.

Ride before or after Mayday Falls.

Typhoon Lagoon's play area for young children has slides, mini rapids, faux sand castles, squirting whales and seals, bouncing barrels, waterfalls, and sprinklers. The bubbling sand ponds, where youngsters can sit in what seems like an enormous whirlpool bath, are favorites, as is the tiny-scale tube ride. Kids can have spray battles using small water cannons, and families can camp beneath lots of shady lean-tos. For people with disabilities: Accessible for people using water-appropriate wheelchairs.

Parents can take turns watching the kiddies here and riding the thrill slides.

If your little ones have always wanted to race with Lightning McQueen, then speed on over to Lightning McQueen's Racing Academy. A very convincing Audio-Animatronic car teaches the audience some of his tricks using a simulated track. Of course, the no-good Chick Hicks tries to outrace you, so, with the help of a wraparound screen, you'll get to watch Lightning race his longtime nemesis. This is a show, so while the Lightning McQueen figure is amazing, you will be sitting on a bench the whole time. This is a great place to take little ones while older kids ride the Tower of Terror or the nearby Rock 'n' Roller Coaster.

A canopied boat cruises through three artificial biomes—rain forest, desert, and prairie—and into an experimental live greenhouse that demonstrates how food might be sourced in the future, not only on the planet but also in outer space. Shrimp, tilapia, eels, catfish, and alligators are raised in controlled aquacells, and tomatoes, peppers, squash, and other fruits and vegetables thrive in the Desert Farm area via drip irrigation that delivers just the right amount of water and nutrients to their roots. Gardeners are usually interested in the section on integrated pest management, which relies on "good" insects like ladybugs to control more harmful predators.

See Mickey Mouse–shape fruits and vegetables (there might be pumpkins, cucumbers, or watermelons) nurtured with the help of molds created by the science team; scientists also have grown a "tomato tree"—the first of its kind in the United States—that has yielded thousands of tomatoes from a single vine. Many of the growing areas are actual experiments-in-progress, in which Disney and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have joined forces to produce, say, a sweeter pineapple or a faster-growing pepper. The plants and fish in the greenhouse are regularly harvested for use in The Land's restaurants. For people with disabilities: Those using an oversize wheelchair or ECV must transfer to a standard wheelchair. Equipped for handheld-captioning and audio-description devices. If your party finds Living with the Land interesting, check out Behind the Seeds, an hour-long tour for ages 3 and up that provides a more detailed look at the greenhouse. The tour is offered every half hour and costs $35 per person. Sign-up in advance on the My Disney Experience app or check the desk by the ride's exit.

This whirling carnival staple is for the vertigo addict looking for a fix. The Disney version is based on its own 1951 film Alice in Wonderland, in which the Mad Hatter hosts a tea party for his un-birthday. You hop into oversize, pastel-color teacups and whirl around a giant platter. Add your own spin to the teacup's orbit with the help of the steering wheel in the center. Check out the soused mouse that pops out of the teapot centerpiece. For people with disabilities: If using a wheelchair, enter through the exit on right, then transfer to a ride vehicle.

Brightening the lush Adventureland landscape is this jewel-tone ride around a giant genie's bottle. You can control your own four-passenger, state-of-the-art carpet with a front-seat lever that moves it up and down and a rear-seat button that pitches it forward or backward. Part of the fun is dodging the right-on aim of a water-spewing "camel." The ride is short but a big hit with kids, who are also dazzled by the colorful gems implanted in the surrounding pavement. Parents must ride with toddlers. For people with disabilities: There's ramp access for guests in wheelchairs. If you're in an ECV, you must transfer to a standard wheelchair. Lines here are relatively short and move fairly quickly: visit when Pirates of the Caribbean or Jungle Cruise have long lines—they may have shortened by the time you're done with this ride.

Along this trail, you get an up-close view of unusual animals, including giant fruit bats that hang to munch fruit from wires and fly very close to the open and glass-protected viewing areas and Bengal tigers in front of a maharajah's palace ruins. The tigers have their own view (with no accessibility, of course) of Asian deer and black buck, an antelope species. At the end of the trek, you walk through an aviary with a lotus pool. Disney animal experts are on hand to answer questions. For people with disabilities: Wheelchair accessible; equipped for audio-description devices. Guests with service animals should check with a host before entering the aviary. Come anytime. Crowds stay fairly light, as people are constantly on the move.

This 460-foot slide in bright-yellow inner tubes is the longest and bumpiest of the three falls. It's a long trek up—even higher than that at Keelhaul—but the increased speed and longer descent are worth the climb since the watery route slips through caves, slides under bridges, and skims past thundering waterfalls before splash down. This ride isn't appropriate for guests who are pregnant or who have heart, back, or neck problems.

 While you're in the neighborhood, ride Keelhaul Falls, too.

The park's main pool is a 1-acre oasis that's constantly fed by "melting snow" waterfalls. The man-made waves are positively oceanlike. If you're not a strong swimmer, stay away from the far end of the pool, where the waves originate. You can get temporarily stuck in a pocket even if your head is still above water. If you prefer to stay beached, there are plenty of recliner chairs around the bay. This is where moms and dads often relax and watch their kids swim in the lifeguard-protected waters. For people with disabilities: Guests using water-appropriate wheelchairs can enjoy shallow waters here. Get an inner tube if you plan to venture to deeper waters, and arrive early if you want to find a shady spot (the giant umbrellas are limited).

The joke's on everyone at this interactive attraction starring Mike Wazowski, the one-eyed hero from Disney-Pixar's hit Monsters, Inc. In the 400-seat theater, you can interact with an animated Mike and his sidekicks in the real-time, unscripted way that the character Crush from Finding Nemo performs at EPCOT in Turtle Talk with Crush at The Seas with Nemo & Friends. Here, the premise is that Mike realizes laughter can be harnessed as a power source, and Mike's new comedy club is expected to generate power for the future. The more the audience yuks it up, the greater the power produced. You can text-message jokes from cell phones to the show's producer; they might even be used in the show. For people with disabilities: Wheelchair accessible. Sign language is available some days. Equipped for assisted-listening and video-captioning devices.

To enter this gentle river ride, you must first wander through the inventive landscape of Pandora, designed by Disney Imagineers to include many tropical and subtropical plants found in Florida, as well as creatively imagined alien plants, many of which light up at night. After entering the cavern and boarding a reed raft, you drift slowly past a bioluminescent rain forest with an even more diverse range of flora and fauna. The object of your quest is to find the Na’vi Shaman of Songs, the life force of Pandora, but you'll be so caught up in the stunning details of the landscape that you'll be surprised when the Audio-Animatronic Shaman shows up. For guests with disabilities: Guests must transfer from a wheelchair or ECV.

Calling this a nature walk doesn't really do it justice. A path winds through dense foliage, alongside streams, and past waterfalls. En route there are viewing points where you can watch a beautiful rare okapi (a member of the giraffe family) munching the vegetation, a family and a separate bachelor group of lowland gorillas, hippos (which you usually can see underwater), comical meerkats (a kind of mongoose), exotic birds, and a bizarre colony of hairless mole rats. Disney animal experts are at many viewing points to answer questions. For people with disabilities: Wheelchair accessible and equipped for audio-description devices. Guests with service animals should check with a host before entering. Come just after you exit your safari vehicle on Kilimanjaro Safaris; avoid coming at the hottest time of day, when the gorillas like to nap.

No other Disney character meet-and-greet location is quite as much fun as Pete's Silly Sideshow, named after the Mickey Mouse archenemy created in 1925. But you won't meet Strongman Pete under this big top, although he does make a poster appearance. Instead, you'll grip and grin with Goofy, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, and his sweetheart, Daisy. Each character poses for photos and signs autographs against a sideshow backdrop: the Great Goofini, "Broken Bone Record Holder," in his stunt garb; the Astounding Donaldo dressed as a snake charmer; Minnie Magnifique, pretty in pink feathers, and her "pirouetting Parisian poodles," and Madame Daisy Fortuna with crystal ball as "seer of all fate and destinies." Two queues move guests along fairly quickly, and elaborate themed backdrops offer extra-fun photo ops.

This sweet indoor ride was inspired by Sir James M. Barrie's 1904 novel about the boy who wouldn't grow up, which Disney animated in 1953. Aboard two-person magic sailing ships with brightly striped sails, you soar into the skies above London en route to Neverland. Along the way you can see Wendy, Michael, and John get sprinkled with pixie dust while Nana barks below, wave to the Lost Boys, spot the evil Captain Hook, and cheer for the ticktocking, clock-swallowing crocodile who breakfasted on Hook's hand.

Children—especially preschoolers—love this ride. Adults enjoy the dreamy views of London by moonlight. The downsides are the ride's brevity and its low-tech look. For people with disabilities: You must transfer from your wheelchair to the ride vehicle. Service animals aren't permitted. Equipped for handheld-captioning and audio-description devices.

This ride is great for families and for romantics, young and old. Seventy-two of the 90 dashing wooden steeds date from the original carousel built in 1917 by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company; additional mounts were made of fiberglass. All are meticulously painted, and each one is completely different. One wears a collar of bright yellow roses; another, a quiver of Native American arrows. For a bit of extra magic, look for the horse with a golden ribbon in its tail: this is Cinderella's horse. Eighteen panels beneath the wooden canopy depict scenes from Disney's 1950 film Cinderella. As the ride spins, the mirrors sparkle, the fairy lights glitter, and the band organ plays favorite Disney movie tunes. For people with disabilities: If using a wheelchair, or if you have a service animal, check with a host for boarding information.

The Temple of Heaven houses another of EPCOT's sweeping and immersive movies. Presented on a seamless 360-degree screen in digital format, this film highlights China's iconic images, both old and new. However, be prepared to stand and possibly hold children: strollers aren't permitted, and there are no seats. For people with disabilities: Wheelchair- and ECV-accessible; reflective captioning and equipped for assisted-listening and audio-description devices. Come anytime, and, before the show, visit the Tomb Warriors gallery, where you can see replicas of the terra-cotta soldiers unearthed in 1974 by farmers in Xi'an, China.

It's Remy's big night, and he's cooking to impress the food critic Anton Ego. To succeed, he needs the help of all his rat friends, including you! On this ride, the six-person cars, which are shaped like rats, begin by meandering through the oversized rooftops of Paris. Gusteau quickly takes you to his restaurant so you can assist Remy and Linguini with the cooking, all the while trying to avoid the gaze of Skinner, the head chef who has a terror of rats. Combined 3-D screens along with a giant kitchen create a 4-D effect so real it feels like you're really scurrying around. The trackless ride system furthers the notion of independence; often you and your fellow rats will hide in different places and then meet back up to help Remy. For people with disabilities: Wheelchairs can be loaded onto certain ride cars in a lane to the side of the boarding area. Those in ECVs will need to transfer to a standard wheelchair to use this feature or will need to walk to a wider car if they would prefer. The earlier the better for this attraction; lines can be long, and they don't tend to dissipate in the evening.

It's easy to overlook this three-track flume ride hidden on the far red slope of Mt. Gushmore. Yet, if you have the courage to carry your tube all the way up to the top, you'll eventually come upon three twisting, turning, 600-foot-long flumes—even one that's in the dark (keep in mind the tunnel slide is for single riders only, while the open slides are for one- or two-passenger tubes). Once you're in, it's way more fun than scary. Still, guests who are pregnant or who have heart, neck, or back problems should skip it. For people with disabilities: Guests using wheelchairs must transfer to inner tubes. Your water chair will be sent to the bottom of the hill for you. It's worth riding both an open slide and the tunnel slide, but remember that the tunnel slide is only for single riders.

Hop into a "clamobile" and ride under the sea to look for Nemo, who has wandered off from Mr. Ray's class field trip. This ride adds clever fun to the aquarium attraction—an astonishing animation-projection effect makes it appear as if Nemo and his pals are swimming among the marine life of the actual Seas aquarium. As your ride progresses, Dory, Marlin's spacey sidekick, helps Bruce, Squirt, and other pals find him. After the ride, walk around the tank to Bruce's Shark World for some fun photo ops and shark facts, discover how dolphins communicate, and visit an endangered Florida manatee rehabilitation center. For people with disabilities: Guests in standard wheelchairs can wheel onto an accessible "clamshell" vehicle; those in ECVs must transfer to a standard wheelchair or the ride vehicle. Equipped for audio-description and handheld-captioning devices. Though lines can be long, they move quickly.

Preteens might want to spend most of their time on the T-bar drop, Cool Runners slides, and Snow Falls downhill body slide. In addition, there's a chance to take on the Thin Ice Training Course, a wide-open area where kids can jump from one slippery mogul to the next. The moguls really look more like bobbing baby icebergs, and kids don't mind when they miss a berg and plop into the pool. For people with disabilities: Guests using water-appropriate wheelchairs can enjoy wading areas here. The optimum time to come is early in the day or after a thunderstorm, when crowds thin out. That said, lines are often short at the zipline drop and the iceberg obstacle course.

No water park would be complete without a meandering waterslide, and Blizzard Beach has this one. Here three flumes, each 350 feet long, descend from the top of Mt. Gushmore along a switchback course of ski-type slalom gates on the purple slopes. Snow Stormers offers an exciting change of pace from the straight-down slides of the green slopes, and riders are in for a grand total of eight hairpin turns before finally splashing into the pool at the bottom. This ride isn't appropriate for guests who are pregnant or who have heart, neck, or back problems. For people with disabilities: Guests using wheelchairs must transfer to a toboggan-style slide mat with handles. Hold on tight during this belly-down ride!

Inside the giant geosphere you are transported past tableaux that explore human progress and the continuing search for better forms of communication. The journey begins in the darkest tunnels of time, proceeds through history, and ends poised on the edge of the future. Revered author Ray Bradbury helped design the iconic ball and wrote the original story. Ten-time Emmy winner Bruce Broughton composed the musical score.

Audio-Animatronics figures present Cro-Magnon man daubing mystic paintings on cave walls, Egyptian scribes scratching hieroglyphics on papyrus, Roman centurions building roads, Islamic scholars mapping the heavens, and 11th- and 12th-century Benedictine monks hand-copying manuscripts. As you move into the Renaissance, there's Michelangelo and Gutenberg, and, in rapid succession, the telegraph, radio, television, and computer come into being. A family views the moon landing on TV, and soon the personal computer is born.

This ride has been updated multiple times over the years, always trying to incorporate the newest ideas for the future. The current Spaceship Earth emphasizes storytelling as what connects humanity, culminating in guests exiting at Dreamers Point, which honors Walt Disney who had his own gift for storytelling. For people with disabilities: You must be able to transfer to a standard wheelchair, then walk four steps to the ride vehicle. Guests with service animals should check with an attraction host for boarding information. The ride is equipped for handheld-captioning and audio-description devices available at Guest Relations.  Lines are longest in the morning and shortest just before closing.