Posted by: Caitlin Kane August 24, 2022

Throughout the Walt Disney World Resort, there are dozens of attractions for Guests to enjoy that include everything from family-friendly experiences to thrilling adventures. With so many attractions to enjoy, it can be hard to see everything on a lengthy vacation, let alone a shorter one.

Guests who are visiting the Walt Disney World Resort for a quick trip absolutely need to prioritize the must-do attractions to make the most of their limited time and this results in there also being a list of attractions that unfortunately get skipped. Whether due to lengthy run times or simply because there are better options nearby, these are the attractions that we skip when enjoying a quick trip to the Walt Disney World Resort!

The first attraction that Guests should skip in the Magic Kingdom when only visiting for a short period of time are The Magic Carpets of Aladdin which can be found in the very heart of Adventureland. This spinner attraction has Guests board flying carpets and take to the skies with one row controlling the height at which they soar and the other controlling the tilt of the carpet. While there is nothing wrong with The Magic Carpets of Aladdin, Guests should prioritize other nearby attractions, including the Jungle Cruise and Pirates of the Caribbean.

Over in the Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland is the Country Bear Jamboree, a stage show where a unique cast of animatronic bears perform country hits inside of a rustic performance hall. While there are catchy and funny songs and memorable characters including Big Al, the Country Bear Jamboree is a nearly fifteen minute show and Guests are better off spending that time enjoying other nearby attractions in Frontierland including Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Splash Mountain.

The Liberty Square Riverboat in the Liberty Square area of the Magic Kingdom welcomes Guests aboard a steam-powered paddle wheeler to set off for a scenic and serene loop around the Rivers of America. While the views from the several decks onboard are lovely, the Liberty Square Riverboat is a nearly twenty minute round trip plus time spent boarding and disembarking, and Guests with limited time are better off experiencing something else.

Also found in the Magic Kingdom’s Liberty Square is The Hall of Presidents, an educational and entertaining show that shares the history of the Presidency of the United States over the centuries. Using mixed media and a stunning finale where animatronics allow all of the Presidents to appear on stage as one, the show is a powerful message about the rich history of our country. The Hall of Presidents is definitely an entertaining and wonderful show to enjoy, but at twenty-five minutes in length, Guests who are short on time are better off visiting nearby classics like the Haunted Mansion, Peter Pan’s Flight, and “it’s a small world,” and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.

Jumping over to Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom, there are plenty of amazing attractions that can’t be skipped including Space Mountain, the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover, and the Astro Orbiter. In order to make time for all of these great attractions, Guests should plan on skipping the Tomorrowland Speedway, an experience where Guests can take the wheel for a leisurely drive around a track that weaves through Tomorrowland. While the scenic drive is fun, especially for younger Guests, it can eat up a lot of time that is better off on other nearby attractions.

EPCOT’s World Nature and World Discovery are filled with thrilling and iconic attractions that Guests have come to love, including Soarin’ Around the World, Test Track Presented by Chevrolet, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, and Mission: SPACE. In order to make the most of their time in EPCOT, Guests should plan on skipping The Seas with Nemo and Friends. This slow-moving dark ride retells the story of Finding Nemo while using technology to make it appear as though favorite characters are floating in the real aquariums. While The Seas with Nemo and Friends and Friends and the pavilion of the same name are beautiful to explore and enjoy, there are better options to visit when on limited time.

The other option to skip in EPCOT when only enjoying a short time in the Disney Park is The American Adventure which can be found in World Showcase in the pavilion of the same name. The American Adventure is a dramatic sharing of the history of the people of the United States which uses music, animatronics, artwork, massive sets, and more. The show is a wonderful experience that Guests should plan on enjoying at some point, but with a thirty minute run time, those who are enjoying a short visit to EPCOT should use that time to explore the pavilions of World Showcase instead.

Muppet*Vision 3D in the Grand Avenue area of Disney’s Hollywood Studios is a hilarious show that brings the humor and chaos of the Muppets to life and puts Guests right in the middle of the action. Guests are welcomed into a comfortable theater and set off on what should be a normal tour of the Muppets’ laboratories, but soon things go awry and all sorts of hysterical moments and effects kick in. While Guests are sure to find themselves cracking up during each viewing of Muppet*Vision 3D, the fifteen minute runtime plus ten minute pre-show take up time that could be spent enjoying other nearby attractions including Toy Story Mania, Star Tours – The Adventures Continue, and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

Also found in Disney’s Hollywood Studios is the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular! which is a massive live production found in the Echo Lake area of the Disney Park. The show brings Guests into a large open air theater where iconic scenes and stunts are recreated and then broken down by technical experts who explain how each daring feat is accomplished safely. While the show is extremely interesting and even offers up the chance for audience participation, its twenty five minute runtime could be best spent enjoying other popular attractions nearby including Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith.

Kali River Rapids in Disney’s Animal Kingdom is a thrilling water-based attraction that invites Guests to board family style rafts and set off on the Chakranadi River. Guests soon find themselves face to face with a devastated forest after illegal loggers came through, and a steep drop and choppy waves lead to some truly soaking moments. Kali River Rapids is a thrilling and fun attraction, but Guests who are short on time in Disney’s Animal Kingdom aren’t going to want to spend their limited time soaked and are better off skipping the attraction for other options like Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain and Kilimanjaro Safaris.

It’s Tough to be a Bug is a unique 3D show found inside of the Tree of Life on Discovery Island in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Guests are dubbed “honorary bugs” and follow along as Flik and a cast of insects share the importance of bugs and how they help both humans and the planet. There are funny and thrilling moments throughout It’s Tough to be a Bug, but Guests who only have a short time in Disney’s Animal Kingdom should opt for other more popular attractions including Avatar Flight of Passage, Na’vi River Journey, and Dinosaur.

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