Relaxing IN the PARKS? Are you MAD, woman?!

Indeed, I am not mad. Anyway you slice it, family vacations can be stressful and, based on the number of times our family has vacationed in WDW, you’re going to need to take a break every now and then. After one full day of running through the parks, you will understand the necessity of it. No matter how many times you have been to a WDW park, the heat, the crowds, the “go, go, GO!” feeling of it all can get overwhelming. Therefore, don’t feel weak or like you’re going to be missing out on too much if you need to pop a squat for a ten minute break or so. The rides, and the crowds, aren’t going anywhere, so do yourself a favor and take a rest. To make things a little easier, I have separated our favorite chill-out places by park and I’ve included maps of each park with these areas clearly marked for you.

We’re going to start with the Animal Kingdom. Personally, I find the Animal Kingdom the most relaxing park of the four simply by nature. With the large river snaking through the park and the majority of the walkways being heavily shaded by tropical plants, this park has a much less hectic feel to it. Factor in the nature walks and numerous stage shows that you can sit for, the Animal Kingdom is the ultimate park for someone who enjoys some thrills, but also enjoys punctuating their day with time spans of decidedly relaxed activity.

The Oasis (the entrance to the park) is a relative small area and, therefore, does not offer many good locations for relaxing. However, if you need to sit a spell while the rest of the party hits the bathroom, rents a locker or heads to guest relations to make a dinner reservation, there are some low walls and a few benches in the area where you can enjoy the sounds and the smells of the nearby birds.

Discovery Island, the center of the park, boasts a great relaxation area: Discovery Island Trails. This is a winding pathway that takes you past small habitats and in and out of shade. Some of these habitats are adjacent to small patios with tables and chairs. These little areas are absolutely great for a time out.

If you want to sit and chill in Dino-Land USA, steer clear of Chester and Hester’s Dino-Rama; this area is modeled after Jersey Shore boardwalks and is quite hectic with all of the bells, whistles and blinking lights. Instead, head towards Dinosaur and walk the Cretaceous trail. It’s cool, it’s lazy and it’s often unfrequented. Or, you could hang out at the shaded tables next to Restaurantosaurus. They’re out of the way and look directly at Dinosaur. They’re not a bad spot to watch the world go by, and the sweet potato fries from the quick-service inside are nothing to turn your nose up at.

Asia always feels crowded because of the popularity of the Kali River Rapids and Expedition Everest, but it is still possible to catch a few minutes of peace and quiet. If you head on over to the Yak & Yeti restaurant and stand with your back facing the front door, you should see a small snack/tea stand. Directly behind that stand is one of those small patios with tables and chairs. From there, you should get a great view of not only Expedition Everest, but of the Tree of Life as well.

Finally, there’s Africa. This area is normally quite crowded as well, but fear not! I have a place. If you look at the white awning just as you enter the village of Harambe, you will notice a lot of crowded tables. Walk all the way to the left and all the way to the back: voila! I give you the Dawa Bar. For some reason, the tables around the bar always seem empty and, added bonus!, the beer at this bar (both draft and bottle) is pretty fairly priced. Sit back, relax and enjoy a nice brew while you watch Mickey’s Jammin’ Jungle Parade. You’ll be glad you did.

Rafiki’s Planet Watch and Camp Minnie Mickey do not sport any rides; however, with the petting zoo at Rafiki’s and the character meet and greets in Camp Minnie Mickey, you may run into a different kind of hectic than you’re used to in the rest of the park. I would still seek out a comfortable location to rest, especially in the air conditioned conservation station in RPW. If you find one, let us know!

Disney’s Hollywood Studios can be a bit of a tough place to find a quiet rest, but I’ve got ya’ covered. Unlike the Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios is severely lacking in shade, which is a major bummer. Unfortunately, this means that the small areas of shaded seating are ALWAYS over crowded. One key piece of advice I can give you is this: if you’re looking for a quiet (or relatively so) location to rest, stay away from the Tower of Terror and Rocking Roller Coaster area. These are the two most popular thrill rides at WDW and their waiting areas are always overflowing with other guests. If you are over in that area and don’t mind taking a bit of a stroll, head back towards Hollywood Boulevard. Just behind the times board and right next to the Hollywood Brown Derby is the Starring Rolls Café. This is your final destination. There are outside tables with umbrellas and decreased foot traffic. So, while your friends/kids/family are seeking their thrills, you can enjoy a nice seat and, perhaps, a delicious pastry.

Just on the other side of Hollywood Boulevard, turn on to Vine Street. As you’re walking along Vine, take a look to your left and you’ll see the Tune-In Lounge. This is one of Hollywood Studios’ most overlooked locations, as it actually serves as the welcome area to the 50’s Prime Time Cafe. It’s relaxed and it’s AIR CONDITIONED! There’s no need to order an alcoholic beverage when you’re in here. Want to sit and sip a bottle of water, an iced tea or a coke? Go for it, but utilize this lounge to its fullest. It’s a great place to relax and there may even be a television or two broadcasting a sporting event or the news.

If you’re towards the back of the park near Muppet Vision 3 – D, Lights, Motors, Action, or Star Tours, make your way to the Streets of America. Why, you ask? The Writer’s Stop! It is a coffee shop with real coffee (no Nescafé here!), where you can sit in a comfortable club chair and watch Disney cartoons. This is, by far, my favorite spot in Hollywood Studios. It is easily overlooked and thus always empty. Even if you’re not looking to take a rest, the coffee here is worth it. They use real espresso and concoct your drink right in front of you. You can even browse through some merchandise or purchase some rock candy to stir into your café mocha.

One final location is right by the exit to the Back-lot Tour and within a short walk to Toy Story Mania: The Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground. Granted, if you’re child free you probably will not frequent this location; however, for those with children, this could be great. It allows your kids the opportunity to keep going and running off their sugar/adrenaline highs, while allowing you to rest up and keep a close eye on them all at the same time. 

In EPCOT, most of your rest locations are found in World Showcase where it is less ride-centric. However, there are a couple of quiet zones in Future World that you can take advantage of.

If you are in Future World West (the side of the park where you can find Soarin’), you’re going to want to head towards the Seas with Nemo and Friends. Look straight at the seagulls and then hang a right instead of a left; in moving away from the ride entrance, you’re moving away from the crowds. Round the next corner on your left and you will find yourself outside of the Coral Reef Restaurant. Directly across from the restaurant’s entrance you will find a couple of benches that, although not always shaded, are removed from the main traffic of the park. The only park goers you will really have to deal with are those eating at the restaurant or looking to do the same thing you’re doing.

Future World East boasts 1 worth while rest area. Between Ellen’s Energy Adventure and Mission Space is the Wonders of Life Pavilion. Although this building has been closed since the late 90s, the pathway between the pavilion and Mission space boasts a stretch of delightful shade and small walls to perch upon. I love this brief walk.

If you need a break in EPCOT, but your kids are still “go, go, GO!”, head to Ice Station Cool. This small shop (on the border of Future World West and the main thoroughfare between Spaceship Earth and World Showcase) features multiple tasting stations of Coca Cola products from all over the world. Although the shop does not supply any benches per se, you can take a seat on the stairs and watch as your kids exercise their inner soda critic. (Note for the health conscious: the tasting cups provided can’t be much more than 1 to 2 oz. Although there is no limit to how much soda you can taste, at least you know that each time your kids go to sample, they won’t be filling up on 8 to 10 oz of soda.)

I love strolling around the World Showcase lagoon with a cool margarita, frosty beer, or tasty glass of wine in hand. To me, this is relaxing in and of itself; however, there’s no way that everyone is content with just strolling when there is so much to see, do and taste. My top picks for a quick rest in World Showcase are located in Norway, Africa, America, Morocco and the United Kingdom.

In Norway, you can find an outdoor, covered patio directly between the bathrooms and the Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe. Here, you can indulge in the smells of the bakery while you wait for the small of bladder to relieve themselves. The patio also offers really good views of parts of the pavilion; SO, if your kids (or friends) want to join Team Possible and hunt down the villains of Norway, you will be able to watch them for most of that activity from the bakery patio. Another added bonus: the patio is close to a beer stand.

The African Outpost is not so much a pavilion as it is a drink & snack stand mixed with a souvenir shop. However, it does boast a fairly large collection of covered tables bordering on the lagoon. These tables offer a great view and tend to go quickly.

Although the American Adventure houses a very disappointing quick-service restaurant of McDonald’s fare, it does house a lovely outdoor collection of tables and chairs. They’re relatively close to the American Adventure’s bathrooms and they have the added bonus of being within hearing of the shows at the America Gardens theatre and the fife and drum band performances. Another great place to chill in the American Adventure is the rotunda of the main building. Air conditioned and with benches, the rotunda allows you to marvel at the excellent attention to detail and catch a set of the Voices of Liberty. Of course, you’re encouraged to see the next showing of the American Adventure audio-animatronic stage show, but you’re not required to. The American Adventure is also filled with quite a bit of historical information for any of you who wish to brush up on your American history.

In Morocco, you’re going to want to head all the way to the back of the pavilion. Through all of the shops, right outside the restaurant Marrakesh, you will find an oasis of sorts with stone benches and fountains. Again, very few people outside of diners at Marrakesh venture this far into the pavilion. Also to be found in the Moroccan pavilion is a small anthropological museum. I have only been in this section a few times, as the display does not change very often; however, it is ALWAYS quiet in here. If I remember correctly, I was alone in the exhibit for at least 10 minutes each time I visited. It’s very informative and it allows for some alone time and any needed quiet reflection. The museum is not even marked on the map, which is a clear sign that it will always be quiet.

The United Kingdom boasts three of my all time favorite relaxation zones. The first is pretty obvious: The Rose and Crown Pub. The pub WILL get crowded and, 75% of the time, you will not get a seat, but if all you’re looking for is an air conditioned, relaxed environment where no one will rush you, head on in. Spot number 2 is the garden right outside the pub and just behind the outdoor beer stand. I love this spot for 2 reasons: the views (over the lagoon and of the main thoroughfare) and how removed from all the hustle and bustle of the crowds it feels. It’s shaded, it’s quiet, and it’s perfect. You’re surrounded by trees and flowering shrubs and nothing could be more wonderful. Last, but not least, is the garden around the stage of the British Invasion music show. When the show is not playing, this is probably the quietest area of the park. Without the show, most people see no reason to be back there. The garden marks the furthest point of the pavilion that guests can access and, aside from some shrubs and some benches, does not really offer anything of note to most park goers. 

The park that I’m sure most people are curious about is the Magic Kingdom. There is no question that as the quintessential Disney Park, the Magic Kingdom is the most ride-centric. That being said, it can be hard to find a nice, uncrowded place to rest. It’s very true that there are areas where you will never find a spot to rest up, but I guarantee that there are a handful of wind-down spots just like the other three parks.

Main Street is a tricky section because it is the one thoroughfare that is constantly crowded as people funnel in and out of the park. As Kristin and I discovered on our last trip, take a turn down the “side road” just before the Main Street bakery. At the end of that road, you will find a mini-courtyard of sorts with nothing to do but sit. Then, there is an area just outside of the ice cream shop with yellow and white umbrellas. These tables extend along an off-shoot of Main Street as well as a small platform at the bottom of a flight of 3 or 4 stairs. You will get a great view of the castle, too!

There is only 1 real location in Adventureland where you will find a good spot to unwind. If you’re looking at the Aloha Isle Dole ice cream stand, there are two small recessed areas to either side with some tables and chairs. This location can get crowded later in the day when more and more people are craving some pineapple soft serve, so hit this spot early on.

When walking between Frontierland and Liberty Square, you can choose one of two walkways. If you take the one that is closer to the water as opposed to the path that is closest to the rides and shops, you will stumble upon a couple of great areas. Though small and few, these portions of shaded seating along the underused walkway, offer a great view of Tom Sawyer’s Island and limit the number of times you’re cut off by someone with a stroller.

Fantasyland is just as tricky as Main Street when you’re looking for a quiet location, as the crowds tend to infiltrate every area. Nonetheless, there are 2 places in Fantasyland where you can catch a quick break. For the first location, start with your back facing Cinderella’s Golden Carousel and head towards the castle itself. Just before walking through the Castle, hang a left and head down the bridge to the side, past Cinderella’s wishing fountain and keep your eyes on your left. You should stumble upon a mini-amphitheatre that is used for story telling and character meet and greets. When this section is not in use for these purposes, the stone benches are shaded and welcoming.

Fantasyland location 2: stand with your back to the teacups and looking down the pathway towards the castle and Main Street. Towards your right you will see a smoothie stand and just on the other side of the smoothie stand is a seating area. I love this spot and not just because of the delicious smoothies. Very few people use that pathway, so it’s relaxing and great.

For Tomorrowland, there really is only one worthy place for a relaxing sit-down: the Tomorrowland Transit Authority. Why this ride? You’re removed from the crowds, it’s slow moving and you can (generally) stay on for as many go-rounds as you would like, so long as you ask to remain in your seat before you get off the ride. I find this ride to be so relaxing that I watch videos of it on YouTube when I’m having a particularly stressful day.

You have to remember that it is possible to find relaxation anywhere you are in WDW. You might have to look for the quiet, shaded spots, but they’re there. What area of the parks do you find the most relaxing? Let us know!

To make it even easier, here’s a link to low and high-res park maps on All Ears! Print ‘em out, mark your favorite spots or even plan your route through the park before you leave for vacation! http://allears.net/tp/map.htm

Have a magical day!

Michelle