OP here. Thank you guys for all the responses. This really has helped me to decide which park we will be going to- defenitely Magic Kingdom, hald day will be water park and the other park either Animal Kingdom or Hollywood, but not Epcot ( not this time).

Definitely magic kingdom. My kids were so bored at Epcot.

Get a hopper pass and do a taste of all 4 parks. You can go to any old water slide park somewhere else.

Anonymous wrote:For the second park, do Hollywood Studios if the 8 yo loves rides and Animal Kingdom if they don't love rides.

Magic Kingdom plus this.

For the second park, do Hollywood Studios if the 8 yo loves rides and Animal Kingdom if they don't love rides.

Do the water park on the half day.

Former Disney parks employee here: it depends on what she's into. Magic Kingdom is the densest park so if she's fine going on whatever, that's a good choice. Hollywood Studios has Star Wars land but a lot of those rides can be harder to get on, so you may have to spend money on lightning lane which I hate on principle. Toy Story Land is notorious for getting too hot and not having enough shade.

Animal Kingdom has animals so it's a better walk-around park, but it doesn't have as many rides. I don't know that Avatar Land is much of a draw to an 8 year old.

EPCOT has expanded a lot recently but again a lot of the newer or more popular rides have very long waits. But I do like the Living Seas and you can find some fun stuff in World Showcase. I think you walk the most at EPCOT because of how it's laid out. I do feel like all the festivals are just designed to sell more food and alcohol.

So it depends in how much you want to walk and if there are many must do rides.

Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom are my favorite.

Anonymous wrote:Don’t do Epcot. Do Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. Hollywood Studios has Marvel, Star Wars and Toy Story.

Epcot is very large and not nearly as charming. Long vistas of brutalist architecture. So not worth it.

Consider Animal Kingdom. I loved it. Best ride in the whole park - the dragon riding one from Avatar (and I hate that movie) is in Animal Kingdom.

I must say that with an 8 year old, I completely agree with this. But also, I really love Epcot so make sure you do it on a later trip.

Anonymous wrote:Magic kingdom snd Hollywood studios.

+1

Don’t do Epcot. Do Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. Hollywood Studios has Marvel, Star Wars and Toy Story.

Epcot is very large and not nearly as charming. Long vistas of brutalist architecture. So not worth it.

Consider Animal Kingdom. I loved it. Best ride in the whole park - the dragon riding one from Avatar (and I hate that movie) is in Animal Kingdom.

I would not be going to the water park if I only had 2 days.

Magic Kingdom is all the iconic Disney stuff. For kids, first visit-you HAVE to do it.

For 2nd day, I’d base it on what their interests are. Star Wars and Toy Story-go to Hollywood Studios. Animals-go to Animal Kingdom (though not as many rides). My kids really liked Epcot-that’s fine for day 2. Will your half day also be a park day?

Magic kingdom snd Hollywood studios.

For an 8yo, def Magic Kingdom. Way more to do there for a kid that age than Epcot.

We will be in Disneyworld for 2.5 days only ( ( know very short) with our 8 year old. I have been in Disneyworld only once about 20 years ago, and can't even remember much of it. Our sister with her 11 and 14 year old will join us and she also will be there only for 2.5 days. She wants to go to Epcott and One water park. I was leaning more towards Magic Kingdom and not Epcott for our 8 year old. If you had to pick only one of those two parks ( Epcott or Magic Kingdom) which one would you pick for 8 year old?