A guide to finding quiet spaces at Walt Disney World Resorts in Orlando, FL
Walt Disney World is a favorite destination for so many families, couples, adult friend groups and even solo travelers. It’s a wonderfully exciting place to visit and the enthusiasm of other Disney lovers is contagious. However, the noise level in the parks, restaurants and hotels is often a little too much for many. The crowded parade routes, ride lines, ambient sounds pumping through the parks to create the right atmosphere for the area you’re in and the music that fills the air around the parks can overstimulate the coolest cats. But, there are always places to escape the exuberant super fans and screaming children. In order to improve my clients’ experiences, I’ve compiled a list of the quietest places in Walt Disney World Resorts. If you prefer a less noisy hotel stay or dinner, we’ve got you covered. If you need a break from the crowds in the parks, we can help you there too. Here’s what we’ve figure out so far.
Places To Retreat In The Parks
Rule #1: When in doubt, ask a cast member. If you are feeling overwhelmed by the crowds or noise, you can always ask a cast member for the best location to get a break from people. Remember that many guests suffer from social anxiety, ptsd, and other conditions that create frustration and discomfort when encountering large crowds and intense noise levels. Cast members know the best spots to help guests escape the excitement.
Epcot
As a general rule, I feel like Epcot’s open walking paths make it a quieter park than its counterparts. The lakefront and bridges are great places to stop and take a break to enjoy the serenity of the water. My favorite quiet place is in Canada. Walk down the path to the right of Le Cellier. There’s a waterfall that mists those passing by. It’s not particularly quiet because of the waterfall, but it is relaxing and overlooked by most people which makes it a bit more secluded. Another Epcot favorite is the patio area outside the China Pavilion. While others are bustling about trying to ride Frozen or Soarin, I like to grab an egg roll and soda and sit in the open air area the Lotus Blossom Cafe. The aquarium is another great spot to escape the heat and noise during the earlier part of the day. In the afternoon, it is a bit more crowded with families oohing and aahing over the marine life.
Hollywood Studios
This is my favorite park and it is full of great places to chill. Although it’s incredibly busy, Galaxy’s Edge feels quieter than other areas of the park. Most of the attractions are indoors in this area, so the outdoor areas are not very loud. Another really quiet area is on the long metal benches outside Tower of Terror just beyond the line queue. It’s shaded, rarely populated and a great location to get away from the crowds. Although not a great place to escape the heat, the area around the pond near Indiana Jones Stunt Show is also quiet.
Animal Kingdom
With safaris, wide open spaces and meandering paths, Animal Kingdom has so many wonderful areas to relax that it’s hard to pick a favorite. Gorilla Falls Exploration Trails is a great calm walk through some great animal habitats and it is often a quiet respite after a show or ride. Dinoland USA is rarely as busy as other areas like Pandora or Africa. Of course, the walkways through Pandora are incredible. The floating mountains provide an excellent backdrop to sit and stare off into space for a few minutes. The ambient sounds of otherworldly creatures remind me of white noise I use to relax before going to sleep. It’s soothing when you tune into it and allow yourself to be immersed in the experience of being in a different world.
Magic Kingdom
Here we go. I have been to MK multiple times and have yet to go without being overwhelmed by the crowds at some point during the day. It’s just a lot. The bicycle wheel design of the park allows for easy access from one side of the park to the other, but also results in some very crowded pathways. This is the park many people try to “get it all in” and the focus on that objective means they aren’t paying attention to others around them. They are determined to ride all the rides and see all the things even if their child is in full blown melt down mode. The last time I was in the park I heard a mom screaming at her six year old (the kid’s button said: I’m celebrating my 6th birthday) to quit crying and acting like a baby because she didn’t want to do anymore. They had to get to the dang Peter Pan ride! The child proceeded to lay down in the middle of the road and sob uncontrollably. Mama Do It or Die picked up the child, threw her in the stroller and raced off towards the boy who could fly while muttering angrily about this place being miserable. About thirty minutes later, after being shoved, kicked and run into by three strollers of people checking ride wait times and not paying attention to where they were going, I felt like falling in the road and pitching a full blown tantrum too. So, I found these amazing places amidst my personal meltdown that helped me stay calm and really enjoy my Magic Kingdom experience. My favorite Magic Kingdom calm spot is Tom Sawyer’s Island. Take the little ferry boats over and just walk around listening to the distant sounds of the river boat and the wind moving through the trees around you. The riverboat itself offers a great quiet ride around the park. Hall of Presidents and Carousel of Progress offer nice breaks from the heat and crowds as well. If you don’t mind climbing treehouse stairs, the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse is an amazing place to escape. If you aren’t a climber, you can always lean against a fence rail outside the attraction to enjoy people watching and a little shade. If you are traveling around the outer part of the “wheel”, the pathway between Storybook Circus and Tomorrowland provides a path less traveled. This is a spot where I often slow down and just enjoy the walk without worrying about being trampled.
Our Quietest Lunch/Dinner Restaurant Experiences
As a general rule, restaurants offering character dining, quick service, or large open dining rooms are loud. There are options with outdoor seating areas that are quieter than the echoing dining rooms of most Disney restaurants. However, our goal is to get out of the heat and enjoy a calm, relaxing meal in the heat of or at the end of the day. For that purpose, these are the quietest restaurants we’ve found at Walt Disney World.
Magic Kingdom
Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen
Liberty Tree Tavern
The Plaza Restaurant
Victoria & Albert’s
Animal Kingdom
Tiffins
Yak & Yeti (bar seating is quieter than main dining)
Hollywood Studios
Hollywood Brown Derby (second level)
Mama’s Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano
Epcot
Le Cellier- Canada
Monsieur Paul- France
Nine Dragons Restaurant- China
Resort Hotels and Disney Springs
I’ll Mulino New York: Swan Hotel (ask for private dining in a smaller room)
Jiko: Animal Kingdom Jambo House
STK Orlando: Disney Springs (ask for upstairs)
Turf Club Bar & Grill: Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
Wine Bar George: Disney Springs (ask for upstairs)
Quietest Hotel Rooms
In general, if you prefer quiet spaces, ask your travel agent to put in a special request to be on a top floor, away from pools, lobbies and transportation drop off areas. These are generally the loudest spaces at the hotels because people are excited and coordinating chaos in these spots. Otherwise, here’s what we know about the quietest hotels at Disney World.
Bay Lake Tower has the quietest rooms in WDW according to several evaluations from companies like The Unofficial Guide. Other hotels with quieter rooms include:
Grand Floridian
Saratoga Springs
Contemporary
Gran Destiny Tower
Riviera
Yacht Club
All-Star Music (buildings at the back of the property near the end of the parking lot)
All-Star Sports (buildings at the back of the property facing the end of the parking lot)
Beach Club (hallways and rooms farthest east)
BoardWalk Inn (courtyard facing rooms)
Caribbean Beach (lake facing rooms in buildings 35 & 38)
Port Orleans Riverside (east facing rooms in buildings 26 & 28)
Wilderness Lodge (rooms facing the woods)
As you plan your Walt Disney World vacation, remember that the magic is what you make it. You can enjoy every park, hotel, restaurant, shop and activity by remembering why you are there…to make amazing memories! If you find yourself feeling frustrated, take a break. Grab a treat and snag a bench in one of the quieter places in the park. Plan to have a meal in a restaurant that caters to a quieter crowd by making reservations in advance. Stay in a resort that offers a quieter atmosphere and try to request a room away from the crowds. It’s not a guarantee by any means, but it means you tried your best to prepare. In the end, try to enjoy the happy noises and tune out the negative ones. The sound of exuberant youth running down a hallway or children squealing with excitement over bubbles and characters appearing nearby are joyful noises. Focus on the joy of the moment and relax. If all else fails, throw on some noise cancelling headphones and mull about enjoying the sounds of your personal playlist. No matter what strategy you choose to keep your cool on vacation, remember you’ve got this!
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