Is a Disney Vacation Educational?

Travel is one of the most educational life experiences to give a child. A trip to Walt Disney World is no different. Disney Parks attractions are interesting, educational, and fun at the same time! There are valuable learning opportunities for your children in every subject area. As a homeschool mom, I fully understand finding the educational value in everyday activities, and especially our vacations. 

EPCOT

I could do an entire blog just on how educational Epcot is! It's my favorite!!

For geography buffs, there are entire "countries" to explore. Get hands-on, in depth experience from around the world in Epcot’s World Showcase. Epcot offers cool "Kidcot" stops for extra learning fun! Children can try food and drinks from other countries, and even meet Cast Members from those actual countries who come to work at Disney. Your child will also see the different architecture and dress, hear languages, music, and taste foods of many different cultures. Visit the Bijutsu-kan Gallery located at the Japan Pavilion where you can delve into the origin and evolution of kawaii – Japan’s “cute” culture.  You can journey through ancient and modern China while watching a 14 minute Circle Vision film in the China Pavilion or stroll through an exhibit in the Stave Church at the Norway Pavilion showcasing how the culture of the country influenced Disney’s Frozen. Many of these cultural education opportunities can be easy to miss if you are not looking for them. 

Over at Epcot's World Celebration, Spaceship Earth takes you back in time to see the history of language and communication around the world (one of my favorites!)

The Hall of Presidents

If your kids love to learn about farming and gardening, be sure to ride Living With the Land at Epcot. This boat ride takes you through Disney’s aquaponics food growing system. The glass greenhouse features exotic fruits and fish farming. They also have a tour called Behind the Seeds, which is available at an additional cost. 

Living with the Land 

Like most kids, mine love marine biology and learning about sea life. Be sure to visit Epcot’s Living Seas building. Aside from the adorable Nemo and Friends ride, you can see dolphins playing, manatees, tropical fish, sea turtles, and more! Cast Members show interesting artifacts to touch such as shark jaws, urchins and fish bones. Turtle Talk with Crush, an interactive show, teaches children about conservation and oceans. 

There is an entire attraction sponsored by NASA where you are put into a training environment that simulates a space launch. The queue simulates the International Space Training Center mission control. As you launch, everyone in the group will be assigned an important, interactive mission role: navigator, pilot, commander, or engineer. After experiencing the incredible forces from lift-off to landing, you can visit the Advanced Training Lab where you can further your astronaut training in an interactive play area for all ages.

ANIMAL KINGDOM

Animal Kingdom offers the best learning experiences in all of Walt Disney World, in my opinion. My kids love doing the Wilderness Explorers Scavenger Hunt game. At each W.E. station around the Park they get "missions" to complete to earn badges in their book. On Kilimanjaro Safaris, you get an up close look at wildlife on the African Savanna without fences or barriers. The animals roam free and it feels as if you are really on an African safari. There are also traditional animal exhibits and walking trails to view animals such as tigers, gorillas, meerkats, and more. There is also the Caring for Giants tour which gives a closer look at African elephants or the Up Close with Rhinos tour, available for an additional cost. Harambe, the African village in Animal Kingdom, is designed to resemble a real East African settlement. The attention to detail in the architecture, music, and street performances gives students a taste of African culture. Through interactions with cast members and performers, children can learn about the languages, customs, and daily life of people in different African countries. 

There are plenty of informative wildlife experiences for your child at Rafiki’s Planet Watch. Here they can learn about conservatism, environmentalism, biology, and much more. Many of these experiences create a hands-on learning environment that a classroom could never replicate.

HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS

Hollywood Studios offers shows that educate guests about different aspects of the movie industry and filmmaking. Kids can learn about the history of animation, the development of iconic characters, and the impact of Disney's work on the entertainment industry in Walt Disney Presents.

MAGIC KINGDOM

For those who love history, especially American history, there is plenty to see! Walking through Liberty Square in Magic Kingdom is like going back to Colonial America. The best attraction is the Hall of Presidents. The building is modeled after Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and inside all 45 US Presidents are preserved in audio-animatronic form. A new figure has been added each time we elect a President.  The building houses an authentic collection of presidential artifacts including George Washington’s dental instruments and Abraham Lincoln’s leather portfolio. You can also take a picture with a replica of the Liberty Bell outside.

The Carousel of Progress offers a unique look at how technology has evolved over the past century, making it a great tool for discussing the impact of technological innovation on society.

Children learn so much at Walt Disney World, but they don’t even notice that it’s educational because it's so much fun! These are only a few of the many educational things for children to do and see while at Walt Disney World. What have you learned while at Disney?

Are you ready to plan a magical Disney Vacation for your family? We can help get you started. Please email us for more information at Vacations@kingdomkonsultant.com.

Summer Squires

is a homeschool mom and Disney travel specialist who counts her family's travel experiences as "school days." You can email Summer at summer@kingdomkonsultant.com.