My family absolutely loves being in Florida for the winter months. We adore the fresh air and sunshine, the gorgeous springs, the beautiful beaches, and of course, Walt Disney World.
That said, Disney World isn’t just about fun and games for this roadschooling crew. Nope, we’ve actually found dozens of ways to make these incredible theme parks into our classrooms, taking our roadschooling adventures to the next level.
Want to try roadschooling or homeschooling in Disney World yourself? You’re in the right place!
Roadschooling in Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom boasts a number of opportunities to learn about history and classic fairy tales, among other things. Some of our favorite ideas for Magic Kingdom learning are below.
Fairytale Unit Study
The number of fairytales represented in Fantasyland is just wonderful. Dive into a fun fairytale unit study, reading some original fairy tales and comparing them to Disney movies, and then hop on the accompanying rides.
I recommend Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella, Winnie the Pooh, Snow White, Beauty and the Beast, Little Mermaid, and Peter Pan.
American History Unit Study
As a history nerd, I absolutely love the historically accurate details scattered throughout Liberty Square, Frontierland, and Main Street, U.S.A. Why not put together an American History Unit study and learn a bit about American history before you visit so you can really appreciate those details?
- Focus on Colonial history and then visit Liberty Square to look for “sewage” in the streets, shutters attached with leather, and lanterns in windows. Also, make a point of dining at Liberty Tree Tavern and visit the Hall of Presidents to learn about presidents throughout history.
- Learn about the 1800s and then ride the Riverboat, explore Tom Sawyer’s Island (it helps to read the Tom Sawyer books), ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and wander the historically accurate streets of Frontierland.
- Finally, spend some time reading about the turn of the century and then enjoy wandering down Main Street, taking in the details. Listen to the Dapper Dans sing music from the early 1900s, visit the ice cream parlor, and then head into Tomorrowland to see the Carousel of Progress and be amazed at how far we’ve come since the year 1900.
- As an added bonus, try to get over to Epcot to enjoy the American Adventure animatronics show! And speaking of Epcot…
Roadschooling in Epcot
Epcot is easily the most educational of the Disney theme parks. This place is packed to the gills with science lessons as well as some of the best opportunities for learning about geography and world cultures out there.
Walk Around the World
The World Showcase is an obvious winner when it comes to learning opportunities in Epcot. We recommend taking a map along and marking off each country as you visit the corresponding pavilion, as this will give your kids a sense of where each place actually is.
Try a new food from each country and make a point of seeing the shows. Find the Kidcot stations in each country, where kids can color a little card with info on the country represented by that pavilion. There are usually people from the represented countries manning the Kidcot stations. Feel free to ask them questions!
Marine Animal Unit Study
The Seas building is another excellent pick. Yes, you can ride the Finding Nemo ride here, but we also recommend sticking around to look at the various marine animals in their tanks. If you see a Cast Member standing around, take a moment to ask some questions. Many times, there is a booth set up with items kids can touch and read about.
“Turtle Talk with Crush” is also in this building and is often a good way to learn some fun turtle facts in humorous fashion.
Spaceship Earth
This is just a single ride, but it’s worth doing if you have a kid who is at all interested in history or technology (bonus points if they think both are cool). The ride takes you through the history of communication and is a fun learning opportunity that could spark an interest in a variety of niche subjects.
Roadschooling in Hollywood Studios
The learning opportunities at Hollywood Studios are a little less in your face, but they are there nonetheless.
One Man’s Dream
Our favorite learning experience in Hollywood Studios is One Man’s Dream. This is a little museum that chronicles the life of the one and only Walt Disney. It gives kids a fun little peek into the history of one of their favorite things: cartoons!
Beauty and the Beast
We also appreciate the Beauty and the Beast show, as we find it’s a great way to introduce young children to quality live theater without asking them to sit through a long Broadway-style show.
Roadschooling in Animal Kingdom
Lastly, there is Animal Kingdom. This place is jam-packed with chances to learn about animals, of course, but also world cultures. This might just be my favorite park for homeschooling in Disney World.
Kilimanjaro Safari and Animal Walking Trails
One of the best ways to learn about the animals in the park is by hopping on the Kilimanjaro Safari. This educational jeep ride takes you through a variety of habitats, allowing you to view all kinds of animals. The drivers are very knowledgeable and narrate the ride, offering up fun info as they go.
You can also choose to wander the many animal trails that are scattered throughout the park. These boast animals from all over the world, and signage offers info on each species you see.
Wilderness Explorers Program
I absolutely adore the Wilderness Explorers Program! Inspired by the Pixar film Up!, this program gives kids a chance to visit various stations throughout the park to learn about animals, plants, and a variety of other subjects and earn sticker “badges” they can add to a fun little handbook.
The Cast Members manning these stations are always engaging, encouraging kids to chat and ask questions and leading to some very memorable learning moments.
Rafiki’s Planet Watch
Taking a train over to Rafiki’s Planet Watch is a little bit time-consuming but totally worth it if you are looking to do some homeschooling at Disney World.
Here you’ll find a window into a veterinary treatment room so you can watch how animals are taken care of in the park. There is also a nutrition center where you can watch meals being prepared for the animals, along with aquariums housing reptiles and amphibians. The petting zoo gives kids a chance to pet some of their favorite critters, and the knowledgeable Cast Members are happy to answer questions.
Oh, this area is also home to a fun drawing class, so make sure to leave time for that!
As you can see, roadschooling and homeschooling in Disney World is a fantastic way to enhance your visits to the parks and make school a whole lot more fun and memorable. Which learning experience will you choose first?
About the author: Chelsea Gonzales
Chelsea has the amazing opportunity to take part in full-time RV living and traveling with her tiny tribe. She homeschools her five-year-old son as they travel, and takes full advantage of their unique situation by using the entire world as her son’s classroom. A group of total Disney fanatics, Chelsea and her family often find themselves in the Orlando area in order to visit the Disney parks, but they have also visited over 25 of the 50 states with plans to see many more along the way. No matter where her travels take her, Chelsea enjoys riding bikes, gazing at beautiful sunsets, finding new coffee shops, Irish dancing, and sitting around a campfire with her family.
You can join her adventures through her blog, Wonder Wherever We Wander.
Craig S. FL~ “I am extremely pleased with the service I received. Your representative kept in constant contact with me to make sure everything was going as planned. I never felt like I was in this by myself. Thank you!!!!”
