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Many roadschooling families (ours included) enjoy spending winters in the Orlando area. This leads a large number of traveling folks to invest in Walt Disney World annual passes, which means many full time traveling kids and their parents end up in the Disney parks regularly during the winter season. Obviously this is tons of fun, but it can also be a wonderful learning experience!
Enter: roadschooling in Disney World, aka “Disneyschooling.”
Planning to spend a chunk of time in central Florida? Looking for a way to spice up your roadschooling adventures? Disneyschooling might just be for you.
Tips for Roadschooling in Disney World
First, let’s talk about some basics of roadschooling in Disney World. These simple tips will ensure roadschooling at Disney World is a fun and enriching experience for the entire family, so make sure to employ them any time you plan to homeschool while visiting the parks.
Keep It Fun
Above all else, it is important that Disney World remains what Disney World set out to be: fun. Even if you happen to be doing some learning while visiting the Disney parks, make sure you keep it light and fun. You can still encourage curiosity, problem solving, and digging deeper into any given topic; just don’t push too hard about it.
Dig Deeper at Home
As you explore the many ways to learn in Disney World, you’ll find that some of the experiences are enough for your whole family all on their own, while others pique the interest of your little explorers specifically. Pay attention to which things interest your kids most and dive a bit deeper with books, videos, craft projects, and classes at home.
Alternatively you could do this the other way around, giving your kids options for things to learn and explore in Disney World and doing the reading and research at home beforehand. This can make the in-park experience a bit more memorable, as your family will be able to think back on what they’ve learned on the topic and make connections throughout.
Interact with Cast Members
The best way to get the most out of the countless learning experiences the parks have to offer while roadschooling in Disney World is by interacting with Cast Members (the park employees). For example, in the World Showcase of Epcot, any pavilion you visit will have staff from the country being represented in that pavilion, meaning you can actually discuss day-to-day life with an individual from the country you are learning about.
In The Seas with Nemo and Friends (also at Epcot), there are often Cast Members standing by waiting to answer questions about ocean wildlife. Meanwhile, the Cast Members working the Wilderness Explorers program in Animal Kingdom are always happy to chat with curious kids, teaching them more about whatever it is their booth is focused on.
These are just a few examples. There are many, many more locations where Cast Members are posted, ready to answer questions. Take advantage of this!
28 Educational Experiences in Disney World
Wondering where to find all of these wonderful learning opportunities in Disney World? Honestly, you never have to look very hard to find ways to enhance your roadschooling experience through your visits to the Disney parks.
Here are 28 of our favorites.
Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom is the place to go if you want to study literature or history. It also provides a pretty nifty lesson in map reading!
Learn About Classic Fairytales in Fantasyland
Fantasyland is all about fairytales. Here you’ll find a Little Mermaid dark ride, giant Alice in Wonderland tea cups you can ride in, ships that fly over Neverland, and a rollercoaster themed around Snow White. We recommend reading some original versions of the classic tales, watching the movies, and then riding the rides so you can compare and contrast.
Dive into Classic Literature on Tom Sawyer Island
Another place your favorite storybooks come to life is on Tom Sawyer Island. Why not read some of the Tom Sawyer books before visiting this island and living out the adventures you imagined as you were working your way through the novels?
Enjoy a History Lesson on the Carousel of Progress
The Carousel of Progress in Tomorrowland is a great little history lesson that basically does all the work for you. Starting in the early 1900s, ride through time and learn all about the amazing technological and societal advances we’ve made along the way. If you want to expand on this little lesson, you totally can, but it really can stand on its own.
Step Back in Time in Liberty Square
If you happen to be studying early American history, a visit to Liberty Square can be a great way to expand on that. Look for the fun, historically accurate details such as “sewerage” in the streets and leather hinges on the windows. Check out the Liberty Bell replica and eat at Liberty Tree Tavern. Also, notice the 13 lanterns hanging in the Liberty Tree. These were placed there to represent the original 13 colonies.
Meet Past Presidents at the Hall of Presidents
Located in Liberty Square, Magic Kingdom’s Hall of Presidents may not be the attraction of choice for many vacationers, but it is an excellent tribute to our presidents as well as a great history lesson. Cool off and learn a little about each of our past presidents in this animatronic performance.
Hop into History in Frontierland
Another awesome place to learn about history in the Magic Kingdom? Frontierland, of course!
Walk along the historically accurate raised walkways in front of the buildings in order to keep your feet away from dust and horse droppings, and pay attention to the dates on each building telling you what year that building is meant to represent.
Hop on a riverboat to find out what river travel might have been like in the 1800s, and pay attention to the queue of Big Thunder Mountain for a lesson on what life was like for coal miners during this time period.
Experience More Time Travel on Main Street, U.S.A.
The last place we recommend visiting for a peek into the past is Main Street, U.S.A. This is the very first land you enter when entering the park and is a very charming replica of a turn-of-the-century town.
Listen to music from the time period sung by the Dapper Dans barbershop quartet, or hop aboard the horse-drawn street car, jitney automobile, double-decker bus, or old-fashioned fire engine to experience what transportation was like during this time.
Make sure you also admire all of the amazingly historically accurate details in this section.
Practice Using Maps at A Pirate’s Adventure – Treasures of the Seven Seas
Map reading is an important skill to have. A fun way to teach this skill? By using it to do something exciting! A Pirate’s Adventure – Treasures of the Seven Seas is the perfect solution. This interactive in-park game allows you to go on a fun treasure hunt throughout Adventureland, and you have to read a map to find the checkpoints.
Epcot
For lessons in science and world cultures, head over to Epcot. This place is chock-full of educational experiences that your kids won’t soon forget.
Enjoy a History Lesson on Spaceship Earth
Like Carousel of Progress, we feel that Spaceship Earth can stand all on its own as a history lesson. This one is a dark ride rather than a show, and uses animatronics and narration to take guests on an adventure through the history of communication and how advances over the centuries changed society. It’s pretty fascinating and fun for all ages!
Learn About the Universe on Mission: SPACE
What better way to learn some science than by taking a trip into space? Mission: SPACE allows visitors to take a rocket to the moon or Mars (depending on which version you choose). Riders will get to experience what it’s like to be an astronaut while also learning some things about the vast universe.
Note: To experience the G-force of takeoff, you will want to ride Mission: SPACE Orange to Mars, but it’s important to know this can be very intense and cause motion sickness.
Take a Marine Science Lesson in The Seas with Nemo and Friends
“The Seas with Nemo and Friends” building is another fantastic place to dive into science (pun intended). This amazing building is full of beautiful aquariums where you can observe sea creatures up close. There is plenty of signage with information about animals, scavenger hunt books that encourage going slow and really looking into the aquariums, and staff members are available to answer questions.
There is usually a booth set up where kids can learn about one animal or another with some hands-on activities, and the shark room offers lots of fun facts. Lastly, “Turtle Talk with Crush” is a great addition, giving everyone a chance to ask whatever questions they may have about sea turtles and have them answered by Crush himself!
Find Out How Food is Grown on “Living with the Land”
If you have kids who are curious about where our food comes from, the “Living with the Land” ride in The Land building is a must-do.
No, this isn’t one of the big popular rides, but it is a fun and relaxing boat ride through human-made examples of different ecosystems, as well as some big, beautiful greenhouses. The in-boat audio recording explains the details of each ecosystem as well as the various things seen in the greenhouses.
Travel Around the World on Soarin’
Another excellent attraction that is inside of The Land building, Soarin’ Around the World takes guests on a hangliding adventure around the world. You’ll stop in at many famous landmarks, helping your kids learn to recognize these places and hopefully sparking an interest in learning more about various countries.
…or Walk Around the World in the World Showcase
Another way to get kids interested in learning about geography and different cultures? By traveling around the World Showcase.
The World Showcase is home to 11 different pavilions, each one representing a different country. In each pavilion you can watch a video, ride a wide, and/or try food from the place being represented. Additionally, the people who work these pavilions are from the countries represented, so make sure to talk to them!
Introduce Kids to the Water Cycle at “Journey of Water”
The new Moana-inspired “Journey of Water” attraction is an excellent way to introduce little ones to the water cycle or give older kids a refresher course on the subject. This walk-through attraction gives kids a chance to play with water in several different ways while also providing information on where water comes from, where it goes after we use it, and how we can better care for the water and our planet.
Play with Physics at Test Track
Test Track is yet another fantastic way to get kids thinking about science. In this case, it’s physics your young scientists will get to work with.
Riders get the opportunity to build a virtual concept car at the beginning of the attraction. Once their car is complete, they hop in one of the ride’s “SIM Cars” to give their creation a test run and see how it holds up against other cars made by fellow park guests.
Animal Kingdom
Want to learn about animals around the world? Animal Kingdom is your spot. This place has tons of awesome lessons about animals, ecosystems, and the world around us.
Earn Badges with the Wilderness Explorers Program
The Wilderness Explorers Program in Animal Kingdom stands out as an especially fantastic Disneyschooling opportunity. Inspired by the movie Up!, this program features booths that are scattered around the park. Kids visit each booth to speak with a staff member and participate in activities, earning sticker “badges” as they go, which they can keep in a fun activity “handbook.”
Learn About Animals on Kilimanjaro Safaris
If you want some info about the animals in the park, the Kilimanjaro Safaris ride is a great way to get it. During this ride, guests hop into a safari-style vehicle, which takes them through various ecosystems to check out a number of different animals. The safari drivers are a wealth of information and they share their knowledge happily throughout the ride.
…or Gather Info on Animals on the Walking Trails
Another way to learn about the animals that call this park their home? The many walking trails that wind their way through the park. These trails feature all kinds of animal habitats, and each habitat boasts signage with information about the animal or animals living there.
Discover the Myth of the Yeti at Expedition Everest
Want to toss a bit of mythology into your roadschooling? You could hop on the Expedition Everest roller coaster. The queue for this ride includes all kinds of fun little details that have to do with the Yeti, and the ride itself gives guests a chance to come face to face with the creature.
We recommend doing a bit of reading about the Yeti (and similar myths) before riding for the best experience.
Fall in Love with Theater at “Finding Nemo: The Musical”
We can all agree that exposing our kids to the arts is important. Why not use your time in Disney World to really lean into arts exposure and education?
The Finding Nemo musical show is an absolutely perfect way to introduce kids to Broadway-style musicals and large theaters without making them sit through a three-hour performance. It’s short, sweet, colorful, and fun, so it’s sure to hold the attention of even the youngest theater-goers.
Check Out Cultural Performances
In addition to the amazing Nemo musical, this park also features a wide variety of different performances. From acrobats to African drummers, there truly is something for everyone. Make a point of attending some of these shows in order to expose your kids to the art styles of different cultures.
Go Back in Time on “Dinosaur”
The Dinosaur ride is the perfect place to get kids excited about prehistoric creatures. Learn all about dinosaurs while waiting to get on the ride, and then enjoy a trip back in time to see realistic animatronics of several different dinos. If you pay close attention, you can actually learn a number of things on this attraction.
Care for the Environment at Rafiki’s Planet Watch
Rafiki’s Planet Watch is an awesome place to learn something new while having a fun time in Disney World. This place has a petting zoo where you can get up close with the animals and ask the staff any questions you may have. It also has an exhibit about what the animals in the park eat and how they are cared for.
We find that the Cast Members who work here are always happy to engage with kids, so make sure to take advantage of that!
Learn to Draw at Rafiki’s Planet Watch
Another educational experience you can find in Rafiki’s Planet Watch? A full-blow drawing class. This class is 30 minutes long, runs several times throughout the day, and is included in your park admission.
Guests are given simple and clear instructions on how to draw a specific Disney character. In our experience, even so-so artists will walk out with a lovely creation, and this is an excellent way to improve drawing skills.
Hollywood Studios
Finally, there is Hollywood Studios. The learning opportunities are not as apparent here, but they do exist. Here are a few of our favorites.
Introduce Kids to Theater at “Beauty and the Beast”
In addition to the Finding Nemo musical mentioned above, we also really love the Beauty and the Beast musical in Hollywood studios for introducing kids to live theater. This one takes place on an outdoor stage, but you’ll still get the experience of watching a live performance and it’s just as colorful and fun as Finding Nemo.
See How Stunts and Effects are Done at “Indiana Jones”
If you have older kids who are interested in how movies are made, they might appreciate the humorous and action-packed Indiana Jones stunt show. This outdoor performance shows off some amazing stunts and special effects while also sharing some secrets about how those stunts and effects are done.
Learn About Walt Disney at “Walt Disney Presents”
Last but not least, we highly recommend a visit to Walt Disney Presents. This tiny museum focuses on the life of Walt Disney himself, showing how he got his start and how the studio grew into what it is today. Once you’ve seen the exhibits, be sure to sit down for a viewing of One Man’s Dream, a 15-minute film also about Walt Disney.
Tools to Expand Upon Your Disneyschool Education
We mentioned expanding upon what you learn in the Disney parks in the comfort of your RV in order to get the most out of roadschooling in Disney World. Do this! Building entire unit studies around your Disney World fun can be a wonderful way to dive deep into subjects that interest your kids and get them excited about learning.
Some of the resources we recommend using for this process are listed below.
Books
Books are obviously an excellent tool for learning about pretty much anything. The Lake County Library system (just outside of Disney World) allows travelers to purchase a six-month library card for only $20. Why not take advantage of this awesome deal and check out library books to go along with your Disney studies?
Alternatively, you could use a book subscription program such as Scribd or Epic or even the Libby app, which allows you to check out ebooks from your hometown library and read them online.
YouTube
One of our absolute favorite ways to learn about anything is to head to YouTube. Yes, YouTube is full of a lot of garbage and you will have to sift through that to get to the good stuff, but once you locate your favorite educational channels, finding content that suits your Disneyschooling unit studies should be easy enough.
Some of our favorite educational YouTube channels include:
Other Video Streaming Services
Other video streaming services such as Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney+ could also be helpful. Look for documentaries that discuss the topic of interest, watch old Disney movies to compare to the classic fairytales, or find some historical fiction that goes along with the time period you’re studying.
You might also look into Curiosity Stream and Wondrium. Both are educational streaming services that have tons of amazing content that could be helpful not only when it comes to Disneyschooling, but also roadschooling or homeschooling in general.
Outschool Classes
Finally, we must mention the possibility of taking online classes to complement your studies. There are classes on just about any subject listed on Outschool, and many of them are one-time classes, meaning you could totally do a class just to go along with a single unit study.
In order to get discounts on Outschool classes, we recommend joining the Outschool Free and Discounted Classes group on Facebook. This is the place teachers post deep discounts for classes they need to fill. Who knows? Maybe the perfect class will pop up!
There you have it—absolutely everything you need to know about roadschooling in Disney World. If there’s one way to make homeschooling fun, it’s by doing it at Disney World. Why not give it a try for yourself so you can see what we mean?
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Source: Everything You Need to Know About Roadschooling in Disney World
