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Best Places to Stay Cozy in the Parks

inside gaston's tavern
Credit: Brandon Hardy/Flickr

If you’re anything like us, you love to dream about Florida sunshine during those freezing winter months. But if you’ve ever been to Walt Disney World in January or February, you know that it does sometimes get a bit chilly and sad. On the days when it’s too cold for shorts and endless ice cream, it’s important to be prepared with options to stay cozy. That’s why we have compiled this list of best places to stay cozy in the Parks! Take a look!

Credit: DisneyDining

Gaston’s Tavern

No one stays cozy like Gaston! While there is not a ton of seating in this Tavern in Magic Kingdom, we feel like taverns are inherently cozy. What would be better than sipping on LeFou’s Brew while munching on a fresh cinnamon roll and settling in for a little bit? This plan makes us sleepy just thinking about it! If you catch it at the right time, the Gaston’s Tavern is a great quiet place to settle in and get warm. Plus, the decor is just too fun. It’s like stepping right into the movie itself!

Gift Shops

The easiest and most convenient place to duck in during a cold or rainy day in the Parks is a Gift Shop. The simple reason is this: they are everywhere. There is no escaping a gift shop in Walt Disney World, so you might as well use it to your advantage. No matter the weather, the shop will always accommodate. If it’s 95 degrees, the air conditioning will be frigid. If it’s chilly or rainy, there will be nice, comforting heat to warm you up. While you can’t sit down to relax, you can take your time wandering the merchandise until you’re ready to venture out again.

Credit: DisneyDining

Spaceship Earth

Spaceship Earth is the ultimate nap ride. It’s perfect for this cozy list because the ride is completely inside, in the dark, and it’s always a little warm – even on hot days. While the cars are not the most comfortable things we have ever sat in, they’re private and you can stretch out a little bit, especially if you have a row to yourself. All you have to do with this ride in EPCOT is take a load off and let Dame Judy Dench lull you to rest.

Related: New Muppets Light Show Coming to Spaceship Earth For Festival of the Arts!

The Land

The Land in EPCOT is a great option for staying inside for a long period of time. There is so much to do in this area of the Park. You can unwind with some yummy food from the food court or sit down (and spin around) in the Garden Grill. You can brush up on your agricultural knowledge at Living With The Land or take a world tour on Soarin’. All of these options are very low key and perfect for keeping cozy on a blustery day in the Park.

Credit: DisneyDining

Animal Kingdom Lodge Lobby

This may be the coziest place in all of the Walt Disney World Resort. We are obsessed with Animal Kingdom Lodge on any old day, but it lends itself perfectly to a chilly Florida day. When it gets cooler outside, the amazing Cast Members of the Lodge light fires in the massive lobby fireplace and several fire pits throughout the Resort. The inside fireplace has gorgeous rocking chairs around it that are just perfect for sinking into to relax. We’re falling asleep just thinking about it…

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Mickey’s PhilharMagic

We love any excuse to go on Mickey’s PhilharMagic in the Magic Kingdom! So we were excited when we realized how great it would be on this list. PhilharMagic is perfect for ducking out (no pun intended) of unpleasant weather. The queue for this attraction is all covered and the attraction itself is about 15 minutes worth of sitting in cushy theater chairs. It’s a win win!

Credit: Disney

Impressions de France

Similarly to PhilharMagic, Impressions de France in EPCOT is a cozy delight. We are so in love with this show. This attraction nestled in the France Pavilion in EPCOT’s World Showcase takes guests on a virtual tour of all of France. What makes it the perfect cozy spot is that the theater is rarely full so you can stretch out a bit in the plush seats. And even better: you can turn your mind off for about 20 minutes and enjoy some gorgeous music.

Related: What To Know About Epcot’s France Pavilion at Walt Disney World

Carousel of Progress

This fan favorite ride in the Magic Kingdom is the perfect ride choice for getting out of the cold. The Carousel of Progress is essentially a play broken up into different acts, and you get to move through the acts while seated in your auditorium. It’s fantastic because it’s sitting inside a warm environment where you get to enjoy the show for several minutes. These seats are fairly comfortable and at least a nice break from walking around Tomorrowland!

Credit: DisneyDining

Grand Floridian Lobby

We’re suckers for comfy chairs. And the Grand Floridian Lobby is in no short supply! This hotel is perfect for getting warm. Picture this: you’re walking around Magic Kingdom and realize that you’re not having fun anymore because it’s just too chilly. So you decide to hop on a Monorail and head on over to the Floridian. When you enter you sink into a big, empty couch and curl up. It’s so lovely to get cozy with the sounds of the grand piano playing around you.

These are just some of the many spots to get cozy in Walt Disney World! What are your favorites? Tell us in the comments below!

About Molly Elias

Molly Elias has been a dedicated Disney fan since she was 18-months old. She has grown up with and learned from Disney her whole life. As her family's main vacation spot, Disney World is a place of love and laughter and magic for her. Her family also prides themselves on their Disney Cruise Line knowledge and would rather be on the high seas with Mickey than anywhere else in the world. Molly plans to keep Disney in her life forever, while also pursuing a writing career. She recently completed a master's program in creative writing in the hopes that someday she will be able to be a writer for the Happiest Company on Earth. Molly keeps Walt's famous quote at the forefront of her life: "Around here, however, we don't look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we're curious...and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths."