We’re in the Disney World parks every. Single. Day.

When you’re visiting the parks that often, you’re bound to figure out quite a few hidden secrets. And since the parks are usually pretty crowded, we’re always on the lookout for shortcuts and pathways that keep us away from the masses. We’ve amassed quite a list of park shortcuts, and today we’re sharing that list with you!

The TRON Lightcycle / Run Pathway

Let’s start out with one that opened up in 2023 — the TRON Lightcycle / Run pathway in Magic Kingdom. This walkway starts near The Barnstormer in Storybook Circus and runs underneath the new TRON coaster. It ends by the ride entrance and the Energy Bytes snack kiosk.

This is a great shortcut to take between Storybook Circus and Tomorrowland, and if you’re riding the Walt Disney World Railroad and getting off in Fantasyland, this is the fastest way to get over to Space Mountain and the other attractions in that area.

The Liberty Square Gazebo Path

Heading over to Liberty Square, another pathway that few people use is located near Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe. You enter the pathway next to the caricatures kiosk and it takes you behind the store, past the Liberty Square Gazebo, and ends near the entrance to Adventureland.

This is a great way to avoid the crowds if the parade is going on or the fireworks are about to start — no need to go back out to the main hub in Magic Kingdom. We’ve even used this pathway as a shortcut to watch the parade twice in one show. You watch it once in Liberty Square, then take this pathway out to Main Street, U.S.A., and watch again from down there!

Tomorrowland Terrace

Tomorrowland Terrace is a restaurant located in Magic Kingdom that hasn’t been operational during the daytime for a few years now. However, the pavilion is still a great shortcut from Main Street, U.S.A. to Tomorrowland.

Simply enter the walkway over by the Plaza Restaurant and follow through the restaurant until you come out by the famous Purple Wall. This path will drop you off next to Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor. Once again, this is a great shortcut for times when the main part of the park is crowded with parade or fireworks crowds.

The Odyssey Pavilion Shortcut

Moving over to EPCOT, we’ve got another way to cut down on some steps! If you’re traveling between the Mexico Pavilion and World Discovery, there’s no need to walk all the way around by the main World Showcase entrance — instead, you can cut through the Odyssey Pavilion.

The Odyssey Pavilion (the big white building pictured above) is typically open during festivals, but even if it’s not a festival season, it has outdoor walkways that run all the way from Test Track to Mexico. 

World Showcase Lagoon Boats

Another way to cut down on your World Showcase walking is to use the boat service! Many people don’t know that EPCOT runs a boat service daily across the lagoon from the Canada Pavilion to the Morrocco Pavilion.

This shortcut is weather permitting and has limited hours during the day, but if it’s offered and you don’t feel like walking ALL the way around to the other side of the park, it’s a great hack!

Hidden Walkway Between Africa and Asia

Moving over to Animal Kingdom, we’ve got to talk about one of our favorite walkways — the hidden path between Africa and Asia! You can enter either by Harambe Village in Africa or by Caravan Road in Asia, but this quiet little walking path is almost always empty.

There’s a serene stream and bridge setup partway through, and closer to Caravan Road there’s a hidden seating area. It gets you off the main path for a little bit, which is perfect if it’s a particularly crowded day!

Hidden Dinoland USA Pathway

Trying to cut through Dinoland, USA? A walkway we use pretty frequently in the park is the path between The Dino Institute (the shop at the exit of DINOSAUR) and Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures. It goes from one gift shop to the other!

The path is usually pretty quiet and it even has a fun dinosaur-themed photo op on the Chester & Hester end. You can avoid the hustle and bustle of the main part of Dinoland this way!

Discovery Island Trails

All around the Tree of Life in Animal Kingdom are the Discovery Island Trails, and if you’ve never explored them before, you haven’t truly experienced the park! You get excellent up-close views of the tree and its intricate animal carvings.

You can enter the trails in multiple places — near the Africa bridge, at the Tree of Life Garden, over by Adventurers Outpost, or near the It’s Tough to Be a Bug entrance. One of our favorite things to do in this park is to grab a coffee from Creature Comforts and just walk these trails!

The Hidden Rope Bridge

And last but not least, we’ve got one more path in Animal Kingdom — the hidden rope bridge in The Oasis. The Oasis is the land that you walk through at the front of the park to get to Discovery Island, and if you take the left side pathway when you enter, you might run into this bridge!

Once you walk over the bridge, you come out into a rock cave that’s directly facing the Tree of Life — what a view! This is definitely one of the more fun pathways on our list.

That’s a wrap on our list of shortcuts! Stay tuned to DFB for more tips from our daily visits to Disney World. We’ve got lots to share!

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Have you used any of these shortcuts? Tell us in the comments!