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Don’t Miss These 10 Hidden Gems in Disney World in Orlando

Don’t Miss These 10 Hidden Gems in Disney World in Orlando

I’m sure it comes as no surprise that Disney World in Orlando, Florida, has a few hidden gems for mega-fans.

The massive resort spans a whopping 25,000 acres, which is just over 40 square miles. For context, that’s twice the size of Manhattan. That being said, around 60% of that total land mass is actually dedicated to greenery and even conservation efforts—meaning you’re only responsible for wandering a 20-square-mile area.

And it’s packed to the brim with experience.

Disney World is home to four different theme parks, two different water parks, Disney Springs shopping complex, four golf courses (including an 18-hole championship course), and 34 unique hotels and resorts. The majority of visitors stick to the theme parks and water parks, but you’ll find unique locations dotting the entire property.

While hardcore Disney fans probably have a long list of Easter Egg-style destinations to visit inside Disney World, the average family might not know just how many hidden gems await. If you don’t want to miss out on them, take a shortcut here.

I’m listing off some of the most unique hidden gems around Disney World, perfect for visitors of all stripes. Add one or two to your itinerary for a surprise bonus.

(If you’re looking for more tours and paid experiences, check out these other recommendations for Disney World. Just make sure to reserve your spot ahead of time!)

10 hidden gems in Disney World

For the best Magic Kingdom firework views, head to the Grand Concourse Balcony at the Contemporary Resort.

There are a few great spots to catch the fireworks at Magic Kingdom (now called Disney Enchantment). There’s the Hub area around the Partners statue, along with Main Street, USA, and Frontierland. But if you want a truly grand view that’s not packed, head to the Grand Concourse Balcony at the Contemporary Resort.

Quiet is usually a guarantee at Aunty Polly’s Gazebo on Tom Sawyer’s Island.

Tom Sawyer’s Island is one of the quieter zones in the park. You can almost always rely on the relaxing scenery to catch your breath from the hustle. If you’re looking to relax for a while, head to Aunty Polly’s Gazebo. You can sit down and take a longer break before heading back into the action.

The same for the sitting area near Pete’s Silly Sideshow in Storybook Circus.

If you’re closer to Storybook Circus than Tom Sawyer’s Island, look for the covered sitting area near Pete’s Silly Sideshow. It won’t look very promising thanks to those bright colors, but it’s a hidden gem that not many visitors know about, meaning you can almost always snag a seat—or even a rocking chair, if you’re lucky.

Inside Epcot, you can explore exhibits that touch on real-life culture, traditions, and history—just repackaged in an exciting Disney form. If you like Norse mythology and Norse-themed stories, you’ll enjoy the hidden museum inside Stave Church Gallery. It explores some of the region’s most famous gods and goddesses, from Thor to Odin to Loki.

You can also learn about Moroccan culture at the Fez House and the Moroccan Pavilion.

When you’re finished learning about Norse mythology, head to the Moroccan Pavilion. There, you can take a right and head into the Fez House, which isn’t normally busy. It has an exhibit that showcases what real homes in Fez look like, along with traditional Moroccan courtyards. They’re lovely, calming, and a treat for the mind.

Expect great music from the daily (5 pm) Flag Retreat Ceremony on Main Street USA.

Main Street USA is one of the most packed parts of the theme park. The hustle and bustle make it easy to miss out on amazing performances and exhibits, including the daily Flag Retreat Ceremony.

Every day at 5 pm, the Main Street Philharmonic Band and the Dapper Dans put on a performance that celebrates US military veterans with top-notch music. It’s great for all visitors, but it’s a can’t-miss for any veterans.

Find the hidden payphone at the Main Street Hat Shop to hear a super-secret conversation.

While you’re on Main Street, head into the hat shop. There, you’ll find what looks like a defunct pay phone. If you pick up the phone, you won’t hear a dial tone. Instead, you’ll be able to snoop on a cheeky (and pre-recorded) conversation between notable Disney characters. (No spoilers!)

You can take a behind-the-scenes tour if you want to see how Disney World runs.

Did you know that there are hidden tunnels connecting different theme parks in Disney World? And that the garbage is handled with a Swedish-built pneumatic trash system? Learn about these types of factoids and more on a behind-the-scenes tour, like the Keys to the Kingdom Tour in the Magical Kindom. Just make sure to book one ahead of time—they’re pretty long (5.5 hours) and time slots fill up fast.

There’s a lux Cinderella Castle Suite available in Cinderella’s Castle.

Let’s assume you want to spend tens of thousands of dollars at Disney World—where should you stay? As mentioned above, there are over 30 properties in Disney World for you to choose from, which include luxury offers. But the most elusive and exclusive is the Cinderella Castle Suite, located inside Cinderella’s Castle. Rumor has it the digs will cost upwards of $40,000 a night.

The best hidden gems in Disney World? Baby Care Centers!

Parents and kids get separated frequently at Disney World. Staff are specially trained to help both kids and adults reunite, and have the emotional tools to prevent little ones from panicking.

If you lose someone in your group—or if someone needs help finding someone in their group—don’t forget that Disney World has Baby Care Centers in all four theme parks.

You can find lost ones at Baby Care Centers… or just use them to care for little ones. Parents traveling with infants and toddlers have free access to the centers—and they’re pretty premium. There are nursing rooms, for example, with changing tables, bottle warmers, microwaves, and outlets for breast pumps.

Did I mention that they’re air-conditioned?

Arajet to Launch Direct Flights Between Chicago & Punta Cana

Affordable Caribbean destinations just became even more accessible for Midwesterners. Arajet, working in tandem with the Ministry of Tourism in the Dominican Republic, has direct flights scheduled between Punta Cana and Chicago starting on November 15th, 2025.

Arajet is the Dominican Republic’s flagship carrier, offering affordable flights as low as $250 between Chicago O’Hare and Punta Cana International Airport. Punta Cana is the country’s premier resort destination where tens of thousands of Americans flock each year for a tropical getaway. (Last year, Punta Cana welcomed almost 140,000 Illinois locals alone.)

Arajet to offer direct service starting on November 15, 2025

If you’re located in the Midwest and are able to easily drive or fly into Chicago O’Hare, Arajet’s new weekly flight schedule will get you to and from one of the most affordable and accessible Caribbean destinations easily.

Beginning on November 15, Arajet will offer direct flights to/from Chicago and Punta Cana with 2,200 seats offered weekly.

Flights from Chicago O’Hare will operate on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Mondays.

Flights from Punta Cana will operate on Tuesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

The World Tour of Oopsies—Chapter 15: The Cow

[The World Tour of Oopsies is an ongoing series of travel stories about my first decade of travel. During these adventures and misadventures, I had to unlearn many things I thought I knew about life. Welcome to my miseducation.]

Catch up on my world tour of Oopsies:

Part I / On the way to Puducherry

For most of my college career, my classmates and I were ferried along in either a bus or multiple smaller vans. During one trip from Bengaluru (our main hub) to Puducherry on the east coast, my class of around fifteen students was parsed off into two vans.

The vans were packed full, as a few teachers and staff were also in attendance. And, just like with the Tirupati pilgrimage (see: Ch. 14), we were driving through the night again.

(Why were we always traveling at night? India is scaled like the US, meaning many cities are hours away by drive, so getting the bulk of that done at night is usually best.)

Being one of the smaller people in the van, I was seated in the middle of the middle row. I had a direct view out of the front window as the van left the city behind for smaller country roads.

Part II / The cow

I was drifting in and out of sleep when, all of a sudden, I saw something flash in front of the van. It was pale and large, and the van clipped it as we cruised by. Everyone was immediately on high alert, and one of our professors started a very heated back-and-forth with the driver.

Meanwhile, in the back, we students started looking around. Our eyes were wide as we started a debate about whether or not we’d just hit a cow.

In India.

And then kept driving.

In the front seats, it looked like a similar debate was taking place.

Then a motorbike raced toward us from behind the van, then beelined for the driver’s window. Another shouting match ensued; it turns on the man on the moto had a friend, and they both started hitting the car.

The driver didn’t want to stop—likely for both spiritual and practical reasons. Killing a sacred cow generates bad karma. Killing a rural farmer’s cow is also a financial blow that many won’t recover from.

So, the Mad Max routine went on for a while before the driver could be convinced to pull the car over. We stayed in the car while he was loudly disciplined. Then another motorbike arrived on the scene; it was the woman whose cow had been killed, and it was her turn to lay out her grievances.

In the end, the second van turned back, and our group piled into it like a clown car. We were close to Puducherry, so our discomfort didn’t last long. The next day, we were told that the driver needed to pay for the cow, which had been killed during the accident.

Spiritually, our professors told us, he’d be responsible for making amends for harming the cow. They’re considered sacred for a variety of reasons (again, Hinduism is very complex, and I only scratched the surface), but the notion that stuck with me most is viewing the cow as a symbol of motherly love and non-violence. The cow provides without expectation, from milk for nourishment to dung that’s used for biofuel.

TL; DR my world tour of travel stories: Mind the cows when traveling at night in India.

The Car Rental Scam in Europe I’m Starting to Get Really Sick Of

Scams in Europe run a pretty big gamut, from fake Airbnbs to pickpocketing.

I like to think I’m pretty accommodating when it comes to scams because many scammers are operating out of necessity.

But there’s one scam that keeps coming back—and it keeps getting more and more expensive for travelers. It’s one that I’ve been subjected to every single time I rent a car. (That’s not an exaggeration.)

What scam am I talking about?

Car rental companies that overcharge for insurance.

Two months ago, my partner booked a car rental for our trip to Sicily in the capital of Palermo. As the trip neared, the company followed up to ask him to finish paying for the rental. In the updated bill, he saw an additional $300 charge for insurance—which wasn’t described as being optional, and was automatically added to the final total.

In reality, that additional insurance charge was absolutely optional.

However, in the car rental company’s online payment portal, there was no way to navigate around the charge… even though the additional insurance charge was optional.

And the only reason I know that is because I write about car rental policy for tourists in Europe.

Here’s what you need to know about being scammed by car rental companies in Europe that force you to pay for insurance.

Car rental scam in Europe: overcharging for insurance by the hundreds

Here’s the beautiful thing about what I’m about to tell you: the European Commission’s Car Rental Rights report has made it extremely easy to see what is and isn’t automatically covered when you rent a car in the EU.

To clarify: there isn’t any specific legislation on car rental rights in the EU, but renters are protected under the Commission’s extensive consumer rights laws.

According to EU legislation directed at consumers, all people who rent a car have the right to clear pre-hire information and a fair contract. That’s the first thing you need to know.

Second, every rental vehicle in the EU needs to be covered by a third-party insurance group. (Brace yourself, the italics are coming back.) And this insurance must be included in the rental’s final quote.

That insurance—which the car rental company must provide—is very basic. You should always check what it covers, but know that deductibles cap out at $2,500. Some are as low as $500.

So, that’s that: you never need to cover car insurance when you rent a car in the EU because it comes with a basic, automatic policy that, at the very most, would cost you $2,500.

But should you opt for better insurance from a car rental company in the EU?

Like I just mentioned, that automatic coverage is very basic. If you’re worried about other risks, dig into the fine print of the car rental’s insurance policy.

Remember: it’s your right to have access to clear pre-hire information.

In addition to the rental company’s automatic third-party insurance, you can also add on coverage for injuries to the driver, vehicle damage, theft, vandalism, and more. Again, make sure you have firm pricing for these policies before making your reservation.

How can you make sure you’re not being overcharged for insurance as part of a car rental scam?

To prevent being overcharged, I suggest putting down a basic deposit to reserve the car, then handling the actual contract later. That gives you the time to figure out if you want to pay for extra insurance or stick with the basic policy.

Signing the contract in person also lets you verify you’re signing the right document—with the right charges.

Can You Visit the Bermuda Triangle? You Can—And It’s a Tropical Paradise

The Bermuda Triangle is one of the most enduring travel legends in the world.

Sailing myths, old wives’ tales, and even published books have speculated that a certain geographic area on the north-easternmost edge of the Caribbean is a no-go zone where vessels and aircraft are prone to disappearing.

Even compasses are said to go haywire in the Bermuda Triangle, which stretches from Miami in the west to Puerto Rico in the south to Bermuda in the north.

I have good news and bad news.

The bad news is for anyone who loves a juicy conspiracy. Beginning in the 1960s and 70s, scientists and researchers began to pick apart publications and rumors about the Bermuda Triangle. By the 1990s, various organizations had taken a fine-tooth comb to historical data tied to major disappearances and proved that the area’s cyclones were likely responsible for the most well-known crashes and shipwrecks in the Bermuda Triangle.

In short, there’s no proof that anything paranormal or nefarious is going on. It’s been debunked—many times, at this point.

Now, onto the good news for anyone who loves tropical vacations: the Bermuda Triangle, which covers parts of South Florida, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, and Bermuda, is home to an island that rarely gets enough coverage.

Here’s a hint: it’s in the name.

So, can you visit the Bermuda Triangle?

Yes—and I suggest heading straight to Bermuda itself.

Welcome to Bermuda

Flatts Village is a beautiful seaside town on the crossroads between Hamilton and St. George’s, Bermuda (Getty)

The Caribbean is dotted with sovereign nations and overseas territories alike. The US has two in the region: Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, which you can visit without a passport. The UK has five, including the British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos, and three other lesser-known spots.

These consist of Anguilla, Montserrat, and Bermuda.

Despite the fact that Bermuda isn’t as well-known by tourists, it’s the second-most populous UK overseas territory in the Caribbean, behind only the Caymans. Similar to the Caymans, Bermuda is known as a tax haven because there’s no corporate income tax, capital gains tax, or withholding taxes on dividends and interests.

But forget the tax haven status for a second. This tiny 21-square-mile island is a tropical paradise. It’s got a fantastic blend of outdoor and water activities for visitors to enjoy, along with historic forts and dozens of ways to soak up that unique island culture.

And it’s less than a three-hour flight from Miami, Atlanta, and other locations on the East Coast.

Can you visit the Bermuda Triangle from the island? Plus, other things to do in Bermuda

Getty

You can absolutely visit the Bermuda Triangle from Bermuda. In fact, if you’re heading out on a popular cruise from a major provider like Carnival, Celebrity, Disney, or Norwegian, you’re probably going to pass through the Bermuda Triangle at some point.

Bermuda is a popular port of call for routes that pass through the northern Caribbean region. Some companies, like Norwegian, also offer Bermuda Triangle-themed tours.

But what about stand-alone trips to the island? What can’t you miss out on, especially if you want to learn more about the Bermuda Triangle?

The Bermuda Triangle Twilight Cruise is a popular option for those who want to get out on the water at night while hearing about the mysteries and legends attached to the region. The vessel also has a state-of-the-art glass bottom, adding to the cool factor. (GetYourGuide link here.)

However, the best way to experience Bermuda is to leave the mystery behind for a more traditional vacation experience. As mentioned above, the island is an overseas British territory, meaning it has a long colonial history that you can explore via forts, dockyards, and more. Plus, the lush beaches are another great option for relaxing in paradise.

I suggest checking out these tours:

When you’re done, find a place to stay in Bermuda at one of the island’s five resorts.

US to Double Its Travel Authorization Fee on September 30

The United States announced that, starting on September 30, 2025, it will be raising the cost of its travel authorization fees for citizens of visa-exempt countries.

Prior to September 29, 2025, the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) charges $21 per application. After that date, it will double to $40 per visitor. To clarify, this is separate from the ‘visa integrity fee’, which is a $250 charge for visitors from non-visa-exempt countries.

For example, someone visiting from the UK will pay $40 to have their travel application approved. But a visitor from a non-exempt country, such as China, must pay for their tourist visa application (around $25) and a separate $250 integrity fee. (Allegedly, the integrity fee will be returned to visitors who break no rules during their stay.)

Recently, the EU also raised its ETIAS fee from around $8 to $23, tripling in price, which drew criticism for being so high. The price hike was thanks to the added expenses of rolling out the EU’s latest fully digitized and biometric border systems.

So, what’s behind the spike in the US’s travel authorization cost—especially when domestic tourism is already facing ups and downs?

Why did the US double its travel authorization fee for visitors?

The doubling of the US’s ESTA fee is due to new provisions from the recently passed ‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act’, which has dictated that certain fees be tacked on to ESTA. The new $40 fee will be allocated toward travel promotion ($17), operational ESTA fees (now $10, formerly $4), and a Treasury General Fund fee ($13).

The slight rise in cost for operational ESTA fees mirrors price hikes in both the EU and UK. Over time, systems expand and become pricier to operate. The Treasury General Fund fee is a new addition, and is responsible for most of the rise in price