Sometimes when you’re at Walt Disney World, you just need to sit a spell.  You know, take a load off, rest your feet, relax for a minute.  It’s a good time to enjoy a snack, maybe engage in a little of the primo people watching Walt Disney World affords.  I mean, c’mon, in my daily life I never get the chance to watch folks go by from all over the world – it’s fun!

Here are my most favorite places in the whole Walt Disney World to enjoy a few quiet moments:

Magic Kingdom – Over in Fantasyland, by the Tangled bathrooms – shoot, that doesn’t sound very appealing, does it?  But you know where I’m talking about, don’t you?  Right past It’s a Small World, in the Tangled rest area, you’ll find seating with charging stations (cleverly hidden in faux tree stumps) and a great view of Rapunzel’s tower, the floating lanterns, and, yes, there’s excellent people watching as folks pass along the path between Fantasyland and Liberty Square.  The handy restroom is just a bonus.

Animal Kingdom – Back behind the Flame Tree Barbeque, above the Discovery River, there’s an excellent seating area with a terrific view of Expedition Everest!  Enjoy lunch or simply sit and rest for a while – it’s usually quiet in the morning or between lunch time and park closing.  Like most of the best places to take five, there are great Disney details to soak up!

Epcot – There are many excellent places to take a break in Epcot!  For some reason, one of my absolute favorite spots is in Italy.  I love the buildings, the view of the Venetian gondolas on the water, the perfectly aged look of each detail, the very excellent statues – sit along the sides of the Doge’s Palace where the benches are shaded under the palace’s arches.  If you want to snag a glass of wine from the pavilion’s nearby wine shop – it makes the relaxing even more…well, relaxing!

Disney’s Hollywood Studios – This is my favorite place to sit on a cloudy or even a rainy day – down by Echo Lake, the tables by Min and Bill’s Dockside Diner are the place to rest.  Why I like them so much is purely due to my own happy memories of having a snack or a cold beer and being so happy about being on vacation at Walt Disney World – are there more scenic places to sit at the Studios, sure, but that’s my favorite.  Another good option is anywhere along Sunset Blvd. – especially along the end closest to Hollywood Blvd.  Resting there ups your changes of running into a spontaneous performance by the incredible Streetmosphere actors.

Outside the Parks – When I really want to rest and have a few quiet moments of tranquility, I catch a boat and it’s not just any boat.  I want to boat that leaves from the Contemporary’s boat dock (or you can catch one at the Magic Kingdom) and travels over Bay Lake to Fort Wilderness.  I just get on the boat and ride.  Maybe catch a power nap if I’m really beat.  The view is incredible and the experience is a nice change from the busy atmosphere of the parks.

Where are your favorite places to take a break?  What makes them special to you?