I have long sought out all the quiet spots to take a break - mostly because I'm a very frequent Disney visitor, DVC member, annual passholder, and Florida resident...that means I'm never in a rush, have no must-do rides, and often take a relaxed approach with as little planning as possible in the parks. Finding lovely spots to take a break, have a drink, and be out of the crowds, is one of my favorite things to do. Note: there are always spots like restaurant seating areas that can occasionally be quiet and wide-open, depending on time of day, so I'll instead focus on non-restaurant spots that are good places to take a break and not be around the crowds, even if you can still watch them buzzing around...most of these are spots with a bench or seating of some kind, and shelter from sun and rain.
MK - Definitely the most difficult due to the sheer number of people there, and not having as many carve-out sections with no ride or entertainment...but a few I like:
- Behind Liberty Tree Tavern and the Christmas Shoppe, there's a park-like section with a bridge going from Liberty Square to Adventureland - there are some tables back there, benches, and even just places to sit on the stone wall, and there isn't a ton of cross traffic going through there - even those that pass through won't be right on top of you.
- A pavilion that sits on the river by Big Thunder Mountain - it's covered and has rocking chairs...there's a smoking section NEARBY, but it does not include that pavilion, so a lot of people don't even realize it's there.
- In the seating section between Pecos Bill and Tortuga Cafe, there's usually tables along the back balcony, not in the main table area, where you can usually sit and relax without the crowding - the narrow covered porch area that extends across from the Pirates restrooms and the fry cabin.
- In the Fantasyland circus area, there are seats and chairs way back by the Fantasyland train station that even in the most crowded times you can find a spot to relax - if it's not raining and you don't need the cover, there are open tables with umbrellas, and even some nice low flat walls to sit on.
- In Tomorrowland, the far back corner between Carousel of Progress and Space Mountain has plenty of open space and very few people - it's not rain or sun-sheltered, but a nice place to get away from the crowds.
- In Tomorrowland, because Tomorrowland Terrace is closed 98% of the time, the vast covered seating area there is a nice place to settle down with plenty of space to distance from others.
Epcot - Usually plenty of space here, but some odd little spots include:
- In China, there are covered benches along the side of the Temple and museum, that sit in the shade most of the day, and few people walk by there - when they do, they're plenty far away.
- In Morocco, there are little cafe tables and chairs along the wall back by Restaurant Marrakesh, rarely occupied. Not rain sheltered, but rarely anyone there.
- In Japan, the Katsume cafe has a wood balcony extending around the entire outside - it serves as a great bench even though it technically isn't one, and few people pass by - it's also covered from sun, and can be a getaway in rainshowers too.
Animal Kingdom - Other than the restaurant seating areas like Flame Tree that can have some empty spots and tables, especially if you head down close to the water...that's time-of-day dependent, some non-restaurant spots:
- On the walkway between Harambe and Anandapur, just as you leave the Harambe drumming area, there's a path that breaks away to the left - it's a carve-out path that's just a few hundred feet long then rejoins the main walkway - but halfway up is a small, covered gazebo with lights, fans, and tables. Few people realize it's there - you can sometimes be there by yourself for an hour, or maybe one other family or group comes to sit for a bit - there are 4 tables, so there's usually enough room and few enough people to not feel crowded or too close to anyone.
- There's a long walkway path that connects Pandora to Harambe, running along the river and coming up along the back of Lion King theatre - it's not very crowded as not very many realize it's there - and along the way are a few spots to stop, and some benches and walls as you approach Harambe and the restrooms.
- The paths that wind under the Tree of Life, between the Africa and Asia sections, are very quiet - not very many people know they're there or bother to take them. Along with the bonus of seeing some animals that many don't even know are in AK, such as the Galapagos tortoises, porcupines, kangaroos, etc...they are also just great places to leave the crowds.
DHS - Another difficult park because it's often so crowded. With not everything fully reopened, there have been spots where you could find some quiet and get out of the crowds such as seating areas for closed restaurants...but as things reopen, those will go away:
- There are some quiet spots along the lagoon, behind Keystone Clothiers, down the stairs - some benches, and some low walls that you can easily sit on - there's no pass-through down there, so few people ever walk down there unless they're going to look at the lagoon.
- There are usually tables unoccupied along the outside of the Commissary, and that path is not as commonly taken, so it's generally a good spot to get out of the crowds.
- Across from the exit to Tower of Terror, behind the Joffrey's stand, there are little carve-out walkways winding behind - they have a trellis roof that's not rain protected, but provides some sun relief, and the walls there are low enough to sit on - as it's just an area popped out near a ride exit and doesn't go anywhere, you can usually be pretty well spaced from people back there.
- If you must find a restaurant spot to sit and hopefully be away from people, despite sometimes being crowded, many don't realize PizzaRizzo has a second floor, covered, outside balcony...so seating is usually plentiful and socially distanced.