Disney World is such an awesome place that you
may get there and decide you never want to leave. Unfortunately, we all have to
leave at some point. Therefore, you may as well make the most of the time you
have there.
every tiny drop of fun out of your time in Disney World, boy do I have some
tips for you! The simple yet effective tips and tricks below are sure to up
your touring game and have you seeing and doing as much as possible, no matter
how much (or little) time you plan to spend in the most magical place on earth.
Disney World Tips & Tricks
Have a
Plan
First and foremost, you simply must have a plan
when going into a Disney park. Without a plan, you’ll likely end up wandering
around trying to decide what to do, and that’s a waste of time. Get your hands
on a map beforehand, figure out which rides and attractions are most important
to your family, and draw out a logical path.
This isn't to say you should never stray from the
plan. There is plenty at Disney that is absolutely worth straying for. However,
having a basic plan in mind will help you avoid meandering or getting lost, and
helps ensure you see everything that’s important to you and your travel
buddies.
Schedule
FastPasses
FastPass+ is a super awesome Disney World perk,
and one you absolutely must take advantage of. This sweet system costs you
nothing, and allows you to go straight to the front of the line of your
favorite attractions.
That said, you can only schedule three FastPasses
in advance, and the passes for each ride are limited. Therefore, it’s crucial
that you schedule your rides as soon as your booking window opens—30 days if
you’re staying offsite, and 60 days if you’ll be in a Disney resort hotel.
To maximize your FastPass usage, be sure to
schedule passes for the most popular rides, as these tend to have the longest
lines. Additionally, you’ll want to schedule these fairly early in the day.
This is because you can actually schedule additional FastPasses throughout the
day, but only after the initial three have been used, and only one at a time.
I highly recommend staying on top of the FastPass
system and snagging as many as possible as you go.
Stay
Onsite
It may be tempting to stay somewhere outside of
Disney property to save money, but if you’re wanting to maximize your time,
staying onsite is the way to go. Staying in an onsite hotel ensures that you’re
as close as possible to the magic, both reducing drive times and getting you
into the parks as quickly as possible.
If your budget can handle it, I recommend staying
in your choice of the Boardwalk Resort, Beach Club Resort, Yacht Club Resort,
or at the Contemporary Resort. These hotels put you within walking distance of
the most popular parks.
Can’t stay in one of those super-close hotels? I
highly recommend driving to and from the parks rather than taking the buses, if
time is of the essence. However, if relaxation is more important to you, then
the provided transportation is definitely preferable.
Arrive Before
Opening
If your kids are early risers this one should be
easy, but even if they’re not, you’ll want to make an effort to arrive at the
parks 30 to 60 minutes before they open. Being present at opening time puts you
first in line for the most popular attractions, meaning you can ride those
early and tour the rest of the park at a leisurely pace.
This is a fantastic tip for all of the parks, but
I feel it’s most important at Magic Kingdom and Epcot, where getting FastPasses
for all of the popular rides likely won’t happen.
Go Left
This may sound super silly, but when you start
your day in a park, head left from the hub. People tend to head right first,
meaning by going right, you’ll be staying alongside the biggest crowds. Heading
left first means you’ll avoid the worst crowds at least for a while.
Make Use
of Downtime
Waiting for rides and shows happens often while
you’re at Disney. Instead of moaning and groaning about it, go in expecting it,
accept it for what it is, and use the downtime well. You might pull out your
phone to find out what time a show you want to see is playing, or you might use
your phone to schedule a FastPass.
On the other hand, many families will use those
times in line to drink plenty of water or eat a snack (or even a meal).
Schedule
Character Meals
If your kids—or let’s face it, you—are into meeting characters, you
might want to save some time waiting in lines by scheduling character meals.
You have to eat anyway, and a character meal will allow you to eat some
delicious food and meet favorite Disney friends at the same time.
You can get autographs, take pictures, and have
all the usual interactions without ever queueing up. How great is that?
Stay Late
Finally, you will want to stay late. For many
families this will mean going back to the hotel during the afternoon hours for
a quick rest, and that’s fine. The afternoon is hot and crowded anyway, and the
last two or three hours before park closing are some of the nicest weather-wise
and some of the least crowded.
Often, I use late nights as a time to go on rides
I would never wait in line for otherwise, so keep that in mind if you can’t
snag a particular FastPass, or if you miss one early morning and need to make
up for missed rides.
Those are my best time-saving tips folks! Use them
well and have a blast making memories that’ll last a lifetime!
Disney World Tips and Tricks
- Everything you Need to Know about Disney Magic Bands
- How to Get MORE Fastpass+ (like 15+)
- Best Rides to Pick for Disney Fastpass+
- Disney Vacation Packing List
- 5 Things You'll Want to Bring on a Disney Vacation
- 15 Ways to RUIN a trip to Disney World
- 7 BEST Shows at Disney World
- 28 Great Places to Eat on the Disney Dining Plan
Chelsea enjoys full-time RV living and traveling with her tiny tribe.She homeschools her son as they travel, and takes full advantage of their unique situation by using the entire world as her son’s classroom. Besides traveling and learning with her little one, Chelsea enjoys Irish dance, singing, riding bikes, finding new coffee shops, and sitting around the campfire. You can follow her adventures at Wonder Wherever We Wander.
