When you visit Walt Disney World, do you immediately head to the parks for big thrills, or do you prefer to take things a little slower? Are you a detailed planner, or do you like to wing it? Do you stay in the parks from rope-drop until fireworks, or does your family like to take mid-day breaks and park hop? There are a lot of ways to tackle the theme parks during your WDW vacation, and a lot of things to consider before you head out for the day. Here are some of my personal tips and tricks to help you plan your park days and get the most out of your time at Walt Disney World:
**Put your sunscreen on before you leave your hotel, and eat a hearty breakfast How you prepare for the day will have a stronger impact than you think. Be sure to put on a good amount of sunscreen no matter what time of year you're visiting, and fill your tummy before the fun starts. Even if you're not partaking in an advanced-reservation breakfast in a special dining location, there are many ways to fuel up at the start of the day. Every WDW resort hotel offers at least a couple of breakfast options, ranging from counter-service food courts to table service buffets. Make sure to scope out a breakfast location the night before. **If you're staying on Disney property, take advantage of Extra Magic Hours! This is an exclusive offering only available to Walt Disney World resort hotel guests, so take advantage of it if you're staying on property! Each day, some of the theme parks open up early or remain open later, allowing you to enjoy your favorite attractions at a more leisurely pace. Be sure to check out the park hours for your vacation days before you make a plan so you don't miss out on extra time to play! **Save your souvenir shopping until the afternoon, and take advantage of Disney's package pickup and delivery services There are tons of shops to explore at WDW, including inside the theme parks. Don't immediately start making purchases when you get inside the gates at the start of the day though, as you'll quickly blow your souvenir budget. Take a gander at everything before you make your decisions and head to the shops in the afternoon when the sun is at its hottest and your feet start to get tired. Plus, you can also utilize Disney's package pickup and delivery services so you don't have to cart your purchases around while you explore the parks. There are a couple of different options, so be sure to visit https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/package-pickup-and-delivery/ for more information and consult with your merchandise Cast Member during checkout. **Download the My Disney Experience app to take advantage of Disney's FastPass+ service Disney is constantly coming up with ways to make planning your vacation and park days easier, and My Disney Experience is a must-use resource! You can keep track of all your vacation reservation numbers, make dining reservations, and even select FastPass times for your favorite attractions and shows before you arrive to WDW with FastPass+. Plus, My Disney Experience allows you to log in more information about yourself and your travel party to then suggest entertainment and experiences for your family, as well as keep track of wait times LIVE! Check back later for a post entirely dedicated to more information and how to fully utilize My Disney Experience, FastPass+, and MyMagic+. **Have a flexible plan for each day I'm definitely a planner, but I also know it's important to have a malleable, flexible plan for your theme park days and have realistic expectations. You definitely want to decide which attractions you want to get FastPasses for, what parades and shows to see, and when to start your day, but know that you're not going to fit everything into your park days that you're expecting to. Sometimes, you just need to go with the flow and deviate from your initial plan. I usually suggest that each member of a family/travel party pick three things they consider a "must-do" for the day, so any other rides, shows, or experiences feel like bonuses! **Grab a times guide as you walk into the park, and research seasonal offerings before you arrive All of Disney's vacation-planning technology is great, but a foldable paper park map and times guide never fails. You can find these just inside the gates at each theme park after you enter, so be sure to grab one for your bag or pocket. The map and times guide will show you where to meet your favorite characters, when and where the parades will step off, etc. You may see something listed on the times guide you didn't see or hear about before! Plus, be sure to research all of the seasonal entertainment offerings before you hit the parks so you don't miss out on those limited time happenings! **Don't wait until the last minute to find a viewing spot for parades, shows, and fireworks I can't stress this one enough! I could write a novel of personal stories from meltdowns and fights my family has witnessed right before parades, shows, and fireworks have started. Save yourself the aggravation and find a spot to enjoy all entertainment within plenty of time. We like to stake our claim for the daily 3:00 parade in the Magic Kingdom between 2:00 and 2:15, and even earlier during the holidays. It may seem like you'll be sitting and waiting for more time than necessary, but it isn't. Disney also does a great job of entertaining guests before performances with games for children and refreshments readily accessible from your viewing spot, among others (R.I.P. PUSH). Then when showtime comes, you're settled in and ready to enjoy! **Drink plenty of water and know it's okay to take breaks You're going to be doing a lot of walking around the theme parks, and the Florida heat is not going to help with curbing your exhaustion. Be sure to take frequent water breaks and recognize when it's time to sit and rest for a minute. You can get free cups of ice water at any dining location inside the theme parks, including at most of your favorite snack stands, so no worries about not being able to carry tons of water bottles. Drinking fountains can also be readily found around all of the parks, and they're always clean! **Pack your park day bag/purse lightly! While it's important to plan ahead and bring the essentials in your park day bag/purse (see my previous post!), don't bog yourself down with tons of luggage either. Try to pack as lightly as possible to avoid the hassle of carrying big bags all day long, as well as the ever-popular bag security check before you enter any of the theme parks. You can always rent a locker for the day at the front of each park if you want to bring some extra stuff with you, but I like to think simpler and lighter is better for enjoying a full day at the parks. **Don't immediately head for the exit if it starts to rain No matter how hard you try to avoid it, you're more than likely going to experience some rain while on vacation at WDW. Plan ahead and pack ponchos from home so you're ready whenever mother nature strikes. If it ever starts to rain while you're enjoying at day at the parks, watch and see just how many people run for the exit right away. Don't be like those guests! Waiting it out and going into a shop or indoor attraction while the rain comes down allows you to enjoy other aspects of the park that might not be parts of your initial plan, and you might encounter some shorter wait times as well! **Remember where your hotel transportation spot is When you get off the bus to start your day at the parks, take a quick look back. Be sure to familiarize yourself where your bus, boat, or monorail stop is that takes you back to your resort hotel at the end of the day. This goes for guests staying off-property as well! You don't want to be panicking at the end of a long day trying to figure out where to go amongst a crowd and getting lost. I'd suggest even taking a picture of your stop number or general location so you have something literally in your back pocket if your memory fails you at the end of the day. **Take TONS of photos and utilize Disney's Photopass service when you can! Don't forget to document all of the magic and memories you make each day! After many vacations we get home only to realize we never got a photo of that chance encounter with a character or funny food moment. Be sure your camera/phone is fully charged before heading out for the day so you can capture every memory. Plus, Disney's Photopass photographers can be found literally around almost every corner in all of the theme parks, so don't be wary of asking them to take your photo for you. They're the pros! Check back later for a post dedicated to Disney's Photopass service, Memory Maker, and how to take advantage of these offerings. **Know that there are going to be lines, even if you have a FastPass Walt Disney World is known for a couple of things, and one of those things is definitely crowds. No matter what time of the year you decide to visit WDW, you're going to be visiting at the same time as countless other guests, and there are going to be lines. Certain times of the year do draw in more guests, like the Summer months and Holiday season, but you're always going to encounter wait times at the top attractions and at the park entry gates. Just be realistic in your thinking, prepare your younger guests, and go with the flow! **Smile, laugh, and HAVE FUN! Remember, you're at the most magical place on earth with the people you love! Know that things can go wrong, the weather is out of your control, and rides can break down. Don't sweat the small stuff, just have the time of your life! Every family and Disney vacation is different, so be sure to plan appropriately for your travel party, know your limits, and enjoy every second of your time in the parks! For more information on all of the Walt Disney World theme parks, be sure to visit https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/ and check out the My Disney Experience app to start planning your vacation! Until the next post, see ya real soon!
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About MeA twenty-something alumni of the Disney College Program looking to help others plan the Disney vacations of their dreams! Living that Disneyland AP dream in SoCal. Archives
February 2018
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