I am *so* excited to share today’s post! If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I visited both Universal Studios and Disney World in February (don’t miss my blog post on 21 Things You Need to Do at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter!). I absolutely adore both of these parks, and looking back on these photos makes me want to hop on a flight and head back there right now. I didn’t visit Disney much as a child, but I’ve had so much fun in recent years experiencing the magic of all the parks + picking up a few Disney tips along the way.
Since I didn’t grow up going to Disney World (we only went when I was two, and apparently that did not end well haha!), there’s been a bit of a learning curve when it comes to visiting the theme parks. There’s so much to see and our time is always limited, but we’ve learned to make the most out of it over the course of our past few trips.
Here are a few of my best Disney tips for planning an amazing vacation, plus several things I wish I would have known sooner ☺…
P.S. I did not learn all of this info on my first trip to Disney. This is an accumulation of tips I’ve picked up on over several visits. So, even if you’ve been to Walt Disney World before, I hope you’ll find some useful information that you may not have thought of before reading this post!
Disney Tips: How to Plan the Best Trip to Walt Disney World
1. Stay at a Walt Disney World Resort
My first Disney tip for anyone who wants to visit Disney World is to stay at a Walt Disney World resort. Though this may not be the most economic option, I wouldn’t do it any other way. There are tons of perks to staying at a Walt Disney World resort, including getting “extra magic hours” (extra time in certain parks before opening or after closing). Getting to spend extra time in the parks is great, and it may allow you to catch that one ride you just wouldn’t have had time for otherwise. You also get complimentary Magic Bands (wristbands that allow you to enter the park, use fastpasses, charge food/drinks to your credit card, save photos, and more, just by holding your band up to a sensor) and transportation both to the parks and back to your hotel.
2. Research Your Hotel Before Booking
Just because you’ve decided to stay at a Walt Disney World resort doesn’t mean the work is done. Each Walt Disney World hotel has a different theme and price point. They have different restaurants, too. I’ve stayed at both the Swan and Dolphin hotels with my parents, and I most recently stayed at the Walt Disney Port New Orleans French Quarter resort. I’ve enjoyed all of the Disney hotels we’ve stayed at over the past few years, but I can attest to the fact that they are each uniquely different. For example, the Swan and Dolphin are both a bit more luxurious than some other options, with formal restaurants inside. That is of course reflected in the nightly rate. The Port New Orleans was great for what we were looking for on this most recent trip, but the room was significantly smaller and there weren’t any formal restaurants on property…just a cafeteria. So important to always do your research and read reviews before booking…otherwise you might end up disappointed!
3. Make Lunch/Dinner Reservations (ASAP)
One of the Disney tips you might not think of…making dining reservations. You can make Disney dining reservations up to 180 days in advance. Believe me when I tell you that some of the most in-demand restaurants will sell out within these first few days! However, we booked all of our reservations for this recent trip just a few months out. We had to work around some specific availabilities, but overall it turned out pretty well. That being said, I’d book even earlier next time to ensure we get our first choices for both restaurant and meal time. Also, don’t even think about going to Disney without dining reservations. Unless you want to eat at one of the fast food stands (I wouldn’t recommend this — it’s overpriced and the food isn’t that great), you could end up waiting hours to sit down for a meal!
4. Choose Your Fastpasses (Also ASAP)
Another thing you’ll want to do ahead of time is choose your Fastpass+ selections. You can start making selections 60 days in advance if you’re staying at a Walt Disney World resort (30 days, if not), so take advantage of this opportunity while the pickings are still good! Fastpass+ is included for all Disney guests, and it allows you to make reservations for three different rides throughout each day. Basically, you will choose times that you’d like to go to three different rides (based on availability), and because you have a reservation you won’t have to wait nearly as long. I would recommend doing research online prior to making your selections to find out which rides tend to have the longest wait time. Ex. We didn’t know about the Avatar Flight of Passage ride at Animal Kingdom, and the standby (non Fastpass+) wait time got up to THREE HOURS. Safe to say we didn’t make it on that one this time around 😬You’ll also want to make these selections as soon as possible, because they they fill up super quick for the most popular rides!
5. Download the Walt Disney World App
This may be one of the most important Disney tips I’ve learned, as you can think of the Walt Disney World app as your personal, pocket-sized travel agent for the duration of your trip. From the app, you can make reservations, book or reschedule Fastpass+ selections, view wait times for rides, and more. Downloading it is an absolute MUST!
6. Make a List of/Prioritize the Things You *Must* Do While You’re There
I will just come out and say that it is really, really challenging to try and do all of Walt Disney World in one trip, even if you follow all of these Disney tips to a tee. Believe it or not, it’s exhausting! I usually stay for three days and am able to visit all of the parks, but there’s almost always things I miss. Whether it’s shopping at Disney Springs, a ride with too long of a wait time, or whatever else it may be, there’s usually something I end up putting on my wishlist for “next time” at the end of each trip. That’s why I recommend making a list of the things you absolutely *must* eat, see, and do while you’re there. Figure out where your priorities lie, and you’ll have a great place to start planning your trip!
7. Pack/Dress Appropriately
I’m going to do a whole post on what to wear to Disney, but it goes without saying…make sure you wear something you’re going to be comfortable walking around in all day. Also don’t forget to pack a bag if you’d like, with a camera and refillable water bottle.
8. Figure Out Your Transportation Ahead of Time
Like I mentioned, transportation is great if you’re staying at a Walt Disney World resort. They have buses and/or ferries (depending on resort) running all day long to take you to the different parks. There’s also a monorail that can take you from park to park. That being said, you’ll still want to figure out a game plan ahead of time so you don’t end up just missing your ride. Through transportation runs frequently, it’s still a bummer when you have to wait.
9. Be Aware of Extra Magic Hours & Plan Accordingly
If you’re staying at a Walt Disney World resort, don’t forget to take advantage of those extra magic hours! You can find out which parks have extra magic hours on which mornings/nights by looking online or on the Walt Disney World app. This extra time in the park is included in your stay, so make sure you use it!
10. Don’t Stress, and Have Fun!
There are hundreds, maybe thousands of Disney tips on the internet. Above all though, the most important thing is of course to have fun! It can be stressful trying to see so much in just a few days, but always remember the reason you are at Disney in the first place…to have an amazing time. No matter how meticulously you plan your trip, things won’t always go the way you thought they would. Learn to roll with it and enjoy the spontaneity!
What are some of your best Disney tips? Spill ’em in the comments below!
