Disney World: Tips That Will Make You Love Your Vacation
Be better prepared, so you can have more fun!
I went to Disney World last week. It was a blast. I’m going back (someday).
But enough about me.
This is about you. Your trip, your Disney, and most of all, your happy memories!
And because I want your experience to be top-notch, I rode the struggle-bus so you don’t have to!
I present to you:
Tips for Keeping the “Magic” in the Most Magical Place on Earth!
To Bundle Or Not To Bundle
If you can snag an all-inclusive Disney World Vacation Package, you’re a lucky duck! I haven’t figured out where or how to get the full bundle. The most that are offered on Disney’s website at the time of writing is a hotel + ticket bundle. Meal plans are currently unavailable.
So, here’s what we did.
- Book the flight first — You can easily make changes to most flights, and despite being more expensive, adding refund-ability to your tickets is never a bad investment.
- Compare resort prices — Disney has some gorgeous resorts but most of them are expensive! Disney runs discounts at certain times of the year. Right now, they’re offering discounts to Canadian residents, and $500 off 5–day stays at select resorts between March 6, 2022 and July 7, 2022. By the way, did you know Disney has campgrounds? It’s perfect for an RV! They also have cheaper, non-themed hotels if you just want to keep it simple, but be aware that if you stay in one of these, you’ll need a car to get to the parks.
- Check the Park Calendar Before Buying Tickets — There’s a calendar showing park availability and ticket prices on Disney’s website.
- Do we want Genie Plus? — It’s extra money but man, you can’t go wrong with the Genie+ service. We were able to breeze past the longest lines in each park because we reserved a time slot for the lightning (express) lane through Genie Plus. Of course, you can always buy a lightning lane pass for each individual ride, but it’s per ticket holder. The bigger the party, the bigger the price tag.
- Limit Big Meals to Only Twice A Day — Disney gives you a lot of food for the big price you pay at most venues. So the best way to allocate funds is to eat a big breakfast and a big dinner, one snack in-between. Always drink plenty of water to compensate for all the walking and potentially hot weather.
Don’t Plan Too Far Ahead
Disney World Tickets are non-refundable so you should buy those last, if you can help it. The more days you buy, the cheaper they become. But, to be honest, we only needed 4 days to get the full experience.
Get Ready to Spend Some Money
No price is too great for a wondrous experience! Here’s a bunch of things I wasn’t prepared for!
- If you’re driving and don’t have an Annual Pass, you’re gonna have to pay $25 a day for standard parking. You pay this when get to the gate of the first park you visit that day. Keep the receipt because it’s valid for all parks you visit that day.
- Tipping is optional but none of us want to be That Guy, so plan to tip your servers.
- Merchandise — Holy cow, there are so many options, but don’t buy everything you lay your eyes on! At the very most, get one thing from each park, y’know…for the memories!
- Food and Drinks — Because Disney owns everything… Especially our appetites!
My Disney Experience App and Genie+
We touched on Genie+ a bit earlier, but let’s expand on that a little more.
You’ll need to download the My Disney Experience app on your phone to plan your individual days.
There’s so much utility in the app like the map, dining reservations, in-store mobile checkout, and the ability to link your park access card to Apple Wallet.
Park Reservations
Before you’re clear to enter a park, you have to reserve it for each ticketholder on the Disney website. This way, you won’t hold up the lines at the park entrance.
If you forget to make a reservation, don’t worry! There’s always a staff member on the sidelines with an iPad, ready to help out.
The Almighty Map
You can use the map to monitor wait times, find restrooms, food, and gift shops. You can easily book lightning lane slots, order food in advance, and find your way around the park.
Lightning Fast!
When it comes to scoring the rides everyone wants to experience the most, timing is king. Genie+ lets you reserve a lightning lane time slot for eligible rides starting at 0700 A.M. And they sell out fast.
Keep in mind: Once you use Genie+ to book a lightning lane, you have to wait about 2 hours before you can book another one, so make it count!
Occasionally, I missed out on early bookings. But don’t give up hope! Sometimes, the more popular rides will make paid slots available after a couple of hours. These also sell out quickly, so check your phone periodically!
Here’s a list of rides that had the longest wait times:
- Magic Kingdom — Space Mountain, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Peter Pan’s Flight, Jungle Cruise, Splash Mountain
- Animal Kingdom — Avatar Flight of Passage, Kilimanjaro Safaris, Na’vi River Journey
- Hollywood Studios — Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run, Slinky Dog Dash, Toy Story Mania
- EPCOT — Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, Frozen Ever After, Test Track, Soarin’ Around the World
Early Entry
If you stay in a Disney Resort, you can enter all the parks a half hour before they open. Please take advantage of this! You would be surprised how many people show up in half an hour!
If you get in early, you could get on a ride without having to use up your Genie+ lightning lanes! Or you could get on one of those really popular rides with a way shorter wait time!
Get up early, eat breakfast, and get out there!
Watch the Fireworks!
Every night.
8 pm at Magic Kingdom’s Castle.
9 pm at EPCOT’s World Showcase.
The best viewing spots fill up an hour before!
Don’t miss it!
Don’t Try to Do Everything!
Disney World is a big place. It took us two days to do everything we wanted at Magic Kingdom — and they’re always adding more! There’s a Guardians of the Galaxy ride coming soon to EPCOT, as well as a whole separate, all-inclusive 2-day Star Wars Galactic Adventure coming this Spring!
Disney wants you to come back — and you should! Make the most of this trip, but don’t burn yourself out!
Keep a cool head. Be kind, and understanding.
Remember, it’s a vacation!
Always aim to have fun, and make happy memories!
Disney thanks you for your service! Veterans and active duty military get special discounts on tickets! There’s also a military resort near Magic Kingdom called Shades of Green. It’s got gorgeous scenery, a golf course (of course), and the food is fantastic! Plus, it’s cheap!
You can buy discounted Disney World tickets on military bases, and Shades of Green sells them as well!
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Looking for an interesting read? Daniella Cressman wrote about what it’s like living as a single woman in India. The cultural differences between India and America are quite interesting!
See ya next time!