A Walt Disney World vacation isn’t just a trip, it’s an adventure. There are many wonderful things to experience for people of all ages. There are many things that can trigger stress and emotional meltdowns in people of all ages as well. But, we have put together a list of Disney World planning tips you can use to both plan and execute your best trip ever!
My Personal Experience
I will never forget my first time as an adult in Magic Kingdom. The castle, the friendly cast members and the general atmosphere of the park brought immediate joy to my heart. But, I was also totally freaked out by the insane number of people crowding Main Street before rope drop, the oppressive heat and crazy amount of walking required.
The next time we went, we made a plan, remained flexible and had the best trip ever! Now, we always have a solid plan, a positive attitude and realistic expectations about what we will experience.
Set Your Family Up For Success
The first questions I ask every Disney bound client is when do you want to go and how long do you want to stay? Time constraints often dictate how you travel to and from any destination and the desperation to use every moment wisely often triggers adult meltdowns before the trip even begins.
My first Disney World planning tip for anyone is to use a travel advisor! We will help you get a solid idea of what your trip can and should look like. We’re good at helping you plan and book all the parts of your trip! Knowing how long you have to enjoy your time at Disney World, where you are going to stay and how you will get there and home again will help you successfully start planning a pleasant trip.
Disney World Planning Tip: Choose Lodging That Works For You
Once you know how you are going to get there, it’s time to set yourself up for a great trip by figuring out what your family’s best option is for lodging. Choose your lodging based on what will allow your family to enjoy your time together most. For some, that means staying onsite so no one has to drive or deal with traffic getting into and leaving the parks. For others, it means staying in a house nearby with plenty of room to spread out and quiet spaces for kids and even adults to rest.
Resort Perks
There are two distinct advantages of staying at a WDW Resort Hotel. The first is what we call ”The Disney Difference”. This is just exceptional customer service and friendliness from cast members. The second advantage is convenience, which starts with every WDW resort guests receiving early admission into the parks. Deluxe resort guests also receive extra magic hours in the Magic Kingdom some evenings.
Free shuttles are available to guests at all WDW resorts and run frequently. The Skyliner is a sky gondola option going to both Hollywood Studios and Epcot for guests staying at Pop Century, Art of Animation, Caribbean Beach and Riviera Resorts. The monorail serves guests at The Contemporary, Grand Floridian and Polynesian Village resorts and runs between Magic Kingdom and Epcot. There are also water taxis that run between several resort hotels and Disney Springs, Magic Kingdom or Epcot. For more information checkout Walt Disney World Water Transportation.
Offsite Perks
The advantages of staying offsite vary. The types of perks you receive differ based on your choice of accommodation type in most instances. If you are planning to spend a good bit of your vacation at other Orlando attractions, staying offsite might be the best choice for convenience and budget. If you’re worried about losing that ”Disney magic”, take a look at our post on making your own Disney magic when staying offsite.
Partner and Nearby Hotels
If you are staying at some partner hotels, you too receive early admission to the park, but the shuttles are usually run by the hotel and don’t run as frequently as the Disney shuttles. The price of partner hotels and other area hotels are sometimes less expensive than onsite rooms which is an attractive advantage. Being able to spend your funds on something other than the room is always nice.
Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista
Houses and Condos
Houses and condos typically offer significantly more space and privacy. Some communities in the area offer shuttle services to Disney World Parks and other area theme parks. Travel Triptastic will even help you find a house or condo with character themed rooms and amazing community amenities to keep your family feeling the Disney magic.
Transportation Decisions
For folks in the south, this is an undying debate. Is it better to drive or fly? There are so many factors to consider depending on where you are and what your financial and time budget are. For some people, it’s a no brainer one way or the other and if that’s your situation, skip on down to the next section.
Flying
What would be the total cost of airline tickets including baggage fees and upgrades?
How long would it take to fly? Include security, checking bags & baggage claim
Do you plan to stay in a Disney World Resort hotel or in an offsite hotel or house nearby?
How would you get to your lodging from the airport?
Do you plan to sightsee in Orlando outside Disney World?
What ground transportation costs will you incur if you fly? (Uber/Lyft, MEARS, rental car)
Are you planning to get full coverage trip insurance and what is the cost for flight protection?
If you are driving to Orlando, Buckee’s is a great stop on the way!
Driving
Would you rent a car to drive to Disney World & what would that cost?
What would be the total cost of fuel if you drove to and from Orlando?
How long would it take to drive?
Who is able to drive to and from Orlando and who is able to help drive around town if you stay offsite or go sight seeing?
What time of day or night would you need to leave to get there and to return home?
When would you arrive at your hotel/house?
Are you planning to get full coverage trip insurance and what is the cost?
Now that you know where you’re staying and how you’re getting there, it’s time to figure out what to do once you arrive!
Planning Tips for Arrival Day At Disney World
This should be an awesome day of rest and relaxation once you arrive at your destination. There are a lot of things you can do on the day you arrive, but just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. Before we talk about what you should do, let’s take a look at what you should avoid.
Avoid Planning Park Days On Arrival Day
There are arguments about this in every Disney planning group. It’s so tempting to try to pack in park days to do everything on your wish lists. However, there are too many things that can go wrong prior to your arrival to chance it. Flight delays, traffic, lost luggage, ground transportation delays, car rental issues, lodging issues, jet lag, and tiredness are just some of the reasons to hold off a day on park reservations.
Avoid Dining Reservations
It’s tempting to plan a big family meal but I strongly recommend not doing this for the same reasons you shouldn’t plan a park day for arrival day. Being in a rush to get to your reservation on time creates unnecessary stress on everyone. If you do choose to make reservations, make sure there is no charge for canceling just in case.
What To Do On Arrival Day
First things first, locate your accommodations. If you can check in online, do that before you arrive and be sure to provide an anticipated arrival time. If you are staying at a Disney Resort, you can drop luggage off at the bellhop station and they will take care of it.
Chill At The Resort
Even if you can’t check into your room right away, you’ll most likely be able to enjoy the resort or community amenities while you wait. You’re on vacation, so plan to take advantage of the most relaxing features offered wherever you’re staying.
Head Out To Disney Springs
If you arrive early in the day and have a few hours to wait before checkin, head to Disney Springs. Once you’re safely in Orlando, check for reservation openings and walk up wait times at restaurants in Disney Springs. This is a great time to hype up your family by trying famous Disney treats, having magic portraits made, purchasing cool magic bands or getting matching t-shirts or mouse ears for your upcoming park day.
Get Ready For Your First Park Day
Once you check into your room, it’s time to unpack, organize and tour the resort to find transportation stops and schedules. Lastly, get a beat on how everyone is feeling and get some sleep.
Disney World Planning Tips: Plan But Expect Your Plans To Change
Before you head out to any Walt Disney World park, have a general plan in place but remember that your plans will most likely change. Every time we go to Disney World we have an awesome plan. Every time things change because of weather, ride maintenance, crowds, or how someone in the group feels. Remember this is a plan to have fun and not a contract to get things done.
The ”Must Do” List
The ”must do” list has everyone’s top attraction choice. If character dining, droid building, lightsaber building or Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique are on your ”must do” list, make reservations as early as possible. Slots for these activities fill up incredibly quickly.
We take it seriously as you can see
Occasionally, you will find an opening for a Star Wars themed workshops or character dining reservations available on the day of your visit, but that is super rare. After you purchase your park tickets and make your park reservations check for open time slots for these attractions.
Download the My Disney Experience App to your phone or tablet and you can also check wait times on similar days to when you will be there. You’ll get an idea of the best times to use the standby line for your attractions. If your choices are all extremely popular rides, plan on getting the Genie+ pass or Individual Lightening Lane passes for those rides.
The ”Want To Do” List
This list includes 2-3 additional choices from everyone. Shows, nostalgic experiences you want to share with your loved ones and additional rides you love should be on this list. You’ll usually find a lot of overlap among family members’ lists which makes planning these activities a little easier.
The ”Take It Or Leave It” List
These are items that you wouldn’t mind doing, but would be upset to miss. When you have a large group traveling together, this is where you usually divide and conquer. People who aren’t interested in an attraction to break away from the main group to do some of the things they really want to do that others in the group aren’t interested in doing.
My example for this is It’s A Small World and the Tiki Room. My mother and niece love the Tiki Room and it’s a nice break for them in an air conditioned space. Mom’s not a fan of It’s A Small World and my niece doesn’t care for the Mad Tea Party.
Tiki Room
I’m not a huge fan of the Tiki Room, but love It’s A Small World and the teacups. So, I drag Dhubs (who doesn’t care either way) to Small World & Mad Tea Party, while mom takes my niece to the Tiki Room and the Swiss Family Robinson Tree House because it’s close by. We meet up afterwards for another ride together with everyone.
Use Disney’s Technology To Plan
One huge tip for planning a disney trip is to use the free tools Disney provides! You can save time and stress by using the Genie planning tool in the My Disney App without purchasing the Genie+ or Individual Lightening Lane passes. But if you want to avoid some long standby lines for your favorite attractions, buy the passes.
Genie+ Pass
Genie+ pass can be purchased starting at midnight to use in the park you have reserved for that day. Plan to make your first attraction selection at 7am if you are staying onsite, or when the park opens if you are staying offsite. You receive a 1 hr time frame for ride entry that may be close to opening or later in the day depending on how quickly you snag a ride time. You can then book another attraction every two hours afterwards for upcoming available time slots.
ILL Pass
Individual Lightening Lane (ILL) passes can be purchased at 7am for some of Disney Worlds most popular rides. At the moment, this includes Seven Dwarves, Guardians of the Galaxy, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Avatar Flight of Passage. There are several other rides that will rejoin the ILL group very soon. You can check out details in the My Disney Experience App.
Disney World is extremely popular which means the rides people love tend to have very long wait times. Standing in the heat for 1-2 hours waiting for a ride can cause frustration. Purchasing a tool that can help prevent that frustration is well worth the price to us.
Disney World Planning Tip: Expect The Unexpected
Most of us always want to do all the things when we go to Disney World or any other theme park. We want to ride every ride, see all the shows, try all the treats and enjoy the unique dining experiences. We want to meet all the characters and get all the photos and autographs.
Unless you are spending multiple days in each park, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to do every single thing you want to do. There are always complications that prevent people from doing everything they want. Setting reasonable expectations for everyone in your travel party, including yourself, is super important.
What’s the reality?
If it’s your first time or the first trip in a while, you need to prepare yourself for what’s there. We see a ton of awesome ad photos of families posing in front of the castle and it looks like there aren’t throngs of other humans bumping and pushing and crowding around all around. We see ads with cute little kids with their mouse ears on looking at the castle with nary another person in site.
The picture in my head
But unless you get to the park well before early admissions opens, that is not something you can realistically expect. Not all the people are happy all the time, not everyone shares your vision of how to behave and rarely do things go entirely according to plan. Setting up overly ”happy” expectations about your experience can lead to disappointment which isn’t what vacation is about!
Disney World Planning Tip: Set Expectations For Yourself
Even before the parks open they are crowded (check out the background)
Things You Can’t Control
Expect crowds. It’s not a bad thing. Happy people enjoying vacation help create the vibe, but prepare to be around thousands of people.
Expect heat. Be prepared for 90+ degrees and 80% humidity…no joke. Pack for comfort and staying cool.
Expect to wait. Lines are almost always long and even with Genie+ or ILL, you may have to wait around 30 minutes to get on a ride. Without those, you may wait up to 2 hours for the most popular rides.
Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse in the rain
Expect rain. We still haven’t been to Disney World when it didn’t rain for at least an hour during 2-3 days of our trip. Be prepared for it with ponchos and a change of shoes/socks and you’ll be just fine. Don’t leave the park when it rains because the crowds clear and ride wait times drop drastically after a heavy rain.
Expect rides to go down for maintenance. You will find that some rides go ”offline” for an hour or more during the day. Safety is a huge deal at Disney so they are constantly working on rides to make sure there are no glitches or potential issues.
Things You Have Some Control Over
Expect to walk a lot. Our lightest park day was 17k steps and most days were well over 25k steps.
Expect to want ALL the things. If you like Disney gear or souvenirs get ready to be overwhelmed with options. After my first trip, I changed the way I budget for Disney trips so I can buy the things I really like.
Expect your kiddos to want all the things. Balloons, ears, bubble blowers, glow wands, plushies, toys, lightsabers, pins…you name it, Disney has it and it is at eye level with kids and in full demo mode.
Expect all the emotions. If you are anything like most of us, you will have moments of nostalgia, joy, gratefulness, goofiness, frustration, tiredness, and contentment. Be prepared to regulate your own emotions.
Expect others to experience all the same emotions and be prepared for other people to have full blown meltdowns.
Disney World Planning Tip: Set Expectations For Children
This is the key for families. Preparing your kiddos for what’s ahead helps them feel safe. Explain all the things you’ve prepared yourself for so they know you aren’t just winging it amidst the chaos.
Set Safety & Health Expectations
Prepare children to expect crowds and for random people to talk to them. There are a lot of people who are super friendly including cast members. This can freak out a lot of younger kids. Our rules are simple: It’s okay to say hello to someone who speaks to you if you are holding one of our hands or in your stroller with one of us beside you. It is also okay for them to not speak to random people.
Teach kids to let you know if someone is trying to talk to them: a hand squeeze or calling your name works well. People should ask permission before they try to engage with your kids, but often don’t.
Set rules about how to move through the park together including what they should do if they get separated from you.
Set Expectations About Attractions
Set expectations about long wait times and how to act and what to do while waiting in line.
Talk to kids about rides they can ride and maybe even show them youtube videos of the rides.
Let kiddos know it’s okay to feel all the big feelings in advance and give them tools to communicate without whining, screaming or dropping to the ground in a fit of tears
I laugh because her expression is how I felt
Show kids how to do what you expect them to do. Teach them your waiting games, show them how to use a fidget, find words for them to use to quickly express needs and wants (we use “wiggles” for the three year old to say when he wants to get out of the stroller and wiggle around for a few minutes).
Give children tools to stay comfortable in the heat that do not require you to hold or manage them all day. Clip on stroller fan, sun hat, sunglasses, ice cubes in a cup, ice water in a sippy cup that’s clipped to their waistband, a fidget bracelet and a kiddy fanny pack filled with snacks don’t require you to tote them around or hunt them down all day.
Ball caps help to keep kiddos cool
Make a plan with your kids about when, where, cost limits and how many items they can purchase in each park. For younger children, wait until the end of the day so they can play with their purchase sooner than later. If you shop early, they are going to ask about it constantly throughout the day and most likely freak out at some point over it.
Rest Expectations
Set a rest/nap time and stick to it. Even if that means resting in a stroller or on a park bench for 30 minutes. Kids need a real break from all the excitement.
Set short times between bathroom breaks, rest/water breaks, snacks and meals. Stop frequently to check on your kids to make sure they are cool, hydrated and comfortable.
Disney Planning Tip: Set Low Expectations Of Other Guests & Be Nice To Cast Members
Not everyone is respectful at Disney World and this tends to rub many southerners the wrong way because we expect others to courteous, polite and respectful because we expect that of ourselves. Not everyone says excuse me when they run all over you with their stroller, teenagers don’t give up seats for elderly or pregnant women and not everyone says thank you when you hold the door for them. So just realize that cultural differences play a role in how people act and try not to hold it against them.
Be nice to the Cast Members. It’s busy, it’s hot, and people always want something from them. Too often people act like these folks are somehow superhuman and shouldn’t be allowed to have lousy moments. I don’t smile every minute of every day so I definitely don’t expect some poor kid setting up a parade route to be all smily if I’m ignoring his/her instructions to get out of the way. Try to remember to say thank you as often as you can and remember not to expect more of them than you do yourself.
Disney World Planning Tip: Pack A Day Pack
Snacks To Pack
This is an important Disney World planning tip: snacks are a life saver for everybody! You won’t need all of these but having a few snacks and beverages to stay full and hydrated will help you stay in a better frame of mind all day.
Fruit snacks/leather
Mini muffins
Protein cookies
Popcorn
Crackers
Yogurt puffs
Temp safe finger sandwiches (avoid things that need refrigeration)
1/2 frozen refillable water bottles
Electrolyte drinks/packets for water
Distraction Items To Pack
Pick and choose what works best for your family, but we typically carry at least 3 distraction items with us to help curb the frustration of waiting in line, waiting on shows, waiting on food and waiting on the buses.
Busy book/mess free coloring books
Fidget toys
Dry erase board w/ marker attached
Pixie dusting giveaway items
Glow sticks
Disney challenge cards
Heads Up app on phone
Kid tablet
Comfort Items To Pack
These are just some items we have found useful on our many Disney World adventures. Not every family needs all of these. We are a fluffier group and discomfort is a no-go for me.
Personal fan
Cooling Towel (I like frog towels best)
1 foldable stool (for older folks who can’t stand for long periods of time)
A good poncho
Water shoes (I change into these when it rains and if I’m water rides)
Extra blister socks (in case we get caught in the rain and because we get sweaty)
Ear protection for kiddos that don’t do well with loud noises
Reusable personal straw (Disney loves paper straws but my texture weird family does not)
Change of clothes for kids (accidents happen)
Toothpick/floss sticks
I’m always carrying a backpack
First Aid and Safety Items To Pack
Sunscreen
Blister bandaids
Bandaids in various sizes
OTC nausea and pain reliever meds (headaches, muscle soreness & motion sickness)
Flexible braces/k-tape (people with knee/ankle issues)
Antihistamine for allergies (flowers we don’t normally encounter are everywhere)
Glide stick (keeps friction to a minimum from body parts rubbing against each other)
Everybody gets their own glide stick
Wound clean spray
Antibacterial wipes
Disney World Planning Tip: Use Wheels For Kids and Adults
People debate this way too much because it seems like an inconvenience. It’s inconvenient to get the stroller on the busses and get through security for all of 10 minutes. Then it saves you the hassle of carrying bags and kids for 10 hours, don’t debate it, just do it.
If you don’t want to pack a stroller, then be sure to budget renting on at the parks. That requires less hassle on the front end and saves your sanity in the park. They have strollers big enough for older kids and it definitely helps prevent major meltdowns at Disney World for kids and parents especially when everyone is tired later in the day.
EV Scooters
The electric vehicles or ”old people strollers” as my niece likes to call them, are absolutely worth renting if you would struggle to walk more than 10k steps a day. Again, folks who aren’t in great shape and don’t do well in the heat will benefit from the scooters. Don’t feel bad about it and remember this is a trip for you to enjoy-not to impress other random people you’ll probably never see again by walking til you drop.
Dhubs has some knee and hip issues and though it’s not a problem under everyday circumstances, it doesn’t feel great when he walks 22k+ steps a day. I have damaged every joint in the lower half of my body. We rent a scooter and take turns driving it so we get some exercise but don’t feel like we’re going to die by the end of the day and I have never regretted it.
One thing to note: people don’t pay attention to scooters, so you have to get used to stopping and starting abruptly. Expect people to walk in front of you and cut you off randomly. If you have road rage in traffic, you need to prepare yourself to stay calm driving a scooter in the parks.
Disney World Planning Tip: Consider Your Timing
When To Start Your Park Days At Disney World
Every family operates differently. Choosing when to start your day depends entirely on how your family functions throughout the day. One of the most important Disney World planning tips I know is to figure out when your crew has the most energy and enthusiasm will determine how you should setup your park day.
Rope Drop
Early birds: this is for you. If your family is up at the crack of dawn and has a ton of energy early in the morning, then jump on it! You’ll have more time in the cooler hours of the morning to get things done. It’s super busy, but people are scattering around trying to get to their favorite rides, so you can often get a lot done early in the morning if you have a ton of stuff on your family’s ”must do” list.
Late Morning
Normal humans: You need a cup of coffee or two to get going and your kids like to sleep in a little but still have more energy early in the day than in the evening. Get revved up for the day with a good breakfast, take the less crowded buses, and enjoy a more relaxed pace. If you aren’t looking to ride every single ride during one park day, this is a great time to start for most of us.
Afternoon
Late sleepers: If you have night owls and teenagers, this is when I would recommend starting your park day. Sleep in, eat brunch, enjoy the resort pool for a little while and then head over to the park to get on the big rides and watch the best shows. Hang out until close and enjoy shorter wait times with the lighter evening crowds on normal park days.
Park Hopping
For folks looking to park hop, you have to start at the park you made reservations with first. You can start park hopping at 2pm (currently), but you have to check in at your reserved park first. After your first park, you can hop to any of the other parks. For us, this often means spending a morning and afternoon at Animal Kingdom or Hollywood Studios, taking a break and then heading back out to Epcot or Magic Kingdom for the fireworks show.
Disney World Planning Tip: Prevent Meltdowns With Breaks
Very few people are able to go all day in the the parks without taking a break. Whether it’s in the park or back at the resort, breaks are super important to keep everyone healthy and happy on your trip.
Stuck on a ride during a no-break day. You can see the frustration
Take It From Me: Breaks are a MUST
The first time we went to Disney World as adults, I cried uncontrollably like a toddler. I was so tired and overwhelmed by the third day I totally melted down. We rope dropped and stayed through the fireworks the first two days and I have never been so exhausted and irritable in my life. Everyone got on my nerves, my patience was completely gone. By the end of the day, I was done with Disney. The next day, we added a break in the afternoon and I was back on the magical train of Disney for life.
My 3 year old niece was over it every day by noon and ready to punch a photographer for trying to make her smile. It’s a lot of stimulus for little kids and doing too much in a day just makes everyone miserable. So again, plan your breaks according to how your family functions throughout the day.
My favorite real shot from a Photo Pass photographer
If you are planning to stay in the park all day, be sure to scope out cool locations to chill. There are tons of benches you can sit on to rest for a few, places to park in the shade and let your kids nap and indoor attractions to enjoy while you cool off in every park. Research where these are and use your best judgement as to when your group will need to get out of the sun. Enjoying a meal indoors is also a great way to relax if you are doing a long park day.
A Smart Trick: What We Changed About Our Breaks
We added resort breaks in the heat of the day on our last trip and it made all the difference. We rope drop and stay until around 1-2pm at the parks. Then we head back to the resort to nap, play in the pool and grab lunch. Around 5pm we head back to the park and are refreshed and ready to go until the parks close!
Taking Rest Days Between Long Park Days
When you are going to have long park days, plan at least one rest day in between. When we’re going for 5 or more days, we plan 2 park days a rest day and then 2 more park days. This helps when you have multiple generations because littles and older folks need the break more than you may realize.
Our rest days aren’t necessarily everyone just sitting in the hotel room or at the house either. We just plan lighter activities for anyone who wants to participate. Water parks, mini golf, shopping, shows and other family activities can be on the docket for rest days. We try to stay cool and not over do it so that we are ready to get back in the parks afterwards.
The Disney World Planning Tips Final Wrap
When it comes to planning your trip to Disney World, it’s all about keeping it real. Use the right tools and set reasonable expectations to making sure everyone has fun. Resting, relaxing and being willing to go with the flow when things don’t go according to plan also help you enjoy more of your vacation.
No matter how you plan to ”do Disney”, make sure you are planning with others who will be going. Do a little research, join a Disney Tips & Tricks group on social media and watch some videos to get an idea of how other people manage their time, resources and emotions. Most importantly, remember that no matter what, you and your family are going to have a magical time!
If you are planning to do more in Orlando, check out our favorite rides in Universal Studios. You can get an idea of what non-coaster rides we love and suggest for folks looking for fun, less threatening thrills.
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