Your first trip to Disney World is finally here! Gathering your loved ones and heading to Orlando could be a somewhat daunting task, especially if it's your first experience with the theme parks. If you don't do a little research first, the trip could end up being less than magical.
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Arriving at the park before it opens
It cannot be stressed enough how important this is! This is one of the best tips you can get for hacking Disney World. Not only is it much smarter financially to get the most out of your day (you've already paid for admission, why not give yourself enough time to soak in all the magic you can handle) but it's also better to arrive early before the crowds arrive, rather than staying at the park later. Remember, it takes a while to get through the car park, and in every park, so plan ahead!
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Parking
In case you're not staying at a Disney Resort, and can't simply be transported directly to the park from the hotel lobby via one of Disney's transport systems, you'll have to deal with parking. The biggest tip we can give in this category is absolutely to arrive early. Apart from that, don't think that you are about to enter the car park and boom there is the entrance.
Disney World is an impressive facility, in fact you can fit the entire Disneyland park in California into the Disney World Magic car park alone. After parking, there are at least forty-five minutes before you are screaming with joy on Space Mountain.
Don't worry, there are trams to take you from place to place, but remember where you parked! Use your camera phone to take a picture of the section where you parked.
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Monorails, ferries and transport
You will want to familiarise yourself with these forms of transit, they are your only means of navigating the parks. Don't forget, these will also have waiting times, so if you're in a hurry to make a reservation, give yourself plenty of time.
Beats the heart
You'll be really hot, it is Orlando after all. The average temperature during the tourist season is in the 80s, with an average humidity of 74% humid. To make matters worse, those lines that sometimes go on for an hour or more are not always air-conditioned.
In fact, you will almost always be standing (possibly in direct sunlight), and carrying something heavy (a baby, a turkey leg, your trusty book bag).
So expect and be prepared: dress warm, wear sunscreen, wear a hat, wear comfortable shoes, do whatever you have to do. Being comfortable is the key to having the best Disney experience possible.
Download the Wait Times app
Nothing will make you feel like you didn't get your money's worth and realise that half of it was spent on line. Disney's Wait Times app is a real panacea that will help you plan your rides for the next one. Also, one tip is to eat meals at odd times. Wait times slow down between noon and 1pm because people are eating. The same goes for dinner.
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Rest, Relax and Rally
The best day at Disney is when you are happy, comfortable and well rested. So if you've arrived early at the park and tackled most of your Magic Kingdom list, consider heading back to your room for a nap, a swim or a lunch you've made yourself. Then return to the park when you're ready for more action.
The best part of this? People will start to get tired and leave the park with their angry friends.
An extra tip: it would also be very useful to organise this break with your trip to another Disney park. For example, you can take the monorail back to your room before hopping on the bus to Hollywood Studios for a terrifying trip to the Tower of Terror.
If you stay off site, and can't make a short trip to your room, you can still take a break! If you're travelling with kids, chances are you'll have to get a little creative when it comes to sneaking in breaks.
Below is a list of restful, air-conditioned attractions that you can visit without having to do much to convince the little ones that they want to get in line to meet Ariel a second time.
Rides / Attractions where you can rest
People's Mover at Magic Kingdom
Ellen's Energy Adventure
Land Boat Ride
Disney's Jungle Cruise
The Country Bear Jamboree
The Indiana Jones Experience
Many more
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Hacking "Extra Magic Hours
You might arrive at Disney and find that some amusement goers have gained access to something called "Extra Magic Hours" and you feel a little left out. There are two things to keep in mind:
Magic Hours get really crowded, everyone who stays at the resorts has access to Magic Hours, other than those who have paid extra for the privilege, and it is often a favourite time for cast members who are off work to go play in the park .
The park does not operate at full capacity during EMH, most of the staff go home, so some rides, attractions, restaurants and shops will be closed.
To cut a long story short? In some cases, the extra magic hours are great, but they don't always live up to the hype.
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You can ride any ride you want, even if your kids are too young
Disney has a great service called Rider Switch or Child Swap.It allows young children to wait in a special area while one guardian leads the ride, and the other guardian stays with the child, then they swap! The height requirements for all rides can be found online. When you approach the line, tell the cast member that you would like to use the rider switch.
They will give your group a pass and part of your group will pass through the line, similar to a fast pass, while someone from your group waits with the child, then swap. Since fast passes are limited, and these don't count towards that quota, they could be used as a way to double the amount of fast passes you get in a day!
Try One of A Kind Snacks
There are famous treats at Disney World that are only available in the park. So when choosing a snack, consider something that is one of a kind and unique to Disney World. Sure, candyfloss and popcorn are good, but they are probably just as good anywhere.
Gofor pineapple Dole Whip from Adventureland instead of candyfloss, or get cinnamon almonds from Frontier Land instead of popcorn.
While the Ice Cream tastes like regular ice cream, it simply wouldn't be a good old-fashioned trip to Disney World without an iconic Mickey's Premium Ice Cream Bar, available throughout the park. You could have a regular burger and fries, or you could go to Sleepy Hollow in Liberty Square at the Magic Kingdom and get a waffle sandwich (with fruit and Nutella for dessert).
Are you visiting Epcot? Oh. Goodness. Be prepared.
With all the delicious things in Epcot, you really can't go wrong. Whatever you do, you must visit Les Halles Boulangerie & Patisserie and have a Napoleon, Chocolate Croissant, macaroons or all of the above . In the new Fantasyland? Try The Grey Stuff (it's delicious) and only available in the Be Our Guest restaurant in Magic Kingdom.
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Embrace the little things
Enter the town hall and get your 'First Time Visitor' button. You can also get a 'It's My Birthday' button, an anniversary button, and more! Every cast member in the park will recognise the button.
Get an autograph book and collect autographs from your favourite characters!
Get your picture taken. Let cast members take photos for you. You don't have to pay them to take a photo, they take your photo and give you a postcard, and at the end of the day all your photos are available in one place online. They cost a fortune to print, but one or two might be worth it. Regardless, looking through them at the end of the day is a blast.
If your child dresses up as a princess, every cast member will either greet them as the princess they're dressed as, most of the time, or go 'Hi, Princess'. It's adorable.
Get yourself a pair of Mickey Ears. If there are more than one pair of you, maybe bring one because they can cost between $13 and $20 in the park.
