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25 Fantastic Disney World Tips

Boy Taking Photo Cinderella Castle

Here are 25 Disney tips from Disney Insiders that will help you get some great ideas for getting the most out of your visit to Disney.

25. Want to eat at the Coral Reef Restaurant in Epcot? Book an early lunch or dinner and get there before your reservation time. Then ask for a table with a view of the sensational fish tank. Arriving before your reservation will help give the table hostess a little more leeway to accommodate your request.

24. Check out the Electric Water Pageant on Bay Lake. This nightly show is a beautiful light parade just outside of Magic Kingdom. Grab a seat outside at the Polynesian Resort, Grand Floridian Resort, Wilderness Lodge, Fort Wilderness Campground and Disney’s Contemporary Resort and you’ll see the boats parade by. Show begins approximately at 9 pm at The Polynesian and ends at the Contemporary around 10 pm.

23. Celebrating a birthday, graduation, anniversary or other special event? Pick up a button from Guest Services in the parks or at your resort. Most restaurants and Cast Members throughout the park will give you special treatment to help you celebrate!

22. Get heavily discounted and discontinued Disney merchandise in the Orlando area from “Disney’s Character Warehouse”. There are two locations, the first near Universal Orlando and the second near Downtown Disney on Vineland which is larger and closer to Disney World.

21. Gotta get online? Free Wi-Fi is available in all theme parks and hotels at Disney World.

20. The monorail has three separate loops. The Resort Loop include the following stops in order: Magic Kingdom, Contemporary Resort, Transportation and Ticket Center, Polynesian Resort and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort.

19. Epcot Monorail and the Express Monorail originate at the Transportation and Ticket Center and offer express round-trip service to Epcot and Magic Kingdom park.

18. Are you into pin trading? Try buying pins from Amazon or eBay before you visit to trade with Cast Members instead of buying them in the park. A pin at the park will cost $8 – $10 where a pin on eBay could only run you $1.

17. Before the “Wishes” Fireworks show, Magic Kingdom park guests can see the Cinderella Castle transformed into a piece of living art during the “Celebrate the Night” show honoring the art of Disney storytelling.

16. Thirsty? Guests enjoy free beverage refill stations in the theme parks at the following restaurants: Sunshine Seasons and Electric Umbrella at Epcot, Backlot Express in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Restaurantosaurus in Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Tortuga Tavern and Be Our Guest Restaurant in the Magic Kingdom.

15. Looking for a good place for a drink and some karaoke? Try Kimonos at the Swan Hotel.

14. Looking for a beautiful walkway that connects several of the parks? There is a walkway with incomparable landscaping that connects Hollywood Studios to EPCOT and passes Disney’s Boardwalk, Yacht and Beach Club Resorts, and the Swan and Dolphin. Transferring from Hollywood Studios to EPCOT in this manner takes around 30 minutes and can actually be faster than relying on Disney Transportation.

13. Friendship Boats ferry guests on the waterway that parallels the walk mentioned in the previous tip. Travel between the above resorts and theme parks while enjoying a delightful boat ride!

12. There are several Disney Theme Park ticket purchasing scams out there. Make sure the ticket seller you use is a “Disney Parks USA Selected Ticket Seller”. Expedia, Travelocity and other such nationally recognized sites are safe bets for purchasing tickets.

11. Use 1 counter service credit and feed two adults at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe. The 1/2 Chicken and BBQ Rib Combo with mashed potatoes and veggies is a great way to get more bang for your credit.

10. Inside Scoop: Some of the best character greeting sessions at Disney World are in Hollywood Studios. Walk through the Art of Disney store and you’ll see the characters through the back.

9. Are your kids scared of the dark? You can take in “Turtle Talk with Crush” and skip the dark Finding Nemo Ride by entering “The Seas” through the gift shop.

8. Staying at the Bay Lake Tower? Access the “Top Of The World Lounge” for an uncrowded view of the fireworks shows “Fantasy in the Sky” in December, “New Years Eve” and “Celebrate America” in July.

7. Don’t waste your Disney Dining Credits at Signature Restaurants where meals will run you 2 credits instead of the usual 1 credit at other dining options.

6. When you visit Disney World, it is extremely helpful to have a plan. Get to the parks early when they open and take in your highest priority rides first. You’ll get in a lot more ride action early in the morning that you can the remainder of the day.

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5. If you don’t have to adhere to bedtime routines with kids, utilize your “Extra Magic Hours” if you’re staying on property and enjoy the parks after dark. As in the morning, the parks are considerably less congested late night.

4. For an unique experience of Magic Kingdom, visit after dark. Everything is lit up lending an air of magic to the experience. Some rides are even better at night including Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Dumbo’s Flying Circus.

3. Need help planning your Disney World visit, Go to www.disney.com and request a free vacation planning DVD as well as customized park maps.

2. For whatever reason, Magic Kingdom is considerably more busy on Monday than any other weekday. Schedule your visit for later in the week.

1. Want to save money at Disney World? PhotoPass Cast Members will take photos of your family with your own camera if asked giving you access to a professional photographer without having to pay for the photos Disney provides.

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About Becky

Becky is a full time wife, mother and graphic designer. She loves all-things Disney and loves sharing her advice and experiences on DisneyFanatic.com.

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