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6. Don’t Forget About Yourself
One of the worst things you can do on a Walt Disney World vacation is run yourself ragged! When you have kids who are all hopped up on sugary churros and Mickey-shaped ice cream bars, it can be easy to be on the go the entire day and length of your vacation, leaving you feeling exhausted. Don’t forget that this is your vacation, too! Walt Disney World offers in-room babysitting at select resorts for children up to 12 years old. This is the perfect retreat for parents to take a night out to have a luxurious dinner, a relaxing spa at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, or even go to the parks themselves and ride all the exciting rides the kids may be too small for.
7. Purchase Memory Maker in Advance!
Cinderella’s Castle! Splash Mountain! The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror! There’s going to be a million and one pictures you’re going to want to take during your Walt Disney World vacation. And, why not!? You want to hold on to these memories made with friends and family for generations to come! Since you want to take so many pictures, you’ll soon start to realize how tiring it can be to stop and ask a stranger to snap that coveted photo for you - especially if it doesn’t come out to your liking (which let’s face it, happens often!). By purchasing Memory Maker, you’re guaranteeing that you’ll have a boatload of photos that captured the magic of your vacation, but they’ll be Disney quality, too. There are Photopass Photographers everywhere you’d want to snag a photo. It’s essential to having the best vacation ever!
8. Plan to visit during a holiday celebration!
This one’s risky, but well worth it. If you plan your vacation between select nights in August through October, you can purchase tickets for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. The entertainment is top-notch and you have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet some of your favorite Disney villains like Cruella de Vil and even Lotso, that mischievous bear from Sunnyside Daycare! Likewise, if you visit during the Christmas season, you will have ample opportunities to listen to holiday music, watch snow fall in Hollywood Studios and of course, meet Santa Claus! These times of year can be especially busy, so if you’re visiting take note that you will be facing some extreme crowds. Despite the crowds, though, it’s an experience every Disney goer should have at least once (or three times!)
P.S. - to let you in on a little secret, I was in Magic Kingdom last year for Christmas Day and the park actually hit capacity. It’s definitely worth having a backup plan in case this happens!
9. Wait until the end of the night to ride the “big rides”
So, this may not happen ALL THE TIME, but it certainly happens the most of the time with specific rides. During Wishes, the amazing fireworks show that takes place at the Magic Kingdom, you will find ample opportunities to ride some of the more popular rides in the park with little to no wait time. Rides such as It’s a Small World, Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid and even Pirates of the Caribbean all have had a 10-minute or less wait time during the fireworks. I’ve had a few times where I’ve ridden Splash Mountain twice in a row! Wait until the fireworks are starting or about 10 minutes into the show and try to hop on a ride that has a shortened wait limit. You may even be able to ride two or three rides by the time the firework show is completed.
10. Plan your vacation during an off-season
My favorite times to visit Walt Disney World, are of course, the times when the crowds are severely diminished. The best times are typically January through February, the second week in September and first week in October, from my experience. The crowds are still going to be there, but it’s not going to be nearly as jammed packed as it would during the summer months or holidays that offer special ticketed events like Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party or Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.
