7 Brilliant Tips For Carrying Out Your Dream Disney Vacation

6.  Know the Lay of the Land

A little preparation in this area will go a long way.   If you’re a bit newer to Walt Disney World travel, try to orient yourself with the basic layout of each park (check out the My Disney Experience app for maps).  A general idea of where things are located goes a long way in helping you navigate and as quickly as you want to. Perhaps equally helpful is being familiar with the transportation options from your resort (if staying on-site), and having a plan for how you will get to all of your reservations (especially those at other resorts).  Depending on where you stay, you’ll have any number of transportation options. All resorts have busses; some also have boats, monorail access, and footpaths to the parks. Minnie Vans (a pay-per-use service that partners with the ride service Lyft) are available as-desired as well.

5.  Characters, Rides, & Meltdowns- Make YouTube your Friend!

There are few things in this world that are more magical than a youngster looking up at a beloved character, closing in for a big hug, and posing for the oh-so-cute Instagram-worthy photo.  Unless, of course, your child turns out to be terrified of characters. And that first trip on Goofy’s Barnstormer? It’s going to be legendary… unless your child panics and then refuses to ride anything else that could be remotely “scary” for the rest of the trip.  If you’re unsure as to whether your little guy or gal will be able to handle an attraction or character greeting, hop on YouTube and show him or her some videos of other children with characters or people on an attraction. While it’s not a guarantee of how the real experience will go down, it may give you an idea of how your kiddo is likely to approach the situation.