Walt Disney World is no mom & pop amusement park. It is massive. Like San Fransisco massive. No, really. Disney World is 40 square miles. In other words, the exact same size as one of California’s top metropolitans. That reality is compounded by the amount of guests that the park accommodates at any given time. So it goes without saying that experiencing everything Disney World has to offer in a mere week or two is not possible. As such, it’s imperative to do some planning so that you can experience what is most important to you and your family. Here are 7 Tips To Catching All The Best That Walt Disney World Has To Offer:
7. Lodging. Stay at a resort on Disney property. The advantages to this are numerous. For starters, staying at a Disney World resort entitles you to “Magic Hours. Not only does this mean that you get extended hours at the park, increasing the amount of time you now have in a day to experience everything, but it also means the park is closed to everyone else – resulting in less crowds and thus less waiting in lines for attractions. In addition, your transportation will be faster and easier utilizing Disney’s multitude of options. Using the monorail from the Contemporary to the Magic Kingdom or EPCOT is far better than driving from a hotel, fighting traffic, and then finding a place to park. Finally, staying at a Disney resort grants you the first opportunity to schedule FastPass+ for the rides and attractions you want to experience.
6. FastPass+. And speaking of FastPass+, this is a technology that you’ll definitely want to leverage. It allows you to schedule a specific time for a ride or attraction. You show up at that time and you bypass the waiting line. You are permitted to schedule up to four attractions per day for FastPass+. That can reduce four to eight hours of wait time to an hour or less – making it possible to fit a lot more into your day.
5. Dining Plan. Most people wouldn’t consider the dining plan as a tool for saving time, but you will lose valuable hours every day if you leave the park to eat. And you will break the bank paying out of pocket to dine in the park. The solution? Utilize the Disney Dining Plan! And when you enroll in the dining plan, make sure you schedule your meals for restaurants inside of the park you will be in that day. Leaving the park to eat in another park also chews up considerable time.
4. Shopping. Don’t waste valuable time shopping while the park is open. Once it closes, the rides are all shut down but the stores remain open for patrons to spend money when they are leaving. Leverage that extra time accordingly. Stop for your souvenirs and gifts on the way out – when the park is technically “closed”. This has the added bonus of not having to lug around bags of merchandise all day or paying for a locker to store them in and it frees up more park time for the experiences that interest you most.
Bonus Tip!
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3. Parades. There is no better time to hit the most popular attractions in the Magic Kingdom than an hour before the parades (when everyone starts lining the streets to get a good seat) until the end of the parade. With so many patrons occupied on Main Street, the rest of the park enjoys less wait times.
2. Magic Bands. When coupled with Fast Pass and the My Disney Experience app, Magic Bands facilitates faster access to the attractions you want while also granting you instant flexibility should something change (more on that below). They can be used to access your room, confirm Fast Pass+ reservations, pay for purchases, and for verification of your dining plan.
1. My Disney Experience. When it comes to catching all of the best Disney World has to offer, there is no better tool, tip, or technique to leverage than the My Disney Experience app. Having the capability to check wait times for any attraction before investing significant time hiking across the entire park is the definition of efficiency. Nearly as effective is the ability to see your Fast Pass reservations for the day and schedule the rest of your plans accordingly. Then there is the ability to call an “audible” on the fly and schedule something else based on new information flowing to your phone. Throw in maps, hours of operations for each and every facility, real time data, and a whole lot more, and the My Disney Experience app is an invaluable tool for catching all the best that Disney World has to offer.
Perks and planning, technology and timing, insight and innovation – just some of your keys to catching all of the best Disney World has to offer!
BONUS TIP: Consider planning and booking your next Disney trip with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner you can trust like Mickey Travels. They’ll help you get the best Walt Disney World deal, share expert advice and their services are totally FREE! It’s genius!