Top 20 Walt Disney World Dos and Don ts Brought to you by Elizabeth Perry, Travel Planner http://nerdtravelpro.com/ Walt Disney World is one of the most popular and well-known theme park destinations in the world, and it s the dream vacation for many families. If you re here, it s probably your family s dream vacation, as well! Vacationing is meant to be fun time spent together, but planning everything and figuring out all the details can be stressful. In this guide you ll find all the Dos and Don ts of planning a Walt Disney World vacation. Find out key planning points for making your vacation as relaxing as possible, and also find common planning pitfalls to avoid. Get ready, because your vacation is going to be amazing! Do: Have a plan No matter what kind of planner you happen to be, I would encourage everyone, especially first-time visitors to Walt Disney World, to take some time to prepare and have a plan in place before you arrive at the theme parks. Many first-time visitors don t realize just how large Walt Disney World actually is; for those who haven t been, Walt Disney World is bigger, more crowded, and more complicated than you think, but a little preparation goes a long way. This doesn t mean that you need to plan every minute of every day in fact, you should absolutely have some free time to browse and relax. For touring popular attractions at Walt Disney World s theme parks,
however, I highly recommend having a plan to minimize your time waiting in line and to see the attractions you want to see. At the very least, have a plan of which of Walt Disney World s four theme parks you would like to visit on each day of your trip. Take a look at theme park hours, as they can vary day by day. Peruse a park map to find out which attractions are available at each park so that you can think about what you would really like to see. Plan to visit popular attractions in the morning for lower waits, and head for the most popular attractions at park opening. Don t: Try to do everything Walt Disney World Resort encompasses 40 square miles with four theme parks housing dozens of attractions, not to mention two water parks, the Disney Springs shopping district, multiple golf courses, and over two dozen resort hotels. The Magic Kingdom alone, only one of Walt Disney World s four major theme parks, lists nearly 40 official attractions. The sheer amount of attractions can be overwhelming, especially to first-time visitors, but one of my top planning recommendations is to not try to do too much. Doing everything is just about impossible in one trip (after many, many trips, we still haven t done everything!), so focus in on what you and your family really want to experience on your vacation. Get a general idea of what s available in each park and have a few priorities for what you want to see as you plan your days. We ve found that we are much happier when we don t over-extend ourselves and try to do too much in the time that we have, because we have more energy to enjoy what we do experience. Do: Make FastPass+ reservations FastPass+ is an online reservation system that allows guests to bypass the line at select Walt Disney World attractions. There s a limit to how many FastPasses guests can select in advance (3 different attractions per park, per day), but this service is complimentary for all guests and can save you a ton of time waiting in line when used properly. For instance, one of the attractions I highly recommend FastPass for is the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. This popular roller coaster in Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom typically has waits of over an hour, even on
slower days, and builds a line extremely quickly after the park opens. We always save lots of time by using a FastPass, where we usually wait about 5 minutes to ride instead of 75 minutes. It may feel like too much planning to pick out which rides you ll be visiting, and when, before you arrive, but we ve found that having FastPasses that allow us to skip the line is much more relaxing than having an hour-long wait for one of our favorite attractions. Don t: Automatically reject staying on-site It s often easy to start looking off-site for accommodations for a Walt Disney World vacation with the assumption that anything on-site will be too expensive. I believe, however, that staying on-site is more often than not the best value for a Walt Disney World vacation. There are many affordable on-site options that offer all the perks of staying on-site, and many of these perks can be money and time-savers. Complimentary Transportation: Guests staying at a Disney Resort hotel can take advantage of complimentary transportation by bus, boat, or monorail (depending on the resort) to the theme parks, water parks, and Disney Springs. If flying into Orlando International Airport, guests can also take advantage of the complimentary Magical Express service to and from the airport. Extra Magic Hours: On select mornings and evenings at select parks, Disney Resort hotel guests have the opportunity for more time in the theme parks outside of regular opening and closing times. Proximity to Theme Parks: Disney Resort hotels are closest to the theme parks, some even within walking distance of select parks, and many with views of the nearest park and some of its nighttime entertainment. Disney Dining Plan: Only guests staying at Disney resorts can purchase the Disney Dining Plan.
Early access to FastPass+ and dining reservations: Disney resort guests can make up to 10 days of dining reservations once they reach 180 days out from their arrival date. Onsite resort guests can also make FastPasses 60 days in advance, as opposed to 30 in advance for off-site guests. Disney theming and service: If you want to experience the magic of Disney throughout your entire vacation, a Disney resort extends that magic to your accommodations, with Disney s famed Cast Member service as well as detailed and gorgeously themed resort environments. Do: Think carefully about when to visit When to visit Disney World is the first decision you should make when planning your trip, and it will influence how you plan the rest of your trip's components. You ll experience different weather conditions, crowd levels, pricing, and special events at different times of year, so it s important to think about this as you plan your trip. Understandably, most everyone has some restrictions on when they can to Walt Disney World. If you have limits on when you can visit, don't worry - times when the kids are out of school are busier, but it can be done with the right amount of planning. A large consideration, possibly the largest, is crowds. Crowds can vary wildly even within a single month depending on holidays and when the kids are out of school. If you're looking for the lowest crowds, you can find those in late January through early March (excepting marathon and holiday weekends), May before Memorial Day, early September, and early November. Keep in mind that the less busy times usually have more ride closures, especially during January and February. April is often busy because of spring breaks, June through August because of summer break, and the week of Thanksgiving and the week of Christmas through New Year's because of the holidays. Within those times, right around Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, and Christmas through New Year s are extremely busy.
If you want to visit during holiday events, try for the first couple weeks of December - it's less crowded than Thanksgiving or Christmas. Some holiday events are also available in early November, which has more reasonable crowds. If you re scheduling a visit for summer vacation, early June is a good choice. Mid to late August is often less busy than the rest of the summer, as well. For spring break trips, if you re concerned about crowds, try to avoid the week of Easter. I would like to stress that these lower-crowd times are not necessarily low crowds - they are lower than other, busier times of year. This has been especially true the past couple of years for September and October, which have felt more crowded than they have been in years past. This is why I highly recommend planning ahead, making dining and FastPass reservations, and having a daily plan, because planning can still help you accomplish a lot even with heavy crowds. You may also want to think about special events that Disney offers at different times of the year. The fall offers Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and the Epcot Food and Wine Festival. In November and December, you can see Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party and the Candlelight Processional. In spring, you can see the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival. If one of these is on your must list, make sure you'll be there at the right time. Weather is also a consideration - obviously, it will be hotter at the height of summertime. The weather is a bit drier in the late fall and winter (but that doesn't mean you should leave your poncho at home). Think carefully about how much heat you and your family can handle. Conversely, it can sometimes get very chilly in wintertime, causing the water parks and water rides to close. June through September is the rainy season, with regular rain in the afternoons on most days. August through October is also hurricane season, although it is very rare for such weather to significantly affect Walt Disney World operations. Don t: Plan too few (or too many) days in the parks Walt Disney World has lots of attractions to offer, and seeing even most of them takes more time than you might expect. In our earliest trips to Walt Disney World, we regretted not planning
more time in the parks because we didn t realize just how much there was to see. If you want to see most of the major attractions at all four parks, you will want 5-6 days to do so at a comfortable pace. I would strongly recommend that you spend 2 days, or more, at the Magic Kingdom - it has the most rides and is a difficult park to accomplish in one day. Epcot is also easier to finish in 2 days, though all of its rides can be accomplished in 1 day with relative ease. It is pretty easy to see most of the major attractions at Hollywood Studios and the Animal Kingdom in 1 day with a good plan. For a 5-day trip, plan 2 days at the Magic Kingdom, and 1 at each of the other parks. If you have visited the parks already, you will have a good idea of where you want to spend the most time. If this is your first trip, I would try to visit each park at least once - each one has great attractions to offer. Conversely, touring Walt Disney World can be tiring for everyone, and you don t want to overextend. If you re visiting the parks for 4-5 days or more, I recommend taking a half-day or a full day off for some relaxation time. You can spend an afternoon at the pool, take a morning to sleep in, spend an evening at your resort s movie under the stars, or have a leisurely shopping day at Disney Springs. While it is tempting to push to see everything you can in the parks, I ve found that it s better to plan your time in the parks well and then take some time to rest, without worrying about missing anything. Everyone is in a much better mood to enjoy the time you do have in the parks when everyone is well-rested. Do: Check park hours & show times ahead of time Park hours for Walt Disney World s four theme parks can vary day by day, so be sure to check hours in advance as you plan your days. For guests staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel, you ll have access to Extra Magic Hours, which are extra morning and/or evening hours in select theme parks for on-site guests only. Extra Magic Hours rotate throughout the week and are available for different parks on different days.
Show times will also sometimes vary from day to day, so if there s a particular show you would like to see, be sure to check times in advance. Most major shows (such as Wishes Fireworks at the Magic Kingdom) occur nearly every night, but show times will vary. Some other shows will not be performed every day during slower seasons, or may change schedules to accommodate seasonal events. Don t: Forget to check out special events Walt Disney World offers many seasonal events throughout the year, and depending on when you plan your trip, there s likely to be a special event that you won t want to miss. Here are a few of Walt Disney World s most popular seasonal events. Epcot Festival of the Arts: A weekend wintertime festival at Epcot with Disney art displays, specialty dishes and drinks, and Broadway musical concerts Epcot Flower and Garden Festival: Daily springtime festival featuring Disney character topiaries, flower displays, landscaping demonstrations, and specialty dishes and drinks for purchase Sounds Like Summer Concert Series: Summertime concert series at Epcot featuring tribute bands playing 60s and 70s favorites Mickey s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party: Hard-ticket event at the Magic Kingdom on select nights in September and October with exclusive Halloween entertainment and trick-or-treating Epcot Food and Wine Festival: Daily fall festival at Epcot with over two dozen booths serving dishes and drinks from around the world Mickey s Very Merry Christmas Party: Hard-ticket event at the Magic Kingdom on select nights in November and December with exclusive holiday entertainment
Holidays Around the World: Epcot special event with seasonal decorations, Holiday Storytellers, the popular Candlelight Processional, and a special holiday finale to the park s nighttime spectacular, IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth. Do: Consider the Park Hopper The Park Hopper is an option guests can add on to their tickets in order to visit more than one of Walt Disney World s theme parks in one day. It is an extra cost, but the Park Hopper can add a lot of flexibility to planning your trip as opposed to only being able to visit one park per day. It isn t a requirement in order to have a good trip (I ve visited both with and without it before), but with the Park Hopper you can spend a morning at one park before hopping to another for your dinner reservation, or be able to fit more theme parks into a shorter trip by visiting more than one in a day. Keep in mind that the Park Hopper has to be added to your entire ticket it can t be added to just one day on a 4-day ticket, for instance but the Park Hopper is a flat rate addon, so it costs about the same to add to most tickets. Don t: Be surprised by ride closures Walt Disney World intermittently closes attractions for maintenance and refurbishment at different times throughout the year. While many of these closures often occur in January and February, especially for water-based attractions, closures can happen at any time of year. Walt Disney World announces any planned refurbishments in advance, so be sure to take a look at these as you plan your trip. Do: Take advantage of rope drop Rope drop is often the term used for the moment that a theme park is officially open and guests are allowed to start going into the park. Being at the park when rope drop happens is a big advantage because you ll be among the first into the park, and you ll see some of the lowest waits of the day during the first hour that the park is open. When planning for rope drop, here are a few things to keep in mind:
First of all, make sure that you plan enough time for transportation it can often take 30-45 minutes to arrive at your destination from when you arrive at your resort s bus stop. During busier times of year, plan closer to an hour. Second, the theme parks will typically start letting guests scan their MagicBands or tickets well before the park actually opens, and then hold guests near the entrance until the park officially opens. You ll want to arrive before rope drop actually happens so you can get through bag check and through the ticket checkpoints. It s a good way to save time, so you can head straight to attractions once the park opens. Third, rope drop often occurs a little bit before the official park opening time, sometimes by five or ten minutes. That s even more reason to arrive early you can be in the first groups going into the park while others are just arriving. Don t: Forget to prepare for the weather Florida is the sunshine state, and you ll likely get plenty of sunshine during your trip, so prepare accordingly. For most of the year, you ll want to dress appropriately for 70-90 degrees Fahrenheit, generally with high humidity. Bring sunscreen, hats, and stroller covers to keep the sun off when walking around. Many guests also like to bring mister fans, cool cloths such as Chilly Pads, and their own water bottles to stay hydrated. Even with all that sunshine, Florida is very green, as they also get plenty of rain. Florida can have rain year-round, though its rainy season is approximately May through September/October. All-day deluges are not common, but there are typically regular rainstorms in the afternoons. Unless there is excessive rain, lightning, or heavy wind, most Walt Disney World attractions continue operating as normal (some outdoor shows, parades, or outdoor attractions may close due to rain). Bring rain ponchos for everyone (they re fairly expensive to purchase in the parks) and rain covers for strollers, ECVs, or wheelchairs. Most rainstorms don t last very long, and you can often keep touring the parks by simply donning a poncho and continuing on your way.
Do: Take regular breaks Walking around Walt Disney World s theme parks and their dozens of attractions is fun, but can also be very tiring. While it can be tempting to want to power through and do as much as you can, we ve found that we re more able to enjoy our time in the parks if we take regular breaks. For us this usually means going back to our resort for an afternoon rest and then going back to the parks in the evening. If you d prefer to stay in the parks but still want a short break, here are some of our favorite low-wait, seated attractions for a quick rest. Magic Kingdom: Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover, Hall of Presidents, Enchanted Tiki Room, Mickey s Philharmagic, Country Bear Jamboree, Carousel of Progress Animal Kingdom: Festival of the Lion King, Finding Nemo: The Musical Epcot: Impressions d France, Gran Fiesta Tour Hollywood Studios: MuppetVision 3D Don t: Pay to rent a car if you don t need to If you re flying into Orlando, one of the items all guests have to consider is how to get around while in Orlando. Walt Disney World makes that fairly easy with complimentary airport transfers and complimentary transportation around Walt Disney World Resort. Consider carefully whether you will actually need a rental car during your visit, because it is absolutely possible to visit Walt Disney World without one. We personally like to use Walt Disney World s transportation system because it works well for us, we like saving the money we would have spent on a rental car, and we prefer not to drive and navigate ourselves on vacation. If you plan to visit other Orlando destinations during your visit, or will be taking a day trip to the beach or the Kennedy Space Center, a rental car may be a worthwhile investment. Or, you may prefer to drive yourself, in which case the cost of a rental car may be worth it for you. Depending on your plans, though, you may not need a rental car for your whole trip there is a rental car office on Walt Disney World property for guests to use, as well. Do: Make dining reservations
Advance Dining Reservations for table-service restaurants are highly recommended, and are sometimes the only way you can get in to certain popular restaurants (Cinderella's Royal Table, Be Our Guest Restaurant, Chef Mickey's, Le Cellier, and other popular locations are notoriously difficult to reserve). Reservations can be made 180 days out from your trip (if you are staying at a resort and you reach the 180-day mark, you can make reservations for the next ten days as well). It may seem strange to start planning your itinerary 6 months out from your trip, but when you make your dining reservations you will want to know where you plan to be on each day. Try not to plan an early lunch at an Animal Kingdom Lodge restaurant and then a morning at the Magic Kingdom - that's a bit of a commute. If you don't have a rough plan before selecting your dining, then be prepared to shape your itinerary to your dining plans. Don t: Wait until the last minute for dining reservations I know that it can often be difficult to think about where you want to eat a few months in advance, let alone six months in advance when Walt Disney World dining reservations open. Many restaurants, however, are extremely popular and have limited or nonexistent availability once dining reservations have opened. Popular selections like many character dining experience and fine dining restaurants may run out of availability the day reservations open or soon after. If you re set on a particular dining experience, make reservations as soon as you can. If you are making last minute reservations and can t find what you re looking for, check out some last-minute alternatives. Do: Consider the Disney Dining Plan The Disney Dining Plan is a pre-paid plan available to guests staying at a Walt Disney World resort hotel. Depending on the type of plan you purchase, you ll receive a number of credits for table-service meals, quick-service meals, and snacks for every person in your resort room. For example, the most popular dining plan choice offers 1 table-service meal, 1 quick-service meal, and 2 snacks per person, per night of your stay. You ll also receive a refillable mug to use at your resort s quick-service restaurant. While everyone s ideal vacation will be different, and the
Disney Dining Plan may not be a good fit for everyone, there are a lot of benefits to at least consider as you plan your Walt Disney World vacation. First of all, the Disney Dining Plan is perfect if you re looking for that all-inclusive feel for your vacation. Since your meals are already paid, you don t need to worry about ordering the most expensive item on the menu. Note that tips and alcoholic beverages are not included, and some specialty menu items are not included. Overall, though, once you ve paid for the Disney Dining Plan you ve already covered nearly all of your food expenses for your trip. Speaking of all-inclusive, with very few exceptions, the Disney Dining Plan is eligible at all Walt Disney World restaurants, both table-service and quick-service. You can use it in the parks, at your resort hotel, at Disney Springs, almost anywhere on Walt Disney World property (with the exception of restaurants at the Swan and Dolphin Resorts). You won t have to worry about planning the restaurants you ll visit around the dining plan, since so many of them are included. In addition to full meals, every plan also comes with snacks, and there are so many options it can be hard to choose! You can, of course, get standard types of snacks, like popcorn, pieces of fruit, and bottled water, but there are so many more items that are eligible. You can get sweets like cupcakes, rice krispy treats, pastries, or the infamous Dole Whip. You can also go for savory items, like soups and side salads, or even chicken fried rice and samosas. It s also easy to use a snack credit for breakfast, as most quick-service breakfast locations have items like muffins, oatmeal, or a side of biscuits and gravy available for a snack credit. Look for the white and purple DDP snack symbol on menus at quick-service restaurants and snack stands these indicate that an item is eligible for a snack credit. The Disney Dining Plan also offers a great value for when you want to visit some of Walt Disney World s most popular restaurants. Dining at Walt Disney World can be expensive, and if you want to visit several table-service restaurants during your trip, the dining plan can save you money. Note that some dining experiences require 2 table-service credits, but many popular restaurants only require one: Be Our Guest Restaurant, Chef Mickey s, Akershus Royal Banquet Hall, Biergarten, Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater, Ohana, and more.
Don t: Plan too little time for transportation We almost exclusively use Walt Disney World s on-site transportation during our vacations, and we love the option of complimentary transportation to and from the theme parks and Disney Springs. Using this transportation, however, takes some planning, and it s often better to plan more time than you think you need for transportation. Depending on what Walt Disney World hotel you re staying at, you ll be using bus transportation some if not all the time. Buses officially arrive approximately every 20 minutes, but this varies depending on the time of day and the route. I recommend planning at least 40-50 minutes for transportation between when you arrive at the bus stop and when you get to the park entrance. During busier times of year, or if you need to be somewhere for a reservation, plan closer to an hour. If you re traveling to another Walt Disney World hotel, keep in mind that many hotels do not have direct transportation between them, so you ll need to transfer at one of the theme parks or Disney Springs. This can take extra time, so plan at least an hour for transportation involving a transfer if you need to be at a dining reservation. Even if you are driving your own vehicle to the theme parks, note that you may still need extra time. Some parking lots have trams that take guests to the park entrance that may require waiting. At the Magic Kingdom, the parking lot is actually located on the opposite side of the Seven Seas Lagoon, so guests will need to take either the ferry or the monorail from the parking lot to the park entrance. Do: Prepare for lots and lots of walking The Walt Disney World theme parks are huge. By acreage, the largest is Disney s Animal Kingdom at 500 acres. While not all of this is space guests will see, it s an indication that there is a lot of ground to cover when visiting the parks, and guests will be doing lots and lots of walking when they visit. So, you ll want to be prepared by packing comfortable and broken-in walking shoes. Those with younger children will definitely want to consider strollers, even for children that may have outgrown strollers at home. Another way to help with the walking distance is to plan your day so that you aren t criss-crossing the theme parks any more than you need to, thus keeping walking to a minimum.
For guests with mobility issues, ECV and wheelchair rentals are available at the theme parks, and most rides are able to accommodate mobility devices. Guests in ECVs may need to transfer to wheelchairs or be able to transfer to ride vehicles for certain attractions. Don t: Miss the details One of our favorite things about visiting Walt Disney World is all the amazing detail packed into the parks. While seeing Walt Disney World s major attractions is definitely a priority, there are so many extra details designed into the parks with such great care and though on the part of the Imagineers that it s a shame to miss them. Often all you need is some time to slow down and soak it in. While it would take a book to list all the details and hidden references in the parks, here are a few of our favorites. Singing Lessons Main Street at the Magic Kingdom is full of little details, and this is one that we discovered on one of our very first trips. About halfway down Main Street, there s a little side street with no outlet and a little bit of seating. It s nice and quiet, for the most part, but if you stand under the window titled Singing Lessons, you can hear them taking place. Do Not Pull the Rope Outside of the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular at Disney s Hollywood Studios, you ll see a rope with this sign of course, you should do exactly the opposite, and listen to the reaction you get. Miniature Train Village This qualifies as one of the in plain sight details, but it s one that we always love to see. An elaborate miniature train village sits outside of the Germany Pavilion in Epcot, and often has little extra decorations added during seasonal events. Tree of Life The Animal Kingdom s centerpiece is impressive from a distance, but you really have to get close to it to appreciate all the detail. Over 300 animals are carved into the tree s trunk, branches, and roots, and there are a few trails surrounding the tree that let you see a lot of these up close.
Hunt for Pascal The Tangled area in the Magic Kingdom is one of our favorite themed areas, despite its only major attraction being the bathrooms it s just a lovely and usually relaxing area. For a little extra fun, see if you can find Pascal hidden in around the area. Until Death Do Us Part The Haunted Mansion is one of my all-time favorite Disney rides with incredible levels of detail and storytelling, but you really have to pay attention to find this little secret. Outside the Haunted Mansion in the queue, there s a wedding ring embedded in the ground. (A Cast Member can help you find it, if you ask). City of Tomorrow Walt Disney s original vision for Epcot was a model city of tomorrow, and while the park has turned out very different, you can see a glimpse of this model city on the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover. Look to your left (assuming you re facing forward) after going past Stitch s Great Escape. Picture If You Will The Tower of Terror is an incredibly detailed ride, and is especially fun for fans of the Twilight Zone. Keep an eye out for direct references to the show, such as the fortune teller from Nick of Time and the book from To Serve Man in the library, and The Dummy in the pile of stuff you ll see near the end of the ride. Hidden Mickeys The search for Mickey Mouse s silhouette throughout the parks is a popular one, and the fun thing is you can find them just about anywhere walking through the parks, on rides, in restaurants, at the resorts and we re always finding new ones. One of the first ones we saw was a brightly colored bobber in one of the scenes in Splash Mountain. This is just a sample of all the details you can discover in the parks be sure to keep an eye out, because these are the kinds of details that add a little extra magic to your trip.
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