Are you planning to go on a Disney vacation soon?
Don’t go in blindly! Visiting the happiest place on Earth takes more than buying tickets and going in with no plan. Disney parks are no joke — they’re big, expensive, and there are always thousands of people.
Fortunately, we’ve got a few essential tips and tricks to help you plan your vacation. By following these steps, you can have a smoother experience, ensuring you’ll get the most out of your budget and time. Read on below to learn more:
Disney Is a Big Place
Remember that Disney World, the one in Orlando, Florida, stretches over 27,000 acres (109 square kilometers). You’ll need to know where to go and how to get to each attraction.
It’s not simply one park — it’s one park made up of four different parks, hotels, shopping districts, and two water theme parks. This also includes a zoo (Animal Kingdom) and other attractions like the Disney Boardwalk and Disney’s Springs.
When you look at the parks on a map, it may seem like you can get from one to another quickly, but that’s not the case. Make sure you
Save More by Staying Longer
There’s no denying that staying at any Disney park costs a lot. However, you can save cash by staying longer. The price for a ticket drops for each additional day you stay.
Booking early is also a good idea. Pay for the tickets upfront. The tickets will increase with each passing month or year.
Getting a Place to Stay
The tickets for your rides will cost a lot, but your primary concern should be your accommodations. There are three main options: off-site hotels, on-site hotels, and concessions available for Disney Vacation Club members.
Off-site reservations can seem cheaper at first glance, but on-site offers a ton of other benefits. For example, you can get free shuttles from the hotel to different park destinations.
If you want a luxurious stay without paying too much, consider looking at DVC resale listings. These are time-share accommodations rented out for people looking for great places to stay in.
Reserve Food Early
You know one of the most challenging things to reserve at any Disney park is a meal? Keep in mind there are thousands of people visiting the parks every day. Unfortunately, there are a limited number of seats to accommodate everyone for meals.
This makes getting a dinner reservation a bit of a nightmare!
The best news is you don’t have to book a meal while there in person. You can use options like the Advance Dinner Reservations that Disney offers. This will allow you to make meal reservations days ahead of your visit.
Are you looking for food while on the go? Use the My Disney Experience app for mobile food orders.
Plan All Your Activities
As mentioned, the parks are enormous, so you could easily waste time simply trying to get from one park to the next. An excellent way to optimize your time is to plan your activities and focus on bunching them together according to proximity.
Don’t try to explore everything, and don’t go for every attraction available across the different parks. Not everything will seem fun and exciting to you. It’s okay to skip the events or locations that don’t seem engaging to you.
Jot down the rides you want to try, the events you’ll attend, and the attractions to visit. Stick to that schedule and list of activities.
Get the My Disney Experience App
If you want to get the most out of your visit to Disney, get the My Disney Experience mobile app. This simple app can alter how you experience Disney. It offers all the conveniences you could ask for, right in the palm of your hand.
The app allows you to check the schedule for rides in real-time. You can also make reservations for events right on the app. At the same time, it integrates with features like FastPass (where available) to allow you to skip lines and save time.
You can also use the app to look for ongoing events. Remember that Disney has a lot of shows, from theater plays to character photo shoots. You might be able to catch time with your favorite Disney characters!
Have a Route Ready
Plan your route as soon as you know which attractions you’ll check out. Remember that you don’t always have to walk or drive from one location to the next. There are free shuttle rides you can take, but the lines can get quite long.
If you rely on these free shuttles, make sure to plan for the lines and the waiting period. It may affect which attractions you’ll reach and when.
Get FastPass Plus
FastPass is a feature that allows you to skip lines for rides and other attractions. However, it’s not available in every Disney park, and the rules for FastPass change from park to park. It’s also been unavailable in some parks due to the ongoing pandemic.
That said, there is a new option that may replace FastPass. The new Premier Access is a premium membership option that does many things FastPass and FastPass Plus gave. There’s no word, however, regarding whether or not this will replace the old FastPass system.
Plan the Perfect Disney Vacation Now
Yes, planning a Disney vacation can seem like quite a confusing endeavor. There’s a lot to plot out and expenses to cover, from the attractions you’ll visit reserving your accommodation and food. However, you can have a much easier time getting all this done by following the tips laid out here.
That said, planning your vacation is only the beginning.
Learn how to save cash while at Disney or which food to try out by reading more of our vacation and lifestyle guides. We offer more lists and tips for you to explore, so don’t hesitate to keep reading!