We talk a lot here on Chip and Co about the Disney World “must dos”-must use a Disney travel agent, must get to Rope Drop, must take comfortable shoes, must eat at Be Our Guest, must make ADRs at 180 days. But today we are going to talk about the “don’t dos” for your Disney trip. These will make your trip easier, smoother, and less stressful, right? I hope so! Here we go with the Ten “Don’t Dos” for Your Disney Trip.
Don’t buy tickets from a ticket reseller or an outside source. Buy them directly through Disney. Sure, some companies offer “good deals”, or “buy one day get the next free”, but so does Disney. Adding your tickets directly to your Disney package should be a no brainer.
Don’t stop in the middle of the walkway. You wouldn’t stop in the middle of the street, you would pull over, right? Same goes for the Disney walkways. Stay to the right, and if you need to stop to tie a shoe, check a map, or take a photo, step to the side.
Don’t complain about everything. Disney is crowded, it’s usually hot, and patience is key. CastMembers are there to help you, so keep that in mind. Some situations are out of their control. Often, Disney will try to make up for any lack of service or expectation-the nicer you are about complaining, the better off you will be.
Don’t wait until 10 minutes before a parade starts to get a seat. If you want a good seat for any parade at Disney, then timing is essential. Start staking out a spot on Main Street at least an hour, if not more if it’s crowded, for the parades and Wishes.
Don’t take flash photos on rides. It’s uncomfortable for others around you, some attractions and shows Disney asks you explicitly to not take these, and sometimes the photos don’t turn out how you’d hope they would anyway.
Don’t plan to be in the parks EVERYDAY of your trip. Your family needs a rest from the sights, sounds, and other stimulation of the parks. Plus, you paid to stay at an awesome Disney resort and you should make plans to enjoy it. So many resorts have awesome pools, kids’ activities, movies outside, etc. Make the most of it!
Don’t stay off Disney property. The many perks of staying on Disney property outweigh the money you may save by staying off site. FastPass Plus at 60 days prior, the Disney transportation, MagicBands, Extra Magic Hours, the Disney Dining Plan….and so much more! In fact, if you go when Disney is offering a discount, you can stay at a Value Resort for about the same rate as you could stay off site.
Don’t plan a trip for Easter, Christmas, or New Year’s Eve. These are not only the busiest times at Disney, but also some of the most expensive times. Occasionally, you’ll get lucky and Easter might be included in a discount. BUT, the weeks between Christmas and New Year’s are not. You’ll be so much happier if you try an alternate time.
Don’t tote your purchases all through the Disney Parks. Disney has a fabulous perk for on site guests. When you purchase something in the shops, you can leave it. Disney will deliver it to your resort. Then you can pick it up at the resort shop. Be aware, that if it is your last day in the parks, this may not work. The packages may not make it to the resort in time.
Don’t crowd the family who is enjoying a character meet and greet. Let them have their moment and their photos. I know it can be hard to wait in line with young children who are excited. But it is also frustrating to be the family enjoying your moment, while those behind you are commenting, rolling their eyes, and are clearly impatient. Your time will come, and you’ll want others to be patient too. On the flip side, be aware of others who are waiting patiently.
What can you add to the list? I am sure we all have our Disney frustrations. Keep in mind that the Disney parks attract a lot of guests all year round. That means patience, tolerance, and lots of pixie dust!
Carrie is a Vacation Specialist with Destinations in Florida-the preferred Earmarked agency of Chip and Co. She is always ready to help you and your family create lasting memories on your next Disney vacation, Disney Cruise adventure. or Disneyland trip. Carrie specializes in families of five or more-from first hand experience, she knows how to plan a trip for a family of 5! Contact her at carrie@destinationsinflorida.com today for a free quote and to get your Disney trip planning started. Mention Chip and Co for a free gift when you book your trip with her!
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I can definitely vouch for a few of the don’ts. My family never stays off property, we always plan a day outside the parks to rest at the resort and spend time at downtown Disney. This year we arrived on New Years Day and it really was not as crowded as we expected. We always opt for purchases to be sent to the room, that means a lot less to carry. Being military we get our tickets from MWR on post or we go to (but not stay at) Shades of Green on the Disney Property. Courtesy is definitely key in many aspects because families are there hoping to enjoy it just as much as the rest.
Good suggestions, although I disagree about the tickets. We purchase through AAA and it can be a sizable discount depending on the amount of days you purchase. I do believe that discounts are not available for 1 or 2 day passes, but start at 3 days. Also, I have a big don’t – if you are a smoker, please do not try and “sneak one” in areas that are not designated as smoking spots. I have seen people light up while on line for rides and even while waiting for the parade. And if you are in an attraction or show, please put away the cell phones, ipads and gaming devices – I am always amazed at the number of kids who bring them to the parks! And not just the little ones ( I can understand bringing something to keep them occupied while on long waits),but tweens and teenagers too! There is so much to see at Disney World, just put the electronics down and take it all in!
We are always just day guests at the park. We use the package pickup that they have in the front of each park. It’s so wonderful!
You need to be in the park for at least 3 hours to ensure that your package will be in package pickup.
These are great! Also – if see strollers around – don’t try to run them over! We had our kids in a double (which was a pain – but they were 4/5) and during July 3rd fireworks display – there were so many people, that they not only ran over our stroller – they stepped on it and turned it over! We had to pick up our kids and carry them – we couldn’t get out of the park. And – if that ever happens that it’s so crowded that you can’t seem to get out – go ride the People Mover in Tomorrowland. They will eventually open the side entrances to let people out and you can get out of the crowds without any meltdowns (kids or adults)!
I think the strollers and scooters are a big issue on both sides of the fence. I have used both and it is so hard not to hit people. People really need to be more aware of others around them. I was in a scooter and tried to get off the sidewalk to cross to the other side and beeped the little horn twice as folks were dead stop on the down slope. My husband went and asked if they could please move just a little so I could get down. They were very nasty. We finally got a cast member to ask them to please move off the spot so that I could get down and they argued with him the next thing I knew security was there and they moved. I was so upset I almost left. On the other hand I have seem people run into people just to get somewhere and that is so wrong. You can seriously hurt someone that way. I have actually ran into some heels of people but accident with a strollers and was like besides myself to hurt someone. It is really hard sometimes with the crowd but be aware and be kind.
Where do you buy tickets? We are also DVC members so I am always looking elsewhere.
I will admit I do grumble a bit like a little kid when I have to wait in a long line – especially when it doesn’t move for awhile, but I try not to grumble loud enough for other’s to hear :o) Have never taken a day off from the parks because we only get to go about every 5 years or more – once it was over 10 years – so there is always so much new stuff we have to catch up on. This last trip though we didn’t go to a park the day we arrived. We stayed at the AKL which we had never stayed at before and then went to Downtown Disney, unpacked and had an early night. These are very good suggestions though. Too bad they couldn’t put in a scooter lane – I would be awful on one of those since I’ve never ridden one before and do understand having problems and getting used to them. But I’ve been run into before and it hurts!
Great advice! One thing I will say is you can buy outside tickets from reputable agents with no fuss. I did for our recent trip and had no problem adding them to our reservation through the MDE app. Of course we are DVC members so buying a package is out.
This goes with “walk on the right” – “stop on the sides”. If you have a stroller, don’t run over people. If you don’t have a stroller, be mindful of the strollers. People don’t want to run over you when you step right in front of them. Maybe I need to write a blog about stroller Do’s and Don’ts.
Great list – I’m going to keep it to share with newbies! I’d add, though, along the same lines as being patient with other guests experiencing character meet-and-greets, that if you are using a scooter or stroller in your traveling party, please be courteous to those around you. It’s never easy in a crowd, especially when you’re in a hurry to get to a Fast Pass or dining reservation – but there are ways to be as careful as possible. We’ve used both strollers and scooters in our party. I have to admit that I cringed seeing how my in-laws handled their scooter – oy! – they were angry at guests in their way, but would think nothing of getting in everyone’s way and practically running down guests – and they completely resented strollers! My husband and I were always apologizing to those around us! I try to be patient with those on scooters and managing strollers, but I’m sure I often inadvertently get in their way anyway. Like I said, it’s hard for everyone in a crowd. My days of using a stroller are over now that my kids are older, but as my health fades and I realize that a scooter might be in my near future, I vow to be as gracious as possible when passing through waves of guests wanting to enjoy the magic as much as I do! (p.s. and I agree about folks spending too much time on their cell phones – so many other wonderful things to enjoy!… but then again, sometimes I have found myself guilty of it…standing in the park with my cell phone, texting people about the fun we’re having and sending photos – LOL!)
I agree I wouldn’t spend Christmas or NYE anywhere but Disney. The magical moments outweigh the crowds! The NYE fireworks themselves outweigh the crowds!!
awesome tips! unfortunately, we are only able to visit during the Christmas/New Year time! and yes – it is C-R-A-Z-Y! But, that is all we know, so we have learned how to deal with it! I wouldn’t spend Christmas anywhere else!
Nice article — probably the best and most useful article I have read of Chip and Co. We have been going for years and always stay on property (thanks to our 20 year DVC membership) and don’t go to the park every day. There is so much else to do and enjoy on property — a lot of it for free. One thing I see that I don’t understand is people tied to their cell phones. There is so much else to enjoy!