Walt Disney World is a BIG place – 4 Theme Parks, 2 Water Parks, Resorts, Restaurants, Shops – etc (I could go on but I won’t!). With that much going on, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by all that there is to see/do/experience, and if you aren’t prepared, a trip to WDW can easily turn into a stressful time – and who wants that on vacation? I know I don’t! Take my advice – save time and headaches with my WDW Pro Tips:
Plan Ahead: One of the most important WDW Pro Tips is to do some research ahead of time – Order your free Disney Planning DVD, and check out a guidebook or two. And of course utilize online information about the Parks and Resorts – sites like Chip And Co are of course great, and the Disney World Site can be helpful too. Now I’m not suggesting that you have every minute of every Disney Day planned out in advance – but a rough itinerary is pretty useful, and it can help you get the most out of your time at WDW. If you aren’t much of a planner – I still implore you to at least utilize the Fastpass+ and Advance Dining Reservation Services that Disney offers – they are both free, and can help you save a TON of time waiting in line for rides, and for food too!
Don’t Try To Do It All: I mentioned not over-planning, but you also want to be conscious of not “over-doing” it while at WDW, too. When you arrive through those Park gates, it’s easy to get overwhelmed – the sites, the sounds, the smells, the atmosphere, the MAGIC – it’s a lot to take in, and even though you may get the urge to sprint ahead and ride EVERY RIDE RIGHT THEN – resist it. Trust me – that urge will just leave you tired and cranky, and you will be MUCH better off if you take it slow, stroll instead of sprint, and take the time to take in the details of everything around you. I also recommend a mid-day break – lunchtime is the perfect time to leave the Parks and head back to your WDW Resort for lunch and a nap or some pool time. It may seem nuts to leave all the Park action right in the middle of the day, but trust me – a break will help recharge and refuel you so that you can head back to the Parks for dinner and an evening of fun! Plus – lunchtime and early afternoon is when it is SO HOT at the Parks that it can be a recipe for disaster – sunburn, dehydration, and tantrums galore can be easily prevented by retreating back to your Resort
And speaking of Resorts…
Stay on Site: You will want to stay at a Walt Disney World owned Resort to get the most out of your trip – for several reasons. One being Extra Magic Hours – which allows ONLY guests of WDW Resorts into a Park an hour early or access to a Park an hour after closing time each day, and another being their Magical Express shuttle – which brings you and your luggage to and from the Orlando airport to the doors of your WDW Resort (and it’s free!). For me though, probably the biggest perk of staying on site is just being IN the magic the WHOLE time – the amazing service from the cast members, the fact that I can just hop on a bus/monorail/boat and be at the Parks in minutes (no car, parking lot fees, or parking tram required!) – it’s all part of the perks of staying on site at WDW
Pack Smart For The Parks: Do NOT walk out of your hotel room empty handed – as there are some items you will DEFINITELY be wanting to bring along with you to the Disney Parks. First and foremost – sunscreen – the good kind (high SPF), and you will want to make sure you are applying it OFTEN – whether it’s sunny OR cloudy. Another must have item is refillable water bottles – I like to bring my own from home and fill it at my Resort with water and ice, and I also like to make sure I am refilling it often (ie – that I am DRINKING the water). The Florida sun is no joke folks – it’s big, bright, and HOTTTT – and even if you’re used to sun, it can really be a fun killer – so just bring your sunscreen and water bottles every time you leave your Resort (trust me!). Other items I like to make sure I bring to the WDW Parks are – assorted snacks/hard candies, and spare camera batteries, and ponchos and Ziploc baggies to protect myself (and my valuables!) in case of a sudden downpour – which happens pretty often in Orlando
Try Something New: Remember how your mom always said “Try it, you’ll like it” at dinner time? Well, that doesn’t just apply to broccoli and Brussel sprouts – as vacation is the perfect time to step out of your comfort zone and try a roller coaster, or a big water slide, or some new or unique cuisine too! Seriously though – eat all the food when you’re at Disney – it’s amazing, and it goes way beyond your standard “theme park food” – I literally have never tried something I didn’t like
Hopefully these “WDW Pro Tips” can help you breeze through the hard parts of planning a vacation and allow you to enjoy every minute of being at the Happiest Place On Earth!
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