Walt Disney World has long been an American Shangri-La—a place for children to live out their dreams and for adults to remember their childhood. But in this economy, with discretionary spending tightening up, many families are reluctantly choosing to forego the experience.
Steven M. Barrett, an emergency room physician and self-proclaimed “Disney Nut,” has a better solution: reduce the length and cost of your stay by spending less time waiting in lines. Less cost and less waiting sure sounds ideal, but is it possible?
“I consider a wait of more than 15 to 20 minutes in line too long,” Barrett says, “I just don’t do it.”
Using his nearly 20 years of devoted visits to WDW, combined with his inside knowledge of touring patterns and crowd psychology, Barrett has developed flexible touring plans that keep guests ahead of the crowds and immersed in the essential fun and magic of the parks. Like any good scientist, he tested and refined his plans for a number of years (on friends, family, and acquaintances) before declaring them ready for the general public. He also personally verified every step in the plans, not just once or twice but as often as once a week for nearly two decades.
The result of this meticulous effort is The Hassle-Free Walt Disney World Vacation, just out in a fully updated 2010 edition, Barrett’s ninth (The Intrepid Traveler, $15.95). Every aspect of the park visit is fine-tuned, from the best times for visiting attractions, to the most advantageous spots for viewing the parades, right down to which bathrooms in which areas offer the shortest lines.