Disney World Trip Tips – Planning a vacation is never easy, but when it comes to Disney World, things can get particularly tricky, especially for those who are visiting for the first time. If you’re in that boat, here are some useful tips for planning your first trip to the “Vacation Kingdom of the World!”
The Best Disney World Trip Tips
1. Book hotels, tickets, and restaurants months ahead
Character meals and after-hours events are highly sought-after experiences that tend to sell out fast. Park reservations are also required for entry and can fill up on busy days.
While a spontaneous trip to Disney World is possible, it’s advisable to plan at least two months in advance to ensure the best selection of dining options, hotels, and parks.
2. Visit during off-peak times
If you want to have a more relaxed time at Disney theme parks and avoid crowds, you might want to plan your trip during off-peak times.Avoid peak times such as major holidays and school breaks.
Visiting during January and February, as well as late summer and early fall after kids return to school, can be ideal.
3. Disney World Trip Tips – Stay on property
Disney hotels provide guests with various enchanting benefits, such as delightfully themed rooms, exclusive park access, and complimentary transportation throughout the resort. For those experiencing Disney for the first time, staying in the “Disney bubble” is particularly worthwhile.
4. Spend on a club-level room
Guests at these high-end hotels have access to a lounge that serves delicious food and drinks, including free alcoholic drinks, all day long.
5. Disney World and Disneyland apps
The resort’s app is essential and provides real-time information on ride wait times, dining reservations, mobile food ordering, hotel details, and Genie+ (more information on that later).
6. Prepare for Disney Genie+
Disney’s Genie+ is a paid service that replaced the previous free FastPass system, and it lets guests select rides for quicker access via Lightning Lanes. During busy times, it might be worth it to buy Genie+ to get the most out of your ride, but it might not be necessary at other times.We made a separate guide for Genie+ to help you figure out how to use the system.
7. Disney World Trip Tips-
The cost of admission to Disney World starts at $109 for a one-day ticket, but if you plan on staying for seven days, tickets start at $69 per day. It may be worth considering adding an extra day to your vacation, depending on your budget and the length of your stay.
8. Disney World Trip Tips – Use mobile ordering
You can bypass food lines at certain quick-service spots by utilizing the app’s mobile ordering feature.
9. Check ride heights for your kids
Before taking young kids to Disney World, it’s best to check online to see how tall they have to be to ride each ride.Â
10. Take advantage of the rider switch service.
To accommodate non-riders or children who are too short to ride, you can use the rider switch service, which allows one group to wait in line while the other group watches the non-riders or children, and then swap without losing their place in line.
11. Ride refurbishing schedule
Scheduled maintenance is carried out on rides from time to time, so make sure to check the online calendar to see if any of your favorite attractions will be unavailable during your visit.
12. Check the calendar for special events and extended park hours
As you check the resort calendar, take note of the park hours, including early entry and extended hours for select hotel guests, as well as the times for nighttime spectaculars and parades. Also, keep an eye out for festivals and events that require tickets, like Halloween and holiday events.
13. Disney World Trip Tips – Celebrate the holidays early
Planning to visit Disney World during Halloween or the holidays? Consider visiting early in the holiday season (early September for Halloween and early November or December, excluding Thanksgiving week, for the holidays) to enjoy the festive decorations without dealing with the crowds.
