Avoid Rookie Mistakes With Tried And True Tips For Walt Disney World

In a recent conversation with my daughter, we were reminiscing about trips to Walt Disney World. (She is currently 22……oh, how time flies!) I asked her to tell me her favorite memories. While musing about this trip and that, she suddenly remembered going with her school to sing at EPCOT’s Candlelight Processional and she exclaimed, “Oh, here’s one. Don’t go with your school!” As I started typing, she screamed, “No, Mom! Don’t write that. That’s not what I meant. But you know what? That trip was a textbook case of what not to do.”

There are many schools that do Disney right. I was a teacher at one of those schools. We had a fearless leader who was as much of a Disney nut as I am and we kept those kids engaged and learning, all while having fun. But my daughter’s school trip? Not my school. And not a fun trip for my daughter. And since she knows Disney about as well as any other  Disney nut out there, she has a qualified list of dos and don’ts at Walt Disney World based on that trip alone.

1. Don’t eat at a tourist trap. One of my daughter’s biggest complaints is where they ate. McDonald’s. The buffet at the hotel (not a Disney hotel but we’ll get to that later.) And Rainforest Café. Now, nothing against Rainforest Café, but you can find Rainforest Café outside of Florida. If you have a burning desire to eat there, by all means, go ahead. But I think what my daughter is trying to say is there are so many amazing and unique dining choices in that parks, at the resorts, even at Downtown Disney. Don’t be afraid to venture out and try something new! Go here for some of our family recommendations!
2. Make dining reservations.  Because of their large group, they had dining reservations. But when they were allowed to go off by themselves, they didn’t. And she assumed (because I do all the planning for our trips) that she could just walk up to a sit-down establishment and get a table. Wrong. “I tried to take them to Sci-Fi Diner and Teppan Edo, even Tony’s Town Square Restaurant you needed a reservation.” So they ate “fast food,” as she calls it – or Quick Service Dining, even though they had enough money for at least one sit down meal. We were visiting, on our own, to see her perform. She made us promise not to tell her where we were eating. It was too depressing for her.
3. Stay on property. I always recommend staying on property if you can afford it. You are immersed in the magic 24/7. And the transportation and parking is convenient and free. My daughter’s biggest complaint about staying off property was how much time is necessary to get to the parks each day. “We spent so much time on the bus. It was awful! I kept thinking, if we had stayed at Pop Century, we’d be there by now!”
4. Spend more time in the parks. So much time was spent traveling back and forth to their resort my daughter didn’t feel like they had much time in the parks, even though they were there 5 days. And, for some reason, they spent a good portion of their time one day at Downtown Disney. Downtown Disney is great. For shopping. But if you’re there for a short period of time, spend your time in the parks. They did a half day at Animal Kingdom and then the rest of the day at Downtown Disney. “There was still so much more to do and already it was time to get back to the bus. My teacher said that Animal Kingdom is a half-day park. Not true!”
5. Don’t over pack. “I wore about half of what I brought.” This was not news to me. I do the same thing. But in recent years, I’ve learned to bring the bare minimum. There are washing machines at every resort if you’re desperate. Over packing just adds to the chaos. Bring what you need and focus on the fun, not the clothes. For some great packing lists, click here.
6. See a show or two. Maybe because they were performing at Candlelight, there wasn’t time built in to see Fantasmic or Festival of the Lion King. Big mistake. There are shows in every park that appeal to all ages. Walt Disney World isn’t just about the rides. The visual entertainment is stunning and it’s good to sit and soak up the magic.
7. Know where you’re going. “Everyone just ran around randomly. We spent half our time running back and forth between Adventureland and Tomorrowland. It was a nightmare!” Eventually, her friends took her lead. And my daughter didn’t realize how well she knew each park. After all, she’d been more than a dozen times by that age. But if you haven’t been as many times or haven’t been in a while, it’s good to know the lay of the land. Many guidebooks have maps built into them. Or, you can visit Disney’s website for up to date maps for theme parks and Disney property.
8. Have a game plan. Along with knowing where you are going, you need to have a plan of attack. Randomly jumping from one attraction to the next drove my daughter crazy and not because she is OCD. It’s a huge time waster. Methodically going through the park may seem like a  spontaneity buster but it is essential on crowded days – and most days are crowded at Walt Disney World. Study your maps, plan out your FastPasses and have a general idea of where you will be first, around lunch, after lunch and beyond. Trust me. You’ll thank me later.

Experiencing the magic of Walt Disney World is easy once you know a few tried and true tricks. What’s your favorite do or don’t?

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