Now you are all set, it is time to take that vacation to the best where dreams come true, Disney World. Of course, Disney World is best experienced with children or grandchildren but even couples can find a tremendous amount of enjoyment there. For couples, the decision is often whether to go to Disney World or to Vegas. If that’s your quandary, remember that you can always play Vegas casino games online and have a great time at Disney as well!
We would like to give you some pointers and hints for getting the most out of your Disney vacation.
Research | Even as well-written as this article is, it might be obsolete in some details by the time you read it. New rides come on board, some rides are closed entirely or shut down for repair and maintenance, and the general rules might change. In addition, a short article cannot cover everything you should want to know about Disney before you go.
Even though you are ready for the vacation of your dreams, you should never try to simply “wing it” at Disney. There lies frustration and the feeling that you’ve wasted money. Every hour of research will open up areas of interest, specifically about Disney, that you didn’t know before.
DON’T Go to the Park Early | We cannot emphasize this enough, because the internet is bursting with people who say get there very early to get those three big rides checked off before the crowds hit. First, Disney World is most definitely not a “check off the list” kind of place. It’s a place to savor every moment. As adults, you’ll be able to appreciate many things that kids never notice like the fact that there are no weeds in the extensive gardens or that it’s hard to find so much as a cigarette butt on the ground much less a wrapper.
Don’t go early because one hour after the gates open it will no longer be early and you’ll be stuck in Disney at the most crowded time of the day. Don’t go early because a lot of people leave around suppertime and don’t come back. We went during the first months of Epcot. The daytime line for Spaceship Earth was two hours but the wait for the same ride at 10:00pm was one minute. We did it twice!
Don’t go early because the rides close at a specific time but the stores stay open. You can slowly make your way to the exit by way of the overpriced stores but a souvenir or a gift from Disney will make someone’s day. The ice cream shop on Main Street has only one flavor of ice cream so the line goes pretty fast. What a great way to end the day! And the kids will love being up late!
The next day, let yourself and the kids sleep as late as you and they need. Eat a breakfast cum lunch before going to the park. Take the kids to the pool. If you know the park will be full take them to one of the water parks or to Animal Kingdom. These may also be crowded but not as crowded as Epcot or Magic Kingdom.
Never Wait More Than Twenty Minutes | Waiting kills the spirit. We took our daughters to Disney years ago and waited for an hour for Dumbo. I said that we would not wait more than twenty minutes and no one was ever bored, we always had something to do, and our frustration level was near zero. That’s a good thing when travelling with kids!
Theaters Hold A Lot of People | Disney knows how to move people along. We came to a theater for a show about 15 minutes early and there were hundreds of people waiting. I thought that we would never get in but the theater held about one thousand people so we got in easily and the girls loved the show. On the fourth day, we took them to the show again and they loved it more.
Stay at a Hotel on the Grounds | This way, you don’t need a car, you’ll never fight traffic on the roads, and you can easily leave the parks for meals or snacks, rest a bit, and come back quickly and easily. The hotels on the grounds are clearly upscale places but they are well worth it.
Don’t Buy Food in the Parks | To buy food at Disney usually means wasting time in line. At one time, they allowed people to bring food in, then they disallowed it, then they started to allow it again. Check to see if the rules have changed. Never carry more than a small backpack into the park. Every food stand is supposed to have cold water which you can get for free. If you can’t bring food in the park, pack some energy bars and eat them all day. They’re junk food but a lot less junk food than chocolate or Disney park fast food.
There are many good restaurants in other places outside the parks so you can go there for supper before returning to the park for the nighttime ride extravaganza.
Disney has a plan called Fast Pass that entitles you to get on a ride without waiting in line. Of course, if a lot of people catch on to this extra, the lines at the Fast Pass window will get long. Fast Pass is very good for now so learn the rules and use it.
Conclusion | Disney World is a great vacation for kids and adults alike. It requires some research and a “plan of attack”. If you go there well-prepared you’ll have a great time. Remember, there are six theme parks on the grounds. You can enjoy one when the others are too crowded.
