The epic family trip to Walt Disney World was a success after all. There were a few rocky moments as to be expected, but everything turned out fine by the end of the day. Not even the temperature dipping down to 61 degrees with wind chill or parks filled to capacity could stop the Disney Magic from taking effect. We even had to tend to a sick child during the first day when we flew into Orlando, Florida.
It’s no secret that I’m not a Disney World fan, but I am glad that I went with the family. My wife and children truly appreciated their gift and had the time of their lives. Of course the fun moments were usually interrupted with disciplining children and dealing with sibling rivalry. My experiences at Disney World during this trip were quite different than previous visits because I tried to keep an open mind. The lessons that I learned from my wife were invaluable. I would like to share some of the these tips with you to ensure that you will have an enjoyable trip when you visit the Disney World.. Let’s start with the first of Walt Disney World Hacks.
Dress Appropriately:
The temperature dropped to 61 degrees on Animal Kingdom day and I was the only one in my family that dressed for the weather. My wife and children saw the beautiful Florida sun and decided to wear shorts and paid the price. Once the sun started to set, the temperature plummeted to the low 50’s. My wife and children were very uncomfortable in shorts and t-shirts, but persevered and made the best of the situation. Just remember that Florida gets cold just like everywhere else and its better to take off a layer, than not have the extra layer at all.
Florida is famous for its tropical weather so make sure that you pack a poncho or umbrella. More than likely at some point during the week you will be caught in a rain storm. We were lucky and were only caught in the rain once, but if this had been the rainy season, it would have been a daily event.
Resort Transportation: For starters, if you are staying on resort and are dependent upon Walt Disney World transportation, expect delays. It actually took 45 minutes before our Disney transportation bus arrived to the resort for Magic Kingdom. While waiting, we had multiple buses that were scheduled for our stop drive pass us because they were filled to capacity.
This became the norm, but I did find a number to call Walt Disney World transportation when experiencing delays longer than 20 minutes. You may want to jot down (407) 939-7433 just in case your transportation does not show up after 20 minutes. When I called, they placed me on hold and when they came back on, they had the exact location and time of our next bus.
Security Checkpoint:
The security checkpoints at Walt Disney World are taken much more seriously these days. Disney World deserves credit for ensuring the safety of their guest, but it does cause unexpected delays. When we arrived at Magic Kingdom, our jaws dropped when we saw the line in front of us. It moved quick enough, but it was intimidating and time consuming. We discovered that if you don’t bring a bag, you are allowed to bypass the security check point and this can be quite useful knowledge if you are in a hurry. By the way, fanny packs count as a bag. I learned this when park security called my wife back to the checkpoint to be rechecked.
Coffee:
If you are like me, you need a cup of coffee in the morning to get you going. Walt Disney World does supply a complimentary coffee machine in your room, but I felt the coffee was quite weak. I figured I would grab some at the park and was astonished to find very long coffee lines. The line for Starbucks actually appeared to be more like a line for a ride. I suggest bringing along some instant coffee or an energy drink to hold over til the lines subside. Nothing like waiting in line for 30 minutes for a cup of coffee while your family stands by patiently waiting on you
Food and Snacks:
Did you know that you can bring small coolers into Walt Disney World? This is probably one of Walt Disney World Hacks that is least known. Its worth the hassle of bringing one into the park if you are on a tight budget. If you have a stroller, its very convenient to place the cooler in the undercarriage or on top by the handle bars. You can also save money by purchasing a 11.99 popcorn bucket with refills for only 1.99. This is a easy cheap way to have snacks throughout your stay at Walt Disney World. Just don’t lose the bucket three days into the trip like we did.
Fastpass:
Please use the Fastpass system. There is nothing more frustrating than waiting in line for hours on end when you don’t have to. Walt Disney World hacks have utilized this system for many years now and it is always evolving. Fast Passes used to be distributed throughout the park via kiosk on printed out tickets with a time window for you to arrive at a ride. This allowed guest to bypass the longest of lines and have a better experience at the park. The system is still the same, but if you are staying on resort, you will receive a magic band. This band is now used in place of the old school printed out tickets. If you are staying off resort, you can get a plastic card in its place. If you forget about all the other Walt Disney World Hacks that I just described, please remember this one. My wife registered in advance for three of the earliest available Fast Passes, then once we rode all three of those rides, she would use the Disney App to sign up for more passes. It blew my mind how well this worked at Magic Kingdom. Just remember that these reservations need to be made in advance in order for this to work for you. 60 days out for those staying on resort and 30 days if you have accommodations else where.
Restroom:
Due to the popularity of Walt Disney World these days, you will find that the most basic of amenities can be strained. Pay attention to where all bathrooms are located and make a mental note. Some are much busier than others and this may matter at the most inconvenient of times. When the parks are extremely crowded, both men and women restrooms have lines going out of the doors.
Alcohol: If you are staying on resort and enjoy to have a nightcap in the evenings, I suggest bringing your own alcohol. The cheapest beer starts at $8 and goes up from there. I am not a heavy drinker, but I enjoy to have a drink every now and then. I chose to say no to the inflated alcohol prices and I will have a beer when I go home.
Disney App and Message Boards:
Walt Disney World has an awesome app that seems like it is integrated into everything. This app is a great resource for maps, waiting time for rides, scheduling fast passes, and so much more. I suggest for you to have this app loaded on your phone ready to go before you arrive to the theme park. Please take advantage of message boards like DisBoards to gain as much knowledge as possible about Walt Disney World before going on your adventure. The more knowledge that you obtain before your trip will help guarantee your success.
In conclusion, Walt Disney World with all its faults is still the happiest place on earth. You just need to plan ahead to guarantee the success of the trip.