At last, my long awaited Disney trip! Care to spare some tips?

[mctv512]

Hi friends, first of all, thanks for your participation in this forum. I've been reading you for years, enjoying the insights, suggestions and knowledge on Disney parks.

Finally, I'm visiting WDW for 8 whole days! (2 for each park). I'll be arriving on february the 25th and I have some questions.

1. How are the crowds on february/march?
2. I wear glasses, a loose pair, and i'm a little bit concerned that any rough ride may make me lose them. Anyone has had any experience on this?
3. Any suggestions on which park should I visit first or any order in particular?
4. Other suggestions, whatever you think I should know beforehand.

Thank you very much in advance!

 

[DRD]

We just got back from our first time trip. Our biggest oversight was not building in down time to relax. Try not to do too much...give yourself a half day every other day to just chill.

My wife rode with her glasses and took them off on Rock and Roller Coaster, ToT, and maybe Space Mountain. But rode the rest of the rides with them on. I used to work at a theme park years ago and can tell you losing glasses is a common thing. So it probably would be a good idea to either get a lanyard for them, take them off during the ride, or wear contacts on the trip instead.

We visited AK first and that was a good way to break the ice; however, I think there is no substitute for seeing MK the first day.

I'm planning on writing up a trip review if you're interested...

 

[mctv512]

Of course DRD! Thanks for the info! I was thinking of contacts, i'll probably go that way.

Yes, I'd love to read your review! Lemme know when it is online.

 

[Weather_Lady]

1. How are the crowds on february/march?
2. I wear glasses, a loose pair, and i'm a little bit concerned that any rough ride may make me lose them. Anyone has had any experience on this?
3. Any suggestions on which park should I visit first or any order in particular?
4. Other suggestions, whatever you think I should know beforehand.

Thank you very much in advance!

Crowds: Low the first week of February, average for several weeks thereafter, and high during Easter week (end of March)

Glasses: My father wears glasses and had no issues with them (granted, he didn't go on Rock 'n Rollercoaster or Expedition Everest), but if you're nervous, I'd suggest wearing an elastic eyeglass cord, or bringing a park bag with a zipper pocket in which you can tuck them. I would not recommend placing them by themselves in the on-ride slings and holders that the rougher attractions have, as it will be too easy to forget them!

Park order: My family likes to begin and end with the Magic Kingdom, the most attraction-dense, "Disney-fied" and immersive park (in our opinion). Everything else, we do in the order that suits our schedule best.

Other suggestions: Be aware of planning deadlines (ADR window, FP+ window, etc.) and book things as early as possible. Depending on whether you're an early riser or a night owl, consistently plan to utilize rope drop arrivals or late nights (but not both - you'll exhaust yourself if you try to burn the candle at both ends) to visit headliner attractions when lines are at their lowest. Don't be afraid to leave the parks each afternoon for a nap/swim break. Before you leave, craft a really good packing list, pare it down as much as possible, and avoid the temptation to overpack.

 

[mctv512]

Good to know, weather_Lady! I specially take the "don't be afraid to take breaks". My idea is to take two days for each park in order not to rush through attractions.

 

[MickeyMomV]

As DRD mentioned, a little down time is must. You didn't mention who is going, any kids? Age of kids?
We plan our days around EMH. We hit the park at rope drop and stay till lunch time. They we go back to the hotel and take a break till just about dinner time (usually about 3-4 hours). Then we close down a park. We get the park hopper as we will seldom go back to the same park in the evening that we were at in the morning.

I know the Weather_Lady mentioned over packing. We were in the world 2/19 to 3/1 this past February and it was in the 40's in the morning and high 70's to low 80's in the afternoon. When we ran the princess races it was actually in the low to mid 30's at 5am. You are going to need to pack for both extreme's. If you are good powering through with shorts and sweatshirts you might be able to get by in the morning and evening without jeans.

As for splitting up park time, not all of the parks are 2 day parks. Take a look at EMH and see what you can get FP's for and enjoy the time. Keep in mind you really don't need FP's for rides that you can do in the morning during EMH's. 7DMTR is the exception, get the FP for whenever you can!!

 

[SteamBoat6092]

Congrats on you're first trip to the happiest place on Earth!!
Everyone covered the glasses for you already

My family and I always make it a point to be at Magic Kingdom at some point during the first day. Depending on what time you get down there can also change what you do your first day.
If you have park hoppers and are down early in the morning we normally go to either Epcot or Hollywood Studios, go back to relax when our rooms ready usually taking a nap, and finish the night at MK. That first day can be a long one depending on when you get down and the worst thing would be to have one member of your party irritated because they didn't get there sleeping beauty rest.

In my opinion their's nothing better than seeing the Castle on your first day, as well as seeing Wishes on Main Street for your first night of the trip!

Have an amazing trip!! It shouldn't be rainy there in February or March (I think?) but I would still suggest packing a poncho for everyone or a couple umbrellas, nothing ruins a day like being caught in the rain!

 

[TXDisney]

Crowds are good then. Weather can be iffy, but you hopefully will get lucky. HS and AK are the best parks to visit on crowded days with MK and Epcot better on slow days. Week days are slower weekends busier.

 

[JillC LI]

I'm blind without my glasses. I always use a strap around the back on any remotely fast or thrilling ride just to be safe.

My only tip to add - have a Dole Whip Float

 

[bub72ck]

A lot of people do not believe in or think crowd calendars are necessary but I have used them very successfully. I like undercover tourist the best and have found it to be the most accurate. We made sure we were at all of the parks at rope drop last week and the first couple of hours were the best to get attractions done that typically have longer lines. If you can get your tickets early make sure you book your FP+ as soon as you can. I have learned not to use Fastpasses for character meetings since you can usually get in with little to no wait while a parade is going on. I would definitely try to get a Fastpass for Test Track since Soarin' is going to be down while you are there. Those two rides are the most popular at Epcot and Test Track will be way crowded since it's counterpart will be undergoing maintenance.

 

[wdwfan4ver]

I don't go at the time of the year you mentioned, but I do some advice for you due to my experience at WDW and some stuff I know.

DHS Tips
Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular, One Man's Dream and Lights, Motor, Action! is on borrowed time.
Star Wars Land Construction is going start sometime next year matter of fact and the location of Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular is part of where Star Wars Land is going to be.
One Man's Dream is going to gone due to Toy Story Land. When I last visited One Man's Dream Last Month, they have less exhibits there then they did in the past and I wouldn't should shocked if it closes next year. Construction of Toy Land is happening next year matter of fact.
Lights, Motor. Action! is going to part of the location of Phase 3 for DHS, the catch is there isn't any information on when Construction is going start there.
If Lights, Motor, Action! isn't closed yet when you go, it has a couple showings in the afternoon and I recommend finding a place a head of time.
Toy Story Midway Mania has the longest lines at DHS and a Fast Pass Plus would be a great thing to have.
Star Tours: The Adventure Continues has multiple combinations. That means it is very possible you to get different scenes each time to go on the ride.
Season of the Force is going to be running in February and part of March. Should be busy like Star Wars Weekends are and that is a good for a park that is getting prepared for construction.
DHS doesn't enough stuff to do 2 full days unless you plans of doing some attractions multiple times unlike MK without counting Season of the Force.
The Star Wars Fireworks is stuff that you don't need to be close to the stage based on my experience on Frozen Fireworks at DHS.

Epcot Tips
You will need a Fast Pass Plus for Test Track for Feb. or March because of Soarin' being down. I am saying this because Test Track and Soarin' are the 2 busiest rides in Epcot when both are open.
It is very possible of Living the land being a busy attraction with Soarin' down. I've seen that happen before and that could be happening when Soarin' is under refurbishment
Most stuff at World Showcase will not be open before 11:00 a.m. and some attractions in Future World could be longer in those 2 hours due to Soarin' being down.
Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival starts on March 4th. All I know is it is a popular festival at Epcot.
Epcot has the best table service food overall of the 4 parks if you have plans of doing table service at a WDW theme park. My favorites are Rose and Crown, and Chefs de France. Epcot also has very good snacks and table service meals also.
World Showcase part of Epcot is make for taking your time and enjoy the entertainment since rides isn't the focus there.
Frozen isn't going to be open in Norway before May, so if there is anyone in your party that wants to do a Frozen Meet and Greet have them do it on your MK days.

Animal Kingdom tips
Rivers of the Night may or may not being done in Feb. and March and the same is true with the nighttime Kilimanjaro safaris. You shouldn't plan around those two things for certain.
AK is known to close the earliest of the 4 parks and it maybe be true in Feb. or March if the Nighttime stuff at AK isn't done by than.

MK tips
Frozen Meet and Greets still will be very busy when you go at MK since the Epcot Frozen Meet and Greet isn't supposed to be up in February or March. If there is anyone in your party that wants to see Anna and Elsa, use FP+ on that.
If you want to do the Mine Train, use FP+. The lines are very long there otherwise.

MISC tips.
Magic Kingdom gets its busiest during the weekends and Focus on AK. DHS could be very busy on the weekends due to Season of the Force. The only catch is I don't know the Firework dates of Season of the Force for February or part of March.
Since AK hours are less than rest of theme parks at WDW, you should have a plan what to do for rest of that night because it looks like AK is only open up to 5 at night in Feb. and most of March unless the hours change.

 

[ScarletBegonias]

FWIW, I wore my glasses on everything.. Space, RnR and never had a problem. I don't take mine off unless it's a ride that I'm asked to remove them, because then I can't see a THING.

 

[DisneyFans4Life]

Just be sure to relax. Being this is your first time at WDW, you're going to want to do as much as you can, but that will tire and stress you out. Look at what each park has to offer and list out what you and your family absolutely want to see/do and then go from there. Don't forget to take breaks during the day at the hotel; this allows you to recharge and also enjoy your hotel!

 

[LAKid53]

Congrats on your first trip! You will have a blast and will start planning your next trip as you travel home.

1. February, once the runDisney events are over, is usually slow, that is slow in Disney terms. No, you won't have the parks to yourself, but the crowds should be smaller than other times of the year. And early March should be okay. Past the first week, you start running into Spring Break crowds. One of the best ways to determine crowd levels is to look at full rack rates for resort rooms. As you get closer to Spring/Easter break, the non-discounted rates go up.

2. I wear glasses and am blind as a bat without them, so I'm cautious about some of the rides. The only rides I remove my glasses for are Rock 'n' Rollercoaster and Space Mountain.

3. Which park to visit first may be dependent on how & what time you arrive at WDW. If you are going to be arriving in late afternoon after a long drive/plane ride, I would visit the park closest to your resort, unless that park is Animal Kingdom which closes earlier than the other parks. Our routine, once we've arrived and unpacked, is to relax either at our resort or visit Disney Springs for some food and retail therapy. Lately, we've decided to see a movie at AMC in Disney Springs in one of their Fork and Dine theatres. As far as which order, I would let park hours, including Extra Magic Hours, guide you. One note, EPCOT stays open until 11:00pm on most Fridays and is very busy for that reason on Fridays. And I wouldn't necessarily visit the same park two days in a row. If Disney still offers, order the customized maps from the website. They are very nice quality and come in a heavy duty envelope. That way you can familiarize yourself with the locations of attractions, etc., in each park. And mark those you must ride. Nothing wastes time - or tires you out - like having to constantly cross a park to get to rides you and your family want to enjoy. And as others have mentioned, make sure to book these dining reservations and FP+ for the places you must eat and rides you must go on when the windows open up.

The weather in Florida at that time of year fluctuates from chilly to pleasant, so I would pack a jacket and pair of long pants and warm shirt. First time we visited in February, it was cold - in the 30s at night with a brisk wind. I was wearing a turtleneck sweater underneath a pullover sweater, a fleece jacket and cords. I was freezing and stopped at one of the stores to buy a hoodie to add to my ensemble. And the temperature at start time for last year's Princess 5k race in mid February was in the upper 20s. So unless you are from Canada or North Dakota, it will be cold. The National Weather Service is predicting a cooler and wetter winter in Florida this year.

And as others have said, the most important thing is to relax and have a good time!

 

[Tinkerbella16]

We just got back from our first time trip. Our biggest oversight was not building in down time to relax. Try not to do too much...give yourself a half day every other day to just chill.

This is the one thing I tell first timers who ask me to help them plan their trips - take breaks or even take 1 whole day where you aren't going to the parks and just relax at the resort or do something low key.. it makes all the difference and will make everyone a lot less tired and cranky. I don't have kids and I take breaks each day around the midday point when the parks start to get more and more crowded. I enjoy the resort, pool and just rest and then go back out at night and it has worked wonderful.

 

[OvertheHorizon]

Hi friends, first of all, thanks for your participation in this forum. I've been reading you for years, enjoying the insights, suggestions and knowledge on Disney parks.

Finally, I'm visiting WDW for 8 whole days! (2 for each park). I'll be arriving on february the 25th and I have some questions.

1. How are the crowds on february/march?
2. I wear glasses, a loose pair, and i'm a little bit concerned that any rough ride may make me lose them. Anyone has had any experience on this?
3. Any suggestions on which park should I visit first or any order in particular?
4. Other suggestions, whatever you think I should know beforehand.

Thank you very much in advance!

Welcome to Walt Disney World!

You didn't specify whether you are staying on Disney property or off-site. If staying on property, you can arrange for FastPasses 60 days in advance of your arrival and for the duration of your trip. If staying off-property, you can arrange FastPasses 30 days ahead. - so you could get your February 25th FP on January 26. To do so means purchasing your ticket in advance.

As far as which parks to visit on which days, if you are staying in a Disney resort you need to check which days have the Extra Magic Hours for which parks. A park will open early or stay open late on scheduled days for resort guests. Conversely, if you are not staying in a Disney resort, and you see that Magic Kingdom has "extra magic hours" on a particular day - then you might want to avoid that park on that day since you can expect it to be busier.

Your post made it sound like you might be traveling alone. There are two restaurants in Epcot (Germany and Japan) where you would be seated at tables with other guests. Depending on your personality, you might enjoy that opportunity to socialize. I've traveled as a single person and still had a great time - even dining alone.

Another word about FastPasses. You can arrange for 3 of them at one park on a given day. Once ALL of those FastPasses have been used, you can visit a FP kiosk at the park and secure an additional FastPass. But if you select an "end of the day" activity for one of your FPs - Like Fantasmic, or special viewing area for Illuminations, then there is no way you can finish using all three to be able to get another. However, likewise it is usually only the most popular attractions (EXAMPLE: Toy Story Midway Mania at DHS) where you'll really want to have a FP.

As you plan what you want to do and see, study a map of the parks. For example, if you've talked with friends who tell you that you "must" ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Space Mountain, be aware that they are at opposite ends of the park. So if you arranged a 9 a.m. FP for one and a 10:15 FP for the other, you'll already be putting a lot of walking into your schedule. Of course, you may be young and a marathon runner... in which case you don't have to worry about such things.

Since you've never been to WDW, you might want to be flexible in your planning... arrange FPs ahead for the first day you visit each park... and then decide the attractions/parks you might want to visit a second time.

Finally, it is fun to visit some of the resorts - possibly for a meal or just to look around. Contemporary Hotel, Grand Floridian, Wilderness Lodge and Animal Kingdom Lodge are all beautiful places to visit.

Enjoy your visit.

 

[JohnD]

I wear glasses too. I always took them off for roller coasters, though, and put them in a glasses case and that in my backpack. I mean, do you really need to see when you're on coasters? Space Mountain is obvious. But also BTMR and Everest. I left them on for 7DMT. I have yet to ride RnRC.

 

[mctv512]

Hey guys, sorry for not coming back earlier (crazy working weeks).
Im taking down most of the tips. I've already bought a strap for my glasses for instance. I have no trouble in taking my glasses off, but I don't want to loose some of the beautiful theming of some thrill rides!

I'll add some info, seeing that you make have more specific tips:
- I've been to WDW before, but last time was almost 10 years ago
- I'm healthy and in my mid 20's so I won't hesitate to ride everything I can
- I'll be visitng WDW an Universal, having 12 days for parks.
- The first 3 days, I'll be visiting alone. Three days later, a friend of mine will come and do 8 days with me.
- I won't have park hopper tickets and I'll be staying in a Hotel close to international drive
- I don't drive

Tips on my alone days? I think Ill be hitting Epcot, maybe AK on a weekend and probably one of UNIs but i'm still deciding.

 

[Beckett]

Great tips! I would also say drink lots of water, wear comfortable shoes, don't take too much stuff to the parks, and if you are going to take pictures with your phone bring one of those portable batteries. What are you doing for transporation?

 

[brb1006]

Are you okay with getting suggestions from the thread or by starting a conversation?