Making the most out of your Disney Experience - TIPS?

[ciscobee]

Another GREAT tip I just thought of!

When you are at the Magic Kingdom and there are Parades scheduled 1 hour before the Fireworks show (Wishes, etc.), Watch the parade, and then head right down the middle of main street until you are just beyond the bakery and Casey's. Keep walking and look at the ground elevation in the street. The Street rises up on a slight angle, and then it peaks. If you stand at the peak ... not to far from the place they put the Popcorn Wagon/Light up rope vendor ... everyone will sort of stand on a decline from you.

This allows you to see the show with a virtually un-interupted view, and not wait all day to reserve a spot!

 

[Gorjus]

Take time to enjoy the street performers in Epcot and MGM. I just love the World Showcase Players and the Citizens of Hollywood Streetmosphere. The MGM Citizens of Hollywood come out every hour on the half hour and are situated on Hollywood Blvd and Sunset Blvd.

Also, if you want to see and hear most of Illuminations including the music, but can't get inside Epcot, go to the Hess Station by Boardwalk and park near the car wash. You can see and hear most of it.

 

[Vernonpush]

We have discovered that getting lunch at the Magic Kingdom can be kind of stressful without an ADR at a sitdown restaurant. So now we just hop on a boat or monorail to one of the resorts for a quiet and relaxing lunch before heading back to the park. The best was at Fort Wilderness campgrounds. The Trail's End Restaurant:

LUNCH
Noon until 2:30 P.M.

All-You-Can-Eat Buffet includes:

Soup of the day
Chili
Salad Bar
Selection of vegetables
Fried chicken
BBQ of the day
Pizza
Assorted hot and cold sandwiches
Daily Chef's specials

Beverages available at an additional cost

Price: $12.99 Adult; $8.99 Child (3-9)

Soup and Salad Bar Only Available

Not only was it relatively inexpensive, but there was only one other family there. It was a welcomed quiet from the hustle and bustle of the park.

 

[azzureblue]

First post, Hello Everyone!!!

1. Realize that you'll be making MANY trips to WDW over your lifetime (otherwise you wouldn't be reading this website). See things from different viewpoints each time. On one trip, take a notebook and write down all the things that you would change if you were Walt Disney. You'll look a bit out of place and people may even ask you what you're doing. On another trip, take all of your pictures in black and white or from 3' off the ground (kid's view).

2. Take a tour. Behind the Seeds is good. Keys to the Kingdom is expensive but definitely worth it. Sure, you "think" you already know everything about WDW. You'll pick up another nugget or two.

3. Look for "free stuff". It's there, but you have to be looking for it and enjoy it when you find it. Boat rides, monorail rides, ice water, Birthday buttons, hand shakes, strangers that will take your picture, new friends from distant places, and smiles --- All FREE!!! All vacations cost us time and money. We trade that for new experiences that recharge our lives.

4. Talk to the CMs. Look for "experienced" CMs. Even the ones in ties will take time to talk to you if you're nice to them. Afterall, they have the job you wish you had!

5. Most important - true for any vacation - leave the real world behind for a few days. E-mail, voice mail, and other stuff at home will still be there when you get back.

 

[Gorjus]

3. Look for "free stuff". It's there, but you have to be looking for it and enjoy it when you find it. Boat rides, monorail rides, ice water, Birthday buttons, hand shakes, strangers that will take your picture, new friends from distant places, and smiles --- All FREE!!! All vacations cost us time and money. We trade that for new experiences that recharge our lives.

4. Talk to the CMs. Look for "experienced" CMs. Even the ones in ties will take time to talk to you if you're nice to them. Afterall, they have the job you wish you had!

Amen to #3!!! Before Fl Res Seasonal Passes, I was an expert on all things at Disney that were free.

As to number 4, if they have a tie on, chances are they are not management, but merchandise.

 

[tizzo]

Here are a few tips I'll share.

To expand on someone else, who said something along the lines of "FASTPASS FASTPASS FASTPASS", let me add that you should make *intelligent* use of the Fastpass system. Here are a couple of rules of thumb that I try to follow:

1. Always get a new Fastpass before using the one you're holding. This seems like common sense, but based on the number of people I constantly see lingering outside attractions waiting for their fastpasses to come due, it seems to be largely ignored. Fastpass rules say that you can get a new Fastpass five minutes after the window on your last one opens or two hours after you got your last one, whichever is sooner (they've actually started printing right on your Fastpass the time that you are eligible to get a new one). You have a full hour from when your Fastpass window opens until it closes (and most CMs don't enforce the closing time anyway). You should always get your next Fastpass before you use the one you have.
2. Just because an attraction offers a Fastpass doesn't mean you should get one. I can think of at least one attraction off the top of my head (Mickey's Philharmagic at the MK) that I consider to be a waste of a Fastpass. If I go on the standby line, I almost always make it into the holding area for the next show immediately. At worst, I have to wait for the current show to end, then enter the holding area and wait for the next show to end (about 12 minutes they say). I usually don't get one for the Haunted Mansion either, because the line is generally pretty short. Just always take a look at the standby line before you get a Fastpass, just to make sure you really need one.

Park hopping is another good tip someone mentioned, although I'd do it a little differently. I would prefer not to waste valuable operating hours traveling between parks, so I'd try to stick to one park at a time. However, Animal Kingdom ALWAYS closes earlier than the other parks. So here's what I would recommend:

1. Spend a day each in one or two of the parks with later closing times. I can guarantee that you will leave at least one of them without feeling like you "finished" it. Even if you do finish it, there are some pretty good nighttime shows (such as Wishes and Illuminations) that you will probably want to see again.
2. Spend a day at AK.
3. After AK closes, move back to a park that is open later and that you haven't finished, or go see Wishes or Illuminations again.
4. As a lower cost alternative to 3 (say you don't want to buy the Park Hopper upgrade), most of Wishes can be viewed for free from the ferry boat terminal at the TTC. They even pipe in the soundtrack.

Finally, someone else mentioned that you should try to look for "free" stuff. One that my wife and I like to do sometimes is when we leave the MK, instead of taking the monorail or the ferry boat, we'll take the resort launch to either Polynesian or Grand Floridian (they have one launch that goes to both). Grand Floridian has a monorail station where you can board a train that will take you back through the MK, Contemporary, and back to the TTC. Polynesian also has a station, if you board there you'll proceed to the Grand Floridian and the rest of the way around from there. You can also walk to TTC from the Polynesian. Both resorts are beautiful, and it is fun just to walk around the grounds.

 

[chappy]

I posted this already and somehow it didn't save I guess...

My tip for making the most of your Disney experience is:

Don't waste your time with Expedition Everest. Animal Kingdom is such a beautiful park and there is so much to enjoy there. Additionally, it has shorter hours than the other parks. So why waste time standing in a long line for a ride that is really a huge disappointment? I realize anyone who hasn't ridden it yet would want to experience it at least once just because of curiosity. My advice, though, is either get a fast pass, or only ride it if the wait time is around 15 minutes or so. Otherwise, it's just not worth it.

 

[mickster]

My tip for making the most of your Disney experience is:

Don't waste your time with Expedition Everest. Animal Kingdom is such a beautiful park and there is so much to enjoy there. Additionally, it has shorter hours than the other parks. So why waste time standing in a long line for a ride that is really a huge disappointment? I realize anyone who hasn't ridden it yet would want to experience it at least once just because of curiosity. My advice, though, is either get a fast pass, or only ride it if the wait time is around 15 minutes or so. Otherwise, it's just not worth it.

 

[Emerald Rose]

I'll have to think of some more to post later on but here's one I thought of right away: In the summertime when it gets really hot, either wear a bathing suit under clothes or bring it with you. This way you can just hop on a Disney bus to either go to a water park or your hotel pool without wasting time getting back to your hotel room and changing. The sun really gets strong and sometimes you need a pool break for awhile to cool off.

 

[Mori Anne]

Well I like to do park hopping.

For Example,

I would go to Magic Kingdom till Noon,
Go to Downtown Disney, watch a movie, eat and shop,
Go to a park that closes late.

Clothing I never wear "mittens" or gloves, scarf or heavy jacket. It is never cold, the coldest it gets in central Florida is maybe high 20s; Really a fall jacket something like a light leather jacket is good enough.

Do not forget to sniker at all the warm weather guests that thinks the upper 20s is cold,

Hi, I live in Florida (I just moved here from living in icy cold Northern Vermont for 4 years), and I stand firm on the tip of bringing mittens. Even in the 40's, mittens are nice to have on you. The upper 20's are cold especially for children. You need a decent winter jacket for anything under 38. I don't mean an Alaskan parka, but something thicker than a fall jacket. Twenty degrees or above might be fine for running into the mall, but standing in lines for 40 plus minutes constitutes some mittens.

 

[jessnic95]

This is a great thread!!! Thank you!

We visited WDW for the first time two years ago with 2 of our 3 kids (we're going back in September with all 3 - AKL!!Yeah!) Some of the best advice I got before our last trip, I picked up from websites like this one. I have just two things to share!
1. Get up EARLY! Going in September, the parks were not very crowded anyway, but we often got to the parks just as they were opening and hardly saw anyone till 11 am (especially AK and MGM). We walked onto so many rides and basically were able to go through most of the park by early afternoon. It was great!
2. Strollers- Be sure to take a few pieces of bright colored ribbon or fabric with you to tie on to the handle of your stroller. With the sea of strollers parked in some areas, it made locating our stroller much easier and quicker!!
3. Have fun!!

 

[smayco]

dont sleep late. plain and simple.

That was going to be my tip. Getting up early was the single best idea anyone told me about. We literally were able to see half the park before lunchtime.

~Sue

 

[Laura]

My tip for making the most of your Disney experience is:

Don't waste your time with Expedition Everest. Animal Kingdom is such a beautiful park and there is so much to enjoy there. Additionally, it has shorter hours than the other parks. So why waste time standing in a long line for a ride that is really a huge disappointment? I realize anyone who hasn't ridden it yet would want to experience it at least once just because of curiosity. My advice, though, is either get a fast pass, or only ride it if the wait time is around 15 minutes or so. Otherwise, it's just not worth it.

Some people actually like this ride. :animwink: I've waited much longer than 15 minutes and thought the ride was incredible.

All the tips in this thread have been great!

 

[Disnut]

-

- With cell phones, cameras, MP3 players, DVD players, and a laptop in our trip list, I have found it very helpful to bring a power strip (or surge suppressor) and an extension cord. With all the rechargable devices, these have been invaluable.

-.

I wish I would have thought of this. This one is a great Tip. Thanks.:sohappy:

 

[backinaction]

Park at the deluxe hotels and explore them while using the monorail to get into the magic kingdom. Just tell the guard at the gate you want to try and make dining reservations.

 

[slappy magoo]

Some people actually like this ride. :animwink: I've waited much longer than 15 minutes and thought the ride was incredible.

All the tips in this thread have been great!

I think he's doing his part go keep people off the likne so it's shorter for him. :lol:

Oh, and backinaction? Theoretically, the Deluxe resort security will only let you park for a few hours while you explore or dine. While I've never heard of anyone who abused this policy getting towed, it's still something you do at your risk, especially if you try it at peak times when parking is at a premium. Let's face it, if there weren't a policy, everyone would be doing it. There have been plenty of threads about this very topic. Some people swear it's a no-brainer, and others feel it's a policy people shouldn't abuse as it can cause extra work for security keeping tabs on all those extra cars parked longer than 3 hours.

MY WDW tip? If you're posing for a picture with Tigger, DON'T CHOKE HIM!

 

[bartbrine]

how could you say that

Mickster, how could you say that expedition everest is not worth it. It by far is the best roller coaster at WDW!! When you go to Animal Kingdom first thing you must do is EE. We've been there early and the standby line is 10 to 20 minutes. We have a 7 year old who is tall enough to go on the ride, however, I thought it was too intense for him.

 

[DisneyMarg]

If you have kids 3 to 10 (or maybe even older) they "rest" from the day by running around freely, not by sitting still (like adults). So, plan to spend a considerable amount of time each day at the playground areas. Take a book for yourself, and enjoy sitting, while the kids climb all over Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground (MGM), The Boneyard (AK), the ship in Norway (can't remember the name) or in the water fountains (Epcot), or Tom Sawyer Island (MK). Try to stay as long as they want to. You'll find them much more patient about waiting in lines and watching parades during the rest of the day. Some days we'd be there for over an hour, but it did more good than an hour long nap would have.

 

[jasonchas]

when were there in feb 2006 it was freezing everyone was buying hats and scarves and all the characters had coats one!

My past two winter trips Dec 04 and Fed 06, were the two best trips we have ever made to WDW. Granted.. You really never know what the weather will be like, but we had good luck both of those times. Both times I ended up wearing shorts most of the time. I did however need a light jacket to wear in the mornings and evenings. As long as you keep moving thats all you will need. I do live in Rhode Island, so 40 degrees in the evening very warm to me.

 

[jasonchas]

Does anyone else ever "Take the long way out" of EPCOT?

I always take my time leaving Epcot after the park closes. I like to take pictures of the park once the crowds head out. It's amazing what great pics you get at that time of the night. I've stayed as long as an hour after park close (just dont miss the bus or monorail to your resort). The cast members have always been very nice and never asked me to leave. I've even asked a few if they mind that I make a few pics and they told me to help myself.