WDW First timer

aapwayneo2001

New Member
Original Poster
We will be going to WDW the week of New Years, we plan on 3 days (12/31,1/2,1/3). I know this will be a really busy time of year but the stay is free (exept admission) so we couldnt pass. what tips can you guys/galls offer to make this a less stressful time? how should I and on what use my FP and what should I avoid?
 

Weather_Lady

Well-Known Member
My best advice is to buy (or get from your local library) a copy of the Unofficial Guide to Disney World. I think people have hesitated to respond to your post simply because there's so much information to try and convey that it's overwhelming -- plus, not having details about your party (size, ages) and arrangements (where you're staying, where you want to dine, whether you want to do character meet and greets in addition to rides and shows, etc.) that it's hard to customize an answer.

In general, the best tip for any WDW visitor -- especially during busy times of year -- is to arrive early (well before the park opens, so you're among the first in when the gates open), and with a smart touring itinerary (e.g., headliner attractions first - unless you have a fastpass for it later). The top-priority attractions will be different for each park and depending on your party's individual tastes. My personal advice to make your visit as stress-free as possible is to break up your touring into manageable chunks, especially if you're like me and get stressed out by noise and crowds after awhile. Go to a park at rope drop, tour until lunch (at which point the crowds will be peaking), and then head back to your hotel for naps or a swim. Go back to a park in the evening and tour for another 3-4 hours or so.

If you do borrow or invest in the Unofficial Guide, I also highly recommend subscribing to the touringplans.com website (run by the Unofficial Guide folks -- there's a subscription discount for those who have the book, but it's inexpensive either way). It will provide you with sample touring plans, and allow you to customize those -- or create your own from scratch -- which can be optimized for your travel dates, taking into account the crowd levels that are expected.
 
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Gitson Shiggles

There was me, that is Mickey, and my three droogs
Planning almost every detail will help with stress. This could include rides, attractions, shows, parades, downtime (if you can fit it in a 3-day first-time trip), and possibly meals. Try to avoid pinballing back and forth across each park.
 

aapwayneo2001

New Member
Original Poster
My best advice is to buy (or get from your local library) a copy of the Unofficial Guide to Disney World. I think people have hesitated to respond to your post simply because there's so much information to try and convey that it's overwhelming -- plus, not having details about your party (size, ages) and arrangements (where you're staying, where you want to dine, whether you want to do character meet and greets in addition to rides and shows, etc.) that it's hard to customize an answer.

In general, the best tip for any WDW visitor -- especially during busy times of year -- is to arrive early (well before the park opens, so you're among the first in when the gates open), and with a smart touring itinerary (e.g., headliner attractions first - unless you have a fastpass for it later). The top-priority attractions will be different for each park and depending on your party's individual tastes. My personal advice to make your visit as stress-free as possible is to break up your touring into manageable chunks, especially if you're like me and get stressed out by noise and crowds after awhile. Go to a park at rope drop, tour until lunch (at which point the crowds will be peaking), and then head back to your hotel for naps or a swim. Go back to a park in the evening and tour for another 3-4 hours or so.

If you do borrow or invest in the Unofficial Guide, I also highly recommend subscribing to the touringplans.com website (run by the Unofficial Guide folks -- there's a subscription discount for those who have the book, but it's inexpensive either way). It will provide you with sample touring plans, and allow you to customize those -- or create your own from scratch -- which can be optimized for your travel dates, taking into account the crowd levels that are expected.

Sorry those details may help, we have 3 in our party, myself and my wife and our DD2.

We haven’t planned meals, probably just do snacks and PB&J if that’s allowed.

We are staying off resort for this trip so it will probably make taking a break mid day out of park harder, but hopefully TS island will be back open. Someone said it’s a decent area to get some rest
 

RememberWhen

Well-Known Member
Are you planning visits to more than the Magic Kingdom?
You can bring food in, so pb&j is definitely fine. If DD still naps, a stroller walk can be a good idea. You can leave the park and visit one of the monorail resorts mid-day to break things up (though I’m not sure if they expect closures during that time. If so you may not want to leave since you may not be able to get back in).
Have fun!
 

aapwayneo2001

New Member
Original Poster
Are you planning visits to more than the Magic Kingdom?
You can bring food in, so pb&j is definitely fine. If DD still naps, a stroller walk can be a good idea. You can leave the park and visit one of the monorail resorts mid-day to break things up (though I’m not sure if they expect closures during that time. If so you may not want to leave since you may not be able to get back in).
Have fun!
We planned on MK 2 days and AK the other, figured we’d skip the others
 

RememberWhen

Well-Known Member
We planned on MK 2 days and AK the other, figured we’d skip the others
If it was me, I would skip the rides your kiddo can’t do. Make FP for three things each day. Rope drop if at all possible to get in a few ride a before it’s nuts. Then just take in the sights. Enjoy Tom Sawyer’s island. It’s a good place to explore. Sit and people watch. Ride the ferry boat around. Go ride the monorail around once before you leave for the day. Your kiddo will have more fun hanging out with you than running from ride to ride.
 

aapwayneo2001

New Member
Original Poster
If it was me, I would skip the rides your kiddo can’t do. Make FP for three things each day. Rope drop if at all possible to get in a few ride a before it’s nuts. Then just take in the sights. Enjoy Tom Sawyer’s island. It’s a good place to explore. Sit and people watch. Ride the ferry boat around. Go ride the monorail around once before you leave for the day. Your kiddo will have more fun hanging out with you than running from ride to ride.
We had planned on at least FP in AK for the safari. We plan on just FP 3-4 things for her and 2 for us a day
 

RememberWhen

Well-Known Member
We had planned on at least FP in AK for the safari. We plan on just FP 3-4 things for her and 2 for us a day

I’m not sure I understand. You get 3 preplanned FP per day. If you want to use it on, say, Peter Pan then one of the adults will need a FP for Peter Pan. Both, if you both want to ride with her.
Edit: since she has no ticket, your kid doesn’t need a FP as long as she’s accompanied by someone with a FP.
 

aapwayneo2001

New Member
Original Poster
I’m not sure I understand. You get 3 preplanned FP per day. If you want to use it on, say, Peter Pan then one of the adults will need a FP for Peter Pan. Both, if you both want to ride with her.
Edit: since she has no ticket, your kid doesn’t need a FP as long as she’s accompanied by someone with a FP.
Do we have to use FP for each parent if we do a rider swap on a “kid” ride?
 

RememberWhen

Well-Known Member
Do we have to use FP for each parent if we do a rider swap on a “kid” ride?
They won’t usually do a rider swap if there isn’t a height requirement. Assuming they did, and you wanted to rider swap Peter Pan, this is how it would work.
Your group approaches and says “we would like to rider switch.” The CM will ask who is staying back. Party 1 (with the FP) goes in the FP lane and party 2 waits with DD. I suppose when Party 1 comes back Party 2 and DD could go through the FP line. Though the general idea is just Party 2 goes through.
But wouldn’t you rather ride together? This system will take extra time (in addition to being rather against the spirit of the system).
 

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