What Disney tips do you offer to those who ask?

[LoriMistress]

I have two co-workers who plan to go to DLR this year, during the busy season. My co-workers know me of the "Disney freak" so both of them has come up to me and asked for my advice. And I'm always willing to give it. But I will not do any of their planning for them. I emailed them with some information and links to help them out. There's no way that I'm going to waste my time doing all the planning and research only to find out that they didn't use any of it on their vacation.

 

[ChrisQ]

I have two co-workers who plan to go to DLR this year, during the busy season. My co-workers know me of the "Disney freak" so both of them has come up to me and asked for my advice. And I'm always willing to give it. But I will not do any of their planning for them. I emailed them with some information and links to help them out. There's no way that I'm going to waste my time doing all the planning and research only to find out that they didn't use any of it on their vacation.

Besides, you don't want them to miss out on the fun of planning, right?

 

[LoriMistress]

Besides, you don't want them to miss out on the fun of planning, right?

Exactly. They have to find out if they want to go comando or laid back with a few must do's or activities.

 

[Roxas]

Me after drinking Beverly :hurl::hurl::hurl:

Whats Wrong With You?!?! :brick::brick::brick::brick:

Beverly is the most delicious refreshing drink in Club Cool

 

[AEfx]

I keep it very simple, since most of the time it's a friend-of-a-friend who heard I spend a lot of time down there and calls/emails me a week before they leave.

I just stress, over and over, as hard as possible, to be at the parks BEFORE opening. I explain that if you get there that early, you can see most major attractions in any park by lunch time (more than most people who arrive at 10 or later will see during most of the day). I usually have very good success with this advice - if I go past it (into dining, etc.) I find it gets way too complicated for most people who don't understand that WDW is as complex as visiting Manhattan.

AEfx

 

[jestrfyl]

What should we do?!

Stay on the property (if you can).:sohappy:
Go early, swim in the afternoon, stay late.
Illuminations from Rose & Crown.
Eat in the off hours.
The Dole Whip at M.K. Adventureland is excellent!
Speedway is not worth the line (except in the very off season)
The remote control boats at Jungle Land are very cool.
Wedway People Mover (or whatever they call it now) is our favorite easy ride.:ROFLOL:
Ask to sit in front of the monorail from MK to EPCOT or back.
The MK fireworks are cool from the ferry.
Big Holidays are fun as long as you are expecting huge crowds and long lines.:hammer:
Smile at the people you have passed more than 3 times in the ride corrals.
Chat with any of the castmembers - they are often interesting and very helpful.:wave:
Summer is not much hotter in Orlando than summer in Washington DC or New York.
Cocoa Beach is only 60 to 90 minutes away.
The best food is during the EPCOT Food Festival
Listen to the visiting bands, they went to extraordinary efforts to get there (and my goal since 1971 is to march down Mainstreet in MK - but I graduated 5 months before the park opened)
Off Kilter is great!:king:

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Dont go its too crowded.

 

[Jellyfish]

Don't rush around from atrraction to attraction, you'll remember nothing brilliant. Take your time, take it all in, walk from place to place, breathe the air, notice the atmosphere, and you'll remember everything brilliant, always.

:lol: i can be a soppy tart sometimes.

 

[Laura]

Do Fantasyland during morning extra magic hours to avoid 5 hours of wait time.

Be at Soarin' to grab fastpasses the moment the park opens.

 

[Tinkerbella16]

If you have small children who can't go on a ride, get the Child Swap passes. They hand them out at the entrance of the ride, it is very convenient.

Don't rush anything. It's easier to say than do, that is why I really try to stick to this one. It would be easier if I were by myself in the wdw, but when you are with others, everyone wants to rush and get to a specific place/attraction.

If you are doing a character breakfast...Chef Mickeys is the one!!!!!! With O'Hanas coming close in second.

Don't buy new sneakers right before your trip, make sure your shoes are broken in, or you won't be a happy walker.

 

[LeeSeeBabe]

I definitely think it depends on whether the person has never been to Disney and knows nothing, or if they have been a few times and are looking for the ultra-advice...

But, I go to FSU, so come on, most of my friends just want to go to Epcot to drink around the world. I tell them sure, that is fun, but here's what else you should do. I think they tune me out after that :brick:but I'll still keep talking!
I think it is more fun for me to talk about it than for some people to hear about it!

 

[The Disney Kid]

Stay on site. Get the Dining Package, at least before they changed it. When you enter a park, go left. Basic stuff.

 

[SewIn2Disney]

I usually point them to allearsnet to check out pictures/facts/reviews of the hotels and to check out the menus to pick reservations for meals.

Once Ive been asked for help, it's hard to shut me up and I could go on for hours.....

 

[Mikester71]

I usually tell people to look into staying on site for the many conveniences that come with it, to take advantage of the FastPass whenever possible, and to not over plan every last deal. You are on vacation; just go with the flow and have a blast! :sohappy:

Oh yeah, and I tell them to check out this site of course!

 

[bgraham34]

I always tell people when booking to check out the boards here and a few other sites. I tell them to make their dining reservations as early as possible. I also tell them what Nightime shows to make sure they see.

 

[MousDad]

My basic tips:

1) Tour the park(s) the first 4 (ish) hours after opening and the last 4 (ish) hours before closing, especially if bringing kids, especially during peak times. Take a break mid-day.

2) Avoid the park that has EMH that day.

3) Tell them the rides in each park that they should do only at park opening, or with FP, never standby.

4) Relax and enjoy. You'll never do it all.

5) My final tip: Do not believe the most widely propogated myth about visiting Disney World - that staying offsite is "less magical" or provides a diminished experience from staying on property. Staying on or offsite needs to be decided on a variety of factors that are purely preferential. I encourage them to weigh the benefits of both and pick what's best for them.

That's my basic advice. From there, I share as much detailed strategies as they are interested in.

 

[Eyorefan]

Like many of said it depends who is asking. A lot of people have never been or they last time they were there, they were 5. After talking to people who have no clue I have found that the biggest misconsption is that the different parks are more like "lands" where you can walk from one to the other. So for those people I stress how big the whole place is. That there are 4 Full Theme parks there and each one can take a day or more to see. From there I tell them to buy a travel book, Unoffical guide or Passporter and read it cover to cover.

 

[harryk]

Stay on the property (if you can).:sohappy:
Go early, swim in the afternoon, stay late.
Illuminations from Rose & Crown.
Eat in the off hours.
The Dole Whip at M.K. Adventureland is excellent!
Speedway is not worth the line (except in the very off season)
The remote control boats at Jungle Land are very cool.
Wedway People Mover (or whatever they call it now) is our favorite easy ride.:ROFLOL:
Ask to sit in front of the monorail from MK to EPCOT or back.
The MK fireworks are cool from the ferry.
Big Holidays are fun as long as you are expecting huge crowds and long lines.:hammer:
Smile at the people you have passed more than 3 times in the ride corrals.
Chat with any of the castmembers - they are often interesting and very helpful.:wave:
Summer is not much hotter in Orlando than summer in Washington DC or New York.
Cocoa Beach is only 60 to 90 minutes away.
The best food is during the EPCOT Food Festival
Listen to the visiting bands, they went to extraordinary efforts to get there (and my goal since 1971 is to march down Mainstreet in MK - but I graduated 5 months before the park opened)
Off Kilter is great!:king:

Did Illuminations from Rose and Crown a couple of years ago and found it to be most unsatisfactory after having viewed it from other areas around the lagoon. Most likely due to the large crowd in the viewing area and having several tall people who kept standing in front of me and my family.

Would be fine if the display was on while we were eating on the balcony - but our meal was over and we had to depart ... the illuminations was a half-hour after we finished the meal.

 

[Darth Angelo]

Here are some of the tips I tell people when they ask me...

1) Make sure you ask everyone in your party the ride/attractions that they need to see. This way if your not able to see everything, you at least make sure that you do not disappoint people in your party/family.

2) Rain is your friend. When it rains do not get discouraged, take advantage of the people leaving the park or huddling indoors and jump on those rides that suddenly have no lines.

3) Carry Water and drink a lot of it.

4) Soarin'. If you do not get to The Land before noon then there will be no fastpasses and the line will be 45 - 60 min.

5) Make dining reservations as soon as possible. All of the good restaurants fill up months in advance.

 

[Mybails]

Comfortable shoes

Your inner child

These are the two things I recommend taking along along and I recommend this site and a few others. After they tour the sites, I answer specific questions.