What is the best advice you can give to others who are about to go to WDW?

[WDW Newsletter]

This question was emailed to me and I thought I would blog about it. First off this is a difficult question to answer because everyone has their own ideas about what is important to their family.
My most important piece of advice…..is to stay on property! This is so tough because the obvious answer is to plan. Without proper planning your trip may not be set up for success. I will assume you have already done that part.

Why would I say stay on property is the most important piece of advice? If you are a first timer to Walt Disney World you want to be immersed in the Disney “magic”. It surrounds you 24/7 no matter which resort on property you stay at. If you have younger children you want them to experience this magic and on property resorts offer this.

Next if you stay on property you get many perks, such as Extra Magic Hours, which offer you the opportunity to enter a certain park an hour earlier than non-resort guests, and stay an extra three hours after closing. This alone is worth it to many. Disney also offers guests free transportation throughout its property by buses, boats and monorails. The buses will pick you up in front of your resort and take you very close to the front entrance of each park. There is no need to drive your car in you don’t want to, Disney takes care of everything. This perk is great for those who have families with kids in the teens as well as younger ones. The teens can stay at the parks while the younger ones can go back to the resort with a parent for a nap, or swim. Then everyone can meet up later in the day.

If you stay off-property you are less likely to leave the park and then return later. The hassle of fighting the traffic, the inconvenience of parking, and the fact that if you take one car and someone wants to leave, the family usually all leaves with them, makes it probable that you will not return later in the day.

With all that being said it truly depends on what you can afford and what type of experience you want. If you are a family that has been to Walt Disney World numerous times, you may not need or want to experience the magic 24/7. There are also larger families that vacation at Disney and they can find vacation homes much cheaper than anything comparable in size that Disney offers.

For many, if you have chosen to spend your hard earned dollars for a family vacation at Walt Disney World, you most likely are willing to be immersed 24/7 into the magic. But the best part about any trip to Orlando is that there are plenty of options available to meet the needs of every family. Our vote is to stay on property and experience all that Disney has to offer. This would be our most important piece of advice. Now for the second most important piece of advice……that will be for another time.

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

Enjoy yourself :animwink:

 

[PeaJay18]

My biggest tips would be something we tried for the first time on out last visit:

Get up and be at the parks for opening!
We had a fridge in our room so we stocked up on quick breakfast items and made sure to be out bright and early.
Not only is the opening ceremony of most of the park pretty cool, but the lines are at their shortest.
We managed to ride all the headliners without rushing or waiting too much.
Then hit a cafe for a some pastries etc at 11ish, then after lunch go back to the room for a nap/shower/swim.
This means you're refreshed to go out again in the late afternoon/evening.
As a couple with no kids in tow, it worked wonders for us - waiting in line was minimal and our energy levels were kept high.
I just wished we'd learnt this sooner...

 

[Fun2BFree]

Do your homework. Not an enormous amount of research, but you should know the basics about where you are going- WDW and the Orlando area are not like, say... a package holiday in the Mediterranean. I was talking with a woman the other day who thought her Disney ticket could get her to Universal and SeaWorld. Luckily I set her right, but can you imagine the number of people becoming disappointed due to incorrect notions? Not everyone has the benefit of being a huge Disney dork, like us.

 

[CMSomeday]

1. Plan-get ADR's for anything that is a must for you, plan in breaks and time to shop, etc. Give kids some downtime or you will pay for it later.
2. Take advantage of fast pass
3. Buy the hopper option anytime you have the chance for flexibility
4. Drink lots of water and wear comfortable shoes...wear sunscreen!!
5. Try out the photopass option and see if that suits a piece of your photo needs
6. Try different little things to enhance the experience such as taking boats, then monorails; go check out the different resorts and walk around; watch the parades and fireworks, etc. Immerse yourself in the magic.
7. Go see Cirque Du Soleil and check out Downtown Disney

Just to name a few...

 

[walt-sent-me]

be in the moment

these other suggestions are great ones....i'd add this - be with the people who are with you and put away the cell phones. always stunned at the way families and friends are walking around the parks and someone or two of the group members are on a cell phone talking to another person someplace else. find the right times to make your calls and spend the "now" time to be with the people in your group.

 

[MousDad]

Most important: Tour the parks the first 4-5 hours after park opening and the last 4-5 hours before park closing.

Relatively important: Avoid EMH parks, ride top attractions only with FP, Lunch at 11:30-11:45 / Dinner at 5:00-5:30.

You live by those rules and you'll have a great time whether your staying onsite, offsite or in your lady's chamber.

 

[Darth Angelo]

I will chime in with a few tips...

1) Take the time to get everyone to tell you what they cannot live without seeing. And make sure you get to do these things when your here. Little Suzie wanted to meet Cinderella, but it was so hectic that she did not get to, now her trip is ruined.

2) EAT. Trust me, leave the diets at home and eat. Not just to try out the amazing food they have at WDW. But walking around for 9 hours in the heat and having fun is sometimes hard work. And you need fuel.

3) Leave GRUMPY at the Hotel. I know we cannot all be happy all of the time. But heck this is the Happiest Place on Earth. So Don't Worry, Be Happy when you step through those gates.

 

[YankeeMouse]

1. Stay on the property...the Magic can't be beat, and there are resorts for every budget.
2. Plan ahead. It is frustrating to be standing with a map on Main St, trying to figure out where everything is. Study a bit before hand, and it will help tremendously.
3. Comfortable shoes. After years of blisters, I found Crocs about five years ago before they got really popular, and they changed my life!
4. Rain poncho. Buy one in one of the shops BEFORE it rains, they will take it back if you keep it folded, etc. Carry it with you and if it rains, keep on going. The lines are shorter!
5. Take time to go back to your room in the middle of the day, especially in hot weather, rest up, swim at the pool, and head back for evening.
6. Fastpass. Use it!
7. We are annual passholders, go often, and have found that going against the Extra Magic Hours, you'll find the parks without the extended hours are less crowded, especially the day after they have had the extended hours in the evening.

 

[elabron]

Take time to enjoy the "little things" at WDW. There's SO MUCH more to WDW than ride attractions!

My daughter wanted to stop at the Pirate and Princess party to listen to the "Rusty Cutlass" pirate group sing at Liberty Square. My kids LOVED it! They had a great time and got to get their picture made with them, etc.
There's no denying the magic of Peter Pan's Flight or Soarin', but there are so many little things that you will find you love if you take the time to discover them!

Go at a leisurely pace........especially if you're there for a while (we stayed for 11 nights, so we didn't feel rushed to run around and "do" everything). Enjoy the resort, it's pool.......go check out other resorts! It's a great way to plan future stays.

Basically........if you can........take your time to soak it all in and enjoy!

 

[Eyorefan]

I just had this very conversation with a friend of mine who hasn't been since she was 10 and is thinking of taking her entire family with her next year. After listening to her talk about what she remembers from childhood and listening to the questions she was asking I left her with two major tips.

1) Walt Disney World is huge! Don't think of it as going to a resort, think of it as going to a city. Things are spread out, you can't walk from Magic Kingdom to Epcot. It could take a person an entire life time to see and do it all.

2) Buy a book and do your research. I would say plan, plan, plan, but I know that this friend is not that kind of person. Even if a person refuses to plan and insits on "living in the moment", reading a few travel books will give a person an idea of what it is they are "living in the moment" for. Going into the parks with at least a basic knowledge of what the parks have to offer can make the difference between a magical time or a vacation full of frustration.

 

[MousDad]

No rudeness intended to SET but I would never serously say staying off property is a good option.

I also mean no rudeness to you, but I think this is the most widely propogated myth on these boards. I feel bad for first time Orlando vacationers who read these boards and get the impression that their Disney vacation will be somewhat diminished by not staying onsite.

Many, many people have a better time staying offsite than onsite. And it's not merely a matter of money. If the extra services that are provided to onsite guests are beneficial to you, then it's the way to go. If they're not and you want better lodging for your money, than you may have a better time staying offsite. The "magic" argument is entirely subjective.

 

[ThinkTink721]

Plan, but don't overplan.
Take in the different sights, sounds, etc.
The atmosphere is an experience w/in itself.
Have fun!
:wave:

 

[fauna]

Lots of great advice! The only thing I would add is to make sure you are physically up to the challenge. I make the family go out for long walks the month before we go, to build up stamina. Many people aren't prepared for the amount of walking necessary.

 

[santa's surpriz]

Ditto the walking preparedness and comfy shoes. Plan to an extent. Disney has alot to enjoy outside of the parks too. Even if you do not stay at a monorail resort, jump on and enjoy the scenery it offers. Do at least one character meal. Buy at least one souvinear that you can enjoy in your home. If available go to one of the parties at the MK. Alot of fun and you'll get to see a different parade.

If you have kids, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE CHILD ACTIVITY CENTERS!! They are awesome! It's nice to have some adult time at WDW too!

 

[natolij02]

Ok so my thing is and this is a take off on safety.....SUNSCREEN! If your not from the south, you really do not realize how strong the sun is in Florida. A bad sunburn can really wreck a vacation. Sometimes in the big realm of our magical vacation we can forget simple things like applying sunscreen. Imagine how awful it would be to have to be stuck in your hotel room because of a nasty sunburn :hammer:


THIS IS MY 100TH POST!!!! :sohappy:

 

[gettingsmaller]

yes, sunscreen. Two things I dreaded every morning: brushing the tangles out of my girls' hair and getting everyone covered with sunscreen. HOWEVER, we went 12 days without any sign of sunburn. I couldn't believe it.

On the on-site/offsite thing: I think it depends heavily on your party. We have done both. Got a nice, but inexpensive condo one time; stayed at POR one time. Both have their benefits. I DO have to say that I got tired of waiting for buses. After a while, I was dreaming about buses (literally!). On the other hand, I enjoyed NOT having to do any driving myself after a busy day at the parks (I also had this fear that I would lose my keys or forget where I parked). The condo was WAY nicer than the POR room (and WAY cheaper), BUT it didn't come with free dining, free parking, etc.. Also, we decided that about all we do is sleep in our room, so it doesn't have to be the nicest place around. I guess my overall opinion on this is that it really comes down to $$ for us. By the time you add a rental car, pay for parking (give up free dining, if in Sept), pay for gas, etc., you get pretty close to paying for an on-site stay (and if you get free dining, you make out way better to stay onsite).

So, the few bits of advice I have:
1) don't underestimate the size of WDW. It "ain't" Six Flags. It ain't even 4 Six Flags. It's bigger.
2) Suncreen
3) Eat. have done this two ways, too. One time, tried to survive on granola bars and such that we brought to the park. Other time, had dining plan. Eating gives you a fuel, and a rest time to recharge your batteries and decide what you want to do next.

 

[WildLodgeFan]

If the person is not necessarily a planner, educate them to wonderful forums like this one. It's always great to read what others have experienced in the world and to learn from it. As a previous thread discussing the parties pointed out, many first timers don't realize the parks close early on those nights. However if they surfed these forums a few times a week (no every five minutes like myself :lol, they can gain some great tips and insight to how the World is!

And that is my WDWMAGIC plug for the day! :lol:

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Fail to plan, plan to fail.