What Words of Wisdom Would You Give Disney "First Timers"?

[wdwfan4ver]

I got 14 things of advice for a first timer.

1.) look at menus of WDW food places online in terms of Counter and table Service more than 180 days out.
2.) If you decide to eat at Table Service Restaurants, make ADRS at 180 days out and make sure you have the adr number and print them out.
3.) Do not do 3 table service meal a day. I am saying this based on the fact my Mom won a radio station contest in 1991 that had a lot of free stuff including 3 free table service meals a day. 3 table service meals a day to much time and too much food to eat.
4.) look at Disney websites, books, and videos for information about the parks.
5.) You need a 2nd trip to see everything.
6.) Get a map of DHS because of the layout of the park.
7.) Do not rush and take a break. This is a must especially during the summer.
8.) Get a good pair of walking shoes.
9.) If you have a history of foot problems make sure you are prepared like bringing moleskin, etc for your first trip.
10.) Make you that you drink enough water, powerade, or gatorade because of the Florida heat. Those three things are better than soda in terms of the heat.
11.) Make sure you take pictures and use photopass.
12.) Don't program your vacation down to the minute because that is not possible.
13.) Don't go to Fantasmic, fireworks, or the parades at the last second because the would be taken.
14.) If you a couple on your time to WDW, make you do for Horse and carriage ride and make advance reservations for it.

 

[SMS55]

1. Patience.

2. Your probably not going to see it all because there is a lot to do.

 

[SyracuseDisneyFan]

Enjoy your time there and try not to sweat the small stuff.

 

[Sped2424]

The 3 o'clock parade is at 3 o'clock...

What time is it really at though, like seriously?

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

What time is it really at though, like seriously?

3:05..

 

[tare]

Have a zip a dee doo dah day!!!

 

[Sped2424]

3:05..

Can we use our fastpasses for space mountain and still see the parade?

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Fail to plan, plan to fail.

an olde but a goodie

 

[marni1971]

Take lots and lots of money

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Take lots and lots of money

or someone with access to.......

 

[PolynesianPrincess]

Florida is hot and in the summer and most of the time, very humid. Even if the sky looks a bit overcast, WEAR SUNSCREEN! I learned this the hard way in May during an overcast and rainy day at Typhoon Lagoon. Still got a bad sunburn! Also, drink lots of water! The last thing anyone wants on their vacation is to be sick with heat stroke or dehydration!

 

[mmalloy56]

Sadly, Stitch's Great Escape is still a thing that exists. You're better off watching grainy videos of Alien Encounter on YouTube.

 

[Since1976]

I'd advise first-timers to take the time to sit on a bench and just soak everything in for a few minutes every hour. It's amazing how much there is to see, hear, touch and even smell when you're not scurrying about from one attraction to the next.

Some of my clearest, fondest memories from childhood come from when I was just doing "nothing."

 

[mmalloy56]

And, yes, I'm still bitter about that one.

 

[jkl2000]

4. Swimming makes you MORE tired at the end of the day. It's not a nap substitute. (But it is fun.)

This is probably a good one for me to keep in mind. I know it's going to be a challenge to get DS4 to nap at all. So when we go back to the room for a break he's really going to want to swim in the POFQ pool. I'll have to remember a swim isn't a nap - though it does cool you down a lot, and that will be good. But probably chilling in the room for another hour after swimming, playing with some toys in the room, etc. will get him more relaxed and ready for another round of parks.

 

[Weather_Lady]

2 things:

1 - Select good, sturdy footwear for walking. One unexpected blister can turn the best vacation of your life into a living nightmare.

2 - Know the layout of the parks and the best way to tour them. Know which attractions are headliners, and when to visit them (or how to use Fastpass) to minimize your wait times.

Everything else is "the small stuff."

 

[habuma]

Two things:

• Be ready to take in the things that *aren't* on the map. Streetmosphere like Citizens of Hollywood in DHS are a blast. And I really enjoyed catching the Matsuriza Taiko drummers in Epcot's Japan pavilion. Hoping to catch Off-Kilter in Epcot's Canada on my next trip. And definitely, no questions ask, enjoy a Dole Whip.
• Swimming's fun, but there are plenty of opportunities to swim when you're not at Disney. If you need to step away from the parks to rest, that's one thing. But don't leave the parks to go swimming. As others have said, swimming just makes you more tired and take you away from the stuff you can't get anywhere else.

 

[rsoxguy]

Always keep in mind that you are going to be on the photos and videos of hundreds of strangers, so, above all things, no picking at the nostrils in public. They have internet access.

 

[Figments Friend]

Three words:

"Go Off-Season!"

 

[cynic710]

id say (from personal experience) to go at your own pace and soak in whatever you can, dont forget to stop and just look around amidst allt he walking and attractions, disney is in the details, and they are all worth looking at.