Helpful Hints for traveling to Walt Disney World!

Helpful Hints for traveling to Walt Disney World!

 

 

1.        FASTPASS –  They are easy to use and can cut the wait time on many of the most popular attractions.  Rides you should definitely use a Fastpass are are:

Magic Kingdom – Dumbo, Barnstormer, Space Mtn, Thunder Mtn, Splash Mtn, Voyage of the Little Mermaid (new), Peter Pan and Winnie the Pooh

Epcot – Test Track, Soarin’

Hollywood Studios – Toy Story Midway Mania (make sure to get right when you get to the park or they will run out!), Rock ‘n Rollercoaster, Tower of Terror

Animal Kingdom – Kilimanjaro Safari, Expedition Everest

*Make the most of the Fastpass by getting a new one as soon as it is available (time listed on ticket).  For example if your return to Dumbo time is 1:00 – 2:00.  At 1:00, before you go to Dumbo, head to another ride and get a fastpass for that and then ride Dumbo.

*You can only have one Fastpass at a time so choose wisely your order of wanting them.   

2.       COMPANION PASS –  For families with older and younger kids, like myself, this is a great feature Disney offers.  (Or one kid that likes rides and the other that doesn’t….)  Here is how it works!!!  One parent can take the kids that are old enough (or want) to go on a certain ride, like Test Track.  When they head in the ride, ask the Disney attendant for a Companion Pass.  This pass will allow the person not riding with the kids to take the kids that want to ride again after they get done and not have to wait in line.  We love this for two reasons.  Both parents get to ride each ride and the kids love it because then they get to ride the ride TWICE!!  My two older ones are hoping that the younger ones never get to the age that they can ride or else we will all only get to do it once without waiting in line again. 

3.       PHOTOPASS – This year, I purchased the PHOTOPASS+ card.  If you buy it on their website, www.disneyphotopass.com, 14 days or more before you travel to Disney, you get a $50 discount on the pass.  I love this as it enables me to enjoy the trip and not worry about taking photos the whole time.  It also allows for me to be in photos that I probably wouldn’t of been in if I would have had to take them all. 

*Advantage of the Photopass+, you also get all the attraction photos and dinner package photos included.

4.        NIGHTTIME – If your kids can last till later at night, lines are best then.  You can usually walk on to rides that in mid-afternoon would be a 30-60 minute wait.  Also, if you fortunate enough to be the last person to see a character at night, you usually get a special treat.  This has happened to us twice.  My son got a photo with Donald, Daisy, Chip and Dale all together!  And my four kids got to go on an adventure with Jasmine and Aladdin through Epcot to look for Abu. 

5.       PARADE/SPECIAL EVENTS – A MUST!!!  Our favorite part of Disney!  Check each parks schedule for their times!  My favorites are at the Magic Kingdom and I would suggest sitting on Main Street for all of them.  Get their early to get a front row seat!

6.       DISNEY CHASE CARD – If you open a Disney VISA through Chase, you get a special Meet and Greet at Epcot with two Characters.  We did it twice …. Once with Minnie and Goofy and the other time with Mickey and Pluto.  You get to go in a special room and take as much time as you want with them!  This is located in the Innovention’s building.

7.       DISNEY WORLD CROWD CALENDAR – if you have the ability to be flexible with the timing of traveling to Disney, this is a great website to check out.  http://touringplans.com/walt-disney-world/crowd-calendar  It gives you on a scale of 1-10 how busy each park is going to be each day. 

8.       PARK HOPPER OPTIONS – Enjoy the flexibility of visiting more than one park on the same day.  We do not use this option but it is great for people that want to travel to more than one park each day.  One year we did it and then ate every night in Epcot as they have the best restaurants. 

9.       EXTENDED PARK HOURS – if you stay on the Disney Property, you get the option for extended hours at a different park each day.  There are advantages of being able to go into a park early or stay late but a disadvantage is that that park is usually very busy that day because of this.  Sometimes it is better to head to a different park instead. 

10.  OUTSIDE FOOD - you can bring beverages and snacks into the park with you.  I would definitely suggest this.  We brought a small cooler with waters, juice boxes, ham, etc and also some fruit snacks, chips, popcorn.  It was great for when we were waiting in lines.