Walt Disney World is among the most magical trip locations on Earth. Nevertheless, it will also be difficult, costly, irritating, scorchingly scorching and the epicenter of meltdowns.
Which model of Disney World you get is essentially in your individual arms.
Fortunately, there are simple, expert-tested ideas for visiting Disney World. Use the following pointers to save cash, have enjoyable and guarantee your journey is a magical success.
Use secret menus
Along with their revealed menus, a lot of our favourite Disney World eating places — together with Nomad Lounge in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Dealer Sam’s Grog Grotto at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar at Disney Springs and Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen within the Magic Kingdom — have off-menu “secret objects.” Different eating places round Walt Disney World could even have extra off-menu objects, too.
When you could assume you may discover the identical sky-high costs for these things because the menu staples, that is not at all times the case. Typically, these secret menus can find yourself saving you some massive bucks.
For instance, you will get Ohana noodles from Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort with out paying the hefty prix fixe value of an Ohana dinner by ordering a bowl from Tambu Lounge subsequent door. It isn’t on the menu, however you may ask for it.
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Eat at lounges, not full-service eating places
The key to a pleasing Disney World journey is placing a stability between maximizing your park time and taking sufficient breaks to recollect you are really on trip. A leisurely meal at Disney might be enjoyable, however conventional table-service eating places are sometimes dear.
As an alternative of selecting a standard full-service eatery for each meal, go for a relaxed lunch or dinner at one among Disney World’s many atmospheric lounges. You may nonetheless have a desk and a server however can order from a menu of lighter bites and inventive cocktails with out spending an excessive amount of on an costly meal.
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For instance, at Area 220 Restaurant in Epcot, the set lunch menu prices $55 for adults and $29 for kids. Nevertheless, you may nonetheless benefit from the house view within the lounge, which presents heavy appetizers ranging between $12 and $18.
Disney World’s different greatest lounges embrace the beforehand talked about Nomad Lounge at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Geyser Level Bar & Grill at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, Steakhouse 71 Lounge at Disney’s Modern Resort and Sanaa Lounge at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas — Kidani Village.
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Nomad Lounge. SUMMER HULL/THE POINTS GUY
In the event you do not feel like sitting down in a restaurant or lounge after an extended day at a park, ordering takeout meals from a few of Disney World’s hottest table-service eating places is a superb different dinner possibility. Simply sort “to go” into the search bar within the My Disney Expertise app to see an inventory of eating places the place you may mobile-order a full meal. You possibly can take your meals again to your room or to the nightly outside film at your Disney World lodge.
Create your individual souvenirs
Recreation solid members at Disney World resorts run free every day actions, from poolside trivia to night s’mores across the campfire to motion pictures underneath the celebrities. Additionally they supply paid actions that make enjoyable do-it-yourself souvenirs, corresponding to tie-dyed Mickey T-shirts.
At Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, for instance, you may select coloured nuts and string to make your individual kukui nut lei ($15 for youths and $20 for adults). A number of Disney World resorts even have Group Halls the place friends can watch motion pictures, play video games and make crafts — both without cost or a small price.
Snag hard-to-get eating reservations
Disney World eating reservations can be found for reserving 60 days prematurely. Nevertheless, friends staying on Disney World property with their reserving linked within the My Disney Expertise app could make reservations 60 days plus the size of their keep prematurely. In different phrases, for a five-day keep, these friends can really e book some meals 65 days earlier than their arrival.
Having this further-out reserving window means you may have a greater probability of scoring essentially the most fascinating reservations, which generally get scooped up greater than 60 days prematurely.
A number of the hardest-to-snag reservations are for Cinderella’s Royal Desk, Area 220 Restaurant, Topolino’s Terrace — Flavors of the Riviera, Oga’s Cantina, Ohana and the brand new Roundup Rodeo BBQ venue at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Company have till two hours earlier than their reservation time to cancel, so one thing could open up on the final minute when you maintain checking.
If you need another person to do the laborious give you the results you want, there are web sites particularly designed to provide you with a warning when a hard-to-find reservation opens up. Disney planning web site Touring Plans has a free alert service that can notify you by way of textual content or e-mail when a reservation to your chosen date and time vary turns into obtainable.
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Benefit from free ice water
Bringing a refillable water bottle to the parks isn’t a foul thought. Nevertheless, when you want some water on the go, ask for a free cup of ice water at any quick-service location serving fountain drinks.
Oftentimes, a Disney solid member might be stationed on the door checking for cellular order return notifications, so you may simply allow them to know you want a cup of ice water. They’re going to direct you to a numbered pick-up counter to seize one.
Lower your expenses by selecting your dates fastidiously
Similar to it prices extra to fly or e book a lodge throughout busy weekends and holidays, it additionally prices extra to get entrance tickets to Disney World on these days.
Disney World ticket costs now differ by date and park. The Magic Kingdom is positioned because the priciest park, whereas Disney’s Animal Kingdom is the least costly. Single-day tickets begin at $109 per particular person however go as much as $189 every. This implies a household of 4 may spend as much as $320 extra on every day tickets, relying on after they go and which parks they go to.
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Moreover, the price of the reduce-the-line move, Disney Genie+, varies by day. It prices extra on busier days (and has even bought out on just a few events), so the value variations can add up if you wish to go to Disney World on a peak date.
You now not want a park reservation
As of Jan. 9, 2024, theme park reservations formally grew to become a factor of the previous for friends with date-based tickets. You’ll nonetheless buy variably priced, date-based tickets for the times you propose to go to Disney World, however you’ll now not be required to make a theme park reservation for the park you want to go to on a given day.
Now, you may get up and go to whichever park you want.
This variation applies to most ticket varieties, with the exclusion of annual passes and sure promotional tickets. These friends should nonetheless make a theme park reservation to enter a Disney World park.
You now not want to attend till 2 pm to park hop
If in case you have a ticket with the Park Hopper possibility or are an annual passholder, you now not want to attend till 2 p.m. to go to a second (or third or fourth) park.
Earlier than this alteration, you needed to wait till 2 p.m. to go to a park apart from the one you had made a theme park reservation for that day. Now, you may go to extra parks any time you want all through the day, making the Park Hopper possibility extra useful than it was.
Go for different cost choices apart from money
A straightforward option to shave anyplace from 3% to 10% off the price of your journey is to purchase discounted Disney present playing cards to make use of for all the things — your Disney lodge or Disney Trip Membership dues, park tickets, merchandise and eating.
You may get them from Goal (there is a 5% low cost when utilizing a Goal RedCard) or from Sam’s Membership and BJ’s at a 3% to 4% low cost. Even when you do not get a reduction, you may earn bonus factors in your rewards bank card by strategically shopping for Disney present playing cards at grocery shops and workplace provide shops.
Some cash-back bank cards additionally embrace wholesale warehouses of their quarterly cash-back classes, boosting your total financial savings. Chain retailers like Meijer, Kroger and Lowe’s often run promos that may nab you much more financial savings on present playing cards, too, so that you could possibly stand up to about 10% off.
In case your coronary heart is about on one among Disney’s Deluxe resorts however your pockets says in any other case, you may usually get monetary savings on dear nightly charges by renting Disney Trip Membership factors.
Relying on which bank cards you retain in your pockets, you may additionally have the ability to redeem factors to your Disney World tickets or a factors lodge close to Disney World.
The data for the TargetRedCard has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.
Assume it would rain — and plan accordingly
That is Central Florida, so there’s at all times an opportunity you may get caught in a pop-up afternoon thunderstorm. The fitting preparation can imply letting somewhat rain roll off your (coated) again as a substitute of drenching your parade. You may get “rain prepared” with the following pointers:
- Put on waterproof sneakers (learn: no sneakers and socks that may get soaked).
- Deliver a journey umbrella and a poncho or rain jacket.
- Cowl your stroller with a water-resistant cowl every time there’s even the slightest probability of a bathe.
- Think about the forecast whenever you select what to journey first (you might must prioritize outside rides).
Lots of Walt Disney World’s outside points of interest shut quickly throughout rain and lightning. If in case you have your coronary heart set on a top-tier journey — corresponding to Slinky Canine Sprint, Check Observe, Expedition Everest — Legend of the Forbidden Mountain or Seven Dwarfs Mine Prepare — do not wait till the tip of the day to attempt to journey. In the event you do and rain comes your means, you would be out of luck.
Fastidiously contemplate the place you keep
Disney World has some actually fabulous resort lodges, however they frequently price $500 or extra per evening. In case your finances cannot fairly deal with such a splurge, contemplate a few of Disney’s Reasonable lodges (this one could also be our favourite hidden gem) and renovated Worth choices.
Nevertheless, know that it isn’t a deal breaker when you keep off Disney property. Whereas there are various causes to remain at a Disney resort lodge, there aren’t as many as there was.
With the free Magical Specific bus from the airport and free Magic Bands now lengthy gone, the on-site perks record has shortened a bit. Nevertheless, you may nonetheless take pleasure in just a few advantages, together with:
- Early entry to the parks every morning
- The flexibility to buy particular person Lightning Lanes for rides beginning at 7 a.m. (as a substitute of when the park opens, which is when non-resort friends get entry)
- No theme park or lodge parking charges
- Further hours within the parks on sure nights (for Deluxe resort friends)
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If a standard Disney property is not possible for you, keep in mind you could get all of the above perks (apart from free parking) when you keep on the Swan, Dolphin or Swan Reserve, that are all within the Marriott household of lodges and sit on Disney property.
Have a plan for getting on the most recent rides
Disney is aware of that friends are clamoring to get on new points of interest like Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at Epcot and Tron Lightcycle / Run on the Magic Kingdom. The corporate additionally is aware of the expertise might be diminished if friends have to attend in line for 4 or 5 hours earlier than they get to check out the newest and best rides.
To maintain wait occasions underneath management, Disney makes use of a digital queue system when it opens new rides. Relatively than have a standard standby line, friends can attempt for a digital queue spot on the My Disney Expertise app. Sometimes, rides that use a digital queue additionally supply a pay-to-ride Particular person Lightning Lane move, giving friends a free and paid possibility for getting on well-liked rides.
There are two alternatives to affix: at 7 a.m. and 1 p.m. There may be an extra possibility for Deluxe lodge friends at 6 p.m. throughout prolonged theme park hours. You possibly can attempt for the 7 a.m. slot from the consolation of your lodge mattress, however you have to be within the park the place the journey is positioned for the 1 p.m. alternative.
How lengthy the digital queue system stays in place is determined by how well-liked the journey is. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind has been open for greater than a yr and nonetheless makes use of a digital queue as a substitute of a standard standby line.
Allot time for a resort day (or 2)
There’s a lot to do round Walt Disney World that you would simply fill a number of days with actions that do not require shopping for a park ticket. In the event you’re visiting on a multiday park ticket fairly than an annual move, contemplate loading the majority of your nonpark actions right into a day (or days) whenever you skip the parks completely — together with your arrival and departure days.
Strive a spherical of miniature golf — or 18 holes of the actual factor — within the morning or some pool time within the afternoon. Go to Disney Springs for dinner, purchasing and a few Gideon’s Bakehouse cookies for dessert.
One other good time to plan a resort day is earlier than a celebration like Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Occasion, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Occasion and different after-hours occasions. These go nicely into the evening, so you may want to avoid wasting up some power.
Save character eating for nonpark days
Character meals are usually a visit spotlight, however too usually, friends make the error of attempting to cram a morning character breakfast into an already full park day. As an alternative, save these character meals for a resort day, as a particular dinner in your arrival evening or a farewell breakfast in your departure morning.
If in case you have your coronary heart set on a specific in-park character meal, e book breakfast as late as attainable. Make it a brunch, so it can save you your early morning hours for scoring shorter waits on rides.
Do not ‘rope drop’ the most well-liked journey
Top-of-the-line methods to get a jump-start on doing as many points of interest as attainable in a day is to rope drop. Rope dropping means arriving on the park at the very least half-hour earlier than the official park opening (or the beginning of Early Theme Park Entry for Disney resort friends) and heading straight to your first attraction the second the rope drops.
It might appear intuitive to beeline to the most well-liked journey on the park — which is often additionally the one that can price you essentially the most to skip the road by buying an Particular person Lightning Lane. Nonetheless, this is not at all times the perfect strategy.
Two of Disney World’s hottest rides — Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Avatar Flight of Passage at Disney’s Animal Kingdom — are two of the priciest Particular person Lightning Lanes. They’re additionally two of the longest queues, preshows and journey experiences. Which means your rope drop benefit for anything is lengthy gone by the point you’ve got exited both of those rides.
As an alternative, when you can afford to, buy an Particular person Lightning Lane for these rides (or wait to affix the standby line till simply earlier than closing when strains are sometimes shorter). Then, rope drop barely much less well-liked rides which might be nonetheless in your must-do record. With that technique, it is attainable to get two to 3 different rides carried out in the identical period of time earlier than the crowds begin to construct.
Mix this with Disney Genie+, and you may simply knock out all the things you need to expertise in a day.
Commerce fireworks and parades for shorter waits
If parades and nighttime spectaculars aren’t must-see actions for you, particularly you probably have a number of days in the identical park, skip the present and hop in line for a well-liked journey as a substitute. You are all however assured a shorter wait.
Regulate character meet-and-greet hours
Many character meet-and-greets begin later and finish sooner than when the parks open and shut. Due to this, you may need to test any must-meet character’s look occasions within the My Disney Expertise app. This fashion, you may keep away from the heartbreak of lacking out on a Winnie the Pooh hug or Wookiee fist bump from Chewbacca.
Know how you can get in early or keep late
Disney has a perk that lets resort friends staying on property or in choose affiliated lodges (just like the Swan, Dolphin and Swan Reserve and the Disney Springs lodges) into any of the 4 theme parks half-hour early to start having fun with choose points of interest.
Moreover, on choose nights, these in Deluxe Disney resorts (and once more, together with these on the Swan, Dolphin, Swan Reserve and Shades of Inexperienced) can keep two hours after the parks shut to take pleasure in choose points of interest with comparatively minimal waits.
Often, Epcot and the Magic Kingdom alternate staying open late on choose nights. On nights that Epcot is open late, vacationers staying in eligible resorts get an additional probability to get a digital queue boarding move to journey the brand new “Guardians of the Galaxy” journey.
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Make your cellular orders prematurely
Utilizing the cellular order possibility within the My Disney Expertise app can save a ton of time when ordering meals from quick-service eating places. However, on busy days at well-liked spots, the return occasions can get backed up shortly.
As an alternative, keep away from that entire scenario by inserting your order early within the day to your ultimate return time. Or, control return occasions to make sure you place your order earlier than your required return window is gone. You possibly can modify your return window inside Disney’s app if that you must change it.
Backside line
Between having the proper gear in your theme park bag, understanding concerning the hidden layers of magic constructed into Disney and following these sensible ideas, you are nicely in your option to being a Disney World professional. To not point out, you may be saving money and time.
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