10 Tips for Walt Disney World

It can be very overwhelming when you are planning a Walt Disney World vacation. I thought I would make it a little easier on you to put together some things that are important to know when heading to the Happiest Place on Earth!

1. Wear running shoes.
   Trust me on this one. I have done Disney World in flip flops, and my back was KILLING me after one day. Wear comfortable running shoes (or sandals) that have support and are broken in. You don’t want to waste time during your vacation stopping to apply bandaids and with your feet hurting the whole time!
2. Bring a water bottle.
   It gets hot in Florida, and you are going to be walking a ton, and need to stay hydrated! I always like to bring a water bottle with me because I don’t like the taste of Dasani water, and to save time. There are water fountains all around the parks, which makes it really easy. As I have said before here, I like to carry a backpack around the parks with a water bottle and other extras.
3. Take a break.
   Going to the parks all day every day is exhausting. Make sure to take it easy at some point. I like to take a break during the busiest part of the day, or sleep in one morning. If you are travelling with kids, they are definitely going to need to take a break. While they are napping, you could take a nap yourself, or even just relax for a few hours. When you head back to the parks you will feel refreshed and ready to go!
4. Take Advantage of Fastpass +
   No one likes to wait in line! Take advantage of the Fastpass+ service and skip the long lines! I will be doing a post very soon that goes into detail about this service, so make sure to keep an eye out for it!

   

5. Plan ahead.
   One does not simply walk into the Magic Kingdom without a plan. If you are planning a trip to Walt Disney World, you need to be organized. I like to take advantage of Extra Magic Hours (hours where the park opens early or stays open late for guests staying at Disney Resort Hotels) and plan my trip around these hours. I will generally go to the park that has Extra Magic Hours. Some people don’t like to do this because they think the parks are busier during these times and on these days, but I haven’t found that to be true.
6. Know what you want to do, and what you could skip.
   It’s important to set expectations when travelling somewhere where there are so many things to do. I exaggerated that on my last trip by making a list, but as long as you know the things that you really want to do and make sure you do them, you should be happy. Especially if you are travelling with a larger party, if everyone picks a couple things that they would like to do, no one will be disappointed.
7. Download the App.
   Yes, there’s an app for that! The My Disney Experience App is pretty awesome, so I did a whole post about it! You can check that out here. I found it to be a really helpful tool in the parks, and would highly recommend it!
8. Get to the parks early!
   I absolutely cannot stress this point enough! The first few hours of the park are the least busy and the most valuable! You can get more done in the first few hours than in the rest of the day. If you can do it, you really should. If you make it to the park early, make sure to take a break! (See point #3).
9. Make dining reservations in advance.
   Nothing is more annoying than waiting to be seated at a restaurant while other parties are seated before you. If you are having a meal at a sit down restaurant, make your reservations in advance. You will be seated faster and it really won’t take that much time out of your day! I like to have one sit down meal a day just to slow down a little, and I love looking forward to eating at certain restaurants that I know I have a reservation for.
10. Remember that it’s a vacation, and have fun!
    At the end of the day, this trip is a vacation, so don’t let the number of things to see stress you out! Don’t forget to take your breaks and relax a little. Walt Disney World isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, so you can always go back! (Trust me, after you go once, you’ll NEED to go back).

I hope these 10 tips have been helpful and can make your Disney trip better!

Have you been to Disney World before? Do you have any tips for someone heading to Walt Disney World for the first time? Let me know in the comments! (Bonus points to anyone who knows where the last two pictures are from! Hint: there is one picture from every park in this post!)

Thanks for reading!