14 Disney World tips
Here are some WDW tips for any trip! I have a few posts on how to do Disney World in 2 days and what mistakes I see people making. This post is purely just some good ole fashion tips for anyone going to Disney at any time of the year!
Book your trip as far in advance as possible. The more time you have between booking and your trip, the more time you have to plan and research. Walt Disney World is MASSIVE, like has its own zip code massive. Give yourself time to plan. Most advanced dining reservations open up 180 days in advance, and some of the more popular restaurants will book up immediately.
Go during the off season. WDW will always have crowds. However, if you go during the slower seasons, the crowds will be smaller. I’ve been in January, February, March, June, and December now. March and December are insane as most people are out on Spring Break and Christmas during these times. June is hot af but the crowds were smaller. January and February are nice because most are back in school and really the only crowds are from the cheerleading competitions.
Skip the Disney dining plan. Some swear by this dining plan, but unless you get a promotion and it’s free, I’d probably skip it. If you skip it, you usually save a few dollars and have more flexibility with where and what you eat.
Order off the kids menu. Some of the kids portions are only slightly smaller than the adult size and are loads cheaper. They usually also offer healthier sides with the kids menu and a small drink in the price.
Use your FastPasses for crowded rides. This article shows you which rides to get FastPasses for and which ones to wait in line. It was last updated in 2017 and WDW has had a few rides open since then (most notably Galaxy’s Edge), so see if the new rides have FastPass options.
Bring a portable charger. This is so important! Your phone will die at WDW. It is a fact. Bring a GOOD portable charger and charge it every night. This has been an absolute game changer for me and is good to have on you all the time.
Arrive before rope drop. Rope drop is known as the time when the parks officially open. The times vary by day and by season, so check on the Disney website and get there about 30 minutes before the park opens. I’m not an early riser, but I am a different animal on my trips. This is the best time to experience some of the rides that will have multi-hour wait times later in the day.
Go on rides during parades and fireworks. This is one of the best times to ride the rides outside of rope drop and lunch time. Most people will be gathered towards the front of the park to watch the parade or fireworks, so the rides are virtually empty! Use this time to ride as many rides as possible.
Eat at weird times. The lines at the restaurants can be crazy long during the normal eating hours. This is also a time when lines at the rides are usually shorter! So pack a few snacks and either eat an early lunch or a late lunch/early dinner. For example, we got to Animal Kingdom about 15 min after rope drop and Flights of Passage on Pandora already had an 7 hour wait…. We said heck no, rode Expedition Everest about 6 times thanks to single rider line, and ate lunch after around 11:45. We went to check Flights of Passage again and the wait had dropped to 3.5 hours! Still a ridiculously long time to wait, but much better than 7 hours. PS it was totally worth that 3.5 hour wait.
Take the single rider line!!! You won’t be talking to your friends on the ride! Get in the single rider line and you will save sooooo much time. At Expedition Everest, we can ride the ride 5-6 times in the time it takes to ride it once if you wait in the normal line. I have never had to wait longer than 20 minutes in a single rider line for any ride, even at Christmas.
Bring your own water bottle. Water bottles in the parks can run up to over $4 for one bottle. Bring your own water bottle and refill at the parks and you’ll save lots of money.
Bring your own poncho. It rains a lot in Florida, especially in the summer. Bring your own poncho (invest in a good and thick one) so you aren’t wasting money on a cheap poncho at Disney.
Use mobile ordering on the My Disney Experience app. This app is a true resource. If you don’t have it during your trip, you’re missing out on a LOT. One of the best uses is to order food to go through the app. It can help you completely skip the line and grab your food and go!
Stay on-site or at an official Walt Disney World hotel. WDW has their own hotel properties alllll over the place. But they also partnered with some hotel chains. I love the Hilton Buena Vista Palace, which is across from Disney Springs. There are lots of perks when you stay at a WDW hotel. Some are : extended magic hours, FastPass reservation 90 days in advance, transportation to and from the parks, and souvenirs at the hotels. I have stayed at WDW properties, partner hotels, non partner hotels, and condos around Orlando. If you have a bigger group and are trying to save money, a condo may be the best option. However, if you’re under 4 people, I’d definitely recommend staying on-site or at a partner hotel.
If you have any Disney tips, drop them in the comments below!