You've heard it referred to as "the happiest place on earth." However, if you arrive at Walt Disney World without a plan for your trip, you may find yourself battling huge crowds, soaring temperatures and peak hotel prices. Making a plan, knowing the tricks and understanding how Walt Disney World works will prevent misery and allow you to enjoy all that Disney has to offer.
Many families plan their Disney vacation during Spring Break or summer vacation. When they arrive, they find the theme parks crowded to near full capacity, lines stretching past the two-hour mark and temperatures in the 90s or above.
Instead of planning your trip during these peak seasons, arrange to have your children excused from their school activities and make reservations for less-crowded times at the resort. Some of the best times to make your vacation plans are mid-November to mid-December (excluding Thanksgiving week), September (excluding Labor Day weekend), early May and mid-January through mid-February.
Disney's table service restaurants allow guests to make reservations 180 days before the date of their meal. Making reservations saves time, helps you plan your day and eliminates the half hour or so you and your family will spend trying to find somewhere to eat. You can make advanced dining reservations by calling (407) WDW-DINE.
When traveling with children, it's always possible that your child may wander off while you're not looking. While it's important that you monitor small children at all times, things sometimes get out of hand and you wind up "misplacing" a child. Have a contingency plan if your child becomes lost.
When you first arrive at the parks, introduce your child to a Cast Member, the term used for Walt Disney World employees. Show your child the Cast Member's badge and instruct him or her to find an employee with a similar badge if he or she becomes lost. Ensure the child knows your full name so management can better find you. Typically, lost children are taken to one of Disney's Baby Care Centers. Familiarize yourself with locations of the Baby Care Centers at the resort.
With Disney's value resorts, staying on property is many times no more expensive than staying off property. By staying in one of Disney's many resorts, you also get to take advantage of Disney's perks for hotel guests. Among these perks are free transportation to the parks and the parks' special "Extra Magic Hours," which allows hotel guests to arrive before opening or stay after closing on select dates.
While you don't have to abandon spontaneity completely, having a fluid plan listing which parks you will visit on certain days and which attractions you will experience first will give you a compass to navigate the parks.
Pack a pair of comfortable shoes. Walt Disney World will wreak havoc on your feet if you don't take care of them. Though they're not the most stylish, footwear such as Crocs can save you from extreme foot pain later in the day.
Although Walt Disney World first introduced the Fastpass system in 1999, many guests still don't understand how the system works or even know it exists. Designed to allow you to wait "virtually" in line, getting a Fastpass for a popular ride allows you to shop, eat or experience another attraction while you wait for your ride time to arrive.
