How to maximize your time at Walt Disney World

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September 17, 2018
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How to maximize your time at Walt Disney World

Are you planning a trip to the Walt Disney World Resort soon? How exciting! I have made a list of things to do to maximize your time at Walt Disney World.

I have been to Disneyland several times and I have been to Walt Disney World many times, with my husband and children. Both parks have the fabulous five Disney characters and both have that special Disney magic, but after that, the parks are quite different.

The biggest difference between Walt Disney World and Disneyland is size. Walt Disney World is the size of Manhattan. It’s HUGE! Walt Disney World has four theme parks, two water parks, an ESPN sports complex, Disney Springs with shopping, dining and entertainment and 25+ hotels.

Here is a break down of the Theme Parks-

Magic Kingdom

Magic Kingdom is the original Walt Disney World theme park. This is where you’ll find the castle, classic Disney rides and characters. You can’t really say you’ve visited Walt Disney World if you don’t spend a day in the Magic Kingdom.

Here are some of the top rides to help you maximize your Walt Disney World trip-

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Space Mountain
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
Splash Mountain
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Haunted Mansion
“it’s a small world” ( Some may or may not like it. I like it, but not as much as Disneyland’s.)
Jungle Cruise
Philharmagic
Pirates of the Caribbean

Epcot

Is the largest park at Walt Disney World. Epcot has two sections – Future World and World Showcase.

Future World is all about imagination, technology and space. It’s full of big ideas and interactive fun for all ages. Top thrill rides include a simulated space launch and a race in a car you design. Soarin’ will always be one of my favorite rides.

World Showcase is where we blow our food budget because it’s so fun to sample treats from all the featured countries. The popular new Frozen Ever After ride is in the Norway section of the World Showcase.

Here are some of the top rides to help you maximize your Walt Disney World trip-

Test Track
RELAUNCHED! Mission: Space
Soarin’
The Seas with Nemo and Friends
Spaceship Earth
Frozen ever after

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park

Disney’s Animal Kingdom has lands for Africa, Asia and Dinosaurs. Africa and Asia are impressive, immersive experiences. DinoLand U.S.A. and Pandora – The World of Avatar which opened in 2017 with new rides, restaurants and entertainment.

Here are some of the top rides to help you maximize your Walt Disney World trip-

Avatar Flight of Passage – NEW in 2017!
Kilimanjaro Safaris
Expedition Everest
Kali River Rapids
DINOSAUR
It’s Tough to Be a Bug!
Finding Nemo – The Musical

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Disney’s Hollywood Studios is home to all the Star Wars attractions, and the all-new Toy Story Land. If you love Tower of Terror, Toy Story, Muppets and other favorites, this is where you’ll find them too.

Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple is a fun show where kids can battle Star Wars villains with light sabers. Sign up early in the day to participate!

Here are some of the top rides to help you maximize your Walt Disney World trip-

Star Tours – The Adventures Continue
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith
Toy Story Mania!
Slinky The Dog Dash ( New This Year!)
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple
Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular
Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage
Fantasmic!

Here is tips to maximize your time-

1.You need to know when peak and non-peak season is. Peak and non-peak are terms that may seem unfamiliar to some people. Peak season is when the Walt Disney World Resort is the busiest (holidays, school breaks like spring and summer). Non-peak season is when the resort is the least busy (the weeks in between major holidays, weekdays that are not during spring and summer break). With this general idea of when peak and non-peak season is, it is easier to plan when to take your vacation. If your schedule is not flexible, and you must visit the Walt Disney World Resort during peak, try to pre-plan as much as possible because the resort will be crowded and you will want to maximize your time.

If your staying at one of the many Walt Disney World Resort Hotels and you choose the dining plan, you can book your dining 180 days before your vacation which opens at 6 am EST! Make sure you utilize that perk! My family is a family of seven and just recently I learned all to well the struggle while booking our dining. Our vacation is not here yet, won’t be until November 13, but boy those reservations were going like hot cakes! Booking as soon as you can will help maximize your time.
Plan your days ahead, in other words FastPasses, FastPasses, FastPasses! Fastpasses can be booked at 60 days before your vacation and 30 days for those that are non Disney Resort guests. For those who are unaware of what a FastPass is, let us fill you in. FastPasses allow you to skip the standby line for select attractions, shows, and character greetings. To obtain a FastPass, you can either create a Disney account and link your tickets or magic band to the account and obtain the FastPasses through the My Disney Experience app or you can obtain a FastPass from an in-park kiosk. You are allowed three FastPasses for your party at one time, however, those three FastPasses can only be for one park. For example, you cannot have one FastPass for an attraction at Magic Kingdom and the other two FastPasses at Animal Kingdom. All three must be at one park, there is no way around it. Once you have used your third FastPass, you are capable to obtain more.Be warned however, FastPasses for attractions like Frozen, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Toy Story Mania, Slinky Dog Dash and the new the Pandora attractions go fast. Get on as soon as you can and book your FastPasses so you can maximize your Walt Disney World trip.

4.Get to the Park EARLY! I cannot stress enough, get to the park you are visiting as early as possible. There are numerous benefits to arriving early. Benefits such as: a closer parking spot in the parking lot, getting the head start before the crowd on the Disney transportation to the park, and my personal favorite…the ability to ride some of the larger popular rides you could not get FastPasses like Flight of Passage that later becomes a several hour wait, because often they are all taken by the time it comes time for FastPass + picking day. If you arrive at park opening, it is so much easier to get on those larger popular rides and wait in line for a minimal amount of time, as opposed to the typical long times. You know the words, the early bird gets the worm, the early bird gets the ride which helps maximize your time.

You don’t need a Park Hopper pass at Walt Disney World. The four theme parks are NOT within walking distance of each other and each has its own gigantic parking lot. You’ll burn precious daylight hopping from one park to another on the same day. If your park days are limited or the convenience of park hopping is worth the expense, then Park Hopper passes may be a good choice for your family. It’s about YOUR priorities, time and budget. Just be sure that Park Hopper passes will maximize your trip before you pay extra for them.
Whether to stay on or off property is a big decision at Walt Disney World. We have stayed off property before in Kissimmee, and it was great. We drove to Walt Disney World, Universal Studios Orlando and SeaWorld Orlando. You can save money by staying off property – especially if Walt Disney World is not your only destination. However, there are perks to staying at a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel-more so than at Disneyland. Many Walt Disney World fans would not consider staying anywhere else. These advantages include:

Accommodations to fit most budgets. There are 25+ Disney Resort hotels to choose from!
Close proximity to the parks
Complimentary transportation and parking
Extra Magic Hours that give you early or late access to the parks with smaller crowds, that can help maximize your time by giving you extra time in the park.
Early FastPass+ reservations
Complimentary MagicBands
Disney magic! Enjoy the wonder and attention to detail that makes Disney special.

Looking over the maps online at https://disneyworld.disney.go.com or on your My Disney Experience App and know where everything is like bathrooms, drinking fountains, ATMs, first aid, baby centers, food carts etc. is essential! Especially when visiting with kids! Kids are unpredictable to say the least. One minute they are fine, the next minute they are hungry, thirsty, or need to use the bathroom. Avoid hunger, thirst, and bathroom accidents by knowing your surroundings! Sometimes, without warning, we get sick and need medical attention or medicine, the first aid center has adult and children over the counter medicine you can purchase to help you or your child in the event you get sick. And the baby center even carries diapers for purchase in the event you forget some. Knowing where things are is an essential way to maximize your time.
When picking fastpass+ reservations, pick ones in close proximity to each other, so your not wasting precious time bouncing all over the park, that you could’ve used getting in another ride during your wait time between fast passes. Picking fastpass+ reservations in close proximity is a great way to maximize your time.
When you arrive to the park you are visiting, grab a map! Study that map so you know where the shortcuts are and also so you will know where the shows, parades, and fireworks take place. This is a great way to maximize your trip because when those shows let out and the parade or fireworks finish, walking traffic is going to back up quickly! When you know your shortcuts, you can avoid these areas and make it to your destination without being held up behind a large crowd.
When heading into the parks, take as little with you as possible! You will maximize your time by spending a very little amount of time getting through security and around the crowd.
Another way to maximize your time is to wait to get your souvenirs towards the end of your day. Waiting to purchase souvenirs will not only save you time during your visit so you can do bigger things but also so you don’t have to carry bags around all day! It is possible to maximize your time while at the resort, if you do it right.

If you take our advice, you are more than capable of maximizing your time during your visit, having a great time, and seeing the magic Walt Disney World Resort has to offer. Happy travels!