Disney Quick Tips

Here are a few quick tips that I wish I would have known about the first time we visited Disney as a family.

• Go On A Weekday: Like anywhere..weekends are going to be busier. Since you are coming from out of town, you will most likely be there for the week..plan your park days on week days (during the school year if you can) and the lines will for sure be shorter! *It’s also worth mention that certain times of the year will have lower crowds (end of Jan, beginning of November are some of the lower peak times!)

• Magic Band Fit: If you pull off the grey part of your magic band, it makes it kids size.

• Magic Band: Using the My Disney Experience app, you can add a credit card to the adults bands making it super easy to make purchases on the Disney properties (both the resorts and the parks) so you don’t have to carry your wallet with. When staying on property, your magic band also becomes your room key and with the free shuttle to all of the properties and parks, you won’t have to carry your keys around with you either! Price starts at $19.99 per band, can go higher with customizable upgrades.

• Rider Swap: In case this is your first trip to Disney and you have young children, don’t miss out on the great rides that your kids might be to small to ride. For those that don’t about the parent swap, this is a great set up by Disney to allow parents to experience some of the height restricted rides without each parent having to wait in the lineup. Nap time/Snack time could be a great time to wait in line for a ride like splash mountain, Mom can hop on a ride while dad waits off to the side with the kids, then when Mom gets off, she can switch with Dad and wait off to the side with the kids…just let the staff know that you are doing a rider swap and they will help you out! Just another reason to prove that all Disney parks are for all ages!

• Wait Times: The “My Disney Experience” app is a FREE app that allows you to see wait times in real time. So you can check in and see what has a low wait time and head there instead of doing all the rides in the order you come across them. All of the Disney properties have complementary Wifi, so you can still use this app while your phone is on airplane mode. We are able to see so much more of the park and didn’t have to wait in a line longer then 20 minutes because we used this app!

• Enjoy The Day: I know this sounds like a no-brainer..but I have fallen victim to being one of those Disney guests that is “hell bent on having fun”. This is a tiring day for kids and they might want to take a break from the lines..the really young kids will probably need a nap. they have designated areas with playgrounds or splash pads so the kids can just run and play without waiting for anything. When Mia was 18 months, we took her to Magic Kingdom and all she wanted to do was chase the birds! My husband, who is far more patient then I am, was happy to chase birds with her! I on the other hand said she should do it for free tomorrow when we aren’t at an expensive Disney park. And there I stood, the kill joy at Disney World. There is a reason kids 2 and under are free! Try not to get caught up in getting it all done and just have fun..check in to make sure the kids are having fun too! I will also hang my head in shame and admit that I have been on a ride checking other wait times and changing fastpass plans. This was a rookie mistake in trying to get the most for my money and get in as many rides as possible..and in the end, I missed the rides I was on! So like I said, be sure to enjoy the day..whatever that might look like for your family..bird chasing and all!

• Phone/Pictures/Battery life: Most of us just use our phones these days to take pictures..honestly, I don’t miss lugging around a big camera bag with extra batteries! However, with using the My Disney Experience app, checking wait times, booking fast passes and all the pictures you are going to take..there is the fear that you could run out of battery! If you like taking pictures and video of everything, I would recommend taking a battery charger. However, if you happen to forget, you can purchase one at a kiosk in the park (they are located all over) to witch you can swap it out for a fresh one with full battery throughout your stay (including other park visits) it’s $30 to purchase and an additional $3 to swap out..but if you are in a pinch and, it’s a great way to avoid running out of battery life!
  • Pro tip: I’m all for taking pictures and video of your visit, but keep in mind that there are videos (professional videos) of the parades and night shows available for free on YouTube! We will often watch the fireworks and parades from home while we are eating brekky or something. Pulling up Youtube is so much more convenient then trying to find the video I took a few years ago and pulling it up on the exterior hard drive and going through all that hoopla. So please don’t feel obligated to watch the magic through a screen. Be in the moment and soak in the shows with your kids..you can still relive it all for free when you get home, I promise!

• Arrive Early: A day at a Disney park is a full day for an adult to handle..it will be a lot for the kids! I suggest arriving early (like before the park opens) and plan on taking breaks and possibly heading back to the hotel for a nap for the younger kids. We were lucky that mia would nap pretty easily in her stroller at 18 months, so she had several through out the day…by age 3, she could make it without a nap, but would definitely need a rest.

• Don’t Do The Rides In Order: When you arrive at a theme park, it seems natural to hit the first ride and carry on doing them in order as you see them. For example, at Magic Kingdom..most people hit Tomorrowland or Adventureland and just do all the rides as they make there way around the park. However, thats what everyone else will be doing too! When you arrive at the park, head right to the “must do” rides that might have longer lines in the day.

• Bring A Stroller: Even if you think your child is too old, they will need to give there little legs a rest. Mia was well past the point of needing a stroller, and was reluctant to hop in (after all, she was a big girl now) but once she had a seat and we could push her to the next ride..she was loving it! You will also find you will need to bring stuff with you (water bottles, snacks etc) in your Bag its nice to have a stroller to put it in so you don’t have to carry it all day in the hot sun! Having the stroller was the only reason we were able to stay at the park all day and not go back to the hotel for an afternoon nap. You can check a stroller for free on your flight from Canada..but if you choose not to bring a stroller, rentals are available at all of the parks.. a single stroller rental currently costs $15 per day, and a double costs $31 per day. Buying a multi-day/length of stay rental saves $2 per day for a single and $4 per day. There are several rental companies in Orlando that you can rent strollers for $6 a day (as well as anything else you might be missing). If you are staying at an Air B&B, you will most likely be able to use a stroller from your host for no additional charge.

• COVID: Please keep in mind that we are living in changing times..the rules and regulations are changing constantly. As of right now, a mask is required at all times at all of the Disney properties. Some experiences have been put on hold while we all figure out how to navigate crowds in a COVID world. So I will do my best to keep everything updated, but please know that some things are subject to change. Once the border between the US and Canada are open again and we can plan our next trip to Disney, hopefully all of the experiences will be back up and running!
• Park Pass: Another change due to COVID is a park pass..this is different then a park ticket. Once you purchase your ticket, you will need to make a “reservation” for the day and park you want to visit. This is the best way for Disney to control the crowds to allow people to safely social distance.

• You Might Not Be Able To Do It All: Believe me, we have tried! Before we had kids, my husband and I took a few trips to Disney. We figured it would be cheaper to do one day, but a hopper pass so we could visit all the parks. We ended up doing 3..but only got to experience a couple things at each. Check out the different parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom) to see what park is the best fit for your family. If you aren’t going to be there long enough to do them all or your budget just won’t allow it this time..stick to one or two and really allow yourself to enjoy them! Save some stuff for your next trip..you will for sure want to go back!

• Don’t Wear New Shoes: If you are planning a winter trip, you might find that you your kids have grown out of there summer shoes. If you can’t find something in Canada before your trip, you will for sure be able to find them in the states..however try to give them a chance to wear them in. Disney is a long day of walking..and little feet with blisters will suck a lot of fun out of the day!

• Make Your Stroller Stand Out: There will be stroller parking stations outside of each ride (you can’t take the stroller in line with you) so it’s a good idea to mark your stroller with a bright ribbon or something to help it stand out..its popular to use Disney balloons to mark your stroller, but they can be pricey, so if you want to save a little cash, bring something with you ahead of time. There are thousands of strollers at the parks everyday and you can count on most of them looking similar, so having something stand out on your stroller will make it easier to find.

• Grab A Coffee Ahead Of Time: If you are one of those people that like to get to the park as early as possible (I am one of those people too) you might think it’s a good idea to wait and grab a coffee when you get to the park…just know that about a hundred other parents will be in the line up when you get there. It will actually save you time to stop and grab a coffee at a drive through on the way..then you can enjoy it while you are waiting in line to enter the park and start enjoying yourself right away. Believe me, telling your kids the first line of the day will be for coffee will not go over well.

• Try Using A Disney Travel Agent: If you are feeling completely out of your element, Disney travel agents are FREE to use and are trained experts in all things Disney! They can help you with all tickets and reservations..and just might be able to find you a hidden deal! It’s as easy as giving them your budget and wish list..then they make the magic happen while you can sit back and skip the stress!