How to Make Your Trip Go Smoother
Walt Disney World is a magical place, but if you’ve never been there before, it can be a little overwhelming. If you’re planning on taking a trip to the Orlando location this year, there are a few things you should know before you go. Our EWR Airport parking company explains:
Plan your trip during the off-season.
Walt Disney World is one of the most popular family vacation spots in the world, so you can expect long lines and lots of anxious children during peak months. To avoid an overcrowded experience, plan a trip for late September, early October, or early March. If you go during spring break or during the summer when kids aren’t in school, be prepared to wait.
Transportation may take longer than you think.
There are many different ways to get around including bus, ferry, and monorail, but no matter which you use, be sure to plan ample time for travel. While Disney’s own transportation system is convenient to get from one place to another, it’ll most likely take longer than you expect.
There’s a Disney World app.
The app, called My Disney Experience, can come in really handy if you’re planning a Disney vacation. Download the app and you’ll find attraction wait times, restaurant menus and reservations, character greeting locations and times, FastPass+ modifications, and more to make your trip easier.
Use the help line to answer your questions.
If you have questions about your trip, Disney’s help line (407-939-5277) is full of very knowledgeable people who can help you sort things out. Whether you want to know where the best restaurants are, how to score some great deals, where to board for transportation, or another question, they’ll likely have the answer.
Do your research.
A trip to Disney World is more than just a trip to a theme park. With 40 square miles of attractions, entertainment, hotels, restaurants, rides, and more, there is a lot to see and do. Take the time to research the area and what you and your family would enjoy, then plan things out. You’ll have a much better time when you’re not overwhelmed.
Disney’s PhotoPass will take pictures for you.
You can’t go to Disney World without taking lots of pictures of you and your family, but it can sometimes be hard to remember to do so (or simply annoying to lug around a camera). Instead, purchase a PhotoPass and you can have the Disney photographers do it for you. Simply go up to any PhotoPass photographer in the park and have them take your picture. Then, log in online and you can see all of the photos at the end of your trip.
Consider an on-site hotel.
While it’s probably cheaper to stay in an off-site hotel, on-site lodgings can make a huge difference in your Disney trip. The “Disney bubble” (as travelers call it) gives you the full magical experience, with little extras for everything you do (from meals to your hotel to transportation and more). For the ultimate in Disney, consider splurging for a stay in this area.
Take advantage of Extra Magic Hours.
Every month, Disney World opens its gates an hour early and closes three hours later for those staying at the resort. This can be the perfect opportunity to see some extra shows, attractions or rides without all of the other visitors. These hours are only on certain days, though, so pay attention to the schedule.
Plan some down time.
As we said before, there’s a lot to do at Disney, so it’s best to plan a long trip (say 7-10 days) in order to see everything. With that being said, hopping from park to park and attraction to attraction can be pretty exhausting, so plan some down time between your experiences. Sit back and recover at your hotel or visit Downtown Disney in your off time and you’ll be glad you took some time to relax.
You can ride the rides that your kids can’t.
If you come across a ride that your child is too young to ride (or one they simply don’t want to ride), there’s a way for you to ride instead. Disney offers a system called Rider Switch that lets parents ride the rides instead of the kids. All you have to do is let the ride’s Cast Member know that you’ll be taking your child’s place and they’ll give you a Rider Switch pass.
There is a pet hotel on premises.
Don’t want to leave your furry friend at home? Bring him/her with you! Granted, you won’t be able to bring your pet with you into the park or at the resort hotels, but there’s a place for them to stay called Best Friends Total Pet Care (across from Port Orleans Riverside Resort). Drop your pet off and they’ll be treated to their own suite, meet other pets, enjoy grooming, and more.
