8 Tips for a Memorable Disney World Vacation

Did you know that Disney World opened its doors on October 1, 1971? If you are planning a trip to Disney World and are looking at making it the most memorable trip yet, you are in the right place. We have put together this short guide as a reference on making the most out of your Disney World vacation. 

Keep reading for our top tips to have a magical time while you are visiting Disney World. 

1. Stay in a Resort

One of the best ways to experience Disney World is to stay on property. This is why we love recommending Disney Vacation Club rentals. You can not only stay in a beautiful resort at a fraction of the cost but you can also enjoy all of the benefits the members receive. 

Usually, you can save more than 50% per night renting from DVC rentals. 

2. Glow at Pandora

If you are doing Disney World with kids then this is a small tip that your kid will love and remember for years. Before your trip order, some glow-in-the-dark paint online and apply some fun designs to your kids the morning you head to Animal Kingdom.  

When you head into the Pandora attraction watch everyone’s designs come to life and add to the magical experience. Keep in mind that you can’t buy this paint at Disney so order it ahead of time. 

3. Fireworks VIP Show

The Magic Kingdom Fireworks are spectacular but the crowds it attracts are not fun. We recommend going to Fantasy Land and sitting down in front of the Dumbo Ride. Here you will get a great view and it will feel like you are having your own private viewing of the fireworks show. 

4. Restaurant Reservations

Some of the most popular restaurants in Disney get booked 180 days in advance. If your restaurant is booked you might still be able to get a reservation. 

First, sign up for a free basic account on touring plans and then visit their restaurant finder. In the finder you can put in the reservation details you are looking for. You can make the details very specific for certain dates or make a wider range if your days are flexible. 

Once there is a cancellation, then you will receive a text and you can click the link on the text and book your reservations on the My Disney Experience App. Believe it or not, cancellations happen pretty often. 

5. Fast Pass Reservations

You have a 60-day window before your arrival to select your Fast Pass attractions if you are staying at an official Disney World resort. For those staying off-site you will have a 30-day window to book your Fast Passes. 

We recommend booking three consecutive Fast Passes at the beginning of the morning. When you book a 9 am, 10 am, and 11 am Fast Pass, you will have access to more. As soon as you check into your third ride the option to book your fourth Fast Pass will appear. 

You can book that fourth one while you are in line waiting for your third ride. This same process can be done throughout the day until there are no more Fast Passes available. 

6. Crowd Calendar

The time of year you choose to visit will make a big difference with how large the crowds are. You can use a crowd calendar to see how that time of year is when it comes to the number of guests. Once you choose when you are going, then you can take a look at how crowded each park is to narrow down which park to visit, each day of the week. 

We do not recommend choosing a park with extra magic hours because this park will have extra crowds from those that are staying at Disney Resorts. If you do not mind visit when the weather is less than ideal, then you will have the smallest crowds to deal with. 

If you are fine with no pool time while you are in town then visiting at the end of January or beginning of February you will enjoy emptier parks and shorter lines for the rides. A bonus of visiting during these months is that most parks close earlier at 8 pm or 9 pm so if you are traveling with kids this is an easier day than when the parks close at 10 pm. 

7. Special Events

Take the time to figure out if there are any special events happening during your visit to Disney. Disney’s social media channels will have all the scoop on anything extra happening and this will allow you to plan accordingly. 

You can also sign up for the Disney Food Blog Newsletter to help keep you in the loop about everything that is happening in Disney World. A special event can mean special limited-time merchandise and special experiences during your stay. 

8. Wait Times

Downloading the My Disney Experience App is a must, to check what the ride and attraction wait times are. Before the cell phone invention, people had to walk to the Information Booths to figure out what the wait times were. Now it is easy for anyone with a smartphone to figure out how long they will have to wait before heading to a certain ride.  

Ready for an Epic Disney World Vacation?

We hope that now that you have our top tips on making the most memorable Disney World vacation, you can start planning your trip right away. We hope you have the best time ever visiting Mickey Mouse and the clan. 

Did you find this blog post helpful? Please keep browsing the rest of this section for some more vacation tips.

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