Planning Your Next Trip to Walt Disney World
Looking to plan a trip to the happiest place on earth? You’ve come to the right Disney guru!
I previously posted another blog post of a recap to my birthday trip to Walt Disney World, but I thought I would make a separate post with more specific details on how to actually plan a trip, so enjoy! ☺️
Go during the less busy seasons
It’s always helpful to know what time of year you plan your trip in order to determine how busy it’s going to be. According to a TripSavvy article, the busiest times of year to visit Walt Disney World is summer and holidays, particularly Christmas and New Years. Since we visited mid-May, the crowds were pretty moderate. Regardless, don’t let the chart dictate your whole plan for your trip, it’s all about what works best for you and the people you’re going with! Orlando is a very popular destination, so just be prepared for big crowds no matter when you go!Use Genie+ for rides
This used to be the way to get fast passes, but now you pay $15 for a whole day and book certain rides for a certain period of time (ex. being able to ride Pirates of the Caribbean from 12:30 till 1:30) and wait in the Lighting Lane, which usually takes about ten minutes or less. If it weren’t for Genie+, I don’t think we would have rode as many rides as we did. $15 makes it totally worth it!
Make restaurant reservations far in advance
My friends and I tried to book a reservation at Be Our Guest for one of my birthday lunches, but it ended up being fully booked for the day of our visit 😢 If there’s a certain restaurant that you’re eager to dine at, make sure you book a reservation as soon as you figure out what park and day you’re doing!
Invest in a fanny pack
I certainly can’t turn down a cute Disney-themed purse or backpack, but having a fanny pack for any of the parks is a game-changer! It’s perfect especially for going on rides and not having to worry about storing it in the front basket and forgetting about it after (which is exactly what happened to my Minnie Mouse ears after riding Space Mountain 😂 ). It’s great for keeping my phone, wallet, and sunglasses safe! I also like to store a sunscreen stick, travel size deodorant, floss, and a portable charger in it.
Take at least one rest day in between park days
Whether you’re traveling with kids or not, it’s definitely a good idea to take at least one or two rest days during your trip. Spending a whole entire day at any of the theme parks is EXHAUSTING. 100% worth it, but exhausting 😂 Whether you’re staying at one of the resort’s hotels or somewhere close by, this would be the perfect day for a pool day! Another fun idea is to go to Disney Springs, which is free for everybody to get in. It still has a lot of walking, but you can shop, sit at a restaurant, get a drink somewhere (I highly recommend Dockside Margaritas if you love a good margarita!) and have a chill day or evening!
Download the My Disney Experience app
I found this app almost ten years ago during a trip with my high school best friend to the resort. It gives you a mobile map of the parks, which then you can check wait times for rides, showtimes for parades and other shows, where to find characters, restaurant menus, and much more. Being able to find out wait times without having to go all across the park to the attraction is most definitely a lifesaver!
Watch “Behind The Attraction” on Disney Plus!
I’m such a history buff when it comes to Disney movies and parks, and this show is perfect for any other fanatic like me! It has many different episodes based on famous attractions such as Jungle Cruise, Haunted Mansion, Space Mountain and much more where they go in detail on how they were developed, the inspiration, and many other historical facts shared with many Imagineers. I watched it last September as a fun show to watch at night before bedtime, and I still sometimes have it on in the background when I’m working from home. It was especially a great show to get into prior to my trip to Disney. I was able to share some fun facts about different attractions with my friends!
Anybody else have any other Walt Disney World traveling tips? Feel free to share them in the comment section!