Thanks so much, everyone! This has been incredibly helpful. The advice about accepting that you can’t do everything has probably been the biggest takeaway for me. I think I was trying to fit way too much into the itinerary, but now I’m planning to focus on our must-do attractions and treat everything else as a bonus.
I also really appreciate the reminders about comfortable shoes, staying hydrated, and protecting a rest day. Those are the kinds of practical tips that can make a huge difference but are easy to overlook when you’re busy planning.
Thanks again for taking the time to share your experiences. I’m feeling much more prepared for our first trip, and I’m sure these tips will help other first-time visitors who come across this thread too!
This is exactly the attitude I try to take EVERY time we go. It is so easy to get caught up in adding just one more thing to the plan. And if you have not been, you have absolutely no idea what to expect. Read the web sites, watch the videos, ask the questions, but until you get there you can’t understand how overwhelming it can be. Leave plenty of room in your plans. Our last trip we were walking into Magic Kingdom just in time to catch the beginning of The Dapper Dans performance. In my plan for the day? Nope. But it was a delightful way to start the day at MK and that 10-15 minutes set the tone for our entire day.
A few came to mind. You can bring food into the parks. Not just snacks but sandwiches etc. On a lark day, lightning lanes are often not as hard to get or to modify as you would think as long as you are patient and keep refreshing. Also if you are doing character meals, Tusker House (Mickey and friends) and Akershus (Princesses) are easier to get reservations than Chef Mickey’s and Cinderella’s royal table and give you similar characters (IMHO the food is also better at tuskers and akershus). I also think that Crystal Palace (Pooh and friends) and Storybook dining at Artist point (Snow White, Dwarfs and the Evil Queen) are fantastic and you can often get a reservation a few days before or even same day. Lastly the costume for kids is very permissive. Other than safety items (masks, things that drag on the ground, things that look like weapons etc) there aren’t many restrictions. My DD 8 has gone to Hollywood Studios as Ahsoka from star wars with a full headpiece and all the face and body paint (lots of orange). Also bounding (wearing street clothes outfits inspired by disney) is a ton of fun for adults. If you are star wars people, let me know and I can give you as much detail as you want about Batuu. Have a great trip!
YES! And this is so nice compared to other theme parks’ rules.
We brought full lunches in 2019 (we still had a stroller). In place of buying lunches we let the girls pick a fun treat that we would normally need to say “no” to, (those are $$ at times) and then we bought dinner.
Do not spend the hottest part of the day trekking around the park. Find air-con, eat a meal, head back to the hotel and pool or nap. Take midday to recharge. The sun will zap your energy.
100% can’t do it all. Even if you think you plan is slim you still won’t do it all. And plan to pivot and change plans. Have 3-5 must dos ( ride, show, character, meal, etc). per day and if you do those, it’s a success.
I wish there was a way to really help first time visitors understand just how large and sprawling the whole WDW resort is. I could not grasp that ahead of time and so it was hard to understand that yes it really may take an hour to get from point A to point B depending on transportation and related factors, and distances are not always not walkable but also not safe for walking due to traffic and lack of sidewalks.
That may be different now with all of the technology we have. But in 2010 we were still using paper maps
My kids still make fun of my wife and I for saying we are going to “mapquest” it, even though we are using Google Maps. (At least we don’t say we’re going to Trip-tik it, or worse, “Rand McNally” it.
I did this back in the day. That was a weird, brief period in mapping history.
I’m so glad we have GPS on our phones now. I got lost more than once as a young driver. Not like completely lost (I knew generally where I was), but enough that it was disruptive.
I still used to get these when the kids were little, even when we had a GPS (though not yet on our phones) because it gave them something tangible to hold and they liked turning the pages. And I admit- I liked turning the pages too! Though they were the best when they were the long skinny Trip-Tiks. Once they changed to the half-size version of regular 8x11 paper, they weren’t as cool!
I have tried to describe it in local to them terms. Like AK is from MK as [this] town is to [that] town. And the speed limit is such that your trip wil be easily 15 minutes once you finally get on the roadway.
I worked up a whole page of park to park, etc., combinations and would just insert local stuff each time I helped someone so I don’t easily recall distances now. I do recall explaining that there were 50+ attractions at MK and if you ran from one to the next, you could get them all done. In 12 hours or more.
Some people understood. Others can’t imagine.
When we first took the Kid’s other grandparents along, the Kid was still stroller age. Granny could not understand how we could just park the stroller and get in line for an attraction and expect that stroller to be waiting there when we returned. Thoroughly amazed her.
Regarding transportation, it a pain to travel from resort to resort. When I first started researching restaurants, I wanted to go some at resorts. Then I realized how much time it takes to travel to them and it might not be worth it. I get those restaurants might be better but know how much travel time it takes. On a first trip, I’d recommend dining in parks, Disney Springs or your own resort.
As good as a planner as you, you won’t stick to your plan. Be prepared to pivot and cut things. Know what you want to cut.
You didn’t say when you’re going bog summer or even fall, be warned how hot it is. I like hot and thought I’d be fine on June. It’s next level hot! We had to cut a lot and go slower.
Welcome & Enjoy your Disney vacation, that would be no.1. Even though most have been mentioned, here’s my personal take:
1.With my kids I try and keep the same meal times as usual: hungry kids, cranky everybody (we usually use mobile order in advance so that when we are ready to eat we wait a minimum amount of time)
2. Being at WDW is the point for us, rides & attractions are awesome but if we only get to do a couple, still awesome. We love using Lightning Lanes (LL) which makes it easier to get more rides in especially in Magic Kingdom
3. We love Park Hopping with a midday break, park that closes latest is our last park of the Day (usually Magic Kingdom) besides, you get to purchase LL once but use them at both parks
4. Snacks can be really filling, especially in the heat, but sit down can be just the thing to relax: so ADR and cancel in time if not needed
5. We always have Hotel days to chill & relax
6. Disney Springs is fun & great food
7. Lounges: Nomad at Animal Kingdom, Geo 82 Epcot, Oga’s Cantina Hollywood Studios, Trader Sam’s Poly, Enchanted Rose at Grand Floridian & Jock Lindsey at Disney Springs for adult time
8. Dining plan was way too much food, did not save any money (cost more because of credits not used) and tipping is not included! Hard pass for us.
I read The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World cover to cover before my first trip, and my biggest takeaway was that whatever great idea you have about what you’d like to do, literally tens of thousands of other people will be there at the same time trying to do the same thing as you. So either try to do those things at different times (like eating lunch a little early or a bit late) or be first (like front of the pack of rope drop or making your reservations at the very first possible moment). Then when you’re actually there, enjoy it, because you’ve put in the work of preparing and knowing what to expect and you’ve set your family up for a fabulous time!
I always encourage people, depending on length of trip, to build in a ‘mop up’ day. It doesn’t have to be a totally unplanned day on your schedule - but maybe at the end where you can pivot things.
Maybe Fantasmic was on your must do list, but it got rained out on your Hollywood Studios day.
Maybe the kids spent the whole day on the playground at Epcot and now you haven’t seen any of World Showcase.
Maybe everyone was obsessed with the Corn Dog Nuggets at MK and you need to have them just one more time before you leave.
Maybe your kid develops an Up obsession while there and AK is the only place you can meet Dug, Kevin, or Russell, but you didn’t know that on your AK day.
