C’mon, admit it. We’ve all been there. We’ve all had a friend, family member or co-worker that all they talked about was their vacation to Walt Disney World. They asked you a few questions, but that was all they did. Then they get back from their trip tired and complaining about how much a souvenir cost or the only restaurant that their child wanted to eat at was full. There are many common mistakes I feel are made by the “newbie” when it comes to visiting the “World” and I’m going to list my top ten.
10. Not realizing how big Walt Disney World really is.
WDW is 47 square miles. Manhattan, NY is 33.77 square miles. You do the math. Disney World is not the size of a Six Flags over wherever. This place is massive and you have to plan for the huge scale of the resort.
9. Leaving when it begins to rain.
Don’t do it. Most of the time the showers in Orlando are short lived. If in doubt, carry a packable rain jacket or poncho. Showers tend to thin out the crowds, so now is one of the best times to be in the parks.
8. Fastpasses are your friend.
These are free and can save huge amounts of time.
7. Trying too do to much in too little of time.
As stated in number 10. WDW is massive in scale. You will not get everything covered in one trip unless you’re going to be there for months at a time (I wish). Plan accordingly. Know that time is of the essence. Extra magic hours can be your friend or your worst enemy.
6. Height requirements.
Not knowing how tall your kids are before arriving can be a downer, especially when all they’ve been talking about is riding Space Mountain, only to get there and find out they aren’t tall enough.
5. Not setting a budget.
Food in Disney costs more than most places in your hometown. Check out the menus of places you’re interested in eating and plan accordingly.
4. Know what kind of tickets you want.
There are hundreds of ticket options, so don’t wait until it’s your first day in a park to buy them. Are you going to want DisneyQuest or Water Parks? Most guest services and resorts sell tickets.
3. When are you going?
Certain times of the year are a lot busier than others. Want to go during Thanksgiving or Christmas? Just know it’s probably the busiest time of the year.
2. Transportation
Disney’s transportation will take you almost anywhere you want to go within the resort area. If you want to ride in your own vehicle, parking is free if you’re staying in a Disney resort. Just know that you’ll have to pay for parking at theme parks if staying offsite.
1. But I really want to eat in the castle!
Making ADR’s. You get to the most magical place on earth and your child wants to dine with the princesses. But “we’re sorry, we have no openings today” is the reply that you get. You have 180 days out to make those ADR’s to try and get some of the most coveted spots at the most coveted restaurants.
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