Let’s just say that we’ve been to Disney World more than a “few” times. 😉
We’ve definitely been to the parks more than a few times.
We pretty much consider ourselves theme park experts at this point, and if you’ve reached that milestone as well, then we may have some things in common. There are quite a few Disney-centric habits we’ve picked up over our years of visiting the theme parks, and sometimes they carry over into the real world!
You Forget That The Real World Doesn’t Have MagicBands
When you get used to wearing a MagicBand on your wrist all day in the theme parks, it’s easy to forget that you’re NOT wearing one when you leave. We’ve been known to accidentally try and tap our wrists outside our front door at home or attempt to pay via MagicBand at the grocery store.
Unfortunately, we don’t get MagicBands in our daily lives.
We get so adjusted to the convenience of having a MagicBand that it’s sometimes strange to go back to the real world. Thankfully, smartwatch technology has been advancing in recent years…so it’s kinda like wearing a MagicBand!
Learn more about the NEW form of MagicBand coming soon here!
You’re Looking for Hidden Mickeys Everywhere
This is DEFINITELY a common habit of the dedicated Disney fan. Once you get on that hidden Mickey search, you won’t be able to stop — spotting them at home, at work, at school, and everywhere you go.
You’ll start to see them everywhere!
You know that they’re not specifically designed to be hidden Mickeys, but you can’t help it. Every time you see that three-circle pattern your mind is immediately drawn to your favorite mouse. You may have never noticed it before, but after visiting Disney World 100 times, it’s an unspoken habit.
Check out this cool Hidden Mickey at Disney World!
You’re Surprised by the Cost of Eating Out
If you’re used to the price of dining in Disney World, then you’ll be pleasantly surprised when you head back home and eat out in those less touristy areas. You may even feel like you’re saving a significant chunk of change!
We won’t lie — food is definitely pricier in the parks.
It may end up shocking you to go to your local fast food restaurant and not have to pay $10-$15 per person for burgers and fries. If you’re driving, you might even hit this realization on the way home from the parks! This usually sinks in when we’re at the airport before we even get home. Those inflated airport prices still seem like a downright bargain after a week in Disney World! WHOA!
Check out some recent price hikes in Disney World here.
Parking Will Suddenly Become More Confusing
When you’re at Disney World, parking is surprisingly straightforward…as long as you remember where you parked. In the real world, it’s not as simple, and you’ll probably find yourself looking for landmarks to help you remember where you parked your car at the mall.
It’s easier to remember where you parked when there are all these signs!
The grocery store doesn’t have parking lot names based on Disney characters or row numbers on the ground that you can take a picture of. And the true downside of parking outside of Disney World? There aren’t any trams to take you to the front!
TRAMS ARE BACK in Disney World! This is not a drill! Click here!
You Become a Line-Watcher
Those who visit Disney World often develop a special skill, a skill we’ll call “line watching.” Basically, if you’re given the choice of a variety of lines (like at security or the park entrance), you’ll be able to scan them and tell which one offers the shortest wait time.
It’s a skill to know which line is the shortest.
When in Disney World, you probably know to avoid the lines that are closest (newer guests tend to jump in the first line once they get off the monorail or bus) and those that look like they’ll move slowly (a family with a bunch of kids may take longer since the kids sometimes have trouble scanning into the parks). Hopefully, you’ll be able to apply this skill when you leave the parks as well — you’ll make it through checkout at the grocery store in no time!
Learn other skills from Disney Pros here!
You’ll Keep the MDE App On Your Phone
If you’re a frequent visitor at Disney World, then you’re likely familiar with the very helpful (and at times frustrating) My Disney Experience app. It shows wait times, park maps, park hours, showtimes, Mobile Order, dining reservations, and so much more. And if you know you’re coming back soon, you probably won’t delete it after your trip.
©Disney
In fact, you may find yourself checking it habitually to look at the wait times, look at menus, or scroll through various offerings like the festival guides. And if you look at those wait times and debate planning a last-minute trip to the parks…don’t worry, you’re not alone. Something about peeking in on how Disney World is doing on any given day just feels nice, doesn’t it?
You’ll Want to Listen to Disney Music More Often
When you’re in the parks often and Disney music is the soundtrack of your life for multiple days, it just becomes natural. You may even find yourself pulling up those Disney Parks playlists on Spotify when you get home.
Fantasyland has some really classic music!
We’re incredibly productive when we’re in Disney World, so maybe it’s the songs we’re listening to! (At least, that’s what we’ll tell ourselves while we listen to the EPCOT entrance loop for the 45th time today.) Singing a “happy little working song” seems to work for Disney characters and we’re NGL, it sure helps us get through the days too!
Check out the newest Disney music you can stream for free here!
You’ll Start “Rope Dropping” Things
For those who aren’t familiar, “rope drop” is what Disney fans call it when they arrive at the parks before they open. And if you make that a habit on vacation, you’ll continue the trend when you get home, rope dropping the grocery store, the doctor’s office, you name it.
You’ll definitely want to beat the crowds.
But let us warn you — at Disney World, it’s normal to arrive 30-45 minutes before opening, but if you do this in the real world, you’ll be sitting in the parking lot for a while. Sounds like a great time to listen to MORE Disney music! But hey, your dentist will likely thank you for your promptness!
Click here to see what rope dropping is like now in Disney World
You’ll Start Expecting Posted Wait Times
In Disney World, there are wait times for EVERYTHING. Restaurant check-in, rides, character meets, fireworks, etc. Just ask the nearest Cast Member and they can usually predict how long you’ll have to wait. But in the real world, it’s pretty much a guessing game.
You may miss the wait time signs!
Anytime you’re waiting in a line, you’ll be wondering what the posted wait time is. It’s easy to get antsy when you don’t know exactly HOW long you’ll be standing around. And if you’re a true Disney fanatic, you may even try to guess the “wait time,” even going as far as setting a timer on your phone. We’ve definitely done that one in a ride queue once or twice.
Check out the best and worst Disney World queues here!
You’ll Start Calling Everything by Disney Names
When you’re in the parks a lot, there’s definitely a jargon that you pick up on. And if you visit often enough, that “proper nomenclature” (as Disney calls it) will start to seep into your daily vocabulary as well.
“Cast Member” is a very Disney term!
What do we mean? Well, employees anywhere will forever be “Cast Members” in your mind, and words like backstage, FastPass, Mobile Order, and queue will start to join the regular rotation as well. Call something an “attraction” or a person at the parks a “guest.” It’ll be a dead giveaway that you’re a “Disney adult.”
Learn other important Disney phrases here!
You’ll Start Using Acronyms for Everyday Things
And speaking of changing up your speech, let’s talk about acronyms — Disney uses them for everything! MDE is My Disney Experience, ADR is Advance Dining Reservation, DAK is Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and there are about a hundred other ones that you’ll learn throughout your many vacations.
DAK is short for Disney’s Animal Kingdom
And even though it takes a bit to get the hang of all those acronyms, you’ll start to realize that it’s easier than saying the full names for things. All of a sudden, you find that you’re GGS (going grocery shopping) before you PKFS (pick up the kids from school) and then you’ll DLL (do a load of laundry) when you get home. And then no one will understand what you’re saying…trust us, we’ve been there. 😂
There are so many Disney habits to pick up!
No matter how Disney World vacations start to affect you in the long run, they’re definitely a blast! And if you’re looking for all the up-to-date Disney World information and news, then you’re in the right place. We’ve got you covered with the latest advice and tips here at DFB!
11 Incredible Disney World Details Even the Experts Have Missed — Click Here!
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This is hilarious!!! TRUTH! All of it. Thanks for this light hearted article!! 😊
Our lab at the hospital has an app where you can reserve your spot in line before you leave home. I have walked in and stepped in front of about 8 people waiting. When someone approached me to see how I did it, I said, “Oh, I got a fast pass! “
You’ll also start using two fingers to point and direct people places. I started doing this the last couple of years because I really want to be a Cast Member some day, why not practice now? 😉
You ask for DVC, D23, AP or Visa card discounts when you check out. Kids always laugh after we leave parks first few days and I do it outside of WDW.
Well i think I’m same since I’ll never be able to afford 1 trip much less over 100…
When I got home from my WDW trip in December, I actually did start to try to pay with my Magic Band (which, thank goodness, I wasn’t wearing).
A few days later, I was in line to check out at a store, and the person in front of me threw a temper tantrum because the clerk wouldn’t take her AMEX card in a store that doesn’t accept AMEX. When it was my turn, I said to the clerk, “Well that certainly was a ‘Treasured Guest’ and got the oddest look.”
All of those observations were spot on, Lydia, even for those of us who HAVEN’T been to WDW 100 times (yet)!
So true. Several years ago, I caught myself thinking of Diet Dr. Pepper as DDP (the abbreviation for Disney Dining Plan). Then I took it a step further and found myself thinking that it’s too bad that DDP isn’t available on the DDP. I own and run a Disney focused forums site and if you’re a mod or admin you see and have access to a forum called “Behind the Backstage Curtain” and I tend to refer to the forum viewable by anyone as onstage.
And, lets not forget the Disney point. It’s extremely rare that I don’t do the Disney point. While I don’t refer to non Disney employees as cast members, I do tend to refer to customers of any business as guests.