Do you have a friend who just seems to do everything right when they visit Disney World and you don’t understand how their vacation is so relaxed and meticulously planned compared to yours?
Cinderella Castle
Well, around here we call those folks the pros, and most pros would tell you it just comes with practice! Luckily, we’ve been to the parks a whole lot and made all the big mistakes so that you don’t have to! So, do Disney like a pro and AVOID doing these 14 things.
Forget to pack the essentials
Disney World isn’t a fashion show – the pros pack for COMFORT, not style. The last thing you want to be burdened by is blisters and chafing because you failed to pack comfortable pants, shirts, and shoes. Oh, and don’t forget about those backpacks too — they can be sneaky!
Be smart about your shoe choices!
And, it’s not just packing to log a ton of steps across the parks — the pros also know to check the weather forecast so that they’re prepared for anything, even the one week of Florida winter!
Check Out 23 Things Every Disney Pro Packs For Disney World HERE!
Carry their souvenirs around the parks
Have you ever found yourself lugging around a souvenir that your kiddos just had to have but now refuse to carry themselves? Or worse, have you ever tried to squish that giant bag of items you bought at the Emporium into your seat on Space Mountain? Well, the pros skip these woes entirely!
Magic Kingdom Park 50th Anniversary merchandise
When you shop at any Disney Park, you can ask the Cast Member to have your items mailed directly to your home via UPS or FedEx – just note that you WILL have to pay for shipping.
And, if you’d prefer not to have to pay the cost of shipping because you’ve saved precious space in your luggage for all the goodies you collect, you could also opt to purchase a locker for the day. That way you can store all your items there until you’re ready to head back to the hotel! And, BONUS, if you purchase a locker in one park, you’ll be able to use the lockers in other parks too when you’re park hopping — just be sure that you keep your receipt!
You can get your items mailed directly to your home!
Disney used to also offer package delivery to your Disney World resort hotel room or the front of the park, but we haven’t seen this return since the parks reopened in 2020 – though, it could come back! Another easy tip is to simply shop at the end of the night so you can just carry your exciting finds back to where you are staying instead of lugging them around all day long.
See What 5 Souvenirs We REALLY Regret Buying in Disney World HERE!
Follow the crowd
If there’s one thing that you’re sure to find in Disney World it’s LINES. But, there’s a way to hack those lines so that you don’t wait as long! For example, at park entrances, you’ll usually find the crowds gathered at the entrance kiosks that are closest to wherever the buses or monorail let guests off. Instead of heading to one of those lines, put in a few extra steps and you’ll find MUCH shorter waits to scan in!
Disney’s Hollywood Studios Entrance Crowds
And, you can even skip the long lines at Quick Service restaurants too! There are TWO lines to order food at each register, but you’ll usually find people lined up on only one side. Cast Members alternate between the two sides, so if you time it right, you’ll be saving some precious park time! But, most Disney pros are even skipping this step entirely nowadays thanks to Mobile Order.
Click HERE to Find the SECRET Walkways to Beat the Crowds in Disney World!
Pay full price for their hotel room
Disney World almost ALWAYS has room discounts going on, and the pros know how to ensure that they’re getting the BEST deals on their stay! And, this doesn’t only involve checking Disney’s website for deals and booking right away — the real pros know that they can often contact Disney to apply any new discounts that pop up to a stay that they already have booked. Or they’ll just cancel and rebook with the savings (just double check that the same hotel is still available before modifying your reservation!).
All-Star Sports Resort
Plus, even if no discounts apply during your trip, there are other secret ways to save on your hotel room! For example, David’s Vacation Club Rentals offers up a way to stay at select Disney Vacation Club hotels for LESS!
Saratoga Springs Resort
And, if you’re a Disney-goer who doesn’t like the game of having to check Disney’s website over and over again for any deals that might apply to your trip, check out our friends at Small World Vacations! When you book your trip with Small World Vacations, their experienced agents monitor your reservation for possible future savings and compare discounts to figure out which one works best for your travel party, dates, resort, and touring plans.
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Their agents compare current offers to find the best deal for you -- they've literally saved their guests millions of dollars since 1996. Plus, their services are 100% FREE FOR YOU! (They're DFB's recommended travel agency, and you can see why here!)
So book that trip now, then sit back and enjoy planning your Disney World Trip with a DFB-approved expert! Click here for a no obligation price quote today, and let them know DFB sent you 🙂
See All The Current Disney Discounts And Deals HERE!
Stay at resorts that aren’t convenient
Whether it’s staying on the Disney Skyliner, the monorail route, or a hotel with boat transportation to select locations — Disney pros know that not all hotels are created equally when it comes to transportation options. It can save you A LOT of time if you’re not relying on Disney buses to get you to the parks that you’re going to frequent the most!
Disney Skyliner Station
And, if taking a bus simply can’t be avoided, there are still some hotels that offer simpler bus transportation. For example, many Disney World Moderate and Value Resorts share bus services with other hotels or have multiple stops in the resort area before heading out to the parks. Knowing which hotels feature bus routes with fewer stops can save you big time when it comes to the ride to and from the parks!
Fort Wilderness Resort Bus Stop
All in all, staying at a resort that is “convenient” can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. But, the pros tend to consider which parks they plan to visit the most and choose a resort that is closest to those parks. Because, after all, the hotels on the Magic Kingdom monorail may be convenient, but if you’re planning to frequent Disney’s Hollywood Studios and only hit up Magic Kingdom once, staying at these resorts won’t do you any favors when it comes to saving time.
Learn About The BIG Problem With Disney World’s Value Resorts HERE!
Wait longer than 30 minutes for a ride
The pros know how to tackle the popular rides without having to wait in line (for the most part)! They’re the ones that aren’t afraid to set an alarm on vacation so that they can ensure that they’re one of the first to arrive at the parks when they open. And, they’re also staying in the parks late into the evenings to hop on the popular rides they weren’t able to ride with a short line in the morning!
EPCOT at night
This is when it’s important to know what perks you have as a Disney World Resort hotel guest too! All guests staying at a Disney hotel (and a few off-site hotels too!) can partake in Early Theme Park Entry — entering any of the four parks 30 minutes before park opening every day — and guests staying at Disney World Deluxe Resorts have access to Extended Evening Theme Park Hours — giving them two extra hours at select parks on select evenings.
Early Entry at EPCOT
The pros are also learning all the ins and outs of the new (paid) way to skip the lines in Disney World — Disney Genie+ and Individual Attraction Selection — so that they can pick and choose when it’s really worth it to pay for the services.
Check Out Our Best Genie+ Tips for the Most Crowded Days in Disney World and Disneyland
Book meals at popular times
You likely won’t catch the pros dining at a Table Service restaurant during the busiest mealtimes! The general rule that we like to go by is booking breakfast before 7AM or after 10AM, booking lunch around 11AM or after 1:30PM, and booking dinner after 7PM.
Be Our Guest Restaurant
This will give you a better chance at grabbing those hard-to-get reservations and it won’t be crazy crowded when you’re dining! Plus, the more people eating in a restaurant with you means longer waits to be seated (and maybe even for your food), so eating during busier periods sucks up more of your park time.
Click HERE For The HARDEST Reservations to Get in Disney World in 2022!
Fall victim to My Disney Experience glitches
It may be “The Most Magical Place On Earth,” but even Disney World isn’t immune to technical difficulties — especially when it comes to the My Disney Experience app. So, to ensure that a glitch doesn’t derail a park day, the pros screenshot EVERYTHING so they have a record of their reservations.
Screenshot EVERYTHING!
This means screenshotting all your dining reservations, park ticket numbers, park pass reservations, and even Lighting Lane reservations (if you’re using Genie+). You may not have to use them at all during your stay, but you’ll be thankful you took the extra second to get a screenshot if something does go wrong!
Learn About 5 Disney World Travel Hacks (That NOBODY Knows About!) HERE!
Eat all their meals in the parks
A lot of people don’t realize that you can go to any Disney World Resort – even if you’re not staying there – as long as you have a dining reservation or have placed a mobile order. And, well, the pros have this one figured out and are taking FULL advantage!
‘Ohana at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
The resort restaurants are usually MUCH less crowded during the day and they’re home to some of the best restaurants on property!
See 22 Disney World Meals We Think Are Worth Leaving the Parks For HERE!
Miss out on park pass and dining reservations
A lot of planning goes into a Disney World vacation and the last thing you want to do is plan out everything and then miss out on a dining reservation you really wanted or not be able to get into the parks because you forgot to secure your park passes. This is a mistake that the pros simply won’t make and they’ve probably got 20 alarms set with reminders on their phones to prove it!
EPCOT
As of this writing, dining reservations can be made up to 60 days in advance and you NEED to be on your a-game to get those popular restaurants. Be ready to act quickly when that dining window opens up because they’re booking up FAST — you can always change your mind later and cancel up to 24 hours before with no penalty so just get that reservation!
Cinderella’s Royal Table
Park Pass Reservations on the other hand can be made REALLY far out in advance — as soon as you purchase your park tickets. We’ve seen reservations available already for early 2024, so if you’re thinking about visiting Magic Kingdom on Christmas Day in 2023, you can already get your reservations and not have to worry about the day “selling out.”
What Are the EASIEST Dates to Score a Disney World Park Pass? We Did the Research.
Over schedule themselves
It’s no secret that there’s A LOT to do in Disney World, but it’s so important not to pack your trip with activities at every waking moment — the pros know that there’s a delicate balance!
Grandstand Pool at Saratoga Springs
For example, some people will book a table-service restaurant for almost every meal in Disney World – don’t do that! There are also a lot of great quick-service restaurants in the parks and it’ll save you a lot of time to eat at them, giving you more time to enjoy the parks (which is what you’re paying for, after all).
Sit down and make up a list of the stuff that you really really want to do — then ONLY book those and let everything else fall into place!
See What To Do On Your Walt Disney World Resort Day HERE!
Stand in the middle of the room during ride pre-shows
Believe it or not, the pros even have some hacks when it comes to taking on the many pre-shows at Disney World attractions! For example, they’ll typically stand closer to the walls during the shows so that they have a better chance of being at the door into the next room when it opens. This cuts down on wait times (a few extra minutes really)!
The pros know where to stand in the stretching room to cut down on their wait time!
Of course, you won’t get the best view of the pre-show and you may not get to experience the full effect, so consider using this trick after you’ve been on a ride at least once.
Click HERE For 20 Ride Hacks To Memorize Before You Go Back to Disney World!
Buy bottled water
If you’ve been following along with DFB for any time at all then you probably know what we’re going to say next — don’t pay for water in Disney World! Many quick-service restaurants around Disney World offer free water cups — all you have to do is ask!
Grab that free water!
You’ll probably also catch the real pros carrying around a reusable water bottle so that they can pour those cold water cups into their bottle and get on their way to the next attraction (a hack that comes in handy, particularly during EPCOT festivals because you can end up spending A LOT of money on water bottles with how much snacking you’re doing in the poorly shaded park!). And, if stopping for a free cup of water simply isn’t possible, there are plenty of water bottle refill stations around the parks too!
Click HERE For Everywhere You Can Find FREE Water in Disney World!
Miss the BEST snacks – which aren’t what you think!
Lastly, we can’t forget to talk about the snacks! We’re not talking about Mickey pretzels and churros – nope. We’re talking about the snacks that are really really good but may not be plastered with glitter and Mickey-shaped! You REALLY don’t want to miss these!
Tropical Serenade from Aloha Isle in Magic Kingdom
This includes things like hidden menu items, exclusive Dole Whip and popcorn flavors, seasonal items, and – of course – DFB favorites! Study up on all these non-traditional (yet DELICIOUS) snacks before your trip, so you know how much real estate you’ll need to save in your stomach when you take on the parks!
See The 15 Best Snacks for UNDER $10 in Disney World HERE!
Well, that wraps up everything that the pros do when they take on Disney World! Of course, there are some other things that they’ve come to hate when they’re visiting the parks too — you can learn about them in our video below!
And, be sure to stay tuned to DFB for more of the latest Disney World vacation tips, tricks, and updates!
Check Out the Secret Weapons That Disney World Pros Swear By HERE!
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I have an adult son with special needs. He loves going to Disney World and looks forward to our trips. We’ve been going every year since 2012 and he counts the days until our next trip. Disney World is becoming so expensive and I fear that soon it’ll be TOO expensive. It will break my heart if there comes a time when I have to tell him we can’t go.
One more complaint (sorry) but I find having to do everything through the MyDisneyExperience daunting. I’m part of the older generation and am not very tech savvy. I like and miss the way it used to be before Covid.
Still waiting, and hoping, for a Contemporary discount this December. It is soooo expensive without one.
I bought in to DISNEY in 1990 when I took my then 6 month old daughter to the MK for the December Holiday season. For the next 21 years, my family returned every first week of December so that my daughter would have the lasting memory of “My dad took me to WDW every year until I turned 21”. Oh well, not the same now. I am a member of DVC and am locked into Old Key West until 2055. My daughter is on the deed so that she could enjoy Disney with her family. But now my daughter tells me that she will not be going to Disney every year with her young family, even though the rooms will be paid for at DVC, she states that it is just getting too expensive and the lines are too long. Oh well, beware of buying into the Disney Vacation Club trap. We are locked in and now are being forced to vacation at the hotels. Disney is going to loose it’s loyal base unless something can be done about the cost to visit.