The one thing that never changes in Disney World is how often everything DOES change.
The beginning of the year saw some HUGE changes, including changes to park hopping (all-day park hopping is BACK), the return of the Disney Dining Plan, and more. So that means your strategy in Disney World needs to change, too, and some of the advice we might have given a year or two ago is just probably not good anymore. So we’re going to share the outdated hacks you need to ignore when it comes to visiting Disney World.
You should start in Mexico
You want to start an argument with Disney Adults? Suggest NOT starting in Mexico when hitting the World Showcase. Now, we understand why a lot of people like this strategy (and it may have SOMETHING to do with MARGARITAS), but y’all, you can start in Canada if that’s more your speed (especially if you’re craving that Maple Popcorn).
However, if you can enter EPCOT via International Gateway (where the Skyliner and Friendship Boats take you), we recommend starting in France because ice cream martinis > margaritas. Yeah, we said it! No, seriously, though, start where you want and ignore advice that says otherwise.
Who Actually Owns the World Showcase Pavilions in EPCOT?
You should go to Magic Kingdom on your first day
We often see folks suggest that you visit Magic Kingdom on the first day of your trip. However, for many, vacations start on the weekend, and trust us — the last place you want to be on a Saturday or Sunday is in Magic Kingdom, which is generally VERY BUSY.
Instead, we recommend saving Magic Kingdom for later. In fact, we like doing Magic Kingdom on our last park day because who doesn’t want to end their vacation with those Happily Ever After fireworks? That’s literally how to make your vacation go out with a BANG.
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You only need a half day for Animal Kingdom
Okay, this one just hurts. Maybe in the past before Pandora, Animal Kingdom was a half-day park for a lot of folks, but that’s certainly not the case anymore. There is SO much to do in Animal Kingdom and we think some people might just be missing out on a lot of it. Yes, there aren’t a lot of rides in the park. However, there are tons of trails you can take to see a variety of animals, including gorillas and TIGERS.
Plus there’s the Conservation Station at Rafiki’s Planet Watch where you can pet animals, watch Disney veterinarians work on animals, AND learn to draw a Disney character from a Disney animator. There are also so many unique photo ops with characters in special costumes, like Mickey and Minnie in safari outfits, and Donald, Daisy, and Chip ‘n’ Dale in dinosaur costumes! We could go on and on and on!
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Has 33 Restaurants, But You Only Need To Know About 5
You need a full week in Disney World
So many people are going to tell you that you’ll need to book a whole week or even longer in Disney World to “do and see it all.” Okay, first, you would need the rest of your LIFE to do and see it all because there really is that much stuff to do in the parks, at the resorts, and beyond. So just put that nonsense out of your head immediately. You can go to Disney World for as long — or as little — time as you want.
If you can’t afford a full week in Disney World, doing three or four days is WAY more affordable and a lot easier on your body (a full week in Disney World is HARD on the body). You can just prioritize what you want to see and do and leave out the stuff you’re not SUPER interested in. Plus you’ll save money by visiting for short periods of time that you might be able to afford to go back sooner and do NEW things. See how that works?
How Many Days Do You Really Need in Disney World?
Of course, how you view your Disney World trip is all up to you and if you want to spend more time there, want to skip out on Animal Kingdom early, or want to start in Mexico at EPCOT’s World Showcase, that’s all up to you. But don’t let outdated advice tell you that’s what you HAVE to do.
Stay tuned to DFB for more.
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What outdated advice have you decided to ignore for your next Disney World trip? Share with us in the comments!
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