As Disney fans, we go to Disney World as often as we can. While we have reporters in the park every single day of the year to bring you all the up-to-date information, many of us on the DFB team don’t live in Florida. But we still head to the parks multiple times a year.

And though we have been to the parks a TON of times, even we forget to take our own advice sometimes. Well, my last trip proved to me that I’m not Super Woman, and a day in the parks can be tougher than you think. So learn from my mistakes and follow these six tips for a more relaxing and easier Disney World vacation.

Those of us on the DFB team pooled together the things we regret the most on our last trips to the parks so you can avoid doing them too!

Deal with the Heat Better

Florida can be HOT. 🥵 The summertime in Florida brings high temperatures and high humidity. Even if you go to Disney World in the middle of winter, you’ll still likely see higher temperatures than in the rest of the United States. That’s why it’s important to be prepared for that warm weather. Unfortunately, this was something we didn’t do well on our last trip, and we were fried by the end of the day!

On those sweltering days, it’s a great idea to take a mid-day break. For some, this may be as simple as stopping to take in a couple of air-conditioned shows in the parks. These provide a cool spot to sit and maybe even take a little 15-minute cat nap. Each of the four parks offers at least one indoor show that has comfy seats and air conditioning, so take advantage of them when it’s the hottest part of the day.

However, if you need a break longer than a quick 15-minute one, don’t forget about the nice hotel you’re staying at! Heading out of the parks and back to your room for an afternoon nap or a little hang out by the pool is a great way to manage the Florida heat. If you’re staying at a Disney World resort, getting to and from the hotel is as simple as a quick bus ride from the park you’re in.

Another REALLY important thing to remember (but we forgot until we weren’t feeling too great) is to drink plenty of water! Carrying a water bottle around with you is a great way to remember to take sips throughout the day. Otherwise, many quick-service restaurants offer free water, and there are fountains to refill your bottles and cups around the parks.

Our biggest advice: don’t underestimate that Florida heat!

Plan Your Day More Strategically

Another way to ensure that your day is more relaxing is to plan more strategically. Picking the attractions that are your must-dos and focusing on them can help you save time and steps. Also, as great as Lightning Lanes can be, you can often find yourself running all over the park to make your times instead of going in a methodical order. That’s because with the current system, you can only pick your Lightning Lanes on the day of your visit and you get whatever is still available.

For example, with the current Genie+/Lightning Lane system, you could pick a Lightning Lane for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure followed by one for Space Mountain. That means you’re walking from the furthest point in Frontierland to nearly the furthest point in Tomorrowland. That’s a heck of a long way and A LOT of extra walking! If you choose not to get Genie+ or plan your Lightning Lanes out accordingly, you can save yourself from a lot of extra walking and burnout by going methodically around the parks (i.e. Adventureland to Frontierland to Fantasyland to Tomorrowland).

However, with the new Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Lightning Lane Single Pass system that will be coming out in July, planning your day will be much easier! You’ll be able to buy and book Lightning Lanes in advance of your trip, so you can plan your park day more strategically than with the current system.

Take a Trusted Pair of Shoes

One of the worst things to have happened to you while you’re in Disney World is realizing that the shoes you brought with you to walk miles around the parks end up hurting your feet more than anything. Picking the pair or pairs of shoes you’re going to take with you is one of the most important parts of planning and packing.

We suggest breaking in the pair of shoes you plan to wear in Disney World BEFORE going on your trip. I also had the unfortunate problem of wearing a pair of shoes that I have always loved, but they ended up causing lots of foot pain on my last trip. Because I trusted them, I hadn’t brought a second pair with me. It may be worth the extra space to bring two pairs of solid shoes that you don’t mind walking 10+ miles a day in.

The shoes you wear in Disney World will make a HUGE difference in how relaxing and comfortable your whole vacation is.

Use the Parking Trams

If you choose to drive yourself to the parks instead of taking one of Disney’s complimentary buses or other modes of transportation, you could end up parking at the very back of the lot REALLY far from the park entrance. Luckily, Disney offers parking trams in all of the parking lots!

Sometimes it might seem like a good idea to just walk to the entrance, especially when the parking tram isn’t already right where you parked. However, that means you’re just adding steps to your already step-filled day. Trust us, we’ve regretted tiring ourselves out walking to a park entrance instead of just waiting for a tram. It’s too early in the day to be wearing yourself down. It’s a good idea to wait for the tram and let it take you right up to the front. You usually don’t have to wait too long for them anyway.

Sleep In at Least One Day

I have taken MANY trips to Disney World. And there have been far too many that have resulted in me being completely worn out and (unfortunately) crabby by the end of the trip in the Most Magical Place on Earth. After 5+ days of waking up at sunrise to rope drop every single park, you’re bound to be worn out.

That’s why (and this might be controversial) we suggest taking at least one day to sleep in and let your body get the rest it needs. Yes, being at a park from open to close is fun and exciting (refer to the first point), but sleep is necessary to recover from all that excitement you’re having. Even if you sleep in, you can still hit up the parks later in the day!

Another great option is to build in a pool or water park day into your trip for another great way to take a day to relax and rejuvenate. There’s nothing better than floating down a lazy river, soaking up the sun, and resting your legs.

Sleep in, take a day off, or do what you have to do to get a little relaxing in on your vacation. We’ve made the mistake of not doing this plenty of times, and it’s time that we share how much better our trips are now that we can take some time to just chill. (It’s a vacation for a reason, right?)

There’s a lot that goes into planning a trip to Disney World, that’s why we’re here to help! Keep following DFB for more tips, tricks, and information for your next vacation!

The Planning Tips You Need to Know About Before Your Next Disney World Trip