You know the old saying — “The early bird catches the worm.”
Good morning!
Many people will tell you that’s definitely true on a Disney World vacation. Even WE will tell you — and HAVE told you, numerous times — that getting up early has its advantages when you’re at Disney World.
But what if you are just NOT a morning person? Or getting up and heading to the park before it opens just doesn’t sound like a vacation to you?
While it IS absolutely true that being up and at ’em early in Disney World can give you a head start on the crowds and result in getting on attractions first thing with less wait, we’re here today to talk about some reasons you DON’T have to do that in Disney World.
Don’t you want to just stay in bed a little bit longer?
First a couples of caveats, though. If you want to get on Disney World’s newest ride — TRON Lightcycle / Run — know that the virtual queue, which opens at 7AM, is selling out within SECONDS most days right now. The Individual Lightning Lanes you can buy to “make a reservation” to ride are also selling out right at the 7AM mark.
There IS another virtual queue drop at 1PM, but your best bet of insuring you get on that ride is to be awake, alert, and on the Disney World app before 7AM. But hey — no one is saying you can’t go back to sleep after you have secured your spot.
TRON Lightcycle / Run
Likewise, Disney Genie+ — the paid Disney World option that allows you to “skip the lines” for many rides — has been selling out during busy periods. If you are counting on using Disney Genie+ you will need to buy it early. The good news here for late sleepers is that Genie+ goes on sale at midnight on the day you want to use it. So if you are a late-nighter, as well as a late sleeper, you can just buy it before you go to bed. Otherwise, you’re going to want to be up early to snag it, too.
Peter Pan’s Flight Lightning Lane
Now if terms like “virtual queue,” “Disney Genie+,” and “Individual Lightning Lane” have you wondering if we’re speaking a foreign language, it sounds like you haven’t been to Disney World in quite a while. A lot has changed! So we’re going to stop right here and suggest you pick up our 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining.
Now that you’re up to speed on planning your Disney World trip, let’s get to those excuses (errr, REASONS, they’re really good REASONS) to sleep late during your vacation!
Wait Times Grow Shorter at Night
That’s right — just like in the mornings, lines at Disney World grow shorter the later into the evenings you stick around. Those early birds are ready to get to bed after the fireworks, but at Magic Kingdom, you usually have an hour or two — sometimes more! — of park time left to go. So when those morning people head for the exits after Happily Ever After! You can count on shorter wait times for many of the rides.
Those castle projections! Gotta be in the park at night to see ’em.
Remember also that if you don’t want to see the fireworks, jumping onto rides at EPCOT or Magic Kingdom during the fireworks, or at Disney’s Hollywood Studios during the first showing of Fantasmic! can be a good strategy. And one bonus reminder here: If you are in a line when the park closes, you won’t be turned away from riding that ride. So don’t be afraid to get in one last standby line right as the park is closing!
Brunch Can Save You Money
Eating an early breakfast is pretty necessary if you’re going to rope drop the parks — and then you’ll require lunch and dinner. We’re all for making mid-morning brunch your biggest meal of the day as a money-saving (and sleep-extending!) strategy. In the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining, we’ve got reviews of every restaurant in Disney World to help you choose the best brunch spot!
Filling up with a mid-morning brunch before hitting the parks!
After a big brunch, most of us can be happy with a lighter, early dinner, and maybe (well, probably definitely) a late-night snack. Plus, eating your meals in between more traditional mealtimes saves time — you’ll find less crowding and less waits for your food. (Oooh! and be sure to use mobile order where you can — we’ll also tell you about that in our eBook if you’re unfamilar.)
Use Extended Evening Hours
If you’re staying in a Walt Disney World Deluxe Resort, you can take advantage of Extended Evening Hours — a magical time when the parks are cleared out to all but you and your fellow deluxe resort guests (those who AREN’T the early birdies, that is).
EPCOT can be enchanting after dark!
If you got up at the crack of dawn, you’re going to be lacking the energy to zip from Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind to Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure for one last ride at 11 p.m., amirite? Might as well sleep in!
We hope these reasons to sleep late help you relax a bit more on your Disney World trip! Keep following DFB for the latest on Disney World!
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Do you sleep in at Disney World or set that alarm for an early wake-up? Let us know which strategy works best for you in the comments!
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We are always torn between rope dropping or not! We usually rope drop and then regret it as we spend an hour in line at rope drop that we could have just spent in line at a ride!
Our typical day is rope dropping and then leaving the park by 1:00, going back to our hotel, taking a nap, taking a shower, heading out for dinner reservation at 5:00, then back to the park by 6:00 pm. Since Epcot and Hollywood Studios are our two favorite parks, we stay on the Boardwalk so we are in walking or boat distance for an easy in and out. This seems to work well for us, but we are two older adults with no children. On our break day, we make sure to get in breakfast at our favorite breakfast restaurant, Ale and Compass, and then lunch or dinner at Beaches and Cream.