fbpx
Menu

20 Tips And Secrets For Walt Disney World

Whether you’re a seasoned guest of the Disney parks, or planning your first visit, Disney tips and secrets are always appreciated. Walt Disney World is constantly evolving, and that means new tips and secrets are being created, but it’s also good to be reminded of the classic tips. Here are just 20 of the countless tips and secrets about Walt Disney World.

20. Christmas

Want to experience the holidays at Disney, but avoid the massive crowds? Head to Disney in November to get all the Christmas holiday perks, minus the wall-to-wall people.

19. Fountain Show

Note: Fountain of Nations is will be closing September 8, 2019 for Epcot’s re-imagining of the current Future World section of the park. 

Every 15 minutes there is a beautiful water show in Innovations Plaza at Epcot. The Fountain of Nations has 304 nozzles that shoot water 150 feet into the air, and at night the fountain is lit up with multi-colored lights.

18. Have Breakfast or Lunch at Be Our Guest

Because breakfast and lunch are quick service meals here, you seat yourself, which means you can choose which room to dine in. It’s a great way to score a seat in the west wing, or get a table close to the snowy window in the ballroom. It’s still a good idea to make a reservation though for either meal.

17. Resort Dining

The parks aren’t the only place to have an amazing dining experience.  Look beyond the parks to the resorts for places to dine. Chef Mickey’s is popular at the Contemporary, Victoria & Albert’s at The Grand Floridian is the epitome of fine dining, and 1900 Park Fare offers guests a fantastic character dining experience.

16. Main Street Vehicles

From 9am until 10:15am guests can ride in turn-of-the-century vehicles along Main Street U.S.A. The vehicles travel from Town Square to Cinderella Castle, and back down to Town Square.

15. Single Rider Lines

There are a few attractions at Disney that have a single rider line, which moves quickly and is a great way to ride these attractions more with less time spent in line. Expedition Everest, Test Track and Rock ‘N Roller Coaster are the attractions that have a single rider line.

14. International Gateway

Epcot has a second entrance, the International Gateway. It’s located by the Epcot area resorts, and guests will find themselves in the World Showcase when they enter. This is good to keep in mind if you want to dine at, or visit some of the resorts in the area.

For a no obligation, FREE Quote with new bookings contact our sponsor Magical Vacation Planner by calling: 1(407)442-0289 Or for a free no obligation quote with new bookings you can fill out the form by Clicking HERE!

13. Use Gift Cards

Loading up a gift card at the beginning of your trip is a good way to stick to your vacation budget. It’s also fun for kids to have their gift card that allows them to pay for their own purchases.

12. Signature Restaurants

If using the regular Disney Dining Plan, avoid using two meal credits at signature restaurants. You will get better value paying out of pocket for these restaurants, and saving your credits for other meals.

11. Hidden Remy

During Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival, guests can search for little Hidden Remy statues around the World Showcase. It’s a fun game for everyone!

10. Avoid Magic Kingdom on Mondays

Mondays at the Magic Kingdom tend to be one of the busiest days of the week, meaning longer lines and bigger crowds. If you can, plan on visiting the Magic Kingdom on a different weekday.

9. Avoid the Rain

If a downpour strikes when you’re visiting Epcot, go to Spaceship Earth. There are gutters in Spaceship Earth that collect the rainwater, which send it into the World Showcase Lagoon. Because of this, standing under Spaceship Earth will keep you dry while it’s raining.

8. Faster to Walk

If you are a guest at the Contemporary, it is faster to walk to the Magic Kingdom than to take the monorail because of the stops in between.

7. Dining Packages

Both Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom have dining packages that come with VIP seating to the nighttime shows. Guests can make a Fantasmic Dining Package reservation at select restaurants and then receive a VIP voucher for Fantasmic. Animal Kingdom has the Rivers of Light Dining Package, which works in the same way.

6. Alternative Entrance

If the line up is long to enter Animal Kingdom at the front gates, head over to the Rainforest Café and into the gift shop. There is an entrance at the rear of the gift shop that often has a much shorter line.

5. Rider Swap

Many attractions offer a Rider Swap program. This is invaluable for families with children who aren’t tall enough to ride certain attractions, but still allows everyone else to ride. Let the cast member know you’d like to do the rider swap program. One person will wait with the child while group 1 rides. When group 1 returns, the adult from group 2 can ride with one other person while group 1 waits with the child. This means both groups only have to wait in line once, and it can also be used with your FastPass+ reservations.

4. Kid’s Menu

Despite popular opinion, adults can order from the kid’s menu. This is a great way to save some money on food.

3. Close Down the Park

Stick around Magic Kingdom after it closes, and you will see The Goodnight Kiss. When You Wish Upon a Star will play, and the castle will sparkle with lights. There is also a special goodnight message played throughout the park, thanking guests for visiting.

2. Memory Maker

If you plan on having a lot of photos taken around the parks, and like to purchase ride photos, get the Memory Maker. Make sure you purchase it in advance and you can save $30, and get unlimited digital photos.

1. Arrive Early

This is one of the most common tips for Walt Disney World, but it’s such a great tip that it grabs the number one spot. Arriving before rope drop will allow you to wander through the parks before the crowds arrive, and even walk onto a few rides before the parks get busy later in the morning. You can experience more, and at a leisurely pace when you arrive early.

About Lauren Repei

Lauren lives in Hamilton Ontario, but dreams of one day moving to Orlando to be closer to the Magic Kingdom. She loves the atmosphere, the history, the magic of the parks and Dole Whips, so she’s always in the midst of planning her next vacation. In the meantime, she spends her days working for the family business as a baker, and as a travel agent specializing in Disney with ClicktheMouse. Lauren’s most memorable Disney moment by far, is when she became engaged in front of Cinderella Castle making it her best Disney vacation to date.