
Are you planning your first-ever family vacation to ? Starting early, doing plenty of research, and asking questions is the key to planning a great . From packing and preparing to book Disney dining and strategizing, we have you covered at Disneydining.com. Follow our lead to ensure you don’t make these first-time visitor mistakes at .
Not Budgeting Appropriately
A common complaint about Disney vacations is about the mounting cost. True, the costs of a vacation add up quickly. It is important to budget appropriately to build a vacation you can afford while also targeting those little luxuries on your trip to help you relax and make memories. I am all for saving a few dollars by sharing lunch in the Parks and drinking your own bottled water.
Still, it is important to feel like you can spring for a souvenir item or snack you want to sample. After all, have you had a vacation if you have not enjoyed an iconic Dole Whip Bar in the shade of Adventureland? Be sure to research costs online to know how to accurately budget for all the costs on your .
Not Planning Ahead
Waiting to make a Park plan after arriving at or worse, not having a plan at all is a sin at . Take the time to scope out Park maps online and decide on your must-do attractions. Check the ride wait times for these attractions periodically so you can understand the length of ride wait times.
Decide if purchasing Disney Genie+ is a good idea for your family, and draft your Park arrival time and ride plan in your cellphone notes section. This will ensure a smoother and more worthwhile vacation and reduce delays and discussions about what ride is next and where to allocate Park time.
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Not Communicating With your Travel Gang
Planning and communicating with your travel gang is essential on a vacation. A lack of communication during the planning stages of your trip is a recipe for disaster. Chatting about vacation expectations lets you know who wants to rope drop and who expects to chow down at during vacation. Managing expectations to minimize surprises is the key to keeping peace in a travel group.
Remain flexible and open to the group splitting up to enjoy different attractions. Everyone in your gang is excited about the trip and is spending hard-earned money and vacation days, so they deserve to enjoy the attractions and have a hand in planning.
Not Staying at a Disney
Avoiding staying on the during a vacation is a significant mistake. First-time Guests will find Disney Resorts incredibly convenient, with built-in Disney transportation and helpful Cast Members on standby.
What you save in cash staying off the property, you lose time driving in Orlando traffic. In addition to the stress of driving to the Parks each day, Guests staying off the property do not enjoy the same effortless luxury of returning to their hotel room for a midday break. Extra magic hours are a huge perk of staying at a . Most days, Disney offers extra magic hours for R Guests at one of the Parks.
This means the Park is open exclusively for Guests earlier in the morning or later in the evening. Extra magic hours provide an incredible opportunity to enjoy high-traffic attractions with shorter wait times. My family saves high-traffic attractions for evening extra magic hours to avoid waiting in long lines for those attractions during regular Park hours.
When you consider excellent Disney customer service, extra magic hours, lack of traffic stress, and lost Park time- staying at a is a much better value for your vacation.
Not Taking Advantage of Offerings
Taking advantage of amenities and activities is key to having a great vacation at . Familiarize yourself with activity schedules, so you never miss a morning at the pool or a slot in the Disney karaoke contest on the beach.
Consider taking a day to enjoy resting, swimming, and touring other resorts. You will save money on a Park ticket for the day while recharging and scoping out potential activities for your next vacation. Snack sampling at , monorail riding at or sightseeing via the Skyliner at are all fun ways to enjoy Disney World without the cost of a Park ticket!
Related: Disney Deluxe vs. Moderate Resorts: What You Need to Know
Not Booking Table Service Dining
While character meals and table-service dining can be pricey, you should not automatically assume it is out of the question for your budget. You can absolutely hack your dining plan to afford a cheaper character dining experience or a unique table service dining experience in your favorite Park.
If there are kids (or kids at heart) in your gang, character meals are a great option. Enjoy a delicious meal while Disney characters come to meet you at your table for autographs and photo opportunities.
You save time by cutting character meet times in the Park, and the kids can enjoy meeting their favorite Disney friends in the comfort of air conditioning with no long lines to wait in. Enjoying table service and character dining in EPCOT and at Resorts are favorite activities for my family.
Not Scheduling Downtime
A quick walk through any will reveal plenty of midday meltdowns between families. Know that you will not see it all. With 4 2 Disney Water Parks, shopping, dining, golfing, spas, entertainment, and more – how could you expect to do it all? Prioritize your must-see attraction plan but be sure to schedule downtime.
Avoid bickering, exhaustion, and illness by scheduling time to rest during busy days in the Park. This could mean returning to your room for a midday nap and swim or taking the monorail to to relax and grab snacks. Spending an hour at the Contempo Café enjoying flatbreads in or listening to the pianist at are some of my favorite ways to recharge during a long hot day.
Not Researching Park Attendance When Planning
A “rookie pet peeve” of mine is hearing how crowded is and how ridiculous wait times are from disgruntled Park Guests that visit at the busiest time of year. When planning your vacation, take the time to research the usual Park attendance during that month.
@touringplans Five things we would never do again in Magic Kingdom. ✨ We are in the parks daily and this is the common mistakes we see being made. #disneyworld #magickingdom #disneyparks
The dead of summer and winter break are slammed with travelers away from work and school on vacation. If you can travel during slower seasons at you can expect shorter wait times and sometimes lower prices and table service dining prices.
If you can only travel during peak times, keep realistic expectations about crowds and wait times. Enjoying during peak times is possible through the proper utilization of extra magic hours and Genie+
Related: Don’t Rain On My Parade: Tips for Surviving a Rainy Day at
Not Adapting to Change
As in daily life, some situations arise at World that are beyond your control. Keeping realistic expectations and remaining calm and courteous are crucial to enjoying your vacation.
While weather, ride closures, and illness are out of your control, you can control how you react to the situations. Keeping an upbeat attitude and being ready to adapt to conditions will prevent a rainy day in the Park from ruining your family’s vacation.
You won’t make Disney World rookie mistakes with these tips in your back pocket. Have a wonderful vacation!