Welcome back to another My Disney Top 5. We’re in the middle of February break here in New York. For this family that usually means some time spent skiing in Vermont. For others it might be a trip to the most popular vacation destination on the planet…Walt Disney World. I have a friend at school, Matt, who, as I write this, is in the throes of his family’s first Disney trip. If you’re like me (and I’m sure many of you readers out there are) people inevitably knock on your door when it’s time for Disney World advice and tips. I certainly don’t mind. It seems that the one thing we Disney fans like almost as much as going to Walt Disney World is talking about going to Walt Disney World.
All you have to do is ask and we’ll open the floodgates of information. As my good friend Paula always says I’ve definitely “earned my Disney PhD.” So why not come to me for advice? I write about Disney. I collect things pertaining to Disney. I’ve been to Walt Disney World enough at various different times and have stayed in various different places. I like to think that my advice is sound.
So, what did I tell Matt when he came walking into my room and said those words that I hear so often, “I’m going to Disney for the first time with the family, can I ask you a few questions?” My answers probably took some form of the Top 5 Pieces of Advice for Walt Disney World First-Timers.
5 – Book a Slow Time of Year
Obviously, Matt and his family were going during one of the busiest weeks of the year. According to our friends over at TouringPlans.com, this week is a 10 out of 10 when it comes to crowds. Translate that into jam-packed crowds in the parks. I checked the Lines App from Touring Plans on Monday night this week and the wait for Soarin’ at 8:00 pm was 2 hours and 40 minutes! However, this family had no choice. This was their week off and they were desperately trying to avoid the sweltering summer Orlando heat. I get that. Sometimes, you go when you get the time off.
That said—if at all possible book an off time of year. True, Disney has been filling up their calendars with festivals and holiday celebrations. This has certainly made it harder to find a true slow time. We’ve done very well in late August when Florida goes back to school. Late September was great. Early December was wonderful. Certain weekends in May were fantastic also. I always say check your school calendar and see when you might be able to escape during the non-holiday periods. For instance, this coming fall there is a four-day Jewish holiday weekend. If you’re not celebrating those holidays, that screams four-day Disney opportunity to me. It won’t be empty. It rarely is…but it won’t be shoulder to shoulder on Main Street U.S.A. either.
Take a look at this picture. Besides my daughter Samantha looking adorable, take notice of the crowds. This was the middle of the day in the Magic Kingdom. We didn't just catch a lull for this picture. It was an empty day. There's a whole series of pictures of us taken that day in Fantasyland and barely anybody is in the background in any of them. This was May several years ago.
Samantha and barely anyone else in Fantasyland. Photo by Chris Barry.
4 – Use Disney Transportation
A Disney Transport bus pulls into the Magic Kingdom. Photo by Bruce Danderline.
This one seems to cause a lot of debate here on the MousePad discussion boards. Remember, this is my opinion and it has worked wonderfully for my family. I can’t imagine renting a car when I head down to Walt Disney World. I don’t want to drive. I don’t want to worry about where I’m going to park. There’s no way I’m going to set foot in a gas station while I’m in my Disney bubble. I don’t want to walk or tram back to my car after a long day in the parks. Disney picks me up from the airport. While I’m there, they drive, boat or monorail me around their property with incredible efficiency. The drivers and captains are pleasant. The rides are clean and air-conditioned and we’ve struck up some great conversations with other Disney fans in transit. Then at the end of the trip they drive me back to the airport. To us, it’s part of the experience. It’s part of the escape.
Monorail Yellow awaits. Photo by Bruce Danderline.
3 – Park Hop!
Start your day here at the Magic Kingdom. Photo by Chris Barry
This seems to cause a little debate from time to time as well. I don’t get it. Yes, I realize it adds some cost to the trip. In the grand scheme of things, the ease and flexibility that a Park Hopper ticket adds to your Disney World experience is immeasurable. Head to the Magic Kingdom early in the morning with the kids. Hit all the Fantasyland attractions. Maybe a late breakfast with Pooh and his pals at the Crystal Palace. Then, it’s back to the hotel for some pool or some rest. At that point, the evening is yours. If you want to head to Epcot for some dinner and fireworks, with Park Hoppers in tow, you have that option or many others. If you use a Park Hopper wisely, you get your money’s worth and you get to see more of the World on your trip than if you stuck to one park each day. I wouldn’t even consider going on a trip without Park Hopper tickets.
End your night here in Epcot wandering around World Showcase. Photo by Mark Goldhaber.
2 – Stay on Property
Stay here at Port Orleans Riverside. Photo by Lisa Perkis.
Staying on property is essential. I can’t even imagine staying in a hotel off of Disney property. The Disney hotels are worth the extra cost. The transportation, the extra hours, the top-notch treatment and the beautiful themes all make the experience come alive. If you buy into the whole notion that Walt Disney World is supposed to be a total escape into a different world where everything is possible and you believe in the “let us take care of you” vibe that the Cast Members work so hard to provide the guest, then the Disney hotels are the crucial piece of the puzzle. If you can’t afford to at least stay in a Disney Value resort, then I hate to say this to you, but you need to wait and save a little bit more. You won’t regret it. For what you’re getting, the Disney hotels are a bargain. They add so much to the magic and you shouldn’t pass them up.
Stay here at the Polynesian. Photo by Chris Barry.
1 – Slow Down!
It seems to be my Disney mantra. “Slow down!!” “Stop and smell the roses!” “Let the Disney details sink in!” Find me another place where so many artists and craftsmen from so many different disciplines have come together to put so many details into one place for the sole purpose of creating magic for guests to enjoy and experience. Yet, so many people walk right on by because they’ve listened to the wrong advice. They’re on a mission. They’ve got to see it all. They’ve waited for this trip. They’ve paid all of this money and they’re not going to miss anything. Accept this going into your first Disney trip, or any Disney trip for that matter; you will not see it all. Don’t even bother trying. I still haven’t seen it all and I love that fact.
Wander slowly through Cinderella Castle and admire the amazing mosaic tile work.
A section of the mosaic inside Cinderella Castle. Photo by Lisa Perkis.
Stare at the awesome carvings on The Tree of Life.
The Tree of Life Garden sign. Photo by Samantha Barry.
Stroll through the United Kingdom pavilion at Epcot and marvel at the architectural details and the beautiful gardens.
A street in the United Kingdom pavilion. Photo by Alex Stroup.
Walk out to Sunset Pointe at the Polynesian and watch the ferries and the monorails circumnavigate the Seven Seas lagoon.
Sunset Pointe at the Polynesian. Photo by Chris Barry.
Find one of those rocking chairs in Frontierland, Liberty Square or Tom Sawyer's Island and sit for a spell.
My daughter in my favorite rocking chair on Tom Sawyer Island. Photo by Chris Barry.
It always astonishes me how much work has gone into this place and how much thought the Imagineers have put into its every detail. Once you slow down and let it all in, Walt Disney World takes on a whole new meaning.
I have other little bits of more specific suggestions for first-timers; little tips that we’ve collected over the years from our own experiences, from friends and from this whole wonderful Internet community of writers and fans. The passing-on of knowledge is essential in any community and in this particular community, there are so many bits and pieces of knowledge to pass on and to absorb. Places like MousePlanet wouldn’t exist otherwise. I hope I was able to shed a little light and help out with Matt's first trip. I guess I'll find out after the vacation.
I do think that it’s important for newcomers to Walt Disney World to find their own path. There are things that we love that others don’t—and trust me, there are still things that I just don’t get that other people swear by. Eventually, you find your own way. But in the beginning, it’s important to listen to some good advice.
As long as there are people who love to go to Walt Disney World, there will be people that can’t wait to talk about it with you. We’re out there. All you have to do is listen.
That's My Disney Top 5 for today. What's yours? Click on the “Discuss this article on MousePad” link below and share your list!
