Insider Tips Revealed by Former Disney Cast Member

There is a lot that goes into planning a Walt Disney World vacation. From determining which Walt Disney World Resorts you want to stay at to where you want to eat, many decisions go into planning a Walt Disney World vacation. As one plans for a trip, there are a lot of suggestions and tips that can be found. Recently, a former Disney Cast Member posted some inside tips to help guests prepare for a Walt Disney World vacation.

Here, tips range from how to enjoy the characters to getting the most out of time in the Disney parks.

Character Tips

When planning a trip to Walt Disney World, make sure that you visit characters. Character interactions are part of the magic. From regular meet and greets in the parks to character meals, these interactions with beloved characters make the magic for guests each day at Walt Disney World.

By booking a character meal, you can save time waiting in line for characters in the parks. Instead of visiting Mickey Mouse in the Magic Kingdom or the princesses at Fairytale Hall, you can book a meal to meet more in one sitting.

At Cinderella’s Royal Table in the Magic Kingdom, guests can meet a variety of princesses throughout their meal. Not only does Cinderella welcome guests to the castle, but some of her friends, like Ariel, Jasmine, Snow White, Rapunzel, and Aurora, also visit guests during their meal. This is a fantastic way to visit a handful of princesses simultaneously.

Guests can also enjoy visiting Mickey and friends at dining locations like Topolino’s Terrace, Tusker House, O’hana, Hollywood and Vine. Here, Mickey and some of the Fab Five are available for guests to get photographs and autographs throughout the meal.

Dining Suggestions

Another area that the former Cast Member focused on was tips for dining. It isn’t a secret that dining is expensive at Walt Disney World. Part of her recommendations focus on ways to save money.

Related: Disney Guests Frustrated By Soaring Prices

A few suggestions she provided was to visit Boulangerie in the France Pavilion in EPCOT. Here, you can enjoy delicious sandwiches cheaper than at other locations in the park.

When in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, a great option is to visit Harambe Market. The market has excellent, fresh options, such as chicken and rice bowls, at a lower price point. This is also where street corn can be enjoyed.

As most people will visit Magic Kingdom, a good money-saving option is to enjoy the sweet and spicy chicken and waffle sandwich from Sleepy Hollow.

These are just a few dining options that can provide excellent meals at a lower price.

Park Suggestions

To have a successful experience at Walt Disney World, it is essential to have a plan for visiting the parks. This former Cast member provided suggestions to help guests have a magical time in the parks.

Start by making sure you understand offerings. Knowing what rider-switch is and how to use it can help everyone enjoy their favorite experiences.

Virtual queues are another vital feature that visitors to Walt Disney World need to know about before arriving. As two top rides currently use virtual queues, knowing how they work is critical to experiencing these rides.

Another suggestion that she gives revolves around when to be in the parks. The evenings are a great way to enjoy the parks with lower crowds if you can stay up late. As most families head out in the early evening, it leaves the later evenings with fewer people in the parks.

When watching the parades, consider watching the parade from any place outside of Main Street, U.S.A.. By watching the parade in Frontierland, you will have many smaller crowds to navigate and be some of the first to see the parade. Being some of the first to see the parade, you can head to rides before those waiting around the hub for the parade to get to them.

There are a lot of tips and tricks for guests visiting Walt Disney World. Seeing what suggestions a former cast member gave those heading to experience the magic was interesting.  See all of her tips HERE.

Related: Best Quiet Places to Escape Holiday Crowds at Disney World

This post is originally appeared on Disney Dining.