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We Think You Can Ignore This Disney World Advice

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Credit: Disney Tips

If you have told friends and family that you are going to Walt Disney World, you might have quickly learned that they are all experts on what you should and shouldn’t do. Everyone you know now seems to have a list of Disney tips to share with you. We think it is important to do some research before your Disney World vacation but we also don’t think you must follow every suggestion that everyone gives you. We have some Disney World advice that we think you can ignore on your next Disney World vacation.

Plan Everything

We think that planning for a Disney World vacation is important, and we have a few Disney tips that you could refer to; however, we don’t think you need to plan for every minute of every day of your Disney World trip. Over planning can set you up for a disaster as you will spend most of your time rushing from place to place instead of being in the magic. We know that FOMO (fear of missing out) is a real thing in a Disney Park, but you will miss more if you don’t allow for some downtime throughout the trip. Take time before heading down to figure out everyone’s top priorities when it comes to the vacation. What rides, attractions, shows, and experiences are an absolute must, and use that to create an overall plan. A successful Disney vacation has a flexible plan ready to go and can throw it all out when it doesn’t work. Please do take the advice of planning out some of your trips, but ignore the Disney World tip that you have to plan out everything for every single day.

Credit: Disney

A Park Hopper is a Must

A Park Hopper is an option that Guests can add to their base Disney tickets. The Park Hopper allows Guests to hop from Park to Park after 2 pm. Although this can be a great option for many visitors and a way to see more of the Disney Resort, it isn’t something that is needed for everyone. Think about your family before making a plan to add a Park Hopper to your Disney tickets. If you have little ones that need a nap in the middle of the day or they go to bed super early, a Park Hopper might not be the best use of your money. Park Hopping can take a lot of time away from your Park experience if you need to rely on Disney transportation. We know the Skyliner can be a quick way to get between Disney’s Hollywood Studios and EPCOT, but the other theme Parks can take up to an hour plus to hop between. If you are in Disney World for a limited time, you might not want to spend some of it on a bus. There is so much to see and do at each theme Park that you certainly won’t run out of entertainment.

Credit: Disney

Rope Drop Every Park

Many Disney fans will tell you that you have to rope drop each day of your Disney vacation. We do feel that rope dropping in a Park (getting there before Park opening) can put you ahead of the crowds; however, not every day. If you try to rope drop each morning of your vacation, you will find that your family becomes extremely tired and not as magical. Visiting the Disney Resort is a vacation, so make sure you set up some time to relax and enjoy the Resort. If you stay out for fireworks one evening at a theme Park, set up the next morning as a sleep-in day. Your family will appreciate it and head into the new day with a better attitude. Rope dropping a theme Park can be a lot of fun and super rewarding, but not if everyone is tired. Think about your family and what would work well for them before you think you have to rope drop a theme Park each morning.

Head To the Popular Rides First 

If you are at a theme Park early in the morning, a strategy is to head to the most popular rides first. This means heading towards Flight of Passage in Disney’s Animal Kingdom or Seven Dwarfs Mine Train in Magic Kingdom. This can be a great strategy if you are in front of a crowd. Unfortunately, this strategy has become so popular that most of the morning crowds tend to head in the same direction causing long waits for these popular rides right away. Instead, think about heading to other popular rides. In Magic Kingdom, think about heading towards Frontierland to ride Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain. In Disney’s Animal Kingdom, trying out Expedition Everest and Kilimanjaro Safaris are great backup options. Also, think about those rides that close down because of the weather. Those rides are great ones to get on early because those afternoon storms often cause delays and shutdowns. It is a great idea to try to hit popular rides within the first hour the parks are open. Still, if you aren’t in the front of the pack, you might be better off trying to knock out some of the second tier rides instead of waiting in line for those top rides already in the morning, missing out on low wait times elsewhere in the theme Park. Check out our suggestion on how to reduce your wait times using a variety of different strategies as well as how to ride all the popular rides in Magic Kingdom with little wait.

Credit: Disney

You HAVE TO Do This

Each person you talk to about Walt Disney World will probably have an opinion on rides and experiences that are must-dos. Don’t feel like you and your family have to do them because you have your likes and dislikes, and it might not be the same. Disney fans are passionate about their favorites, and we feel the same way about a lot of things in Disney World, but that doesn’t mean you have to do the same to have a great Disney vacation. Every Disney vacation is different, so make sure you do what will make your family happy. Make sure to look into experiences on your own to see if they are something that is a must do for your family, and if they aren’t, that is okay- your Disney vacation will be just as magical.

There is so much advice out there about Disney World, and some of it can be extremely helpful, but some might be overrated. We hope that diving into some of the planning advice we ignore will help you plan your own magical Walt Disney World vacation.

About Jennifer Retzlaff

My name is Jennifer Retzlaff and I became a lifelong Disney fan during my first trip to Walt Disney World in 6th grade. From that moment, Disney became a big part of my life. I live in Iowa with my husband and two kids who are growing up too quickly for my liking. I started introducing my love for Disney early to my family with a Disney honeymoon and then trips when our youngest of 18 months. Since then, our family has been to Walt Disney World over five times and we continue to plan and dream for the next trip. I love the magic that Disney brings to people through the theme parks, cruises, adventures and movies they create. As a teacher, I try to bring that magic into my classroom to help kids believe that “If You Can Dream It, You Can Do It.” I recently reached a dream of mine as I joined Magic Vacation Planner as a personal travel advisor. With this team, I can now help others plan magical vacations. As a passionate writer, I also have my own blog at magicalvacationsbyjen which is also where you can follow me on instagram for trip reviews along with tips and tricks for your next magical vacation.