Worst Disney World Tips You’ll Ever Hear

Before we get too far into this topic…it’s worth noting that most people who give advice, tips, etc., try to be helpful. Every so often, a few may have ulterior motives, such as recommending a restaurant or service that they happen to get a kickback on.

But all that being said, let’s explore some of the worst…WORST…WORST tips you may hear when it comes to visiting Walt Disney World Resort. And spoiler alert – some of these are very common beliefs and advice you may have come across or will in the future.

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Don’t Plan Anything!

Many bad ideas are on this list, but this one is probably the worst. Some people believe that planning your days or making an itinerary or wish list of activities somehow destroys the magic of the spontaneous nature of visiting a theme Park.

Although that concern is understandable when visiting a place like Universal Studios, that’s not the best advice for Walt Disney World Resort. Now, that isn’t to say you need to plan every single second of every single day, but having at least a rough game plan can be vacation-changing.

Walt Disney World has various types of tickets, special events throughout the year, varying Park hours, the current Park reservation system, and the Genie+ app that, if you buy, will dictate your line skipping at attractions. There are multiple things to consider – and deciding to fly by the seat of your pants will not get you far.

Better advice is to list the top things you are interested in seeing and doing – because there’s an excellent chance you won’t get to see and do EVERYTHING the massive Resort offers. Then go from there – figuring out how many days you want to visit each Disney Park and which ones you want to see more than once.

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Wait…(Until the Kids are Older or Until You Have Kids)

Kids do indeed receive a magical experience at Disney World. But so do adults.

A widespread idea people have is to not bother bringing children if they are “too young to remember.” For starters, there’s no guarantee that a kid of any age will remember or forget throughout their childhood.

Most people have memories from when they were 3 or 4 years old but couldn’t tell you every detail of their last vacation (or even meal). And even if your child (or niece, nephew, grandchild, etc.) doesn’t remember…so what? You’ll still have the memories and the pictures.

A similar piece of “advice” is to not waste your time as an adult to go unless there’s a child with you. Aside from being offensive for many reasons, many adults travel to Disney World (and other Disney destinations) without children all the time.

Anyone who has been to Disney, whether an adult or child, can tell you many attractions are 100% geared towards adults because they are too scary or dangerous for little ones. Just because the experience may be different with a child, that shouldn’t encourage or discourage anyone from going.

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Make it a Marathon!

Some people believe that to get the most out of your Disney vacation, you must arrive at the Park when it opens and stay past closing. But depending on the time of year, your energy level, and the weather, it may be a foolish choice.

Although turning a day at a Disney Park into a 14 or 16-hour marathon may get the most “value” out of your ticket price, you may be sacrificing comfort, sleep, your stress levels, your feet, and your wallet (since you’ll be spending more money on drinks, food, and snacks).

A common advice is to break the day up, especially if traveling with children.

A midday break or nap at the hotel can help you and your party recharge. Although this advice may or may not be helpful, depending upon how far away your hotel is and whether it’s worth the time it takes to go back and forth.

Related: What to Do in Disney World When It Rains

Skip (Insert Disney Park Here)

There is always one of the three non-Magic Kingdom theme parks people are encouraging Guests to skip. Some have accused EPCOT of being too adult-orientated for kids to enjoy, Animal Kingdom of being little more than a glorified zoo, and Hollywood Studios of not being a full-day Park.

Although there may be kernels of truth in these Park criticisms, that doesn’t make them any less worthy of your time. Each of the theme Parks provide something unique that appeals to every demographic.

There ARE things for kids to enjoy at EPCOT (like the Frozen Ever After Ride, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, and meeting characters), there’s more than just animals at Animal Kingdom (there are rides and shows!), and if you plan your day properly at Hollywood Studios, you can be busy from dusk to dawn.

Related: Six Ways to Get Romantic at Hollywood Studios

It all comes down to your individual interests (and those of the people you are traveling with). Never take anyone’s advice to skip an entire theme Park – especially if it’s your first time visiting Disney World. You’d be much better off taking 10 minutes to research the rides, shows, and attractions at the Magic Kingdom and the other parks before removing an entire theme Park from your itinerary.

Stay at a Disney Resort Hotel

Staying on the property has its fair share of perks that add more magic to your Disney World vacation. But if the price is a concern when booking your vacation, staying off-property is the number one way to save money.

There are many beautiful Resort hotels not owned by Disney in the area – some even have their own spa, water park-like pools, and onsite restaurants. And there are even more value-priced classic chains if you aren’t interested in paying for a bunch of added amenities.

It all depends on how much time you plan to spend in the Park anyway. If you have a four-day Disney vacation with three days in the parks – will you be taking advantage of special amenities at a Disney property? Probably not.

Related: How to Budget With Gift Cards During a Walt Disney World Vacation

What is the Best Advice?

Do what makes you happy and makes the most sense for you and your family, friends, or whomever you’re traveling with. It’s YOUR Disney vacation. Don’t let anyone else tell you what you should (or shouldn’t) do or what you will (or won’t) like. Even people with the best intentions can accidentally give you bad advice. And most of all, remember to have fun…it’s Walt Disney World!

What’s the worst Disney tip you’ve ever heard? Let us know in the comments!