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First Time Beginner’s Guide to Disney World (15 minute crash course)

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With so many Rides, Shows, and Attractions, it can be hard to know where to start at Disney World in Orlando Florida (Disneyland is in California, and offers different things!).

This is a comprehensive guide that covers all the basics about Disney World. If you’re familiar with Walt Disney World, this information is probably unnecessary. If your new to Disney, then this is the place to be.

Disney is a vacation packed full of so many options, from great rides at the four Theme Parks, to water fun at the Water Parks and Resorts, to Character Memories, fun Entertainment and Nighttime Fireworks Celebrations.

Refer to the Table of Contents below to jump around to areas you’d like to learn more about.

Does Disney World do anything Special for First Time Visitors?

Yes! Disney World offers a ‘1st Visit’ button that you can wear to celebrate that occasion and let Cast Members (the Disney Employees) know that it’s your first time.

So let’s jump into some quick tips for first time Disney World visitors and then you can pick where you want to get started with all this information! If this is too much, simply save or share this page for later.

This post may contain affiliate links, read my full disclosure here.

Table of Contents for Disney World Guide

• Your Frequently Asked Questions Answered

The Best Times to go to Disney World

• How many days do you need at Disney
• What do you need to bring to your Disney World Vacation?
• Overview of the Parks
• Overview of Entertainment in the Parks
• All about Disney Resorts

Quick FAQs for Disney World

What should you do on your first visit to disney world.

You should make a Bucket List/ Cant Miss list!

Disney World is intense… there’s so much more to do and see (maybe that’s why we have so many websites and vlogs and content creators sharing the Disney fun!)

Creating a list of things you want to do will make planning much easier and make the vacation more fun . Here’s a list of Can’t Miss fun for most families , and a Can’t Miss list for little kids !

How Much does it cost to go to Disney World?

The average vacation in 2024 is going to cost around $5000 dollars for a Family of Four to go for 5 days (this includes tickets, lodging, a food budget and souvenirs but not travel costs to get to the parks) See the full breakdown for the costs (with examples!) on how to do Disney World on a tight (yet realistic!) budget.

Having a dollar sign in mind is a good way to make sure that you stay on track with your Disney World Vacation. This is such an exciting time and you want to make sure that you make the most of it. There are many money saving tips that can help with your magical vacation.

The Best Time to go to Disney World is the time that fits with your schedule!

Disney World is ‘always’ busy now on the weekends and many times throughout the week. There is no ‘slow’ season, though the months of January and September are typically slower months than others.

Walt Disney World is such a popular resort that it can get a little crowded.  

I’ve been on some of the busiest days of the year, and while it is still magical, it’s not very fun waiting in a two hour line ! What you can do is check the best weeks to go and pick the week that works best for your family! 

Some of the Best Months to go for lower crowds are:

• The beginning of May
• The second week in December

Some of the best times to enjoy the Parks for lower crowds are:

• In the Evenings- especially if they park is closing in a few hours or staying open very late
• In the Early Morning- especially if you have early morning hours available to you when you stay on Disney World property
• During the Week Days- it helps to look at the MyDisneyExperience App and check the wait times. While these are often inflated, they are a good predictor of crowd levels during your vacation.
• Magic Kingdom on days that a party is planned, and the regular park closes at 6. Many people skip this day because it doesn’t include fireworks, but it’s a great option if you have a park hopper or want to get up early and spend a good 10 hours at Magic Kingdom.

⭐ What is a Touring Plan, and why is it recommended to know the crowd level when planning a touring plan?

Touring Plans are detailed lists that tell you where to go for rides and attractions at what time. These rely heavily on park hours, expected crowd levels, and what rides/attractions your party wants to do. A common Touring Plan example is to rope drop Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Magic Kingdom as the wait time is high during the day (or to make it your last ride of the night).

What do you need to pack for your Disney vacation?

Whether it’s your first time to Disney World or your hundredth, it pays to be prepared.

But what you need for your Disney vacation really depends on each person and family (and reason for the trip!) I do recommend getting a packing list together- at least a month ahead of time, so that way you can get everything you need.

This should include the following items:

• Number of Outfits x your vacation days + one opposite weather outfit (so a sweater if you come in the summer, or shorts if you come in the winter)
• Two pairs of Comfortable Walking Shoes
• Sun Protection including Hat, Sunglasses and Sunscreen
• A Park Bag or Park FannyPack, for you to bring into the parks with you
• Comfort Care items like lotion, lip balm, and first aid kits
• Toiletries and Cosmetics
• Disney Items like Mouse Ears, Signature Books, Pin Collections, Penny Collections

⭐ Does Disney World offer personal care items, clothing, or other commonly forgot items? Yes. Lots of these items are found inside the Parks. But for a full selection, head to the resorts. If you are at a Value resort and can’t find what you are looking for (And have talked to a Cast Member to confirm it’s not hiding somewhere), head to one of the Deluxe Resorts to check out there selections.

The top 3 items I recommend to everyone:

1. Portable Phone Charger – you phone WILL go dead using the MyDisney App, and some of the rides will drain your battery as your phone looks for signal. The alternative is good ole pencil and paper- just make sure you can access your plans and reservations for the day! You can also use the swappable batteries, see more about where to find those swappable battery locations at Disney here .

2. Insulated Water Bottle – It gets HOT at Disney. Even in the winter you are dealing with the sun, the wind and way too much walking. Animal Kingdom also doesn’t do straws or lids- so you need a water bottle to prevent spillage. 

3. Body Glide- This stuff is phenomenal. I use it for anywhere my skin might get irritation (like shoes in sneakers or thighs in shorts). Its only a few bucks, so better to have it and not need it- then need it and not have it!

And if your headed to Disney World for a Birthday Celebration , consider what you want to pack, versus what you want to buy when you get there.

How many days should you plan for your Disney World Trip?

Most people will find that a First Time Disney Vacation is exciting and exhausting! There’s so much to see and do, and you cannot possibly get it all done in one trip (or even two!)

Most families will benefit from 3-5 days inside the Parks.

But there’s a lot of ways to do Disney! You could do two days inside Magic Kingdom, and one day at EPCOT. You could just do two days at Magic Kingdom and make it a long weekend. You could hit up all four parks, or two days at Disney and two days at Universal.

Tips for Disney World Tickets

If you are visiting for the first time, a standard ticket would be the most appropriate versus an annual pass- you can pick how many base days you’d like to have.

Recommended time at the resort is 6 days 5 nights . This gives you 4 days in the parks, and then your arrival and departure day. Some families will benefit from a ‘no park’ day in the middle of their week to relax, and take in the amenities at the hotel (and possibly recover from sunburn or dehydration that is so prone to Disney trips!)

There are some pros and cons to only doing Magic Kingdom in one day , but most people will find that with a bucket list, their one day trip is enough!

➡️ You will need a Park Reservation for some tickets and passes. To schedule a park ticket, head over to Disney World here and secure your dates (its better to have a date/park secured and change later than not have one at all!)

What’s not recommended:

-Having a Ticket for Arrival or Departure day (there is plenty to do that doesn’t require a ticket!) Unless you are going for something specific. Most people will benefit from resting on Arrival and Departure day.

-Park Hopper Tickets if you are staying for more than 4 days. If you plan to go to all the parks anyways, there’s no need to add the Park Hopper. I would recommend this if you are doing less than 3 days. Keep in mind that hopping parks can take some time (between 45-90 minutes) that may be better spent in the parks.

-Not getting the Park Hopper if you can only come for 1-3 days. The Park Hopper here will help you take advantage of all the staggered opening and closing times to get the most out of your ticket.

-Purchasing from somewhere like eBay- I would hate for your ticket not to work when you arrived

Overview of the Disney Parks

There’s no Harry Potter, Charizard or Daffy Ducks at Disney World my friends. But we do have 6 Theme Parks (4 Main Ones and 2 Water Parks). Disney World is the size of San Francisco, or double the size of Manhattan. And its also located in Florida, in Orlando. There’s a lot going on here!

Disney also has an amazing amount of themed resorts and restaurants that I also recommend you check out! You can peek around the resorts as a guest and eat at any of the locations on property – most require a reservation but they aren’t hard to get. 

Quick Note about Transportation at Disney World

Or said better, How to get where you need to go on Vacation!

⭐ Is Disney Transportation available to all guests, including those not staying on property? Yes! Respectfully of course, but you can hop on the Skyliner, or take the Monorail, or catch a boat without needing to stay on property. This is a fun option on your ‘no-park-ticket’ day, and here’s everything you can do at Disney World without a Park Ticket.

⭐How long does Disney Transportation take? Maybe the most important question of this entire post! Transportation can be quick, kinda slow, or completely closed. You might miss reservations or get stuck for an hour waiting for a bus. While most of it is free to use, it’s a gamble on the time requirements, so plan to give yourself extra time.

Complimentary Transportation Options:

• The Buses (available at most Disney Resorts, and will pop up if there is severe weather and you can’t take the Skyliner, Boats or Monorail)
• The Monorail. Three lines operate at Disney World. One takes you to and from EPCOT to the Ticket and Transportation Center. One takes you straight from the Transportation and Ticket Center to Magic Kingdom and back again. The Last Line makes 5 stops. The Transportation and Ticket Center, The Contemporary Resort, Magic Kingdom, The Grand Floridian Resort, The Polynesian Resort.
• The Ferry Boat takes you from Magic Kingdom to the Transportation and Ticket Center and back.
• The Friendship Boats operate for the Hollywood Studios/EPCOT water front resorts, Between Disney Springs and Port Orleans Resort, and for the Magic Kingdom Seven Seas Lagoon Resorts.
• The Skyliner has three lines. One line goes from the Depot to Hollywood Studios and back (Caribbean Beach is where the depot is located). One line goes from the EPCOT Boardwalk (it’s the second EPCOT entrance called the International Gateway), to Riveria Resort to the Depot. The third line runs from Art of Animation/POP Century Resort to the Skyliner Depot.
• Parking at Disney Springs or the Water Parks and Mini Golf locations.

Paid Transportation Options:

• Parking at Disney World Parks. This is included if you have paid to park at a Disney World resort. There is a tram at several of the parking lots that takes you to the front.
• Minnie Vans, which are a partnership between Lyft Rideshare and Disney World. These are Disney employees who pick you up in a red and black polka dot ‘van’.

The Parks at Disney World

Disney World has four Major Parks, two Water Parks, and then Disney Springs.

Magic Kingdom

The Iconic Cinderella Castle and Main Street U.S.A. are just two of the notable landmarks at Magic Kingdom. This is the Number One Park at Disney World and at full capacity (so really busy with lots of long lines!) it can take a Visitor almost 20 hours to complete the rides and attractions.

Magic Kingdom hosts lots of other amazing attractions like Space Mountain, Fantasy Land and Pirates of the Caribbean ride. Not to mention, Magic Kingdom is also home to lots of character meet and greets and the amazing fireworks display at the end of the night. Seeing the Castle lit up is a magical experience that the whole family can enjoy, and one of the highlights of any Disney trip. 

Hollywood Studios 

Hollywood studios used to be considered among us Disney Goers as the ‘one day park’ because it was something that we could just hit up our favorite attractions and then catch dinner somewhere else on the resort. This is certainly not the case anymore though! 

If you follow Disney news at all, you’ll see that Hollywood Studios has been revamped lately to include Star Wars, Toy Story Land, Beauty and the Beast and the Disney Junior Characters.

This is exciting news because it takes this park and gives it a much needed update. If you’ve never been (or it’s been a reallyyyyy long time) don’t bypass Hollywood Studios because of old reviews. This is definitely a park you want to visit for all your movie and TV needs!

Epcot is the infamous park that houses all the other countries. The park actually has two sections, Worlds Celebration, Nature and Discovery at the Front of the Park and World Showcase around the lake (it’s a giant circle). 

The World Showcase is where you’ll find many scenic views, easy going rides and of course, the eleven countries with authentic gifts and cuisine. I love to go on Date nights to “Britain” or “Japan”-  it’s so amazing that we can step into another country without leaving Disney! 

With few exceptions, the World Showcase doesn’t open up till 11 for shops and drinks, but you can catch the Shops, Attractions and Food at the front of the park when the park opens. Options like the Soarin’ ride, Finding Nemo, Mission: Space and Test Track are great ways to start the day (and Frozen in Norway plus Ratatouille in France open when the park does!)

Epcot is also home to Festivals throughout the year. We have the Festival of the Arts to start the year, followed by the Flower and Garden Festival in the Spring and Early Summer. Then Food and Wine Festival in the Fall and The Festival of the Holidays to round out the year.

Animal Kingdom 

Animal Kingdom is where the animals are, seriously. With more than 500 acres and 1700 animals, it’s considered to be the largest theme park in the world! This makes for quite the adventure when it comes to planning your day as you won’t be able to see everything in one go. 

There’s several sections to Animal Kingdom, the newest of which is the Pandora land based off the movie Avatar. Some of the other sections, which are called ‘lands’ include Asia, Africa, Dinoland, Rafiki’s Planet Watch and Discovery Island.

Since Animal Kingdom is so large, it’s good to plan for exactly one day here and still pick your ‘must see’ items! The Thrill rides here tend to fill up quickly, just like at the other parks (namely Avatar Flight of Passage and Everest, plus sometimes slower Family Fun rides like Navi River Journey and the Animal Safari)

Animal Kingdom generally opens earlier than most of the parks, and it’s a great park to ‘Rope Drop’ (or show up before it opens!). Then you can leave around Dinner time to another park, Disney Springs or eat at the Resort.

The Water Parks

Disney has two water parks, Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon. Both of these have lots of fun water activities with their own unique themes. 

Typhoon Lagoon is a tropical getaway filled with water rides the whole family can enjoy! It also features a kiddy play area and thrill rides for the older kids! 

Blizzard Beach takes a different spin on theming, think ski resort that has melted into summer water fun! Blizzard beach also has several options for everyone in the family, from kid sized water slides to one of the world’s tallest and fastest water rides!

Disney Springs 

Disney Springs was previously called Downtown Disney and if you look at old reviews or message boards it’s easy to get confused about where Downtown Disney went! 

It did get a major facelift and a new name. Most notably, it received lots of new parking, a slew of new stores (many of which are designer names) and several new restaurants.

Disney Springs is:

• Free to Park at
• Free to Enter
• Normally low crowd, but crowded on Weekends, Holidays and High Crowd Park Days

Notable Entertainment Offerings at Disney World

I get this question from Disney Vacationers all the time- “What is there to do at Disney?”

There is SO MUCH to do at Disney World that you simply can’t do it all! What I wanted to do was break down the basics for you!

There’s lots of Characters at Disney

You can meet the characters a few different ways. 

• 1.By going to the Character Meet and Greets inside the Parks, these are marked on the Map
• 2.By Scheduling a Character Dining Experience.
• 3. By purchasing a Special Event Ticket
• 4. By stumbling upon an unmarked Character Meet and Greet
• 5. By meeting Characters at the Resorts as they tour around to different locations daily

Some of the Characters you can meet in the parks are:

• Mickey Mouse
• Joy (Inside Out)
• Donald Duck
• Winnie the Pooh and Tiger
• Tinker Bell
• And SOOOO many more!

Character Dining is a great way to meet your favorite Pals! If you’re interested in how to meet characters without a ticket check out this helpful guide! 

Disney LOVES parades. They have a parade for everything it seems like! They even have one when it RAINS!

Don’t forget that Disney World also has seasonal parades for Halloween and Christmas. They go all out with these, as typically they are only shown for a separate ticketed event (like Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas)

Here’s some of the memorable ones you can expect at Magic Kingdom:

Main Street Trolley Show

This happens in the mornings at Magic Kingdom, kind of like their welcoming act to bring you into the park! It’s a very “Mary Poppins” themed show, and oh so cute! 

Disney Festival Of Fantasy Parade

Featured so many Favorites, catch this show on Main Street USA during the day. Typically you’ll find this show at 12 pm and 3 pm, but check the app for updated times during your trip.

FireWork and Nighttime Shows

You can find FireWorks Displays at three Disney Parks, Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios and EPCOT!

At Magic Kingdom, you’ll get to see Happily Ever After, typically at 9pm. You can best see this is you can see the Castle, but I also enjoy the Fireworks without the Castle Display by hanging out in FantasyLand.

At Hollywood Studios, line up for Fantasmic, with shows typically starting at 9pm nightly. This is in a Theater, so you’ll need to head down Sunset Blvd and join the crowd to see this performance. There’s minor Fireworks during the Visual Display broadcasted on the Chinese Theater.

At EPCOT, gather around World Showcase for a fun Visual and Auditory Show that you can see all around the lake. It’s an easy watch, and generally low crowd.

Nightlife and Nighttime Activities at Disney

Some would say that I saved the best for last- and that is probably the case! If we were going to cover ALL of the options for entertainment after dark at Disney we would be here awhile. Let’s look at some of the favorites! 

Downtown Disney (now Disney Springs)

Disney is not just for kids! Especially Downtown Disney, which was built more with the adult in mind. You can shop and enjoy Dinner, then grab drinks on the water. 

You’ve got several options to choose from. One of the newest additions is The Edison, which has flapper style dancers, a DJ and music floor. The Hangar Bar has lots of games to play over drinks, and Paradiso 37 will have you dancing to Latin Music all night long! Bar hopping is another favorite, with almost 10 places to choose from it can be a fun weekend night! 

The BoardWalk

If you want to stay near the resorts, definitely check out the Disney BoardWalk. Not only is it absolutely picturesque in the evenings with live musicians and plenty of restaurants, but it also hosts some 21 and up venues. 

Jellyrolls is famous for their dueling piano competitions- truly a must see experience. Then you have a Dance Venue featuring hits from the 80s and 90s. 

Disney World Resorts

Now, let’s talk about the resorts. Disney World has 36 resort hotels on the grounds, 26 of which are owned and operated by Disney.

The Resorts are set up in a tier system. What this means is that each resort falls under one of three categories. The categories for the Walt Disney World Resorts are Value Resorts, Moderate Resorts, and Deluxe. These tiers are based on the resorts sizes, amenities, transportation options and price. 

Value Resorts 

We’ll start with the Value Resorts. These are the least expensive of the Walt Disney Resorts but they don’t lack in magical experience!

They all have a dining area, stocked with various goodies (and yes, they accommodate allergies!) for breakfast, lunch and dinner. In the gift area sections they have the standard souvenirs like coffee cups and towels while they also have snacks and drinks. 

All of the Disney Value resorts have the usual conveniences you would expect at a Disney hotel. Mail, laundry, dry-cleaning, complimentary wi-fi, airline check-in, designated smoking areas, and ATMs. 

The Value Resorts also have some other amenities like the pools and a jogging trail. While the pools don’t have slides, they do have poolside activities that happen throughout the day. Other cool options for the value resorts are the indoor arcades and the playgrounds.

The two best perks of the Walt Disney World Resorts are the free transportation and the Extra Magic Hours. 

The transportation and extra magic hours are the main reason we stay at Disney so often even though we live right up the road! Because you really can’t go wrong with the list of amenities, the adorable themes and the perks of transportation and extra magic hours that you get by staying on-site at  the Disney World Value Resort hotels.

Moderate Resorts 

The next tier up is the Moderate Resorts and these are some of my favorites! The moderate resorts at Walt Disney World Resort provide some of the best options for the price. Plus the blend of affordability and amenities make Moderate Resorts a great options for most families.

While the Value Resorts focus more on cartoonish theming- The Moderate Resorts focus more on cultural themes. They offer all the amenities of the Value resorts with some nice additions! 

Disney’s Port Orleans offers horse-drawn carriage rides, bike rentals and catch-and-release fishing. Disney’s Caribbean Beach offers a pirates adventure cruise, bike rentals, sand volleyball and catch-and-release fishing. Disney’s Coronado Springs offers bike rentals and sand volleyball. They also have nicer themed room with queen sized beds (value resorts have the full sized beds). 

Deluxe Resorts and Deluxe Villas

Staying at a Deluxe Resort is similar to the name, its where Disney goes above and beyond! These rooms tend to be a little bigger than most other rooms on the grounds, and they have more amenities. 

So you get all of the perks of the other tiers, with some nice additions like valet parking, higher quality dining on site and more recreation choices at the resort. This takes your Disney vacation from regular to extraordinary! 

My favorite part about staying at the Deluxe resorts is how much closer they are to the parks, and transportation also seems to move a lot faster from these resorts (maybe its in my head… but I do feel that way!). We tend to save the Deluxe Resorts for special occasions, like honeymoons, but we’ve taken the kids before and their were lots of other kids there too! 

The Deluxe Villas are similar to the resorts, but they sleep way more people! Most of these are also at a different location than the other Deluxe properties, but still full of the same amenities. 

Disney Resort Features 

So now that you have a general understanding of the what and where, let’s compare some of the basic features of all the resorts. 

The value resorts have double beds that sleep four, whereas the Moderate and Deluxe resorts have queen beds. King Sized beds can be found sprinkled throughout the resorts, you just have to hunt to find them! 

Food Options

The value and moderate resorts have food court style options- which is great for a large family of picky eaters, but the Deluxe resorts only have one quick service option that can be limiting on food choices. Both the Moderate and Deluxe have Table Dining options that help to add to the ambience of finer vacationing. Deluxe resorts also offer Signature and Character dining as part of their 5 star service.

Transportation 

For the most part, the value and moderate resorts only options are the buses. There are three moderate resorts that have the Water Taxi boat service and those are Ports Orleans Riverside, French Quarter and the Cabins at Fort Wilderness. The Deluxe Resorts have several more transportation options, like the monorail, boat taxis and walking. You can also call a ‘Minnie Van’ from any of the resorts (and they come with two car seats!) You’ve got options! 

Every resort on Disney property has a pool (thank goodness, because Florida is hot!) but the types of pools differ across the tiers. 

The value pools are, well, value based (but your kids won’t mind, I promise!). They don’t have anything fancy besides some theming and poolside activities that Disney Cast members run. 

The moderate pools are absolutely a step up. Here the theming is top quality and you’ve got water slides!! 

So how can the Deluxe pools beat water slides? With even bigger water slides, of course! They also have more pool options to choose from, which limits the amount of loud rowdy teenagers you might run into on your afternoon swim. 

How far in advance should you book a Disney World trip?

As soon as possible! Disney Rooms can normally be book over a year in advance, and park reservations can be book 365 days in advance!

Is it cheaper to stay on Disney Property?

Honestly, most of the time, not really–though you can get some good deals with the value resorts, what you’re really paying for is convenience and the experience. There are definite perks, the biggest of which is being so close to the parks. You’ll have to decide what’s right for you and your family!

How much money should I bring to Disney World?

It kinda depends on your budget and how much you plan on eating at the Parks. A single person can easily spend 100 dollars on food and drink for one day at Disney World. Budgeting 150+ per person, per day for food, drinks plus a souvenir budget (like 100 per person for the trip) is reasonable.

So there you have it, folks, just about everything a beginner needs to know (and then some!) about planning their first trip to Disney World!

If you’re a first time Disney World visitor, I know it can be a little overwhelming, but remember that priority number one is to have fun! You’re not going to be able to do and see everything, so make a plan and let the good times roll!

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How To Get a First Visit Pin at Disney World

Disney World is a magical place that captures the hearts of millions of visitors each year. If you’re preparing for your first visit, you’re likely excited, and perhaps a little overwhelmed, by the prospect of experiencing everything the park has to offer. One way to commemorate this special occasion is by wearing a First Visit Pin. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through all the steps to getting your very own First Visit Pin at Disney World.

To get a First Visit Pin at Disney World, you can either ask for one at the front desk of your Walt Disney World Resort Hotel, visit any of the Guest Relations locations within the parks and other Disney locations, or ask for one at any of the shops within the theme parks. These pins are free and available to all guests visiting the park for the first time.

What is a First Visit Pin?

A First Visit Pin at Disney World is a special button given to guests who are visiting the park for the first time. These pins are provided for free, and wearing one allows cast members and other guests to recognize that you are experiencing Disney World for the first time. While there are no guaranteed perks or special treatment associated with wearing a First Visit Pin, it serves as a fun and memorable keepsake from your first trip to Disney World.

How to Get Your First Visit Pin

Obtaining a First Visit Pin at Disney World is simple and straightforward. Follow these steps:

• Check-In at Your Disney Resort: If you are staying at a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel, you can pick up a First Visit Pin at the Front Desk in your hotel lobby.
• Visit Guest Relations: You can also visit any of the Guest Relations locations at the four Walt Disney World theme parks, both water parks, Disney Springs, and ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.
• Stop by Park Shops: Another option is to stop by any of the shops in the theme parks and ask if they have any First Visit buttons available.

Please note that if you weren’t able to get a pin while at the parks, there isn’t a way to receive one once you return home. However, you can find First Visit Pins for sale on websites like Amazon and Etsy, but these may not be the same as the complimentary pins provided by Disney World.

Eligibility for the First Visit Pin

Anyone can avail of the First Visit Pin at Disney parks, as there are no specific eligibility criteria. These complimentary buttons are a way to let cast members know that you are visiting for the first time, and they love to welcome first-time visitors.

Making Your First Visit Special

In addition to getting your First Visit Pin, there are many other ways to make your first visit to Disney World special:

• Book a Disney Vacation Club Resort: Enjoy an immersive Disney experience with themed rooms, extra amenities, and convenient park entry.
• Buy the Memory Maker Photo Package: Have unlimited digital downloads of all your Disney PhotoPass photos taken during your trip.
• Partake in Character Dining: Enjoy a meal with your favorite Disney characters at select restaurants throughout the parks and resorts.
• Get a Special Souvenir: Purchase a unique keepsake to remember your first visit, such as a personalized ornament or a custom-made Mickey ears hat.
• Use the My Disney Experience App: This app helps you plan your trip, make reservations, and access wait times, maps, and other useful information.

Remember, every Disney trip is unique, so tailor these suggestions to your family’s preferences and interests to create a truly memorable first visit.

Your first visit to Disney World is bound to be an unforgettable experience. Make it even more special by getting a First Visit Pin. Not only does it serve as a wonderful keepsake, but it also allows you to celebrate and commemorate your first trip to the magical world of Disney. Enjoy your visit and have a magical time!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can i get more than one first visit pin.

Yes, each member of your party is eligible to receive their own First Visit Pin. However, it’s important to note that these are meant to commemorate your first visit, so it’s not customary to collect multiple pins during the same trip.

Is the First Visit Pin available at Disneyland as well?

Yes, Disneyland also offers First Visit Pins. You can pick them up at the City Hall in Disneyland Park or at the Chamber of Commerce in Disney California Adventure Park.

Do I need to provide any proof that it’s my first visit to get the First Visit Pin?

No, you do not need to provide any proof that it’s your first visit. Disney operates on the honor system, and these pins are given out freely to enhance the magic of your visit.

Can I get the First Visit Pin if I’m not staying at a Disney Resort?

Absolutely, you can get a First Visit Pin even if you’re not staying at a Disney Resort. Simply visit any of the Guest Relations locations or park shops to request your pin.

Is the First Visit Pin transferable?

The First Visit Pin is a keepsake item and does not have any attached privileges, so there’s no official policy on transferring it. However, it’s intended to commemorate your personal first visit to Disney World, so it’s typically not transferred to others.

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Ashley is a true theme park veteran, with insights gleaned from multiple visits to every park in the US. Her goal is to provide an insider's guide to making the most of your visit to any theme park.

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Plan Your Dream Trip To Disney!

20 Insanely Useful Tips For Your First Time At Disney World

March 3, 2021 //  by  Kimberly Jones //   Leave a Comment

If it’s your first time traveling to Disney World, it might feel a little overwhelming! There seems to be so much that you have to do, pack, plan, reserve….the list goes on and on. However, your first time at Disney doesn’t have to be stressful! We have 20 Insanely Useful Tips For Your First Time At Disney World.

This is a list of tips that we think first time Disney goers should know! It goes over what you should bring, how you could be making money by declining housekeeping, freebies, magic bands, and much, much more! Read on to learn all the tips every Disney vacationer should be aware of!

Get Familiar with My Disney Experience

The My Disney Experience app is the best free tool Disney has to offer! You will definitely want to download and take a look at this app before your first time at Disney. It’s helpful to get familiar with it before you even leave for vacation.

This app allows you to hold your Disney vacation plans at your fingertips. You are able to do so many things on this app such as make park and dining reservations, check wait times , look up park hours, see digital maps, look at PhotoPass photos, and so much more! 

The first thing you will want to do when you download the My Disney Experience app is to link your tickets, your resort room, and all of the friends and family you will be traveling with. Linking up with the people you are traveling with will make it easier to book dining reservations. You will also need to be linked if you want to all ride Rise of the Resistance together! 

This app is a MUST for your first time at Disney. Check out our 16 Best Disney Apps to Download Before Your Vacation for even more helpful apps!

Consider Renting DVC Points

Disney resorts can get expensive, so we want to help you find the best ways to stay at Disney for cheap! DVC is the acronym for the Disney Vacation Club . This is Disney’s timeshare system that operates by using points to stay at Deluxe resorts. People pay a premium to be a part of the Disney Vacation Club, and they are able to buy points to use.

Sometimes Disney Vacation Club members aren’t able to use up all of their points, so they rent them out to others. That’s where you come in! Renting DVC points is a great option if you were planning on staying at a Deluxe Resort. These resorts can get very pricey, but renting points can make staying at a Deluxe Resort more cost effective!

Our favorite place to rent DVC points is David’s DVC Rental ! You’ll be able to see how much you’d be paying by renting out points. Compare these prices to Disney’s Deluxe Resort prices, and you will realize what a steal this is! 

Staying at a Deluxe Resort is super special because these are the best resorts Disney has to offer. Make your first Disney vacation extra special by staying at one of these resorts!

Don’t Forget to Make Park and Dining Reservations in Advance

Some people don’t realize that a Disney vacation involves lots and lots of planning beforehand! You have to buy your tickets and book a room, but you can’t forget to make advance park and dining reservations! 

Disney now operates on a park pass reservation system . This means you have to book a park pass for the park you want to visit on a specific day. For example, if you are vacationing at Disney for 4 days, but you are only going to the parks for 3 of those days, you will need to choose what dates you want to go to the parks and which park for that certain date. 

I know it may seem confusing, but it is super simple to do! Just go on My Disney Experience and go to the “Make Theme Park Reservations” section. From here you can select your dates and parks, and then you’re done! 

After you have your park days booked, now it’s time to think about where you want to eat! There are lots of Quick Service locations to choose from, but if you want to eat at a Table Service restaurant, you will need to book those reservations in advance. Sometimes you are able to walk up to a restaurant and get a table, but it’s safer to book a reservation, especially for those more popular restaurants.

You can also book your dining reservations in the My Disney Experience app. Click the “+” button at the bottom of the screen and then click “Check Dining Availability”. Make sure that you are booking restaurants for the dates and locations of the park you are visiting that day!

There Are Fun Things to do on Arrival Day

Some people choose to hit the parks as soon as they check into their resort, but there are also other fun things to do on your arrival day! Even if your room isn’t ready when you get there, you can still explore the resort! You can leave your bags with bell services, and they will hold onto your bags until your room is ready. This way you can go do fun things without worrying about lugging your bags around! 

Arrival day is a great day for swimming! Change into those swimsuits and hit the resort pool while you wait for your room to be ready. If you don’t feel like swimming, you can also travel to other neighboring resorts and explore them as well. 

One of my favorite things to do on arrival day is visit Disney Springs ! It’s super relaxing and fun to walk around and shop without worrying about which ride to run to next. There are so many tasty restaurants and fun shops to explore. It’s a great way to start off the trip, and you can find some great souvenirs to use throughout your vacation! 

It can also be fun to book a dining reservation the night of your arrival. Disney resorts and Disney Springs have lots of great restaurants, you can’t go wrong with whichever you choose!

Check out our 12 Things To Do On Your Disney Arrival Day for even more fun ideas!

Make Money by Declining Housekeeping

Did you know you can make money by saying “no” to housekeeping ? Crazy, right?! This is a great perk some people don’t know about, but we definitely want you to know before your first time at Disney! 

Service Your Way is part of Disney’s green initiative to cut back on electricity, laundry, and waste. They reward guests who opt out of housekeeping with a gift card! The gift card amount varies depending on how many nights you are staying. You get $10 per night minus one night. So if you are staying 5 nights, you will get a $40 gift card.

Now you can use this extra money for souvenirs and snacks! If you don’t plan on being in your room a lot and don’t make much of a mess, opting out of housekeeping is a great idea. You can feel good about helping Disney with their green initiative and you get money at the same time! It’s a win-win!

Resorts Charge for Parking But Theme Park Parking is Free for Resort Guests

There are pros and cons to staying at a Disney resort. One of the cons is that Disney resorts charge for parking per night. The cost varies depending on which category of resort you stay at. Value resort parking costs $15 per night. Moderate resort parking costs $20 per night. Deluxe resort parking is $25 per night. These nights can add up to a significant amount if you’re planning on staying for a while.

The pro for staying at a Disney resort in regards to parking is that parking at the theme parks is free. Guests staying off property have to pay $25 per day for standard parking and $45-50 per day for preferred parking. 

Overall, if you drive to Disney, you’re going to pay for parking whether or not you are staying at a Disney resort. Do be aware though that Disney offers free transportation from your resort to the parks, Disney Springs, and the water parks, so you don’t need to rely on a car to get around.

Prepare to Walk A LOT and Bring Comfy Shoes

Going to Disney is no joke. You will be walking around A LOT (seriously a lot)! It can get pretty exhausting, so it’s a good idea to be prepared. Know how much walking you can handle before you go to Disney. This way you can plan out your day to minimize the amount of walking you will have to do.

When we go to Magic Kingdom , we like to plan any reservations in the order we’ll be walking through the park. We’ll start in one land and work our way to the opposite side through all the other lands. This way we don’t miss out on anything while decreasing the amount of walking we will have to do. 

Another great way to be prepared for all that walking is to bring comfy shoes! We can’t stress enough how important it is to wear shoes you are comfortable walking around in at the parks. This will save your feet so much unnecessary pain or blisters! Make sure to break in any new shoes before you wear them during your first time at Disney. We have a list of the Best Shoes for Disney to help you find the perfect pair! 

It’s also important to give yourself plenty of time to get from place to place. Disney is huge, so it can take a while to get from your resort to a park or to another resort. If you have a reservation planned, make sure to schedule extra time for any mishaps. Sometimes a bus can be running late or there will be crowds. Don’t stress yourself out by waiting until the last minute to get somewhere!

Check the Weather Before Your Trip and Be Prepared for it to Change

Florida is super unpredictable when it comes to weather. It could be raining at one moment and then the sun could be shining in the next. It can be helpful to check the weather all the way up until you leave for your trip, but you should still be prepared for it to change. 

The summer months are the worst when it comes to rain in Florida . Even though Florida is in the south, it can still get a little chilly at night during the winter months. Depending on when you are vacationing to Disney, it’s important to have a few essentials for any unpredictable weather.

The most important item you will need in the summer months is a poncho or rain jacket! Always be carrying one in your bag for any unexpected rain. It literally comes out of nowhere in some instances. No one wants to walk around in the parks soaking wet! But we also know you don’t want to spend lots of money on Disney brand ponchos.

Prepare before your trip by purchasing cheap ponchos. These can easily be reused during your whole vacation and discarded at the end. They are definitely a life saver! 

During the winter months, it’s a great idea to bring a jacket. The day time outside will feel nice, but those nights can get cold. Having a light jacket on hand will ensure you’re never uncomfortable!

Don’t Miss Out On Freebies!

Before your first trip to Disney World, you’ll want to know about all of the freebies you can score! One of the best freebies, especially for your first Disney vacation, is a “First Visit” button. Ask any retail or resort cast member for a free button. They have different buttons for different occasions! You’re going to want that “First Visit” button for sure. When cast members see you wearing this button, they make sure to make your first Disney visit extra special! 

Another freebie most people don’t know about is that you can get free ice water. At any quick service location with a soda fountain, you can ask the cast members for a cup of water. No one at Disney wants you getting dehydrated! 

The Play Dinsey app is a free app that makes your Disney vacation even more immersive. The app tracks your location and gives you access to fun games themed to the ride or area you are located in. There is also trivia and you can earn achievements. The app turns into a data pad as soon as you enter Galaxy’s Edge ! Once here, you can complete missions, translate languages, hack into droids, and more! 

If apps aren’t your thing, trying going on a Hidden Mickey scavenger hunt! There are tons of hidden Mickeys all around the parks and resorts. You could spend a whole day just looking for them! 

Another fun free thing to do at Disney is to watch free movies ! Most Disney resorts have “Movie Under the Stars”, where you are able to watch a Disney movie outside on a big screen at night. Check with your resort to find out when and what movie will be playing while you are there! 

There are so many other awesome free things to do at Disney World, we made our own article for them! Check out our 17 Totally Free Things To Do At Disney World ! (Some things might be temporarily unavailable due to the current pandemic.)

Magic Bands Aren’t Required, But They Are Helpful

Back in 2020, Disney used to provide Magic Bands to every resort guest for free. Starting at the beginning of January 2021, Disney now charges $5 for the basic magic bands when you order them before your trip. If you wait to buy them in the parks, it costs $15 for the basic bands. They also have a lot of specialty designed bands for a higher price.

Magic Bands are insanely useful ! They are your park tickets , your room key, and your credit card (if you choose to link it)! These can make traveling around super convenient because everything is right on your wrist. 

Disney started charging for Magic Bands because they are planning on enabling a digital version of the bands on My Disney Experience. This would allow you to do everything from your phone instead. Fun fact: You can actually unlock your resort room with your My Disney Experience app! 

If the Magic Bands aren’t for you, that’s okay! Disney has other options. They also have the Key to the World card which can do the same things a Magic Band can, but in card form. You can get these for free at your front desk.  You can also just use a standard ticket to get into the parks and use your own credit card to purchase things. 

Deciding on which route you choose depends on what you’re comfortable with! Magic Bands are super useful because you don’t have to worry about carrying anything around. You can also reuse your Magic Bands for future vacations!

Make Sure to Have a Break and Don’t Worry About Doing Everything!

Contrary to what you might believe, Disney vacations can be exhausting! You’re getting up early every day to run around the parks from morning to night and trying to fit everything in! But please don’t push yourself too hard, especially during your first time at Disney! That’s the worst way to turn your dream vacation into a nightmare.

Make sure to schedule breaks either during the middle of the day or have a full break day in between your park days. This will ensure you and your family don’t get burnt out during your trip. Use these breaks to take a nap or relax at the pool. It will feel good to get off your feet for a little bit and not be constantly moving. You’ll thank us later! 

Also, don’t worry about doing absolutely everything at Disney World. Disney really has so much to offer, it would be impossible to fit it all into one trip. Instead, plan your must-do attractions and food ahead of time. Figure out what rides you have to do and the ones you could live with missing. This way you get to do everything you want to do, and then you might have some extra time for the other things! 

I have been going to Disney for years, and I still haven’t even done everything! Don’t sweat it and just enjoy your time at the most magical place on earth!

You Don’t Need to Go to the Parks to Have Fun

Some people think that Disney is only about the parks, but this is not true! There are so many wonderful things to experience away from Disney’s theme parks. 

Disney has water parks , resorts, mini golf, excursions, dining, shopping, and more! You could spend a whole day (or multiple) doing things outside of the parks.

There are lots of different resorts that Disney has to offer, and you can go visit them all! Even if you’re staying at a Value resort doesn’t mean you can’t go explore a Deluxe resort! Each resort has its own unique theming, shopping, and dining. You can even go see live animals at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge! 

A lot of the resorts also have their own excursions or activities you can do! Fort Wilderness has horseback riding, you can rent a boat at the Grand Floridian , you can go fishing at the Yacht and Beach Club , etc. Each resort is unique in the kinds of activities they offer, but you don’t have to be staying at that specific resort to do them! 

Disney Springs is another great place to find fun things to do! You can go bowling at Splitsville, catch a movie at AMC Theaters, build a dinosaur at T-Rex Cafe, and much more. There are also a ton of fun shops, dining, and snacks to try! You don’t want to miss out on Disney Springs during your first time at Disney! 

The list goes on and on for what you can do for fun away from the parks! Use your break day to try some new adventures!

Some Splurges Are Worth It!

We know, we know, Disney is already expensive enough! But we are here to tell you that there are some splurgers at Disney World that are actually worth it! Like we had mentioned earlier, you can rent DVC points to stay at Deluxe Resorts, and this is a splurge that is worth it! 

Deluxe Resorts have nicer and bigger pools, immersive theming, more restaurant and lounge options, better rooms, and are just overall nicer. This isn’t to say that Value or Moderate Resorts aren’t nice! Deluxe Resorts are just a fun splurge that will let you enjoy the full Disney package! 

Another fun splurge is the Memory Maker . Memory Maker gives you access to all of the photos taken of you by the Photopass photographers at the parks. It even gives you access to your ride photos! Memory Maker costs $199 if you buy it at Disney or $169 if you buy it before your vacation. Memory Maker helps you capture all of your memories without you even having to pull out your camera! 

It’s some people’s dream to make their very own lightsaber, and now you can actually do that! At Savi’s Workshop in Galaxy’s Edge, you can build your very own lightsaber! It costs $200 per person, but it is well worth it. This is an experience you and your family won’t forget! 

If you’re looking for a cheaper splurge, buying a popcorn bucket is a great option! A regular popcorn at Disney costs $5 while a Disney popcorn bucket costs $12. Now you might think it’s crazy to spend an extra $7 on a bucket, but we’ll tell you why it’s worth it! Disney’s popcorn buckets are refillable for only $2 per refill! If you plan on eating a lot of popcorn during your vacation, buying a popcorn bucket will actually save you money ! 

Check out our 16 Best Splurges At Disney Worth The Spend for even more ideas! (Some things might be temporarily unavailable due to the current pandemic.)

A Guaranteed Way to See Characters is to Book Character Dining

Currently, the only way to see characters around the parks is during a character cavalcade parade or spotting a character just standing about at a safe distance. The only thing is there is no way to know when these small parades might be happening or when characters might be out. If you want to guarantee a way to see characters, we recommend booking a character dining reservation .

Here is a list of the current character dining locations that are open with modified character experiences and the characters you might see:

Garden Grill :

Toppolino’s Terrace Breakfast:

Hollywood and Vine Breakfast:

• Doc Mcstuffins
• Sofia the First
• Jake from the Neverland Pirates

Hollywood and Vine Lunch/Dinner:

Chef Mickey’s :

You won’t be able to get any autographs or hugs from your favorite characters, but you will be able to take socially distanced photos when they pass by your table!

Disney Offers Lots of Dietary and Vegan Options

You might be surprised to find out that Disney World isn’t all just hamburgers and chicken nuggets. They actually have some really tasty and unique options at both table service and quick service restaurants!

Just because you’re going to Disney doesn’t mean you need to forgo any of your special dietary needs. Disney is very accommodating to any allergies or dietary restrictions guests might have. If you have any dietary restrictions, just let the cast member or server know, and they will be able to help you modify your meal! 

If you have an allergy, ask the cast member for an allergy friendly menu! It will let you know what is and isn’t safe to eat. 

Disney even offers Halal meals at select restaurants. You have to make a request for a Halal meal 24 hours in advance or when you book your dining reservation. 

If you are vegan, you can still find delicious meals at Disney! Most restaurants have some sort of vegan option, but if they don’t for some reason, you can request to make them vegan! Disney wants everyone to be able to enjoy their food! 

Fun fact: Disney’s popcorn is actually vegan! Snack away! 

If you’re vegan or have dietary restrictions, check out our 20+ Best Places to Eat Vegan at Disney World for our favorites!

You Can Have Groceries Delivered to Your Resort

It might surprise you to know that you can actually get groceries delivered right to your resort ! That way you don’t have to try to fit a bunch of snacks and food in your luggage! 

There are lots of different ways you can get groceries delivered to your resort. You can use Instacart, Walmart Grocery Delivery, Garden Grocer, Amazon Prime Now, or whatever you prefer. This makes it super convenient for you to get all of the snacks/food you need without having to leave your resort.

Disney resorts have small convenience sections in the gift shops. Don’t waste all your money on those snacks though! They are overpriced, and you can get your food for much cheaper with a grocery delivery service.

You Are Able to Bring Your Own Food Into the Parks

After ordering all of those groceries, you don’t have to leave them at the resort! You can actually bring your own snacks and meals into the parks ! This is actually a really great way to save money during your first time at Disney. Especially if you have hungry kids that are constantly asking for snacks.

The only restrictions are:

• No glass, except for small baby food jars
• Loose ice must be in a sealed bag

Besides these restrictions, you can bring whatever food you’d like into the parks! I like to bring little ziploc bags full of snacks such as pretzels, goldfish, fruit snacks, and protein bars. This will help you avoid spending lots of money on Disney’s overpriced snacks. However, some are actually worth it! 

Tip: Gum is not sold anywhere on Disney property. Make sure to buy some before your vacation if you need it!

Prepare a Park Bag With All of the Necessities

It can be helpful to prepare what you will be bringing in your park bag before you get to Disney World! There are several things you might not have thought of to bring. It’ll be much cheaper to buy these items at home from places like Amazon or the Dollar Tree rather than when you get to Disney World. 

As mentioned above, you are able to bring snacks into the parks with you! Snacks are a great addition to any park bag to curb hunger while you wait for your next meal. 

An external battery charger and phone charging cord are another must for your bag. You’ll be using My Disney Experience a lot to keep up with your plans, so it’s important to have something to keep that phone charged!

Bringing your own water bottle is a great way to stay hydrated in the Florida heat. Cast Members do not want you passing out during your vacation! 

A poncho or umbrella is another great addition to your park bag. You will definitely need one of these if you are traveling to Disney in the summer! 

It’s also a great idea to bring some form of entertainment for long lines! Either download some fun apps on your phone or bring toys for your children to keep them occupied. 

There are lots of other things that might be necessary for you to bring to the parks. Read our What To Bring In Your Disney Park Bag for a full list of what we think you might need!

Utilize Rider Switch

If for your first time at Disney you are traveling with small children, you should know what rider switch is! If you’re bringing a child that doesn’t meet the height requirement of certain rides, don’t worry! Everyone in your family (minus the child that doesn’t meet the requirement) will still be able to ride.

Rider switch (also known as rider swap or child swap) is Disney’s service for rides with height requirements that will help you ride those rides without having to wait in line twice. You go up to the cast member of the attraction you want to ride and let them know you want to use rider switch. They will scan everyone’s magic bands to get you set up. 

Then, one part of the family can get in the normal line to ride the attraction while an adult stays with the child who can’t ride. After that part of the family is done riding, the adult waiting with the child can use the FastPass line to skip the regular line and bring two others to ride with them. This means that some people could ride the attraction twice! 

Now no one has to miss out on any attractions, and you don’t have to wait in the regular line two times for everyone to ride! Make sure to use rider switch if you have small children with you to save time. 

There are some rides at Disney that have no height requirements. This means anyone, even babies, can ride! It is possible to visit Disney with toddlers and still have fun !

Know Your Stroller Options

Another thing to consider when bringing children to Disney World is what kind of stroller to use. You can bring your own stroller or you can rent one, either from Disney or from a third party service. 

The only rules against strollers are that you can’t bring in wagons and the strollers cannot exceed 31” (79cm) wide x 52” (132cm) long. Keep these restrictions in mind if you are bringing your own stroller or renting any place else that isn’t Disney. 

If you bring your own stroller or rent from around Florida, you will be able to bring that stroller with you to resorts, Disney Springs, the parks, and pretty much anywhere you go. If you rent a stroller from the Disney parks, those strollers are not able to leave the parks! 

All in all, it really depends on what you need for your children. If you just need strollers in the parks, it might be easier to rent from Disney. If you need a stroller all the time, bring your own or rent from around Florida.

For more information on finding the right stroller, read our How To Choose the Best Disney Stroller Option For You !

We hope you have found these tips as useful as we did! Our goal here at Disney Trippers is for you to have the best Disney trip possible! What was your favorite tip? What was something new that you learned? Let us know and have fun at your first time at Disney!

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11 Things You Need To Know – Your First Disney World Vacation

First disney world vacation.

Around the world, visiting Walt Disney World or any Disney Park is synonymous with childhood. Many people are fortunate enough to have their first Disney World trip as a child but some wait and visit Disney World for the first time as adults. Experiencing Disney World the first time as a child or an adult are different but they are both magical experiences you’ll remember for the rest of your life! 

Disney World trips are a lot of work so make sure to DO these 11 things on your first Disney World vacation! 

PIN ME for later! 

You MUST Plan Ahead 

If you’ve never been to Disney before, I would recommend you do some research on the theme parks, Disney resorts, Disney restaurants, and what you want to do on your vacation. At Walt Disney World, there are 6 theme parks, over 26 Disney World resorts, hundreds of rides, and over 100 restaurants. You will need to make a lot of decisions. 

The best way to plan for your first time at Disney World is to plan ahead. Create a list of all the things you want to do and see. Also make sure to review Disney World planning guides  for crowd calendars and tips to get you started! 

***Disclaimer***  This post contains affiliate links. This means I may earn an affiliate commission if you click on an affiliate link. Full disclosure, I only post products that I have or recommend! 

Disney World is Physically Exhausting 

Most vacations are relaxing but Disney isn’t that type of vacation! On a typical Disney day, I walk approximately 20,000 steps. This equates to roughly 8 or 9 miles a day.  At Disney, you walk a ton and spend lots of time on your feet.  Additionally, the Florida heat adds to the exhausting nature of a Disney vacation.

I’ve heard some people actually “train” before their Disney vacation in preparation for the amount of walking. I would just recommend you be prepared and bring some comfy walking shoes! Below are some of my favorite comfy shoes!

I usually bring at least two pairs of comfy shoes to rotate. I wouldn’t bring brand new shoes to Disney though because you’ll most likely get blisters and those are painful! 

Visit the Magic Kingdom First

On your first trip to Disney World, you need to visit the Magic Kingdom first . Over the years, you see the iconic Disney castle on social media and TV so it’s an amazing feeling to see the castle for the first time. 

The Magic Kingdom is really what Disney World is known for so it’s a great starting place. It’s also home to the most famous rides, attractions, and snacks! The Magic Kingdom truly feels like the most magical place on earth. This magical feeling is something you need to experience first on your Disney World vacation! 

Get a Free Souvenir  

Everything at Disney Parks is expensive but you can get a free souvenir to commemorate your first Disney World trip. You can get a “First Visit” button. When arriving at your Disney resort or Town Hall in the Magic Kingdom, let a Disney cast member know it’s your first Disney World vacation. They will give you a “First Visit” button.

The key is to wear your “First Visit” button throughout your entire Disney World vacation. Disney cast members will go out of their way to make your visit extra magical.  I got engaged on a previous Disney trip and we wore our “Just Engaged” buttons all trip and cast members went out of their way to make our vacation even better! 

Watch “Happily Ever After” 

Many people think fireworks are overrated especially if they haven’t seen Disney World fireworks. Happily Ever After is the Magic Kingdom’s newest nighttime firework show.  Viewing Happily Ever After over the Magic Kingdom castle brings everyone back to their childhood and truly makes you believe your dreams can come true.

Disney World first timers must make time to view Happily Ever After. You come to Disney World for magic and relieving childhood memories and this nighttime show is Disney magic! 

Tip – If you want a good viewing spot in front of the castle, make sure to arrive to the Hub area at least 45 minutes before Happily Ever After. 

The Characters are Hard to Find 

After people visit Disney World, you often see pictures with different Disney characters like Mickey Mouse, Cinderella, Peter Pan and many more. But what you don’t know is you actually have to wait in line to take a picture with these characters. 

If this is your first Disney World trip, you MUST get a picture with Mickey Mouse. It’s a Disney right of passage to meet the mouse himself. Mickey is located at all the theme parks and many of the Disney resorts so he shouldn’t be hard to track down. If you want to visit Mickey at the Magic Kingdom, he’s located in Town Hall right on Main Street U.S.A. 

If this is your kids first time to Disney World, you will probably want to visit many more characters. If you want to meet the princesses, visit Fairytale Hall in the Magic Kingdom. The Fab Five are located at the Picture Spot in Epcot. If your family loves Star Wars, meet the Star Wars characters in Star Wars Launch Bay in Hollywood Studios. And if you like animals, meet Mickey, Minnie, and more in safari gear at Animal Kingdom. 

Book Dining Reservations ahead

If your like me, I hate having to plan ahead on vacation. Disney World has over a hundred dining locations so you’ll never go hungry but many of the most popular Disney restaurants require advanced reservations. In the past, you could make Disney dining reservations 180 days in advance but due to the COVID pandemic, you can only make reservations 60 days in advance right now. 

Many of the most popular restaurants like Cinderella’s Royal Table, Le Celliar, Be Our Guest, the California Grill, and Sci-Fi Dine In Theater book up months in advance. This is why I always recommend Disney World first timers do research ahead of time. Make a list of the Disney restaurants you want to visit and make sure to get a dining reservation ahead of time. 

You can reserve ride times ahead of time

Like dining reservations, you can usually book ride times ahead with Disney’s Fastpass System ! Due to the ongoing pandemic, Disney World currently isn’t using the Fastpass System but I’m sure it will be reinstated in the future. 

Disney’s Fastpass System allows you to book three Fastpasses ahead of time for each day of your vacation. For example, you can book ride times for Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and Splash Mountain for your Magic Kingdom park day! 

You can book Disney Fastpasses 60 days ahead of time if your a Disney resort guest or 30 days ahead if you are staying elsewhere. 

Disney Fastpasses shouldn’t be used lightly and should be used for popular rides or rides with long wait times. For example, Flight of Passage at Disney’s Animal Kingdom typically has wait times over 2 hours. This would be an ideal ride to Fastpass. 

Like dining reservations, do your research ahead of time. Make of a list of Disney attractions you can’t miss! These would be ideal rides or attractions to Fastpass on your first time at Disney World! 

My Disney Experience App 

The My Disney Experience App  is a lifesaver for Disney veterans and first time Disney goers. On the My Disney Experience App, you will make Fastpasses, dining reservations and find important information like wait times, park maps, character locations, dining menus and more. 

Basically, My Disney Experience is your one stop shop for Disney World. Everything you need for your Disney vacation is located on this convenient app. Make sure to download this app before you visit Disney World for the first time and get familiar with the layout and functions. 

While your getting Fastpasses, dining reservations, and looking at park maps, your phone battery runs out much quicker than expected! Make sure to bring several portable phone chargers, I promise you’ll need them!  

Leave and come back later 

Like I mentioned earlier, a Disney World vacation is both physically and mentally exhausting. My family prefers to leave the park in the afternoon and take a pool or nap break. At Disney World, you can leave the park and re-enter later again that day. 

Taking breaks will make your first Disney World vacation more enjoyable and less exhausting. I suggest everyone take breaks while at Disney because it gives everyone a chance to recharge! 

While at the pool, make sure to bring some fun pool toys, life jackets, floaties, or inner tubes! Disney pools are fun but they don’t have all the extra’s your kids may want! 

Disney Discounts 

It’s a little known fact but Disney does offer some great Disney World park discounts. The Disney World website has a page dedicated specifically for deals, check here frequently for updates! For many Disney World first timers, the Disney price tag can be shocking so make sure to check out these discounts to help your wallet. 

Additionally, you can get Disney discounts by using the Disney Visa Card, using Disney gift cards, using military discounts, and using Expedia or Hotels.com for great hotel deals. There are also many less known options for saving a few bucks at Disney World. 

The first time you visit Walt Disney World can be overwhelming but the magic you’ll feel standing in the Magic Kingdom will make the planning worth while. 

Make sure to check out our tips for Disney World vacation planning and the best Magic Kingdom snacks ! 

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18 thoughts on “ 11 Things You Need To Know – Your First Disney World Vacation ”

I took my first trip to WDW at the age of 31 {!} It was just me and Hubby, and we were pretty much winging it the entire time. 🤣 Now that we have made dozens of Disney trips, I marvel at how little thought I actually put into that very first one. My kids are total planners, and so when we plan today, I have three helpers ready to organize everything from fast passes to meals to resorts to character meet and greets. ❤️

Great tips! Would love to visit Disney again, haven’t been since I was a kid!

Great tips! I think people are surprised by how physically exhausting it is to go to the parks all day!

Thanks a lot for all the tips! I have never been to a Disney Park before so sure I will need them for the day I will go!

I’ve been to disney 7 times now from ages 6-18! I love it, will take my kids when im older, this post brought back so many feelings <3

I second all of this, although we never left the parks until we were done. If you go in the summer, it will rain in the middle of the day and that usually clears out the crowds temporarily.

Yes, Disney can be exhausting! “Leave and come back later” is great advice.Especially on hot days, which there are a lot of in Florida, it can be so refreshing to leave, grab lunch away from the crowds, jump in the pool or take a nap!

As a self-confessed Disney addict, I’ve always wanted to go to Disney world! Now I may have to book that trip. Thanks for the great trips 😊

I wish I had read this last time I visited Disney – great post!

We were hoping to take our youngest here in the near future. These are great first timer tips as I’ve never been either.

Amazing savvy tips! Its been so long i have visited Disney … I will surely try to bring my childhood back by visiting them again someday.

These are great tips for a Disney trip! I’m used to week-long trips but next summer we’re doing a single day with my niece and nephews. Great things to keep in mind no matter how long your trip is!

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Your First Time at Disney World: 9 Things You Need To Know

So you’re finally going for your first time at Disney World !  That’s fantastic! 

Just about everyone dreams of taking a trip to Walt Disney World.  It’s consistently a top destination on any travel list. 

As a “first timer,” there are so many decisions to be made and things to figure out.  But don’t worry, I’m here to help!

But before you go, I want to fill you in on a few things I think every first time visitor to Walt Disney World should know. 

Links in this post may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase from any of them, at no additional cost to you.  You can find out more information by reading my full disclaimer.

The Magic Kingdom Is At Least A Two Day Park on Your First Time At Disney World

Lots of people don’t realize how much three really is to see and do in Disney Parks. 

The Magic Kingdom is absolutely no exception to this.  It can be overwhelming, especially if it’s your first time at Disney World. 

There are currently 48 separate attractions in the Magic Kingdom , with plans for expansion for new attractions all the time.  That number doesn’t even include parades, shows, or fireworks! 

I know it sounds overwhelming, and even in two days you probably won’t see it all.  Just decide what attractions are a priority for you, and try to hit up those! 

The Fastpass+ System is SUPER Important For Saving Time

The Fastpasss+ system is currently not operating at Disney Parks, but is sure to make a comeback soon!

A lot of first time visitors don’t have any idea what the Fastpass+ system is or how they should use it. 

I’ve talked to lots of people who went to Disney World in the 80s or 90s and think that nothing has changed about Disney World.  They couldn’t be more wrong.  In 1999, Walt Disney World introduced the Fastpass system. 

Basically it allows visitors to make a reservation to ride and you’ll definitely want them in each park.  You’ll especially want to use them on the best rides in the Magic Kingdom. 

Over the years the system has evolved and changed, and you can now book Fastpass+ in advance and on the day of your visit on the My Disney Experience App right from your phone. 

If it’s your first time at Disney World, you really should take the time to learn about Fastpass+ and how to utilized it to its maximum capacity. 

My Disney Experience App Is Essential While In The Parks

Disney is always keeps up with the latest technology, so it only makes sense that they have their own app for Disney Parks! 

My Disney Experience (knows as MDE) is a really user friendly app that enhances your first time at Disney World in all sorts of ways. 

MDE is currently the only way you can order food from quick service restaurants in the parks.  

In addition to mobile ordering, you can make table service dining reservations from it. 

You can get maps and directions to just about any place on Disney World property. 

You can see current wait times for rides.  You can locate characters within the parks.  You can check hours and show times. 

It’s the ONLY way to get a Rise of the Resistance Boarding Pass in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.  

There are TONS of applications available for you through My Disney Experience. 

It’s a free download in the App Store or Google Play.  Download it and play around before you go to figure out all it’s best features.  

Having The Right Mask Is Key

Wearing masks at Disney Parks is a requirement that isn’t going anywhere soon.  

As always, health and safety is a top priority at Disney World, so everyone is required to wear a proper mask over their mouth and nose while on property.  

We discovered during our recent visit that not all masks are created equal for this task!  

We tried disposables, but they got itchy when we started to sweat.  The ones sold by Disney Parks were bulky and not at all comfortable on the ears.  

Time and time again, we went back to our HALOlife masks .  The 200 hour filter made us feel safe, while the breathable fabric and adjustable straps made us comfortable.  

We highly recommend HALOlife masks for use in the parks!  

Water Is Free At All Restaurants in Disney Parks (but it may not taste great)

Florida is hot during all seasons of the year. 

If it’s your first time at Disney World, you’ll definitely want to avoid getting dehydrated. 

While lugging around bottles of water might sound like the best solution to your hydration needs, water bottles can be heavy and bulky. 

Thankfully, all restaurants in Walt Disney World will give guests free ice water upon request if they serve fountain drinks.  (Some of the food carts may not have the capacity to do this since they have no running water.)  

When we get thirsty at Disney, we just make a pit stop at any quick service place we see and grab a cup of water. 

But here’s the REAL secret. 

Florida tap water is notorious for tasting bad.

So we carry a refillable Britta water bottle that has a built in filter to take out the stuff that makes it taste so gross.  I

t’s been a real lifesaver when we’re thirsty but don’t want to spend the extra money on bottled water in the parks. 

Here’s the kind we use:

It ALWAYS Rains, Especially If It’s Your First Time At Disney World

Florida is famous for it’s pop up showers during all times of the year.  Disney Parks are no exception to this rule. 

It is 99.9999999% likely (can you tell I made that statistic up) that it will rain sometime during your first time at Disney World. 

Lots of visitors let the rain get in the way of their fun, and leave the parks if they get a little wet. 

We ALWAYS stick around, even if it’s raining.  We just throw on some rain ponchos and keep rolling. 

Just be prepared and bring some rain gear. 

I’m partial to these adorable Mickey Mouse ponchos! 

Photopass Pictures Are The Best For Your First Time At Disney World!

If it’s your first time at Disney World, you are SURE to notice that there are Disney photographers EVERYWHERE in the parks!

Any guest can walk right up and have their picture taken by a professional who knows exactly how to get the best shot. 

It’s an amazing service that Disney World calls Photopass. 

Photopass is free and the pictures can be purchased from Disney when you get home. 

But in my opinion, the best deal is to buy a Memory Maker package before your trip, that includes all your Photopass pictures for one price. 

The Memory Maker came in REAL handy when we were unexpectedly selected to be in a Disney World parade !  All those pictures taken of us were during the experience were included in our Memory Maker package!

Staying On Disney Property Has Some Great Perks For Your First Time At Disney World

While there are a gazillion choices for where to stay while at Walt Disney World, I highly recommend paying a little extra and staying at a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel. 

Disney World offers more than 25 unique resort hotels at every price point, and all of them come with extra perks only available to on-property guests. 

The perks include Extra Magic Hours at the parks, early access to Fastpass+ and dining reservations, and free transportation to the parks. 

There’s also something to be said for staying in the “Disney Bubble” where you never have to leave the magic!  

Our family has found that we absolutely love staying on Disney property, and almost never stay anywhere else. 

Some of the perks are currently on hold, but I have no doubt they’ll be returning soon.  

Cast Members Are Always Available to Help

Walt Disney World is renown for it’s amazing customer service. 

Every single “cast member” (what Disney calls their employees) is trained to provide the best service possible. 

If you have a question or a problem while at the parks, no matter how small or silly, just talk to someone who works there. 

If they aren’t able to help you, they’ll point you to someone who does.  We have almost never had anything but exceptional service at Walt Disney World. 

If someone goes way above and beyond, I always make sure to thank them in a public way.  

It’s easy to thank a cast member in ways that will make a difference in their career.  

Let them know you appreciated their service and the praise gets sent to their superiors at work to let them know they are doing a great job. 

Your first time at Disney World will be an amazing experience!  Just make sure you go informed about everything Disney has to offer so you can have the perfect vacation!

Did you know that there’s a super magical moment at the Magic Kingdom every night that most people miss?  Check out how you can experience the Kiss Goodnigh t!

The Magic Kingdom is extra enchanting at night!  Read about the best things to do in this Disney Park after dark.

By the co-author of The easy Guide to Your Walt Disney World Visit 2020 , the best-reviewed Disney World guidebook series  ever.

Available on Amazon here.

(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)

Instructions for Your First Visit to Walt Disney World

By Dave Shute

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INSTRUCTIONS FOR YOUR FIRST DISNEY WORLD VISIT

Follow the instructions that follow for your first family visit to Walt Disney World to save thousands of dollars, and avoid dozens of hours waiting in line, while seeing all the best of Walt Disney World!

1. When to Go to Walt Disney World:

Most years, I suggest that if you can, you should arrive at Walt Disney World one of the first two, sometimes three, Saturdays after Thanksgiving .  In 2024 I recommend the first two weeks after Thanksgiving.     More…      Next best dates to go…

2. How Long to Stay:

You can have a wonderful trip spending as few as 5 days. However, if you can , be in Orlando for 9 days –a Saturday through a Sunday.    More…     Going for a shorter trip…

3. How Old/Tall Your Children Should be:

Kids of any age can have a wonderful time at Disney World. However, if this may be your kids’  only childhood visit, consider going when your youngest child is at least 8 or 9, and your shortest child at least 48 inches tall .       More…     Planning for going with younger/shorter kids…

4. Where to Stay at Walt Disney World:

Stay at Disney’s Polynesian Resort if you can afford it, or at Disney’s Art of Animation  Resort  if you can’t.    More…     Next best resort options…

5. How Much to Budget:

You can have a wonderful first visit for $3,000 or less. However, to see  all the best of Walt Disney World at the best time of the year to visit, budget if you can $14,000 if you are staying at the Polynesian , or $9,500  if at  Art of Animation .     More…     Developing a much lower or a different budget…

6. When Your Plans Need to be Firm:

Your plans should be firm at least 181 days before your arrival date.      More…     Planning if it’s already later than that…

7. How to Eat at Walt Disney World:

Sign up for the “Magic Your Way Plus Dining” package. More…     Planning if you can’t do this package…

8. Where to Eat:

The Basic Itinerary tells you exactly where to eat (as do the Other Itineraries ).      More…     Next best dining choices…

9. How to Spend Your Time at Walt Disney World:

The Basic Itinerary tells you exactly how to spend your time in Orlando (as do the Other Itineraries ).      More…     Other Itineraries…

10. What to do When:

See the To-Do List for an exact list of what to do when to prepare for your trip.        More…     To-Do Lists for Other Itineraries…

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1,261 comments

Thanks again for the quick response. Ya I’m still not 100 percent sure if or when we are going. I have looked at prices for tickets and as of now I’m seeing 485 for 2 two day tickets. does that sound about average or is there any other place that I maybe able to get them cheaper. Those prices are direct from disney btw. Thanks again for all your help

Brian, prices vary by the first day of eligible use–in the period you are looking at, the range for two two day park tickets is about $60. You can’t find short tickets elsewhere that will cost less. Some of the longer-day tickets are available for small saving from third parties, but not shorter tickets.

Can I get a copy of your schedule in word so i can use that to plug my plans into?

Hi Kristi, not sure what schedule you are referring to?

Dave! When is the 2020 book coming out???

Soon! All our copy is in our publisher’s hands

Just updating. We did go down 2 weeks ago was a fun trip for what it was but my little boy got sick the very first day at magic kingdom. But I’ll give disney credit I talked to the front desk at my room and they gave me 2 tickets good for a year for him getting sick. Def will be coming back down soon. What’s the weather usually like dec threw Feb. Want to come sometime in that area and curious on temp and swimming conditions. I know that’s a broad range but figured you would have an idea of the best time to go

Brian–so nice they worked with you on tickets.

On weather, I note on this page that highs are not reliably (80% chance or better) above 75 between the beginning of November and the end of March.

You can see a more nuanced version of this in the chart below. If you look at the bottom (blue) line, you can read a number for any date. 80% of the time the high will be over that, and 20% lower than that. The middle (pink) line is the 50-50 line–half the time the high will be lower, half the time higher.

Thanks again for the quick response. Ya they worked really good with me and even refunded 50 more dollars because they refrigerator wasnt keeping anything cool in the room. Also is it normal for a plan to be cheaper at the desk than buying online? I was paying half cash and half on card so they told me I could at the front desk and the plan I got was cheaper by about 60 dollars or so. Maybe a little more I’d have to check my figures for an accurate account. I wasnt aware they charged for parking at their hotels so that kind of blew but still no paying at the parks so I still came out ahead

What kind of plan?

I got two 2day passes and 3 nights at the all star movie resort (as I said it was a quick trip down and back literally left Sunday night and came back thursday morning) but the plan was cheaper at the desk vs what I was quoted online just curious if that’s the normal or I just got a off day on pricing

Brian, I have never heard of such a thing. There are some 10% ish off room rate deals out there–maybe you got put into one of those?

Ya I’m not sure. The original plan I looked at online and was quoted on the phone was right about 906 I believe. Not including the parking. Or at least it wasnt mentioned. But the price they gave me at the desk before parking was under 900. Close to around 880ish I believe. It was wierd for sure but like you said maybe I got put into a discount. I’ll definitely check ahead of time again before I come back. This time I’m thinking magic kingdom and then sea world instead of animal kingdom. Didnt seem like much to do kid wise there but then again he was sick so that was also an issue

Hi Dave, I just wanted to say Thank You again for all of your wonderful advice which helped us on our most recent trip a few weeks ago and also our visits in 2014 and 15.

Jane, so glad to have helped!

Your site is my favorite resource for Disney planning, since planning my family’s own “first visit” back in 2011!

I am now planning our third (and likely final—as my daughter will be graduating and moving away) visit for November 2020.

The Star Wars attractions are a priority for my husband and myself. With your experience, do you have any speculation as to how the process may be for riding Rise of the Resistance and Smuggler’s Run by that time? I realize the current practice with Rise of the Resistance is unprecedented. I guess my question is this—I need to determine to stay on-site vs. off-site. We will have a party of 6 this time, including my elderly parents and two teenagers, so space is important.

Obviously, even with the option of renting DVC points, we can get more bang for our buck for a large group if opting to stay off property. However, if there’s any chance of fast passes becoming an option for these attractions by then, the 60 day window alone would make it worth the extra money to stay on-site.

Of note, I’m a fan of the “Disney bubble” and we did stay on property our last two visits, though last time we rented a car and did 2 days at Universal, my kids’ “favorite” park. (I like it, too, it’s just no Disney!) We will go to Universal for a day this time as well (though we can take an uber now that that’s a valid option).

Hi Nadine! My best guess is that by then they will indeed be using FP+.

One thing you could do is double book both a 60 day eligible hotel and a 30 day eligible one. With the Disney hotels, you can cancel up until 5 days before on a room-only booking and get your full deposit back.

Another thing to keep in mind is that there are now many more hotels eligible for 60 days than there used to be. All the Disney Springs Resort Area hotels are now eligible, as are a few others. Detailed reviews are linked to from the bottom of this page . If multiple rooms is an ok option, look in particular at the Wyndham Garden.

The Doubletree sleeps 6, but the room layout may not suit your group…

Thank you so much for the advice!

Hi, I wasn’t sure if this question was posted, I’m here at Disney now, I picked this week thinking it wouldn’t be crowded. but it’s PACKED. Someone said yesterday that the crowds were at 10/10! Any idea why?

Hey Jennifer, crowds Saturday were indeed at 10s, and Sunday at 9s. Everyone missed this. Touring plans had Saturday projected for a 6, and Sunday as a 4.

I have–in retrospect, so not helpful–several theories as to why:

Reschedules from hurricane Dorian; a general shift of people aimed at Food & Wine to Festivals of the Arts, because of several years in a row of hurricane issues. Both of these focus on this weekend as it is well into the second semester, so a good time to take kids out of school, but also avoids disrupting you-know-who’s watching of the super bowl. And Festival of the Arts is much better than F&W, anyway.

Also, this was the first weekend AFTER Rise of the Resistance opened that was also had a 60 day FastPass+ window open…so folks waiting to book a trip to WDW for Galaxy’s Edge until the RoR reviews came in would find this as the best first choice.

Will you be reviewing Disney’s Riviera Resort? We have reservations for August and I’m looking for what room to request if you have a 2 bedroom villa with a standard view! Haha! Looking forward to your awesome expertise! Thanks!

Hi Sue, I’m working on my review now! I hope to have it done within a couple of weeks–it’ll be coming out in bits and pieces…

Hi Dave, just found your site (I knew of your co-author’s). This is wonderful! Although it’s not our first time, this year I, the wife, and grandson are going Sept 19, and your calendars and crowd guides are invaluable info! But, when oh when will RoR go to FastPass+?

Hey Michael, welcome and thanks! FWIW, for someone coming here from easyWDW.com , the most different stuff is my resort reviews–you can find links to all my resort reviews here .

For Rise, is seems the main question is continuing reliability, so they know with some assurance how many FP+ to issue per hour. I don’t think any outside has any insight into when that will be resolved sufficiently…

Quick question. With the shutdown and everything that has happened do you believe there is a chance they will be running specials or reduced rates on rooms at resorts when they finally open back up? I enjoyed the room we had back in November but cant being myself to pay almost 200 for the “value” rooms next month or soon after when they reopen. Any thoughts are appreciated

Absolutely, I do Brian.

Hope so I have to get back down before july and was actually shooting for this month or april until everything happened. But we going threw prices for similar rooms we stayed in and it just seems to pricey for the same room in my opinion. Almost 200 last I checked a night for value rooms in the all star movie resorts. Hopefully they drop back down to a reasonable level or cheaper. If not any recommendations for offsite hotels? I’m sure you have a section on the site but I didnt see it. Thanks again for all your help

Well now that everything is in motion to open back up what are your thoughts on how long the mask policy will last? A few weeks or months etc? I’d assume the first time people start passing out from that heat in a mask they will recend it. but who knows. Any thoughts?

Brian, I expect masks to be the last policy to be reversed–although clinically the best last policy to abandon is physical distancing.

We would like to get back to WDW during the 50th, but limited to when children are not in school. We live in MA, and thus our vacation timeframes are President’s Week, the April vacation, and summer (about June 20th forward). We normally just do April but April 2022 is the week after Easter, and April 2023 is the month after the 50th is over.

What am I likely looking at in terms of crowds in ’22 for a President’s Day trip vs a week after Easter (Easter late next year – April 18th).

Also considering the late June.. a bit scared about the heat as we are wimpy New Englanders and we’ve been spoiled with prior trips being great weather (mostly mid April trips, couple early December).

Hi Luis, I have not done the data collection and analysis I need to do to give you an answer with conviction. However, it is typical that in late Easters the week after Easter is manageable–not good, but manageable. My vote right now would be that given the weather differences you should aim for the April dates.

Love your site even as a frequent Disney visitor, are you planning to post your 2022 recommendations soon?

Hi Lauren, and thanks!! I hope to have them out within a month

I love your content. I’m a pro with Disneyland (used to be a CM there,) but have only been to WDW once. My husband and daughter have been to Disneyland, but not WDW. We want to take our daughter next year when she is 5 1/2 years, she’s already 42″ and we plan on returning a couple years later, but we want this first trip to be special. We will be out of debt next year and this trip will be a celebration for us. We are excited to splurge and plan on staying at the Polynesian.

In 2022, out of September, October, November or early December, when do you recommend we go?

Thank you for everything you do!

Thanks Sarah! I’ll have specific week by week recommendations for 2022 out very soon–hopefully by the weekend.

Take a look at those when they come out and let me know any questions you have!

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Happily Ever After

Engaged? Just married ? “Ear” marking an anniversary ? Let the world know of your loving commitment, as you and your partner continue living Happily Ever After!

Is it your first time in the park? Help let everyone know that you are celebrating your first magical experience! This is a momentous occasion for you and your fellow travelers, so let the word go out that you made it for your first visit!

I’m Celebrating

Graduating? Family reunion? Are you just happy to be in the happiest place on Earth? Pick up an “I’m Celebrating” button and a cast member will write in your special reason!

Where To Pick Up Your Disney Celebration Buttons

These buttons can be found at multiple locations. Guest Relations at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts and any of the parks on both coasts will have these accessories upon request. See our maps pages for Walt Disney World and Disneyland for specific Guest Relations locations. Also, cast members in the front of any park around the time of rope drop may be walking around with baskets full of the various buttons. Occasionally, cast members at larger merchandise locations, such as World of Disney or the Emporium on Main Street, may have a stash of buttons behind the counter. Buttons can also be found around Disney Springs. The cast member who gives you your button will happily personalize to your pleasing by writing what you are celebrating on the button.

TheMouseForLess Tip: Get your celebration button at the beginning of your trip or day so that you can wear it as long as possible! If you are staying at a Disney resort let a cast member at the front desk know you are celebrating and they can help you get a button before you head to the parks.

Walt Disney World Resort Free Quote

Start planning your Walt Disney World Resort Vacation with The Magic For Less Travel . Use the form below to request a free no-obligation quote, and one of their counselors will get in touch with you to begin planning. The Mouse For Less recommends the Walt Disney World vacation planning services provided by our sponsor, The Magic For Less Travel. Their expert planning advice will help you make the most of your vacation time and money. The Magic For Less Travel is an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner and provides service free of charge.

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First Time Disney World Visit Tips

First time visitors to Walt Disney World make a lot of mistakes. There are many things that are simply impossible to know until you go, and due to many planning resources being written by seasoned Disney veterans, it can be easy for those sharing tips to completely gloss over something because they are so familiar with the parks and just take certain things for granted.

With that in mind, we’ve written this blog post with some important things that first time visitors ought to know. If you’ve been to Walt Disney World even one time, you will know most or all of this information. In that case, you might ‘pay it forward’ by sharing a basic bit of info about Walt Disney World that you didn’t know before your first trip, but that you consider important.

Okay, let’s dig into our list of some basic things first time Walt Disney World guests should know…

Walt Disney World is Huge

If you’ve done any amount of research, you probably know that Walt Disney World is the “big place” in Florida and Disneyland is the “little place” in California.

It bears reiterating: Walt Disney World is HUGE. It’s located on 25,000 acres, has 24 hotels, 4 theme parks, 2 water parks, and more “other stuff” beyond the parks than you can shake a stick at. On the one hand, it’s awesome to have so many different great things to do.

You could easily visit for 2 weeks and not run out of things to do–the options beyond theme parks, from fishing to golfing to spas and more are staggering. On the other hand, because there is much, the distance between hotels and parks, parks and other entertainment, etc. can be fairly substantial. Walt Disney World is not a place that you can cover on foot.

The other consequence of this is in terms of time. Whether you rent a car or use Disney’s free transportation, you are going to spend a lot of time during your trip commuting. The best case scenario, if you only visit one park per day and rent a car, puts your total commute time at an hour.

If you park hop and use Disney transportation, you might spend 3 or more hours per day commuting. Yes, all of those options are great, but the time it takes to get from one of them to another is not. We have a post dedicated to Walt Disney World Transportation Tips that can help you take shortcuts (not literally) to save time with Disney’s transportation system.

Make Advance Dining Reservations

You can make Advance Dining Reservations (ADRs) to Walt Disney World restaurants 180 days before your trip. Take advantage of this, because popular restaurants like Le Cellier, Cinderella’s Royal Table, Be Our Guest Restaurant, and Chef Mickey’s book up months in advance.

While the importance of ADRs isn’t as significant as it once was thanks to Disney putting in a new deposit system, if you want to dine at the most sought-after restaurants or you travel during busy times (or during the “Free Dining” promotion, the importance of ADRs for popular restaurants cannot be understated.

We’ve heard horror stories from guests who book Free Dining, then just show up, expecting to eat anywhere…and unable to find a table at even the most unpopular restaurants. Make your reservations as early as possible. When we have used the Disney Dining Plan in the past, we’ve made reservations months in advance. Sometimes, even at 170+ days, we still didn’t get what we wanted.

Rental Cars Are Expensive in Orlando (But Don’t Have To Be)

We normally use Disney’s Magical Express, which is a complimentary transportation service from the Orlando International Airport to Disney-owned hotels, and that’s partly because renting a car at the airport can be prohibitively expensive. In fact, when we’ve priced it out in the past, the prices have often been substantially more than we’re used to paying whenever traveling elsewhere.

There are two ways to avoid this. The first is renting a car at an off-airport location, and taking a shuttle to get it. Likewise, you can use Disney’s Magical Express (if you’re staying at a Disney-owned hotel) and then take a bus to the Swan & Dolphin to pick up a car when you need one. An Alamo/National rental desk is located near guest services at the Dolphin. This can be a real money saver if you only need a rental car for a day visit to SeaWorld, Universal, or another theme park.

Another option is using Uber or Lyft. We started using these services instead of rental cars a few years ago (see our Uber v. Rental Cars at Disney World post for more), and we haven’t looked back. Uber and Lyft are inexpensive and drivers are abundant so waits are minimal. In our view, these services mixed with using free Disney transportation is the best of both worlds–and better than having a rental car.

Visiting Walt Disney World is Physically Exhausting

Walking around the parks for a day will tire you out. Walking around for an entire week can leave you downright exhausted. Seriously.

This is not to say that you need to do some sort of marathon training regime prior to visiting Walt Disney World. However, if you plan on lasting the entire day in the parks without fatigue and blisters, you should physically prepare yourself for the trip.

How you prepare is ultimately your call, but you’ve been warned. (This could explain why moleskin is one of the top recommendations from commenters on our Unique Disney Packing List post.)

Everything Takes Longer Than Expected

What’s that saying about the best laid plans of mice and men? That might as well have been written about you and Mickey. Once you’ve developed a daily itinerary for your trip (and you absolutely should make at least a loose one), take a red pen and randomly cross off about half the things on that list. That’s how much you should actually expect to get done–if you end up finishing more, consider it a pleasant surprise.

Everything takes longer than you’ll expect at Walt Disney World. The odd thing here is that this is usually not a result of waiting in lines longer than you expect (in fact, usually posted wait times are higher than actual wait times). Instead, you’ll find that transportation, walking between attractions, dining, and various other things all take longer than you plan.

In some cases, this is a good thing. There will be times in the parks when you’ll stumble upon roaming entertainment or a fun detail that will preoccupy you for a bit, and these diversions are a pleasant surprise. Other times, this is a not so good thing. You plan for 30 minutes to get from your room to a park, but due to bus delays or parking time, it might actually take an hour.

Disney Springs Is Better Than Ever

The heading on this one used to be “Downtown Disney is Not for Everyone.” However, a lot has changed since this post was written a few years ago. At that time, Downtown Disney was basically just a mix of stores selling the same merchandise and a bunch of stores selling virtually identical merchandise to what was sold in the parks, plus a few third party options that were uninspired.

Since then, the area has transformed into Disney Springs, adding a slew of new dining and retail options in the process. Now, Disney Springs features some of the absolute best restaurants at Walt Disney World, and plenty of interesting retailers that are worthwhile. It’s a mix of Disney-owned and third-party options, and a lot of things you can’t find inside the parks or in most cities in the United States.

In addition to a better mix of shopping and dining options, the layout has been improved, transportation and parking are now significantly better, and the ambiance of Disney Springs is significantly better than what you would’ve found only a few years ago at the previous incarnation of this area.

Basically, if you’ve read criticism of Walt Disney World’s shopping and entertainment district (here or elsewhere), that is probably outdated, as Disney Springs is better than ever, and now definitely worthy of your time. We do several meals at Disney Springs each trip, and find visiting this area well worth our time.

Long Wait Times Do Not Equal Popularity or Quality

“If there’s a long line, it must be for something good.” While this sounds a bit silly, this describes Disney guest behavior to a degree.

Just because an attraction has a long line doesn’t mean you’ll enjoy it, and just because it has no line doesn’t mean it’s no good. There are a lot of factors affecting wait times, including an attraction’s hourly guest capacity, its location in the park, the type of attraction it is v. other attractions in the park, etc.

Some of our favorite attractions at Walt Disney World rarely have waits, and that’s often because they have highly hourly capacity or aren’t thrill rides (as a general rule, thrill rides have the longest waits–even though they’re typically the shortest and least-detailed).

Rider Switch Allows Both Parents To Do Rides Their Kids Can’t

Beyond Disney’s free FastPass+ system, another similar time-saving option is the Rider Switch Pass (more commonly known as a “Child Swap”), which can be obtained from Cast Members outside attractions with height limits. This pass allows one parent to stay with the kids who don’t meet the height requirement for an attraction while the other parent (or group of above-height people) waits with the kids.

When the riding parent/group is done, the waiting parent/group (up to 3 per pass) can use the pass by going to the FastPass+ return line. Since three people can use the pass, your kids or other party members who are tall enough to ride the attraction can conceivably go twice: once in line with the first parent, and the second time by using the pass with the parent who did the watching the first time!

You Can Schedule Attraction Times in Advance

As part of a system called MyMagic+, guests can now schedule time windows for bypassing the lines at attractions via something called FastPass+. FastPass+ can be obtained via the My Disney Experience app or via in-park kiosks and are stored on the MagicBand. Guests then “redeem” their FastPass+ by swiping it against an RFID reader outside applicable attractions. Guests are able to book 3 FastPass+ tickets in advance of their vacation (so, from home) 60 days in advance.

This can be a confusing and convoluted system for the first time guest to understand. For further information about FastPass+, check out our Guide to FastPass+ at Walt Disney World . To figure out where you should use your initial 3 FastPass+ selections per day, check out our Disney Ride Guides .

Suffice to say, you’ll definitely want FastPass+ for Slinky Dog Dash, Frozen Ever After, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, and other popular attractions. Having FastPass+ for these attractions can save you hours in line per day and be the difference between experiencing only a handful of attractions per day and well over a dozen.

Lines to Meet Characters Are Often Long

A lot of Disney commercials show kids and Disney characters romping around the parks hand-in-hand, as carefree as can be. While there are some spontaneous character interactions, most of the time you will need to wait in line in order to meet Disney characters. In some cases, these wait times are longer than what you’ll encounter for popular attractions.

While Frozen is a bit of an anomaly due to its incredible popularity right now, it’s not uncommon to wait 30 minutes or more to meet “ordinary” characters. That can be less or considerably more depending on the time of year you visit, and the character’s popularity. To make matters worse, many of these lines are outdoors and do not offer shade.

If you must meet characters, doing a character meal is a good way to save time by having the characters come to you while you eat. Of course, there is an additional charge for these meals, and most of them are not cheap. ( Here are our recommendations if you’re on the Disney Dining Plan .) Still, it can be worth your time, money, and sanity if your kids are really into characters.

Disney Doesn’t Have to Be Expensive

In pop culture, Disney trips are portrayed as expensive, highly commercialized affairs. This sentiment has become so commonplace that Jungle Cruise skippers often joke that everything leads to a gift shop. While much of this is deserved, visiting Walt Disney World doesn’t have to be ridiculously expensive .

Guests can stay in cheap, off-site hotels that are in abundance around Orlando. (We far prefer staying on-site; click here to read our article weighing the pros and cons of off-site v. on-site.) Disney allows guests to bring their own food to the park (a rare policy among theme parks), but even if you don’t do this, prices are still significantly lower than what you’ll find at a movie theater or ball park.

You can buy discounted souvenirs at nearby outlets or online, or have freebies offered in-park substitute as souvenirs. About the only thing significant aspect of a Walt Disney World vacation that can be done significantly cheaper with an alternative approach is theme park tickets. Then then, though, you can save money by purchasing them from a third party .

Walt Disney World will never be as cheap as visiting a state or National Park, but compared to a lot of other entertainment and vacation options, it can be a better deal. It’s just a matter of perspective and being willing to do things a certain way to save money.

PhotoPass Photographers Will Take Free Photos

PhotoPass is a free service where Disney photographers around the park will take photos of you in front of park icons and other photogenic scenery. Normally, the catch is that while the taking of the photos is free, downloading and printing them costs money (as does the Memory Maker package).

This would render that “free” tag illusory, but for the fact that PhotoPass photographers (and any Cast Member, for that matter) will also take photos for you with your camera.

Given the fact that PhotoPass will take photos of you with your own camera, I have always had a really hard time recommending guests purchase Memory Maker. Granted, there are benefits if your camera isn’t very nice, and the PhotoPass photographers are more “aggressive” in getting good photos with their own cameras than with yours, but to me, that’s not enough to justify spending a lot of money on Memory Maker.

Most guests would come out ahead buying a camera (or even having PhotoPass photographers use their phones to take photos), having PhotoPass photographers use that to take their photos, and then purchasing photo books through reputable online services.

Advance Planning is Necessary

One theme of this post is that planning is important. This really cannot be understated. While it’s true that every destination you visit is best experienced with advance planning, this seems especially true at Walt Disney World. There is so much to do, and so many of the things that exist at Walt Disney World involve waiting or lines, making it seriously advantageous for anyone who is knowledgeable or has an efficient plan of attack.

Some guests go all out, planning every detail of their trip, making binders full of color-coded stuff, and all sorts of other craziness. This type of thing is best reserved for those who actually enjoy doing those things–more power to you if that fits your personality. That degree of planning is not necessary, and the amount of time you’ll expend on those efforts will be grossly disproportionate to the amount of time you’ll save over someone who is moderately prepared. (Moreover, you’ll put pressure on yourself to have an unattainably ‘perfect’ vacation.)

To avoid first-timer pitfalls, read a variety of blogs and find some planning tips on Pinterest or Facebook . We also recommend reading a comprehensive book, like The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2018 or The Easy Guide to Walt Disney World . You’ll spend anywhere from a few hours to several days doing this, but you will poise yourself to have a great vacation.

Planning, or a lack thereof, is ultimately the key difference between those who visit Walt Disney World for the first time and have a great time, and those who have an awful time. As with all things, you get out of it what you put into it.

That’s it for our list of first timer tips. If you are planning your first trip to Walt Disney World, make sure to check out our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for comprehensive planning ideas, our dining reviews to find the best restaurants, and our 101 Great Walt Disney World Tips posts.

Your Thoughts…

If you are a Walt Disney World veteran, what other ‘overlooked’ things to know would you add to this? Which would you emphasize, and with which do you disagree? If you’re a first-timer, is there anything else you’d like to know? Chances are if you have questions still, so does someone else! We love hearing from readers, so please share your thoughts in the comments.

Written by Tom Bricker

I have terminal cancer and will be visiting DisneyWorld in February as one of my bucket list items. Biggest issue is energy levels, so I need to pick and choose what I will do carefully. Don’t care about thrill rides – just want to experience Disney. Money is an issue, so staying any closer than Value isn’t an option. What do you recommend as a must do? I’m 51, and most looking forward to seeing Cinderella’s Castle!

Hope you were able to really enjoy your trip! I’ve never been to Disney and taking my daughter for the first time in May and I’m feeling overwhelmed lol

Try Beauty and the Beast’s place! definitely recommend ‘It’s a Small World’ and ‘Peter Pan’s Flight.’ I hopr you have a good time!

Try Beauty and the Beast’s place! definitely recommend ‘It’s a Small World’ and ‘Peter Pan’s Flight.’ I hope you have a good time!

I have never planned a trip to Disney ever and I am 56 years old. For one, it seems very complicated to me with all the different parks and passes and pass +. It sounds like it is just to crowded to have any fun. From what I have read, you have to buy tickets to each park which are VERY EXPENSIVE, and it also seems like there are lines everywhere you go, and you can’t just go into a restaurant and expect to sit down and eat unless you have reservations. I read there is a lot of walking and even the free travel buses there are lines to wait in. To me, you spend all your time walking, waiting in the heat for everything. It just does not seem like much fun to me. If that many people go to Disney, it seems to me that Disney would have more than enough money without being so expensive. Seems like you would take some of that money and work on making it easier to get to do things without all the waiting and walking and lower the prices so families that do not make a lot of money could afford to take the little children that would love to go too. Come on Disney, are you that stingy and greedy that you have to KEEP RAISING PRICES and making things at the park so expensive??? What a shame, I think it is pathetic that food, drinks, keepsakes are priced so high as well, when it already cost a family fortune just to get in the place. I wish people would quit saving their money to give it all to you people. So, so sad you have to be that GREEDY!!!!

Everything you said after “I have never planned a trip to Disney ever” is null and void!

Gwen, you’re projecting and guessing a lot here. You’ve never planned a trip to Disney and then you go on to make a lot of assumptions. You mention that you’ve heard how crowded things and lines are everywhere. What do you think would happen if they lowered ticket prices? Do you think they’d have more or fewer people that would make a trip to Disney? So, maybe you think they should charge less and spend more on upgrading the park? I’m guessing, in addition to never planning a trip to Disney, you’ve also never run your own business. I don’t really care for some of the prices at Disney either, but I also realize Disney has a right to charge whatever they want. I’m not entitled to a trip at Disney just because it’s there. If enough consumers decided they can’t afford it, their revenue will slump and Disney will have to make adjustments. Maybe Disney just isn’t for you. And that’s ok. I just don’t understand someone taking the time to bellyache about a business when she’s never been a customer. There is most certainly a ceiling in the price for Disney, but it’s just as obvious they haven’t hit it yet because people keep going and keep paying. Don’t like it? Don’t go. Very simple.

What would be the first park to visit on a 7 day trip to Disney? There’s just so much to do I don’t know where to begin…

This is our first time to Dis we world and we are so excited and a bit overwhelmed with all the things to do. We have 5 one day park passes and will be there for 8 days. Which parks would you recommend we go to first and in which order? Also, are there any must get fast passes and restaurant reservations you recommend? TIA

One of the best tips I ever got was from “The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World” (sorry, Tom). Schedule a mid-day pool/nap break!!! Granted, it is geared towards family with kids (that would be me), but still, getting out of the hot Florida heat and humidity at the middle of the day (say, 1-4 PM) for a pool break, or to just relax in a room with AC, can be so relaxing and refreshing. It also can help prevent little ones (and grown ups) from having a meltdown and becoming miserable.

Interestingly, although this tip is common, I don’t get it. Walking all the way out to the buses or parking lot, wasting time driving back, and then doing it in reverse never made sense to me. We always preger to either start early and leave by 4 or 5 to go to dinner or start late and stay until close to eliminate multiple travel trips.

Tom, you may want to consider updating this First Time Disney World Visit Tips blog. Lots of the nomenclature and information is outdated. Especially the Downtown Disney information. I was going to send it to friends for them to review for their first visit but found that they would be confused by some of the info. Thanks for all the great posts. My family and I find that your thinking is spot on with ours.

Thanks for the heads up on this. I just updated all of that Downtown Disney information…and basically rewrote that section entirely since what was there was no longer good advice!

Hi! So it’s going to be me and my boyfriends first time to Disney world is in a few months! Was wondering which park you recommend when we only have a day or two vacation time? I’m the Disney fanatic end he likes more thrill rides! Thanks!

Hi! I would highly recommend magic kingdom. Magic kingdom is a mixture of all four parks meaning it has tones of rides, shows, stores, characters and so many things to look at. If u wanted to see more shows I would recommend Hollywood studios, Hollywood studios also has a few thrill rides. Epcot has a lot of rides and also has the world showcase where u can experience so many cool new cultures, however Epcot doesn’t have many shows. Animal kingdom has a lot of cool things to look at such as animals or the overall decor, not many rides though. The water parks are really great as well and u can do all of the things in the water parks at least once, maybe even twice. Downtown Disney just has stores but all the stores they have are scattered all around the parks! Hope I helped and have a great Disney trip!

The Dine with an Imagineer option was a fantastic experience! It was a small group (I think its limited to about 15) and he talked with us for about 2 hours, so there was plenty of time for anecdotes and to answer everyone’s questions. I believe it cost about $60 (so, pretty much the same as most character dining options), and was at the Brown Derby.

We just returned from our Disney vacation. One advise for first time visitors is to get to the park early. We took a Uber directly from our hotel to the Disney Ticket and Transportation center which was free. Then hopped on the Ferry to the Magic Kingdom, total travel time less when 20 minutes.

We got to the park right as it opened for public at 9am and went directly to the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train ride. Almost no wait time. Be advised that the fastpass+ for this ride has been booked 60 days in advance so there is no fastpass+ available. The normal wait time for this ride is about 60-90 minutes. So getting to the park early really helped us avoid the long lines. Most of the rides during the morning hours have short wait lines which increase as the day goes on. So plan ahead. I am glad we did and we had a fabulous day at the Park.

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15 BEST Disney World Tips for First Timers

Posted on Last updated: June 8, 2024

Categories Disney World

Planning your first trip to Disney World can leave you feeling like this… overwhelmed and confused.

That’s why I’m sharing the best Disney World tips for first timers from a bunch of Disney World pros in this post!

Read on to get the inside scoop on planning an incredible first visit to the Mouse House…

Disney World Tips For First Timers #1: Don’t Try To Do It All

Disney World is twice the size of Manhattan, contains four huge theme parks, two water parks, 25 resorts, and a gargantuan shopping and dining venue. There is no way humanly possible to see it all in a one or even two-week vacation.

I hope I’m driving the point home that since there is no way to see it all, please don’t try. Trying to do too much is the #1 way people ruin their Disney vacation. 

But rest assured – almost everything is amazing at Disney World. You will have to make choices during your vacation about what is most important for your family, but no matter what you choose, you will be surprised and delighted.

I hope that takes some of the pressure off and helps you to not try to cram too much in on your trip. 

Tip #2: Avoid Disney Sticker Shock

I think the #2 thing that ruins many Disney vacations is when expectations don’t match up with the reality at Disney World. This disconnect happens mainly in regards to prices!

Be prepared for costs comparable to what you will pay at any major sporting event or tourist attraction. Here are some examples: 

• Bottle of water or fountain drink – $4.50 – $5.00
• Mickey ice cream bar – $5.75
• Popcorn – $4.50
• Cheeseburger with fries – $13.50
• Kid’s Macaroni & cheese with side and drink – $7.50
• Typical character buffet dinner – $50 adult, $25 child under 9

You can also plan to avoid some of these expenses by bringing your own drinks and snacks into the parks (which is totally allowed at Disney) and planning your meals carefully.

The portions are quite large at Disney so many people find they are even able to share meals between two people!

Disney World Tips For First Timers #3: Dodge The Crowds

To be ready for the crowds, use a crowd calendar such as this one from Undercover Tourist .

A crowd calendar can help you plan your trip around less-crowded times of year and help you know which theme park will be less crowded than the others on a certain day. 

Click here for my picks for the best time to go to Disney World to avoid the crowds. 

Tip #4: Know How To Get Around Disney World

The fourth of my Disney World tips for first timers is to be prepared for getting around at Disney World. Knowing the realities of transportation at Disney World can help you make a decision about where to stay. 

If you stay at a hotel on Disney World property , you can take the complimentary Disney transportation (in the form of buses, boats, and the monorail) to get to and from the theme parks and Disney Springs. 

If you stay off of Disney property, be prepared for a 10-30 minute drive to the parks each morning. You’ll also have to pay $30 each day to park at the theme parks. At Magic Kingdom, you’ll have to park at the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC) lot and either take the ferry or monorail to get to the entrance to the park ( learn all about parking at Disney World in this post ). 

Knowing what to expect in terms of transportation time can help you enjoy your trip and plan accordingly. It can also be the deciding factor related to my next tip, which is about deciding where to stay. 

Tip #5: Know The Difference Between On and Off Property Hotels

Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort

More people stay at off-property hotels than on-property Disney owned resorts. There are more options off-property and some Disney hotels are VERY expensive. 

That said, it is a misconception that it is always cheaper to stay off-property than at a Disney resort. You need to factor in any additional costs when deciding what’s the best deal. 

Here’s an example:

Off-property hotel near Disney World: $90/night Disney Value Resorts : $150/night

At first glance, the off-property hotel appears to be the better deal. But if you are flying into Orlando, you’ll also need to consider these average additional costs:

• Rental car: $25/day
• Parking at theme parks: $30/day
• Hotel parking fee: $15/day
• Resort fee: $15/night

Disney resorts also don’t charge a nightly resort fee. 

So when you add in these additional costs, here is how the two hotels compare:

Off-property hotel near Disney World: $175/night Disney Value Resort : $150/night

That off-property hotel doesn’t seem so cheap anymore, right? So be sure to consider ALL of these costs when you are comparing hotel prices at Disney World area hotels.

Tip #6: Research Your Dining Options

The Polite Pig, Disney Springs

There are literally HUNDREDS of restaurants in Walt Disney. Some are incredible and others are definitely lacking. 

You don’t want to end up eating at the worst restaurant in Disney World when there’s an excellent option right down the path!

Even if you aren’t making any dining reservations, spend a little time learning about the best quick service (i.e. order at a counter and pick up your food/it is brought to you) restaurants. 

You can view the menus for all of the restaurants in Disney World here .

You can also check out my dining reviews of the best Quick Service restaurants in Disney World here!

Disney World Tips For First Timers #7: Know What To Pack

Tammi from My Organized Chaos shared an incredible packing list for Disney World . It includes things you would never think of for your first trip to Disney World, such as:

• Ponchos for the Florida afternoon thundershowers
• Autograph book to have characters sign
• Mouse ears or kids’ costumes for the parks

You can get the full Disney Word packing list as a handy printable here . 

Tip #8: Know Where To Meet The Mouse

Your little ones are likely envisioning a meeting with Mickey Mouse as part of their Disney World vacation. I think meeting Mickey is the highlight of many folks’ first trip to Disney!

Luckily, Janine from Confessions of a Disneyholic Mom shared her picks for the top 10 places to meet Mickey Mouse in Disney World in this post. With a little planning, you’ll be able to meet Mickey without waiting in any long lines.

Tip #9: Print Disney Parks Maps Before You Leave Home

The ninth of my Disney World tips for first timers is to print off maps of the parks before you leave home. The maps will be fun for you and your kiddos to study. Plus it will help you navigate once you arrive!

Here are links to printable maps of each park straight from Disney:

Magic Kingdom Park Epcot Disney’s Hollywood Studios Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park

You can also play around with the maps in the My Disney Experience App. Which leads us to the next tip…

Tip #10: Download The My Disney Experience App Before You Go

The tenth of my Disney World tips for first timers is to embrace Disney tech. Technology is going to play a big part in your Disney vacation. The key to using most of the tech at Disney is the My Disney Experience app for your phone or tablet. 

You can make FastPasses on the go, switch up your dining reservations, check for bus times, and even find the closest bathroom using the app! I suggest you get familiar with how it works before you leave for your trip. Then you will be a pro with it once you are there!

Tip #11: Have A Stroller Plan

To stroller or not to stroller? That is the question that MANY people ask before their first Disney trip!

You will easily walk up to 10 miles per day in the Disney World theme parks, which can be a lot for almost anyone. Little ones tire quickly so you may want a stroller for kids who have outgrown one in all other instances. 

Cat from Mary Martha Mama tackles the popular question in this post on how to decide if you need a stroller at Disney World or not .

We opt to bring a light-weight stroller from home for our six-year-old daughter for those long park days. We think it helps everyone have a more magical time. 

#12: Become a Lightning Lane Master

Disney Genie Plus and the Lightning Lanes allow you to skip the wait on attractions during your trip.

It will feel so nice to walk past people waiting 2 hours for a ride and go right to the front of the line, all thanks to some advance planning. 

Check out my ultimate guide to Disney Genie Plus and the Lightning Lanes here!

Tip #13: Bring Home Ways To Remember Your Trip

Before you know it you will be home from your Disney World trip and the magic will begin to fade. But if you plan ahead you can hold on to the wonderful memories from your trip for years to come!

Patty from My No-Guilt Life shares seven unique souvenirs and way to remember your Disney World vacation in this post .

I love her idea to buy items you’ll use often to help you remember your vacation. My favorites are my Disney coffee mugs and umbrellas. 

Tip #14: Decide if a Dining Plan is right for you

Flame Tree Barbecue, Animal Kingdom

Food is a subject unto itself at Disney World. There are hundreds of places to eat, from churro carts to 5-star fine dining. 

If you are staying at a Disney World resort, one option is to get a Disney Dining Plan as part of a package.

I get asked about the dining plans almost daily. First, it helps to understand who benefits most from a dining plan and who probably won’t get their money’s worth in this post.

Also check out this post on Free Dining at Disney World , the most popular discount at Disney World. 

Disney World Tips For First Timers #15: Don’t Overplan

Ok, so it might seem like I am giving contrary advice (since I just told you about all of the planning you should do), but it is easy to go overboard with planning your Disney vacation. 

Don’t try to plan out every minute of your trip, or you are bound to be disappointed. Rides sometimes close unexpectedly, you might have to wait longer than you want for a bus, or your little princess might have a meltdown right before your character meet and greet. 

The key to having fun at Disney World is to embrace the adventure each day brings and to be ready to go with the flow. I see lots of grumpy (and tired) families at Disney who I expect have overplanned and didn’t leave much unstructured time during their trip. 

I like to have a loose plan and be ready to pivot if needed. Then I can soak up the most Disney magic possible!

I hope these Disney World tips for first timers help you have an incredible vacation experience that you will cherish for years to come. You can get a free quote from my recommended Disney travel agent Siera with Destinations in Florida here. 

If you want to get help planning your trip, please join my free private Facebook group for my Disney site, The Budget Mouse . Or feel free to ask a question in a comment below. Have a magical day!

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Tuesday 18th of January 2022

This is good advice. I am planning a trip to Disney with a mobility issue person. Have any tips?

Also we were going to stay at a Disney hotel. I see discount tickets everywhere. Is it better to get tickets from Disney or buy somewhere else?

I am getting confused with everything.

Saturday 7th of August 2021

Touring plans and undercover tourist crowd calendars differ quite a bit. Which do you think I should use? I keep changing my park reservations and want to make best use of time. Thanks

Friday 14th of January 2022

@Tina, although I use both I would say Touringplans. They are more detailed. I have relied on TouringPlans for all of my trips for more accurate and detailed crowd calendars.

Sunday 8th of August 2021

Oooh that's a tough question! The crowd patterns are pretty unpredictable right now due to changing park hours and what is available. HS and MK are going to be the most crowded parks, followed by Epcot after lots of stuff opens on October 1st. So those should be your priorities. I'd avoid MK and HS on Saturdays and Mondays. Avoid Epcot on Fridays and Saturdays during Food & Wine festival. Hope those general guidelines help a bit.

Sunday 22nd of September 2019

Big tip, I haven’t seen on any site, bring Dishsoap and Sponge. Only way to really clean your reusable mug other than a quick rinse near the soda fountain

Monday 23rd of September 2019

That's great advice - thanks, Marian!

Sunday 11th of August 2019

Thank you for all of your advice! My family of five are heading to Disney next September for the first time ever. I am trying to keep the planning to a minimum knowing tat we are going to go back. My kids are going to be 2,3 and 6 when we go so I know we can't do much. One thing we were not sure about is the stroller situation. We know we need one for our two little ones but our son is 6 and hasn't used a stroller in years. Now I'm considering renting one of the double strollers so that when he gets tired, we can switch it up! My kids know about the trip and have helped make decisions. My son is even putting all of his allowance on a Disney gift card so he can buy his own toys when we are there!! Can't wait, Thanks again!!

Tuesday 13th of August 2019

Sounds like a fantastic trip, Lana! I would definitely get the double stroller for your sanity. Tired kids at Disney World is rough and there is SO much walking involved - easily 6-10 miles per day.

Sunday 4th of August 2019

My grandkids found out they were going to Disney the 2nd time when they were handed “This Kid Is Going To Disney” t-shirts. They thought it was a great idea and actually had said before that they would love that to happen to them. There was nothing they wanted to do that they didn’t get to do. Their 4th trip is planned for November and they still don’t know about it.

15 Things to Know to Make Your Kid's First Disney Trip Even More Magical

Deciding to take your kids to a Disney park for the first time can be as daunting as it is exciting. There's so much to do and explore at the parks, it's easy to get stressed and overwhelmed on how to do it all in one trip. The trick is to figure out what would make the vacation the most magical for your child. From characters to attractions and dining , there's something every kiddo will love at Disney. Whether you're a Disney pro and taking your kids for the first time or a newbie yourself, you're going to want to do a little preplanning before heading to the parks. We've rounded up our best tips and tricks to ensure you and your kids have the best first visit to Disney.

Do Rides With Height Requirements First

Many of the attractions at Disney have a height requirement of at least 38 inches. If your kiddo is close to the required height, be sure to do those attractions first. As the day goes on and your kid gets more tired, they'll naturally not stand as tall — making it less likely they will reach the height requirement.

Know What to Do If Your Kid Gets Lost

You should prepare your kid on what to do if you get separated from them and they cannot find you. All Disney Cast Members are trained to help lost children, so let them know to find the nearest Cast Member to help and to stay put where they last saw you.

Take Time to Rest

Disney parks are fun and exhausting at the same time. Be sure to take time to rest throughout the day, either in shows or low-key attractions , or with a trip back to your room to cool off and take a nap.

Stay at the Right Resort For Your Family

Resorts can provide even more entertainment for kids. Most kids love the over-the-top Disney themes at the value resorts, or being able to look at animals outside of their window at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge.

Consider Doing Character Breakfasts For Meet and Greets

Character meals are a great way to see multiple characters at once. Breakfast is typically the best cost value since it's cheaper, and the characters are typically the same as they are for many lunch and dinner options. We love Trattoria al Forno at Disney's Boardwalk for a princess breakfast .

Know Where First-Aid and Baby Care Centers Are at Each Park

Each Disney park is equipped with a first-aid and a baby care center for any needs your little one might have. Be sure to locate them on park maps or in the My Disney Experience app.

Take Advantage of Rider Switch For Attractions

For kids who might not meet height requirements or don't want to ride, parents should take advantage of Disney's rider switch. One parent can wait with the kid who isn't riding while the rest of the family enjoys the attraction. When the other parent returns they can wait with the non-riding kid, and the waiting parent can board the attraction without having to wait in the stand-by line.

Be Careful With Your Strollers

Disney recently implemented a new stroller policy you're going to want to be aware of. All strollers must be no bigger than 31 inches wide and 52 inches long, and there are no more wagon strollers allowed inside the parks. Be sure to check that your kids' stroller meets these requirements before heading to the park.

Grab a First Visit Button

First visit buttons are free and available throughout the park. Grab one when you first get to Disney to let everyone know you're ready for your first magical vacation.

Consider Bringing a Slow Cooker to Make Your Own Meals

To save money, consider bringing a slow cooker to make meals in your room at the resort. You can have groceries delivered or pick it up from a local grocery store, throw something together in the morning before you head out, and have a hot and delicious meal each night when you return from the parks.

Utilize Park-to-Resort Merchandise Shipping

When you stay at a Disney resort, you can have any merchandise you buy in the park throughout your trip shipped back to your hotel — for free. This is ideal for families who don't want to carry a lot around while touring the parks.

Make Time For the Water Parks

The Disney water parks are truly unique and are a fun addition to any vacation. Be sure to make time for them since most kids love swimming and spending time in water.

Bring Your Own Outfit For Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique

If your little princess wants to be transformed into her favorite Disney princess for the day, you're going to want to book a reservation at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique . There are several locations throughout the Disney Parks, including inside Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom. To save a little money, consider bringing an outfit from home for your child to wear after they finish the experience.

Set a Meet-Up Location For Everyone

If your family is large and wants to split up, be sure to make a meet-up location and time with everyone. Some of the best locations are the park icons, like:

• Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom Park
• Spaceship Earth at Epcot
• The Tree of Life at Disney's Animal Kingdom
• The Chinese Theater at Disney's Hollywood Studios
• Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Park
• Pixar Pier at Disney California Adventure

Tell Disney About Food Allergies Ahead of Time

If your kid has food allergies and you want to dine at various restaurants at the parks, be sure to tell the reservation agent about the allergies. When you get to the restaurant, confirm the allergies with your wait staff to be sure nothing goes wrong.

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5 Tips for Your First-Ever Trip to Disney World

Y our first-time visit to Disney World will be an exciting and amazing experience, whether you go there alone, with friends, or with family. However, to make sure everything will go right from the first try, it’s best to do a bit of research. This way, you’ll know what to expect, and you won’t feel intimidated by the sheer magnitude of the place.

If you are travelling from another country then you may need essential things like  Simify  and  Sims Direct  travel SIM card. You’ll get connected as soon as you land so your communication with loved ones will be smooth and hassle-free.

Since we know the Magic Kingdom can be a bit confusing and intimidating at first, we put together a few tips to help guide your first steps.

1. Find Out More Before You Go

You’ll often hear people complain that a trip to Disney World is expensive or that the place was really crowded when they visited. But don’t let this discourage you!

Disney World is indeed one of the busiest theme parks on the planet, but this doesn’t mean you can’t have a good time. Plus, if your schedule is flexible, you can plan your visit to avoid the busiest months (usually during summer and around holidays).

When it comes to pricing, it all depends on when you buy your tickets and how you take advantage of all the available discounts and opportunities. In all fairness, sometimes discounts come with a time limit, but you can use Park Savers ’ in-depth guides to stay up to date with the news from the Magic Kingdom.

In summary, if you plan your trip and buy your tickets in advance, you won’t have to dig into your savings for a trip to Disney World. As a bonus, here are a few more tips on how to save money on a trip to the Magic Kingdom .

2. Use the Official Disney App

The Disney World app is a must-have (next to your water bottle and snacks, but more on this below)!

You can link your park tickets in the app, which will make it a lot easier to handle the tickets while going through the security screening (yes, there’s one at the entrance). Once this is done, you’ll get valuable information through the app, like wait times for rides, offers, and events. Plus, you can purchase Genie+ and Lightning Lanes whenever you want.

The app also helps you find restaurants and restrooms, which can be a lifesaver when it starts to get busy. Plus, you can check out the photos taken by Disneyland photographers through the app.

3. Look Beyond the Rides

Let’s be honest here – the rides are probably the main reason why you want to visit in the first place. I mean, who wouldn’t want to go on Tron or on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (to name two of the multitude of rides)?

But once the excitement of the rides wears off, you’ll start to see there’s a lot more to the Magic Kingdom. Besides the general atmosphere, which is amazing, you also need to see the parades and nighttime performances!

These events change from one season to another, so there’s no chance you’ll get bored on your second and third visit.

4. Don’t Forget about the Merch

Kids love Disney merch because it lets them experience the magic outside the park as well. But adults can also have a blast at the merch stands!

And if the merch is free, you’ll appreciate it even more. At Disney, you can get a free button for your first-time visit if you go by guest services or most gift shops.

Another thing you can get for free is character autographs. These are also collectibles, but also a nice way to remember your visit.

5. Get Snacks & Drinks

Snacks and drinks inside the parks are overpriced, so if you’re on a budget or don’t want to spend your money on snacks and drinks, you can get your own.

Just make sure to get snacks that can withstand the heat (especially during summer) and provide nourishment. For drinks, we recommend water, but you can take any non-alcoholic drink you want. Plus, there are water stations throughout the parks, so you can refill your water bottle whenever you feel the need.

Disney is truly a magical world, and the staff is well trained in hospitality and customer service. So, even though it may feel intimidating at first, you will definitely have a good time!

The post 5 Tips for Your First-Ever Trip to Disney World appeared first on Sunny Sweet Days .

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13 Tips for Your First Visit to Disney World

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Going to Disney World is a really exciting experience for anyone but especially for kids and families. After all it is the Happiest Place on Earth, right? What could be more thrilling than having fun on rides and attractions plus getting to meet some of your favorite characters?

Through all of the fun and excitement, if it is your first time at Disney it can also be extremely overwhelming because there is so much to do and so much to see throughout four separate parks that sometimes you just don’t know what to do first or where to begin.

Coming from someone that was feeling really overwhelmed before her first trip to Disney as a parent, I totally get what you’re feeling. That’s why I want to share with you a few tips and tricks to make your first experience a little more enjoyable and less overwhelming.

When I was planning for our trip a lot of what I read was overwhelming and missing the basics, because the advice came from experience goers and they just assumed you knew the basics, when in reality I didn’t. I’m hoping this post makes it easier for you to plan your visit to Disney World!

Disclosure: Disney was kind enough to give us 2 free tickets, so we jumped on the opportunity since we had never been with our children and we were going to be in Orlando for a few days. The rest of the tickets were paid by us as well as all the extras we did and bought at the park.

13 Essential Tips for Your First Visit to Disney World

Plan ahead – seriously.

I cannot stress enough to plan ahead when it comes to your trip to Disney. Buy your tickets as early as you possibly can and be sure to purchase online because tickets tend to be at least $10 cheaper than at the gate.

Plus you cannot wing it at Disney, a lot of the rides have long lines, which are ideal to use your fast pass on. Also, most dinning places require you to make a reservation and if you want to score a meal in a famous place like Cinderella’s castle, you need to book this 6 months in advance.

If this is your first visit and you’re going to stay there for a few days, at the very least book this trip 7 months in advance so you can have an entire month to research before you need to make reservations.

If you’re going for a one day trip, you don’t have to worry too much about making reservations ahead of time. There will always be a place a eat, maybe not your first choice, but still pretty good and you will get on plenty of rides. The stuff that requires the extra research time are all the extra activities and if you want to go on specific rides/adventures.

Skip the Park Hopper Passes

If you want to visit multiple parks, I wouldn’t suggest doing it in one day and avoid the costs of the park hopper pass. Instead of getting a multi-day ticket, do one park per day. There isn’t even enough time to do everything one park has to offer, so a multi-day ticket is just not useful, even if you’re going for just one day.

We had tickets to visit multiple parks in one day and never left Magic Kingdom. It is just so difficult to get a full experience with one park and still try to travel to another park in the same day. One park a day is perfect, and even more so if you’re going with children.

Wear comfortable shoes

I know some people like to dress cute for picture purposes for Disney World but I would highly recommend going for a more comfortable choice because you will be doing a whole lot of walking and waiting in line.

When I say you’ll be doing a whole a lot of walking, I mean it. You spend the entire day either walking or waiting in lines, so comfortable shoes are a must.

For my kids, we brought shoes that would dry fast if they got wet. And it actually rained when we were there so having fast drying shoes was a lifesaver because there’s nothing worse than walking around wet shoes.

Bring a stroller or babycarrier for your children

If you’re going with children, at the very least, bring one umbrella stroller so your child can take a rest while you push the stroller. If you have a younger child that likes to be in a babycarrier, I suggest it you bring it too. My youngest even took naps in the carrier!

Remember that you will be there day the whole day and your kids will get tired so being able to rest is key to keep them from getting overwhelmed! Plus, every ride has a stroller parking section next to it so you will always have your stroller close to you.

We also found the stroller to very useful for carrying our stuff since we had diapers and change of clothes for my kiddos. I packed all their stuff in one bag (we took our Ju-Ju-Be BFF which was perfect for this since it’s waterproof and machine washable). However, I also brought a second smaller bag where I put my valuables (phone, wallet and keys). I carried this small bag everywhere and took it on every ride with me. If you look closely on the photo you can see the bag strap from the small purse.

The reason I did it this way is so we didn’t have to bring a big bag into every ride with us. Some rides don’t even let you bring big bags which means you have to leave them behind and I just don’t feel comfortable leaving my valuables.

By packing this way, we could park our stroller outside the ride and leave it there with the diaper bag. If someone were to steal my bag it would have had stuff we’d miss but not the valuables since those were in my small purse.

If you don’t want to bring a stroller, you can also rent one at the park. More information on that here .

Don’t Waste Your Money on Photopass

Photopass is a service that Disney offers where photographers around the park will take your photo in front of iconic areas around the park (The Castle, the Walt Disney Statue, etc.).

What a lot of people don’t know is that those same photographers will take those photos in front of those same areas for free using your own camera or smart phone. We took our nice camera and took all of the pictures ourselves.

However, if we didn’t have a camera or this was a place where we were only going once or twice in our lives, I would have probably invested in the photopass so we could capture every moment. This is one of those things that is not a must, and where you can save money, but if you can afford it, then why not?

Download the My Disney Experience app

This is a must! For our first visit we were only going one day and I didn’t think I needed the app but I am SO glad we got it!

You can view photos taken by the photopass photographers, book your fast passes (see next point), see maps, book meals and even check ride wait times. We found that checking ride wait times using the app was so useful and since we had little ones with us we just went to the rides with the least amount of wait time.

You can also see the day’s schedule and make sure you don’t miss out on any cool shows. You can even create your own schedule, so the night before I looked up all the activities and added them to “My Plans” section so we knew what was going on throughout the day that we didn’t want to miss.

You can also book meals with characters using the app. We found out we were going to Disney about 2 months in advance and I thought that our chance to book a character meal was gone but since people can book and cancel these characters meals, you can find available spots using the app.

The week of our visit a lot of character meals options showed up in the app and the most amount of options showed up the night before (people have 24 hours to cancel without being charged and that’s why you’ll see a lot of character meals come up during week before your trip).

If you want to book a character meal, make sure you keep checking the app. Keep in mind that if you were hoping to eat in Cinderella’s castle this might not work since that’s a very sought after meal that you need to book 6 months in advance. However, we were able to book a Winnie The Pooh character meal and even had several time slot options!

Book Your Fast Passes Early

Fast Passes are passes that allow you to jump to the front and wait in a much smaller line. Fast Passes are free but you are limited to three a day and you have to plan them ahead of time.

Once you used up your 3 fast passes of the day, you can keep adding more fast pass rides throughout the day, one at a time. I recommend you book your 3 fast pass rides early in the day so that you can use them up and then keep booking more fast pass ride as the day goes by. Since our children didn’t have a ride they just had to do, we used the fast passes this way and were able to skip many lines!

You can book your fast passes as early as a month in advance (or 60 days in advance if you’re staying at a Disney hotel) and you book them through the My Disney Experience app. You can book the fast pass rides for all members at once or select just a few members. You can even use your fast passes to meet your favorite princesses!

I would recommend booking your fast passes as early as possible for the attractions that you want to ride the most so that you definitely get the opportunity to ride them!

Get Your First Visit Button

Did you know you can get a first visit button for free? Yup! You sure can! I didn’t even know but when we were showing our tickets they asked the girls if this was their first visit and then we all got buttons.

I can’t tell you how excited they were for those buttons. It was the perfect way to start the Disney magic experience!

Make sure you ask for them when you’re showing your tickets.

Water is Free

Do not buy bottles of water at the park, especially if you’re trying to save a money! You can walk up to any food stand and get a cup of water for free, or you can even bring your own water bottle and they will fill it for you as well.

We took these water bottles that have a filter because I’m paranoid about that tap water…and it all worked out great!

Be prepared to buy souvenirs

Your kid just walked into a magic land and everything they see, they want. I don’t think you have to get your child every single thing they want but you should be prepared to buy a thing or two. They’ll want to get stuff from their favorite characters or as a keepsake of their visit to Disney World.

Our kids got several things but our favorite one was the bow and arrow from Brave, which my oldest got to use when she met Merida. To this day, she still talks about her experience and as a mother, every time I think about it it fills my heart with joy.

The princesses actually talk to you

I don’t know why we thought we would come and meet the princess, get a quick photo and go…but Disney princesses actually take their time and chat with your kids. As a parent, I appreciate this so much because it makes the whole experience more memorable.

When we met Merida and she saw my child had a bow and arrow, Merida grabbed the bow and arrow and started showing my child how to use it. I started crying – seeing my child so excited because she met one of her favorite princesses and got to shoot arrow with her is something she will probably never forget…and neither will we.

We ended up visiting several princesses and my oldest chatted with each one anywhere from 5-10 minutes. We used the fast passes for the princesses that had longer lines and just waited in line for most since the wait wasn’t too bad.

Get There Early or Late, but Early is Better

Everyone will be there waiting for the parks to open. It is not enough to get there on time, you will definitely want to get there about half hour early because you will be waiting to get in the park. You can also just come about an hour after they open and not wait long in line.

Keep in mind that if you go when schools are out, the lines might be long so come prepared with a snacks and water if you have little ones with you.

If you’re staying outside of Disney World, you will most likely have to drive to the park and the park is BIG. From the entrance of Disney World to the entrance of Magic Kingdom it took us about 10 minutes. Then you have to wait in line to show your tickets or to buy them, and once you enter, you have to take the monorail or the ferry.

All in all, we were in Magic Kingdom about an hour after we had arrived to Disney World, so keep that in mind when making plans, and especially if you’re booking early fast pass rides.

Magic Bands

Magic Bands are not required but they are convenient. You can link your tickets to your magic band, as well as your fast passes, and you can even link a credit card to your band and use it to pay around the park. They have all sorts of colors and designs and they are fairly affordable.

You can learn more about Magic Bands here  and here is information on how you can get one.

We decided to skip the Magic Bands for our first visit since we were only going one day and we found that we didn’t need them. However, if you’re there for more than one day they are pretty convenient!

One last tip, don’t forget to check the schedule for the fireworks the week before your trip. We were lucky enough to see 2 firework shows, one right after the other and right in front of the Disney castle. They were having a Pandora special and they also did their regular fireworks so if you’re lucky you’ll get to see fireworks more than once!

Disney World can be extremely overwhelming if you’ve never been there but with a little research you plan the perfect family vacation.

Above all don’t stress about your visit, relax and take it all in and most of all enjoy your stay with your friends and family! No matter what, even if things don’t go as planned, it will still be an amazing experience for your children so enjoy the magic!

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What are the perks of the first visit button at Disney World?

Faqs about the first visit button at disney world, is the first visit button only available for first-time visitors, where can i get the first visit button, is there a cost associated with the first visit button, can i personalize the first visit button, are there any age restrictions for wearing the first visit button, do i have to wear the first visit button all the time, are there any discounts or special offers associated with the first visit button, can i keep the first visit button as a souvenir, is there a limit to how many first visit buttons one person can receive, is the first visit button available at other disney parks, can i wear the first visit button at other non-disney attractions, are there any additional benefits of wearing the first visit button.

The first visit button, also known as the “I’m Celebrating” button, is a small yet incredibly meaningful item that visitors to Disney World can wear during their first trip to the magical park. This button acts as a badge of honor, allowing both the cast members and fellow visitors to recognize and celebrate this special occasion. Whether it’s your very first time at Disney World or your first visit in a long time, wearing this button can bring a plethora of perks and create unforgettable memories.

First and foremost, wearing the first visit button will undoubtedly attract the attention of cast members. Cast members are not just employees at Disney World; they are passionate individuals who strive to create a truly magical experience for every guest. When they spot someone wearing the first visit button, they go the extra mile to make that person’s visit even more extraordinary. From personalized greetings and congratulations to surprises like complimentary FastPasses or even a chance to meet a beloved character, the first visit button unlocks a whole new level of Disney magic.

Additionally, fellow visitors at Disney World are renowned for their friendly nature and willingness to connect with others. When they see someone wearing the first visit button, they often go out of their way to strike up conversations, share tips and advice, and make the new visitor feel welcome. This creates a sense of community and camaraderie among guests, allowing everyone to bond over their shared love for Disney World. Many lifelong friendships have been formed through these chance encounters, making the first visit button not just a symbol of a special occasion, but also a gateway to new connections.

The first visit button is not limited to first-time visitors only. It can also be worn by individuals who haven’t visited Disney World in a long time and want to celebrate their return.

The first visit button can be obtained at various locations throughout Disney World, such as the Guest Relations desk at the park entrance or at the front desk of Disney World Resort hotels.

No, the first visit button is provided free of charge to all guests who wish to celebrate their first or special visit to Disney World.

While the first visit button cannot be personalized with names or dates, it serves as a universal symbol for celebration and represents the magic of a first Disney World experience.

The first visit button can be worn by guests of all ages, from young children experiencing Disney World for the very first time to adults rekindling their childhood memories.

Wearing the first visit button is entirely optional. Some guests choose to wear it throughout their visit to fully embrace the celebration, while others prefer to wear it only on specific occasions or for photo opportunities.

While there are no specific discounts or offers exclusive to the first visit button, cast members and fellow visitors may surprise guests wearing the button with small tokens of appreciation or extra magic moments.

Absolutely! The first visit button makes for a wonderful souvenir to commemorate your special visit to Disney World. Many guests choose to keep their buttons as cherished keepsakes of their magical experience.

Guests are welcome to receive a first visit button for each unique visit to Disney World. However, it is generally recommended to wear only one button at a time to avoid confusion.

The first visit button is primarily associated with Disney World in Florida. However, other Disney parks around the world may offer similar celebratory buttons for guests to wear during their first visit.

While the first visit button is specifically designed for Disney World, there is no rule against wearing it at other attractions. However, the button may not hold the same significance or garner the same attention outside of the Disney World community.

Apart from the perks mentioned earlier, wearing the first visit button can enhance your overall Disney experience by inviting interactions, capturing memorable photos, and serving as a constant reminder of the magic of your first visit.

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Aarav Crowe

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Disney World changing popular ticket reservation service

• Published: Jun. 26, 2024, 3:45 p.m.

Walt Disney World is getting rid of Genie+ starting July 24 and instead implementing Lightning Lane entry service. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel via AP, File)/Orlando Sentinel via AP) AP

• Molly Walsh | [email protected]

ORLANDO, Florida – Walt Disney World is overhauling its popular fast-pass service at the famous amusement park in Florida.

The theme park is getting rid of Genie+ starting July 24 and instead implementing Lightning Lane entry service.

Disney Genie+ service will become Lightning Lane Multi Pass, while individual Lightning Lane will now be known as Lightning Lane Single Pass.

The changes will allow guests to plan before arriving at the park; choose experiences and time slots before purchasing; and allow guests to book passes for multiple days.

Disney announced the change in response to guest feedback about wanting to plan their park experiences well in advance instead of the morning of their visit, the company said in a press release.

Guests staying at a Disney Resort hotel and other select hotels will be able to plan Lightning Lane passes up to 7 days in advance, for their entire stay, up to 14 days. All other guests can plan up to 3 days in advance.

These advance purchase windows will let guests secure some of their must-do rides and experiences after they’ve had some time to decide what dining reservations they want to book and any other plans they may need to consider.

The prices of a Lightning Multi or Single Pass varies on the day you visit the park, what theme park you choose to visit and what attraction you choose to visit.

Prices will be available starting July 24 in the My Disney Experience App .

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