Walt Disney World – “The Most Magical Place on Earth” – is a Bucket List item for many families and a go-to vacation destination for others. The key to a positive, memorable trip to Disney is PLANNING. If you’re new to Disney, I recommend seeking the advice of a professional travel advisor or friend who has been there multiple times – it is important to get advice from someone who has experience on property at Walt Disney World.
Be sure to get a piece of curb early!
The Value of Experience
A good travel advisor will save you time, get you the most value for your investment, and help you plan a magical trip you will remember for years to come. Effective planning is the difference between spending your day standing in long, hot lines with sometimes less-than-polite visitors and wisely using the FastPass system and a knowledge of ride line patterns to your advantage. (As well as eating at decent places!) An experienced traveler will know, for instance, that while many people assume Spring Break is the worst time to visit, we have consistently found there was less rain, cooler temps, and significantly lighter crowds than summer. Our last Spring Break trip we literally walked across Liberty Square in the Magic Kingdom without crossing paths with another soul!
Recommended Restaurants
At Magic Kingdom, there are a number of budget-friendly restaurants available. I recommend planning to refuel a little bit before or after the typical lunch crowd – avoid the hours between 11:00-1:00. Three we enjoy are Cosmic Ray’s, Columbia Harbour House, and Pecos Bill’s (Read more about them in my upcoming post Favorite Disney Dining Spots!) For a character dining experience, consider Cinderella’s Royal Table for breakfast for some time with the princess or Crystal Palace for laughs with Winnie the Pooh and friends! Adults might enjoy the Liberty Tree Tavern or the Skipper Canteen.
And now, with the admonition to plan ahead and a few suggestions for good food taken care of, here are
12 Tips for a Memorable Trip at Disney’s Magic Kingdom
- Stay on property. There are so many reasons why that I can’t cover them here! Read about them in my post on Why to Stay on Property at Disney.
- Do not plan to go to more than two parks two days in a row. Take at least one day for a break in between, and if you’re going open to close, consider breaking it up even more.
- Plan rest time. If you are wisely staying on property, GO BACK TO YOUR ROOM and rest for 2-3 hours in the afternoon. Many people will leave the parks during this time, and in the summer, it often rains, anyway. Especially with young ones, taking a rest is essential, especially if you plan to stay for fireworks (and you should – at least once!).
- Research where to eat for lunch, according to your budget. There are both frugal and crazy expensive places to eat. Plan wisely. The best I’ve found for a family trip are reviewed here.
- There are fruits stands placed throughout the park (one is smack in the middle of Liberty Square) that offer oranges, apples, and bananas for a few dollars. Alternatively, if you’re staying in a Disney Resort, you can get them in the Cafe for even less and take them with you!
- Eat breakfast in your hotel room if you’re vacationing on a budget. Protein bars, oatmeal, or cereal and milk are easy options. I haven’t seen a Disney resort room yet that doesn’t have a refrigerator in the room, but always ask.
- As a side note to this, we have started the practice of ordering Amazon Prime deliveries to our resort room. Dry foods, snacks, cereals, sunscreen, toiletries, and more can be shipped right to your room so that you don’t have to worry about packing them or finding them once you get there!
- Take snacks with you into the parks – dried fruits, granola bars, nuts, and protein bars can help keep everyone going and allow you to ride rides when others are seeking vendors.
- If going to all four main parks, plan for at least 7 days, including travel to and from.
- If possible, get passes for more days than you plan or get park hoppers. It’s nice to be able to go for just part of a day: do the rides in the morning one day, then go in the evening on another day to hit the rides when lines are shorter. You’ll be able to see fireworks when everyone in your group isn’t on their last nerves.
- HYDRATE. Vendors will give you a large cup or ice water with your order. Take it and drink it.
- Take multiple pairs of shoes to switch among on different days, preferably ones that can handle getting wet. Wet socks and shoes and ruin your trip.
- Know that in the summer, it rains almost every day in Florida. Take ponchos if they are your thing, or at least an umbrella. Plan a way to keep the parts of you dry that matter: feet, bottoms, and hair. 🙂
Disney is one of my favorite places on earth to visit, but without knowledge of how to best plan and navigate the parks, guests can waste a lot of time standing in lines, getting hot and cranky, and missing out on the things that they will value most. Let a trained Disney travel advisor or a knowledgable friend help you plan the kind of trip that will leave you wanting to go back to the most Magical Place on Earth.
