by: guide4wdw – Collin

Our Top Disney World Planning Tips – Things To Read Before Your WDW Vacation  

Over the last few years writing articles here on the site we’ve shared all kinds of tips and tricks for trips to Walt Disney World in hopes that we can, even in a small way, improve your Disney World vacation experience. This Disney Parks tips have been and always will be work in progress so hopefully we can share something here that will, at the very least, give you something new to think about or even possibly experience on your next trip to Walt Disney World. Of course, this isn’t the “end all be all” list and that is largely a result of the ever changing nature of what Disney World. There’s always something new to enjoy and the parks are always changing on a seemingly daily basis. It’s a blessing and a curse for the prospective guest, but at the same time it creates this ever changing “world” of things to enjoy time and time again. If nothing else, changes keep us coming back. Some changes we may love, and others we may disagree with, but at it’s core Walt Disney World is this seemingly simple place that creates joy in a  way that very few other destinations can match. 
 
Our Top Disney World Planning Tips - Things To Read Before Your WDW Vacation
Rather that just throwing around our posts and making you search endlessly in the search bar, we’ve designed this page to help you find what you’re looking for from 350+ articles we’ve posted on the site over the last few years! It’s a lot to take in at firs tif you’re a first time guest, and the volume of posts can be overwhelming for even the most experienced parks-goers, but hopefully this helps you find that one tip that changes and perhaps improves your vacation experience. As always, if you find any of these articles helpful, I would really appreciate it if you shared this page with friends! We have grown and only continue to grow thatks to your support and we can’t thatk you enough for that. Before eI get to off topic, lets dive right into the first category of posts you’ll find here!     

Tips For Before Your Disney Vacation Begins

Getting ready for your trip is inevitably just as important as the trip itself and for many of us it’s one of the many joys of going to Walt Disney World. I love the planning process (I bet you couldn’t have guessed that one lol), but it’s not for everyone and finding a good place to start if you are a first time guest is something that is incredibly difficult to do without the right assistance and tips along the way. Unfortunately, Disney planning strategies are never a “one-size fits all” scenario, so rather that telling you directly what to do, I try to make all of our tips here guiding basic principles that are adaptable and hopefully helpful to all types and styles of travel preferences. What I like to do may not be what you like to do, but the great thing about Disney is that there really is something for everyone and these tips only begin to scratch the surface of all that is out there and available across the internet. 

While Disney tips aboutnd from all different people, I would be carful who you trust and take advice from. Your neighbor may say one thing, your coworker who’s been to the parks one time may say another, and chances are most people have only been to the parks a few times. When you’re planning, look for those friends that have been to Disney 20+ times, not the ones that have been once or twice. It sounds like common sense but when you do this every day you start to hear some “interesting…” stories. 

Long story made short, don’t take these tips and try to replicate our travel plans to exacting details. Every trip is different and rolling with the new situations that unfold and making the most of every minute is the overlying concept I hope to share more that anything else. Enjoy every minute and find ways to do what works for you. Use these tips as a cushion and as a basis of knowledge to build your trip around and you’ll be a lot better off and well prepared for your dream Disney trip.    
Last but certainly not least in this category, if you want a real person (other that me) to walk you through the planning process check out why we recommend a Disney Travel Agent in our post – Disney Travel Agents – Who Do I Recommend? All of this may seem incredibly overwhelming (unless you’ve done it many times), but it really doesn’t have to be. If you know what to expect and get a little help along the way from both Disney themselves and others you may know, it really isn’t a difficult process. After you do it once, it gets far easier for consecutive vacations. If you know the booking timeframes, fastpass+ booking windows, and park hours you’re well ahead of the crowd of first time guests!      

Tips For During Your Disney Vacation

I think I’m in the minority, but I truly believe tips for during your vacation are just as important, if not more important, that planning tips. Don’t get me wrong, planning is a huge part of the process, but what very few realize is that there’s a lot that can save you time, allow you to experience new things, and let you make the most out of your trip while you’re actually in the parks. If I had to give one tip out of all these articles below it would be one of the simplest tips you’ll ever here… Don’t over-plan! If you have every minute of every hour laid out on a calendar, you’re going to get frustrated during your Disney trip. One unfortunate situation will get you off schedule and typically you’ll get overwhelmed almost instantly. It’s not worth stressing through your entire vacation to try and get every single attraction ridden or every single show watched. You cannot see and do it all and truthfully none of us have. There is an incredible amount of things to do and you just can’t do it all. 
 
Our Top Disney World Planning Tips - Things To Read Before Your WDW Vacation
If you want to plan out your days, feel free to do so, but don’t time stamp your vacation minute by minute. It may work for a select few but in my opinion its not the best way to travel and certainly not the most “go with the flow” situation. If you have a few key “must-do” items in mind, schedule those out if you want to, but don’t overwhelm yourself. Let things happen spontaneously and you wont regret it. Often times our nights in the parks that are entirely unplanned are some of the nights we remember the most years later.              

Tips to Save Money For and At Walt Disney World 

Disney is expensive and honestly it’s not getting cheaper anytime soon. As a result, this category of posts is growing and growing quickly for so many different reasons. We don’t have an endless supply of money and we aren’t staying at Walt Disney World for free, so we’re always looking for new ways to cut costs and save a little money along the way. As we find new money saving avenues, we’ll be sure to share them with you. 
 
Costs at WDW come in a variety of different forms, but dining, souvenirs, tickets, and accommodations are really the big four! Hopefully these tips cover all of those bases and help you out in some way or another. As always, if you have questions, feel free to send us a message anytime!    

My Disney Experience Tips

As perhaps the greatest change to the Disney planning process in the last 10 years, my Disney Experience kind of changed everything. At times it’s a great system but at other times I tend to miss the free and unplanned way you could previously head to the parks without worry of having to plan your day out in advance. On the other hand, the system has improved greatly over the last two years and I believe we’re just beginning to see the capabilities of this system and what it could hold for the future. You can already use your smart phone as a room key (at select resorts), order food and have it delivered to your table without ever going the counter, and at times attractions even use your name to personalize the experience. I’d be shocked if we don’t see a greater use of this technology in the parks sooner rather that later and I would not be surprised if full Smartphone and AppleWatch integration is approaching in the not so distant future. The system is always improving and it is starting to grow on me over time, but knowing what to expect and how to really use the My Disney Experience platform in depth can make all the difference.   
Our Top Disney World Planning Tips - Things To Read Before Your WDW Vacation
Late Night Disney Tips 
Night time at Walt Disney World is second only to sunset in my opinion. Sunsets in Orlando tend to be spectacular (especially in the summer months) and the picturesque setting of the parks sets the stage for a truly incredible experience. As day slowly transitions to night, Disney tends to take on an entirely different look and feel. Imagineering has spent hours on end perfecting the lighting, sounds, and sights of the nighttime atmosphere. As an added bonus the crowds tend to fade as the days draw to a close and set up some of the most memorable nighttime shows and moments Disney has become known for!         

Tips For Experiencing Hidden Aspects of the WDW Parks 

Oftentimes the largest mistake guests make when touring the parks is that they never take the time to “dig a little deeper” (to quote Mama Odie) and discover the less obvious elements of the parks. The hidden backstories and things so many simply walk right past time and time again are what tend to set Disney apart from all the rest. The little details you uncover in the most unexpected places tend to be the things that make you take a step back and say “wow, I never noticed that!” Those moments get lost in the hustle and bustle of the trip far too often and can really add a level to your time in the parks and help uncover a greater story that puts things in perspective in a whole new way.    
Our Top Disney World Planning Tips - Things To Read Before Your WDW Vacation

Learning From The Past 

I’m a firm believer that we can learn from the past and that the past can give us a greater appreciation for the future. The Disney parks are no different. If you take the time to do a few minutes of research and look back at what once was a part of the parks, you can add a new perspective to your theme park experience. If you know “what was” you tend to have a greater appreciation for what’s taken it’s place in today’s parks. Imagineering has even hidden a few tributes to extinct attractions in plain site!     
Want to work with us here on the site or in the photography realm? Shoot me a message on social media anytime or email me directly at guide4wdw@gmail.com. We’re always looking for sponsors and new opportunities. If you ever have questions during your vacation planning or anything else feel free to message me there as well and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible! 

Your Thoughts

As always, if you have thoughts, concerns, questions, or even some tips of your own to share, don’t hesitate to reach out to us on Facebook or your favorite social media platform. Give us a follow while you’re there, and we’ll keep the conversation going in the future. We’re not the largest Disney community, but we’re one that’s there and one that listens. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day wherever you are!

Need a Travel Planner?

If you want or simply need a little bit of planning help to make your Disney vacation dream a reality, check out the quote request form below this article for our friends over at Destinations to Travel. They’ll let you do as much or as little of the planning as you’d like and may even save you some money along the way! As always, thatks for supporting those who support us.

Ready to Plan?
Last but certainly not least, if you’re starting the planning process, a great place to start are with some of our top planning articles! Looking for dining? Check out Disney World Dining Tips For 2018. Want to start with some more tips? 44 Excellent Disney World Tips for 2018 or Disney World Planning Guide and Tips For 2018 are a great place to begin! Looking to save money on tickets? Check out our friends over at The Official Ticket Center for great deals that even made it into our 2018 Discount Disney World Ticket selections and another great way to help us create more content through your contributions at no additional cost to you! You’ll probably even save money along the way.

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