[This post was originally created in 2016 as a draft, but has been updated before posting, to reflect current circumstances]
We have been to Orlando a few times and plan for our next trip nearly every week.
When we discuss our past and future tips with friends and work colleagues, some of whom have never been, whilst others have visited many times, we are struck by the things that others don’t know.
We find our information from various sources, including fellow Disney fans on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and finding tips via Disney blogs and Pinterest postings.
So here are a few things to help you make more of your trip, whether your just dreaming, planning or about to go (hopefully you’re not there already, but if you are, We hope you are having loads of fun )
It’s bigger than you think.
Walt Disney World is Disney’s multi park experience in Orlando, Florida.
There are 4 main parks: EPCOT, Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios.
Each park has it’s own distinct feeling and theming, restaurants (both table Service and Quick Service), food and drink booths, rides, entertainment and shops, all within an area bigger than than a small UK village.
There are 2 Water parks: Blizzard Beach & Typhoon Lagoon.
The water parks have water slides, beaches, large polls, food and drink areas, as well as places to just lay back and relax.
There are also the big shopping, food and entertainment areas out with the parks: Disney Springs (previously Downtown Disney ) and the BoardWalk. These are available to anyone and you don’t need a ticket.
Finally there are the Resorts…
The resorts are the large hotel complexes, with rooms, restaurants, bars, entertainment, pools and more.
These are nearly as large as the parks, and most people don’t realise that all the amenities [excluding the pools] are available to all, whether you are staying there or not.
Disney is not Just for kids….
On our first visit to Orlando, Florida we went with friends and we weren’t too bothered about Disney, sure we liked Disney films growing up, but we thought that we were past all of that. We were just looking for sun, loads of amazing themed rides and we needed a break from real life for a while.
When we arrived at Disney’s Magic Kingdom that all changed, the first time we saw a Disney parade we got swept into the experience, as if you are one of Mickey Mouse’s broom sticks in the Sorcerers Apprentice, it was our first taste of the Disney Magic.
Most people think of Disney they think of the classic Disney characters (eg Mickey Mouse) or they think of many of the films and TV shows (even before Disney+), but here is soo much more to experience.
Each area is an experience on its own right.
Disney is for adults…
For adults you can eat and drink around the world at EPCOT, (even when there aren’t one of the 4 annual festivals (Epcot International Festival of the Arts, Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, Epcot International Food & Wine Festival or Epcot International Festival of the Holidays ).
Drinking and eating around the world allows you to try experiences from some of the countries exhibiting at the world showcase ( eg Tequila and Mescal tasting within the Cava del Tequila inside the pyramid of the Mexico pavilion, or having an authentic Mexican meal at the La Hacienda de San Angel restaurant, or listening to Mariachi Cobre ).
Other parks and resorts offer other unique offerings, which is something that you may not expect from a theme park.
It’s not as expensive as you may think
There is a perception that it’s very expensive to go to Walt Disney World, however there are various ways to cut the costs.
Some stay off property, either in one of the Good Neighbour hotels or on International Drive, whilst others stay in the cheeper Disney “Value” resorts. Personally we monitor the deals that Disney offer regularly, often booking over a year in advance to get a great deal, whilst using discounts from Virgin Atlantic to get either upgrades of cheaper flights.
Update: Disney are due (in June 2023 for 2024 bookings) to bring back the Disney Dining plan, which will help families to manage the cost of meals, snacks if booking a package via Disney.
You will be walking a lot
All the Disney areas are massive, Staying on Disney property your day will probably start with a walk to get breakfast, then to get a bus, Skyliner (Disney’s gondola system) or boat to one of the parks and then to get round the park you will probably find yourself covering more miles that you would in a week. If you have a fitness tracking device you will be surprised at how many miles you will cover daily and you may not feel as guilty about eating some snacks or fizzy drinks.
Comfortable, breathable trainers are a must.
It rains Daily
Whilst the image that the advertising portrays is not far off, it doesn’t mention the heavy rain that happens at least daily during the summer period. Unlike the UK, you will go from heat to a heavy downpour in the matter of minutes and within 20-30 minutes it’s all but evaporated and it’s as if it was just a bad dream.
Later in the season, August – September, is hurricane season. Whilst I would suggest going during this period (because it’s cheaper & cooler) you are more likely to encounter rain and potentially high winds (Disney have only closed a few times due to actual Hurricanes. We were there during one of them and it didn’t feel like a big deal when you are in the “Disney Bubble”)
Travel light
OK this is two topics in one:
Whilst visiting the parks:
You will have your bag checked (every bag [every time], handbag, rucksack, bum bag etc) when you enter a Disney Park and you will have to empty your pockets and put your belongings thorough a metal detector.
If you know this, then it’s easy to prepare a head of time, you soon get used to having some process for this (such as having your bags contents in a clear plastic bag, so that it can be taken out for checking) or having most of your items ready before reaching the security check points, to make everything go smoother.
When travelling to Orlando:
Don’t take loads of stuff over and don’t max out your baggage allowance on the way out.
You will buy stuff when you are there, clothing, popcorn buckets, plushes, pins (and other collectables) and so much more.
If you don’t have spare space in your cases before you arrive, how will you get all this extra stuff home? [There are ways, but I’ll over that some other time]
Clothing & Footwear
Keep it appropriate (Disney have guidelines on appropriate clothing). Don’t wear anything with offensive words, graphics or profanity [This is just a good idea in the US anyway. The US can be an opinionated and divided place in recent times]. Disney can ban you from property, possibly for life (“trespassed”) for not complying with their rules.
Keep it light: both colour (dark colours get hotter quicker) and weight. With the amount of walking involved you don’t want to be weighed down by your clothing (ie don’t wear jeans), I would suggest t-shirt, shorts and trainers.
Pockets with zips or buttons are your friend: (except when going through Security – see above). When riding rides, you don’t want anything falling out your pockets, so Zips and button down pockets are a must in my opinion. It also makes it harder for anyone to steal from you (unlikely, but why take chance).
Wear light airy trainers, you want something that you can walk in all day, that have some bounce, can get wet (and quick to dry out), will stay on during rides where your legs dangle off the ground and will last the distance. Break anything in before you go as you don’t want sore feet [pack some plasters just incase]. Trainer Socks are also recommended.
Pack Sun Tan Lotion & take breaks from the heat
Florida can get very hot (especially during the summer months), [just check the weather app on your smart phone] and it’s likely that you will get sunburn if you do not protect yourself. Re apply often, the toilets are large enough to accommodate enough people for a small shopping centre, so don’t feel self conscious.
When things get hot, there are multiple ways to manage it;
Get a cold drink, Ice cream; Some self service places have ice cold water available for free, there are many Starbucks and Joffrey Coffee stops in the parks to purchase an ice cold caffeinated beverage, Coke branded drinks are everywhere. Mickey Ice Cream bars are available to purchase almost everywhere and there are some unique places to purchase Ice cream out of the parks (thinking Disney Springs & the resorts) ..
Watch out for Brain Freeze, take it slow either drinking or eating anything cold or frozen.
Browse the stores. They all have air conditioning, during summer it’s like walking from the surface of the sun into the set of frozen. You don’t need to buy anything, even use the stores to get from one place to the next (loads of people use the stores to get from one end of Main Street [Magic Kingdom] to the other).
Take in some Entertainment: Whether it’s Mickey’s Philharmonic in Magic Kingdom or meeting your favourite character [thinking Olaf ?] , The Festival of the Lion King show in Animal Kingdom, Soaring / Living with the land in Epcot. Basically any indoor attraction will have some form of AC and will get you off your tired weary feet for a while.
Keep your energy up
It’s vital to plan your meals, not only because restaurants fill up fast but also to give yourself breaks.
Keeping yourself hydrated and ensuring you have enough energy can be a struggle for anyone new to WDW. Thank of ways to plan your day so that you have enough down time to last the whole holiday, but still have enough energy left to do what you want to achieve.
Having one big meal is one way to go about it, with a smaller mean and snacks through out the day. This is sometimes best achieved using Disney’s Dining plan (coming back 2024), taking the worry about cost [it’s paid up front or as part of your package] but giving you flexability depending on what you are doing that day. For example having a buffet breakfast, snacks [Fruit, Cookies, drinks etc] during the morning and then something small, but substantial in the evening before the fireworks [burger, Street Corn, Earl of Sandwich, etc].
Remember you don’t need to stay in the parks, there are loads of places on Disney property (and out with) that you can get some amazing food and drinks (Disney Springs, Disney Resorts, Universal Boardwalk, Margaritaville ) and plenty of branded places you will know [TGI Fridays, McDonalds ] or US staples may get to love [ Earl of Sandwich, IHOP (International House of Pancakes), Cheesecake factory, ].
Disney is Safe & Secure
In Walt Disney World, there are cast members (Disney Staff) everywhere, security cameras and Disney Police on or close to the premises. Whilst no place is ever 100% safe, I do feel safe and secure whilst on property and we have never experienced any issues to date.
You may not notice, you are on holiday after all, that within the rides, shop fronts etc there are hidden cameras. These are hidden so as not to break the magic, but are usually there to keep an eye on crowd levels, ride issues (breakdowns) etc, but they are actively monitored and Disney World do have their own Police (as well as fire and other emergency services, more on that some other time).
There are also areas dedicated to First Aid and Child care (baby changing / feeding etc) and you are never far from a cast member (Disney staff) to ask for any assistance.
For those with mobility issues there are also wheel chars or ECVs (Electric Conveyance Vehicles / Mobility Scooters) can be rented out (sometimes it’s cheeper to rent from an external company, rather than Disney) from the Parks and Resorts for use during your stay [Medical certification (ie Doctor note) may be required].
Prams & buggies can also be booked or brought with you to the parks, there are dedicated “Stroller parking” close to rides.
Essential holiday items (such as Sun Tan liquid, plasters, tooth brushes, nappies) and other items (Such as caught bottles, painkillers, period products) are usually available in the resorts, should you forget to pack them or need them in an emergency. [Also try First Aid areas] Supermarkets such as Publics and Target are a quick Uber or Lyft away [usually fairly low cost compared to hiring a car].
Disney Transportation is free
It doesn’t matter if you are staying on property or not, the Busses, Skyliner (Disney’s Gondola system), and boats are free to use.
Use them to go from park to park (even one side of Epcot to the other) or visit one of the resorts to try the restaurants and entertainment on offer. We did this on our second trip, partly to experience what was on offer and partly because we didn’t want to drive far [we sneakily parked at Disney Springs [Downtown Disney at the time] and used the free busses to go to the resorts and then from the resorts to the parks. We used the opportunity to see if we wanted to stay at a Disney resort, what the facilities were like and have stayed on Disney property ever since.
There’s more
There’s Loads more, but I think I’ve covered enough for now.
I’ll add be adding some links within this page, once I’ve added other pages that go into more detail ,
If you’re planning a trip to Walt Disney World I hope this helps in some small way and remember it’s holiday so try not to plan too much, remember to have fun and go with the flow, you can always go back smoother time.
WDW is constantly changing and updating, it can be hard to plan but after a while you learn to be fluid about it, make plans that you adapt depending on what happens at the time (like a hurricane).