Disney World may still be the happiest place, but now more than ever, when a dream vacation turns into a budget-breaking boodoggle, those who go without planning ahead should not worry.
Long queues, price rises, large crowds (58 million visitors a year, finally check it out!) have overwhelmed visitors without strategy for years. But now there are more that you need to predict – and understand how to avoid it.
Let's say you've never been to Mouse's house within a few years. Have you heard of all policy changes?
From dynamic pricing, a new system for skipping lines, essential park bookings, and a new list to know that it's growing long every year as it is currently being used by Disney app visitors is increasing.
Luckily, the rescue comes with editor Jamie Michaels. MagicGuidesspecializes in Disney travel planning. It is the site's mission to make the most of the trip for families.
Michaels shared six of her best tips for those who want to have the best experience at one of the world's most popular and sometimes most complicated attractions.
But experts say they plan well, and all you have to do when you show up is to have time in your life.
Here's what you need to know directly from a professional:
Start planning early to ensure the best deal
Planning your Disney trip should ideally be done in advance. It's a good idea to spend about a year on preparation and savings, and I recommend paying for the trip about 6 months before the desired travel date.
Disney will release special offers and discounts on tickets and rooms 3-6 months in advance.
Off-peak visits: mid-January to mid-March, mid-September to mid-November
By avoiding peak times, you can save yourself the hassle of waiting in line while traveling. Additionally, visiting during less popular periods can reduce the price of the hotel.
On average, holidays such as New Year, Halloween, Christmas, and July 4th are always busy. The ideal times to visit are from mid-January to mid-March and from mid-September to mid-November (except Halloween).
These times are better to go as they go to school and are not holiday season, as they historically have fewer visitors.
Plus, the days from Tuesday to Thursday will be fewer and the weekends will be busiest.
New attractions and rides tend to attract large crowds, so be careful of new openings as well.
Strategize and plan your first visit to more popular rides in the morning or late at night
The average wait time during the peak period is up to 44 minutes, with some rows over an hour. This is something to avoid whenever possible. During the day, the quietest time is early in the morning, as soon as the park opens, or if the park is open after 9pm.
Specifically, “ropedrops” are an effective way to experience attractions that usually last a long time.
This means you will arrive early at the park before the ride opens, waiting for your first ride.
Essentially, you can be in front of the line as you are waiting for the rope around the cue line to “drop”. It may also be beneficial to wait until the evening to ride on a more popular ride. Because these are closer to the park's closure, they have a shorter queue.
In the meantime, try rides and shows that aren't busy during the day to maximize your time.
Hollywood studios and Epcot are usually open until 9pm. This means that after 7pm, there will be fewer rides as families go to dinner, and little ones tend to sleep.
Maximize time using Lightning Lane path
Guests can now purchase Lightning Lane Pass prior to their trip, up to 7 days before check-in if they are staying at Disney Resort Hotel for less than 14 days.
With Lightning Lane Multi Pass, visitors can pre-select up to three attractions per day and skip the queue (and try out more choices at the park).
Some rides are excluded from multipaths, but a single pass can be used for attractions like this Galaxy Guardians, Passing flightand Star Wars: The Rise of Resistance.
Single passes capped twice a day will allow you to skip the line of one ride. If you are a frequent Disney visitor, it is worth justifying the cost of making the most of your time.
Make a dinner reservation as soon as possible to get to the best location
Popular places fill up quickly, so it's important to book a meal reservation as soon as possible. You can make these reservations up to 60 days in advance.
Popular restaurants include Space 220 Restaurant, Be Guest, Cinderella's Royal Table, and 'Ohana. These have a limited number of tables that you must reserve first.
You can book your reservation through the My Disney Experience app. You'll have the opportunity to try out a face-to-face walk-up, but if you rely on this, there's no guarantee you'll get a spot at all.
It is better to book as soon as possible, well before your trip.
Use My Disney Experience apps like Pro
Another tip is to preinstall the My Disney Experience app. This app gives you access to important services that will help you maximize your day.
The My Disney Experience app gives you access to park maps so you can see your dining options, toilets, queue lengths, and where your characters are.
Additionally, you can manage travel through the app, such as contactless payments, theme park entries, and Photopass. For meals, you can order food using the app before you arrive at the pickup location.
Once you arrive at the food stall, you can let the app know you're there, send your order, and when ready you can skip the queue and pick up items.
