Disney Do’s and Don’ts

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It took a long time for my husband and I to pull the trigger on Disney. I had heard everyone’s cautionary tales and worried about taking our twins too young. Something happened, however, when my twins turned three that pushed us over the edge…My kids became Disney OBSESSED! Our playroom might as well be The Disney Store! We have every princess doll, every costume, every book, you name it! My son acts out the Prince or villain role while my daughter pretends to be her favorite Princess. They were constantly asking to meet their favorite characters and we knew now was the time to capitalize on the Disney Magic.

Although the planning and researching for Disney can be intense, I found that I really enjoyed doing the leg work myself! I rediscovered my love of Disney and got really into it! Learning how the parks had changed since I’d been last and planning out our daily schedules was a lot of fun! I even picked up some useful tips along the way that I’m happy to share!

DO’S

Join a Facebook Planning Group: The Facebook Group “Smart Moms Planning Disney” gave me so many useful tips!

Stay on Site: During our trip, we split our time both on and off property and found the ease of staying at a Disney Resort much more enjoyable! Staying on Disney property is expensive, but you get so many perks, such as the free transportation, that we found it to be worthwhile. Look for package deals that can give you a percentage off room rates or free dining plans. Disney

Spend 2 Full Days at Magic Kingdom: There is so much to see and do at this one park that you’ll never fit it all into one day.

Pay for VIP Tickets to Whatever is Most Important to You: Disney offers many opportunities to take your cash. In some cases, tickets to a VIP event may be worth your money. For example, if you are a huge fan of Toy Story you can buy tickets for Early Morning Magic Hours and get into Hollywood Studios early. Go ahead and ride Slinky Dog 5 times before the crowds ascend! I am a huge fan of the nighttime show Fantasmic, so we bought tickets to the VIP dessert party. To us, not having to queue up an hour in advance, preferred seating and the delicious food and (alcoholic) drinks were worth it!

Plan Ahead & Know your Important Dates (Dining & FastPasses): Yes, you must plan ahead and no you cannot wing a successful Disney trip (unless you enjoy waiting in long lines). Dining reservations can be made 180 days in advance and FastPasses for the popular rides can be made 60 days in advance (or 30 if you are staying off-site). There are various calendars available online to help you calculate important dates. Disney

Strategize your FastPass Selection: Booking FastPasses is an art form and if you do it right you can limit your daily wait time significantly. Many people don’t realize that once you’ve used your 3rd FastPass, you can book more throughout the day. Try and book your initial three selections within the sweet spot of 10:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Then you can book your 4th, 5th, 6th and so on throughout the afternoon and never have to wait in a standby line.

Strategize your Food Choices: As a wannabe foodie, I was pleasantly surprised by the food quality in the parks. Watch Disney Food Blog videos and make sure you are choosing your calories wisely!

Download the Disney Parks Ap and Play Around on it Ahead of Time: This ap is vital to your Disney planning. There is so much you can do. You can pre-order quick service food, map out the location of your favorite characters and add FastPasses on the go. The ap will be your best friend while in the parks! (Just don’t forget your mobile charger for when it drains your battery!).

Mobile Order Your Food: Use the Ap and Mobile Order your quick service food for pickup. You’ll thank me when you see the line!

Bring Rain Gear, A Stroller Fan & Click Top Sharpies: It will rain, it will be hot, and no character likes fumbling around with a pen top!Disney

Bring your Own Stroller: You can rent them in Disney, but we found it much easier to bring our own. You can check it right at the gate. I’m not sure how we would have kept our kids safe in the airport without ours. It even doubled as a luggage cart! It probably goes without saying, but don’t try and forgo a stroller all together! Even older kids will have a hard time walking five plus miles a day!

Use Amazon Prime Now for Groceries & Supplies: Food in Disney is expensive, and you’ll want some basic groceries in your room, especially if you’re not on the dining plan. Why pack these items when they can be shipped to your room!?

Wear a Fanny Pack: Like it or not, they are making a comeback! I loved having my Fawn Fanny Pack for the parks!

Book a Character Meal to Knock out Some Characters: My kids are obsessed with Disney Junior characters like Sophia the First and Doc McStuffins. We booked a character breakfast with them at Hollywood Studios, which saved us time later in the day, not having to wait in line for their meet & greets!

Buy the Magic Maker Photo Package: This photo package gives you access to all of your digital images and videos throughout your trip. I loved being able to stay in the moment and not always reach for my phone. The Disney photographers captured some great moments I wouldn’t have otherwise. There were even some pictures with Mom included!!

DON’TS

Be Afraid to do the Planning Yourself: I found the planning and research to be surprisingly fun! I also may be a bit of a control freak. However, if the thought of doing the legwork yourself makes you break out into a sweat, Fairfield County Moms Blog has partnered with Pixie Vacations. An agent can be especially helpful if you are traveling in a big group, when the logistics get tricky!Disney

Go During School Break: We feel comfortable taking our kids out of school for vacations. We used the crowd calendars on sites such as Touring Plans & WDW Prep School to select a low crowd week in February. Even the “low crowd” days at Disney are a zoo, so I would hate to see it during school break!

Miss the Magic Kingdom Parade: And don’t forget to get a spot in the shade at least 30 minutes in advance. Otherwise, you’ll have a hot, cranky kid on your hands like we did!

Miss the Magic Kingdom Fireworks: They are truly not to be missed. You may even tear up a bit. It’s that good!

Push your Kids Too Hard: Plan half days, mid-day naps, off days, whatever you need to do to stick to your kids schedule and keep everyone sane.

Lose you Cool: It will he hot. It will be crowded. People will be terrible. Take a deep breath and move on with your day.Disney

Forget to Schedule a Date Night: My husband and I wished we had scheduled a night to eat and drink around the World Showcase in Epcot. Next time we will be bringing the Grandparents!

Think You Can Do It All: You will never be able to ride all the rides, meet all the characters or eat at all the restaurants. Leave a few things to do on your next trip!

I hope you’ve found these tips helpful in planning your Disney trip. It really is a magical place and a fun vacation for the entire family. Even on the hottest or most crowded day, there is nowhere else I’d rather be! We are already planning our next trip and can’t wait to go back!Disney

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