They aren't kidding when they say Disney "World". It truly is, in its own way, a world. Most go once as a child but don't remember it, or you may even be a complete newbie. Don't worry, you are not alone. Even an old-time vet like myself faces something new every time I go. This "World" is constantly evolving. So, for anyone planning a Disney World trip here in the near future, check out my Breezy guide! I promise having this information in your back-pocket will dramatically increase the success of your upcoming Disney World vacation.
FastPasses:
If you've been to Disneyland you think you know what a FastPass is. I'm sorry to have to say this, but you are 100% wrong. The World does it better, I promise you that. Everything is digital. No more running around the parks looking for paper FastPasses. A FastPass virgin will reject the FastPass concept. But I PROMISE YOU, the FastPass system is without a doubt your #1 best friend. You just have to know how to use it.Start by downloading the "My Disney Experience" App. It should give you some sense of direction on how to use the App when you first download it. You are given 3 rides per day. You must purchase your Disney tickets before you can reserve FastPasses. You can reserve FastPasses as early as 30 days in advance. (If you are staying in a Disney resort it's 60 days in advance) I recommend reserving at least 3 weeks in advance. Try your best to get the biggest rides. The longer the line you can skip while at the park, the better your day will be. If you don't know which rides are the hottest, check out the current wait times in the My Disney Experience App. More importantly, reserve rides for earlier in the day. From 11 to 3 all the rides will be the busiest. This will be the best time to take advantage of the FastPass system.
Bonus points: You can reserve more! Only one at a time, and only after you use the first three. If you time it right, you can ride multiple rides with FastPasses. This is why scheduling your original 3 for earlier in the day can seriously benefit you.
Sneaky Tip: If you are out of FastPasses, but there aren't any good rides available to reserve. Refresh the app. Thousands of other people are constantly changing and canceling FastPasses. If you refresh the app continuously throughout the day, you'll be pleasantly surprised when a big ride randomly becomes available.
Magic Bands:
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The best place to buy these is at Disney Springs. They will have the biggest selection of colors and patterns. Your best friend for all things Disney is the store "World Of Disney". They are priced around $15-$30 depending on the design. Although they aren't necessary. You can and you may survive an entire vacation without a Magic Band. But what's the fun in that?
Hotels:
If you have the money and want to do Disney right, stay at a Disney resort. There are multiple to choose from, all in different price ranges. My personal favorite is the Animal Kingdom Lodge. You basically stay at a zoo. Wake up with giraffes and zebras right outside your window. Every hotel has its entertainment perks, so definitely do some research beforehand. Whatever Disney resort you decide to stay at, expect amazing restaurants, shows, shops and booze very close by.The added benefits of staying on Disney property can be a very long list. As I've already mentioned, Disney resort guests get to reserve FastPasses 60 days in advance. You want a FastPass to stay away from the 3-hour loooong wait at Animal Kingdom's newest ride "Avatar The Last Passage"? BOOM! You now have that golden ticket. You also get a chance to enjoy the park during "magic hours". Meaning either 1 hour before the park officially opens or 1 hour after the park closes. No people means no lines. Walk right on the multiple rides without the crazy. Enjoy discounts on food and merchandise.
You also have access to transportation, this includes buses, monorails, boats and more. At the end of a long night, your kids will thank you when the trip back to the room only 20 minutes instead of an hour. Proximity to the parks is huge. Did you know Walt Disney World is made up of 47 square miles of land? It's a lot nicer staying on the INSIDE of the barrier.
Epcot:
Epcot is where the characters do their "training". If you are looking for an easy place to snag some princess photos or autographs, go to Epcot! Your best chance will be in the very back next to the France pavilion near the boats. But, they also scatter all the princesses (and even princes) throughout all the countries. You can also expect to run into unique characters like Alice, Mary Poppins, and Maleficent.Some of the BEST experiences you can have are at Epcot during either of their two festivals. In Spring, it is the Flower Garden Festival, and in Fall, it is the Food and Wine Festival. You can expect unique drinks and small dishes from all over the world. They also perform shows and have beautiful flower displays. These are not something you want to miss! But be prepared for an expensive day. A glass of wine will be around $10 each, as well as a slice of chocolate mousse. If you are looking to go all out, ask a cast member about "bundle packages" for the food and wine.
During both of these festivals, pick up a "passport". It's a fun, interactive and free way to make sure you don't miss any stops. Epcot also has an adventure perfect for the little kids, "Agent P's World Showcase Adventure". Which gives them interactive things to do at all of the county pavilions. Trust me, the kids will get bored with the World Showcase. It'll be nice to have some way to keep them
entertained.
Other things to consider while at Epcot... "Test Track" is Disney's fastest ride. It also has a single rider line if you weren't able to get a fast pass for it. "Soarin'" in Florida is better than in California. You fly over the entire world instead of just California like the Disneyland ride. So don't skip it! Also, don't forget the check out the "Finding Nemo" ride if you like fish. You'd never know from the outside, but there is an entire aquarium with Sharks, Dolphins and Sea Horses inside. |
| (Japan - Durning Fireworks) |
You can find a good spot to watch the night time fireworks anywhere surrounding the World Showcase. My personal favorite place is at the Japan pavilion. On the stairs and/or deck surrounding their main restaurant. It gives you a raised perspective without anyone standing in front of you. Although if you do pick this spot, you will be the last one to leave the park.
Hollywood Studios:
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| (Toy Storyland at Rope Drop, No People!!!) |
Now Hollywood Studios is tricky... It's small. You really could do the entire park in less than one day. That is of course if you take advantage of rope drop, and reserve the correct FastPasses. Except for the shows... Hollywood studios have a lot of shows that take up a lot of time. I 100% recommend every single show Disney has to offer. But keep in mind, on certain nights "Fantasmic" and "Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular" happen at the same time... Both are great and you really should see both, so depending on what day of the week you are visiting... you may have to go for two different nights.
Fantasmic is a story. You follow Mickey Mouse on a dream adventure with appearances from some of your favorite Disney characters. This is basically the exact show you can see at Disneyland. The best (and really only) way to see Fantasmic is with a FastPass. A FastPass to a show means you don't have to wait around for hours for a decent seat. They save a section for you. Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular is the parks closing firework show. This also includes fun projected videos onto the Chinese Theater, so make sure you have a good view of the Theater for these Fireworks. If you are a Star Wars fan at all this show is amazing. It's a dedication to all of Star Wars movies. Fun, loud, bright, and over before you know it.
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| (View From The Desert Party) |
Animal Kingdom:
Personally, my favorite part about The Animal Kingdom is the animals. So many animals. You can find a lot of different animals all throughout this park. This also includes a bird show and Kevin. (Kevin is the giant bird from the movie UP) If you have some children in your pack or perhaps you're somewhat still a child at heart, I definitely recommend doing the "Wilderness Explorer" activity. You collect stickers while learning educational information all throughout the park. Once you collect all your badges, you become a "Senior Wildness Explorer." Which includes a big sticker, some fun facts, and bragging rights.
Everest is at the Animal Kingdom. This is for sure one of Disney World's more popular rides. The best part, it has a single rider line! If you didn't get a FastPass, don't worry. The single rider line for this ride goes extremely fast.
The River Of Light is Disney's newest nighttime show. Since this park is home to a lot of animals, The River Of Light has no fireworks. It does, however, include water, lights, music and even some fire. If you've never seen it I think you should. I personally don't like it, but I've heard a lot of people say they did. As I've mentioned before, 100% you should get a FastPass for this show. For this, and every night time show at Disney.If you have any picky eaters like me, the animal kingdom can be a hard place to find a good meal. Towards the back of the park, "Africa" and "Asia" both only have food that represents their area. But, if you stay at the front of the park right in the middle. You will find a BBQ and a Pizza place hopefully any kid will eat. The Rain Forest Cafe is also at the entrance if you are looking for a full sitdown meal.
Magic Kingdom:
I don't have too much to say about the Magic Kingdom. It is VERY similar to Disneyland. Although I do personally think it's a little better. The Castle is taller. It's Cinderella's instead of Aorura's so the surrounding decor and overall designs are completely different. I personally think you need two full days to fully enjoy the Magic Kingdom. It's by far the biggest of all the Walt Disney World parks. Some fun dining options include a character buffet breakfast or dinner inside the castle. But don't forget to reserve these in advance!
The Magic Kingdom is the only "dry" park. Be Our Guest fine-dining restaurant is the only place inside the Magic Kingdom that has alcohol. Although, it is only wine and you must have a reservation to eat here. Very fancy. Also delicious. The building is beautiful. You can meet Belle AND the Beast. But very expensive.
The rides are all basically the exact same. And the Dole Whip, also the same. Except the Magic Kingdom doesn't have "The Indiana Jones Ride" like Disneyland. This is a shame because that ride is great. Disney Worlds version is called "Dinosaur" at the Animal Kingdom. This also happens to be my favorite ride, so you should for sure check it out.
If you've been the Magic Kingdom before and are looking for something new to do. Watch the nighttime fireworks from inside the Swiss Family Tree House. If you climb all the way to the top you have a perfect view of the castle with the fireworks above it. No one does this except maybe the occasional teenagers who want to make out. So, for the most part, it's pretty quiet and far from the crazy mess below.
Disney Springs:
If you went to Disney five years ago or earlier you'll remember this as "Downtown Disney". It's basically the same just with some extreme additions. First off, there's about 500% more now. The parking garages are amazing. Tiny green lights will shine over ever empty stall making it incredibly easy for you to find an open spot.
Disney Springs is really just a giant mall. An expensive tourist trap mall with music, food, and booze. I personally love it. On the weekend you'll find some really fun entertainment. They also have boat cars you can ride on the water. As well as a giant balloon that can float you high into the sky on low-windy days. There are a million things to do at Disney Springs. You could spend an entire day at this park if you really wanted to. I recommend checking out what shops, restaurants, and shows they will have open while you are there to make a plan. It can be very easy to get lost and overwhelmed at this place. So keep that in mind and try to plan ahead!
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| (Typhoon's Giant Wave Pool) |
Water Parks:
The 2nd and 3rd most popular water parks in the world. (At least according to Google) There are definitely some pros and cons to both. If you are looking for a giant wave pool and pretty sweet tube slides Typhoon Lagoon is your answer. If you want tall body slides and a relaxing pool, Blizzard Beach in your friend. Both are great. Both are basically the same. Both have some dining options.
They aren't both open year-round, but at least one will be open at all times. My only real concern with the water parks... is you can't use them with your entrance pass to the other four parks. These water parks must be purchased with a separate pass. Although it is dramatically cheaper than the real parks so that's good news at least!
And there you have it! Here is my basic (or at least trying to be basic) rundown of all things Disney World. Keep an eye out for future Disney blogs if you liked this one. If you are planning a trip to Disney, I hope you have an amazing time. Please feel free to leave any comments or questions you'd like me to go over in a future blog.
Thanks!
xoxo, Breezy
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