We love helping you all plan your Walt Disney World vacations. It is important to us here at How to Disney that you have the most magical time possible. To help you do just that, we are going to share some planning secrets. These are things that you really need to make sure you know about BEFORE you head down to Walt Disney World.
Knowing about these Disney planning secrets will help you show up feeling confident and ready to take on the magic. Let’s get started.
Take Time To Learn All Things Disney Genie
A huge new part of a Walt Disney World vacation is Disney Genie and all the features that come with it. Guests can use the free Disney Genie system during their vacation, or they can choose to pay for additional features such as Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lanes.
No matter what your opinion is on these features, we highly recommend taking time during your planning process to learn about them. Even if you don’t plan on purchasing Genie+ or using Individual Lightning Lanes during your Disney vacation, be aware of what they are, how they are used, and what they offer will make your feel more confident in your decision to use or not to use them.
Adding these features for families isn’t cheap. Knowing what they offer and how they can benefit your family is key during the planning process. Read up on these features HERE for more information as you plan.
Practice With My Disney Experience
My Disney Experience is going to be your key to all the magic. This is Disney’s official app that Guests will use throughout their Walt Disney World Resort vacation. As you plan, you will use this app for making dining reservations at the 60-day mark, but we highly recommend doing more than just that.
As this app is extremely important to your Disney vacation, we highly recommend taking time to navigate the app. Figure out where the main things are located within the app so you aren’t frustrated when you arrive. The app has so much to offer Guests, but it can be frustrating if you wait until you arrive at Magic Kingdom to open it for the first time.
My Disney Experience will be so helpful if you take time during your planning to look it over. As you are watching tv, take time to see what you can find in the app. It will make a huge difference when you arrive.
Know How To Mobile Order
Before heading down to Walt Disney World, make sure you know how to mobile order in the My Disney Experience App. This is essential for getting quick service meals while in a Theme Park or Disney Resort.
Guests are being asked to order their dining options through the app instead of ordering from a Cast Member. This is helping reduce contact; however, it can be overwhelming if you haven’t looked it over before heading to Disney World.
Also, keep in mind that you can order, and should order, before when you believe you will want to eat. This can help ensure that you get a pickup time that works for your travel party. You might not think you need to plan these quick-service meals, but it is something to prepare.
Use Early Entry or Extended Evening When Possible
A huge advantage for those staying at a Disney Resort is the extended hours that are being offered. When you are planning, consider taking advantage of these two offerings while at Disney.
The early Theme Park entry is available each morning to Disney Resort Guests at each theme Park. Each of the four theme parks opens thirty minutes early for Disney Resort Guests giving them a head start on the day.
Right now, extended evening Theme Park hours are only available to those Guests staying at a Disney Deluxe Resort or a Disney Deluxe Villa Resort. These are extra evening hours offered only at EPCOT and Disney’s Magic Kingdom on select nights for up to three hours. As you plan for your Walt Disney World vacation, consider taking advantage of these extra hours in the theme parks.
As you plan your days, make sure you are processing these advantages and determining if and how they will fit into your daily plans.
Walk It Out
Finally, we highly recommend taking time to train yourself for your Disney vacation. Start by preparing your body for all the walking you will be doing. Guests often walk 10-12 miles per day when in a Theme Park, so you will want to make sure you are ready for that ahead of time.
Get those shoes and your body ready for all that walking you are going to do. We even recommend getting the family out as well. When we trained our kids, they were able to do a lot more walking than the trips we skipped this part of our planning.
These are some of the planning secrets that we make sure we take time to figure out prior to our Walt Disney World vacation. Doing so ahead of time allows us to be more prepared when we arrive at a Disney Park.
Planning is a big part of a successful Walt Disney World vacation. By taking time to plan ahead, you are setting yourself up for success during your Disney vacation. You will be more knowledgeable and we all know that knowledge is power.
