Brought to you by TeamNerd Reviewer Annabell Cadiz
Top Ten Survival Tips to
Disney
Walt
Disney World is one of my MOST FAVORITE places and I have the blessing of
living only a few hours away from the parks. Thanks to my parents I have
visited Disney off and on since I was a kid. There are a good many lessons we
have learned over the years about how to survive a trip to Disney, especially
during the summer when Florida is boiling with such high temperatures it’s a
surprise anyone can go outside and not melt!
Having
just returned from trip to all four parks last weekend and ending up with the
flu the night I got back home, I thought it would be a fun idea to pass along
the wisdom I’ve learned over the years to those of you planning on taking a
trip in the future =)
1. Do Thy Homework. Walt Disney World is made up of A LOT of
different parks. There are four theme parks. Two water parks. Downtown Disney
which is filled with tons of restaurants and shops. Tons of hotels. It’s way
better to know where you want to go and better to know where your hotel is.
Trust me, driving around trying to find a vacancy, especially during the summer
when tourists come flocking, is so not how you want to spend your time before
your Disney-related fun. Townhouse is the best way to go if you have a really
large party. (Getting a townhouse is also a good way to save money on food. You can cook dinner the night before and breakfast every morning before heading out *wink*)
2. Ticket Check. This another area you definitely want to do
your homework on. Disney has a variety of tickets they offer for a variety of
events they do throughout the year and for how to spend your day at the parks.
There’s the Regular Admission which is a 1-Day ticket to one park. Or a 3-day ticket
to visit one park or a 4-Day pass. But Disney also has rules to every type of
ticket. There are block out dates you have to pay specific attention to. You
also have to decide if you want to add any options to the ticket you buy like
the Park Hopper option which will allow you to hop from one theme park to
another without getting into any trouble. But adding options to your ticket
changes the price so be sure to pay close attention when purchasing. There are
special events that go on throughout the year in all Disney parks which means
the parks shut down at certain times to Regular Ticket holders but stay opened
to those who not only purchase the Regular Ticket but also the ticket for the
special event. So Do Your Homework! (P.S. You also have to pay for parking so
take that into consideration when making a budget. UNLESS you have an Annual
Pass then you don’t have to pay for parking).
3. Car of Choice. Taking your own car may
seem like the logical thing to do but it will actually be a better idea to rent,
especially if you’re going with a big group of people. The milage driving to
Disney would place on your car, especially from a different state would suck
not including the wear on your tires. We always rent a car even though we only
live a few hours away. (Make sure to factor gas into the budget!)
4. Shoes Do Matter. Disney is HUUUUUGE! You
will spend HOURS on your feet. Standing in line. Walking around from end of the
park to another. Your feet will HATE you if you do not have the proper footwear
to survive an entire day running around. Do NOT wear sandals, boots, heels (you
figure this would be a given but you would be surprised) or flats. As much as
anyone wants to look super cute when they’re surrounded by hundreds of
strangers, it’s not worth having feet problems later. Best bet to go with
always is a really good pair of sneakers. If you plan on going more than one
day to more than one park, bring two different pair of sneakers to wear the
different pair the next day so you’re feet will be more uncomfortable.
5. It’s All About the Hair. Florida has ridiculous
weather and being out in the open all day will eventually wreak havoc on your
hair. No doubt about it. You can straighten your hair, put as much anti-frizz
crap as you want in it but it’s still not going to be able to withstand the
force of Mother Nature. Best bet to go with is to wear your hair 1) in a
ponytail or 2) in a braid or 3) in a bun. Wearing your hair down, especially
during the summer, will not only leave you with a puff ball of a bee hive but
make you even hotter and annoyed.
6. A Royal Dinner. The parks have many places to eat and in
selective restaurants guests can eat with Disney Princesses. You have to make a
reservation ahead of time because the restaurants (like Belle’s Castle in Magic
Kingdom or Akershus Royal Banquet at Epcot) fill up VERY quickly all year
round.
7. Weather Protected. Whether it’s summer time in Florida or
winter time, you can always count on rain coming to pay a visit. During the
summer, make sure to pack a raincoat. It’s easier than carrying an umbrella and
rain season in Florida hits hard throughout June and July in Florida since
Hurricane Season begins June 1st. September is also a very rainy month. During
October to February, pack a raincoat AND a jacket. We may not get cold weather
the same way the north does but when you combine heavy rain and high winds, you
will definitely be freezing!
8. Avoid a Visit to the Doctor. Since the weather shifts from
hot to rainy back to hot again or from cold to rainy whenever it feels like it
and throw in hundreds of people who may or may not wash their hands after going
to the bathroom or sneezing or eating, it’s really easy to catch the flu or
possibly something worse. Packing cold medicine is a good idea but there are
also precautions you can take before you actually start to feel sick. Take
vitamins like Ester C to boost your immune system. Airborne is also really
good. Allergy medicine such as Non-Drowsy Clartin to keep on hand while at the
park will be most helpful too as well as Ibuprofen or Advil. Pack a small
bottle of antibacterial soap too and/or wipes.
9. Backup Ready. If you have kids, packing an extra pair of
clothes, socks, and underwear is definitely a good way to go. Kids get messy
very quickly and sweaty and since some rides at Disney do get you wet, bringing
extra clothes, particularly for the little ones, will help keep them
comfortable and you less stressed. (Make sure you chose a bag that isn’t too
heavy and one you won’t mind carrying around throughout the day).
10. Keepsakes. There are some really awesome and beautiful
things sold throughout all the parks in Disney BUT they are quite pricy, so
save buying souvenirs for the family for the stores outside of Disney around
the hotels and such. You’ll find really great gifts for far cheaper prices. BUT
inside the park there are specific gifts you won’t find anywhere else like the
different types of Minnie and Mickey hats or the variety of cool Nightmare
Before Christmas stuff or the Disney collectible cups. Those are worth spending
some money on because they really are beautiful keepsakes ;)
So that wraps up this edition of Disney-related tips. It may seem like a lot of work to plan a trip to Walt Disney World but trust me, it is definitely worth all the work! They aren't lying when they say it's the happiest place on earth ;)
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