Here are our 15 Tips To Know Before Your First Walt Disney World Vacation! Planning a Walt Disney World Vacation can be daunting even for the seasoned professional but here’s how to make all your dreams come true. Now more than ever, there is no more perfect time to be trip planning and nothing is more magical than planning for your very first trip to the most magical place on earth, the Walt Disney World Resort.
You’ve made your reservation, the magical trip is booked, congratulation’s the hard part is over- BREATH! We’ve compiled a list of fifteen tips; I think are important components when visiting the most magical place on earth. Here we go with some of our favorite tips for your first Walt Disney World vacation.
Have a strategic plan before your trip; Disney is not the place to wing it. Research the attractions, layout & meet & greets ahead of time. I promise the proactive approach is the only way to see WDW efficiently & will cause fewer headaches & aggravation. Trust me….
Do not park hop on your first trip, try to concentrate on one park a day. Disney World is too large & getting to & fro is more time consuming than you might think.
Make your advance dining reservations (ADR’s) before you leave home. Especially if you attend during peak season. Dining Reservations-(407) 939-1947
Nursing mothers or parents of small children; WDW has baby care centers available at all four theme parks. Open during regular park hours, each full-service facility is complimentary to use. Also a comfortable setting for a child who’s misplaced his parents, lost children will be looked after until a parent arrives.
Don’t forget that as of last year Disney Parks will become smoke-free along with changes to what stroller sizes will be allowed and no more loose or dry ice will be allowed!
Last year guests visiting the Disney Parks will see these changes implemented including the removal of smoking areas within parks and the adjustment of park policies related to stroller size, wagons, and loose ice. You can read all of the new changes here.
You can have a wake-up call from a character- If you’re staying on-site, you can request a wake-up call and most the time- it will be a character.
Adults can ride big rides even if the kids can’t- Disney has a system called “Rider Switch” that will allow the older members of your family to ride while the younger riders wait. You simply tell the Cast Member at any ride that has a height requirement that you’d like to do a Rider Switch. They’ll give you a Rider Switch pass (which works like a FastPass) so that after you ride, you can hand it to the other half of your party and they can ride without waiting in line.
Free Disney world maps are available in advance of your trip. WDW provides interactive online maps as well as many great video resources to help you decide which attractions are best for your family. Also, don’t forget to check out the Disney Parks Moms Panel and your Disney Travel Professional for all of your planning advice.
Walt Disney World Transportation makes it convenient to visit; Magical Express (Courtesy airport transportation to & from Orlando International, if staying at a WDW Resort Hotel) to the plethora of buses, boats & monorail that can take you between the Disney Resort hotels, theme parks, water parks and shopping venues.
You are allowed to bring food items; such as light snacks or foods that do not require heating into Disney theme parks. And remember that dry ice and loose ice is not allowed through the security checkpoints.
Restricted items from the theme parks: Wagons, Skateboards, Inline skates, shoes with built-in wheels, strollers larger than 36″ x 52″ (92 x 132 cm), coolers or backpacks with or without wheels larger than 24″ (61 cm) long x 15″ (38 cm) wide x 18″ (46 cm) high. Coolers required for medication may be stored in a locker or at Guest Relations. Alcoholic beverages, weapons of any kind, Folding chairs, Glass containers (excluding baby food jars and perfume bottles), Pets (unless they are service animals) Balloons, straws and drink lids are not permitted in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park for the safety of our animals. Tripod stands or monopod stands that cannot fit inside a standard backpack (per the WDW website)
Walt Disney World provides Guests with disabilities -the Disability Access Service Card. It helps the guest and a number of people from his or her party—to schedule a return time at a specific attraction. For more information-guests should visit the Guest Relations Lobby located at the entrance of each theme park.
Use your Fastpass + whenever possible. You can book in advance by linking your park tickets to your resort reservation by using “My Disney Experience.” You can book up to 30 days in advance. Bonus- If you’re a WDW resort guest you can book up to 60 days in advance.
Plan your park day appropriately- according to the least busy day of the week, calendar of special events, coincide with Extra Magic Hours (view online or at your resort) & even the direction in which you manage (walk) each theme park. All of the factors will aid in overall magical experience.
What tips would you add to our 15 things to know before your first Walt Disney World Trip? There’s no better time than right now to start planning for trip to visit the Walt Disney World Resort, the most Magical Place on Earth. 
