doing Disney - part II
Welcome! If you are here from my first post on all things Disney planning - hey hey hey! If you haven’t read my first post feel free to check it out here for tips to help you plan your Disney trip. Once you do, and/or are ready for some day-of park tips, see below:
Prepare your day-of survival kit (aka day-to-day must haves).
Comfy shoes are non-negotiable, and you may need to bring a stroller even for your older children as it is not uncommon to walk 6+ miles a day.
Believe it or not, you may need strollers for all your kids - even older ones. If you are able to borrow a stroller (umbrella or something light) do so. If not, Disney has rentals from about $15 a day for single strollers, and $31 for double strollers. If you rent a stroller your rental is valid across all the parks (assuming you have the park hopper option), just be sure to keep your receipt for proof of your rental.
Pack snacks, water, juice, etc. and all the essentials you may need so you can avoid spending unnecessarily once at the park - or having to go back to your car. Fortunately, Disney allows you to bring in outside food and drinks, so plan accordingly.
Prepare for the weather. Whether it’s going to be hot, cold, rainy, or anything in between, prepare as much as you can because even in less-than-ideal conditions parks are typically open and operating as usual.
Create an “ideal” itinerary for each day.
Your itinerary should include the parks you will be visiting, and a list of any top priority rides, events that may require reservations, attractions, and dining options for days/meals you may not have already made reservations for.
I am personally not a fan of long lines - especially not with two toddlers, so we utilized the Lightning Lane feature for 95% of the rides that we rode while there. This was why it was so important to have an idea of the rides we wanted to get on.- and their popularity. Higher priority rides were the ones we booked right at 7 a.m. each day using Genie+.
The Lightning Lane (LL) system can be a little confusing, but essentially it is an option available to you primarily if you purchase Genie+. Genie+ is available for purchase at the beginning of each day (starting around $15 per person, per day). Once you purchase Genie+ you will be able to make one LL reservation every two hours* for a ride of your choice. You will be given a specific time in which you must arrive at that ride in order for your LL reservation to be honored.
Get familiar with the parking at each park, and be sure to take that into consideration when planning your reservation times for your first activities or rides. Magic Kingdom - for instance - is quite a ways from the parking lot and you need to take a Ferry boat or monorail to get there. Depending on preference, you may also chose to take a tram to the Ferry/monorail.
Take advantage of rider switch.
Rider switch allows your child to ride the same ride twice with a different adult without having to wait in the line again. One parent will accompany the child the first time around, and can then “tag” the other parent in so the child can ride with that parent the second time around. This is a helpful option if you have an uneven number of riders, or children who don’t meet the ride requirements which was the case for us.
Inform the ride attendant at the front of the line that you want to use rider switch, and they will make a notation so the second adult has no issue when it’s their turn.
Note sure where this makes the most sense to add - but you don’t HAVE to have a Magic Band. A Magic Band is a smart wristband that links to your account and can be used to scan in at rides, check in for your dining reservations, etc. It isn’t necessary but is a convenience some like to have. We opted out this time around and had a card instead of our bands which we were fine with for the money saving aspect. :)
Build in time to rest.
Whether that is 30 minutes for lunch, or a few hours for a nap, don’t underestimate how necessary rest will be for you and, especially for your kids. One day during our trip we went to Disney Springs (formerly Downtown Disney) for lunch. We planned to let the twins take a late nap that day but there was so much to see that we ended up skipping naps AND going out for dinner so the day was long and they were over it. Learn from my mistake and try to build in time for rest when possible.
Set a realistic daily budget.
Key word - realistic. I thought I did a good job at this, but then we decided not to pack lunch one day and ate at the park which was close to $100. A realistic budget doesn’t have to be exorbitant, it just needs to take into consideration days when you may end up going rouge on your plans, or wanting to indulge a bit more than you thought you might
One idea to stick to your budget is to purchase Disney gift cards - and use those for all your expenses while at the parks.
HAVE FUN!
Something about Disney brings out your inner child. Enjoy every minute of it!
I could seriously go on and on, but this post has already been split into two, and it’s still longer than I wanted it to be. Again, my apologies. Lol! That said, I do hope you find this info helpful as you make your plans! :) Let me know in the comments if you have ever been to Disney, and feel free to share any additional tips!