Congrats! You are going to Disney World! While it is an exciting time and I am sure you are ready to be taking in all the sights and sounds of the theme parks, you may be feeling a bit overwhelmed right now. There can be a lot of planning for a Walt Disney World trip, and I am here to help you every step of the way! I was a Cast Member at Disney World for almost four years, and now I have been an Annual Passholder for almost two years. I go to the parks A LOT and I absolutely love helping others have the best experience possible. I also have lots of information about Universal Orlando, SeaWorld, as well as other things to check-out in the Orlando area. However, I know if you clicked here you are most interested in Disney World, so let’s dive in!
Walt Disney World Overview
I am going to start with a brief overview of Disney World and what to expect. The Walt Disney World Resorts consists of four theme parks: Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. In addition to these four theme parks, there are also two waterparks (Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon). There is also a shopping, dining, and entertainment district called Disney Springs. Plus the resorts also contains a huge variety of hotels, mini golf courses, and even a full-sized golf course. There is lots and lots to discover at Disney World, and I am going to start off by saying you won’t be able to see it all on your trip. I have lived in Orlando for over five years now and there are still lots of things that I haven’t tried. However, that is a good thing! That means that there is a lot to do, and you will be able to find the activities that is best for your group.
How to Get To Disney World
Alright, one of the first questions you will need to answer is how are you going to get to Disney World. Disney World is located a bit south of Downtown Orlando and is truly located in a touristy area. Disney World itself is HUGE and you will need to utilize some sort of transportation once you are here to get around. There are two options for airports that you could use to get to Disney World. The first and most popular airport is Orlando International Airport (MCO). Orlando International Airport will have the most flight options and is located relatively close to Disney World. Depending on traffic, you can expect the trip to generally take less than 30 minutes. The second option would be to fly into Sanford International Airport (SFB) which is a smaller airport and farther away from Disney World. You can expect the trip from Sanford International Airport to take at least 45 minutes.
Of course, you can always drive to Disney World, which many people opt for so they also have a car when they arrive. You can always rent a car at the airport, or rely on Disney World Transportation to move throughout the resort. Disney World Transportation is excellent and you will be able to get wherever you want within Disney World, however, if you are hoping to explore outside of Disney World, you will need to utilize a rental car/Uber/Lyft/etc.
Disney World Tickets
I would highly recommend purchasing your Disney World tickets ahead of time and directly from Disney World. You may see discount booths or discount websites to purchase tickets, but these can be scams and could put a big wrench in your trip. The best route is to purchase tickets directly from Disney World. When looking at tickets, you will notice there are a couple of different options. You can get a One-Park ticket or a ticket with the Park Hopper Option. A one-park ticket will only allow you to enter one park per day, whereas a Park Hopper ticket will allow you to visit as many theme parks as you want in a day. Tickets for the waterparks are sold separately or can be added on to your ticket with a Park Hopper Plus ticket. If you anticipate you will be going to the parks quite often, you can also take a look at purchasing an Annual Pass. Florida residents will have multiple tiers to choose from, while out-of-state guests will only be able to purchase the top tier Annual Pass.
In addition to theme park tickets, there are also a few after hours events that require an additional ticket purchase. These events include Disney After Hour at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Magic Kingdom. As well events such as Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party will also require you to purchase an additional ticket to attend.
Accommodations at Disney World
There are a lot of options to choose from when selecting where you will stay while visiting Disney World. The Walt Disney World Resort boasts over 30 resorts to choose from, or you can also select from Good Neighbor Hotels, or numerous other hotels in the Orlando area. You do get a few perks for staying at a Disney World hotel. These perks include Early Entry into the theme parks 30 minutes before they open for normal guests, the ability to purchase a Disney Dining Plan, the option to utilize Disney World Transportation, and a water park admission ticket on check-in day in 2025. As well, if you are staying at a Disney Deluxe Resort or a Disney Deluxe Villa Resort, you will also be able to take advantage of Extended Evening Theme Park Hours.
If you choose to stay at a Good Neighbor Hotel, you can also take advantage of Early Entry into the theme parks. As well, some of these resorts offer transportation to the theme parks.
What You Need to Do in Advance
To be honest, you could do a lot in advance, but I am going to cover the few main things you should focus on. First of all, planning you travel to Disney World, purchasing tickets, and booking a hotel should all be done in advance. In addition to that, I would recommend familiarizing yourself at least briefly with all of the theme parks. Have a general idea of which things are a must-do for you and your group. If you are interested in booking sit-down meals at Disney World, I also suggest making those reservations in advance. If you are staying at a Disney Resort hotel you can begin making reservations 60 days in advance of your arrival for the entire length of your stay. If you are not staying at a Disney World hotel, you can also begin making reservations 60 days in advance, but you will only be able to make them a day at a time, not for the whole length of your stay. At around 6am ET, new reservation booking windows become available.
As well, ahead of your trip I highly recommend downloading the My Disney Experience app and familiarizing yourself with how to use it. This app will have lots of information during your trip, and you will also be able to book dining reservations on the app. I also recommend learning about the Genie+ service at Disney World and deciding whether you want to utilize the service. The Genie+ Service replaced the old FastPass+ system and is a additional paid service that will allow you to skip the line. Genie+ pricing varies depending on the day and how crowded the parks are expected to be. If you purchase Genie+, you will still need to go on the My Disney Experience app to make your ride selections. You can also purchase Individual Lightning Lanes for certain very popular attractions. These attractions are not included in the Genie+ service and need to be purchased separately. The attractions that utilize the Individual Lightning Lane are: Avatar Flight of Passage, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, TRON Lightcycle / Run, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. Keep reading below for more information about the virtual queue that is available for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and TRON Lightcycle / Run.
While at Disney World
While you are at Walt Disney World, your first task is to have lots of fun! I also have a few tips to make the most of your trip while there. First of all, I want you to be aware of virtual queues. These are used for only a few rides at Disney World, but unless you get a virtual queue or Individual Lightning Lane for them, you won’t be able to ride them. No stand-by line is available. These rides are TRON Lightcycle / Run in Magic Kingdom, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind in EPCOT, and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in Magic Kingdom (opening June 28th, 2024). You can join the virtual queue through the My Disney Experience app at 7am or 1pm on the day of your trip to that park. For the 7am queue, you can be anywhere to join, however for the 1pm queue, you will have to have scanned into that park. As well, if you opted to purchase the Genie+ service, you will need to make your selections beginning at 7am.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me! I want to make sure you have the best vacation and I am here to help! ~Colette