Five Things You Should Know Before You Visit Walt Disney World

Planning a trip to Walt Disney World near Orlando, Florida can be overwhelming. There are so many options as to when to go, where to stay, and what to see. To help you plan your vacation be sure to you take in to account these five essential things you should know before you visit Walt Disney World.

Stay at a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel
When visiting Walt Disney World near Orlando, Florida, you have many choices of where to stay. Within the Walt Disney World resort, there are 32 hotels and outside of Walt Disney World's 47 square miles there are hundred of hotels within just a few miles of the Magic Kingdom. When considering where to stay, many people assume the hotels within Walt Disney World are too expensive and look for off site accommodations. While some rooms at the top Walt Disney World hotels such as Disney's Contemporary Resort or Disney's Grand Floridan Report and Spa can cost $500 or more a night, there are some Disney hotels where the rooms start at around $79 per night (and sometimes less during promotions). Disney's Value Resorts (the term Disney uses to describe their lower-cost hotel offerings) offer lower-priced accommodations but are still within the Walt Disney World resort (check out this article on Disney Value resorts).

But no matter where you stay within Walt Disney World, a Value Resort all the way up to a Deluxe Resort, there are many benefits to staying at a Walt Disney World resort hotel. Regardless of how much you paid for your Walt Disney World accommodation, there are may free benefits that everyone staying at any Walt Disney World are entitled to, and they make it worthwhile to consider staying at a Walt Disney World for your next visit. For a list of some of the main benefits, click here.

Realize You Can't Do it all in One Trip
The biggest mistake many first time visitors make is trying to do everything during their visit. And those first time visitors who do try to do it all inevitably feel overwhelmed and disappointed. Walt Disney World is huge, it it can often take more than one day to see most of the attractions in just one park. The best approach is to plan what you and your family want to see and do and then do those attractions (for my list of 7 things that every Walt Disney World vacation must include click here). Then, if you have time, discover what else Walt Disney Worlds has to offer.

If You're Visiting During the Summer Be Prepared for the Weather
The average high temperature for the summer months in Orlando (June, July, and August) is 91 degrees with the average low temperatures in the mid 70s. And, most summer afternoons in Orlando there are rainstorms. The rain usually lasts only an hour or so, but it can be severe with thunder and lightning.

Be sure you pack light, airy clothes to wear while in the theme parks. While many of the queue areas for the attractions are indoors or undercover, you will find yourself queuing outside, often in direct sunlight. And in the Magic Kingdom, the daily parade is presented at 3pm; a time when the sun in most intense. Because you won't want to miss the parade, be sure you wear lots of sunscreen (actually, it's a good idea to apply sunscreen several times daily regardless if you're in direct sunlight or not - the Florida sun can be intense and nothing ruins a vacation faster than a bad sunburn!). When it comes to the rain, the best thing to do is to duck into a restaurant for a meal or an indoor show and enjoy yourself as it passes by. Also, don't wait until you're in the theme parks to buy rain ponchos. Sure, the ones they sell in the theme parks have a cute Mickey Mouse on the back, but they'll set you back about $10 each. The better option is to buy yours before visiting from a store like Wal-Mart where cheap disposable rain ponchos will cost around a dollar. Also, rain ponchos are a great way to stay dry (mostly) on those water rides like Splash Mountain or, if you're visiting Sea World and want to sit in Shamu's splash zone during the, Shamu show!

If You Want to Save Some Money on Hotels, and Spend Less Time in Line for the Attractions, Consider Visiting in the Off Season
Walt Disney World is the least busy, and hotels are less expensive, during off-peak times. Besides visiting during off-peak times to save some money, the parks are less crowded and you'll wait in line for rides much less then you would other times.

The off-peak times for Walt Disney World are basically anytime that schools are in session (that leaves out summer, Christmas to New Years, and Easter). Generally, the least busy period is the first week of January. And being Florida, it's not always cold in January, and the temperatures can be in the 70s.

Tickets for the Disney theme parks can be expensive. A one day, one park ticket can cost around $75 dollars. There are ways to save money, often substantial savings, if you know where to look.

Buy Your Theme Park Tickets Before you Leave for Walt Disney World
Admission to Disney theme parks can be expensive. A one day, one park ticket now costs over $80 dollars for an adult. But don't worry, there are ways to save money, often substantial savings, if you know where to look.

If you are member of, or a family member of someone in the US Military, there are discounts available on base or at Walt Disney World (often, members of the US Military get in for free).

AAA Members can get discounts at the gate or in advance through your local AAA office. Often times, depending on the number of days you're staying, it's worthwhile to join AAA just to get the savings on Disney tickets.

There are also great savings for Florida residents; however, proof of Florida residency is required. Check out www.disneyworld.com for the latest specials.