Tips & Tricks to Get the Most Out of Your Disney World Vacation

Disney World is often called the most wonderful place on Earth, but if you aren't prepared you might not get as much out of your trip as you could. I've been to Disney my fair share of times, and each time I learn more ways to maximize the magic of my experience. Here are some of the tips and tricks I have learned over the years.

The first tip I have to get the most out of your trip to Disney World is to get Park Hopper tickets. These tickets allow you to go to multiple parks each day. You can add this option to the Magic Your Way tickets for $52 per ticket. The Park Hopper option allows you to go to more shows and parades as well as Extra Magic Hours because you can go from one park to another and back to the first park if you want. Another tip for getting the most out of you Disney vacation is to stay at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel. This will help you on your vacation because the hotels provide transportation to and from the parks as well as Downtown Disney and the Boardwalk. Also, you don't have to pay to park, and trust me that will add up fast. Taking advantage of Extra Magic Hours is my third tip for getting the most out of your Disney World vacation. Each day, one of the 4 Disney parks opens an hour early or stays open up to 3 hours late. You must stay at a Disney Hotel to qualify for Extra Magic Hours. Not all of the attractions are open during Extra Magic Hours, but the most popular ones usually are. Every time I've gone to Disney World I have gone to the parks for Extra Magic Hours. You practically walk on rides or attractions that would normally have at least a 45-minute wait. The Walt Disney World website offers Extra Magic Hour information, including which attractions are open at the different parks. (Click Here for the link to that information.) Disney World offers Disney Magical Express Transportation to guests that are staying at Disney Resort Hotels. Depending on what time your flight arrives, Disney will collect your baggage from the airport for you and deliver it to your hotel. The Magical Express then takes you to your hotel. We always take the Magical Express and it saves so much time. Last time our flight got in late, and we took the Magical Express to our Disney hotel. We got to the hotel at midnight, hopped on a bus to Magic Kingdom for the Extra Magic Hours, and we were at the park by 12:30. We didn't have to stress about anything and it gave us more time at the parks. Also, if you stay at a Disney Resort hotel, you can check in for your flight home at your hotel. Disney will take your bags to the airport and whenever you are ready the Magical Express takes you to the airport. This is also a HUGE time saver. On my last trip to Disney World we checked out bags at the hotel and spent the day at Downtown Disney. We caught a bus back to our hotel and got straight on the Magical Express to go to the airport. That probably gave us an extra hour to spend in Downtown Disney.

Now I have some tips for when you're at the park. Nobody likes waiting in long lines for rides and attractions, and this is why Disney came up with Fast Passes. When you Fast Pass a ride you insert your ticket into a machine and it prints out a ticket for the ride or attraction you want with a time on it. You can come back anytime after the time printed on the ticket and enter the Fast Pass line. This line bypasses the main line. After you Fast Pass a ride it will tell you the next time you can Fast Pass another ride. This lets you get more out of your day because you aren't spending as much time waiting in long lines. I also suggest the Single Rider option that many rides offer. I am in a family of 5 and we frequently use the Single Rider line on Mission Space and Test Track. This option greatly decreases your wait time, but you might not be seated with your party. Disney cast members will use people from the Single Rider line to fill empty seats. For example, if a ride holds 4 people and a family of 3 get on they will use a single rider to fill the extra seat. Also, I encourage everyone visiting Disney World to go to as many parades and shows as possible but there is one that my family goes to every time we visit Disney World and it is my absolute favorite. The show is called Fantasmic and it's at Disney's Hollywood Studios. The show is 25 minutes long and involves fireworks, laser lights, and water effects. It can get kind of loud so if you have small children you might want to take that into consideration. Seats at the shows fill up fast, so get there early. You will also want to check Disney's website to see how many shows there will be the night you want to go. (Click Here for information on Fantasmic from Disney's website.) I also recommend going to Character Meals. There are a variety of these to choose from and different characters appear at different meals. My top three favorites that I've gone to are Cinderella's Royal Table breakfast, Chef Mickey, and The Garden Grill. You will be able to find a meal that is right for your family, and it will be unforgettable. This is a great opportunity to get pictures with the characters. (Click Here for Character Dining information from Disney's website.) The last tip I have for you is to have fun and leave your worries behind!

I hope these tips and tricks will help make your Walt Disney World vacation one that's filled with magic and fun. Remember, this is your vacation and it should not be stressful. Relax and let the magic begin!