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Cara Goldsbury - Author of The Luxury Guide to Walt Disney World
TIPS FOR DISNEY WORLD FIRST-TIMERS
So you’ve finally decided to head to Walt Disney World. With so much to see and do, it’s important to come prepared. Here are some excellent tips to make your trip one that will be remembered for a lifetime.
Slow down and enjoy the magic
Resist the urge to see everything at breakneck speed. You can’t possibly cover it all, so think of this as your first trip to Disney, not your last. There will be time to pick up all the things you missed on the next go-round.
Plan ahead
Decide ahead of time what your priorities are and make a plan of action.
Get to the parks early!
It’s amazing, particularly in busy season, how many of the popular rides you can knock off before half the “World” gets out of bed.
Take time for a rest in the middle of the day
Stay at one of the Magic Kingdom or Epcot resorts, allowing a return in the middle of the day for a nap or dip in the pool.
Call exactly 180 days prior at 7 AM Orlando time for priority seating if breakfast at Cinderella’s Royal Table in the Magic Kingdom is tops on your child’s list
The only way you might get away with sleeping in and booking a bit later for this highly coveted character breakfast is if you are traveling in extremely slow season.
Come prepared for an afternoon shower during the rainy summer months even if the sky looks perfectly clear in the morning
Rent a locker to store your raingear and circle back if skies start to look threatening. However, if you’re caught unprepared, just about every store in the parks sells inexpensive rain ponchos.
Use Fastpass, Disney’s free, nifty timesaving device
It’s offered at all four theme parks and is a great way to save hours of waiting in line. Just insert your park pass in one of the machines located at each individual Fastpass attraction and receive a ticket printed with a designated one-hour window in which you may return and enter a special line with little or no waiting.
Pre-arrange Advance Dining Reservations, Disney’s answer to dining reservations, by calling 407-WDW-DINE
On arrival you’ll receive the next table available for your party size, thus saving hours of frustration and waiting.
Allow plenty of time to reach the theme parks each morning
It’s easy to miss your breakfast seating if you don’t allocate enough time.
Be spontaneous
If something catches your eye, even if it’s not on your daily list of things to do, stop and explore. If not, you could miss something wonderful.
Realize the limitations of your children
If they’re tired, take a break. If their feet hurt, get them a stroller (forget that they outgrew one years ago). If a ride scares them don’t force the issue. Such precautions will make your day and the day of other park visitors a lot less stressful.
Bring pagers, 2-way radios, or cell phones to keep in touch if your party plans on splitting up
Wear broken-in, comfortable footwear
Better yet, bring two pairs and rotate them. Nothing is worse than blisters on your first day and then nursing them for the remainder of your vacation.
Provided the following credit is given, you are welcome to reprint these article for free.
Cara Goldsbury is the author of The Luxury Guide to Walt Disney World, 2nd: How to Get the Most Out of the Best Disney Has to Offer available at www.luxurydisneyguide.com, Amazon.com, or your local bookstore. Visit her at www.luxurydisneyguide.com.
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Cara Goldsbury
Author of The Luxury Guide to Walt Disney World
http://www.luxurydisneyguide.com
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http://www.luxurydisneyguide.com/newsletter.htm
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