Disney Tips for First Timers!

Going to Disney World in Orlando or Disney Land in Anaheim or going on a Disney cruise at any time of the year is going to be busy. If there are less busy times it would be after the second week in January through the first week of February, and the third week of August through the first week of October. As you can tell, those are when school semesters begin. Of course, if you can't go at those times, the best thing to do is to plan a long way in advance....how long? A good suggestion would be at least 10 months out. That way you could get the best airfare too.

A blog for The Travel Insider, written by Cara Goldsbury, had several good tips for the prospective visitor who wants to take the family to Disney, and related to the above suggestion, she says to plan way ahead.

Just prepare the family that you want to get to the Park rides early. Yes, this is a vacation, but you can knock off a bunch of rides, even take one or two several times, by being among the first to get to the attractions. Then, if you want to take a nap or engage in a little “down” time, do that in the afternoon while everyone else is enjoying standing in line.

An attraction that all the children want is to have breakfast at Cinderella's Royal Table. This takes some serious planning ahead. Cara suggests that you call exactly 90 days prior to your intended appointment. Call at 7AM Orlando time on that day for priority seating.

One tip that is often forgotten, especially during the summer, is that you might anticipate a shower, especially in the afternoon during the summer months. Be prepared, even though it looks bright and sunny in the morning, or if you get caught, you can always purchase one of the rain ponchos in almost any store on the property.

Disney's Magic Band is a super-magic time saver. You get these wrist bands that will serve as your room key, your admission to the Park, your charge card, your dinner reservation device, and other handy advantages.

To keep from having to stand in line for meals, seriously consider pre-arranging priority seating. Plan ahead and make reservations and on arrival you'll receive the next table available for your party size, saving you a lot of time and frustration.

One of the other suggestions she makes is to bring pagers or make sure everyone has a cell phone. This is especially helpful if you have a mixture of older teenagers and younger children in the group who might not want to do the same things as everyone else. Having these devices helps to stay in contact. It's a large park and trying to find someone is nerve-wracking.

Make sure your footwear is broken in; don't go off and purchase new shoes to visit Disney....your “dogs” will be “barking” that night and won't want to go out the next day. Probably the best tip is to remember that you can't do everything at any Disney in three days, so don't go ninety miles an hour, but as Cara suggests, “slow down and enjoy the magic”.

We have Disney experts at The Travel Factory...all of us have been there and sold it a bunch, so for a Disney trip or anywhere else, give the experienced travel counselors a call at 698-1421 or toll-free 800-760-4040. Drop in for some wise advice on all things travel at 4150 Southwest Drive. We'd love to get you outta town!!!