Tips for first timers going to Disney World

Finally made that big decision to go to Disney World, what do you do next?  Plan Plan Plan.  I can not stress enough how important it is to plan for your Disney World trip.  It is not a type of vacation that you can wing it, I mean you can if you want to miss most of the fun stuff.  Here are my tips for having a great Disney trip.

1. In my opinion you need about nine moths to a year to plan a great trip if you are going for the first time.
2. Decide on your budget.   If you wish to stay on property decide where you would like to stay.  There are total of 25 different properties to stay at that can fit any ones needs.
3. Do you want a hopper pass ( if travelling with small kids I don’t recommend a hopper pass) and how many days you want to go to the park.
4. Some people including me when I went first time,  have no idea how big Disney World is.  It is 40 square miles, the size of San Francisco and twice the size of Manhattan.  You pretty much have to relay on Disney’s free transportation to get around just about anywhere.
5. If staying on property you get a free Magic Band.  Make sure you customize the color otherwise you will all have gray.    If you would like to learn more about Magic Bands check out What is a MagicBand?
   

   
6. I Highly recommend making dinning reservations 180 days in advance especially if you wish to dine with that special character.
7. Make your Fast Pass+ reservation 60 days in advance if staying on property.  Make sure you download My Disney Experience App and link your reservations to it.  If you would like some tips on Fast Pass check out Disney World’s Fast Pass Tier System
8. If you are making Fast Pass reservations for some of the hard to get attractions make those towards the end of your trip.  Easier to get.
9. Photo Pass photographers will take free photos with your camera
10. Make a Daily Plan be flexible and plan a break.  Parks can get very crowded so having a plan can help . If you wold like to see a sample of mine Our Epcot Day – how we do Epcot
11. No gum sold on property
12. Free airport transportation to and from
13. Transportation will almost always take longer than anticipated so plan accordingly
14. No admission ticket required for Disney Springs and Disney Boardwalk
    

    
15. If not using a Disney Dining Plan always do Character Breakfast it is cheaper
16. Disney is Food Allergy Friendly
17. You can get a free cup of ice water at almost all quick service restaurants .

These are just few tips that I have.  I am sure there are many more.  Leave a comment if you have a great tip that you would like to share.

Thanks for reading

Sonja