Before you even think about buying your tickets for your Disney World trip, you need to do some legwork to make sure that your family can get the most out of the vacation. No one wants to spend the kind of money you will spend for a Disney vacation only wait in line after line for a week. With the right planning, everyone can have a blast on a vacation to Orlando!
Get Some Help
The first place to go to get help planning your vacation is a travel agent who specializes in Walt Disney World vacations. These agents will be able help you locate the most affordable tickets. For instance, you can use a "Park Hopper" pass to see more than one of the four parks in the same day, but you may not know about this feature without the help of a specialized travel agent. You may even be able to save some money by booking a package that combines tickets, airfare, hotels, and even meals through your travel agent.
Deciding When to Go
When you visit the parks is important as you plan your Disney trip. Most people visit during the summer when the kids are out of school. This means the summer is the most crowded season at the parks, second only to Christmas. It is also the hottest time of year in Florida, which means that you will be hot and tired while waiting in extensive lines. If you can, try to plan a trip in the early spring or fall. These are slow times, and you will also enjoy the weather quite a bit more.
Choose the Right Park Ticket
Buying tickets to Walt Disney World parks is not as simple as you might think. The tickets are called "Magic Your Way," and this is because you can customize them with a variety of features. The basic ticket only allows you to visit one park per day for a set number of days, and you must use the tickets within 14 days of using it the first time. You can add a "no expiration" feature for an additional fee. This will allow you to use the ticket at another trip to Orlando if you are, for some reason, unable to use all of the days you purchased on your first trip.
The "Park Hopper" addition allows you to travel from park to park in the same day. This is a great feature, especially when you realize that Animal Kingdom closes at 6 P.M., yet there is still plenty of time to see something else after 6. Finally, you can add the "Water Park Fun & More" feature to your tickets. This allows you to visit other Disney attractions like DisneyQuest, the water parks, the Wide World of Sports, and Pleasure Island.
Once You Arrive
There are many tips and tricks you can use to make your trip to Walt Disney World more enjoyable. Before you head out, pick up a guidebook that will help you plan out your trip to the parks. Each park has busy and slow days during the week, and these guidebooks will help you visit the parks on their slower days. They will also help you map out a route that avoids the crowds. For instance, if you hit some of the more popular rides during a parade, you will avoid the long lines.
Be sure to take advantage of Disney's Fast Pass system. This allows you to get a ticket for a popular ride that has a time stamped on it. You carry the ticket with you while you ride other rides, and return to the popular attraction at the stamped time. You can then bypass the line and ride. You have basically spent your "waiting in line" time riding other rides! A good Disney guidebook will help you find all of these tips and tricks to make your family's Disney trip the vacation of a lifetime!