After three generations of my family not only survived but thoroughly enjoyed a week-long trip to Disney World, we made a list of our best ideas on how to make your trip more relaxed and entertaining.
Plan, but be flexible
It helps to come up with an itinerary of which days you’ll visit which parks, especially if you’re staying at a Disney World resort. In that case, check online for Extra Magic Hours (visit and clock on “Park Hours”), the days and times when each park opens early and stays open later (such as the Magic Kingdom, which stays open until 3 a.m. some nights) only for resort guests. Those times are much less crowded, especially in the morning. Plan your visits to each park based on that. Not staying on the property? Plan in extra time for driving and parking.
Stay on-site if you can
The trade-offs for the added cost of staying at a Disney property are considerable. Yes, you’ll pay less by staying off-property. However, think about the cost of parking, the time you’ll spend sitting in the long lines to get to the parks (the buses and ferries are faster and easier to navigate) and the fact that you can’t go back to your room for naps or snacks (or even full meals, if you stay at a condo or campsite).
In addition, you don’t need a rental car if you stay on the property and don’t plan to go anywhere else; you can take a taxi or the free Magical Express to and from the airport. And, if you’re a shopper, you can have anything you buy at any of the resorts sent back to your room, so no lugging it around — they scan your room key, and your stuff is waiting for you when you return.
Divide and conquer
Split up the kids among adults to go on different rides, or have one parent take them to the pool while the other one sneaks a nap or goes for a walk. That way, everyone gets a break from answering the same questions over and over or their own kids’ cranky times.
Get up early
If you follow only one tip, this is the one. All of the guidebooks say to do it, but trust me, few people do. When we were at the parks when they first opened, even during a sold-out spring break trip when the Magic Kingdom later shut down because it was too full, we were always able to get on the most popular rides, sometimes two or three times in rapid succession. By noon, FastPasses were sold out and the parks were madhouses. Get there early, then go back and take a nap. Go back again later in the evening for the fireworks shows and Extra Magic Hours.
Manage expectations
If kids (and even some adults) understand ahead of time that some shows and rides may sell out, they will be less likely to pitch a fit.
Allow enough time for travel, meals
Conflict arises when members of the group want to do things at different paces. Getting from one place to another takes more time than you think — driving to the parks from off-property can take more than an hour, catching the bus to a park can take a half-hour to an hour, when you figure in time to walk to the stop. Even getting from one area of a park to another can take longer because throngs of people bottleneck and it can be hard to get through. Meals can be exasperating at peak times; try to eat before or after the norm to avoid it.
Make a list
Have everyone on the trip jot down everything they want to experience, and then have them prioritize. If your daughter knows that Space Mountain is the one must-do activity and for your son, it’s the Tower of Terror, then that can be built into the plan. You can focus on making those things happen, and everyone can assume that everything else is a bonus. Also remember that even though this may be your only trip together to Disney World, your kids will probably get to come back again someday. You don’t have to make everything happen for them now.
Leave just before things end
Especially if you have issues with claustrophobia or crowds. The post-fireworks mayhem at Magic Kingdom and Epcot can be overwhelming, and it makes leaving tough. Tired little ones just about lose it at this point. When the grand finale starts is the time to race for the exit.
Beat the heat
Thoroughly soak washcloths, bandannas or some other kind of fabric and freeze them overnight in the hotel freezer. Put them in a Ziploc and then have them handy for when everyone is overheated in line. Or check out the Arctic Bandana, which costs as little as $5 online (). Being sweaty and hot is one of the top complaints.
Keep a snack stash
Because the lines can be long for meals, it helps to have snacks around all the time. Anytime we saw bags of trail mix or nuts, fresh fruit or anything remotely healthy at a shop, we snagged them, and I carried them in a small, soft-sided backpack along with an empty water bottle to refill at every fountain we encountered. Food and water go a long way toward staving off tantrums.
Remember who the adult is
I know, it’s harder than it sounds. After two alleged grown- ups cut in front of us at La Cantina de San Angel in the World Showcase at Epcot after we’d been standing in line for an hour, I was thisclose to doing or saying something I’d have regretted. But my daughters were watching, and I knew if this were a situation at school, I’d be advising them to take the high road. So I whispered a funny remark in their ears, and now it’s become a family joke.
Take a deep breath …
And just keep breathing. A lot. And then count to 10, and then just laugh, and keep on laughing. Kyle Wagner
