Your top WDW tip

[Aussieprincess]

I have been cruising the Dis boards a lot lately... heaps! and there is just SO much to take in! I was wondering if it would be possible for anyone reading who has some WDW experience to share with us your number 1 tip for our holiday?
Whether its a souvenir we can't miss, or a little known treasure somewhere, or a way of getting around a horrible experience...
We are staying at POFQ for 10 nights, and have MYW park hopper and deluxe dining.

Any help/hints/tips would be AMAZING!!!

 

[travellingpineapple]

the main tip i have to say is take everything in at YOUR pace..dont be afraid you won't see everything, you need to relax and take the amazing, beautiful, and magical sights in at a leisurely pace. Stop and smell the roses to say haha, explore the little beauties like the hotels and the lesser seen areas

 

[StitchSpawn]

the main tip i have to say is take everything in at YOUR pace..dont be afraid you won't see everything, you need to relax and take the amazing, beautiful, and magical sights in at a leisurely pace. Stop and smell the roses to say haha, explore the little beauties like the hotels and the lesser seen areas

agreed

Orleans is a beautiful hotel. It's my favorite actually...

I would suggest when in Epcot, try to gt there at RD and get Soarin and Test Track FP's, but head over to World Showcase, right at 11am or when it opens. While it is very pretty at night, it's also busier in the afternoon. So, I would do the headlines in Epcot until World Showcase opens and a hang out there for lunch, then go back over to Futureworld in the afternoon.

Ride the Riverboat in MK. If you were able to come back sooner, I'd say skip it, but since you won't probably, it is a wonderful experience, with great views of MK.

Have fun at MNSSHP

And the I LOVE MK gift shops on Main Street. Main Street doesn't actually close unitl 45minutes after the park officially closes and that is the best time to go shopping there!
The HS gift shops are pretty nifty too I think.

 

[akhenaten]

take the boat from por to dtd.
go to por riverside and have a drink while watching bob jackson perform.

 

[deakam]

10 nights----you should be able to do everything---twice--but don't---like everyone else has said---go slow and look around. Enjoy everything. Interact with CMs and other guests. My number one tip on disney vacations is to always remember that you are on vacation, relax and have fun. And make sure you stop by the living seas in Epcot and visit with the manatees...they are magnificent.

 

[thestevied]

I would say when you are at epcot do not miss the small coca cola shop, where you can also drink free coke. You get many samples from around the world. Some are pretty nasty but most are good. Plus its a small air conditioned shop, so when its really hot its nice to just get inside and cool off for a bit.

 

[Squidgyness]

^ The israel one is pretty good.

You should always drink or eat - never starve yourself. It is not good for the blood sugar, nor is drinking too much water and not eating enough - can cause a severe electrolyte imbalance if you dont get some sugar, salt and other essential minerals.

 

[Lisa D]

Try to make the rope drop. It will allow you to see the headliners (or Fast Pass them) with little waiting, which will allow you to do everything else in a leisurely fashion.

Also take a break during the afternoon, especially if the weather is hot. Relax and return to the parks for dinner.

 

[Aussieprincess]

10 nights----you should be able to do everything---twice--but don't---like everyone else has said---go slow and look around. .

We are also going to Seaworld, discovery cove, Universal and IOA! Alot to fit in! So excited though!

 

[parrothead365]

Go left. Most people will go to the right when entering the parks. So look to the left and the lines may be shorter. At MK jump on the train and go to the back of the park and work your way to the front.

 

[mrsksomeday]

the main tip i have to say is take everything in at YOUR pace..dont be afraid you won't see everything, you need to relax and take the amazing, beautiful, and magical sights in at a leisurely pace. Stop and smell the roses to say haha, explore the little beauties like the hotels and the lesser seen areas

I second this opinion. You will never see everything, so decide what are the "must do's" and don't stress over getting everything done.

WDW is gorgeous, really take the time to look at all the wonderful details. One thing that always is magical to me is "Wishes" the fireworks show at Magic Kingdom. I can't wait to see it again.

 

[heatherandnick]

My advice is to plan....and I don't mean an hour-by-hour itinerary.

Make an overview itinerary of which park(s) you want to hit each day and plan your dining accordingly. It is super important for you to make your ADRs at 180 days out, especially because you are on DxDP.

That being said, it is okay to be spontaneous and change your so-called plan, just have those ADRs so you are able to enjoy all that DxDP offers.


Additionally, try to make rope drop as many days as possible and take advantage of the Fastpass system. I also recommend going back to your hotel to swim/nap each afternoon. We do that and we don't even have any kids! lol (We always feel bad for the people trudging around the park at 6pm, who have obviously been there since rope drop. When we see how miserable/hot/tired they look, we are grateful for our showers and changes of clothes. )

Also (as corny as it sounds) I would read a couple books about WDW... A book like "The Hidden Magic of WDW" will give you a little bit of a behind-the-scenes look at D-World, and will kind of give you a "heads up" for all the little details that are often overlooked. Knowing what to look for will open your eyes and you will see more details than you ever imagined...you will be blown away, I promise!

Have fun! You're going to have an amazing trip!

 

[akhenaten]

One of my favorite times in the parks is actually after closing.... no rushing to get to a ride... you can just relax and stroll around enjoying the atmosphere...

The crowds are gone and many shops are still open...
I especially enjoy the world showcase in Epcot and the front of park streets in HS.

An extra bonus is that the lines for the buses are gone too... saves lots of wait time and is very pleasant... ( this a really, really good thing at MK where everyone leaves right after Wishes...)

Last trip we saw the MK opening ceremony and the castle "Kiss goodnight" on the same day without leaving the park.. LOL

 

[Atchley]

Take a day off just to relax or swim at the resort. That's a lot of parks you are going to do. We are going 10 days next year and planning on taking two days off for the pools and various other activities.

 

[Dr.Mickey]

Here's a few of our personal favorites.

-If you need a break at the MK, take the boat launch to the Polynesian/Grand Floridian. This boat is an open air, historic (looking) boat that seats about 20 at the most. It is a much nicer ride than the Friendship boats around Epcot. The breeze is spectacular, and it is quite pleasant to just ride around the lake. Plus, there are plenty of nice drinks (if that's your thing) at the Poly.

-At counter service restaurants, eat lunch at 11:30 to 11:45 and eat dinner at 5:00 to 5:15. MUCH smaller crowds.

-Don't push it. I'm sure the Tour Guide folks would disagree, but here is our take on this. When I think about missing a few attractions, I realize that our vacation is much more likely to be ruined by tired, cranky kids and adults who ran ragged to get to one more ride. We each make a list of a few major rides that we will sell our souls to ride. After that, everything else is a bonus.

 

[eastcarolinafan]

One of my favorite times in the parks is actually after closing.... no rushing to get to a ride... you can just relax and stroll around enjoying the atmosphere... Last trip we saw the MK opening ceremony and the castle "Kiss goodnight" on the same day without leaving the park.. LOL

This, right here, without question is the best tip you can get, I believe. Late night -- I mean, Extra MH from 12-3 or so, the parks are truely deserted, literally only hundreds of people are acattered throughout the Magic Kingdom, so it's all yours.

The Kiss Goodnight is awesome, but the time before that is cool too.

I have a link from a trip a few years ago of us at EMH in the MK. It's not a long video but it shows how empty the parks are late night. It's about 30 seconds and it's mainly about a CM named Carl doing water art on Main Street. Still, in the background, you can see just how deserted the park is. I see now, after having watched the video again for the first time in a while, that I got pretty excited about his water art, but it was late, late and I was on a DW high. And if you can't be goofy on Main Street in DW, where can you be?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afQszv83s5k&feature=related

If you can do rope drop and then make EMH until 3 a.m., you are -- in my mind -- hard core Disney and will reap the benefits of a line-free park for a couple hours. It's an amazing thing to do, run from ride to ride without waiting. Small World, step right up. Peter Pan, can do right now! Buzz Lightyear? Why not? Haunted Mansion? Twice? Don't get out of the Doom Buggy? Done. BTM? Huh? Is that a line of four people? Better do FastPass. You get the idea.

THAT is my Number One Tip.

 

[iInvent]

So much to say...
A - You won't be able to see everything. Do a list of what you really WANT to see,...and do what you can.
B - Enjoy every minute of it.
C - Enjoy the magic!!!
D - Plan a few dining reservations if you really want to eat at certain restaurants.
E - Enjoy a Dole Whip!
F - Arrive at MK at rope drop...I cry everytime!
G - Enjoy the various ways of transportation.

i could go on & on... Plan ahead...but then, if it doesn't go according to your plan - it's ok! ENJOY!

 

[ozvisiter]

Some great tips
Any more???

 

[akhenaten]

I like to watch the fountain at epcot... it is choreographed to music...Nice!

I also love Morocco at the WS you walk back into it and feel like you are in a different world.

 

[Pats Dragon]

This sounds corny but we like to take the boat to FW and get a beer at the trading post and then sit in front of trls end sipping beer and people watching until dinner at trls end.

Its also fun to sit and watch the water electric pageant from one of the beaches.