hollypoast
Travel Planner Specializing in Disney
- Joined
- Dec 31, 2007
Thanks for the tips. We are going to US/IOA in December (haven't been there in over 10 years) so these tips are especially helpful. 
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35 Things We Learned on Our Trip to WDW
- Thread starter redc
- Start date
MinnieLovesMickey12
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Dec 16, 2012
6) For Soarin at RD, while following the CMs thru The Land don't go down the escalator with the mob to the left, but veer to the right and go down the stairs and you'll be first in line at the FP machines.
We do this too. Good tip.
7) For Soarin, try to get in the front seats...you won't see the feet hanging.
I have only ever ridden in the middle or bottom rows until last trip and I like riding in the top row much better. No feet dangling above your head.
11) 50's Primetime is absolutely adorable. The decorations are perfect and the attitudes of the staff are hilarious. Plus, when one of the kids didn't eat their string beans, the waiter came back with the string beans covered in Whipped Cream and nine cherries...one for each of us.
We ate at 50's for the first time last trip and we loved it. Cute place, great food and fun servers. They sat us at a table with a TV but our server kept coming to our table and sitting with us and chatting. We will definitely go back next trip.
16) We found a great place for our DD15 and her BFF15 to get beautiful henna tattoos in Morrocco.
Last October my daughter got a Henna tattoo there but hers didn't last but 3 days and cost $35. We didn't have very good luck with hers.
23) We spent 2 1/2 days at the Royal Pacific at Universal. FOTL passes are almost unfair, I felt guilty walking past all those people all the time, but I loved them.
I have thought about staying on site at a US hotel but we always go during slow times and never really have long waits for anything. The longest we have ever waited for anything there was about 15 minutes for Forbidden Journey.
24) The Harry Potter Forbidden Journey ride was incredible, nothing like I have ever experienced. Rode it at RD and then again in the single rider line. Get to IOA at 7:40am.
FJ is my favorite ride in ANY park however I have to take motion sickness meds to be able to ride it. If you get any kind of motion sickness this ride may really make you queasy and dizzy. But I agree it is an amazing ride.
24a) Skip the Hippo-dippo-graff ride at HP...30 seconds and then "is that it?"
I know this ride is short but I love it. I wish it lasted a lot longer but I love it because it is what I like in a roller coaster. No loops or spins or any major drops. Just fast and turns. I wish they would make a new one that lasted 2 or 3 minutes.
24b) And really listen to me: Skip the Wand thing at Ollivanders (sic), or whatever the heck it's called. Absolutely wasted an hour of my life from 9:00-10:00pm in a line that snails along, and then your in a little room for what seems like 2 minutes to hear an old guy talking about...whatever the heck he was talking about..and then it's over, and then they have the gall to usher you through a shop to buy these wands for $30. Yikes...stay far, far away from this. If you don't you will only say afterwards "I should have listened to redc !!!"
We have never done the wand show. I watched it on You Tube before we ever went the first time and knew we didn't want to do it. We bought the kids wands but we didn't do it through that show. They have kiosks outside in the streets that sell the same wands.
24c) Get the non-frozen Butterbeer. It is pretty good...like cream soda...but better.
I use to only get the non-frozen Butterbeer and was never really a big fan of it at all. All it is is Creme Soda. But my husband convinced me to try the frozen and it was SOOOO much better to me. It actually tastes more like Butterscotch.
24d) Take in all that the Hogwarts scenery has to offer...it is truly exquisite.
Also Moaning Myrtle in the bathroom is a cute touch as well.
24d) Don't bring carry bags to IOA or US. You will need to secure them in a locker to ride most attractions. What a hassle. Fanny packs are OK, but be ready to be made fun of. WDW allows carry bags on the rides.
We brought in a backpack the first time we ever went to IOA/US and it was such a PITA having to crowd into those locker areas every time we wanted to ride something. We learned our lesson and we go bagless now.
28) Innocently step on the toes of people who sit in the middle of every theater instead of going all the way to the end. Make sure you say "Oh, I'm sorry." Gets your aggression out, believe me.
I have done this in Mickey's Philharmagic. The CM announced go all the way to the end of the row and I know these ppl heard it because they were standing right in front of us and we heard it plain as day but of course they stopped half way down the row and I stepped on some toes on the way past them. I might have even clocked them with my backpack.
28a) Don't let more than one person pass you in line so they can "get to their group up ahead"...especially teenagers. Say "I'm sure your party will wait for you up ahead."
I have been lucky that I have never had anybody cut in front of us. I had some guys try to cut in front of us when we were waiting in line to first go into IOA in the morning but I just stepped over right in front of them and cut them off from cutting in front of us. I won't tolerate the line cutting when it is obvious line cutting. If someone is walking back through meeting up with someone I wouldn't care but if you are behind me and you are trying to get past me to get in front of me it's not going to happen.
30) Don't ride Space Mtn more than once or you will surely need a chiropractor. Front or middle seat is better than the rear!!!!
Every time I have ridden Space Mountain I get off felling like I have been in a car wreck and I swear I will not ever get back on it again. Then next time I go on it anyway. Last trip I didn't get on it at all and am glad I didn't. I can't see how anybody can ride it and not think it is super rough and very jerky. It feels like a crappy old wooden roller coaster.
33b) Run past the Stitch Escape travesty and DON'T GO IN!!! Thank God we didn't wait long for that!!!
I agree. That ride sucks. I hate it. I sit down in the seat and the shoulder harness came down and didn't stop. It came down directly onto my shoulder bones and starting going up and down and banging into my bones every time. DH said it didn't do that to him but it liked to have killed me. It is a total waste of 5 minutes of your life.
We do this too. Good tip.
7) For Soarin, try to get in the front seats...you won't see the feet hanging.
I have only ever ridden in the middle or bottom rows until last trip and I like riding in the top row much better. No feet dangling above your head.
11) 50's Primetime is absolutely adorable. The decorations are perfect and the attitudes of the staff are hilarious. Plus, when one of the kids didn't eat their string beans, the waiter came back with the string beans covered in Whipped Cream and nine cherries...one for each of us.
We ate at 50's for the first time last trip and we loved it. Cute place, great food and fun servers. They sat us at a table with a TV but our server kept coming to our table and sitting with us and chatting. We will definitely go back next trip.
16) We found a great place for our DD15 and her BFF15 to get beautiful henna tattoos in Morrocco.
Last October my daughter got a Henna tattoo there but hers didn't last but 3 days and cost $35. We didn't have very good luck with hers.
23) We spent 2 1/2 days at the Royal Pacific at Universal. FOTL passes are almost unfair, I felt guilty walking past all those people all the time, but I loved them.
I have thought about staying on site at a US hotel but we always go during slow times and never really have long waits for anything. The longest we have ever waited for anything there was about 15 minutes for Forbidden Journey.
24) The Harry Potter Forbidden Journey ride was incredible, nothing like I have ever experienced. Rode it at RD and then again in the single rider line. Get to IOA at 7:40am.
FJ is my favorite ride in ANY park however I have to take motion sickness meds to be able to ride it. If you get any kind of motion sickness this ride may really make you queasy and dizzy. But I agree it is an amazing ride.
24a) Skip the Hippo-dippo-graff ride at HP...30 seconds and then "is that it?"
I know this ride is short but I love it. I wish it lasted a lot longer but I love it because it is what I like in a roller coaster. No loops or spins or any major drops. Just fast and turns. I wish they would make a new one that lasted 2 or 3 minutes.
24b) And really listen to me: Skip the Wand thing at Ollivanders (sic), or whatever the heck it's called. Absolutely wasted an hour of my life from 9:00-10:00pm in a line that snails along, and then your in a little room for what seems like 2 minutes to hear an old guy talking about...whatever the heck he was talking about..and then it's over, and then they have the gall to usher you through a shop to buy these wands for $30. Yikes...stay far, far away from this. If you don't you will only say afterwards "I should have listened to redc !!!"
We have never done the wand show. I watched it on You Tube before we ever went the first time and knew we didn't want to do it. We bought the kids wands but we didn't do it through that show. They have kiosks outside in the streets that sell the same wands.
24c) Get the non-frozen Butterbeer. It is pretty good...like cream soda...but better.
I use to only get the non-frozen Butterbeer and was never really a big fan of it at all. All it is is Creme Soda. But my husband convinced me to try the frozen and it was SOOOO much better to me. It actually tastes more like Butterscotch.
24d) Take in all that the Hogwarts scenery has to offer...it is truly exquisite.
Also Moaning Myrtle in the bathroom is a cute touch as well.
24d) Don't bring carry bags to IOA or US. You will need to secure them in a locker to ride most attractions. What a hassle. Fanny packs are OK, but be ready to be made fun of. WDW allows carry bags on the rides.
We brought in a backpack the first time we ever went to IOA/US and it was such a PITA having to crowd into those locker areas every time we wanted to ride something. We learned our lesson and we go bagless now.
28) Innocently step on the toes of people who sit in the middle of every theater instead of going all the way to the end. Make sure you say "Oh, I'm sorry." Gets your aggression out, believe me.
I have done this in Mickey's Philharmagic. The CM announced go all the way to the end of the row and I know these ppl heard it because they were standing right in front of us and we heard it plain as day but of course they stopped half way down the row and I stepped on some toes on the way past them. I might have even clocked them with my backpack.
28a) Don't let more than one person pass you in line so they can "get to their group up ahead"...especially teenagers. Say "I'm sure your party will wait for you up ahead."
I have been lucky that I have never had anybody cut in front of us. I had some guys try to cut in front of us when we were waiting in line to first go into IOA in the morning but I just stepped over right in front of them and cut them off from cutting in front of us. I won't tolerate the line cutting when it is obvious line cutting. If someone is walking back through meeting up with someone I wouldn't care but if you are behind me and you are trying to get past me to get in front of me it's not going to happen.
30) Don't ride Space Mtn more than once or you will surely need a chiropractor. Front or middle seat is better than the rear!!!!
Every time I have ridden Space Mountain I get off felling like I have been in a car wreck and I swear I will not ever get back on it again. Then next time I go on it anyway. Last trip I didn't get on it at all and am glad I didn't. I can't see how anybody can ride it and not think it is super rough and very jerky. It feels like a crappy old wooden roller coaster.
33b) Run past the Stitch Escape travesty and DON'T GO IN!!! Thank God we didn't wait long for that!!!
I agree. That ride sucks. I hate it. I sit down in the seat and the shoulder harness came down and didn't stop. It came down directly onto my shoulder bones and starting going up and down and banging into my bones every time. DH said it didn't do that to him but it liked to have killed me. It is a total waste of 5 minutes of your life.
Jacksonev1
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Apr 29, 2012
32) Don't forget your backpack in the netting at your seat on DINOSAUR! Oiy!
My son had bought a hand puppet dinosaur JUST before getting on the ride. He came off a little scared from the ride and accidentally left it in the netting.
He was super disappointed. Here come part of the magic of Disney. The lovely ladies at the desk where you can pick up your ride picture were able to find the rover number by the picture and retrieve his toy within 10 minutes! 
We almost NEVER purchase the ride pictures--but I now have a new appreciation for them!
Thank you for your post!
My son had bought a hand puppet dinosaur JUST before getting on the ride. He came off a little scared from the ride and accidentally left it in the netting.
He was super disappointed. Here come part of the magic of Disney. The lovely ladies at the desk where you can pick up your ride picture were able to find the rover number by the picture and retrieve his toy within 10 minutes! We almost NEVER purchase the ride pictures--but I now have a new appreciation for them! Thank you for your post!
ddluvsdisney
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 29, 2010
This was great!!! Thanks for sharing. Super helpful for ANYONE!
maxiesmom
The Mean Squinty Eye Works
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2004
Disagree with numbers 2 and 20. The princess meal at Norway is one our my family's favorites! We have always had great character interactions, sorry you didn't have the same experience. I also found the Beach Club lacking in the grocery department.
I do love number 27, and have done that very thing! Sent my 21 year old nephew off to get fast passes while the rest of us finished our meal. That kind of became a thing that trip--he would finish eating and then go grab fast passes for everyone while we lingered over our food a bit.
I do love number 27, and have done that very thing! Sent my 21 year old nephew off to get fast passes while the rest of us finished our meal. That kind of became a thing that trip--he would finish eating and then go grab fast passes for everyone while we lingered over our food a bit.
littlejen22
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2011
Aren't you a barrel of fun! Thanks to the poster because even though I knew a lot of this I found it fun to read and not preachy at all.
32) Don't forget your backpack in the netting at your seat on DINOSAUR! Oiy!
The lovely ladies at the desk where you can pick up your ride picture were able to find the rover number by the picture and retrieve his toy within 10 minutes!
Thank you for your post!
Yes, what I didn't mention was that the people behind desk helped us find the backpack based upon the photo! All was well.
How do you disagree with someones OPINION of an experience they had?
maxiesmom
The Mean Squinty Eye Works
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2004
Easy. My experiences of those two things haven't been the same. Doesn't make them wrong, just means I didn't have the same experiences. As I stated, I was sorry they didn't have the same experience at the Princess meal that we have had.
I understand completely. We felt rushed and it was overpriced. Glad you had a good time.
juliehoey
There's a great big beautiful tomorrow...OMDD WINN
- Joined
- Jul 28, 2010
Oh my goodness, he mentioned the Dark Side...
Are you back yet?
We want to hear all about it!!Exactly, thanks for BOTH posts!!!!!!!!!!
It's posts like these that allow us all to
have "Have a Magical day"
Traveler Steve
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2012
Great and humorous list!
I'm amazed on the interwebz there was only 1 troll on this 8 page (and counting) thread, but that speaks to the general civility of this message board.
I've been going to WDW since '72. Sometimes I feel like one of those ex-pats in another country... hollow-eyed and weary and with an attitude of "seen it all, oh wow here comes a fresh-faced innocent". Something like this that makes me smile, so I sincerely thank the OP. Well done!
I'm amazed on the interwebz there was only 1 troll on this 8 page (and counting) thread, but that speaks to the general civility of this message board.
I've been going to WDW since '72. Sometimes I feel like one of those ex-pats in another country... hollow-eyed and weary and with an attitude of "seen it all, oh wow here comes a fresh-faced innocent". Something like this that makes me smile, so I sincerely thank the OP. Well done!
DreamerWDW
A dream is a wish your heart makes...
- Joined
- Jun 2, 2013
Thanks for the list. It was fun to read!
GeneralTso
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 28, 2009
That was funny! Thanks for taking the time to do it.
I LOVE Universal. What they did at HP is truly amazing. Great tips for both places, which most people do see.
I LOVE Universal. What they did at HP is truly amazing. Great tips for both places, which most people do see.
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