10 things most first-timers don't know

[songkat]

Excellent point! Although it make take a few extra minutes, taking the ferry from the TTC to MK is an excellent & unique experience. That was one of the highlights of our last trip!

I totally agree with this. My first visit to WDW was a one-day trip to MK. Taking the ferry and suddenly seeing the castle as we approached was a very enchanting way to start our day.

And Goofy water skiing around the ferry was a special treat. The perfect way to be welcomed to the MK, and to my first Disney World experience.

 

[jwmoss]

This might have already been said, but I highly recommend buying some cheap ponchos at Academy or Walmart before you leave on your trip. They are $1 at Academy (regular yellow ones) and they ponchos at WDW are $8 (I think). If it starts to rain, you can just reach into your backpack and get everyone covered. If you don't have one prepacked, you get soaked trying to find one in a store and you're paying a lot.

Also, if and when it rains, KEEP PLAYING!! For some reason, a lot of people will head for cover or leave the parks during rain, so it's a great time to ride the more popular rides that usually have long lines. You paid a lot of money for this vacation, don't let a little rain take the fun out of your day!! Show your kids how much fun it can be to dance in the rain and make some memories!!

 

[GirlDreamer]

Please please do NOT smuggle in straws from your hotel and say it's OK because "you will dispose of them properly."

Just go without a stinkin' straw for one day OR bring in hard plastic novelty straws - you know, the spiral ones with a Mickey clinging to the top - if your child must drink through a straw.

Don't they have those paper/cardboard straws there? Think I remember that from my last trip, as I wasn't really a big fan of those. They kind of taste papery if you get what I mean...

 

[TandLMommy28]

Don't they have those paper/cardboard straws there? Think I remember that from my last trip, as I wasn't really a big fan of those. They kind of taste papery if you get what I mean...

We have those at our local zoo as well. We call them "The Race Against Time". If you wait more than a few minutes, the straw starts to dissolve and then your drink is ruined because it's full of paper pulp. Ew!

 

[Missytara]

I have a few:

1. I never realized that you did not have to just eat at your resort until the day after I arrived.

2. If you see something you really want, get it. Case in point, also first trip in 2000, a combo purse and clutch by Dorney and Bourke. All my favorite colors and matched every polo shirt I owned at the time. But at the time, the cost was a lot to me. Now that thing is gone and before it did, the price was twice what it was when I first saw it. I still think about 12 years later.

3. When you travel with smokers, let them know the rules from the very beginning.

In 2006, I invited 3 friends from work, two of us were non-smokers and the other two were heavy smokers. That was one of the last years you could request a smoking room, but I booked a non-smoking room. I had paid for the room (I normally go solo,so had already paid for the entire thing) and they split the extra adult fee. I figured we would all agree we did not all have to smell like smoke. At check-in, Sarah threw a hissy fit and insisted they change our room, but they were already booked solid due to a competition. She insisted we find a room at another resort or she was going home right then and there. In hindsight, we should have let Sarah go, but Linda, the other smoker diffused the situation. We got a room facing the parking lot and they smoked right outside to their heart's content,......until we hit the parks and explained the smoking areas.

After two days of planning our entire day around Sarah's smoking - ride one ride, get to a smoking area and stay there for several hours, ride two more rides, three hours of smoking, etc., we were pretty bored. The other non-smoker, Donna, and I finally went off on our own and Linda appeased Sarah by hanging out with her.

We had arrived Sunday and Tuesday afternoon, we were in DHS doing our thing and Linda called and asked where we were, because she wanted to catch up with us. She showed up alone, said Sarah was continually reprimanded for walking around the park with a cigarette between smoking areas. Linda was mortified, they had a huge argument, and Sarah was going back to the resort, packing and going back home. Luckily, we had flown SW, at her insistence, so it worked out well.

When we returned, she acted like nothing had ever happened.

 

[ireneryan]

I have a few:

1. I never realized that you did not have to just eat at your resort until the day after I arrived.

2. If you see something you really want, get it. Case in point, also first trip in 2000, a combo purse and clutch by Dorney and Bourke. All my favorite colors and matched every polo shirt I owned at the time. But at the time, the cost was a lot to me. Now that thing is gone and before it did, the price was twice what it was when I first saw it. I still think about 12 years later.

3. When you travel with smokers, let them know the rules from the very beginning.

In 2006, I invited 3 friends from work, two of us were non-smokers and the other two were heavy smokers. That was one of the last years you could request a smoking room, but I booked a non-smoking room. I had paid for the room (I normally go solo,so had already paid for the entire thing) and they split the extra adult fee. I figured we would all agree we did not all have to smell like smoke. At check-in, Sarah threw a hissy fit and insisted they change our room, but they were already booked solid due to a competition. She insisted we find a room at another resort or she was going home right then and there. In hindsight, we should have let Sarah go, but Linda, the other smoker diffused the situation. We got a room facing the parking lot and they smoked right outside to their heart's content,......until we hit the parks and explained the smoking areas.

After two days of planning our entire day around Sarah's smoking - ride one ride, get to a smoking area and stay there for several hours, ride two more rides, three hours of smoking, etc., we were pretty bored. The other non-smoker, Donna, and I finally went off on our own and Linda appeased Sarah by hanging out with her.

We had arrived Sunday and Tuesday afternoon, we were in DHS doing our thing and Linda called and asked where we were, because she wanted to catch up with us. She showed up alone, said Sarah was continually reprimanded for walking around the park with a cigarette between smoking areas. Linda was mortified, they had a huge argument, and Sarah was going back to the resort, packing and going back home. Luckily, we had flown SW, at her insistence, so it worked out well.

When we returned, she acted like nothing had ever happened.

That is a horrible story! Who on earth needs to smoke that much! I don't even think I would travel with a smoker after hearing that story much less just make them know rules.. Goodness!

 

[Missytara]

That is a horrible story! Who on earth needs to smoke that much! I don't even think I would travel with a smoker after hearing that story much less just make them know rules.. Goodness!

It was the worst! Do you know six years later, I see her every day and there has never been one word mentioned.......

 

[Fire14]

But solana131 refered to being in line, so I would assume she was talking about CS restaurants, not TS. It sounds to me like it was more an issue of too many people not knowing how the dining plan works.

I know how DDP works but I get confused on Brfst at resort court. And in a few cases I wanted to know if I could sub something for salad as I don't do salad. I'd have been happy with chips or bag of apple slices.

 

[ireneryan]

It was the worst! Do you know six years later, I see her every day and there has never been one word mentioned.......

That part is super strange too. I mean I assume you tell her you're going to Disney, does she pretend she was never there? Does she still smoke? Sooooo odd. I can barely travel with other people but this would have thrown me over the edge!

 

[Nanajo1]

My DB and DSil both smoke. I was pleased that they always used the designated smoking areas but it was a pain hanging around waiting for them. Eventually we just took their 11yo son with us did a few attractions and had them catch up. My nephew thanked us!. He was tired of standing around,watching the Disney World go up in smoke! Next time we take smokers we're suggesting a nicotine patch!

 

[Missytara]

That part is super strange too. I mean I assume you tell her you're going to Disney, does she pretend she was never there? Does she still smoke? Sooooo odd. I can barely travel with other people but this would have thrown me over the edge!

Actually, it was a first trip for all of them and Sarah has traveled very little outside of our home state; ditto for Donna, so neither was very travel savvy. Donna was actually very appreciative about the room situation and it did not bother Linda - she is quite the world traveler and used to the different rules regarding smoking. Golly, Delaware was one of the first states to ban smoking in restaurants and bars.

However, if you knew Sarah's personality.....I should not have been surprised that her attitude was how dare I ask her to go somewhere where there were rules regarding smoking in a very public place. Linda confided in me later in the week that she blamed the entire situation on me, even when she reminded Sarah I was generous enough not to ask them to reimburse me for 3/4 of the cost of the room. It was ultimately my generousity that got them there. But I was shocked and hurt and learned a very valuable lesson that week. Apparently, I was remiss in telling her about it initially before we left.

 

[ireneryan]

Actually, it was a first trip for all of them and Sarah has traveled very little outside of our home state; ditto for Donna, so neither was very travel savvy. Donna was actually very appreciative about the room situation and it did not bother Linda - she is quite the world traveler and used to the different rules regarding smoking. Golly, Delaware was one of the first states to ban smoking in restaurants and bars.

However, if you knew Sarah's personality.....I should not have been surprised that her attitude was how dare I ask her to go somewhere where there were rules regarding smoking in a very public place. Linda confided in me later in the week that she blamed the entire situation on me, even when she reminded Sarah I was generous enough not to ask them to reimburse me for 3/4 of the cost of the room. It was ultimately my generousity that got them there. But I was shocked and hurt and learned a very valuable lesson that week. Apparently, I was remiss in telling her about it initially before we left.

I'm just sitting here shaking my head, it always amazes me how some people act when they are travelling. It's impossible to please everyone all the time but c'mon some people are just IMPOSSIBLE!

 

[turkeymama]

I know how DDP works but I get confused on Brfst at resort court. And in a few cases I wanted to know if I could sub something for salad as I don't do salad. I'd have been happy with chips or bag of apple slices.

DD has a food allergy and we also had a tough time making substitutions when she was a child on the DDP. I hated that because we had to wait on managers for approvals and people behind us had no idea why my family "couldn't just figure out what we wanted". It was not pleasant.

My tip to first-timers dealing with dietary restrictions has always been to visit CS locations during non-peak hours. It does take a little longer to order and for the staff to prepare your meal. It is totally worth it, but avoiding the crowds makes the process easer and calmer.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

It may have been mentioned but a good tip is to go on rides during parades - the lines really get shorter

 

[8lovesmickey]

I have a few:


2. If you see something you really want, get it. Case in point, also first trip in 2000, a combo purse and clutch by Dorney and Bourke. All my favorite colors and matched every polo shirt I owned at the time. But at the time, the cost was a lot to me. Now that thing is gone and before it did, the price was twice what it was when I first saw it. I still think about 12 years later.

.

I completely agree! When I first get to a park (we go about once a year to one coast or the other) I am always overwhelmed by all the fun merchandise and often I think "I will shop later--I'm sure I will see this stuff again.". But very often I wish I would have gotten something when I first saw it because by the next day I don't even remember where to look for the things I liked!

On my last trip to Disneyland there were definitely things I only saw in one place...and believe me I shopped a lot . I also noticed that many of the CM's have no idea what is in the other stores. My friend found a shirt she loved but they didn't have her size so we asked around and the CM even made a few calls, but we never saw it again.

My new strategy is to set a budget for merch ahead of time and once I see something I love, buy it! When the budget is gone, I stop looking. It worked well this trip - no regrets

 

[Corrine 1973]

I must say that I just love this thread. I have heard so many good ideas and stories that make me laugh. I have just a few things to add.

1. If you are renting a car, take a picture of it including the license plate. After a long day at the parks is not the time to realize there are 17 red dodge caravans in the area you parked.

2. I heard this tip before my first trip in 2009 and love it. Before you enter the park have your kids line up and take there picture every morning. That way if one of them wanders away from the group you have a picture to show the CM that you ask to help you. A parent who is frantic about finding a lost child is probably not in the best state of mind to explain what he/she was wearing.

3. It may seem silly, but take a picture of your room number. Hopefully you will not need it, but trying to remember what room you are in amongst hundreds can be more challenging than you think. Yes you can ask the front desk, but it's a pain in the butt especially if all you want to do in colapse on your bed and watch Stacy for a couple of minutes.

4. Be curtious to others. It's there magical trip as well. EX: A. Don't stop in middle of path. B. If you have stroller don't use it as a battering ram to get through. C. If you are around people with stollers, don't push infront of them and stop and not expect to get accidently hit. D. Figure out what you want to order in the 10 minutes you have been waiting to get to the cashier. E. Don't show up 5 minutes before a parade and expect to get in front of people who have been waiting for an hour to see the same parade. F. Don't get the fireworks and sit down behind someone who is standing and expect them to sit down because you want them to. Some people are unable to sit on the floor and should not be yelled at just because you want to sit down (plus they are fireworks in the sky. Come on. sorry still bitter about this one.)

5. If you are bringing a stroller or are planning on renting one, bring something to attach to it to make it stand out like a brightly colored bandana. CM's tend to move strollers when you are at the attraction as people leave and more people come in. It can be hard to find you blue stroller amoungst a sea of blue strollers when you leave.

 

[stormer]

Just curious, is there a reason they won't use red sharpies? And does this apply to all red ink? Also, there are different size Sharpies, which one is the best size for the characters?

We have used red Sharpies and never had a problem. We did have CM tell us we couldn't use green Sharpies though.

 

[lilipad]

Apparently, I was remiss in telling her about it initially before we left.

I sincerely hope you do not feel you were to blame. Your friend should take ownership. KWIM? You were very generous and went out of your way it sounds like. She couldn't have researched anything on her own?? As a smoker, I would think she'd be aware that smoking is not allowed everywhere. This is no friend.

 

[Missytara]

I sincerely hope you do not feel you were to blame. Your friend should take ownership. KWIM? You were very generous and went out of your way it sounds like. She couldn't have researched anything on her own?? As a smoker, I would think she'd be aware that smoking is not allowed everywhere. This is no friend.

Oh I fully realize that I did not cause the issue; I was just commenting that it was HER impression that I was remiss.

We are all waiting patiently; her 30 year service was in late April and we are ALL waiting for her to fill papers for retirement.....she is very hard to get along with on a daily basis.

 

[KatieKat]

I would add that you shouldn't just go to any park any day. Do some research and figure out which parks will have the lowest lines on a specific day.