First trip to Disney World

[Markg238]

My family is taking a trip to Disney World from May 7th to May 13th. We will be going to disney 3 days and Sea World 1 day. What days of the week are the best to go when it is not so crowded. I was also wondering if people could give some tips, There will be 6 adults and 3 kids, ages of the kids is 3, 5, 7.

 

[Metro West]

 

[Aliceacc]

Hi and welcome!

You are going to have so much fun!!!!

Take a look here: http://touringplans.com/walt-disney-world/crowd-calendar It outlines the projected crowd levels at each of the parks.

As to the tips, there are so many!!!!

Probably the biggest is this: The most valuable 2 hours of the day is the 2 hours starting 5 minutes before the parks open. You'll see more in those first few hours than the rest of the day. Make a REAL effort to get to the parks before they open.

Also, count on getting back to your resort each day for a swim. It will make a world of difference in everyone's disposition, I promise!

Hit the dollar store before you go and get some glow bracelets and necklaces. Your kids will be so much easier to keep track of after dark if you use them!

Try to squeeze in at least one character meal-- Chef Mickey's is a great place to start!

 

[ILuvMulan]

Aliceacc is exactly right! The break in the middle of the day is the best advice you can get! Another great resource for information is www.allears.net check it out. You are in the right place!!

 

[PrincessTiffany]

My family is taking a trip to Disney World from May 7th to May 13th. We will be going to disney 3 days and Sea World 1 day. What days of the week are the best to go when it is not so crowded. I was also wondering if people could give some tips, There will be 6 adults and 3 kids, ages of the kids is 3, 5, 7.

I highly recommend buying The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World or joining their companion website, www.touringplans.com. We go to WDW yearly and I use their Best Days/Crowd Calendar to plan all of our park days. Once I know what park we will be in on which days, then I plan our meals (Advance Dining Reservations) around what park/resort areas we will be in. I don't usually recommend the Park Hopper option to people new to touring Disney, but with only 3 days, I would get the Park Hopper option added on to the tickets so you can do at least 1 day Magic Kingdom, 1 day Epcot, 1/2 day Animal Kingdom and 1/2 day Disney Hollywood Studios.

Here are some touring tips for people who are new to WDW:


1. Make sure you have Advance Dining Reservations for any Sit Down/Table Service/Character Meals, as most restaurants will not be taking walk-ups.

2. Get to the parks at opening. You really can get a lot done in the morning because so many other people sleep in.

3. Eat lunch around 11:00 or 11:30 a.m. before the fast food places get busy. Then when while everyone else is eating lunch, you will have lower crowds.

4. I buy a ton of the two for a dollar ponchos at the dollar store and keep them in the backpack. That way you can throw them a way after use and not worry about keeping up with a wet bulky poncho the rest of the day. Bring throw away ponchos to wear on Kali River Rapids at Animal Kingdom, if not you WILL get soaked.

5. Other things I put in the backpack each morning are Tylenol/Motrin, small first aid kit, camera with extra batteries, small hand towel, hand sanitizer, wipes and a bottle of water.

6. Most single service items under $4.00 are considered a snack credit on the Disney dining plan.

7. At Magic Kingdom always head to Fantasyland first, if you are not doing Fantasyland on a particular day then head to Splash Mountain first, then Big Thunder Mountain; at Epcot always ride Soarin' first and get a Fastpass for later after you get off of the ride; at Disney Hollywood Studios always ride Toy Story Mania first, then head over to Rockin' Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror; and at Animal Kingdom ride Expedition Everest First then head to the Safari.

8. Favorite fast food restaurants at MK are Pecos Bills and Cosmic Rays; favorite fast food at Animal Kingdom is Flame Tree Grill and Pizzafari. If you are there while it very hot, go to Pizzafari.

9. If there are two lines going into an attraction, always take the line that goes to the left.

10. My best tip would have to be USE THE FASTPASS SYSTEM. Our rule of thumb is if the wait is 25 minutes or less, we wait in line. If the wait is 30 minutes or more, use a Fastpass. It is not highly publicized, but your Fastpass does not expire until the end of the day. You can never use it before the return time stamp on the pass, but you can always use it after. We try to collect Fastpasses during the early part of the day and then use them later in the afternoon when the parks become more crowded.

Click on this link from fellow Diser Doconeill and it will give you an excellent overview of Fastpass.

http://www.oinc.net/disney/fastpass.php

If you still don't understand, just let me know your specific questions.

11. I like the Photopass. You can pre-buy it before your trip for $99.00. When you enter the parks you will see the staff photographers, they will take your pictures and give you a Photopass and you can use that for the rest of your trip. Each time you see a photographer have them take your picture and they will scan your picture. Then when you get home you can pull up the pictures, with the code they email you after purchase, and pick the photos you want on a CD. They will then mail you the CD and the copyrights to the CD and you can take them to Walmart or Walgreens or wherever and get them developed. They also have a lot of cool software that you can use to edit your photos before you have them put on the CD.

My favorite Disney planning sites are:

www.disboards.com
www.allearsnet.com
www.wdwinfo.com
www.intercot.com

 

[wishicouldgomoreofte]

It takes 1.5-2 hours to get anywhere----from the park you are in back to your resort, to another park, to your dinner reservation, anything.
Most people don't realize and plan appropriately.
As previously stated, park openings are the best times for rides, but you REALLY do need to be in line BEFORE the park opens. If you come an hour after, the lines will already be long.
You will be there one week, but said only 3 days Disney, so sounds like you are not staying onsite or doing dining plan. Stay hydrated, and remember to enjoy. It is problematic to coordinate a group of nine and get anything done without alot of frustration and unhappiness, whining, meltdowns. But with only 3 days, you should get enough of a taste to convince you to come back again, and again, and again.
Have fun. It is a great big World, and you can't begin to scratch the surface in 3 days. But you'll love it.