Taking a first-timer - what do I need to tell her?

[jamieann]

I'm introducing a friend of mine to WDW in June. It's been so long since my first time at Disney World and things have changed so much since then. Any suggestions for things she absolutely needs to know that I might not think to tell her? 2 things I thought of were to prepare her for the weather and the lines in June! What else?

 

[Buddyex]

I haven't really got any suggestions, apart from don't set her up for 2 big negatives (heat and lines) unless you've got a big list of positives to outweigh them. If I was on my first trip to WDW the heat and lines would be the last thing on my mind. By all means prepare her for the reality but highlight the magic and memories you're going to make.

 

[whitney37354]

It's hot, wear comfy shoes & clothing, bring a poncho just in case, drink plenty of water, it will be crowded.

We're taking my mom & MIL to WDW in June too. My mom went once, 29 years ago. MIL has never been. They told us to plan & they'll do whatever we want. We made two ADR's & got FP+ scheduled. We're not park hopping so we can concentrate on one park per day. We'll do what we can & they'll never know the difference if we don't get everything done that we usually do! We plan to stay all day in the parks except for AK day & we'll go to DTD for the afternoon/evening & maybe let DD swim at the resort if we get back in time. That's our mid-trip day & we'll probably be ready for a little down time.

Maybe show her videos, menus, pictures, & have her get involved a bit in the planning if she wants to. That would help to offset the negatives of crowds & weather!

 

[rwdavis2]

WDW is not a relaxing "beach-type" vacation. It's more of an adventure much like an Everest expedition: it requires money, planning, and stamina.

 

[JennyDrake]

Rather than giving her numerous tips (not that they aren't useful!) I would be inclined to get her a Passporter or Unofficial Guide. They are pretty good for Big Picture.

It's hot, wear comfy shoes & clothing, bring a poncho just in case, drink plenty of water, it will be crowded.

_I_ would skip carrying the poncho and add in sunscreen, a higher factor than you normally wear--everything else is spot on!

 

[tlmadden73]

Let them experience things on their own ..

As much as we all like to say "do this .. don't do that" ..let them experience the Magic on their own. Let them come to you for suggestions. Don't overwhelm with advice.

 

[disnut8]

On my daughter-in-law's first trip, she was amazed at how big Disney World is. In her mind, even though she knew there were four parks, she just thought each park was right on top of each other and you could walk everywhere. We were staying at the Cabins at Fort Wilderness and she just assumed we'd get up, walk out and be at a park in no time. Her mouth dropped open when we drove from the Cabins over to Animal Kingdom Lodge for our dinner at Boma once we got there and we were driving for quite some time and she mumbled, "we are STILL at Disney World!". She thought it was Cedar Point only with four Cedar Points right in a row and a few hotels around it.

 

[kay1864]

1. Get there early.
2. Get there early.
and one other thing, what was it, oh yes:
3. Get there early.

Seriously, get out of bed by 7, breakfast in your room (or at the hotel buffet), out the door by 8, through the turnstiles by 830 or so (all of this assumes an 9a opening at the park you're visiting).

Below is the plan I've provided to several people. I can't recommend RideMax highly enough. We've used it every trip, and it saves us hours in line. Plus it tells you what time of day to get your FPs, and you can include your dining reservations. Even at a slow time of year, at $3/day, it's worth it for me to be riding rides instead of standing in long lines.

In a nutshell:

1. Set up your My Disney Experience (MDE) account.

2. Buy your tickets (if you haven't already) online, or at Undercover Tourist.

3. Link the tickets to your names in your MDE account. (if UT, use the phone app (scan the tickets) rather than on your desktop (have to enter the numbers manually)

4. Use easywdw.com or RideMax.com to select which days/which parks. Crowd levels will have a huge impact on the enjoyment of your visit.

5. If you're going to Hollywood Studios and want to see Fantasmic, get the Fantasmic Dinner Package for your Hollywood Studios day. (hint: select "Lunch" or "Dinner" instead of a specific time of day)

6. Use mesaboy's list to select your 3 FastPass attractions.

7. (optional) If you use a touring plan site like RideMax or TouringPlans, select the rides for each park, to generate the touring plans, which include recommended FP times.

8. Before your trip*, go to MDE to select the FPs and times for the people in your group, based on the FP times in the RideMax or TouringPlans schedule.

*Ideally 30 days before (or 60 days before if you're staying at a Disney resort), but not required unless you want a FP for Anna and Elsa, or Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. Getting your FPs even one day in advance will put you ahead of a great many guests who wait until day-of to get their FPs. Plus you don't waste time at an in-park kiosk.