Tips for saving TIME at WDW.

[goofy4tink]

I'm obviously in the minority. Being able to go to WDW very often is a wonderful thing. I no longer feel the need to 'save time'. I do what I feel like doing, when I feel like doing it.
This is almost a catch 22 situation. The people that need to save time are those that don't go often and need to make the most of their time. But, these are the people that don't know their way around the parks as well more familiar guests. And those of us that do know the 'ins and outs', tend to not care as much about saving time.
So, with that in mind, I tend to give less experienced travelers the more simple time savers.....using a cab to go resort to resort vs Disney transportation, not park hopping, eating at the park (or adjacent resort) you are at vs traveling further away, using rope drop and making FP+ for later in the day when lines are longer. For those going in the summer, I recommend eating a late breakfast/early lunch. You're ready for the break. Then you can grab counter service later in the day for dinner and not use a ton of time.

 

[msmama]

I guess I don't understand what you're trying to do by saving time?

Do you want to see more? Do more?

Some people say skip characters, but that assumes that one would want to ride more rides, but others would say by skipping characters you'd miss much of what Disney really is. You can rush from one ride to another which would save time but then you'd miss a lot of the little details.

Going on less crowded times, using FP+ and hitting rope drop all "save time" but I think most time saving techniques at Disney are saving you a few minutes here and there at best. Why not slow down and enjoy yourself in those few minutes instead of rushing somewhere else. It is a vacation after all.

 

[eeyoresmom]

I'm obviously in the minority. Being able to go to WDW very often is a wonderful thing. I no longer feel the need to 'save time'. I do what I feel like doing, when I feel like doing it.
This is almost a catch 22 situation. The people that need to save time are those that don't go often and need to make the most of their time. But, these are the people that don't know their way around the parks as well more familiar guests. And those of us that do know the 'ins and outs', tend to not care as much about saving time.
So, with that in mind, I tend to give less experienced travelers the more simple time savers.....using a cab to go resort to resort vs Disney transportation, not park hopping, eating at the park (or adjacent resort) you are at vs traveling further away, using rope drop and making FP+ for later in the day when lines are longer. For those going in the summer, I recommend eating a late breakfast/early lunch. You're ready for the break. Then you can grab counter service later in the day for dinner and not use a ton of time.

I guess I don't understand what you're trying to do by saving time?

Do you want to see more? Do more?

Some people say skip characters, but that assumes that one would want to ride more rides, but others would say by skipping characters you'd miss much of what Disney really is. You can rush from one ride to another which would save time but then you'd miss a lot of the little details.

Going on less crowded times, using FP+ and hitting rope drop all "save time" but I think most time saving techniques at Disney are saving you a few minutes here and there at best. Why not slow down and enjoy yourself in those few minutes instead of rushing somewhere else. It is a vacation after all.

Excellent advice from both. We have been over 50 times and MOST trips are very laid back. Next month we are bringing a first time teenager who is over the top excited.....I am trying to save time in order to hit the attractions and restaurants I know she will enjoy as well as have a few hours in the middle of the day for swimming and naps. Can't do it all, but I am trying for a "balanced" vacation .

 

[lily2521]

Early lunch - usually 11am, especially at a QS

Eat early is huge.

Does eating a late lunch (1:00-2:00?) work the same way to save time, or are we better off eating earlier? FWIW most of our lunches will be QS

 

[soniam]

I didn't know you could do this. Does the person waiting at the kiosk have to have everyone's magic bands, or does the kiosk ask if you want to make FP for others in your party?

As long as everyone is linked in MDX, I think it will work. I am the only one with an account, so everyone is linked to me. I don't think that matters though. I did this most of the time on our last trip.

 

[soniam]

Does eating a late lunch (1:00-2:00?) work the same way to save time, or are we better off eating earlier? FWIW most of our lunches will be QS

I haven't tried eating late, so I don't know.

 

[eeyoresmom]

Does eating a late lunch (1:00-2:00?) work the same way to save time, or are we better off eating earlier? FWIW most of our lunches will be QS

I don't think 1-2 is late enough to be considered "late". Most vacationers sleep in a bit and lunch and dinner will be a little later for them.I am always shocked at the number of people eating full meals in the food courts at 11 PM. I think after 2 would be a time saver though.

 

[lily2521]

I don't think 1-2 is late enough to be considered "late". Most vacationers sleep in a bit and lunch and dinner will be a little later for them.I am always shocked at the number of people eating full meals in the food courts at 11 PM. I think after 2 would be a time saver though.

Good to know, thank you. I'd rather have a snack to get us by and eat later to avoid crazy lines at QS!

 

[buzzrelly]

As long as everyone is linked in MDX, I think it will work. I am the only one with an account, so everyone is linked to me. I don't think that matters though. I did this most of the time on our last trip.

Thanks! Much easier than making everyone wait in line!

 

[Lovetherodent]

Use FP+ for what's really important to the family and be ready to walk away from anything else. This is my 6th trip (the kids' 5th), so we don't go regularly enough to know the ins and outs, but I still feel like I've been able to do a lot. Chances are, next time I visit, even if the wait is 5+ years again, anything very popular is likely to still be around. So, this trip, I decided to hit MK in the evenings, without FP+s because my girls really want to do some other attractions in the early parks (things would be different if we were allowed to use FP+ selections in multiple parks). Will do Fantasyland and Tomorrowland during wishes/parades and if we decide to get up, pick up some rides during 7am EMH and get out by 8:30. If I don't get to something...oh well. I won't wait 2 hours for a new roller coaster, and that's ok. I can do 3 other things that are nice in that time.

Pick a resort with quicker transportation options than buses, but you pay to be within walking, boat, or monorail distance.

Go early. Stay late. Take an afternoon break if you need it. If you want to sleep in, plan a few days at the beach post-Disney.

Dining at other resorts is a time suck. Plan for end of the day. Drive (or stay on the monorail loop).

Remember where you parked if you do drive. One of my trips was when dh had a conference in Orlando. He'd meet us in the parks at night and invariably forget where he left the car.

 

[GillianP1301]

Drive to parks/resorts and not using Disney transportation. This one is probably my biggest one for time savings. I understand many people feel Disney transportation is more convenient, but I definitely don't and strictly from a time savings point of view, driving will save you quite a lot over the course of an entire vacation.

Character meals - We are going to stop to eat anyway, so combining this with character meals eliminates a lot of standing in line waiting for M&G's in the parks.

Dining in General - We do a lot of TS, which in itself can take a good chunk of time (average about an hour a meal), but if planned well (i.e. in the park you are touring that day anyway, close by resort, etc...), it can double as a good rest/cool down break while eating so then not as many stops/rests are needed while we are touring and doing attractions. I also like having ADRs so I know I will be eating when we want, even if it's peak meal times.

Plan ahead - Have a touring plan set out that will maximize your park time, but have the flexibility to ditch it if you suddenly come across a longer than anticipated line. If you've done lots of planning and research, it will be much easier to do things on the fly. No planning and no research will leave you doing a lot of standing around staring at a map trying to figure out where to go next. This is important for meals too. Even if you don't want to to TS, have an idea of what QS you will want to hit up so you aren't trying to figure that out after half your part is grumpy from hunger and the place they really want is on the other side of the park from where you are. If you are doing QS, then non peak time eating will cut down on your meal times significantly.

 

[RondaBradley]

Reading all of this makes me glad that We go in the off season. If you don't mind staying at a value resort, Pop Century has its own bus system. We just stayed in January and never waited for more than 15 mins for the bus. The buses don't stop at any other resorts at all. You go right from the resort to the park and vice versa. The only time our bus was crowed was if we stayed until closing time. We had one transportation issue in our 8 day stay. We had a very late ADR at Ohana, when we got out, the monorail was closed so we could not get right from there to Pop, we had to take a bus to DTD and then from there get a bus to Pop.....took us 2.5 hours....I was not a happy momma, and the baby, she was not a happy princess!

 

[eeyoresmom]

When my kids were really little I used to pack their complete outfits in those ziplock bags. Not a huge time saver, but saved us some valuable morning time and frustration.

 

[JZCubed]

Lots of discussion on saving money at Disney but can we talk about saving time? There is so much to do at Disney, that even after visiting over 50 times I find myself having to make difficult decisions as to what we will have to skip......I am dropping several ADR's this trip as TS meals do eat up quite a bit of time. We are doing a few that are unique to Disney ( BOG, Sci-Fi), but not as many as usual.......what do you do that saves time at Disney?

Getting Around - if you just missed a bus or are traveling to another resort for an ADR, maybe take a taxi. Walk when possible. For instance, boat from Boardwalk will go at about walking pace and you should always be able to outpace the Train in Magic Kingdom.

Eating - breakfast while Parks are open makes little sense to me, since Park openings have the lowest crowds and best opportunity to do the most attractions. Lunch - eat and/or make ADR's before noon when there are crowds. Characters - a good way to avoid using a FP+ to meet some of them. Utilize Dinner Packages for Candlelight Processional, Fantasmic!, etc.

Attractions - Rope drop and, as immediately as you can, try to accomplish those things that you DO NOT have a FP+ to enjoy. Then, once your FP+ windows open, do something else in your immediate vicinity that has the shortest wait times. Utilize your FP+. Repeat.

Parades & Fireworks - other than viewing from Monorail resort, FP+ is available and can provide peace of mind. Also, since getting out of Park immediately following evening activities takes a long time, plan on staying in the Park for a while and get in some last minute shopping or rides. This way, you are accomplishing something instead of just shuffling along to a long transportation line. Eating dinner just before Illuminations can put you in a prime location at just the right time.

 

[Bullseye]

Drive to parks/resorts and not using Disney transportation. This one is probably my biggest one for time savings. I understand many people feel Disney transportation is more convenient, but I definitely don't and strictly from a time savings point of view, driving will save you quite a lot over the course of an entire vacation.

This! I just didn't want to be the first one to say it. I feel we save a ton of time by driving everywhere in WDW.