Top 3 Tips for First Timers.

[shakebear]

This summer was my family's first trip, and I just wanted to share our biggest mistakes to keep other people from making them. They may seem obvious to those who have been to DW before, they may prove helpful to first timers.

1. LUGGAGE. While this is not necessarily a ''Disney'' tip, it is more of a traveling trip in general. Our plane had a few electrical problems and when we got off the plane, it was either go without luggage or not go at all. Obviously it was unanimous to go without luggage. The only problem was that it took three days to get there. This is what I was wearing on the plane (obviously unaware that this is what I would be wearing for the next 3 days), no joke:

• 
  Short jean shorts

• Silky sequined tank top

• 4 inch wedges

Needless to say, spending three days wearing that was immensly uncomfortable. I actually ended up with blisters on my legs, and feet (by the way, my tip for blisters is above all- MOLESKIN!! - see tip #2), and had pains in my feet long before anyone else due to what I was wearing on my feet. But anyway, my overall tip is PACK SOME CLOTHES IN YOUR CARRY-ON!! If you do have a luggage mishap, you would be very happy you had it.

2. MOLESKIN. We all know how much walking you will do while in DW, so you should be well aware of the possibility of blisters (See #2). I recommend this above anything else. It was so helpful when I ended up with about 6 blisters and bought some moleskin at Panchito's (CS's gift shop type-thing), it really, really helped until they were healed. The only thing was getting it off your skin. It's kind of like pulling off a big band-aid that is sticky all over- and pulling off a blister

3. HYDRATION. This may seem silly to people who have been to DW lots of times, but for first-timers who don't quite know the extent of the Florida climate, it is a good tip. Always try to have a cold beverage with you if possible. Our first trip was this August, and we live in a much colder climate (right now we have about 30 feet of snow outide- typical for February), and knew that Florida would be much, much warmer, but didn't exactly know how much warmer. This may seem like an odd thing to say, but although my favorite beverage is water, I don't like drinking water- or drinking anything in general, and didn't have anything to drink the day we went to Typhoon Lagoon. It was one of the hottest days we spent in DW, and I got reaally bad heatstroke. We ended up having to go ho me immediatly because of how sick I got. It came on really suddenly, I got so dizzy I could barely see straight and just ran to the bathroom- and that's the extent of my description of getting heatstroke, don't worry . Typhoon Lagoon was our last day and last park, so it was a little upsetting to my little sister, but we had gotten a good 6 or 7 hours at the park, we were going to leave in an hour or two anyway, so it wasn't that big of a deal, but an hour is like an eternity to a 7-year-old. So I stongly advise everyone to bring a cold beverage, wear a hat, what ever it takes, because you'll thank yourself later- trust me!

Although these descriptions may seem like the vacation wasn't much fun, that is not at all what I meant. It was absolutly the time of my life- I have never had a better time. These little things didn't cause as much problems as I may have made it seem- they were just little mishaps, that's all. Overall, DW is my absolute favorite place on Earth, I would go back in a heartbeat.

 

[MidgeD79]

My top 3 tips come from remembering the mistakes we made on our first trip 17 years ago:1) Know what the hours are for each park, especially closing times,2) know what rides are in what parks 3)if you have kids, realize that you should take an afternoon break from the parks. This last one is very important during the summer. If the parks close early (like 6pm) it isn't a good idea. I wish I knew then what I know now.

 

[Madsofa]

for the great tips. We are leaving for our first WDW vacation in 10 days or 9 sleeps! I'm open to all helpful tips.

 

[Celina]

for the great trips. We are leaving for our first WDW vacation in 10 days or 9 sleeps! I'm open to all helpful tips.

The most helpful tip I can give you is to enjoy your self. I know that sounds obvious, but for some it doesn't seem to soak in. WDW isn't a race to see who can do the most rides or the most shows. Do not plan things to the min., because the last thing you want to be doing, is jogging through the parks with a map in your hand, trying to be where you need to be, to keep on track. Atleast two times every, pick a special place and just sit down, and soak it all in for 10-15 mins. I am not talking about the times you are eating, or drinking. The memories you will take home with you will not be of the Mega Blaster ride 2000. The memories will be of the wonderful sights, and the people who are with you. Make the most of those two. Trust me.

 

[Mousemom]

1. Our first trip I planned out every minute and my family on the 3rd day revolted. My oldest son said that I was "sucking the fun out of our vacation." Now I still plan but we end up winging it most of the time once there.

2. We were overwhelmed with how many parks there were and places to eat. We are used to DL in California. We looked at the whole of DW, 4 parks and 2 water parks, along with a trip to the beach and Kennedy. We felt like we had to do everything all at once or we would miss something. Once we sat down and decided which park to do on a given day and we only concentrated on that park, it was less stressful.

3. This September we will be making our 12th trip and go with the idea that this is a vacation and even though we are on the go the entire time we still have fun and just not let anything bother us. My kids like to sleep in and stay up late, we eat when we want, and try not to stick to a schedule. Go and just have FUN!

 

[MyManGoofy!]

Hi guys! I am a former CM and here are my tips for you all.

1) Before going into whatever park you will be enjoying for the day, pick one place that you will all meet up at should you get seperated. This is helpful even if you do not have kids. (My family uses the First Aid station because they have them at every location so it is easy to remember, especially for the little ones only having to remember one thing.)

2) Get a map AND a Times Guide for each of the parks. There is a lot of helpful information on these maps and the Times Guides will let you know things like the time of the parade, locations and times for characters, times of shows etc... It is also a good idea to make note of the tip board in each park as this will give you up to date info such as wait times or if the attraction is "down".

3) WATER - WATER - WATER! Not soda, soda dehydrates. Even if it does not seem to be all that warm out, you are dehydrating faster than you think. I cannot tell you how many times people have had their wonderful vacations interrupted by illnesses that are basically hydration related, (headaches, upset stomaches). So drink up people! And if you are concerned about the cost of purchasing water, don't be. There are fountains everywhere.

Oh and please listen to the CM's when they are talking. A lot of the time they are giving out information that is very useful, if not important, to know! Most of all - have fun.

 

[Mousema]

My tips are:

1. WATER - I know it's been said before, but it is very important. You can get free ice from the CS's at every park. Use this.

2. REST - When the parks get crowded, go back to the resort, rest and re-group. Later, go back to the parks. The parks will still be there.

3. Make ADR's. I've seen numerous times people walk up and expect to sit down to eat and there is nothing. If you want to do TS, make an ADR.

 

[mirthmaiden]

1) RESEARCH and plan before you go. It's disappointing getting to the park and finding out it opened 2 hours ago, you can't get in to eat where you want to eat, missed a show you really wanted to see because the parade was going on and you couldn't get where you needed to go in time, etc. Have each group member decide what is most important for him/her, then try to come to an agreement about group priorities before you go so you won't spend precious time arguing about what to do next.

2) WATER - everyone else has said it. I'll say it too. Getting heat exhaustion really whomps.

3) COMFORTABLE SHOES - this should be a no-brainer, but I'm always shocked at how many women I see wearing go-go boots, stilletos, etc. I know a lot of people here like the crocs, but I'm a fan of Teva's. I've never had a blister yet wearing my Teva's, and they can get wet, don't make that "squishing" sound, and let your feet breathe.

 

[Sweedee]

1. research-it can be mindboggling for the newbie but it's worth it. Know now that you won't be able to fit in EVERYTHING, but do aim for at least 2 biggies (parades or fireworks) while you are there.

2. plan your evening ADRs for as early as possible. If you plan on eating at 8, you will miss the fireworks shows.

3. if possible, take a pr of shoes for each day. If not, change your shoes every other day. Different shoes fit differently on your feet. Also, take moleskin. I didn't anticipate having to use it, but was so thrilled to have it when I did need it.

 

[figgy4me]

suncreen

Pain Pills For Headaches Or Body Aches.

Remember Which Area/row You Are Parked - Take A Picture If Necessary.

 

[bopper]

This summer was my family's first trip, and I just wanted to share our biggest mistakes to keep other people from making them. They may seem obvious to those who have been to DW before, they may prove helpful to first timers.

1. LUGGAGE. While this is not necessarily a ''Disney'' tip, it is more of a traveling trip in general. Our plane had a few electrical problems and when we got off the plane, it was either go without luggage or not go at all. Obviously it was unanimous to go without luggage. The only problem was that it took three days to get there. This is what I was wearing on the plane (obviously unaware that this is what I would be wearing for the next 3 days), no joke:

• 
  Short jean shorts

• Silky sequined tank top

• 4 inch wedges

Needless to say, spending three days wearing that was immensly uncomfortable. I actually ended up with blisters on my legs, and feet (by the way, my tip for blisters is above all- MOLESKIN!! - see tip #2), and had pains in my feet long before anyone else due to what I was wearing on my feet. But anyway, my overall tip is PACK SOME CLOTHES IN YOUR CARRY-ON!! If you do have a luggage mishap, you would be very happy you had it.

Packing some clothes in a carry on is a good idea, especially if you use the Magical Express.

However, if the airline has your baggage without giving it to you that day, then call them and ask/tell them that you have no clothes because they have your luggage and they will have to reimburse you for what you need to buy. My DH has done that when they lost his bags internationally and he had no clothes for his work meeting.

 

[Samantha/NC]

plan, plan, and plan some more--this does not mean do the parks commando style-it just means know what you want to ride and want to see each day

get to the parks early!!

We went in July in peak times-we rode everything we wanted to and our longest wait was about 20 minutes.

Use those fastpasses!!! They are excellent.

once you have seen the parades/fireworks use this time later on to walk on rides!! We rode POTC with no wait during Wishes!

Have Fun!!!!

 

[DisneyNeckCoolers]

I take a break mid-afternoon. Go back to your room and REST. Or go swimming. I know, especially newbies, want to maximize their time at WDW and use all of their time at the parks, but especially if you have little ones, a midday break is needed. And, if you're using TGM's advice, you will be able to see everything you wanted to see without feeling like you're wasting valuable time.

Something I learned on my last trip to stay cool was to bring neck coolers. Those things worked great! It really does help you stay cool for hours at a time. The kiddos also loved water bottle fans. Not only did they feel good, but it kept the kiddos busy in lines, etc.

 

[summerlandjeff]

1. Know your park options! One year we forgot to get the water park option on our park passes, walked up to Blizzard beach at 2:00PM, DD11 was very excited to try it. We were informed our passes were not valid! OOPS! Man was DD disappointed!

2. Be prepared for health problems. Two years ago I developed a painful rash , called my home Doctor and got a prescription at a local pharmacy, but it took two painful days! Have the info at the ready and you can get things done right away!

3. RELAX!!!! Every vacation we go on, one of us gets stressed either during the flight, the check in, the inevitable lost luggage or misplaced reservation......... Just roll with it. Your on vacation! If everything is not perfect, so what. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade !

Easter @ CSR can't wait!

 

[angbuz]

1) My first peice of advice would be to those people with children. Take the time to take breaks and go back to your hotel and swim/rest. Do not get mad if your kids are whining that they want to go back to hotel and swim, they're probably just ready for a break. As a previous poster said, the parks will be there later/tomorrow.

2) Make ADR's as far in advanced as possible and you should be able to get the times and places you want. Be sure to plan what parks you will be in and where you want to eat.

3) Read the DIS boards for some really great info and tips. I couldn't have done my last trip without them!!!! Just HAVE FUN!!!!

 

[ZoZo]

What a great thread!

1) Use Fast Pass (so many people don't use it!).

2) Comfortable shoes, moleskin, and bodyglide for feet. Thought I had brought well-broken-in shoes on my last trip, and they were awful! Wish I had brought my oldest, crummiest sneakers with me as a back-up. Had a painful blister that hurt for three days.

3) Emergency ponchos (the cheap K-mart kind) in case it rains. They only cost 79 cents, and are very compact. Tucky easily into a pocket, fanny pack, or backpack. When you're done using it, just toss it out! I bring about 4 or 5, treating them as "disposable! Easier than trying to fold a big WDW poncho back into a backpack, etc.