What Disney tip are you really glad you listened to?

[eternalsunshine]

I Would have to say mastering the fastpass system is key,especially if the park is really crowded. I suggest you read the many fastpass posts and learn it.

 

[nana50]

I really like the whistle idea. My 7 year old grandaughter freaks if she loses sight of us. I'll use this everywhere I take her.

 

[Funball]

When I was a first time visitor, the best advice I got was to use Fast Pass! OMG! What a difference it makes!! I am really glad I had listened, and still to this day I use fast pass as much as I can!]

 

[DizMe]

So many!!!! Those others have mentioned, as well as:
*Holiday Tour - awesome!!
*Hojo ent. rate
*AP deal at Costco (too bad it's gone)
*Getting 1 AP so we could take advantage of great hotel rates
*Many coupons & assorted deals I wouldn't have known about

 

[Ride Junkie]

I second HOJO and no fast pass return time. Also my own special joy:



Whitewater snacks kitty.

We noticed Whitewater Snacks kitty too! Actually, there was a momma & 2 little ones last time we were there. Feral cats are a nice hidden gem of the DLR. We've also seen them in the bushes in Fantasyland.

Another thing I can add is, if you bring a baby, take advantage of the Baby Centers in DL and DCA. They have places to nurse, change diapers, heat up bottles, etc. They are a nice quiet place to relax with your little one. The one in DCA even has rocking chairs in the nursing area. I was in there a lot with my 6-month-old last time. What a lifesaver!

 

[frazzle]

Great tips people !! Keep em' coming!

I have printed up the fastpass tips and will learn it by rote!!

I like the whistle idea for my two little guys. The glow stick on the buggy at night is a good one too!

Will try BTMR at night

So I'm guessing you bring glowsticks because they cost a bomb in the park?? Is there anywhere close to the park I can get them cheap? (we fly in internationally and I'm guessing that I can't take them on board??)

One question re Peter Pan... is it a REALLY slow loader or something? Is that why you head there first thing? So I should do it first on our MM day....

 

[egritz]

#1 tip -- get there early (minimum 30 minutes prior to park opening) & take advantage of Early Entry days if you can! 7am sounds early, but you can take an afternoon nap with all the time you save from not waiting in lines. My brother is always jealous when they roll into the parks at 8:30 and we tell him that we've already ridden SpM & Matterhorn multiple times w/ no wait

#2 tip -- fastpass times never expire! Use them anytime after your return time up until park closing!

 

[frazzle]

Thanks Egritz, with 3 kids who are always up before 6 getting to the park early is not something we have to worry about. We'll be there June 22-26. Is it still quiet first thing in the morning at that time of the year?

 

[jodeja]

I am hoping to use the "Get there early!!" tip on our next trip, but in our past visits we never actually made it there early. Oh well, still had a blast and can't wait to go back.

Soooo, the tips that we actually used were:
1. wear comfortable shoes!
2. bring some snacks to save money and time
3. use Ridemax for a touring plan and lots more helpful tips - we used Ridemax with limited success on our last visit. The times we stuck to the schedule it worked amazingly well. The limitations were: getting to the park later than expected and not getting buy-in from the whole group to follow the schedule. Now, that I've tried it once I figured out how to tweak it to get it to work for us.
4. schedule some down time

Hope you have a wonderful time!

 

[egritz]

I've only visited in the off-season (March & October) but from what I've read, park opening is 'relatively' quiet first thing in the morning because most of the locals using their AP's don't arrive until later (and I think think the 22nd is the last day they can come for the summer).
I think the general rule of thumb is that it will always be quieter in the morning -- but keep in mind this is relative to the season!

 

[Brady's Mom]

In response to previous posts - we were there mid July last year and getting to the park early was definitely best. We had minimal waits until about 10:30 am. But, we'd also done most everything we wanted to by that time.

• Stroller/Child Swap combined with FP
• Snacks for little kids
• In the summer - a rest in the afternoon is a must
• Walking distance hotel (We LOVE HoJo)
• Bringing our own glowsticks was great - check them in your luggage if you can

By far the best tip we ever received was for our first trip when we used Ridemax and learned that you don't have to use your FP during the return window.

 

[Ride Junkie]

One question re Peter Pan... is it a REALLY slow loader or something? Is that why you head there first thing? So I should do it first on our MM day....

It's fast loading, it is just a VERY popular ride! Maybe because you're in a little ship and you're hanging from a suspended track, which makes it a unique ride. It's also a super cute ride, my favorite one in Fantasyland!

There is usually around a 45-minute wait for Peter Pan, so it's a very good idea to hit it first thing when the park opens.

 

[azdisneylover]

One of the best tips listed was bringing 'mole skin' and special foot lotion for tired feet!

The other was, if you can afford to stay on site, do it! I am so happy we did.

 

[closetmickey]

Never done this, but the Fairy Godmother just shared it with me last week....if your camera battery dies, somewhere on Main Street- I know, not a lot of help but having a senior moment- has multiple types of camera battery chargers that you can borrow to charge your battery. Thought that was cool!
I believe it was either the photo shop or first aid.

 

[tanyaewa]

My favourite tip from here was the MM schedule - we are NOT early risers but sucked it up and really enjoyed that day - and the access to fantasy land.
also - FP being used after end time
and - great spots to eat- Rocket Port, Cafe New Orleans, Taste Pilots
and - character meals - we really enjoyed Goofy's Kitchen & Surf's Up

 

[Lissame]

Another tip--you can get cups of ice water for free at any counter serve restaurant. The Harbour Galley over across from HM is a place that rarely has lines.

Last year we went right around the time you're going (and we're going at the same time this year) and yes, it is relatively quiet in the mornings. We can usually ride more things before 11 than we can for most of the rest of the day.

 

[NMMickeymom]

One great suggestion was to make sure to have a few priority seating reservations. It is so nice to take a break at a "sit down" restaurant with air conditioning and someone else filling my beverage without much of a wait.

 

[frazzle]

One thing I don't understand yet is the whole concept of priority seating. Is that different to booking a table?

 

[DisneyMomma81]

One thing I don't understand yet is the whole concept of priority seating. Is that different to booking a table?

Well by booking a table to you mean making an advance reservation? If so yes they're basically the same - to make a PS you call 714-781-3463 up to 60 days from your DLR visit.

 

[chrissiecutie]

Label everything!

The best advice I got from these boards was to make a pet tag, like at Petsmart for around $5, for my child. I also made one for his favorite stuffed animal that he never leaves home without.

This way if DS loses his favorite animal, hopefully someone will call the phone# on the tag.