Your best WDW tips for first-time visitor

[danacath]

A friend of mine just told me that she, DH and DD-age 10 are leaving in ONE WEEK for WDW. Having never been there, she's totally clueless and asked for my help with touring tips, etc. Time is short, so I have to "educate" her quick! What tip/advice would you want to be sure to share with her to make their trip a good one?

 

[mello]

How to pick the Best out of so many great tips learned here!

I think #1 has to be: Be sure to make use of Fastpass

 

[rockstargeisha]

I recently read some great advice on these boards, you can't do everything, get in those "must sees" and consider everything else a plus.

If possible (short notice but worth a try ), have her make advance dinner reservations for any TS restaurants.

Wear comfortable shoes, drink plenty of water, and take full advantage of the pools and transportation.

 

[Clopert]

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[fla4fun]

Have they made any ADR's? They might want to make a few.

Other than that, the first thing I would say is drink lots of water. Not soda, not juice, but water.

 

[ricktib]

My tip would be to be at each park at rope drop. Walk right on all the "big" attractions during those precious uncrowded hours, then enjoy the rest of the park throughout the day. Saves so much time.

Although, I know not everyone is a morning person, escpecially on vacation.

 

[MisunderstoodLilo]

Buy the Birnbaum and read it on the plane. It's not my favorite book, but it will be the quickest to get thru and will give them a brief overview of what they are going to see.

Try to make ADRs or plan on counter service. (I personally enjoy the CS meals, I know others do not...she should be prepared)

FAST PASS!!!! It's free, don't let them go there thinking otherwise!!!!

Know ahead of time you're not going to see it all. Disney property, in square miles, is bigger than San Francisco or the island of Manhattan. Tell them that...it gets 'em every time!

But most of all, tell them to have fun!

 

[disneyfanfamily]

As mentioned - fast pass and get there early.

Take afternoon breaks as needed.

Get in the air condition - shops, inside rides, restaurants, shows, to cool down. Or go back for a swim at the hotel.

There will be rude people at WDW. Don't let them ruin your vacation.

Get your spot at the parades early. We like to grab something to eat about an hour early, find our spot and enjoy the relaxation before the event begins.

I am sure there are a lot more tips. Our family will be taking our 3rd vacation there in 1 week. So we are not professionals yet. However, we are getting better!
Angela

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Tell them that it is their first trip, not their last. Take it easy and don't try to see everything.

For many years I was the Disney Expert in an office building of about a thousand people (Federal Agency) and one of my comments always was during your first trip learn what you would have to see on your next trips.

 

[Laz]

I have to agree that my best tip is that you can't see/do everything. Plan what you must do, and then work the other items in as time allows. Relax and enjoy the parks. Don't rush.

 

[Ellasgirls]

Try to see WDW like a child does...make everything fun and exciting and take your time. If you are running from one thing to another you will miss the little things Disney does to make it magical; such as, the flower beds, the hidden Mickeys the water & light shows. Make sure you sit down to see the parades and stay for the fireworks. Help her make a list of MUST DO's and let her know that even if a ride seems childish for her 10 year old they should try it (like the Pooh ride & Buzz Lightyear). Have fun, have fun, have fun....don't let anyone ruin your days at WDW! OK now I am more excited about going in August!!!

 

[Sugardimples]

My advise is really, really basic. Be sure to look at the maps of the parks and read the information on the maps and the daily schedules. It seems that most people wander aimlessly and then feel that they missed a lot (and they did!). A few minutes spent orienting yourself can have a big impact on your experience.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Good advice is to have a basic understanding how the Disney World transportation works and interacts. Use Photopass.

 

[carone0318]

My #1 tip, know going in that everything is expensive - EVERYTHING!

I hear too many times when people return - gosh Disney is so expensive and it seems like a big turn off to many people.

If you know going in how expensive it is, you won't have sticker shock!

 

[civileng68]

One piece of advice I'd give is:

A) DON'T OVERSELL IT. I love WDW more than most and I sold it to my friend as that, and I think he found that it wasn't as Big or as Awesome as I said. He still enjoyed it but, I oversold it. Beware of doing that.

B) Don't send them in there too hard. The summers at WDW are miserable. They can really take the enjoyment out of the vacation if you let it. As a veteran of WDW, I'd say to MAKE SURE to keep them out of the park at the hottest times. Relaxation in the summer is key. The parks at night are the time/place to play.

 

[Praying Colonel]

--Be there at rope drop.

--Have a plan, some type of plan, any plan other than wandering into the park and trying to figure it out at that point.

--FP is your friend. Learn everything you can about it (some people still believe you have to pay to use it!) and plan on using it often.

--Drink lots of water.

--Take care of your feet. Good shoes, good socks and Body Glide on the soles of your feet.

--Take an afternoon break or skip the evening activities. It's very tough to go from rope drop to final fireworks at this time of the year. Something has to give.

--You're not going to see everything. No matter how hard you go, you just aren't. So don't try. In a lot of ways, the 1st trip is just setting the stage for your next trip.

 

[jimmalru80]

Try and make it a point to slow down and "smell the roses" a few times during your trip. There is so much to do and you need to balance that out and savor your time there.

 

[skier_pete]

It's already been said, but I have three cardinal rules of touring:

1) Open the parks. You will get more done in the first two hours than in the rest of the day. (If they really HATE getting up early, though, don't let doing that ruin your vacation.)

2) Use the FastPass system. This is where you as a Disney vet can help them most. EXPLAIN to them exactly how it works, and especially explain how you get the pass and come back later...yes it is backtracking, but it beats standing in a two hour line.

3) Have a plan...even if it's a very basic one...(We will start at Splash and BTMRR, then to adventureland, then fantasyland.) Give them a hand to decide which parks on which days. (If they are staying off-site...help them avoid extra-magic hour days.)

If they want lots of info, have them pick up the Unofficial Guide, my favorite guide book, and have it handy as a reference.

Try to make them understand how hot and crowded it will be, and how if they start to burn out take a break.

Finally, if they don't want to listen to what you have to say, don't feel bad...most people don't really believe what it's like there.

SkierPete

 

[bopper]

You have to take breaks. Some people like to do that by going back to the room in the middle of the day to swim. I think that is a waste of time, but we take our breaks by taking a rest/swim day after two full days at the parks. You cannot go more than two full days at parks without everybody getting really really cranky so plan some down time.

It's hot, drink a lot.

Bring disposable camping ponchos for those unexpected rain showers.

 

[The Mick]

Don't worry about Park Hopping. Pick a park and stay there for the day. You'll hear some people say MGM or Animal Kingdom aren't full-day parks, but they definitely ARE full-day parks for first-time visitors. There's lots to see and do at all of them.

Make a plan. Pick the rides/attractions you want to see most, and plan your day around those. Get fastpasses for those must-sees every chance you get. Any other rides/attractions you see after these must-sees is a bonus. Trust us - there's too much to absorb your first time through WDW to get everything in. So do what you want to do most, then fit in whatever else you can after.

And don't park hop your first time through - you're going to be confused and disoriented enough just navigating one park. Don't worry about getting to a 2nd park in one day. Also, hopping wastes too much time traveling between parks, especially if you don't know where you're going or what you're doing. Spend that time in that one park instead, having fun.