Ultimate Walt Disney World Guide

Walt Disney World in Florida is a heaven for families around the world. Spring and Summer are just around the corner. You might be planning some family activities and this site might be on your planning list or itinerary. Today we are sharing the ultimate Walt Disney World guide to help you plan the best family holiday that fits your budget.

The best time to visit Walt Disney World

You can visit it year round, with unique features in each of the seasons. However, summer and winter are the most crowded, because of seasonality. Visiting the resort outside these peak time could be a way to make the holiday more affordable.

There are also some peak points nationally for visiting Walt Disney World in the America, such as Thanksgiving day, Veteran day, etc. Weekends will have more visitors than the weekdays, of course.

The place to stay in Walt Disney World

You have two options for accommodation; either on-site or off-site. There are some pros and cons for each choice. The on-site stay will cost more than the off-site ones, but it will give some privileges in parking, transportation, magic hours, dining, FASTPASS+, magic band, dining plan and reservations. On-site is more expensive, but provides that little bit more flexibility for you. Off-site stays can also involve shuttles though, so it is worth doing your research and comparing prices.

How to get the most of your stay

You will need to be prepared to spend a certain amount of money, time, and energy enjoying the amusement park and all its facilities. To make the most of the time that you do have there:

Avoid the queues by arriving earlier because lines are much shorter in the morning,
Maximise the use of fastpass+ to save your time and energy. You can purchase additional Fastpass+ after using the first three tickets,
Always plan for a day! You will not miss anything that you should do. You need to check the schedule for parade and events in the official app that you can download, and
Bring some snacks to save more money and time.

If you are looking for more help; then why not check out our tips for families planning a trip to Walt Disney World?

How to save money in Walt Disney World

There are several ways to save money:

If you are a national, then use the Chase debit card to get an additional discount in the amusement park,
Purchase tickets from official resellers rather than from the Disney website because they can be more economical,
To purchase gifts at discounted prices, you can purchase gifts cards for additional discounts,
If you go with kids, purchasing pins in bulk from eBay is more economical rather than from the official Disney shops, and
To get more pro picture quality with no cost, you can ask Disney photographers to help you take picture with your own mobile phone or camera.

How to use fastpass+

Fastpass+ is a ride reservation system that allows you to book a ride at certain time windows, so you won’t have to join the long queues on a specific ride or event. Understanding the use of FastPass+ is extremely important to make sure you save on time, and chaos! In the infographic below, here are some recommendations for using FastPass+ in 5 different ways that can help you.

Disney Dining Reservations

Always book a LONG WAY in advance, it is so important to get this right; book as soon as you can. Staying onsite allows you to book sooner; more info in our planing a Disney trip guide.

Finally, check out this more detailed infographic to make sure you have a fin vacation in the Walt Disney World. Oh, and if you still feel like you need something else to do – why not look for the hidden Mickeys in the park, just like we do, perhaps start with hidden Mickeys in the Disney App and Animal Kingdom.

Thanks to Travelhackrz for the infographic on this.

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Helen

Helen is a mum to two, social media consultant, and website editor; and this site is (we think) the only Social Enterprise parenting magazine! Since giving up being a business analyst when juggling travel, work and kids proved too complicated, she founded KiddyCharts so she could be with her kids, and use those grey cells at the same time. KiddyCharts has reach of over 1.1million across social and the site. The blog works with big family brands (including travel) to help promote their services, as well as offering free resources to parents of kids under 10. It gives 51%+ profits to Reverence for Life, who fund a number of important initiatives in Africa, including bringing running water and basic equipment to a school in Tanzania. Helen has worked as a digital marketing consultant (IDM qualified) with various organisations, including Channel Mum, Truprint, Talk to Mums, and Micro Scooters. She loves to be creative in the brand campaigns she works on. Get in touch TODAY!