Monday, June 28, 2010

Tips for a successful trip

Many people ask me what are some tips for successfully enjoying a trip to the World and still maintaining your sanity. I often laugh and say how much time do you have? There are so many ways have fun at Disney, but it is so easy to get overwhelmed, especially for first time travelers. The parks are so big and there are so many things to do that I can easily see why many people say they just don't know where to start. So, here are a few of my tips for those of you who may be feeling a little overwhelmed on where to start.

First of all, decide how long you will be there, and how many days you want to spend in each park. Know before you go that you probably are not going to be able to see everything. We were there for 11 days last year and still did not experience every attraction (though truthfully there are actually a few rides and shows on property that we really don't care to see). This leads to the second part of this tip. Sit down with everyone in your group and make a list of everyone's must dos. Maybe know the top three things in each park that each person feels like they would be disappointed if they missed experiencing. Then make a plan for the day to hit those attractions first. Do the big headliners early in the day, then go to the others once these are knocked off. Once you check all of the must dos off your list, start enjoying the other rides that you may not have thought of.

Second of all, get to the parks early. I have heard many people say, "I am on vacation, I don't want to get up early". To all of you, I say thank you. You make it possible for my family to experience all of the headliners in each park before the lines get long. You make it possible for my family to experience all of Fantasyland in the morning with no lines so we can walk on and off the rides over and over again. For those of you do get up with us, I strongly suggest getting to the parks before rope drop and enjoying the opening shows. These are so cute and really set the tone for the day. Each park has a different show, but they all include characters and some singing. My daughter loves these shows and we all look forward to seeing them each trip.

Finally, plan your days, but don't try to plan every minute. As soon as you know you are going to Disney World, plan what restaurants you want to eat at and what parks you want to visit. Call 407-WDW-DINE or go online and make your reservations 180 days out if possible. As you wait for your trip to arrive look through books and visit websites to see what attractions you want to see. Make your list with the group to find the must dos and plan your days accordingly. BUT, leave time to experience the true magic of Disney. There are so many fun things that pop up that you could never plan. Your kids may enjoy spending hours in the fountains, or decide they want to drop pennies in the wishing well by the castle, or may even find out that the performances in World Showcase in the different countries are hidden gems of entertainment. Don't plan every minute so that you have time to experience these small things. They may very well turn out to be the best memories you take home with you.

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