I am still floating on cloud nine after returning from the MOST magical trip! Yes you guessed it – to Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom in Orlando, Florida! I mean, where else right? My boyfriend and I had waaay too much fun there from dining at the Be Our Guest restaurant, to riding Space Mountain, and then watching a spectacular fireworks show! So follow me to the happiest place on earth as I share some Walt Disney World tips and advice to make the most out of your trip (btw, Daniel Wellington featured this photo on IG eeekkk! See it here)!
Arrive early! Walt Disney World officially opens at 9 am but you can enter even earlier! I hear that you get special guest privileges if you stay at any of the Disney resorts nearby, which are typically pretty expensive. BUT if you don’t want to pay that premium hotel rate, make early morning reservations at the Be Our Guest (BOG) restaurant! It’s the beautiful Belle and Beast restaurant that features three themed rooms you can dine in. Make reservations ASAP since it gets booked up REAL fast. We made reservations at 9:20 am (wish we got the 8 am one) and, at the Disney park entrance, go to the Reservations line and they will check you in. We didn’t arrive until 8:40 am with parking and riding the ferry but it was still exciting that we got in before the “regular” crowd. Look at how empty the park is in this photo (trust me it gets very packed later)!
P.S. Most families want to go to BOG for dinner to meet the Beast and have a more formal dining experience. However, being older, I didn’t mind not meeting the Beast and enjoyed jump starting my day with the complimentary juices, coffee, and pastries with my meal. I recommend pre-ordering (another time-saving tip) the Croque Madame and Open-Faced Bacon and Egg Sandwich yummm! Just remember, you are still paying Disney prices so each entree is $20+.
Get Fast Passes and the My Disney Experience phone app! You can reserve Fast Passes using the My Disney Experience phone app 30 days in advance of when you go to Walt Disney World. Fast Passes are free and allow you to skip long attraction lines during allotted one-hour time periods. You only get three (so use them wisely), and you can get an additional pass after you use all three at any of the Fast Pass kiosks at the park. I recommend getting them for major attractions with super long lines like Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, and Big Thunder. The My Disney Experience app is also awesome since you can constantly refresh it to see current waiting times for each ride.
P.S. There are some rides that we waited in the normal line for that are known for having long lines. I don’t recommend using Fast Passes on Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Peter Pan’s Flight since those rides are more kiddish and not worth it. The lines can get insane, though, over 120 minutes at times!
What to wear. First off, wear tennis shoes! Trust me, you’ll want that extra foot cushion after a very long and tiring day of walking and standing in lines. I love these sneakers since they’re both comfortable and stylish! I also recommend wearing shorts or jeans so you don’t have to worry about your skirt or dress flying/flipping. I wore these Topshop skinny jeans and this adorable striped peplum top! Don’t also forget to wear your favorite sunnies, sunscreen and lip balm to protect your skin from the sun!
What to bring.
Backpack or drawstring bag to carry your items, including the ones I’ve listed below. We were able to bring our drawstring bag on every ride. For the more thriller rides, just loop your leg through the bag strap so it doesn’t fly out.
A water bottle since Disney gives you free water and there are drinking fountains everywhere. This is an easy way to save money on buying water while keeping you hydrated!
Camera to take photos! We brought our Sony A6000 which was used to take a few of these photos you see here and it was never a hassle. Just be sure it’s stored safely in your bag when you go on rides.
Portable phone charger. You’re going to want to take a lot of photos and videos so use a charger to keep those cell phone batteries going! I brought this one along and it was a life saver!
Hand sanitizer and/or baby wipes. There are so many kids and people, you don’t know where their hands have been. Keep the germs away!
Watch the fireworks show! I was exhausted around 8:30 pm and wanted to return to our hotel. However, I am SO glad I powered through til 10 pm since the Disney fireworks show was the most stunning and incredible one I’ve ever seen (and I’m usually not into fireworks)! I still cannot get over how beautiful it was. I don’t want to ruin anything but just know that it will be worth it to stay!
Where we stayed. We stayed at the Marriott Grande Vista and it was conveniently located 15 minutes away from both Walt Disney World and Universal Studios (which we went the following day). The hotel rate was very reasonable with free parking. I also recommend renting a car so that you can easily get to and from the theme park. Shuttles can take an hour each way with limited hours.
And there you have it – my Walt Disney World tips and advice! Thanks for reading this super long post and I hope this helps with your future trip! I know you’ll also have the most fun and magical day!!!!!
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