Walt Disney World is without doubt one of the most magical trip locations on Earth. Nevertheless, it can be difficult, costly, irritating, scorchingly sizzling and the epicenter of toddler (and grownup) meltdowns.
The model of Disney World you get is essentially in your personal fingers.
Fortunately, there are simple expert-tested ideas for visiting Disney World. Use the following pointers to save cash, have enjoyable and guarantee your 2025 Disney World trip is successful.
Contemplate a summertime go to this yr
This yr will carry a lot of modifications to Disney World, with a number of new points of interest opening throughout numerous parks.
This summer season, the Magic Kingdom will debut “Disney Starlight: Dream the Evening Away,” the primary new nighttime parade at Disney in nearly a decade. In the meantime, Epcot will see a brand new Spaceship Earth-themed lounge open in late spring, adopted by the reopening of a reimagined Take a look at Monitor in late summer season.
At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, “The Little Mermaid — A Musical Journey” and the brand new “Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After” reveals may even take to the stage this summer season.
Use our favourite eating hacks
Along with their revealed menus, lots of our favourite Disney World eating places — together with Nomad Lounge in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Dealer Sam’s Grog Grotto at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar at Disney Springs and Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen on the Magic Kingdom — have off-menu “secret gadgets.”
Typically, these secret menus can prevent some large bucks. For instance, you may get Ohana noodles from Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort with out paying the hefty prix fixe worth of an Ohana dinner by ordering a bowl from Tambu Lounge subsequent door. It is not on the menu, however you’ll be able to ask for it.
1 of 2
SUMMER HULL/THE POINTS GUY
One other of our favourite methods to avoid wasting on Disney eating is to settle in at one in all Disney World’s many atmospheric lounges somewhat than hitting up a table-service restaurant at each meal. You may nonetheless have a desk and a server, however you’ll be able to order from a menu of lighter bites and inventive cocktails with out spending an excessive amount of on an costly meal.
Every day E-newsletter
Reward your inbox with the TPG Every day e-newsletter
Be a part of over 700,000 readers for breaking information, in-depth guides and unique offers from TPG’s specialists
Associated: Why Epcot is now Disney World’s must-do park
For instance, at House 220 Restaurant in Epcot, the set lunch menu prices $55 for adults and $29 for youngsters. Nevertheless, you’ll be able to nonetheless benefit from the area view within the lounge, which presents heavy appetizers ranging between $12 and $18.
A few of Disney World’s greatest lounges embody the beforehand talked about Nomad Lounge at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Geyser Level Bar & Grill at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, Steakhouse 71 Lounge at Disney’s Up to date Resort and Sanaa Lounge at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas — Kidani Village.
Lastly, in case you do not feel like sitting down in a restaurant or lounge after an extended day at a park, ordering takeout from a few of Disney World’s hottest eating places is a good different dinner possibility. Simply kind “to go” into the My Disney Expertise app search bar to see an inventory of eating places the place you’ll be able to mobile-order a full meal. You possibly can take your meals again to your room or to the nightly outside film exhibiting at your Disney World lodge.
Create your personal souvenirs
Recreation solid members at Disney World resorts run free day by day actions, from poolside trivia to night s’mores across the campfire to motion pictures below the celebrities. Additionally they provide paid actions the place you may make enjoyable do-it-yourself souvenirs, comparable to tie-dyed Mickey T-shirts.
At Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, for instance, you’ll be able to select coloured nuts and string to make your personal kukui nut lei ($15 for teenagers and $20 for adults). A number of Disney World resorts even have Neighborhood Halls the place visitors can watch motion pictures, play video games and make crafts — both totally free or a small price.
Know when you may make your Lightning Lane alternatives
If you’re staying at a Disney Resort lodge (together with the Swan and Dolphin properties or Shades of Inexperienced), you should purchase Lightning Lane passes as much as seven days earlier than your trip at 7 a.m. Japanese time for your entire size of your keep (as much as 14 days).
Snag hard-to-get eating reservations
You possibly can ebook Disney World eating reservations 60 days prematurely. Nevertheless, visitors staying on Disney World property with their reserving linked within the My Disney Expertise app could make reservations 60 days plus the size of their keep prematurely. In different phrases, visitors staying for 5 days can ebook some meals 65 days earlier than their arrival.
This further-out reserving window means you may have a greater probability of scoring probably the most fascinating reservations, which frequently promote out greater than 60 days prematurely.
A few of the hardest-to-snag reservations embody Cinderella’s Royal Desk, House 220 Restaurant, Topolino’s Terrace — Flavors of the Riviera, Oga’s Cantina, Ohana and Roundup Rodeo BBQ at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
You may wish to ebook these (or your most coveted restaurant) as quickly as your reserving window opens. Friends have till two hours earlier than their reservation time to cancel, so one thing might at all times open up on the final minute in case you preserve checking.
If you need another person to do the exhausting be just right for you, there are web sites particularly designed to provide you with a warning when a hard-to-find reservation opens up. The Disney planning website TouringPlans has a free alert service that can notify you by way of textual content or e-mail when a reservation to your chosen date and time vary turns into accessible.
Associated: The very best $120 I’ve spent at Disney this yr obtained me into the Magic Kingdom’s secret tunnels
Make the most of free ice water
Bringing a refillable water bottle to the parks isn’t a nasty thought. Nevertheless, in case you want some water on the go, ask for a free cup of ice water at any quick-service location serving fountain drinks.
Oftentimes, a Disney solid member will probably be stationed on the door checking for cell order return notifications, so simply allow them to know you would like a cup of ice water. They’re going to direct you to a numbered pickup counter to seize one.
Lower your expenses by selecting your dates fastidiously
Identical to it prices extra to fly or ebook a lodge throughout busy weekends and holidays, it additionally prices extra to get entrance tickets to Disney World at sure instances of the yr.
Associated: These are the perfect instances to go to Disney World
Moreover, the price of the reduce-the-line Lightning Lane go varies by day. It prices extra on busier days (and has even bought out on a number of events), so the value variations can add up if you wish to go to Disney World on a peak date.
Go for different cost choices apart from money
A simple method to shave anyplace from 3% to 10% off the price of your journey is to purchase discounted Disney present playing cards to make use of for every part — your Disney lodge or Disney Trip Membership dues, park tickets, merchandise and eating.
You will get them from Goal (there is a 5% low cost when utilizing a Goal Circle™ Card) or from Sam’s Membership and BJ’s at a 3% to 4% low cost. Even when you aren’t getting a reduction, you’ll be able to earn bonus factors in your rewards bank card by strategically shopping for Disney present playing cards at grocery shops and workplace provide shops.
Some cash-back bank cards additionally embody wholesale warehouses of their quarterly cash-back classes, boosting your general financial savings. Chain retailers like Meijer, Kroger and Lowe’s sometimes run promos that may nab you much more financial savings on present playing cards, too, so that you might be able to stand up to about 10% off.
In case your coronary heart is ready on one in all Disney’s Deluxe resorts however your pockets says in any other case, you’ll be able to usually lower your expenses on dear nightly charges by renting Disney Trip Membership factors.
Relying on which bank cards you retain in your pockets, you might also have the ability to redeem factors to your Disney World tickets or a factors lodge close to Disney World.
The knowledge for the Goal Circle Card bank card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.
Assume it can rain — and plan accordingly
That is Central Florida, so there’s at all times an opportunity you may get caught in a pop-up afternoon thunderstorm. The precise preparation can imply letting a little bit rain roll off your (lined) again as an alternative of drenching your parade. You will get “rain prepared” with the following pointers:
- Put on waterproof sneakers (learn: no sneakers and socks that may get soaked).
- Convey a journey umbrella and a poncho or rain jacket.
- Cowl your stroller with a water-proof cowl at any time when there’s even the slightest probability of a bathe.
- Contemplate the forecast if you select what to trip first (it’s possible you’ll must prioritize outside rides).
A lot of Walt Disney World’s outside points of interest shut briefly throughout rain and lightning. When you have your coronary heart set on a top-tier trip (comparable to Slinky Canine Sprint, Take a look at Monitor, Expedition Everest — Legend of the Forbidden Mountain or Seven Dwarfs Mine Prepare) do not wait till the tip of the day to attempt to trip. In case you do and rain comes your method, you may be out of luck.
Rigorously contemplate the place you keep
Disney World has some actually fabulous resort motels — however they commonly value $500 or extra per night time. In case your price range cannot fairly deal with such a splurge, contemplate a few of Disney’s Reasonable motels (here is our favourite hidden gem) and renovated Worth choices.
Associated: The very best motels close to Disney World you’ll be able to ebook with factors
If a conventional Disney property is not possible for you, bear in mind that you may get a number of of the identical perks you’d obtain in case you stayed on property on the Swan and Dolphin properties or one of many Disney Springs motels. As an added bonus, many of those properties take part in main lodge loyalty applications like Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors.
Make the most of free water park visits for Disney lodge visitors
Disney Resort lodge visitors can begin their 2025 trip off with a splash with a free water park go to on their check-in day. Tickets to Disney’s Hurricane Lagoon and Blizzard Seashore water parks usually value $74 plus tax for adults and $68 plus tax for teenagers ages 3 to 9. (Youngsters below 3 are free in any respect Disney World parks.) This perk can prevent a pleasant chunk of change and get the holiday enjoyable going as quickly as you arrive on the property.
This provide is simply accessible to visitors at one in all Disney’s official motels — so contemplate both taking the early flight or staying off-property in your arrival day to benefit from your check-in day. Whenever you ebook your 2025 keep, Disney will ship info earlier than your arrival on how you can benefit from your free water park go to.
Have a plan for getting on the latest rides
Disney is aware of that visitors are clamoring to get on new points of interest like Epcot’s Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and Tiana’s Bayou Journey on the Magic Kingdom. The corporate additionally is aware of the expertise begins diminishing when visitors have to attend in line for 4 or 5 hours per trip.
To maintain wait instances below management, Disney makes use of a digital queue system when it opens new rides. Moderately than a conventional standby line, visitors can strive for a digital queue spot on the My Disney Expertise app. Sometimes, rides that use a digital queue additionally provide a Lightning Lane Multi Cross or Single Cross possibility, giving visitors a number of avenues for getting on standard rides.
There are two alternatives to affix: at 7 a.m. and 1 p.m. There’s a further possibility for Deluxe lodge visitors at 6 p.m. throughout prolonged theme park hours. You possibly can strive for the 7 a.m. slot from the consolation of your lodge mattress, however you should be within the park the place the trip is positioned for the 1 p.m. alternative.
The period of time that the digital queue system stays in place for a selected trip is determined by its reputation. For instance, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind has been open for over two years and nonetheless makes use of a digital queue as an alternative of a conventional standby line.
Permit time for a resort day (or 2)
There’s a lot to do round Walt Disney World that you may simply fill a number of days with actions that do not require shopping for a park ticket. In case you’re visiting for a number of days, contemplate including some actions exterior the parks.
Attempt a spherical of miniature golf — or 18 holes of the true factor — within the morning or some pool time within the afternoon. Go to Disney Springs for dinner and a exhibiting of Cirque du Soleil’s “Drawn to Life.” Or, contemplate “Drawn to Life’s” final Web page to Stage expertise for a behind-the-scenes tour and a memento memento.
One other good time to plan a resort day is earlier than annual after-hours occasions like Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Social gathering and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Social gathering. These go effectively into the night time, so you may want to avoid wasting up some power.
Save character eating for nonpark days
Character meals are usually a visit spotlight, however too usually, visitors make the error of attempting to cram a morning character breakfast into an already full park day. As a substitute, save these character meals for a resort day, particular dinner in your arrival night time or farewell breakfast in your departure morning.
Associated: We put it to the take a look at: Disney Lightning Lanes slashed wait instances in half and get on 16 rides in 1 day
E book breakfast as late as attainable in case you have your coronary heart set on a selected in-park character meal. Make it a brunch so it can save you your early morning hours for scoring shorter waits on rides.
Commerce fireworks and parades for shorter strains
If parades and nighttime spectaculars aren’t must-see actions for you — particularly in case you have a number of days in the identical park — skip the present and hop in line for a preferred trip as an alternative. You are all however assured a shorter wait.
Control character meet-and-greet hours
Many character meet-and-greets begin later and finish sooner than when the parks open and shut. You should definitely test any must-meet character’s look instances within the My Disney Expertise app; this manner, you’ll be able to keep away from the heartbreak of lacking out on a Winnie the Pooh hug or Wookiee fist bump from Chewbacca.
Know how you can get in early or keep late
Disney lets resort visitors staying on property or in choose affiliated motels (just like the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin properties and the Disney Springs motels) into any of the 4 primary theme parks half-hour early to start having fun with choose points of interest.
Moreover, on choose nights, these in Deluxe Disney resorts (and, once more, together with these on the Swan and Dolphin motels and Shades of Inexperienced) can keep two hours after the parks shut to get pleasure from choose points of interest with comparatively minimal waits.
Normally, Epcot and the Magic Kingdom alternate staying open late on choose nights. On nights that Epcot is open late, vacationers staying in eligible resorts get an additional probability to get a digital queue boarding go to trip Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.
Make your cell orders prematurely
Utilizing the cell order possibility within the My Disney Expertise app can save a ton of time when ordering meals from quick-service eating places. However, on busy days at standard spots, the return instances can get backed up shortly.
You possibly can dodge this complete state of affairs by putting your order and setting your best return time early within the day. Or, regulate return instances to make sure you place your order earlier than your required window is gone. You possibly can at all times modify your return window inside Disney’s app if it is advisable to change it.
Backside line
Associated studying:
