There’s no doubt that a Disney vacation is an expensive proposition. While some of us may want to chill out when we’re in the World, there are others who want to make the most of every second to be sure they’re getting their money’s worth!
If that’s you, read on, as we give you some ideas of how can you cram in as many rides and shows in a day as possible. Some of our suggestions are more obvious than others, but we think they’re all worth mentioning again, especially for first-time park-goers.
Go Early
This is a trick that most people know, but don’t always take advantage of. Getting to the parks early is the single-best way to cram in as much as possible. There are usually fewer guests in attendance right at park opening. This means shorter lines for you, which translates into getting more done. If you’re an early riser, take advantage of Extra Magic Hours to get a jump on the park’s official opening. Eat prior to your park entry, or delay breakfast until after you’ve gotten a bunch of rides under your belt. This frees up your time to experience a few of your favorites while others are chowing down at their morning meal. Most days, you can see and do more in those few early, low-crowd hours than you can the rest of the entire day. See our article on 10 Rides Before 10 a.m. for one woman’s strategy.
Don’t Waste Time at Restaurants
Why spend your time eating when you could be on a ride? Obviously, you really do need to eat, but dining at Disney World takes a good chunk of time — even at a quick-service location. You have to wait in line to order, then wait for your food to be made, find a table, get condiments and drinks. If you pack a meal and bring your snacks with you, you can save yourself these precious moments. If you’re in the Magic Kingdom, find a convenient picnic spot with a great view of the Castle without the hassle. See the answers to your potential questions about how this works in our Can I Bring My Own Food into a Disney World Theme Park? feature.
As an alternative, if you really would prefer to eat at a restaurant, don’t be afraid to try out the Mobile Order system, available throught the My Disney Experience app. Using Mobile Order, you can place the order for your food and drinks at most theme park quick-service spots, then skip the long lines when you go to pick it up. It’s quite a time-saver!
Plan FastPasses
You’ll be better able to squeeze a lot into a short amount of time if you have a plan. Selecting FastPass+ times prior to your park day will ensure that you get at least three rides checked off your list. Try to select the most popular rides whenever possible to cut down on the longer wait times. Check out our blog on 6 FastPass+ Mistakes You Won’t Want to Make to make sure you’re on the right track. If you’re still clueless on what the FastPass+ system is, that’s OK. View our guide on FastPass+ to learn everything you need to know to plan the perfect day.
Prioritize
If you happen to be one of the first people in the park, you can be one of the first people in line for the busiest attractions. If you couldn’t manage to get a FastPass for popular rides like Seven Dwarfs Mine Train or Slinky Dog Dash, don’t fret. Try for these attractions in the morning when the lines are shortest. The gentler rides tend to have a similar wait time throughout most of the day. This means you’ll wait about the same amount of time in the morning as you would in the afternoon or evening.
See a Show
In addition to all the rides, don’t forget about all the shows Disney World has to offer. The Monsters Inc., Laugh Floor or Mickey’s PhilharMagic are two great choices in Magic Kingdom with high-capacity theaters and historically low wait times that will get you in and out fairly quickly. Similarly, you can see the shows at Hollywood Studios like Voyage of the Little Mermaid and Muppet*Vision 3D. Epcot has the Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival and many other choices around the World Showcase. Animal Kingdom has It’s Tough to be a Bug!.
Do you have more tips on how to pack in even more attractions during your next Disney World trip? Leave your ideas in the comments below. Be sure to follow our tips on How to Last from Early Morning to the Kiss Goodnight to take advantage of your entire day without feeling fatigued. And don’t forget to consult our Tips Database, for a wide range of suggestions sent in by AllEars.net readers like you!
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Getting to the park at opening should be #1, #2, #3, and #4 on your list. It pays off ten times more than any other strategy.
Also, I’m always amazed at how many people will make the effort to show up early, wait for the opening, then go strait to a food area and spend 30 minutes of precious morning time eating. I’m so glad they do though.