We’ve been to Disney World thousands of times.
And with that many visits comes plenty of fun, happy, exciting, good days…as well as a couple of ones you might consider “bad.” But we’ve had enough experience with unfortunate circumstances in the parks to know what to do when things go wrong. Today, we’re going to share our solutions for some of the biggest problems we’ve faced.
Starting With Transportation
Since you can’t sleep overnight in the parks, every single day starts with some form of transportation. Whether that’s driving your personal vehicle, taking the Monorail, riding the Disney Skyliner, or some other option, you’re first going to have to GET to Disney World.
And over the years we’ve had our fair share of transportation mishaps! We’ve been trapped on broken-down Disney buses, gotten stuck in long lines at the Skyliner station, and battled many Monorail closures. Oftentimes, these transportation delays cause us issues in the parks — making us miss valuable rope drop time or making us late for a dining reservation.
The good news is that you can solve those problems! If you’re late to rope drop, it can be disappointing, but the best thing you can do is to pivot and act quickly. Take a look at the wait times and make the most of the time that you have remaining.
If you’re running behind on a dining reservation, you should know that there’s typically a 15-minute grace period for checking in. If you have a legitimate transportation issue, kindly tell the Cast Member at the restaurant, and they’ll likely do their best to accommodate you.
Ride Closures Are a Pain
After arriving at the park, there are several problems you could encounter. However, by far one of the most common we’ve had is a ride closure! Nothing will ruin your day’s strategy faster than unexpected downtime for an attraction.
When that happens, the main thing you can do is head somewhere else in the meantime and keep an eye on the My Disney Experience app. Once the ride begins showing a wait time again, that’ll mean it’s back up and running! It’s probably a good idea to wait a little while after the ride reopens for the hype to die down, otherwise you’ll get stuck with an inflated wait time due to the reopening rush.
Eating When It’s Crowded
After you’ve made it to the park and completed your rope drop strategy, it’s time to eat. There have been many times in the past when we’ve had a hard time finding something to eat because of heavy crowds, combined with no restaurant reservation or Mobile Order availability.
In those cases, we have some recommendations. Several spots around Disney World don’t offer Mobile Order, but still have delicious meal options — don’t limit yourself to just the places on the Mobile Order list. In fact, the smaller restaurants and snack stands that don’t offer that option can sometimes be LESS crowded during the rush.
And if you hope to dine at a table service spot but don’t have a reservation, try the Walk-Up Waitlist in the My Disney Experience app! Simply search for the restaurant you want, and then click the “Join Walk-Up List” button to view availability. It’s not open all the time and you have to be near the restaurant to join, but it’s a great option for last-minute eats.
First Aid Is a Huge Help
Have you ever had those post-lunch rumblies? Us too! Theme park food isn’t always forgiving, and those greasy eats can definitely get to you after a couple of days. If you’re facing problems in that area, we recommend heading to First Aid for a little something to soothe your stomach. They have quite a few remedies there!
There’s a First Aid location in every park — simply check the map or search the app!
Afternoon Weather
It’s a common occurrence for it to rain midday in Disney World, especially in the summer. We’ve been caught off guard more times than we like to admit, and if you’re unprepared with raingear, you might be as well!
When a storm hits, you can always try to seek shelter in an indoor ride, show, or restaurant. The rain often passes after a little while, so sometimes an hour away from the outdoors can be all you need. And of course, Disney gift shops sell ponchos behind the counters so you can stay dry and keep pushing onward!
In general, we recommend packing rain gear for every trip to the parks, but we know that sometimes we forget!
Fireworks Disappointment
When the end of the night rolls around and it’s time to watch fireworks, getting a spot can be a competitive sport. If you’re not stationed in a prime location far enough in advance, it can be a pain to find a place to watch from Main Street, U.S.A., or around the World Showcase.
If you’re in Magic Kingdom, standing directly in front of Cinderella Castle may not be a necessity — the music is piped into most of the areas around the park and you can see the fireworks from almost anywhere outside. If you want to escape the park and avoid the crowds, you can even watch them from the Grand Floridian and Polynesian Village Resorts!
At EPCOT, you can currently watch Luminous, the Symphony of Us, and it’s easy to view from anywhere around the World Showcase. If that’s too crowded, try standing further back in the World Showcase Plaza walkway instead. There are lots of spots for great views!
And sometimes, you just can’t find the right spot…and that’s okay! If you decide not to watch the fireworks, we recommend using that time to sneak in another ride instead (as long as the park is still open). Typically the wait times will drop significantly during the shows.
So there you go — some of the problems we’ve had in Disney World and how we’ve solved them in the past! Stay tuned to AllEars for more tips on how to handle your next vacation.
Click Here to See Problems We Faced at Disney’s After Hours Events!
What are some common issues you’ve had in Disney World? Let us know in the comments!
This whole super detailed park info was amazing…. I frequent Disney Orlando atleast 4 times a year. I give most of the same tips and tricks to friends that haven’t ever been.
Also cups of ice water in every park is free.