TLDR: The 5 Things You Need to Know Before Going to Disney World Right Now

You’re heading to Disney World! Aren’t you excited?

There are so many things to look forward to like the atmosphere and immersion of the parks, the restaurants you’ll eat at, and all the rides you’ll enjoy. To make sure that you have the best time ever, let’s talk about the things you’re going to need to know before you go to Disney World!

1. Master the Magical Tools

Alright, first things first, let’s talk about Genie+. It’s like your personal genie granting wishes for a smoother Disney experience. This paid service allows you to book Lightning Lanes for select attractions, bypassing standby lines.

If rides are the priority, you may feel the need to buy Genie+ for every park and every day of the trip — but it all depends on your wants on your trip, so read up on Genie+ to make an informed decision.

Next, Park Pass reservations are no longer needed for date-based tickets but are still required for certain passholders and other ticket types.

Last, there are only two attractions in Disney World that use virtual queues — TRON Lightcycle / Run and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. There are two virtual queue drops during the day, one at 7 AM and another at 1 PM. It’s during these two times that you can go into the app and select to enter the queue.

Up until now, you had to only pick one of the rides at the 7 AM drop based on the park you had a reservation for (TRON for example if you had a reservation for Magic Kingdom). But that has now changed!

Since you no longer need a park reservation for date-based tickets, you can select either of the rides at the 7 AM drop, and you don’t have to be inside the parks. However, you will need to be in the park for the ride you wish you pick at the 1 PM drop.

Click here for more on how Virtual Queues Just Got Less Complicated in Disney World

2. Navigating Transportation Like a Pro

While Disney World offers convenient transportation options, it’s important to know the right way to use them.

Remember, resort buses only connect to parks, water parks, and Disney Springs. So if you want to travel between resorts, you’ll have to plan accordingly by using rideshares or taxis.

Only Disney World Experts Know These 6 Unspoken Transportation Rules

3. Get Friendly with the My Disney Experience app

Trust me, you don’t wanna be fumbling around with the My Disney Experience app for the first time while you’re in the parks. Download that bad boy ahead of time and play around with it.

It’s your go-to for everything from ordering food to checking ride wait times.

4. Binge-Watch AllEars Videos

Want to get insider tips and tricks? Well, look no further. You’re in the right place! Head over to our YouTube and binge-watch all the videos you can find.

Whether you’re a first-timer or a seasoned Disney enthusiast, these videos will give you some insights into making the most of your visit.

NEWS: Video Takes You Inside the NEW Fort Wilderness Cabins Coming to Disney World

5. Cracking the Code on Disney Dining Plans (DDP)

Just in case you’re not familiar with the Dining Plan, it’s an add-on for your Disney World vacation package that essentially allows you to pre-pay for your food. You pay a certain amount per night to get credits that you can use at most Disney World restaurants throughout your vacation.

If you decide you’re going to roll with the Disney Dining Plan, here’s a heads up that you might not know about — those meal credits are tied to your room, not necessarily to you personally. Also, tips aren’t included, so don’t forget to show some love to your servers!

We Wasted $508 on the Disney World Dining Plan. Don’t Make the Same Mistakes.

Cinderella Castle

Well, there you have it. Those are some of the things you’re going to need to know before you go to Disney World! We’ll be sure to keep you updated with more Disney news and advice, so make sure to follow along for more!