MICKEY AND MINNIE

Disney World Bests

Best time to visit:

• The best time to visit would be between the third week in September to the third week in October for the fall, (amazing weather in Florida, btw - 80*F, clear and not humid! Perfect for all the attractions and nighttime spectaculars!)
• October is great because of Mickeys Not-So-Scary Halloween party, where they have free candy throughout the park and the BEST fireworks show. (Tip - if you don’t want to spend the money to go to a not-so-scary or its sold out then you can still view the fireworks from the beach of the Polynesian resort, accompanied with Dole Whip and all! :D They pump the music to the beach, so you do truly get the full experience!
• NOT the summertime. It’s too crowded and too hot. If you have to go in the summer, I would say the second or third week of July is your very best option/gamble. 
• The second week of November until about the 2nd week in January is absolutely bonkers. The really good attractions become crowded and make the parks hard to really experience. No fun. March and April are also really crowded (due to Spring Break season). 
• Christmas is lovely at the resort, but it is PACKED. Thanksgiving is also a great time to go, because all the Christmas decorations are up, but it’s not quite as busy.
• It’s a great idea to go directly AFTER any major holiday (like a 3 day weekend such as Labor day or the 4^th of July).

Best places to stay:

• AT A DISNEY RESORT!!! Basically, any Disney resort comes with serious perks. You get to stay in the parks for longer, there are free shuttle buses, or if you want to drive to the parks you get free parking… they’re (a bit - a LOT) more expensive, but it’s worth it if you don’t mind dishing out the extra cash.
• If you can, do try to stay at one of the “Luxury Resorts” (The Contemporary, The Polynesian, or The Grand Floridian). They’re a little more expensive, but they are on the Monorail tracks, which are a million times more convenient than buses. 
• Grand Floridian – beautiful, all-star hotel
• Wilderness lodge – it has a lovely view, a great beach, an amazing pool, it’s relaxing, and decorated so authentically and brilliant! Plus, transportation is great.
• Old Key West Hotel - great if you have a large group
• Port Orleans Resort - a nice middle-of-the-road resort that offers two themed settings, the French Quarter and the Riverside
• The Polynesian Resort - nice view of the Magic Kingdom fireworks from the beach and awesome volcano slide at the pool. This hotel also serves up the famous Dole Whip (mmmm) and Tonga Toast (banana stuffed French toast. I die.)
• Disney All Star Movies Resort - the pools are themed and it’s like a mini Disney park in itself; a great experience for a cheaper price. 
• The Pop resort – great value (relatively inexpensive)
• The Contemporary Hotel – great location near the parks
• The Boardwalk – very close walk to Epcot
• Disney World Time Share - a fabulous option for families who anticipate many subsequent trips to the Disney World resort. Through the program, you can also build up ‘points’ that allow you to travel to other (international!) destinations. Inquire with a friendly DW Resort cast member and I’m sure they’ll be able to give you more information. 

If someone is looking for something a little cheaper, you can always try outside of Disney itself. For example, the Holiday Inn, just outside Disney World, is just a quick walk away for a much cheaper price. Plus, it has a convenient little shuttle bus to the parks.

 Best places to eat:

• Crystal Palace (great for sit-down, character dining)
• Tony’s (get there at 4 before reservation seating!)
• Cosmic Rays & Liberty Square Harbor House for quick service
• Chef Mickey’s (character dining!)
•  Kona Café (delicious sticky wings)
• Ohana (food is served family style; If you go for dinner around 830 you’ll be able to enjoy Magic Kingdom’s fireworks from across the bay – request a window seat!)
• The Liberty Tree Tavern
• 50’s Prime Time Cafe (it’s set in the 50’s and your waiter/waitress acts like your mother and makes you eat your veggies and all that good stuff)
• The Hoop De Doo Revue (a fantastic dinner show)
• Donald’s Breakfastosaurus and Flame Tree Barbecue in the Animal Kingdom
• The California Grill at the Contemporary Resort (offers a spectacular view of the Magic Kingdom fireworks display)
• Sci-Fi Dine-In in Hollywood Studios (you sit in a car and watch movies while you eat.)
• Cinderella’s Royal Table in the Magic Kingdom (be sure to make reservations in advance cause it gets busy)
• In Epcot: San Angel Inn (Mexico), Marakesh (Morocco), Tato Italia & Via Napoli (Italy), Tepen Ido (Japan), Le Cellier (great meat ‘n potatoes – in Canada) and Journey to World Showcase

If you are looking for a sit-down-and-be-served kind of dinner, you NEED a reservation. No, ifs, ands or buts. Otherwise, you’ll most likely be stuck at a food court type of place (which aren’t that bad but not what you may have been originally intending to do).

A Beginner’s Guide to Disney World

(I hope this quick tip sheet is helpful!) 

Low-down on Disney World: There are a total of 6 parks (including water parks)!  Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Typhoon Lagoon, and Blizzard Beach. There’s also Downtown Disney, which has lots of dining, shopping, and even an all-out arcade.

How to have the best time at Disney World:

Prioritize!

• If you want to see the parades and are going to WDW for more then a couple days (which you should definitely do!) then space them out and prioritize them so that if it’s not a parade you’re dying to see or you know you can see the next day, you can take advantage of everyone being at the parades to go ride the rides with little lines.
• Decide what you want to do the most and keep a constant check on the ride boards, cause they can give you a good estimation. This way you cut down on ride times and can enjoy the experience to the max.

 Buy the Park Hopper tickets.

• Trust me. They’re amazing because you can go from park to park all in one day. You can spend the morning in the Magic Kingdom, lunch in Epcot, the afternoon in the Animal Kingdom, and then dinner at the Magic Kingdom again.

If you can, stay at a Disney Hotel.

• Guests who stay at a Disney hotel get SERIOUS perks.
• They usually will leave a park open later or open one earlier just for guests staying at their hotels. The lines are so short!
• They have buses to all the parks that run all day long and have different levels of hotels so you’re not stuck with a giant hotel bill.
• Also, airlines typically have deals for flight, hotel, and dining plans if you do it all through them. Check Southwest because they usually have the best. On Disney World’s website, they break down all the hotels by level so it’s easy to see which one you would like to stay at that is within your budget.

Get the dining plan!

• You will save SO much money by doing so. 
• Make your dining reservations before getting on the plane. It sounds lame to say that you should plan your vacation around your meals, but the restaurants in Disney are experiences in and of themselves. Between the Hoop-de-Doo, the Luau at the Polynesian, the Prime Time Fifties Cafe and so many others, you can pretty much count getting into them at all goodbye without a reservation. Trust me, eating in Disney is just as amazing as the park experience itself.

Take advantage of the early park openings.

• On certain days of the week, some of the parks open early and you can get a bus there from any of the Disney hotels for the early time. These are the BEST TIMES TO GO b/c not everyone has access to the early opening and there are NEVER any lines.
•  If you’re just heading in for a regular opening, go to a major ride first and either ride it right then and there or get a fast pass (UTILIZE THE FAST PASS IN DISNEY WORLD). Then go to the next big ride and do the opposite (so if you got a fast pass at the first, ride the second). This is the best way to get the big things done without the lines or the wait.

 Be ready to walk and not get much sleep!

• There is so much to do at Disney World and you’ll never be able to do it all. Be okay with that. But know that Disney World is a HUGE place. So have good walking shoes with you.

Try to do each park in a day or two, depending on the length of your stay.

• Park-hopping is great, but if you’re staying say 7 days, make MK your first and last day. Make Epcot at least 2 days. MGM (Hollywood Studios) and Animal Kingdom can be done in one long day if you do them right. It’s all right to want to see certain fireworks shows, etc., but each park can be done really well in about 2 days (some less). 

Don’t forget about the Fast Pass system!

• Whenever you have a member of your group who doesn’t want to do a particular ride (Rockin Rollercoaster, Tower of Terror, Splash Mountain, etc.), give them your hotel keys so they can get you Fast Passes for another attraction. Instead of letting them shop or eat, they can be a vital tool for you to get off one awesome ride and right onto another!

Rain recommendations:

• If it’s a light drizzle, go on Splash Mountain. A lot of people won’t do it because it’s outside, and the lines aren’t as long. And after all, you’re going to get wet anyway. Might as well go all or nothing!
• Bring your own ponchos, especially if you have small children with you. Everyone buys the Disney ponchos, and it becomes really easy to lose a member of your group. 
• It rains almost every day around 4pm (whatup, Florida weather!) so be prepared.
•  Also watch if you’re heading down during hurricane season (you’ll get very, very wet). But the good thing about rain is there aren’t as many people out (and most of the rides are undercover) so you get to enjoy Disney without the lines.

Handy Resources:

• allears.net
• mousavers.com
• laughingplace.com