When you ask your little one what is the top thing they want to see or do the most on their upcoming trip, they will most likely respond with newest and most popular thing currently in the parks! What do you do when you have Must Do items on your vacation?
This is when planning ahead is a must do! Unless of course, you don’t mind standing in line for 3 hours to see Anna and Elsa! Kids like what is popular, so you should expect that hundreds of other parents are going to be trying to get their little ones that coveted picture too!
Here are some tips to help you avoid hours in line for one character/ride/show!
- Ask. Ask, Ask! Don’t assume you know what your child wants to see the most! You will save yourself lots of time and heartache, by simply asking them what or who they want to see the most.
- If you have multiply top items it may be a good idea to look at your schedule and figure out which day you want to accomplish each one.
- Try not to schedule 2 or more must do items that are highly popular on the same day! If the anticipated time for accomplishing goal one takes longer or you run into a snag, you won’t be stressed that the next item won’t get done. This will give you the freedom to adjust for changes.
- If you finish one and want to go for the next one, then do so, but don’t over-schedule high priority items.
- Check the Parks schedule to see opening times and to make sure what you are looking for is open on the day you are going. Some rides have different opening times on different days, like the New Ariel ride in Fantasyland. Disney posts their refurbishments schedules on line and they can change daily.
- Check maps for the easiest routes to the attraction, especially if you are pushing a stroller!
- Get to the park for opening. Try to arrive 30 minutes before the park opening so that you can race (or walk fast, so you don’t get fussed at by a cast member) to the attraction. If you are trying to get to a character meet and greet, (Elsa, for example) it is fine to have one person in your party go ahead and get a spot in line. Then everyone else can catch up and join them.
The Belle Story time is the one exception. We learned just a few weeks ago on our trip that everyone must be at the entrance to the ride to be able to get in line. My husband had gone ahead to try and get in line and the Cast Member had him wait until I caught up to him with the kids before we could enter! The Cast Member explained that this is done to ensure that everyone that is at the front of the line will be ready to enter when the doors open. So, if this is at the top of your list, make sure you have everyone ready to go and head straight to the line. Within 10 minutes of the park opening, the wait time for this attraction exceeds an hour and stays that way until closing. So this would be the one ride that you need to try and get too quickly to avoid hours of waiting.
This may seem crazy! However, it will save you hours in the park and you will be able to experience more in your day. Then, when you get home you won’t hear your kids complain about not seeing their favorite ride/character/show! Instead, they will tell everyone who they saw or what they did on their trip!
Staying at a Disney Resort? Use an ironing board to store items.
Learn more about planning your Walt Disney World vacation. Plus overwhelmed with all the planning? Destinations in Florida can help you plan your perfect trip.
Written by Tabitha Candebat: Tabitha’s obsession with a little mouse named Mickey began at age 4 when she received her first set of “Mouse Ears”. With over 50 trips to Disney World, she loves to share her knowledge and passion by Planning Disney vacations for other guests. Catch the Disney fever with Tabitha! Email, Request a Quote or Call her at (504)296-6637 today! It’s time to book your next Disney World vacation. Be sure to follow her on Facebook and Twitter.