Have you ever heard someone complain about how awful their Disney vacation was? If someone is complaining about their Disney vacation it is most likely not Disney’s fault. Instead guests may have made one of these 9 mistakes below. Here are 9 Mistakes That Will Ruin Your Disney Vacation, and some tips to avoid them.
1. Not Planning Anything
Disney World is not a vacation you want to just show up for. Instead, plan for your favorite rides by utilizing Fastpass+ before your arrival. Also, expecting to be able to walk into popular Disney restaurants will ruin your vacation. Instead, complete your Advanced Dining Reservations ahead of time and avoid disappointment.
2. Visiting at the Wrong Time
Visiting at the right time of year avoids ruining your vacation on 2 points – weather & crowds. Learn the low Crowd times to visit Disney World and Weather at a glance by Month to determine the best time to visit Disney World for you. Consider avoiding the hot summer months & crowds.
3. Following the crowds
A useful tip to not ruin your Disney Vacation, is to be aware and avoid following the crowds. Disney World is keen on using all available space. This includes entering the parks. Do not follow crowds at the entrance, instead look all the way to left & right for additional touch points to enter. At bag check, both sides of the counter are utilized. Once inside the park, crowds tend to veer right, instead go left whenever possible. Furthermore, Quick Service restaurants utilize both sides of the register.
4. Not wearing comfortable shoes
You bought new shoes for your Disney vacation, and instantly ruined it. Why? Disney is not the time to break in new shoes, which can lead to blisters. Instead bring a comfortable pair of trustworthy shoes. Many guests underestimate the amount of walking they will do, it is not uncommon to walk 20,000 steps in a day (= 10 miles)! Or, buy one of these recommended shoe brands for Disney and give yourself time to break them in.
5. Not leaving on time
For guests with dining reservations in another park or resort, other than where you are, give yourself time to get there. I recommend 1 hour travel time to compensate for walking to bus stop, waiting for transportation, walking to reservation, etc. If you arrive early you can always use the time to explore or take photos. If you find yourself with not enough time to wait or want to arrive quickly, consider the Minnie Vans.
6. Not Staying at a Disney Resort
Staying at a Disney Resorts has its benefits. By staying off-site guests are missing out on continuous bus transportation, extra magic hours and more. Staying at a Walt Disney World Resort have guests within Disney magic the entire length of your trip. Plus it puts you closer to Disney Parks, less travel time and reliable transportation makes for a happy Disney vacation.
7. Not taking a mid-day break
Thinking you can conquer a Disney park from opening to closing can make for a miserable time as well. Especially in the Summer months, a mid-day break avoids the hottest part of the day. Take this time to go to your resort and swim, shower or nap. Here are 5 reasons to take a mid-day break.
8. Trying to do it all
Leaving time in between to roam and explore it important at Disney as well. Just as important as planning is leaving time for unplanned things to happen. Disney World is immense and not everything will get done, trying to do it all will be exhausting. Instead plan some, and leave time for magical moments to occur, you never know what you may stumble upon in Disney when you do not feel rushed.
9. Not Saving on Cost
Yes, Disney World can be expensive, however there are ways to save.
Such As:
- Absolute cheapest times to go to Disney
- 7 Savvy ways to earn Free Gift Cards
- Learn how to get a discounted Disney Vacation
To learn more, consider the Saving for Disney Course – When followed, This course is designed to help you save and earn the money to pay for your Disney vacation (Disney World, Disneyland or a Disney Cruise) in 12-18 months. How? By putting your family on a budget and saving for Disney World in clever and unique ways. Do not think you have to go into debt to go to Disney.
Thanks, Sara
Learn more tips and tricks for your next Walt Disney World vacation. Destinations in Florida can also help you add tips and tricks to your next vacation.