WALT DISNEY WORLD TIPS
CHECK OUT OUR LIST BELOW FOR THE BEST WALT DISNEY
WORLD TIPS.
A trip to Walt Disney World isn’t cheap. Or easy to plan. For most
of us our time in Orlando is at a premium. With park tickets
running upwards of $50 a day, every minute is important. Check
out the tips below on how to save time and money before you plan
your next trip.
AT THE ORLANDO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Rental car in Orlando
(1) Rental car lines at the Orlando Airport are tortuously long.
Expect to wait a minimum of thirty minutes to pick up your car.
There are two ways around this: While one family member waits
for the luggage, send the other parent downstairs to stand in the
car rental line; or use a car rental service like National’s Emerald
Aisle Club so you can walk directly to your car and by-pass the
long lines.
(2) Security at Orlando Airport is tight. Allow a minimum of three
hours from the time you arrive at the airport until your return flight
home. I’m not kidding here. The lines at the security checkpoint
are worse than any theme park line. First, prepare to stand in a
long line to check in with your airline. Then you’ll be asked to walk
your checked bags over to the Federal screeners so they can go
through them while you wait. Before you can proceed to the gates
you go through another security checkpoint. Expect a wait of thirty
to forty five minutes here. If you have a stroller, unfold it and use it.
The screeners sometimes pull families with children in strollers
to the front of the line.
WALT DISNEY WORLD TIPS FOR ACCOMMODATIONS
There is a trade-off between time and money if you stay at a hotel
inside the Walt Disney Resort. Once you drive inside the gates,
the price of everything goes up-way up. The best solution is to find
a hotel right outside the gates that is convenient to restaurants
and stores. The additional drive time to the theme parks won’t be
more than ten minutes.
(4) Know that most Orlando hotels abide strictly to the 4 p.m.
check-in time. Don’t expect to check in, unpack and hit the parks
before this time. Have an alternate plan in mind so the kids won’t
be disappointed.
(5) Hotel prices range from $45 and up. A small difference in price
can make a big difference in the comfort and cleanliness of the
hotel room, especially in the $45-$79 price range. It’s worth the
money to pay a little more. Another option is to check hotel
websites like Hilton.com for specials. I found a special offer on
their website for a free Sunday night with a minimum three night
stay. We paid $180 total for three nights at the comfortable and
convenient DoubleTree Club Hotel located at the entrance to the
Disney World Resort. At $60 a night, this was less than the rate
advertised by several run down hotels located along I-4. Shop
around on the Internet before you go.
WALT DISNEY WORLD TIPS FOR THEME PARKS
(6) Arrive at the theme parks at least thirty minutes before they
open. Due to increased security, all bags are hand checked upon
entry, which creates long lines. When the park opens, go straight
to the most popular rides. At 9 am, we rode Thunder Mountain
Railroad, one of the most popular rides at the Magic Kingdom with
no waiting. The line stretched around the building an hour later.
(7) Use the FastPass at Disney theme parks. This is a lifesaver
for families with small children. All of the most popular rides use
this system. If the regular line is longer than ten minutes, get a
FastPass. Insert your ticket into the machine, which prints out a
return time, usually within an hour. Return at that time and you’ll
be escorted to the front of the line with no waiting. It’s amazing
how many people do not use this wonderful feature. Universal
Parks offers a similar system called Express Pass that works the
same way. If you’re staying at a Universal hotel you’ll received a
special privilege called Universal Express Ride, which takes you
to the front of any line at any time.
MEALS AND SNACKS:
(8) To save $30 a day for a family of four, eat breakfast in your
hotel room. Stop by a grocery store and buy cereal, muffins and
milk. The cost of breakfast at IHOP with a beverage averages
$7.75 per person. Plus, you’ll save on time so you can be at the
parks early.
(9) Carry a backpack everywhere and pack it with bottled water
and snacks. A small bottled water at the parks costs $2.50, a
small box of popcorn $3.75. Water fountains are plentiful so you
can refill often.
(10) If you plan to return to Disney sometime in the future, save
time and money by purchasing a four or five day Disney Park
Hopper ticket. The ticket offers the ability to visit different theme
parks the same day and the days never expire. We prefer Magic
Kingdom in the mornings before the crowds arrive and lush
Animal Kingdom in the hot afternoons. Park Hopper tickets are a
good investment because ticket prices increase often. The
Orlando FlexTicket featuring 14 consecutive days of unlimited
access to Universal Studios, SeaWorld, Wet ‘n Wild and Islands
of Adventure is also a good bargain if your vacation spans
several days.
CHECK OUT OUR LIST BELOW FOR THE BEST WALT DISNEY
WORLD TIPS.
A trip to Walt Disney World isn’t cheap. Or easy to plan. For most
of us our time in Orlando is at a premium. With park tickets
running upwards of $50 a day, every minute is important. Check
out the tips below on how to save time and money before you plan
your next trip.
AT THE ORLANDO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Rental car in Orlando
(1) Rental car lines at the Orlando Airport are tortuously long.
Expect to wait a minimum of thirty minutes to pick up your car.
There are two ways around this: While one family member waits
for the luggage, send the other parent downstairs to stand in the
car rental line; or use a car rental service like National’s Emerald
Aisle Club so you can walk directly to your car and by-pass the
long lines.
(2) Security at Orlando Airport is tight. Allow a minimum of three
hours from the time you arrive at the airport until your return flight
home. I’m not kidding here. The lines at the security checkpoint
are worse than any theme park line. First, prepare to stand in a
long line to check in with your airline. Then you’ll be asked to walk
your checked bags over to the Federal screeners so they can go
through them while you wait. Before you can proceed to the gates
you go through another security checkpoint. Expect a wait of thirty
to forty five minutes here. If you have a stroller, unfold it and use it.
The screeners sometimes pull families with children in strollers
to the front of the line.
WALT DISNEY WORLD TIPS FOR ACCOMMODATIONS
There is a trade-off between time and money if you stay at a hotel
inside the Walt Disney Resort. Once you drive inside the gates,
the price of everything goes up-way up. The best solution is to find
a hotel right outside the gates that is convenient to restaurants
and stores. The additional drive time to the theme parks won’t be
more than ten minutes.
(4) Know that most Orlando hotels abide strictly to the 4 p.m.
check-in time. Don’t expect to check in, unpack and hit the parks
before this time. Have an alternate plan in mind so the kids won’t
be disappointed.
(5) Hotel prices range from $45 and up. A small difference in price
can make a big difference in the comfort and cleanliness of the
hotel room, especially in the $45-$79 price range. It’s worth the
money to pay a little more. Another option is to check hotel
websites like Hilton.com for specials. I found a special offer on
their website for a free Sunday night with a minimum three night
stay. We paid $180 total for three nights at the comfortable and
convenient DoubleTree Club Hotel located at the entrance to the
Disney World Resort. At $60 a night, this was less than the rate
advertised by several run down hotels located along I-4. Shop
around on the Internet before you go.
WALT DISNEY WORLD TIPS FOR THEME PARKS
(6) Arrive at the theme parks at least thirty minutes before they
open. Due to increased security, all bags are hand checked upon
entry, which creates long lines. When the park opens, go straight
to the most popular rides. At 9 am, we rode Thunder Mountain
Railroad, one of the most popular rides at the Magic Kingdom with
no waiting. The line stretched around the building an hour later.
(7) Use the FastPass at Disney theme parks. This is a lifesaver
for families with small children. All of the most popular rides use
this system. If the regular line is longer than ten minutes, get a
FastPass. Insert your ticket into the machine, which prints out a
return time, usually within an hour. Return at that time and you’ll
be escorted to the front of the line with no waiting. It’s amazing
how many people do not use this wonderful feature. Universal
Parks offers a similar system called Express Pass that works the
same way. If you’re staying at a Universal hotel you’ll received a
special privilege called Universal Express Ride, which takes you
to the front of any line at any time.
MEALS AND SNACKS:
(8) To save $30 a day for a family of four, eat breakfast in your
hotel room. Stop by a grocery store and buy cereal, muffins and
milk. The cost of breakfast at IHOP with a beverage averages
$7.75 per person. Plus, you’ll save on time so you can be at the
parks early.
(9) Carry a backpack everywhere and pack it with bottled water
and snacks. A small bottled water at the parks costs $2.50, a
small box of popcorn $3.75. Water fountains are plentiful so you
can refill often.
(10) If you plan to return to Disney sometime in the future, save
time and money by purchasing a four or five day Disney Park
Hopper ticket. The ticket offers the ability to visit different theme
parks the same day and the days never expire. We prefer Magic
Kingdom in the mornings before the crowds arrive and lush
Animal Kingdom in the hot afternoons. Park Hopper tickets are a
good investment because ticket prices increase often. The
Orlando FlexTicket featuring 14 consecutive days of unlimited
access to Universal Studios, SeaWorld, Wet ‘n Wild and Islands
of Adventure is also a good bargain if your vacation spans
several days.
FAMILY TRAVEL FUN.COM
WALT DISNEY WORLD TIPS
WALT DISNEY WORLD TIPS
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