Most people save up all year to visit The Happiest Place on Earth for a week or less. I am fortunate enough to live nearby and take full advantage of it!  I’ve visited Disney World about 30 times over the past 4 years or so and, yes, I do consider myself something of an expert. I’m writing this guide for you to learn from and avoid some of my past blunders, and also so that I can pass on what I think are some super cool and little known tricks and tips.

WE DON’T NEED NO STEENKING CAR!
First and foremost, if you are planning to spend your trip to Orlando strictly at the 4 Disney Theme Parks or the Disney water parks, don’t bother renting a car. Save that money for buying stuff :) Lord knows there is a gift shop at every turn! A car is definitely NOT needed!

Disney provides shuttle service from the Orlando Airport to your hotel, and most other area hotels do also, but you SHOULD be staying on-property. More about that later. Once you arrive at your hotel, there is frequent and regular FREE bus service - or as they call it motor coach service - to all parks and attractions. At some resorts there are walking trails as well as boat transportation, too. So save the rental car money and let Disney get you, worry free and free of charge, from location to location. If you ask me, it adds to the Magic, too! I LOVE parking my car and completely forgetting about it for a few days…

STAY ON DISNEY PROPERTY! Yea, you absolutely CAN afford it!
This is probably the best kept secret out there so pay attention... staying on-property is not necessarily expensive! You can book a room at any of the All Star Resorts -- Movies, Music or Sports -- or at the newer Pop Century Resort for as little as $79 a night! A caveat to these particular resorts is that they are seriously geared towards kids and there are mostly families staying here, so expect lots of yelling and screaming around the pool. And, they all have cafeteria style restaurants. Nothing fancy. So, if you are a Big Kid traveling with same, you may want to consider a moderately priced resort like Caribbean Beach, Coronado Springs, or Port Orleans instead.

I would strongly recommend you call 407-W-Disney rather than booking online to find out if there are any SPECIAL RATES being offered, like their AAA discount. If you are a Florida Resident there are almost ALWAYS deals and discounts to be had. And, if you time it just right, like off-season, you may just find yourself staying at the Grand Floridian!

Refuel your Body!  Walking Miles and Miles is Tiring Work!
Visiting Disney World is no easy feat - this is NOT a relaxing vacation. There are sooooo many things to see and do! Think Sensory Overload but in the best possible way imaginable. You WILL be busy. Taking a break and occasionally sitting down to eat rather than running from Frontier Land to Tomorrow Land with a turkey leg in one hand and your kid in the other can be a blessing and most welcome, especially if it’s hot out.

Part of the fun for me is sitting down a few months before we are going to visit and plotting out the trip by making Priority Seating arrangements at restaurants in the park we plan to be in each day of the trip. Oh - YES - a you can do this months in advance! Write it all down on one piece of paper and drop it into your bag. Keep it easily accessible as you enjoy your vacation. Disney will give you a confirmation number to provide at the podium of the restaurant you’ve chosen. You need to arrive 15 minutes prior to your scheduled meal. If you are running a bit early or late - no worries - you WILL be accommodated.

Priority Seating is an especially good idea if you are visiting during a busy time of year. Just imagine the alternative... you are exhausted... the kids are hungry, tired and cranky... you show up at the podium at The Liberty Tree Tavern... they tell you the wait is 2 hours long... Turkey leg, here we come... sigh...

If you want to enjoy a Character Meal, or breakfast at Cinderella’s Castle -- yup -- there IS a restaurant in the Castle -- Priority Seating is a MUST!

If your plans change, and they will, it’s easy enough to stop by Guest Services and cancel your Priority Seating appointment to free up the table for some other weary guests. Simply call 407-WDW-Dine to make your ‘reservations’ after choosing the restaurants you want to try. All are listed on Disney’s website. You will get a general idea of price and cuisine there. Trust me. You will thank me for this.

Grand Floridian - Wilderness Lodge - And the Rest - All have Restaurants to DIE for!
Speaking of meals,  I’ll bet you haven’t considered eating at a hotel other than the one you are staying at. This is actually a fantastic and fun idea and we do it all the time!

Say you’re planning to spend one day of your trip at the Magic Kingdom. Why not take the boat over to the Grand Floridian and have lunch at the Café? Wandering around that spectacular hotel is awesome, too. We’ve seen ALL the hotels, and eaten at most of them too, even though we usually stay at the Wilderness Lodge.

Jump on a bus and go to the Animal Kingdom Lodge for an unforgettable meal at Jiko. The hotel is spectacular, and so is the food.

How about taking a walk from MGM to The Boardwalk? Walk around and play carnival games or rent a bicycle built for 4 before stopping in at ESPN for a quick bite.

The possibilities are many and getting to experience all the wonderful and different Disney hotels is a blast! If you are lucky enough to be visiting during Christmastime, please be sure to Hotel Hop! The decorations are all different and absolutely amazing. Larger than life doesn’t even come close to describing all the joy to behold.

Thanks for Taking the Time to Read My Guide :)
Thanks for taking the time to read my first guide. There will be more - I’ll go into more detail on each of these aspects of making your trip to Orlando’s Disney World just a little more Magical. In the meantime, if you have found this info useful, please mark this guide Helpful.

Thanks again. I hope you have a Magical Day totally doused in Pixie Dust!