8 Things To Know Before Your First Trip To Disney World
There are so many great expert tips that will help you plan a great first trip to Disney. We’re going to focus on 8 things you need to know about your first Disney vacation. The key to having a successful Disney vacation is to be prepared with these planning tips…
1. You Can Bring Snacks Into The Parks
Yes, bring the snacks! There are a few rules on what you can and cannot bring such as glass containers, alcohol, and hard coolers so be sure to follow those rules when packing you snack bag for the day. We found that having snacks on hand was a great way to keep the kids from getting cranky.
We also saved a ton of $$ by bringing our own food into the parks. With the money, we saved we were able to enjoy a wonderful dinner at the Beasts Enchanted Castle!
Read More: Our Complete Guide to Planning a Disney Vacation
2. You Can Use FastPasses To Meet Some Of The Characters
(This has been temporarily suspended due to COVID)
FastPasses are every parent’s best friend. They allow you to schedule what time you want to ride certain rides or meet certain characters. Once you arrive at your scheduled time you can skip the long lines! We cannot wait for this perk to return!
3. The Disney App Is The Key To Success
I cannot stress enough the importance of downloading the My Disney Experience app on your phone. With the app, you can see all of your reservations. You can schedule your dining plans, FastPasses, and more! You can even see a map of the parks and the wait times for each ride! Having this tool at my fingertips is always a huge benefit to me and my family. Download it and use it!
4. Transportation To And From The Parks Is Easy To Use
I’m a planner, a researcher, and a mom with an agenda. Before we take off on any new adventure, I like to have my head wrapped around the basics and transportation at Disney is one of those things.
If you are staying at a resort at Disney World, the Magical Express picks you up from the Orlando International Airport (MCO). Be sure to schedule this ahead of time. Once you arrive at Disney, there are buses that go to and from each of the parks, the resorts and to Disney Springs.
The Magical Express is ending on January 1st, 2022
5. Magic Bands Can Be Used To Make Purchases
Once we arrived at our resort, the cast member checking us in connected a credit card to our magic bands. This allowed us to make purchases with our bands. This made buying anything in the parks super easy. Don’t worry, they set you up with a PIN number to use each time you make a purchase, no one but you can use your band to make purchases.
6. Soon Resort Guest Will Have Early Access to the Parks
Extra Magic hours used to be a perk offered to guests that stay on-site prior to the COVID shutdown. Disney announced that later in 2021 resort guests will be allowed into the park 30-minutes earlier than other guests. This is not as exciting as the former Extra Magic Hours but it can be beneficial for getting to your favorite rides before the crowds show up.
7. Pin Trading
Pin Trading in 2021 is different than it was before COVID. However, it’s still a fun part of the Disney experience. You will come to the parks with Disney official pins (more on that below) and you’ll have the option to trade those pins for new ones at designated pin trading stations. These new pin trading stations allow for social distancing and pin sanitizing.
We like to carry our pins on a lanyard for easy access. We found some great ones Amazon. As for the pins, you’ll want to purchase some before arriving at Disney, you can find them online at the Disney Store. We have found that eBay is a great place to find pins. However, if you do look for pins on eBay, be sure that they are official Disney pins and that you are purchasing them from a reputable seller.
Kids and adults are fans of pin trading at Disney. It’s one of those things that you’ll be glad you came prepared to do it. Most people are unaware of this and don’t plan for it on their first trip to Disney World.
8. Ice Water Is Free In The Parks
Bring reusable water bottles and fill them up with the free ice water that you can get inside the parks. Any counter service or snack station that serves soda will be able to give you the ice water. This is another great way to save money and stay hydrated!
If you have any other questions about your first trip to Disney World, please leave them below!
