My 7 Basic Disney Tips:
I’m fresh off my first ever trip to Disney World, and it was everything I thought it would be & more: enjoyable, slightly overwhelming, lots of fun, and HOT.
As with any trip, I researched everything I could think of to prep for Disney: the walking, the heat, the lines. But with all the research, schedules, and contingencies I made, I still managed to understate exactly how hot one can get when in the Florida sun for hours on end. With that being said, here are 7 basic Disney tips for navigating & surviving the parks & the heat.
And because we are dealing with COVID at the moment (and possibly for the foreseeable future) check in frequently with Disney for their entry requirements (masks, social distancing, etc.) because they were not in the exception making business during our visit.
Featuring:
Water Bottle
If you never listen to a thing I say, listen to this: take a water bottle with you to Disney World.
There was no mistake in me making this my first basic Disney tip. Look, I’m from the mid-south, but the way the sun beats down on you in Florida is a whole crime. And add in taking about 17,000 steps per park (in the full sun) & spending lots of time in one line or another (again in full sun), and you just may get a tad dehydrated.
You can easily buy bottles of water while at the parks, but that will get pricey. And Disney is expensive enough. Also, lines for some of the carts and cafes are nearly as long as some of the ride lines. I’m sensitive to the sun and overheating, so standing in long lines for water was just not an option for me. Plus, all of the Disney parks have water fountains throughout, so you can fill up often. You can also get cups of water for free at all the Disney restaurants & carts. So whenever we did sit down to eat, we got a cup of ice water to top our water bottles off.
Electrolytes
Think of my first tip as the vehicle to ensure hydration, while Disney Tip #2 is more akin the fuel needed to sustain it. Even with water on hand at all times, frequent breaks in the shade, and nice cold treats, it was still difficult to not overheat. I was sitting poolside after spending the day at Magic Kingdom, when the thought of electrolytes crossed my mind.
I didn’t want to do sports drinks, so I researched powdered electrolytes. They are portable and make it a snap to pack and carry. Do your research and get what is best for you. But this is the brand I will be using in the future for any and all hot weather exploits:
Travel Size First Aid Kit
Full disclosure, I’m a tad clumsy, constantly tripping over stuff & finding ways to nick myself. And knowing I was traveling with 2 teenagers, one of which is just as clumsy as me, I threw in a mini first aid kit at the last minute. And now that I have, I don’t think I’ll travel without one again. Especially with the world opening back up in the presence of Covid.
I really didn’t expect to need it, but this was clearly just wishful thinking on my part. Me & one of my mini-me’s stayed in this kit and managed to use all but 2 of the bandaids-lol. I will spare you the details, but those bandaids came in handy. Since we’re sharing reality with Covid, having items on hand to properly clean & take care of minor scrapes and such made me more comfortable in making my first trip since the pandemic began–even more so because I had my daughters with me.
When looking for a first aid kit, I’d recommend one with bandaids, antiseptic wipes, and pain relievers at the bare minimum. Kits come in varying sizes, so you shouldn’t have trouble finding one to suit your needs. Check your local stores, or head over to Amazon and get the perfect kit to meet your needs. Here’s a handy one I recommend:
Snacks
If you’re anything like me and tackle the parks like a 4 time Olympic gold medal power walker, you’re gonna need some snacks handy. Especially if you are traveling with small children or teens. And not to mention, you are saving on your budget a little here.
To say food is overpriced at the parks is a GROSS understatement. You can find some decently priced meal options, but you will need to search them out. As I mentioned above, lines for some of restaurants & carts (i.e. Gaston’s Tavern) are just a long the ride lines. And if you don’t have a reservation, you can forget it in most cases.
So in my opinion, it’s best to have a snack on hand in case you’re feeling peaked from the heat & exertion. Snacks are also handy in tiding you over until it’s time for your meal reservations.
You don’t have to go overboard here. I’d recommend things along the lines of energy bars, nuts, or fresh fruit. You can shop for snacks ahead of time & bring them with you (ideal if you are driving), buy them once you arrive to your hotel (either a grocery store or the hotel gift shop), or have then delivered to you via Instacart or Prime Delivery
Cooling Towel, Personal Fan, or Both
I don’t feel like I can say this one enough. Please don’t underestimate the heat when you’re visiting Disney World during the hot months. I left my neck fan and cooling towel at home because I was rushing to get to the airport. I thought I’d be okay without them since we were visiting in May, vs June or July. But after one day of traipsing around Magic Kingdom & Disney Springs, I realized one thing.
I. Was. Wrong.
The next day, I purchased us cooling towels at Animal Kingdom and it was an immediate game changer. Our remaining time in the parks was much more comfortable and easier to navigate thanks to these.
The wait times for the popular rides can easily take anywhere from 60 to 120+ mins, depending on the crowds. And the bulk of this wait time will take place in direct sun. Trust me, having the cooling towels did wonders in these situations.
And next time, I’m bringing my neck fan- I don’t care if I am rushing to get out the house. 🙂 And by purchasing ahead of time, you can shop around and save some money. But since these Disney cooling towels are so cute, I didn’t mind spending the $15 for them on-site. Plus I know they will get plenty of use, which makes them a pretty decent souvenir in my book. This is the neck fan I own & love. It has 6 speeds, is rechargeable, and puts out a decent stream of air for quite a while. Trust me, I will not leave it behind next time.
Proper Footwear
A trip to Disney means you will definitely get your steps in. We spent 5 full days exploring Disney & Universal Studios, taking total of 82,939 steps (roughly 41.45 miles; 8.29 miles per day). And after that much walking, there’s not much you can really do to stop your feet from being a little tender by the end of each day. However, there are definitely some things you can do to minimize the discomfort.
My main trick for maintaining comfort is not wearing the same footwear two days in a row. I own several pairs of stylish, comfy walking shoes~ Cole Haan, Tieks, Rothy’s, etc. For me though, no matter how comfy a pair of shoes are, I can’t wear them day after day.
On top of packing multiple shoe options, try switching things up in the evenings as well. When we got back to our hotel room, the first thing we did was change shoes. Our feet were still a bit sore, but this gave us some relief and allowed nightly explorations to be a bit more bearable.
One last tip for keeping the footsies comfy is to keep some painkillers on hand. I found taking them in the morning after breakfast set me up best for success.
Plan of action
My last basic Disney tip is have a plan of action. This is key if you want to manage expectations & keep attitudes in check during your Disney vacation. After about 2 or 3 days, you’ll be tired, drained, & in no mood to deal with pouting or indecision~ at least I wasn’t. 🙂
Beforehand, we assessed & prioritized the rides, attractions, and snacks we wanted try. I then took this info, coupled with my online research, and came up with a plan to best tackle each park. There are a couple of apps I used as well to keep me straight. First up, the My Disney Experience app is excellent for keeping up with all things Disney: room reservations, your daily itineraries (since right now, each park requires a reservation), and your dinner plans.
Then I used Magic Guide for when we were actually in the parks as (1) it’s a map that I could actual read (if you know me, you know I am directionally challenged) and (2) it shows the current wait times & ride statuses. To be fair, the My Disney Experience app has this feature as well, but Magic Guide was just easier for me to use.
And don’t forget the food! You will need reservations for breakfast, lunch, & dinner at most places. Without one, you have almost no chance of getting into any landmark restaurants, which fill up months in advance. And don’t forget about Disney Boardwalk and Disney Springs, they have some excellent restaurants to choose from. The My Disney Experience app makes confirming & canceling reservations a snap.
And that’s it folks, these are 7 basics Disney tips to help you survive Disney World. In the coming days, I will be posting additional details about our trip, including our 1 day itineraries for each park, my review of Disney Spring restaurants, more tips, and some fun content. Be sure to check back, you don’t want to miss some of the videos I managed to take. 😀
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