The parks are the main reason you’re in Disney, right? So you obviously want to make the most of your time while you’re there.
Now I’m a big believer in the idea of “leaving room for magic” – aka don’t have your entire park day planned out to the minute because a) it inevitably never plays out that way anyway and b) if you’re so busy rushing from one thing to the next, you might miss out on special little moments of magic along the way.
But at the same time, you do want to have somewhat of a plan for your park days or else you could end up wandering aimlessly and not feel like you accomplished much at the end of the day.
So let’s dive into some tips and tricks that are going to help you maximize your time in the parks in order to have a really successful Disney World vacation.
1: Your Family’s Priorities Matter Most
This is the #1 thing to keep in mind when you are deciding how to plan out your park days because spending time doing the attractions, shows, meals, etc. that mean the most to you is essential to feeling like you spent your time in the parks wisely.
Sometimes this gets overlooked because it is easy to fall into the trap of seeing how other families do Disney and thinking that’s the same way you should do it. Not true, my friend. Ask 10 different people how they do Disney, and you’ll get 10 different answers!
Here’s why knowing what matters to YOUR family is so important:
Say, for example, you have a daughter who LOVES The Little Mermaid. That means in Magic Kingdom you’re going to put Under The Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid at the top of your ride priority list. Many people might not have that as part of their top priority attractions, but YOU definitely should because it matters to your child.
The same goes for rope dropping (which we’ll discuss more in a minute) but if your family does not like to wake up early, then you shouldn’t build a park day strategy that centers around being there at the time the park opens for the day.
So before you move into the process of planning out top attractions, shows, and entertainment in each of the parks, be sure to remember what matters most to you and your family.
2: Utilize the My Disney Experience App
Think of the My Disney Experience app as your ultimate lifeline! It has the answer to nearly everything you need to know while you’re at Disney. The most popular things I love to use the app for are 1) checking ride wait times 2) mobile ordering food and 3) modifying Genie+ selections (more on that later).
But you can do so much more than just those things, including looking at park maps, searching for dining menus, finding character meet & greets, navigating transportation, viewing your PhotoPass photos and joining a virtual queue.
Also, you don’t need to be in the parks (or even near them) to utilize the app. I’m not saying that I look at ride wait times once a day just for fun….but I’m also not saying that I don’t 😉
It’s not a bad idea to start familiarizing yourself with the app and all that it can do for you before you’re even in Orlando! Take a look at the different pages and features in the drop down menus so that you feel comfortable using this tool to help you navigate your park days with ease.
3: Consider Purchasing Genie+ to Minimize Wait Times
I’m sure you’ve heard of Genie+ by now, but just in case you haven’t, here is a quick rundown. Genie+ is the feature you can purchase that allows you to skip the standby lines. Some popular attractions (and even not-as-popular ones during busy times) can have wait times of 40-60 minutes. That can be a real turnoff for many people since it significantly reduces the number of attractions you can get done in a day. You can use Genie+ to skip each [eligible] attraction once per day. With an efficient park strategy, this means that you can ride your favorite rides multiple times by using the standby line when the wait time is low and then utilizing Genie+ to skip that line again later in the day.
The downside of Genie+ is that it costs money (per person/per day), so it’s an expense that can add up quickly. But here’s how I look at it: there’s no amount of money I wouldn’t pay to avoid waiting in lines with my kids at the ages they are right now! I’m not going all the way to Disney to only ride a small number of attractions in each park because we spent so much time waiting in line for each one. I’m there to maximize my time and get as much done as possible, so I consider Genie+ as part of my overall trip expenses.
4: Take Advantage of Fewer Crowds in the Mornings
This is a tip specifically designed for the early risers (and those who just want a jump start on the day). If you want to take advantage of some valuable park time with lower crowds, you’ll want to consider rope dropping the parks to accomplish some of your top priorities first thing in the day.
Rope dropping essentially means that you’re ready and waiting outside the park before it officially opens for the day so you are one of the first ones through the gates when the park opens. Guests staying at a Disney resort can enjoy “early entry,” which allows you into the park and onto select attractions a half hour before the park is open to all guests.
Of course not everyone likes to wake up early, which is why you’ll often experience fewer crowds and lines during those first few hours of park time each day. So if you do plan to be one of the people in the park at that time, you can knock out one of the top attractions while the wait time is low or you could do what my family and I do – take advantage of the opportunity for some nearly empty castle photos!
5: Enjoy Nearly Empty Evening Hours
Are you and your family night owls rather than early risers? If so, you might want to utilize another strategy to take advantage of low crowds to accomplish your favorite attractions with minimal wait time. Closing down the park is essentially the opposite of rope dropping – you stay until the park closes for the day.
This strategy works well if you plan to get to the parks mid-morning or even early-afternoon because then you have the stamina to stay awake through the late evening hours. You can also close down the park if you spend your morning in the park, take a midday rest break, and then head back to the same park (or a different one) for the evening activities.
But similar to rope dropping, the idea here is that crowd levels tend to drop off at the end of the night, so you’ll have a chance to ride those more popular attractions with lower wait times (even if you’re not using Genie+). If nighttime entertainment such as fireworks isn’t your thing, that’s a really great time to hop in line for some rides because the majority of people who are in the parks at that time are going to be watching those.
Both the early morning and late evening park strategies have their perks, but again, the decision on whether or not you choose to utilize one (or both) of them comes back to you and your family. What matters most to you in how you map out your park days?
By now I hope you have a better understanding of some tools and tips that can help you navigate the parks in a way that allows you to accomplish everything you set out to do while also honoring your family’s top priorities.
If you still feel overwhelmed at the idea of putting all the pieces together, rest assured that your Smart Moms Travel agent will help you.
Not working with a Smart Moms Travel agent yet, but looking for help in planning your family’s upcoming Disney trip? I would be happy to work with you to come up with a plan that combines the things that matter to you with the most efficient way to accomplish them. Park strategy is my jam, and I’m here to help you feel confident in yours! Simply click here to get started.
