DisneyWorld - What Would You Have Changed? Your Best Piece of Advice Requested

Check out the latest edition of Unofficial Guide to Disney World - they come out with a new one every year. What worked best for us was to get there early, be right in line for when the park opened, and hit the super-popular rides first. Unofficial Guide has "touring plans" that help with figuring exactly what order in which to do things in order to minimize waiting in line and it really did work for us - we were able to go on 10 or 12 different things within the first hour! And use Fast Pass whenever you can - it's free and it is a lifesaver! I like Disney Photopass too!

We actually have been several times over the last few years. I LOVE that place!

Anyway, we always stay at Old Key West on property. They are like little apartments or condos with full kitchens and even a washer and dryers. So you can rent a car and go to a grocery store or they have a little general store and you can eat some meals in your room. *Of all the times we've been, we've never done the meal plan. You can even pack a little lighter because of the laundry. Plus, we've been down there when it turned cold and rained (over Christmas one year) and it was nice to be able to play cards or watch TV without laying all over a bed.

I've heard some people say they don't like staying on property because they didn't like waiting on the buses to the parks. We've never found that as an issue.

When you first walk into a park, say you get there in the morning with everyone else, head LEFT which is actually against the grain of what most people tend to do. So the rides and attractions you see/do initially won't be quite as busy or crowded.

We also pay extra and get the Park Hopper Passes which allows you to go between the parks as many times as you want during the day. Say you start out at Magic Kingdom in the morning, but it gets crowded. You can head over to Animal Kingdom mid day, then go back to Magic Kingdom for the Electric parade at night.

Note the REAL POPULAR rides and attractions and if you really want to do those, make a be-line directly to them as soon as you get there. Especially if it is in the mornings. Most people will do other things on the way to them.

Also, with the ages of your kids getting the character autographs will be HUGE. So note the time and place of the character appearances. I would also spend a little extra money and do one of the character breakfasts. Even my 60 something year old mom enjoyed it when we took her one year.

Just relax and enjoy!

We had the dining plan our last trip and it was great. Of course, it was free during a promotion at the end of summer, but I believe we ate far more and far better than we would've paying meal to meal.

To answer your question, I wouldn't go at the end of August. It was SO hot and SO humid! I thought we could handle it since we are from a very hot and humid state, but it was difficult for us all. Especially Animal Kingdom, I don't know if it was built in a low lying marshy area, but the air was stifling in that park.

What I wouldn't change, I did touring plans for each park and knew where we would plan to eat every day. I made hard to get reservations WAY in advance. Once we got there, my family (who thought I had gone over-planning insane) was so grateful that I actually knew what direction to head from day to day. I was flexible with my "plans" to allow for spontaneous fun, but it paid to know in advance that "hey, I think a parade will be going by this very shady location in about 30 minutes, would ya'll like to grab a snack and a seat and have a front row view?" It happened because I planned.

It also seemed to extend the vacation experience to be able to research and plan during the time leading up to the trip. Enjoy!

I wish we would have made it back to Magic Kingdom to see the fireworks evening show, but since we stayed at Animal Kingdom Lodge, and we went during peak season, and had to be 45 minutes early for rope drops, we never had the energy to go back at night. If you can afford to stay at a Deluxe resort, monorail convenience would be really, really nice.

I wish we had done one character meal when my kids were younger. We were so ride-focused, I really didn't know enough about them that first trip we took when they were 4 and 6.

Love Unofficial Guide book. Use FastPass. Make Dining reservations as soon as you book. Have a touring plan, but be flexible. Dont feel a bunch of pressure to "do it all" Pick your top must-do's and consider anything else you get to do a bonus.

I would stay on the grounds on the monorail or boat line (hated hated the busses). I wouldn't go to all the parks, but would limit it to magic kingdom and a water park. I would go for a week instead of packing it all into 4 days, but I would take a day or two of that week to just hang by the pool (which the kids liked the best of the trip, go figure). i would try to find a time that is not packed with crowds (0/2 on that one). I did like the meal plan, but I didn't realize the second time around that you have to have dinner reservations months ahead for most of the popular restaurants. My daughter at that age LOVED the breakfast with Cinderella at her castle, but again, second time around didn't realize that you had to have the reservations months in advance. Same with Chez Mickey, a favorite character meal.

Hello! My biggest Magic Kingdom secret is to book a character breakfast at the Crystal Palace (Winnie the Pooh and friends) at, say 8am before the park opens. After breakfast, you will already be well inside the park before the crowds catch up (they will be lingering on Main Street). Then I head straight over to Fantasy Land (although that's all changed, and I haven't been there since any of the new FL attractions opened). We would do FL since those rides tend to get long lines really early. Then we would head over and do all our must-dos while it's still early.

Anyways- as a Florida native and Disney veteran, you are brave to head there in August, like others have said, it's hot and muggy. But it's still doable. Just plan, plan, plan. Stay cool and hydrated. Plan on using a stroller for your 4year old (the Disney ones are expensive and awful- either bring your own or rent one from a baby-gear company- I like Magic Strollers). You can bring your own food and drinks into the park, so keep that in mind. Disney will wear you out! Get there early, head back when the lines start getting too long and the day is too hot, and then go back in the evening. If your budget allows, I agree with the other poster who stays at Old Key West. Staying in a villa is awesome :) and several of the hotels have them.

Oh one more thing- I love staying at the Beach Club (best pool ever) or at Boardwalk since they are walking distance from Epcot, which is really, really nice. They are also a 10-min walk to Hollywood Studios.

Have a great time!!!!

I don't know if you are still looking for information but thought I would throw in my thoughts. We just went in 2011 and my kids were 6 and 4 at the time. We lucked out and got the Free Dining Plan so we did a ton of character meals. We were there in Sept/Oct and the weather is great, the crowds are low. We walked on Expedition Everest and then went on 2 more times in a row cause there was no wait. It was like that in all the parks and just about all the rides. I would recommend the Princess Breakfast at Akershaus in Norway. The food is wonderful and your daughter will love that 5-6 princesses will come to your table to visit. We also like Crystal Palace breakfast (have an 8am reservation and you can get in the park early - pictures in front of the castle with no people in the background). Crystal Palace is Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore and Piglet. If you stay onsite you have Early and Late Magic Hours - Get in parks an hour before it's open to the public and stay 1-3 hours after the parks close to the public. There is a site called Disboards.com. Basically any question you have can be answered on that site. Careful it is very addicting. :) You can also sign up for allears.net and get weekly emails with lots of good information about the parks. Also if you are going to want to eat in the resturants and go to character meals you need to make reservations far in advance. If you are staying onsite you can make your reservations 180 days before you leave. I would also recommend watching at least 1 parade or show. I personally love the Jammin Jungle Parade at Animal Kingdom and the Electric Light Parade in Magic Kingdom. I also love seeing Wishes and Illuminations fireworks. We are going back in 2014 and I am already planning out what I want to do and where I want to eat. Good luck and I hope you have a wonderful time!!!

It's all about the budget.

First of all, if you stay onsite, get the meal plan. It is so worth it and convenient.

Second, if you stay onsite in a value priced hotel (say Pop Culture - a really good one), then if you can afford to rent a car and drive yourself, you will save a lot of time. The bus can be difficult. It's a schlep to get to them and there is often standing room only. My poor husband was carrying a sleeping 5 year old on the bus at midnight and no one would give up a seat to him.

If you can, go high end and stay on the monorail. Personally, I'd rather spend my money elsewhere - you are rarely in the hotel room and when you are there, you are sleeping and praying (for your feet to stop hurting).

Go early to all parks. Don't sleep in if possible.

Plan, plan, plan. I am a planner and it served us well. Plan which park you are going to and on which day and which places you want to reserve meals at.

Go during off peak times. We went in October last year and it was really good weather and not too packed. I hear that going the first week of December is the best time to go - as there are very few crowds. Next time we go, it will be then.

Plan a mid day nap. Your 4 year old will need it.

Buy the book, The unofficial Guide to Disney World. It's packed with great info!

Have fun!!!!

we are going in june - i think (from what i have seen) it's all about your priorities. when we did seaworld last year, we did like someone below suggested, and got there before they opened, got in line, then as soon as they opened, headed straight for our #1 priority. that was awesome.

one thing we have found planning this trip - it's actually quite a bit cheaper to rent a house in orlando than stay on site. don't know if finances are a priority but might be worth looking into.

good luck and have fun!

I would definately get a fast pass for the really popular rides, or you will stand in line for a very long time.Don't do the park hopper pass because your kids are still young ones. toting them around back and forth ends up taking way more time than it's worth. a lot of wasted time, and your paying for it!