If you took anything away from my last post, it’s that clearly Disney is a magical place. And while that is probably the understatement of the world, it bears repeating. With this in mind, is it even possible to make the happiest place on earth even happier? Well, it’s all in the approach, and over the years my mom and I have discovered a few different tips and tricks – Disney hacks, if you will – that we like to leverage for that extra ounce of sparkle.
First and foremost, for us Disney is about having fun and spending time together. Yes, the atmosphere is enchanting, the food is delicious, and the characters are delightful, but the true magic of Disney is all about spending quality time with the ones you love. With that as the baseline, it’s honestly pretty hard to go wrong.
That said, there are several other factors that help you get more magical mileage from your Disney vacation. Planning ahead, devising your strategy, and allowing yourself to be flexible and roll with whatever Mickey decides to throw your way allows you to turn that happiness dial up several distinct notches. Learning as you go and trying something new never hurts, too! In fact, embracing the nuance and novelty of each trip is often one of my favorite highlights of our stays!
So, here’s what I’ll do: I’m going to share some of the highlights from our recent Disney girls’ trip, both tried and true favorites and new learnings. And while these hacks might not necessarily resonate for you in the exact same way they do for us, I hope you can use my findings to sprinkle a little extra pixie dust on your next trip to the happiest place on earth.
Tip #1: Pack accordingly
While packing thoughtfully for any trip is extremely important, Disney packing requires an added layer of planning and intentionality because you need to decide what all you’ll carry with you in the parks on a daily basis. And while this might initially seem simple on the surface – won’t I just like, I don’t know, bring my phone, wallet, and stuff? – it actually requires a level of premeditation that is well-worth the investment on the front end of your trip.
For this vacation Mom found the perfect dark green backpacks from Vera Bradley that we both used for our park bag. It’s true there are many different types of bags you can buy and readily bring into Disney, but the more versatile, comfortable, and dynamic the bag, the better. The best thing about this particular backpack is that it has seemingly endless compartments you can use to easily organize your supplies. Indeed, with this backpack everything from my phone to my wallet to my mask to my Chapstick had a distinct resting place, and when I needed something, I knew precisely where to find it. Oh, and another thing: This bag has side pockets for easy water bottle storage, a must-have for walking-heavy trips in Orlando (and also life in general): Win!
And if these elements weren’t enough already? Playing up the cuteness factor with some well-placed buttons and patches certainly doesn’t hurt, either!
Tip #2: Don’t be afraid to wake up early and chart your own course
I don’t know if I can emphasize this particular tip enough: You need to wake up early in order to maximize the magic and get the most out of your Disney day. And I’ll say this: Disney’s definition of “early” has changed over the last couple years. The last time Mom and I visited the parks in 2019, we rolled out of bed and kicked off our day with a well-oiled routine. I’d lace up my shoes and get out for a quiet morning run, and Mom would take our resort cups and go fill up on coffee at the nearby food joint. Then, we would both shower, pack our aforementioned park bags, and set out for a fun-filled day. It was perfect, seamless, and oh-so enjoyable.
That said, since our last visit Disney dramatically changed its park hours and policies in several notable ways. Now, instead of parks opening at eight or nine in the morning, they open as early as seven o’clock, making it virtually impossible to leverage our beloved routine if we had any hopes of getting decent sleep between long stints in the parks.
So, flexing to the context of our new circumstances, we prioritized switching up our plan and making our way to the parks as close to open as possible. If you stay at a Disney resort then you’re already privy to “extra magic hours,” so we seized this opportunity to beat the crowds and start off each day on the right foot.
With that in mind, many Disney “experts” would recommend using extra magic hours to bolt to the most highly-trafficked ride in each park so as to better increase your chances of expediting the horrendous wait times you will very probably experience later in the day. And while this was our plan in some instances, Mom and I realized that sometimes it’s better to just cut your losses, chart your own course, and take the road less traveled by.
This was especially true in the Magic Kingdom when we – like the rest of the early risers present – decided to make a break for one of the biggest attractions, the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, at rope drop. However, when we finally navigated our way past the desperate throngs of people, the line still stretched infinitely long and the projected wait time forecasted over an hour. So, flexing to our circumstances and thinking on the fly, Mom and I decided to forgo this newly famed attraction and instead invest our extra magic hours knocking out several smaller – yet no less important! – rides that we knew we’d want to experience no matter what. Instead of standing in a “short” yet still stupidly long line for the rollercoaster, we beelined to Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, jogged over to the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, spun our guts out on the teacups at the Mad Tea Party, and soared through the sky on Dumbo the Flying Elephant before booking our way back to Tomorrowland and riding Space Mountain with our Genie+ pass. Five rides with minimal lines versus one ride with a prominent following and a decidedly extensive wait time? SO worth straying from the crowd and charting our own course.
Tip #3: Try a new method of transportation
Mom and I are big proponents for not only taking the road less traveled but also traveling it with the vehicles less traveled in. It’s no secret that staying on a Disney property gets you access to the complimentary – and very convenient – Disney bus system that shuttles you to and from each of the parks for relatively little hassle. That said, while the bus system is great, it can actually be quite popular and overutilized during peak travel times, so having a few alternative transportation methods up your sleeve may not only save you some time, energy, and unnecessary headache, but you may also actually relax and have fun in the process.
This trip mom and I rode the Disney Skyliner for the very first time and absolutely loved it. Launched in September 2019, the Skyliner is travel by aerial gondola that offers an innovative twist on both transportation and flight.
This newest form of magical transportation connects several different Disney resorts, but it also provides a way to travel from Disney Hollywood Studios to EPCOT in a fun, relaxing, unconventional way. Mom and I rode in the Skyliner for this very reason, and we absolutely loved our first-time experience. The system is clean, easy, and comfortable, each colorful car is decked out with different images from beloved Disney classics, and traveling this way allowed us to escape the crowds and seek out some much-needed peace and quiet in the middle of our busy Disney day: What could be better? Plus, we literally flew through the air: Magic indeed!
Tip #4: Incorporate intentional time for rest
There is a ton to do in Disney, and it can actually be quite overstimulating if approached without the right mindset. And while I’m all about creating a strategy to maximize magic, sometimes it’s important – and even necessary – to acknowledge and embrace when it’s time to slow down and rest.
Mom and I mastered this technique during our recent visit, and we prioritized getting up at the ass crack of dawn and riding as many rides as humanly possible before the heat started to creep and the crowds began to surge each day. That said, from seven or eight o’clock in the morning until about ten or eleven we would bop around the park and ride whatever possible before eventually – and intentionally – cutting our loses and taking a mid-day break. And while I won’t specifically divulge where we rested – I’ll never tell our hard-earned secrets! – I will say that we prioritized rest and relaxation during the mid-day swells and reaped tremendous benefits as a result. The one place I’ll readily recommend because it isn’t very secret is the new BaseLine Tap House in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, which provides shade, comfort, quiet, and just enough snacks and alcohol to make you laugh at the fact that you were just nearly trampled to death by a pack of wildebeests while waiting in line for Slinky Dog Dash. Be sure to check it out!
Tip #5: Revel in the nostalgia and embrace the new
Part of the magic of Disney centers around this idea of nostalgia: Celebrating memorable moments from childhood and carrying them with us as fond memories as we continue to age and navigate adulthood. I’m all for embracing nostalgia at Disney: There are certain rides I have to ride, certain restaurants I can’t not eat at, and specific snacks I simply need to devour in order for a Disney trip to be complete[1].
And yet, while I’m fully devoted to reveling in the beloved favorites of my childhood, I’m also equally thrilled about exploring new attractions and discovering the untapped, ever-evolving facets of Disney that contribute to its pervasive sense of magic. For us this trip that especially involved checking out Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure in EPCOT’s France pavilion as well as Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Both were charming, thrilling experiences in different ways, and Mom and I thoroughly enjoyed experimenting with the novel, discovering new favorites, and embracing the ever-present, evolving magic of Disney.
Oh, and the magical filters feature on the new Disney app was pretty sweet, too!
So, there you have it! While this is by no means an exhaustive list of Disney tips, tricks, and hacks, it is a solid starting point that may help you sprinkle just a little extra pixie dust onto your next Disney vacation. And while I’m all for crafting your strategy and sticking to it, be sure to create space for a couple unplanned moments for Disney’s magic to find you.
And remember this: Who you travel with makes up more than half the magic. So, remember to be kind, eat snacks often to avoid hanger, and embrace the quality time with the people you love most.
[1] Here’s looking at you, chocolate Mickey ice cream bar!
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