by Hannah Basali

    1. Go during the off months

This one may seem obvious, but it really makes all the difference in your entire trip. If you want to have the most efficient and enjoyable trip and are able to schedule it at any time, then I recommend you avoid Christmas time, Halloween, spring break, and July. Disney during those times is incredibly crowded, and while it is still fun it makes your trip way more exhausting.

    2. Book FastPasses in advance

The Walt Disney World app is incredibly useful throughout your whole trip. One of the most important thing you can do on this app is book fastpasses up to 60 days in advance. Make sure to book your fastpasses ASAP so that you can get them for the best rides and save tons of time that you would be spending in the longest lines.

    3. Take advantage of the Disney hotels and their perks

Disney has 25 hotels and resorts to pick from. They are all uniquely designed and have many things to do inside of them. Staying at Disney hotels also gets you “extra magic hours” in the park, meaning that you can enter before the park opens or stay after it closes on given extra magic hour days. Make sure to enjoy your hotel and its amenities like the pools, spas, games, etc.

    4. Character Dining

The fastest way to knock out meeting all of the characters you want to see without spending your days at the park in line to meet them is through character dining. Disney World has several different character dining spots such as Chef Mickey’s at the Contemporary, The Crystal Palace in the Magic Kingdom, Ohana at the Polynesian, and Cinderella’s Royal Table in the Magic Kingdom are all great dining options. Each restaurant gives you the chance to dine with all of your favorite Disney characters and get great photos out of it. Also make sure to book your dining in advance on the WDW app.

5. Ride Splash Mountain at night

If you are willing to get wet after the sun goes down, then I highly recommend saving Splash Mountain until the end of your day. During the day, the line can last up to 2 ½ hours, and you are spending valuable park time here. At night, the line is practically walk on, and I have gone on it upwards of three times in a row later at night. It is so worth being a little bit wet at night to save multiple hours out of your day.

6. Plan your day before you enter the park

The Disney parks can be very overwhelming, and if you don’t have a plan it is very easy to miss some key attractions, rides, or events simply because there was too much to get done. Planning out your schedule beforehand makes this easier, but don’t be too rigid about it. Continuously check the wait times on the WDW app and go to one of your rides during a different time if the wait is significantly shorter. Allow some flexibility into your day, but have a basic schedule that you can follow so that it doesn’t get too stressful.

Most importantly: Have fun! Walt Disney World can become very stressful and overwhelming, but don’t let it ruin your trip. You are in the happiest place on Earth. Enjoy it! Make sure to use these tips to have an even more fun and relaxing trip to Disney World.