What are some of the best Walt Disney World (Orlando) hacks?: originally appeared on Quora: The best answer to any question. Ask a question, get a great answer. Learn from experts and access insider knowledge. You can follow Quora on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.
Answer by Ian Stainbrook, Frequent visitor to Walt Disney World
1. If you are flying into Orlando International (MCO) and staying at a Disney resort hotel, you can utilize Disney's Magical Express. This service provides free coach bus transportation for you and your luggage between the airport and your Disney hotel. It also allows you to skip baggage claim upon arrival. For the trip back to the airport, you can also check-in with certain airlines at your hotel.
2. In the parks, you can utilize the FASTPASS system to decrease your wait time at popular attractions. Insert your park ticket into the FASTPASS machine, and you will be given a card with a designated return time window. During that time, you can enter the ride through the FASTPASS entrance, which usually has a wait time of five minutes or less. Also, more often than not, cast members will accept "late" FASTPASS cards as long as they were issued that day. Note, however, that a FASTPASS will never be accepted "early" or if it was issued on a different day.
3. During the fall, Disney offers a "Free Dining" promotion for certain ticket packages. This was first instituted in part to try and attract more tourists during hurricane season. Booking this package will add the Disney Dining Plan to your ticket at no extra charge.
4. The shops on either side of Main Street USA at the Magic Kingdom are all interconnected. If for whatever reason you need to move down Main Street quickly, you can beat the crowds by going through the shops. This is especially nice when it is raining or extremely hot, as the buildings are air-conditioned.
5. If you have your own transportation and Disney resort hotels do not fit your budget, consider staying off-property. There are some lovely resorts that significantly undercut the Disney hotels. Keep in mind, however, that staying off-property does exclude you from certain perks such as Disney transportation, Extra Magic Hours and the like.
6. If you are staying at one of Disney's All-Star resorts (Music, Movies or Sports), keep in mind that these hotels cover a huge area. Depending on the building you are staying in, the amenities (food court, bus stop, etc.) for your specific resort may actually be farther away than those for another All-Star resort. For example, someone staying in one of the outer buildings at All-Star Movies may be closer to the amenities at All-Star Sports.
7. The Disney resort hotels are organized into different "resort areas." Walt Disney World is much larger than Disneyland (it's about the size of a normal American city), and travel times between these areas can be significant, especially if you are depending on Disney transportation. When choosing where to stay, factor in the location of the hotel within the property. Also keep in mind that different hotels have different transportation options. Some are serviced only by buses, while others have monorails and boats as well.
...
Answer by Mark Flory, "Disney Commando 1st Sergeant"
8. My first rule of Disney World is to try to do things when others are not. I want my trip when it is not busy, I want to go to the park that is the least crowded, I want to be there bright and early and ready to go when most people are still sleeping. I want to hit a ride 2 or 3 times that most people will be lucky to ride once.
9. To me the preparation to make that happen is almost as much fun as actually going.
10. I am an on-property person but the first day is often a waste with the travel... so stay near the airport and hire a limo to take you to your hotel first thing in the morning, early enough that you can get in line early at the park for that day.
11. Instead of waiting in line to get pictures of your kids with characters, do the character meals. Chef Mickey's on the first night is perfect because you can get the Big Five out of the way right off the bat.
12. If you have a dining plan and are anticipating not using it all, do the character breakfast at the Crystal Palace so you can get into Magic Kingdom before the park opens. You have a pretty good head start on everyone else and you can get some great pictures.
13. Be prepared. Plan at least the park you are going to attend on which days before you travel. The website Touring Plans is incredibly valuable for this, as is the related book "Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World". Now that you know what park you are going to, figure out the night before which rides you are going to hit and approximately in what order. You need to know what rides are important to hit early and often. Don't come crying to me when you wait 2 hours to ride Toy Story Mania. The rope drop fast walk to TSM is a beautiful thing, practically a ride itself.
14. If you are full on attraction commando, forgo meals or eat at odd times, skip shows, and parades, all of which draw in the crowds and leave open lines in front of you. Be careful to plan where you are going to be when the parade starts because it can become difficult or impossible to reach some areas.
15. If you get something spilled on you at a restaurant it is okay to be upset but also be nice. You might get a golden ticket which allows you through any rides FAST PASS lane.
16. Give your most park savvy and possibly fastest member all of your tickets to carry so that they can go retrieve the FAST PASS. The first thing you should probably do when you reach your FAST PASS window is, get another FAST PASS.
17. Arrive 15-20 minutes after your FAST PASS window is open to avoid the rush.
18. If you are about to get on a ride that you think you will want to do again and the FAST PASS return time is about now, get a FAST PASS before you ride. You never know when a ride will jam up.
19. If you have little kids, a stroller is a must. Renting them at the park is expensive but often worth it. You could also buy one when you get there or rent from a third party company. Check All Ears.
20. With little kids we often plan to leave the park before lunch and return in early afternoon with a little downtime in between. Well-rested kids are usually a lot more fun for everyone.
21. The more magic you give out, the more it will be returned to you.
More questions on Quora:
from Travel - The Huffington Post http://ift.tt/1Eh314n
Answer by Ian Stainbrook, Frequent visitor to Walt Disney World
1. If you are flying into Orlando International (MCO) and staying at a Disney resort hotel, you can utilize Disney's Magical Express. This service provides free coach bus transportation for you and your luggage between the airport and your Disney hotel. It also allows you to skip baggage claim upon arrival. For the trip back to the airport, you can also check-in with certain airlines at your hotel.
2. In the parks, you can utilize the FASTPASS system to decrease your wait time at popular attractions. Insert your park ticket into the FASTPASS machine, and you will be given a card with a designated return time window. During that time, you can enter the ride through the FASTPASS entrance, which usually has a wait time of five minutes or less. Also, more often than not, cast members will accept "late" FASTPASS cards as long as they were issued that day. Note, however, that a FASTPASS will never be accepted "early" or if it was issued on a different day.
3. During the fall, Disney offers a "Free Dining" promotion for certain ticket packages. This was first instituted in part to try and attract more tourists during hurricane season. Booking this package will add the Disney Dining Plan to your ticket at no extra charge.
4. The shops on either side of Main Street USA at the Magic Kingdom are all interconnected. If for whatever reason you need to move down Main Street quickly, you can beat the crowds by going through the shops. This is especially nice when it is raining or extremely hot, as the buildings are air-conditioned.
5. If you have your own transportation and Disney resort hotels do not fit your budget, consider staying off-property. There are some lovely resorts that significantly undercut the Disney hotels. Keep in mind, however, that staying off-property does exclude you from certain perks such as Disney transportation, Extra Magic Hours and the like.
6. If you are staying at one of Disney's All-Star resorts (Music, Movies or Sports), keep in mind that these hotels cover a huge area. Depending on the building you are staying in, the amenities (food court, bus stop, etc.) for your specific resort may actually be farther away than those for another All-Star resort. For example, someone staying in one of the outer buildings at All-Star Movies may be closer to the amenities at All-Star Sports.
7. The Disney resort hotels are organized into different "resort areas." Walt Disney World is much larger than Disneyland (it's about the size of a normal American city), and travel times between these areas can be significant, especially if you are depending on Disney transportation. When choosing where to stay, factor in the location of the hotel within the property. Also keep in mind that different hotels have different transportation options. Some are serviced only by buses, while others have monorails and boats as well.
...
Answer by Mark Flory, "Disney Commando 1st Sergeant"
8. My first rule of Disney World is to try to do things when others are not. I want my trip when it is not busy, I want to go to the park that is the least crowded, I want to be there bright and early and ready to go when most people are still sleeping. I want to hit a ride 2 or 3 times that most people will be lucky to ride once.
9. To me the preparation to make that happen is almost as much fun as actually going.
10. I am an on-property person but the first day is often a waste with the travel... so stay near the airport and hire a limo to take you to your hotel first thing in the morning, early enough that you can get in line early at the park for that day.
11. Instead of waiting in line to get pictures of your kids with characters, do the character meals. Chef Mickey's on the first night is perfect because you can get the Big Five out of the way right off the bat.
12. If you have a dining plan and are anticipating not using it all, do the character breakfast at the Crystal Palace so you can get into Magic Kingdom before the park opens. You have a pretty good head start on everyone else and you can get some great pictures.
13. Be prepared. Plan at least the park you are going to attend on which days before you travel. The website Touring Plans is incredibly valuable for this, as is the related book "Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World". Now that you know what park you are going to, figure out the night before which rides you are going to hit and approximately in what order. You need to know what rides are important to hit early and often. Don't come crying to me when you wait 2 hours to ride Toy Story Mania. The rope drop fast walk to TSM is a beautiful thing, practically a ride itself.
14. If you are full on attraction commando, forgo meals or eat at odd times, skip shows, and parades, all of which draw in the crowds and leave open lines in front of you. Be careful to plan where you are going to be when the parade starts because it can become difficult or impossible to reach some areas.
15. If you get something spilled on you at a restaurant it is okay to be upset but also be nice. You might get a golden ticket which allows you through any rides FAST PASS lane.
16. Give your most park savvy and possibly fastest member all of your tickets to carry so that they can go retrieve the FAST PASS. The first thing you should probably do when you reach your FAST PASS window is, get another FAST PASS.
17. Arrive 15-20 minutes after your FAST PASS window is open to avoid the rush.
18. If you are about to get on a ride that you think you will want to do again and the FAST PASS return time is about now, get a FAST PASS before you ride. You never know when a ride will jam up.
19. If you have little kids, a stroller is a must. Renting them at the park is expensive but often worth it. You could also buy one when you get there or rent from a third party company. Check All Ears.
20. With little kids we often plan to leave the park before lunch and return in early afternoon with a little downtime in between. Well-rested kids are usually a lot more fun for everyone.
21. The more magic you give out, the more it will be returned to you.
More questions on Quora:
- Disney Parks: How different is Walt Disney World from Disneyland?
- Fastpass: What is the difference between Disney's Fastpass and Fastpass+ systems?
- Disney Parks: Which of the non-US Disney parks is the best to visit?
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from Travel - The Huffington Post http://ift.tt/1Eh314n
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