10 Things You Need to Know Before Visiting Walt Disney World
Walt Disney World is an incredible place. But whether you've never been before or have only been to Disneyland Paris or Disneyland, CA, then I think you'll be surprised by how different this place is. If you're wanting to go but are expecting it to be like the other parks you've visited, then you have another thing coming, haha. Here are ten things you need to know before visiting Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
1. The place is HUGE - there's always something new to see, even if you've been several times before
I don't think you can explain the scale of the place to anyone. You could go several times throughout your lifetime and there will still be things you haven't seen or done. Not only is this because the place is always changing and progressing, but it's also because the space is so vast. Don't go to WDW expecting to do and see everything you want to, because it just won't happen in a couple of weeks.
2. It's not just one park
People might go to Walt Disney World, rock up to Magic Kingdom and think that it's the only park on Disney property. However, there are actually three other parks that you need to go and see, not to mention the two water parks and their shopping village - Disney Springs.
When I said previously that the place is huge, I really meant it. Walt Disney World has its own roads and freeways. It even has its own McDonalds and its own petrol station. But those roads and freeways bring you to other Disney parks on WDW property, including: EPCOT, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom.
Each and every one of them have something different to offer, so make sure you visit all of the other parks, as well as Magic Kingdom, at least once during your visit. You can also go and visit the Disney resorts. They're open to everyone to go and look around, so make use of everything the place has to offer. But remember, you probably won't fit everything into one trip.
3. Hollywood Studios is NOT Universal Studios
If you're going to Walt Disney World, don't tell people you're going to Universal Studios, and vice-a-versa. This is because they're two very different places and are located at different ends of Orlando. Don't confuse the two with each other.
If you like to look of Universal Studios, don't book tickets for Hollywood Studios, for instance. Or if you want to go to Universal Studios Hollywood, don't book to go to Hollywood Studios in Orlando, haha.
It might sound daft, but it has been done, just like people booking tickets to go to Austria when they're actually going to Australia haha. Just double check and don't get the two confused with each other, as it could be a very expensive mistake.
4. There's free transportation you can make use of
While getting to Walt Disney World would be the hard bit, if you're not staying on property, once youre there, there's plenty of free transportation options you can make use of during your stay. If you've hired a car, it might be tempting to go all the way back to the car park and move it to another park, especially as your parking ticket is valid at all parks.
However, something you might not be aware of is that WDW runs buses all day, every day, up until 90 minutes after the park closes. This way, you can go from park-to-park on the bus, on the monorail or even on the Skyliner (which are cable cars). Animal Kingdom is the only park that isn't connected to the others by a monorail or the Skyliner, so the bus would be the best option.
Buses go from all the parks, so no matter where you are, you'll be able to get to Animal Kingdom and all of the resorts from any park while you're there. Just to clarify, you can get the monorail from Magic Kingdom to EPCOT. The monorail will also take you to the Polynesian Resort and The Grand Floridian.
The Skyliner can take you from EPCOT to Hollywood Studios, but it will also drop you off at the Art of Animation Resort. The uses, however, will take you anywhere, even Disney Springs. Just make sure you get on the right one, haha. There are also boats you can take, but we've never done that so I can't give you any more information on it, unfortunately.
Read more about Disney's Water Transportation here. There is another way to get to the Magic Kingdom from the Ticket and Transportation Centre (TTC) and that's via ferry. I recommend getting the monorail there and the ferry back, or vice-a-versa, just to get the whole experience.
5. Dining in Walt Disney World is an entirely separate experience
You might think that dining at Disney is like any other theme park you've ever been to, and you'd be right in some cases, more so with their quick service places. However, I seriously recommend making a few bookings at some of their more renowned restaurants.
When we went recently, we dined at Sebastian's Bistro, California Grill at the Contemporary Resort, Sanaa at Animal Kingdom Lodge and Yak &Yeti in Animal Kingdom. They were all absolutely divine. I've never had food so delicious and tasty.
We also went for drinks at the Grand Floridian. Dining at these restaurants is an experience in and of itself. So don't go around thinking that it'll just be the same as any other restaurant or theme park you've been to, because that's simply not the case, trust me.
6. You need to plan, plan, plan
I'm sure you've got the picture by now that the place is massive. If you've never been before, then you should do your research. Decide what you want to see and do before you go and make provisions to do those things.
Make a schedule for the duration of your holiday and stick to it so as to get everything done that you want to do. You will have to pick and choose, because you simply can't do everything that WDW offers in one trip. Make a priority list and stick to it. Remember to make use of the free transportation as well.
7. Not everything is about Disney films
Of course Walt Disney World is going to be heavily themed on Disney films, it's not about Disney movies solely. While Magic Kingdom will be themed on the films, EPCOT, Animal Kingdom and even Hollywood Studios won't be as heavy on the films, you might be surprised to know.
The experience will be different at each park you visit, so go in with an open mind. This is another reason why WDW is for everyone, and not just for kids and families. I think I'll be going till I'm 80 haha.
8. Walt Disney World isn't just for kids
As I've just said, WDW isn't just for families or children. It's for everyone of all ages. There's something there for everyone to enjoy, from rides and food to character meet and greets and tours, you'll be fully-immersed in the experience from day one, whether you think it's for kids or not. Somehow, it will pull you in whether you like it or not.
9. Not all rides are child-friendly & there are some that you just can't miss
This also hammers home my previous point about WDW not just being for kids. There are so many rides there that they can enjoy, but there are some that just aren't suitable for kiddies. WDW does have rides that are for small children, like the Mad Hatter's Tea Party, the Prince Charming Carousel, Dumbo and Aladdin's Flying Carpets, to name just a few. But there are some big rides that you can go on, enjoying the thrill as an adult, without the children, essentially.
To carry on from this, there are also some rides that you just can't miss. Whether they're original rides from opening day or are brand spanking new, there are some you can't miss out on. I have a few of my stand-out rides that I think everyone should experience, at least just once.
The ones I'd recommend you ride during your first visit would be: Pirates of the Caribbean, Peter Pan's Flight, Haunted Mansion, Tron, Space Mountain, Tomorrowland Speedway, It's a Small World, Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Tower of Terror, Flight of Passage, Expedition Everest, Kilimanjaro Safari, Soarin', Living with the Land, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and Spaceship Earth, to name just a few of my favourites.
10. Make time for a Dole Whip - trust me!
While the popcorn and turkey legs might be calling you, the thing you absolutely have to make time for while you're there is a cup of Dole Whip. Trust me, it's absolutely incredible. It's not an ice cream and it's not a sorbet.
I can't really explain it to you, other than it's incredibly delicious. In fact, it's making my mouth water just writing about it. If you only ever buy one food item at WDW, it should be a Dole Whip. Oh, and go for the classic pineapple one, not the coconut alternative.
***
I hope you enjoyed this blog post and that you found it useful? Let me know in the comments if there's something else everyone should know before visiting WDW and I will see you all again very soon with some brand new content.
***
WHERE TO FIND ME
PREVIOUS BLOG POST
COPYRIGHT INFORMATION
Comments
Post a Comment