No one enjoys standing in a line. In particular, children do not enjoy standing in lines. Especially when it’s hot outside as it is most of the year in Orlando, Florida. It is a given that there will be a certain amount of waiting throughout your vacation for attractions, but there are a few tips and tricks to help minimize your wait time and maximize your ride time!
1.) Get up Early: I know I know, it’s vacation and who wants to do that? But I promise you it’s worth it! The parks get more and more crowded as the day goes on, so if you can arrive for rope drop and knock out several popular rides first thing in the morning, you will be ahead of the game. Save your fastpasses for mid to late morning and do as many shorter standby lines as you can.
2.) Use fastpass+: Being smart about your fastpasses can go a long way. Disney has finally revamped the system so now you can make three fastpasses in advance, and once you have used all three you can add another, one at a time, for the rest of the day. Get familiar with the way they work and what rides are the most popular so you don’t end up wasting a fastpass on something that would be a walk on in the standby line.
3.) Use the My Disney Experience app: Not only can you modify your fastpasses from here, but you can also add your 4th (and 5th and so on) fastpass right from the app! This is also a great place to check out ride wait times without actually having to walk over to said ride to see how long the line is. There is also a map on the app, show times for parades and fireworks, and you can make dining reservations here, too.
4.) Extra magic hours/stay on property: If you are a guest of a Walt Disney World resort, you will have the opportunity to get into a park one hour early or stay up to three hours later every day (parks and times vary day to day so be sure to check the app). The evening magic hours also allow for you go to back to your resort and rest/nap/swim during the hottest part of the afternoon and then return refreshed and ready to go later that evening!
5.) Utilize parade, fireworks, and stage show times: In general, the ride lines go down a bit during parades, fireworks, and stage shows. Take advantage of these times and the shorter standby lines!
I would love to help you plan your family vacation and share even more tips with you! Email me at heather@travelwiththemagic.com or find me on Facebook or Pinterest.
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