Disney! I go there (like a lot)

So, around this time last year my husband and I were discussing what to do for my daughter’s fourth birthday. Our son was just three months old so we needed a place that he would feel included as well. In that instance we decided to take a family trip to Disney World. Awesome! Great! We decided which days we would go… investigated ticket prices and found the Florida Discover Disney passes and we were set. Come the end of March we were off heading to Disney but not without a little planning, so I thought I’d share some tips and good rule of thumbs I’ve discovered along the way.

Fastpass is Lyfe! Ok so if you know when you are heading to Disney and already purchased your tickets great! Next step download the Disney world app. This allows you to set up your account, add your tickets and depending on the ticket or passes you purchased pick your fast passes. Now typically these can be picked 30 days in advance but for certain Disney resorts and passholders this can be 60 or 90 days in advance so once you determine your tickets and ability to book fast passes get on it because they go quick. Pandora: Avatar Flight of Passage @ Animal Kingdom…. Is probably one of the hardest rides to get a fastpass for and I am including the recently opened Toy Story Land @ Hollywood Studios so please don’t get upset if you aren’t able to get one and yes the line is always long for standby. But if you are traveling with littles you won’t care for that ride anyway.
Things to skip fastpass: Most shows!
Honestly, they are a lot of fun and the most excited things to do at Disney are not even full ride attractions but are the shows! They are open for everyone and even with the fastpass line many can fit in the theatre or area within the first cycle of waiting. The wait time you see posted is mainly waiting for the next show to start. We have seen most of the shows and one of our favorites is the live action sing along version of Frozen. The story telling are hilarious and the jokes change based on the audience because the pull you guys in on the fun. A lot of these shows are inside and air conditioned so if you are going on a particularly hot day. Go see a show, take a seat and relax. Most people have kids and they are all talking and screaming and chatting away so trust me it’s a safe place. Hollywood Studio’s recently redid their Disney Junior show to make it more interactive and fun. We have not seen the new show but the previous one was already entertaining so can’t wait to see the new one. They also have a Lightening McQueen show set to open the end of February so be on the look out for that.
Anyway, back to ride choices! So aside from the shows you want to get on rides that are constantly moving such as the little Mermaid @Magic Kingdom or Nemo and Friends’ @Epcot. These rides are for everyone and are both clam shell rides where it constantly moves people on and off so while the line may be long sometimes the wait is short and you are constantly moving weather you fastpass or not. Now as Little Mermaid is one of our favorites, we tend to fast pass this ride just because. I can’t stress it enough download the app! It gives you height requirements and gives you real time updates on wait times so if you are going in a big group or family unit and want to add some adult rides to your fun it tells you which ones will be quick and close to other fun rides for the littles.
Last thing I will say planning is key. While you are going for the fun and thrill of it all planning will make your day go by in a smoother manner and less. I know we’ve all seen the memes about Disney being the most magically place on earth (most hated and most expensive) but let me tell you the money is well worth it. There are cast members everywhere, Stroller wranglers and all. Still breastfeeding? Baby on formula? need a calm space to relax for a moment with your child? Great Disney has a space for that! It is called the Disney Baby Care Center. They have formula, baby food, wipes, diapers, changing tables, nursing stations, pumping stations, area to store your pumped milk so many options and solutions! I know once the kids get older we may transition to something geared towards older kids with more thrills or we may be Disney Passholders for life who knows. Takes these tips, use these tips, and plan ahead. Disney can be stressful and overwhelming but if you do it the right way… It is seriously magical.