5 Tips/Tricks For Visiting Disney World

All set to go to the most magical place on Earth? Here's a few tips that will help you make it even more magical!

1. 1. Get the Disney App for your Phone

When I worked at Disney World smart phones were just starting to come into the scene. Nowadays though we have such convienence just right there at our fingertips. The new app for IPhone/IPad and Android "My Disney Experience" makes your trip much easier and less stressful. The app has everything from maps of the park, wait times for rides and the ability to sign up for fastpasses. It even has a section that you can make your own schedule for shows, rides, parades and meeting characters. You can simply tap and see how long of a wait it is for Mickey. If the mouse has a 30 minute why not save that when it's a little shorter and go ride Splash Mountain instead? SO EASY and AWESOME!

2. Get your Fastpass: DON'T WAIT IN LINES!!!

Brittany Juilfs

Waiting in line sucks- we all know this. It takes up valuable time we could be enjoying more of the park. The following rides you should get fastpass for, you can do this on the previous mentioned app above days before you even visit the park. The further out the more likely you'll get what you want. You're allowed three per park per day.

Animal Kingdom:

#1 Everest Expedition: this line can be over an hour long and is one of the only "rides" in animal kingdom.

#2 Kilimanjaro Safari: it's good to do this in the morning and in the evening as different animals can be spotted at different times during the day. I'd recommend getting a fastpass for the morning as people tend to head for the main attractions right away. Then in the afternoon or during the parade you can go again!

#3 Kali Rapids: this line isn't as bad but you get a choice of three fastpasses on the Disney app so I would choose this as the last seeing as you can't double up.

Epcot:

#1 Test Track: this line is ridiculous I have seen it get up to 120 min and people will wait that long. Don't spend time waiting when you can be sipping a margarita in Mexico or eating delicious sushi in Japan.

#2 Soar: this is a beautiful hangliding adventure through California with the most boring line in existence. No fun mickeys or R2D2's to entertain you, just a boring hall. GET A FASTPASS and skip that boring hall.

#3 Mission Space: If you plan on doing the green version, which is less intense, then you don't need to bother getting a fastpass as that line is really short. If you plan on doing the orange version, the crazy fun and intense one, then make sure you grab a fastpass for this as that line is long.

Hollywood Studios:

#1 Aerosmith's Rockin Rollercoaster: this ride is the most fun so you'll probably want to do it multiple times but make sure to grab the fast pass during the busiest times which are the morning and afternoon.

#2 Tower of Terror: also really popular but has a pretty nice line with plenty of things to look at and lots of screams to listen to to make you nervous while you wait :).

#3 Up to You: the only other things are the Great Movie Ride and Star Wars which is entirely up to your opinions and preference.

Magic Kingdom:

THE THREE MOUNTAINS! :)

#1 Space Mountain: probably the most popular ride in the park so make sure to snap this up ASAP.

#2 Thunder Mountain: This wait is for some reason the most obnoxious wait. It's one of those that gets you closer only to go farther away and is pretty tedious.

#3 Splash Mountain: get your fastpass for the afternoon when it's sunny and warm so you'll want to get SPLASHED!

3. Single Rider Lines- SO GENIUS <3

Via mousewait.com

For most of the popular attractions many theme parks including Disney have added something called the single rider line. This is exactly as it says, a ride for people riding alone. Now you might be thinking- why on earth would you go to Disney alone? Well you probably wouldn't but this is a way to ride the popular rides much more and much quicker. Seeing as most people want to ride together they wait 120 minutes in the normal line. Once you get done riding together once though why not take advantage and use this line? You can probably ride it twice in the time the people in the regular ride have ridden it once. Most likely you probably will end up in the same "cart" or "rollercoaster" as your family anyways. I don't recommend this for very little children (though I don't recommend going to Disney with VERY little children anyways). I've seen kids as young as 8 doing this though- its fine just have the parent go first so they can wait for the child when the get off. It'll save you so much time I guarentee it!

4. Hidden Mickeys- WHERE? WHERE?

R.D. / Via whimsicalworldtravel.com

Hidden Mickeys are so much fun to look for and can make waiting in line extremely entertaining. One of my favorite Hidden Mickey moments was on the Tower of Terror. In the right most elevator right before you drop the stars that come together make a hidden Mickey. IT'S SO COOL! Many hidden Mickey's are in lines and everywhere around the park. You can look yourself or you can pick up a book at pretty much any store in the park. If you need to go a certain direction in line you can simply tell the cast member you're on the hunt and they will gladly point you in the right direction. They may not even know themselves! How fun :) :).

5. Best Time of the Year to Visit

Brittany Juilfs

So for one do not go during April and March- just don't. If you can at all avoid it don't do it. Spring Break is crazy its an absolute mad house so just save yourself the favor. If you want a park where you can literally run through the lines go during May right after Spring Break and also in September right before the Holidays.

The Holidays may be packed but being in Disney World during the Christmas season is the most magical place you can be. Everything is lit up with christmas lights and the shows are phenomenal. As well as New Years. I saw a show at Epcot that was fireworks around the world and the giant ball had a count down timer. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Also during Halloween they have lots of things to do and decorations.

Lastly for the adults in the group Epcot has two events during the year that are really neat and a great addition to your trip to see. The first is in March and that is the International Garden and Flower Festival. The whole park is in bloom with butterfly tents, shrubs shaped as Mickey and the crew and flower gardens designed in different ways, last year there was a pepper garden full of peppers from mild to so spicy you'd probably die from eating it (exaggeration maybe?). In the fall Epcot has the International Food and Wine festival. As the name implies the countries of the world bring in world famous chefs and dish out tasty food and wine. How could it get better?

No matter when you go though, it's Disney- the magic will always be there and you won't be able to stop smiling child or adult.