How to have an INCREDIBLE DAY at Disney World!

Planning a trip to Walt Disney World?  Here are my 10 simple tips for having an Incredible day at the parks!

1.  Have a plan, but be flexible.  Look at maps, learn about fast passes, and have a plan.  However, be flexible if your plan needs to be adjusted.  A ride on your list may be down, a kid may puke on you, or you may learn something on your first day that will change the rest of your days.

2.  Expect crowds. Along with your family, there are hundreds of thousands of other people also wanting to enjoy Disney World on the day you visit.  Just expecting that there will be crowds can greatly decrease your frustration.  Be nice, try not to run anyone over with your stroller, and apologize if you accidentally run someone over with your stroller.  Understand that there will be a line for everything, from bag check, to Starbucks, to the bathrooms, to character meet and greets, to rides.  It's kind of part of the day - try to make it fun.  Disney has an app called Play Disney that allows kids to play games in some of the longer lines.  A lot of families play games like Heads Up with their phones while they are in line.  If you are an extrovert, you can get to know the people in line around you. Just accept that crowds are a part of the day!

3.  Know your time limit for wait times.  Wait times for rides can go from 10 minutes to 3 hours.  It's kind of crazy. There are all kinds of ways you can decrease the wait times - from using the Fast Pass system, to going at rope drop and getting to your ride first, to riding during the fireworks.  However, you need to know going in what your limit is.  Is it 45 minutes?  60 minutes?  If everyone in your party is on board with your limit, it can help you decide what to ride and when.

4.  Accept you won't be able to do everything. It doesn't matter if you are going to Disney World for 1 day or 5 days, the bottom line is that you will NOT be able to do everything.  You won't be able to ride every ride, eat at every restaurant, meet every character, or see everything there is to see.  It's just too big.  Knowing that there will be some things you may have to save until your next trip can help you manage expectations for your day. As you are planning your rides, make sure you are aware of the height requirements. Check out my free printable of all ride height requirements at Disney World!  

5.  Know your priorities.  Since you know you can't do it all, know what your priorities are.  Is it riding rides?  Seeing the parades?  Meeting characters?  Knowing what you want to do most can help you plan your day better. 

6.  Choose your top 3.  When we are planning our trips, we let our kids pick their top 3 things at each park - this helps us do the main things they want to do and then go from there.

7.  Build in rest times and free play times.  Do not try to go from rope drop (opening) to fireworks (closing) with no built in time to rest.  Adults need to sit, and kids need to run and play.  Every Disney park has an area built for kids to run around and just play!  Find them and try to get there before the meltdowns!  :)

8.  Wear waterproof shoes and pack a poncho.  It is VERY likely that it will rain when you are at Disney - buy ponchos ahead of time and keep them in your bag.  Even if it doesn't rain, they come in handy on rides like Splash Mountain and Kali River Rapids.  Wear waterproof shoes - if it rains a lot, there can be BIG puddles, and I promise - wet socks are no fun! (Check out my list of Disney essentials!)

9.  Get the Memory Maker package.  It may seem pricey, but it is SO nice to get great pictures of you with the characters and around the parks without having to hand your camera to anyone.  While character attendants will take a picture with your own camera, you get a LOT more shots from Memory Maker and they are taken by a professional photographer, leaving you to just enjoy the moment!  You also get ride photos, and photos from experiences like Storytime with Belle and the Trials of the Temple Jedi training.

10.  If you are a Disney World newbie and are staying at a Disney World resort, consider using a Disney Vacation Planner.  A Disney Vacation Planner does a lot of the planning for your trip at no additional cost to you.  They can book your dining reservations, your fast passes, and answer your questions.  If the entire idea of planning a Disney World vacation is overwhelming, then you might want to connect with Lau Family Travels to help you figure it all out!

I realize that these are simple tips, but they really can make the difference between a stressful day and a great day at Disney World!

What tips would you add to the list?