Disney insider tips

Insider tips for Disney Orlando vacations

• Take snacks and as much water as you can carry into the parks with you. You'll save lots of money this way.
• Freeze your water bottles the night before. This way as the water melts (which it will do pretty quickly) throughout the day, you'll still have ice cold drinking water to cool you off. On a trip to Disney, you can NEVER have too much water!
• Wear brightly colored hats or shirts, preferably the same color, to the parks. This will help you easily find other members of your family should you get separated.
• Use walkie-talkies or cell phones so you can split into groups and meet up later.
• Any time you're near one of the FASTPASS rides, pick up your fast pass- even if you're not ready to go on the ride. FASTPASS tickets are sometimes sold hours in advance, and some of the most popular attractions sell out quickly. You can use your pass up to two hours AFTER the time on the pass, so you'll still have some flexibility.
• If you're riding one of the more popular rides- like Soarin' at Epcot, or Expedition Everest at Animal Kingdom, consider picking up a Fast Pass as you get off the ride so you can avoid long lines when you ride again. You may be surprised that the FASTPASS you get is for a few hours later, so it's better to get one while you're there.
  
  
• You can find great, CHEAP souvenirs outside the parks at places like Walgreen's and Publix. We bought our shirts, hats, and even a few Disney pins at these two stores and saved tons of money!
• If you do buy souvenirs in the parks, remember you'll be stuck carrying them around all day. Your best bet is to buy your mementos on the way out of the park.
• If you're staying at a Disney resort, you can have your souvenirs shipped back to your hotel. This will help you avoid carrying them around all day.
• Bring a large, sturdy backpack into the park with you. It will provide a way to store essentials like water, snacks, and sunscreen, while enabling you to keep your hands free.
• You only need to pay to park at one of the Disney Parks per day. So, if you visit Magic Kingdom in the morning and Epcot in the afternoon, you won't have to pay again. Of course, you can only do this if you purchase a park hopper ticket.
• Make a list of the key attractions you'd like to visit and plan your strategy in advance to get the most out of your day. You won't want to get to the end of the day, or leave early because the kids (or mom and dad!) are too tired, only to remember that you never made it to one of your favorites.
• Pick up rain panchos to take with you on your trip. They'll help during the frequent rain showers during the summer months. The ones in the park are rather pricey, so bring some from home where you're sure to find them cheaper!
• Arrive at the parks early! If you get there 30 minutes before it opens, you'll likely be among hundreds of others. Get there early, get in line, and THEN put on your sunscreen, etc. This will give you time to get a park map and plan your strategy- if you haven't already.