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Disney World Dining Tips – All Our Dining Posts In One Place!

by Guide4WDW

by: guide4wdw – Collin

Disney World Dining Reviews and Tips – All Our Dining Posts In One Place!

In my opinion, dining and Disney tend to fall hand in hand. For years I’ve been a firm believer that a good meal should be considered an attraction in and of itself. A great meal with a great cast member can make all the difference in your day and give you that perfect break and revitalizing few minutes of rest to continue on and really make the most of your time in the parks. Unfortunately though, not all Disney dining locations are created equal and restaurants tend to change and receive alterations on a nearly day to day basis

Keeping up with the trends, new additions, and top offerings are one of many things we try to share here on the site and while it’s a near impossible task to cover every little detail, hopefully these reviews and tips help you solidify and set up your dining plans (not to be confused with the Disney dining plan) for your next trip.

Speaking of the Disney Dining Plan, it’s no secret that I’m not necessarily a fan of the offering for our personal travels. We eat sporadically while we are in the parks and eat a varying blend of counter service and table service which doesn’t quite match up with Disney’s established packaged plans. On top of that, I feel that if you really make the most of your allotted dining plan credits, you’re never going to be short on food or looking for an extra meal. Chances are the opposite will be true and you’ll end up overeating if you really use those meal and snack credits for great dining locations across property. On the other hand though, it certainly has it’s benefits. One, it’s not like you’re paying more for what you’re receiving. If you bought the same items out of pocket that are included in the plan, the costs are near identical. The convenience factor and flexibility it offers is truthfully the driving force as to why it may be a good option to consider for select parks goers. Additionally, if you want to know exactly what your vacation is going to cost ahead of time, before you even arrive at Walt Disney World, the dining plan is the most ideal way to do so. The cost is upfront and known when you book your vacation. There are no surprises and you know exactly what to expect.

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(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); With that seemingly small caveat covered, dining at Disney can be a great or not so great experience. Typically when you ask someone about the food at Disney you get one of two responses. 1. “it was all fast food!” or 2. “It was amazing and we loved the variety!” What’s the difference between the two experiences? Location, Location, Location.

If you go to the parks and eat exclusively at the Electric Umbrella, Starlight Cafe, resort food courts, and places designed to be the “people eater” food locations, you’re going to leave a little disappointed. Those particular spots and those similar to them are designed to feed mass amounts of guests in a fairly quick fashion. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with these restaurants and every once in a while a simple cheeseburger or some chicken can be just the ticket for a meal that hits the spot, but if you eat that every day of a multi-day vacation it’s going to get old quick! Instead, if you take the time to explore the table service in the countries of the World Showcase, schedule a few table service meals, or look for something a little out of the ordinary compared to typical theme park food, the variety of other options can be shocking at times and the variety can make all the difference. That aspect of dining on its own is one of the main reasons we’ve written so many food related articles here one the site!

Disney Dining Reviews

Every once in a while we’ll dive into greater detail about a new favorite restaurant or one that we’ve grown to love over the years, and we’ll add it in to this list with it’s own feature review. We haven’t reviewed every dining location on property, and likely never will, but a few stand out offerings will warrant an in depth discussion. As always, if you ever want to see us try a new offering, give us a shout and we’ll see what we can do! Additionally, if you ever have questions, shoot us an email or message us on your favorite social media platform and we’ll gladly share some thoughts that may or may not have made our list of articles quite yet! You may notice a trend of positive reviews on our list and that’s not because anyone pays us to eat at these locations but rather because I don’t see a purpose in reviewing a restaurant that we had a bad experience at. If I wouldn’t recommend it to a friend I’ll rarely even mention the unfortunate and rare poor dining experiences here on the site.      

Disney Dining Tips 

Beyond dining reviews in the most literal form, we’ve shared a ton of dining and reservation tips for Walt Disney World over the last few years and the list continues to grow! Some of these will pertain to our top picks for dining, while others will share a few recommendations and learned ways to make the most of your Disney dining experience. If you let Disney be a culinary journey, you may be surprised at some of the world class offerings available in some of the most unexpected locations across Walt Disney World. We’ve yet to see and eat at all of the restaurants on property (a near impossible task), but there are certainly a few standouts among the various options that may exceed your greatest expectations. 
In the realm of Disney dining there are a vast variety of options and truthfully this only touches upon a few select highlights and tips that can be found online and even across this particular site. Disney is massive and the variety of food and types of dining experiences are immensely diverse. Often times picking what restaurants you want to and are able to fit into your length of stay is far more difficult than you may expect originally as a first time guest! 
Always be willing to try something new and you may be shocked at how much you enjoy an offering you would have never considered previously!  
Want to work with us here on the site or in the photography realm? Shoot me a message on social media anytime or email me directly at guide4wdw@gmail.com. We’re always looking for sponsors and new opportunities. If you ever have questions during your vacation planning or anything else feel free to message me there as well and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible! 

Your Thoughts


As always, if you have thoughts, concerns, questions, or even some tips of your own to share, don’t hesitate to reach out to us on Facebook or your favorite social media platform. Give us a follow while you’re there, and we’ll keep the conversation going in the future. We’re not the largest Disney community, but we’re one that’s there and one that listens. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day wherever you are!


Need a Travel Planner?


If you want or simply need a little bit of planning help to make your Disney vacation dream a reality, check out the quote request form below this article for our friends over at Destinations to Travel. They’ll let you do as much or as little of the planning as you’d like and may even save you some money along the way! As always, thanks for supporting those who support us.


Ready to Plan?


Last but certainly not least, if you’re starting the planning process, a great place to start are with some of our top planning articles! Looking for dining? Check out Disney World Dining Tips For 2018. Want to start with some more tips? 44 Excellent Disney World Tips for 2018 or Disney World Planning Guide and Tips For 2018 are a great place to begin! Looking to save money on tickets? Check out our friends over at The Official Ticket Center for great deals that even made it into our 2018 Discount Disney World Ticket selections and another great way to help us create more content through your contributions at no additional cost to you! You’ll probably even save money along the way.

Disney’s Boardwalk Resort – An Excellent Resort Theme and Location

by Guide4WDW

by: guide4wdw – Collin

Disney’s Boardwalk Resort – An Excellent Resort for Theming and Location 

Walt Disney World’s Boardwalk Resort is what I would consider one of the more unexpected stand out offerings in the world of Disney Deluxe Resorts. The Boardwalk is a unique blend of luxury, location, and amenities that is fairly hard to beat in regard to Disney’s Deluxe tier properties. Unfortunately, as always, the Boardwalk and other Deluxe tier resorts tend to accompany a fairly high nightly price tag, but at the same time the cost put in tends to play a role in the overall vacation experience. Some guests may find that a necessary expense for their vacation style while others may prefer more budget friendly accommodations on property (or off – before considering off-property there’s a few things you’ll want to consider – Off-Property At Disney World: What to Consider and Why). 
Just last week (March 2018), we had the opportunity to stay at the Boardwalk Resort with some friends and family. Honestly, it was a wonderful vacation, and the resort certainly played a big role in that experience. We were not payed by Disney to make this review (even though I wish we could make that happen lol), but in all reality it was a very expensive out of pocket stay. Thankfully, we used a technique we have in the past to minimize the cost of deluxe resort accommodations by booking a 2 bedroom villa. I know that sounds like the opposite of saving money but we also traveled with a fairly large group so the cost was split among two families, making the overall cost per group far more manageable. It’s not the ideal tactic to save money and book deluxe for every situation, but it’s worked out wonderfully for us and we get to travel with some great friends along the way. 
But, with all that being said, this resort isn’t perfect and we’ll gladly share that information as well in today’s article. In the big picture, this is an outstanding place to stay, but it’s different in a few ways than what you may expect from the typical deluxe tier resorts at Walt Disney World. However, it is pretty high on our list of resorts, but it’s hard to beat our top pick of Club Level at Wilderness Lodge. Long story short, we admittedly have high expectations.
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The Backstory  

At Walt Disney World, as many of you know quite well, everything has a story and while many stories are more elaborate than others you may be surprised at the level of detail built into the Boardwalk experience. 

As you walk into the lobby, you’re surrounded by a bit of real life history. From the scale model Illions Carousel (which comes to life each hour), or the Lucy the Elephant Scale Model, to the Luna Park Pool area, to the picturesque views over charming, yet active Crescent Lake, the Boardwalk harkens back to the days of old school Boardwalks readily overlooked in today’s fast paced world. 

Based on an elaboration of turn-of-the-century Atlantic City blended with the subtle yet memorable touches of iconic Coney Island, the Boardwalk welcomes a good time while remaining family friendly nearly all hours of the day. As the days turn into nights, the Boardwalk comes alive a few feet above the glistening water of Crescent Lake. Live acts share their talents and tricks, and carnival games allow guests to test their skills and enjoy a piece of the classic boardwalk experience in the heart of central Florida. It’s a surprisingly simple concept, but one that is accomplished so tastefully and in such a unique way that it creates a truly memorable experience. Some day we’ll have to share a closer look at some of the hidden details in the history of the experience, but we’ll save that for another day. Nevertheless, be on the look out for a few hidden details hiding in plain site that really develop the theming to an entirely shocking level.                    

Disney's Boardwalk Resort

The Check In Experience at the Boardwalk 

When we arrived at the resort, we were greeted quite pleasantly by the staff and bell service, and while we decided to deal with our own bags before heading to the parks, they made every effort to help. Once inside the main entrance of the resort, the lobby is a few short steps away in the heart of the grand atrium featuring fleeting and subtle views of the picturesque boardwalk one floor below the lobby. We intentionally avoided online check in to explore the in person check in experience. Upon arriving at the desk, we were pleasantly informed that we had been given an upgraded view. It was a great touch and a great start to a Walt Disney World vacation. It wasn’t something we asked for, but certainly a wonderful surprise. We did arrive fairly early on in the day (around 12:45), and as a result our room was not quite ready. Given the time of day and typical 4pm check in time for the resort, it was a situation we entirely expected. Instead of waiting around for the room, we made the decision to head to the Magic Kingdom. In order to do so, the staff of the resort stored our luggage (a great option for early arrivals) and we headed to the parks. Everyone was quite helpful and a few short minutes later we were on the bus to Magic Kingdom.

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A Closer Look at the Villas 

Late that night we returned to the resort and picked up our luggage (a very easy process) on the way to the room, instead of having it brought to us, and were pleasantly surprised by our room placement. We managed to get a room location on the main floor, less than a two minute walk from the lobby, a short distance down the hall. 
The room itself was a bit oddly set up, but a great set of accommodations for our situation. At the entrance to the room there were two doors. A typical room or studio room would not feature this same set up but with the two bedroom villa it was designed as what Disney called a “lock off.” Essentially the first room was a one bedroom villa with a king bed and a rollout sofa bed with a kitchen and living area. The other room (the second door also opening to the hallway) featured a queen bed and a queen size sleeper sofa in addition to a twin size trundle bed cleverly tucked away under the television.
In theory, Disney splits up these two bedroom villas in the case that it would need to be booked as a studio room and a 1 bedroom villa independently. So, when you book a two bedroom villa of the type you essentially get two adjoining rooms and two doors to the hallway as well. It’s a clever concept and likely makes it easier for Disney to fill resort rooms and accommodate a variety of party sizes. 
As for the theming itself, it’s fairly simple. The paint scheme of the room is accented heavily in white but also draws from a fairly bright color pattern and features artwork picturing carnival rides and special Boardwalk-esque experiences. During our stay, the room remained impeccably clean and housekeeping did a wonderful job promptly cleaning the room and replenishing towels and other needed items. 
Our upgraded view (as mentioned above) landed us three balconies overlooking the “DVC” pool area and resort recreation section. We mostly faced the smaller of the pools on the property, a select few guests playing ping pong or playing billiards poolside, and a picturesque view of the waterway to Hollywood Studios and the Swan and Dolphin a short piece away. It wasn’t the best view but it was far form the worst! We really enjoyed the few minutes we got to sit back and take it in from the balcony.              


A Quick Comparison to Other Disney World Deluxe Resorts

I’ve been fortunate enough over the years to have had the opportunity to stay at quite a few resorts on property. I haven’t stayed a them all but I have visited nearly every resort on property at least once and have stayed at many of them at least once. By comparison to the others, I would put the Boardwalk firmly in the above average to excellent category. It’s not going to beat the iconic Bay Lake and Seven Seas Lagoon Resorts overlooking Magic Kingdom in my opinion, but at the same time this is a wonderful resort and located in one of the best locations on property. You’re a 10 minute walk to Epcot, and 15 minute walk to Hollywood Studios and boat transportation is also provided to each of those locations. On top of that you have typical Disney busses to Disney Springs, Magic Kingdom, and Animal Kingdom. During this trip we only had one issue with bus transportation and that was for an early entry day to Magic Kingdom.
All things consider the trapsorstiaotn is excellent here and provides a great alternative to busses for those who may get carsick (like me) or simply prefer alternate transportation. 
From a theming perspective this resort is only rivaled by a select few properties. To me, Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Lodge, and the Polynesian are the ultimate standard in well themed accommodations. Of course, your opinion will very, but the level of detail at the Boardwalk is something very difficult to overlook and true impressive to see and experience first hand. As you can see in the images in this post, the area is spectacular at night and nearly as beautiful during the day. What you may not be be able to tell in pictures is that this place is covered in little details that make a huge difference in the broader resort look and feel. It’s impressive to say the least and something you should definitely check out even if you don’t plan on staying there during your vacation.           
Disney's Boardwalk Villas

The Ideal Epcot Resort 

As a result of the proximity to the park and the transportation options, I see Disney’s Boardwalk as the ideal Epcot resort. Not only is it close to the park and allows access into Epcot’s back International Gateway entrance, but allows you to avoid the crowds to a certain extent during the opening of the park in the mornings. Additionally, with the opening of Toy Story Land and Star Wars on the horizon over at Hollywood Studios, the ease of transportation to that park could be a life saver as those projects draw to completion in the coming year(s) and the heaviest of crowds file into the park. 
Given the proximity to these parks, it’s easy to leave the park in the heat of the day, run back to the resort and hit the pool to cool off or freshen up a bit in the room without wasting too much time in the realm of transportation and moving from location to location. Convenient is the ideal way to describe the location and that short amount of saved time each day can add up to a noticeable time savings at the end of your Disney vacation. 
The other Epcot resort area accommodations are excellent as well and while the Swan and Dolphin leaves a bit to be desired in the realm of theming, their teacher discounts are a great way to save some money if it applies to your situation. With that being said, the Boardwalk is our top pick of the Epcot area resorts. It’s centrally located, convenient, and in my opinion offers the best bang for your buck out of all the Crescent Lake area properties.      

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The Boardwalk’s Pool and Recreation 

The Boardwalk Resort’s pool is one of the most iconic WDW pools you’ll find on Disney property. As you round the corner to the main pool you’re greeted by a massive waterslide reminiscent of the classic wooden rollercoaster of legendary picturesque boardwalks. Beyond the slide, the pool itself is quite impressive and even features a bar within the pool area itself. The atmosphere is quite pleasant and excellently themed to the resort in what Disney calls Luna Park. 
In the realm of recreation, guests and visitors alike can jump on a Surrey bike and tour the entire Crescent Lake area. Tennis courts are available just steps from the main lobby, and a marked running trail borders Crescent Lake for those looking to get a bit of extra exercise in during their stay. Last, but certainly not least, about a 15-20 minute walk away you have the Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf course! It’s an impressive course and even made it onto our list of  The “Little Things” We Do At Disney That Can Make All the Difference! 
Unfortunately, some of these experiences are not entirely free of charge, but are excellent things to enjoy while visiting the resort nonetheless. Also worth mentioning is that these offerings only scratch the surface of all that is available for you to enjoy at the Boardwalk resort and surrounding area.

Incredible Views From the Boardwalk Itself

Without a doubt, I truly believe the Boardwalk is one of the most picturesque resorts, if not the most picturesque resort, I’ve ever been to. From the morning sunrises walking to the parks or waiting for boat transportation, to the incredible reflections off of the water after the sun sets and the lights of the boardwalk light the night, the experience is near impossible to do full justice to in words. In this case, seeing is believing and while I hope our photos from our stay do it justice, there’s nothing quite like being there! It will, without a doubt, exceed your expectations.     

Epcot International Gateway - Back Entrance

WDW Boardwalk Restaurants 

For those looking to visit or even stay at the Boardwalk, the dining offerings are quite impressive and expansive to say the least. Unfortunately, if you’re looking for quick service meals, you’re wont find to many options on the Boardwalk itself. While the Boardwalk Bakery and a few of the smaller stands on the boardwalk do offer some unique snack offerings, and a select few meal items, there’s only a select few options in the realm of quick service meals. Thankfully, you’re only a few steps away from Epcot and Hollywood Studios which both offer a large variety of quick service meals of all types. Additionally, while not on the dinning plan, the Dolphin resort is home to Picabu which is a great quick dining offering with a changing menu and daily offerings which make each visit unique. Personally, I highly recommend their breakfast omelettes!  
If you’re looking for table service dining you have a ton of options. The property is home to each of the following: 

-ESPN Club

-Flying Fish 

-Big River Grill and Brewing Works 

-Trattoria Al Forno

ESPN Club is a great place to catch a sporting event with a vast array of TVs and a fairly impressive menu that features some more unique items while still offering classic cheeseburgers and other items kids and adults alike will enjoy. 
Flying Fish is the high end dining establishment of the group and welcomes guests to a menu of a variety of fish and steak offerings in addition to other high end dining staples. For the full menu click here. However, you’ll want to be aware before making your reservation that the dining offerings are seasonal and are subject to change over time.
Trattoria Al Forno is unique in that it offers guests the opportunity to enjoy a character breakfast with Ariel, Prince Eric, Rapunzel, and Flynn Rider or a variation of the group. The meal is quite simple, viewable here, and late in the day the breakfast location transforms the menu and offers up a truly “Italian” dinner in an elegant but not to overly stuffy environment.  
With all of those offerings for consideration, it’s a bit tough to pick the select few you’ll get to enjoy during your stay. If you need help narrowing it down or booking any aspect of your vacation, contact our friends at Destinations to Travel (clickable quote request form) for free planning help. Booking with them through our form helps us out here on the site and we appreciate your support.           

Our Boardwalk Resort Overview – Our Thoughts

Without a doubt, this is one of the top resorts we’ve experienced first hand on Disney property. The theming is unbelievable and the level of service matches or exceeds the top tier theming. While all of that is true, the best way to describe this experience isn’t through my own experience but rather through the story of a guest I stumbled into on social media a few days ago. 

During their stay, the particular guests young child lost a toy they had bought in the parks. The simple purchase was a slinky dog figure, but was somehow lost along the way. Upon returning home, the guests discovered the toy was missing and contacted the resort. The staff of the Boardwalk went above and beyond and not only found a slinky dog, but informed the guests that slinky would be sent to them in the coming weeks. While that’s great on it’s own the cast went beyond expectations and created a photo memoir of Slinky Dogs journey before returning home to the guests. There were pictures of his activities and shared experiences that unveiled a backstory that Slinky wasn’t quite ready to come home. It was a small gesture but one that set the Disney experience apart and made that lasting impression on the guests that will stick with them for years to come. It had to be a magical moment and that story is the only true way to do justice to this resort and it’s incredible staff. (If that guest happens to be reading this, shoot me a message on Facebook or email and I’d be happy to give you credit for the story and would love to add in a few photos if you’re interested!)   
        
Before we completely wrap up for the day, if you or anyone you know would be interested in partnering with us to sponsor a post, feel free to email me at guide4wdw@gmail.com. Right now, we have a Travel Agency affiliate that were happy with, but all other offers we’d be happy to look into. Companies of all sizes will gladly be considered. 

Your Thoughts
As always, if you have thoughts, concerns, questions, or even some tips of your own to share, don’t hesitate to reach out to us on Facebook or your favorite social media platform. Give us a follow while you’re there, and we’ll keep the conversation going in the future. We’re not the largest Disney community, but we’re one that’s there and one that listens. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day wherever you are!

Disney's Boardwalk Inn

Ready to Plan?

Need help planning your vacation? Let our friends over at Destinations to Travel (FREE – no obligation quote request form below) help you out at no additional cost to you! Their services are free and a great way for you to help out the site at no extra cost to you! Here’s a closer look at why I recommend an Authorized Disney Travel Planner!

Last but certainly not least, if you’re starting the planning process, a great place to start are with some of our top planning articles! Looking for dining? Check out Disney World Dining Tips For 2018. Want to start with some more tips? 44 Excellent Disney World Tips for 2018 or Disney World Planning Guide and Tips For 2018 are a great place to begin! Looking to save money on tickets? Check out our friends over at The Official Ticket Center for great deals that even made it into our 2018 Discount Disney World Ticket selections and another great way to help us create more content through your contributions at no additional cost to you! You’ll probably even save money along the way.

Disney Resort Reviews – Everything We’ve Learned About Resorts On and Off Property!

by Guide4WDW

by: guide4wdw – Collin

Disney World Resort Tips – Everything We’ve Learned About Resorts On and Off Property!  

Walt Disney World Resorts are unique in so many different ways, and I’d be lying if I ever said anything truly compares directly to a Disney owned and operated resort. There are hundreds of hotels across the country but very little compares directly to the theming and all around experience of staying on Disney property. At the same time, there are a select few benefits of staying both on and off property and often times meeting your needs and budget can and will occasionally sway you in one direction or the other. 

Personally, we’ve stayed at many different resorts both on and off property for various reasons and while this is a growing and ever changing list, our goal is to provide you with our thoughts and tips for each and every resort we’ve stayed in over the years. Why? Our goal here from the beginning has been to help you enjoy a better Disney vacation and to provide a resource for making that dream vacation a reality. For those of you who have been to the parks time and time again, we hope that our thoughts and recommendations help you find something new to enjoy on property. Disney is always changing and part of the joy of the overall Disney experience is finding something new each and every trip down.


On Property Walt Disney World Resorts  

As I touched on above, on-property resorts are always going to be the better option (in my opinion) if it fits your budget. Obviously it’s not going to be the same prices you’ll find at a Days In or something of the sort, but when compared to other resort style accommodations Disney resorts don’t tend to be all that more expensive than a Hilton, Hyatt, or other equivalent resort. Additionally, on-property resorts feature excellent transportation at no additional charge that is superior to every other off site transportation option (even including Uber and Lyft – which are our top pick when staying “off-property”).  

Here’s a Closer Look At Our Tips For Resorts:

Many resorts on property we’ve stayed in but others we’ve only visited with friends or family. As with anything, staying there really is the true test but we’ll share a few thoughts on resorts we’ve visited along the way as well as reviewing a select few in greater depth!  Unfortunately, I am a creature of habit but it’s always been and likely always will be a goal to continue branching out and trying new things on consecutive trips to the parks and resorts. A few of the resorts we’ve stayed in recently can be found below and while we’ve stayed in many more on property resorts, we wont review those until we revisit them and capture a better and more detailed perspective of their current state.  
  

While resort reviews are great, Disney has done a pretty great job describing everything you can expect to find at the resorts on their site. So, rather than reviewing every resort in great detail I want to share a few thoughts and tips on how to make the best decision for your given needs and wants of your vacation experience. Plus, we’ll take a look at a how to secure those tough to get reservations and a few things to consider along the way.  

These tips really only scratch the surface of all that we’ve covered here on the site, so be sure to check out our other pages up at the top of the page and don’t forget about our search bar to find something you may be looking for specifically! 

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Off Property Disney World Area Resorts  

Truthfully, in the past we’ve always tried to avoid off property resorts if we can avoid them mostly because they tend to complicate the Disney experience and pull a little something away from the feel of the overall WDW vacation experience. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with off property resorts (and we’ve stayed in a few along the way), but to me it feels like you miss a bit of the encompassing experience you get staying at on-property resorts. If I did have to pick one “off-property” recommendation it would be the Double Tree Near Disney Springs because I’ve stayed there quite a few times and it always meets or exceeds expectations. Additionally, the hotel isn’t really “off-property.” It’s so close to Disney Springs that you can walk to it fairly easily, and on top of that it actually sits within the welcoming Disney gates near South Apopka Vineland Road on Hotel Plaza Boulevard.

Off property hotels and resorts are, in my simplest explanation, different. You’re no longer in that Disney bubble, and you’re not surrounded by those Disney cast members that often make all the difference in making you feel completely at home no matter where you’re from. That seemingly simple difference combined with the grand theming and beautiful nature of the Disney resorts tends to set the experience apart from all other vacation destinations. 

I mention all of this for one main reason and that is to share with prospective guests that while staying off property can be more budget friendly (not always for various reasons), the slight bit extra you tend to pay tends to be worth it in the grand scheme of things. By all means, if the only way you can make ends meet to make your way to Walt Disney World is staying off property, by all means stay off property! It’s not the end of the world, but being aware of what you give up and how you can avoid it if your budget allows is a huge part of the planning process. 


As we continue writing here on the site, we’ll likely share a few more off-property resort reviews and tips, and this is where we’ll add them in, but for now I’m goin to leave you with that one recommendation. If you want to learn more about it, head on over to our full post about the Double Tree below: 


Wrapping Up

I’m a firm believer that resorts are a huge part of your Disney vacation. I know many feel like a resort is simply a place to rest before your next day in the parks, and for many that works! However, to me it’s so much more than that. We’ve had the pleasure over the years of staying in many different Disney resorts (far more than are listed above simply because it was long before we started the site) and I’d be lying if I said it didn’t make a difference.


A great resort can wrap you in theming and truly transport you to a different place and a different time in a way that is very difficult to explain. As an example, I’ve always been a huge fan of Wilderness Lodge. It’s a resort that changes your expectations for hotels and has such a “wow factor” that it sets the standard for all other resorts. Obviously, I’m a little bias towards Disney but I firmly believe that Disney resorts are different than all the rest. The theming is in every little detail and at the same time they find a way to put you in the story in a way that no other company has quite accomplished on such a grand scale. When you step into a resort like Wilderness Lodge or even the Boardwalk, you dont step into a theme, but rather you feel like you’re there and living the story the resort portrays as if it’s been there for generations and you’re in that place the resort depicts. You’re not going to find that off property. 
Want to work with us here on the site or in the photography realm? Shoot me a message on social media anytime or email me directly at guide4wdw@gmail.com. We’re always looking for sponsors and new opportunities. If you ever have questions during your vacation planning or anything else feel free to message me there as well and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible! 

Your Thoughts


As always, if you have thoughts, concerns, questions, or even some tips of your own to share, don’t hesitate to reach out to us on Facebook or your favorite social media platform. Give us a follow while you’re there, and we’ll keep the conversation going in the future. We’re not the largest Disney community, but we’re one that’s there and one that listens. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day wherever you are!


Need a Travel Planner?


If you want or simply need a little bit of planning help to make your Disney vacation dream a reality, check out the quote request form below this article for our friends over at Destinations to Travel. They’ll let you do as much or as little of the planning as you’d like and may even save you some money along the way! As always, thanks for supporting those who support us.



Ready to Plan?


Last but certainly not least, if you’re starting the planning process, a great place to start are with some of our top planning articles! Looking for dining? Check out Disney World Dining Tips For 2018. Want to start with some more tips? 44 Excellent Disney World Tips for 2018 or Disney World Planning Guide and Tips For 2018 are a great place to begin! Looking to save money on tickets? Check out our friends over at The Official Ticket Center for great deals that even made it into our 2018 Discount Disney World Ticket selections and another great way to help us create more content through your contributions at no additional cost to you! You’ll probably even save money along the way.

How To Become A Galactic Hero at Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin!

by Guide4WDW

by: guide4wdw – Collin

How To Become A Galactic Hero at Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin! 

Today’s article is one I’ve debated sharing for quite some time, but after receiving a few questions and comments about my “Galactic Hero” sticker while touring the parks, I thought I’d go ahead and share a few details! This likely goes without being said but there will be spoilers (of sorts) in this post and possibly a few things you may or may not want to know. On the other side of things, these simple tips should get you from an average score on the attraction to maxing out your ride vehicle almost every ride! Instead of just talking around it, let’s dive right in with a few tips to help you max out that score! 

1. Aim For The Robot Arm

At first this sounds like a ridiculous tip but as soon as you round that first corner and slowly make your way up the hill in the first room, spin your vehicle around the the left. If you do the opposite of most guests, who turn to the right hand side almost immediately, you’ll set yourself up for a good angle to hit one of the most rewarding targets on the inside of the giant orange robots left arm. Each hit in the center of the “Z” will rack up an astonishing 100,000 points! using this target alone it is possible to leave the first room with a maxed out score! 

2. Shoot the Volcano

As you enter the largest room of the experience, you’ll see a large volcano shaped object in the back of the room on the far wall (it’s spewing green goo). Avoid the other targets and set your sites on the volcano “Z’s.” They are some of the highest point value targets you can hit in the room and they are also some of the only targets you can hit from nearly any portion of the room. Point your laser right at the “Z” and plant it there until you round the corner into the next room. If you’re steady and can repeatedly hit the center of the target you’ll be surprised how many points you can rack up before exiting this particular stage of the attraction! To throw in one extra tip, press and hold the button on your blaster for continuous fire without having to let up! 


3. The Most Overlooked Scoring Spot

In my opinion this is the most overlooked scoring opportunity of the entire attraction. Everyone rides into the room with all the pop up targets and automatically aims for the moving targets. However, if you spin your vehicle around, you’ll see a large Zurg and just below it there will be a single “Z.” The target is fairly difficult to hit due to the design of the laser holders but if you can hit it early on in the room or late as you exit the room each center hit is 100,000 and is your best point value opportunity for the latter part of the attraction. You do have to move fairly quick to get this one in time without the angle starting to work against you as your vehicle moves. Act fast and you can really gain some points here!  

One last tip is that as you leave this portion of the ride through, spin your vehicle around and shoot targets in the room you just left as you enter the giant projection based scene. At this point you should already be maxed out at 999,999 do to the tip above, but if you still need a few more points to cap off your score, there’s one final room. I’ve never found a super high value target in the last room, but if you aim below Zurg one final time you should secure those last few points you may need! 

4. Don’t Forget Your Sticker!  

At the end of the attraction, if you max out your score, be sure to make a quick stop at the counter before heading back out to the park. If you ask nicely, typically the kind cast members behind the counter will give you a sticker and you’ll be known as a Galactic Hero for the day! You’ll get questions and congrats from cast members all day and it really makes for a special way to cap off your first or 100th finish with a maxed out score of 999,999.

Now you know the secrets (or at least a few of them) so next time you’re in the parks, see what you can do and try to rack up that “perfect” score and leave a hero!  


Your Thoughts


As always, if you have thoughts, concerns, questions, or even some tips of your own to share, don’t hesitate to reach out to us on Facebook or your favorite social media platform. Give us a follow while you’re there, and we’ll keep the conversation going in the future. We’re not the largest Disney community, but we’re one that’s there and one that listens. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day wherever you are!


Need a Travel Planner?


If you want or simply need a little bit of planning help to make your Disney vacation dream a reality, check out the quote request form below this article for our friends over at Destinations to Travel. They’ll let you do as much or as little of the planning as you’d like and may even save you some money along the way! As always, thanks for supporting those who support us.


Ready to Plan?


Last but certainly not least, if you’re starting the planning process, a great place to start are with some of our top planning articles! Looking for dining? Check out Disney World Dining Tips For 2018. Want to start with some more tips? 44 Excellent Disney World Tips for 2018 or Disney World Planning Guide and Tips For 2018 are a great place to begin! Looking to save money on tickets? Check out our friends over at The Official Ticket Center for great deals that even made it into our 2018 Discount Disney World Ticket selections and another great way to help us create more content through your contributions at no additional cost to you! You’ll probably even save money along the way.

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Disney World’s Toy Story Land – Did It Meet Our Expectations? – A Few Tips

by Guide4WDW

by: guide4wdw – Collin

Disney World’s Toy Story Land – Did It Meet Our Expectations? 

As many of you may have picked up on at this point, we aren’t local (at least not at this point) Disney parks fans. However, we do have the rare blessing of being able to tour the parks multiple times throughout the year. At times that includes a few “last minute” trips that are a touch more unconventional than you may expect in order to cut costs and make the most of the time we have in the parks. In early June we decided to go to Disney and while we knew Toy Story Land was opening a short time later, it didn’t entirely work out for us to be in Orlando for the opening of the highly anticipated land. Fast forward to about a month later and we decided to take a super last minute trip at the urging of friends (that are locals) to come down and check out the new expansion. It didn’t take much convincing and we made a last minute (booked 2 or 3 weeks before we flew out) trip to the parks to explore the land and a few things we had missed on our early summer vacation. 

Inevitably that poses one big question and that question is “Did it live up to the hype?” Truthfully, I went into the Toy Story Land expansion with vastly high expectations. I am unashamedly a part of the “Toy Story Generation” and a part of that age range that really has never known a world without Toy Story in It. Toy Story is and was a film I’ve watched my entire life and being able to step into even a small portion of that “world” as a toy on this grand stage at Walt Disney World is something I had always wanted to see in the parks in some way, shape, or form. When Disney announced this expansion at D23 I instantly wanted to see the project completed and completed in a way that brought all those dreams to life in some way or another. 


Skip seen to today, having been there and seen the project completed in real life, I have to say it met and likely exceeded my expectations. I know this project has received a lot of bad press from so many different sites, but to me it’s exactly what it was meant to be. Sure, it’s not perfect, but at it’s core it does everything it was designed to do. It’s a place for families and it’s a place that really puts a smile on your face. It’s simply put “fun” in a way in nearly every regard. You can sit back and relax and be a kid again for a few minutes and enjoy the simplicity of the moment. If you’re of that “Toy Story Generation” or have kids that you’ve watched grow up enjoying these films, you will undoubtedly see a piece of your childhood or their childhood in this land. 

As a family of four, we typically travel as a family even though we’re all in different places at times and go to the parks with different goals in mind of what we want to get out of the vacation experience. My sister and I are of that generation of Toy Story fans but the land checked a box for our entire family and everyone we’ve talked to who’s toured the land. That’s the key to it all. It’s not a place that only thrill seekers want to go see, or is only for kids, or that only adults can enjoy. It’s a place where everyone can enjoy at least one part of the experience and often times for entirely different reasons. Wasn’t that the point of the Disney theme parks from the very beginning? Walt wanted this place that families of all ages could enjoy and do things together in and in it’s simplest of descriptions, that is what Toy Story Land created. 

I know that overview seems like a glowing press statement or something you’d see on a commercial somewhere but Disney hasn’t asked me to do any of this. We weren’t invited as “press” or “media” in this instance and I still whole heartedly stand behind the claim that this is and will be a place that checks so many boxes in favor of the guest and that excllent story telling experience the land develops. 

Slinky Dog Dash

This attraction was certainly a priority of our trip. It’s the one attraction everyone recommends you get a fastpass for and the one that hardly anyone can uncover a fastpass selection for. Thankfully we know the booking site fairly well and its ins and outs so we did manage to come across a pass for Slinky Dog Dash for the middle fo the afternoon. (If you are looking for fastpasses for this attraction, check out our tips for securing them here). 

Our goal going into the park was to ride the attraction at least twice or possibly even three times. Once at opening, once at dark, and once with our fastpass. Ironically we discovered rather fortunately that it’s not all that difficult to ride the attraction multiple times in one day if you plan your day pretty effectively (see our How We Rode All 3 Toy Story Land Attractions in Under 45 Minutes!).

I share that little bit of information for a few reasons. Honestly, first it’s a shameless plug to another article, but second, I think it shows that we have at least a fair analysis of the attraction from a variety of perspectives and at different times of day. 
Slinky Dog Dash is one of my new favorite attractions. It makes you laugh in a way that very few attractions do and it’s the perfect blend of thrill and simplicity so that nearly any guest can ride it. It’s also a surprisingly lengthy ride compared to what you expect when looking at it. The entire attraction winds its way through nearly the entire land, and much of the attraction you can’t even see without being in a ride vehicle.

Slinky Dog Dash isn’t going to be a mind blowing attraction for you like Flight of Passage likely was or will be when you get to ride it, but it is a ton of fun and is worth the wait if you aren’t quite as lucky as we were in riding it during short wait times.

Alien Swirling Saucers 

Going into this attraction, it was honestly one that I expected to hate. I’m not a fan of spinning and I’m not a fan of scrambler-esque style attractions. The Tea Cups are certainly a “no-go” for me and I didnt think this would be much better of an alternative. I am thrilled to admit that I was wrong. This attraction did not bother me in the slightest and unless you’re incredibly sensitive to spinning, you should be fine!

The motion of this experience isn’t as much of a spin as it is a slide around a corner. Again, just as I mentioned about Slinky Dog Dash, it just brings a smile to your face and makes you laugh. The music is a blend of techno mixed with some of the most iconic songs from the Toy Story films. It sounds strange when first described in writing, but when you’re there it fits the attraction and adds another layer to the sensory puzzle. Combine all of those things with announcements by the Green Aliens before and after each ride, the colorful lighting, and sounds of it all happening at once and it’s an attraction that is a ton of fun.

If I had to share one tip for this attraction it would be to save it until after you’ve ridden Slinky Dog Dash in the morning. The line doesn’t build very quickly and you will still be facing a short wait even after riding the headline attraction.  

Woody’s Lunch Box

We didn’t quite get to try as much of the menu here as we originally intended to but we did grab a snack at Woody’s Lunch Box mid-morning and it exceeded expectations. The line was short, the staff was pleasant, and what we ordered was immediately ready.

One of the main concerns I’ve heard about this dining location is that the seating is all outdoors. We didn’t have any problems with that due to very large fans place around the edge of the seating area. I’m not entirely sure if that’s a new addition but it’s a great touch either way. We didn’t really have any issues with the heat and this was in late July on a 95+ degree day. What I will mention here though is that if you do have to wait in the standby line for Slinky Dog Dash, don’t do it in the middle of the afternoon. The queue is not all covered and there is very little breeze. It could be a very warm wait in the peak afternoon heat.

In regard to the menu items we tried, I have to say we only got to taste the Raspberry Lunch Box Tart. It was the main thing we had anticipated trying since the menu was originally announced and it actually did meet our expectations. As many have said before, it’s very similar to a pop tart you’d find at local grocery store, but instead of being rock hard this one is somewhat dense much like a pastry. It’s almost got like a pie crust texture to it and the icing is soft but just crispy enough to add a little texture. The filling isn’t excessive and is quite a bit better than I expected it to be. If you’re in the land, I highly recommend giving these a try.

Toy Story Mania

Toy Story Mania is still that classic attract we all have grown to love and enjoy over the last few years, and the new queue and entrance adds back in a piece of the original character of the attraction that has been missing during the construction and enhancements. Mr. Potato head is back and better than ever, and the queue itself seems to fit it’s new surroundings far better than it did in the past. Call me a little nostalgic, but I’ll miss Pixar Place and the giant marquee Pixar sign that was oh so reminiscent of the studio out in California. On the bright side of all of the changes, Toy Story Mania’s wait times have dropped exponentially early in the day and late at night. We rode it three times in one day and never waited over 15 minutes!

Is it Worth a Trip Down Before Galaxies Edge Debuts?   

I know this is a question so many are looking to get an answer to before they book their vacation. My simplest of answers to that question is “yes.” Why? Well here’s the thing. Toy Story Land started out with incredibly long wait times but those wait times shrank considerably in the weeks following the debut. Shorter wait times are always a bonus. If you wait until Galaxy’s Edge opens you can almost guarantee wait times will take a jump again. Obviously huge crowds are going to arrive for it’s debut and much like Pandora, Galaxy’s Edge is going to be something everyone will want to see. As the crowds roll in for that, you’re going to have a secondary group of guests that will see the wait times in Galaxy’s Edge and walk the short distance over to Toy Story Land and ride that instead. Unfortunately, more attractions rarely means the crowds get “spread out.” New attractions may pull crowds to different parks more so than others, but within the same park, when one thing opens typically you’ll see wait times jump up in length across the entire lineup of attractions.

With all of that being said, I recommend seeing it now if it is feasible for your situation and then returning to see Galaxy’s Edge when it debuts if at all possible. When that land opens it will change Hollywood Studios and potentially make it a multi-day park. It will be near impossible to see and do everything in one day. Much like Animal Kingdom, this will go from a half day park to easily a one to two day part of your vacation if you want to see and do most of the shows and attractions.

Part of our goal for this trip was Toy Story Land. Another goal was to revisit Pandora and take some time to enjoy the details of that experience. That just goes to show that these new lands aren’t something you can go to once and say “been there done that.”

Imagineering has packed details into this land and in my opinion it lives up to every expectation I had for the project. Sure, it’s not Pandora in scale but it’s not supposed to be! That’s what I think so much of the media giving this land poor reviews and hateful comments fails to realize. It’s a place to go and just have fun. It’s not designed to be this massive land that takes you to a different world like Pandora but rather a land that is literally designed to be family friendly and fun. A friend of mine said it best, it’s almost as if Imagineering brought their kids to work, handed them some toys, and stepped back to see what would happen. The land we have as a result looks just like that situation unfolded in real life. It is, in it’s most simplest of forms, that larger than life creation you were imagining as a kid when you were sitting around playing with your toys and building an elaborate story in your head. That’s what this land is all about and one of the main reasons I see it as a huge success overall!

Your Thoughts


As always, if you have thoughts, concerns, questions, or even some tips of your own to share, don’t hesitate to reach out to us on Facebook or your favorite social media platform. Give us a follow while you’re there, and we’ll keep the conversation going in the future. We’re not the largest Disney community, but we’re one that’s there and one that listens. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day wherever you are!


Need a Travel Planner?


If you want or simply need a little bit of planning help to make your Disney vacation dream a reality, check out the quote request form below this article for our friends over at Destinations to Travel. They’ll let you do as much or as little of the planning as you’d like and may even save you some money along the way! As always, thanks for supporting those who support us.


Ready to Plan?


Last but certainly not least, if you’re starting the planning process, a great place to start are with some of our top planning articles! Looking for dining? Check out Disney World Dining Tips For 2018. Want to start with some more tips? 44 Excellent Disney World Tips for 2018 or Disney World Planning Guide and Tips For 2018 are a great place to begin! Looking to save money on tickets? Check out our friends over at The Official Ticket Center for great deals that even made it into our 2018 Discount Disney World Ticket selections and another great way to help us create more content through your contributions at no additional cost to you! You’ll probably even save money along the way.

                   

DoubleTree Suites by Hilton – Disney Springs Area – Resort Review

by Guide4WDW

by: guide4wdw – Collin

DoubleTree Suites by Hilton – Disney Springs Area – Resort Review 

Every once in a while we do something a little out of the ordinary compared to our typical Disney vacations for a variety of reasons. On our last trip to the parks, we decided to re-visist a hotel we’d stayed at a few times many years ago, long before this site was a reality. First and foremost, notice how I don’t call this particular property a resort, but rather a hotel. The DoubleTree Suites in the Disney Springs Resort area isn’t really designed to be anything more than a hotel “plus.” It’s not a sprawling resort with a grand theme or amazing pools like you may find at a Disney resort or even neighboring Waldorf Astoria, Marriott, and even other Hilton owned properties (the parent company of the Double Tree). However, while it does lack a certain resort quality it functions largely as what I called a hotel “plus” above. It’s not a Hilton Garden type hotel designed for short stays and simply a nice clean place to stay, but rather it shares a lot of qualities of that resort style draw. The Double Tree offers an above average pool (nothing super special but it works), a great location, large rooms, and an extremely friendly staff. If I had to describe it in a sentence, it is the resort I check when I want to book a budget friendly vacation when even the value tier resorts on property are a bit more than we’re interested in paying. 


Dont get me wrong, I am and always will be a firm proponent of guests staying on property and do so almost exclusively myself. However, if your dates are at just the right time and you want a little extra space compared to a value resort run by Disney this is and has always been our go to pick. If you catch it on the right dates, the prices can be incredibly low  and on our most recent stay we spent less than $700 for a four night stay. Couple that with the Hilton Honors points we had saved up from other non-Disney vacations and using the Hilton Honors card itself and our costs continued to drop below that original number. It’s not the ideal Disney accommodation but it’s far better than hundreds of other options in the Orlando area. 

Location, Location, Location! 

This single factor alone is one of the very best aspects of this resort. Disney does not own the resort, but the resort is technically still within “Disney Property” and sits less than 2 miles from Disney Springs. An Uber ride will cost you about $5 to ride to Disney Springs but you can easily make the walk at night in around 15 minutes. It’s a tough walk in the heat of the day in the summer but there’s a second added benefit of being “on property” while still being “off property” in a  elative sense. Due to its location and relationship with Disney the Double Tree, along with other properties in the vicinity, fall into with Disney terms Good Neighbor hotels. 

The title they give these resorts is a little misleading, but functions similarly to how the Anaheim Disneyland resort refers to hotels. As a perk of staying in one of these select hotels, you get the added benefit of 60 day fastpass+ booking and extra magic hours (you pick up cards for extra magic hour verification purposes at the front desk). The downside is the transportation. The resort does provide transportation to the parks, but it is not run by Disney and as a result the transportation is pretty lack luster. So much so that we opted for Uber and Lyft to get us from place to place instead. We’ve attempted to use the transportation in the past, but it was not the best scenario. The buses tend to be extremely crowded, run fairly inconsistently, and service multiple resorts before heading to the final destination. In all honesty this was and is the biggest downside to this resort for a variety of reasons, but something worth noting for anyone planning to use the buses as their sole source of transportation. 

From a Cost Perspective 

An additional strongpoint and real strength of this particular property is the cost. Inevitably if you’re a Hilton Honors member or staying on a discounted rate, you can save some money staying here if you’re careful about transportation costs and parking fees. If you’re driving, you’re almost better off staying on property because the nightly parking fee is $22 per night. Plus, if you opt for using your own transportation you will still have to pay parking fees at the parks on top of that unless you’re an annual passholder (assuming you don’y fly in and use a service like Uber or Lyft – here are our thoughts on that). 

If you plan your stay carefully, you can save a little money when comparing accommodation prices to those found on property. When you add in the greater room size, even in standard suite rooms, the benefits can occasionally outweigh some of the downsides of not being in a Disney owned and operated resort. You are going to lose a certain element of being in that “Disney bubble” and to me that’s a huge part of the Disney experience overall for many first time and returning Disney guests. It’s not something I can fault the Double Tree for but there’s just an added piece to the vacation puzzle when you can see and do everything you want without the worries of any transportation concerns or hidden costs during your stay. When Disney provides everything it’s just “easy” and a adds a little something to the feel of your vacation.           

The Standard Rooms 

A standard room at this particular DoubleTree property isn’t entirely standard. The hotel features suites offering guests a living area and a separate room with either two queen beds or 1 king bed separated by a sliding door. Additionally, each room comes with a miniature refrigerator, a small sink in the living room style area, and a fairly good size table. The extra space in the room is a huge bonus for those with larger families or who just want a little extra space without having to pay the Deluxe Villa price of similar Disney accommodations.

Sure, there are sacrifices when staying off property and I talk about them heavily in our Disney World Budget Tips – How to Plan a Budget Friendly Disney Vacation article. I even went as far as to recommend not staying off property if you can absolutely avoid it. While that may be seemingly contradictory, at the same time if you’re not an Annual Passholder or coming to the parks multiple times during the year like some guests are, I still don’t recommend staying off property. If you are like us and headed to the parks multiple times throughout the same year, it can be a good option, but if you’re a first time guest or planning your one big vacation for the year just stay on property. I don’t say that in any way to discredit the great value you can find at the Double Tree (it truly is a great hotel), but it’s all about convenience and making the absolute most of every minute of time you have with friends and family.        

Breakfast Offerings 

Breakfast tends to be a big benefit here if you are a Hilton Honors card holder. If you are not a card holder, you can buy a breakfast package to get a really good breakfast for each day of your stay added to the cost of your room. As a Hilton Honors card holder you are automatically given a a breakfast for each guest in your party each night of your stay depending on your cardholder status. The complimentary offering is pretty good but you can upgrade your breakfast to include bacon, sausage, omelettes, and a few other add ons for $5 per guest. Truthfully, it’s a really poor system and one that I literally saw two different guests get irritated with the front desk about upon check in. $5 obviously isn’t the end of the world for a great breakfast with a ton of offerings but if you’re Hilton I don’t see why you’d try to pull $5 more dollars out of your guests pockets and risk them being irritated about it as soon as they check in. Sure, it makes financial sense but if you read any reviews on Trip Advisor or other online sites that’s the number one thing guests complain about. 

With all of that being said, it’s not really a complaint I had with our stay. We gladly payed the $5 a couple days of our trip to start the day off right with a good breakfast and the staff at the dining location is exceptional. It’s the same group of servers that have been there for years (select servers literally 20+ years) and they treat you like part of the family. Many guests know them by name from repeat visits to the property and the servers know them just as well.      

Overall Experience 

Long story made short, this is and always likely will be a great place to stay if the rates are cheap or at least more budget friendly than Disney resorts. However, its not going to be an ideal solution for so many different reasons. Would I stay here again, absolutely. Would I rather stay on Disney property? Without a doubt. Not everyone is like me though and some prefer a classic hotel style accommodation over a heavily themed experience for any number of different reasons. The Double Tree is a great hotel and an even better location. It’s far better than other non-Disney resorts in the area and the added advantage of being in the Disney Springs resort area makes it a far better option than so many other resorts that are truly “off-property” a and down the road from Disney. If you’re booking a trip, it’s certainly worth a look. If you want to do some comparisons completely free of charge, let our friends over at Destinations to Travel help you out in the booking process. It really helps us out when you book through them! 

Your Thoughts


As always, if you have thoughts, concerns, questions, or even some tips of your own to share, don’t hesitate to reach out to us on Facebook or your favorite social media platform. Give us a follow while you’re there, and we’ll keep the conversation going in the future. We’re not the largest Disney community, but we’re one that’s there and one that listens. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day wherever you are!


Need a Travel Planner?


If you want or simply need a little bit of planning help to make your Disney vacation dream a reality, check out the quote request form below this article for our friends over at Destinations to Travel. They’ll let you do as much or as little of the planning as you’d like and may even save you some money along the way! As always, thanks for supporting those who support us.


Ready to Plan?


Last but certainly not least, if you’re starting the planning process, a great place to start are with some of our top planning articles! Looking for dining? Check out Disney World Dining Tips For 2018. Want to start with some more tips? 44 Excellent Disney World Tips for 2018 or Disney World Planning Guide and Tips For 2018 are a great place to begin! Looking to save money on tickets? Check out our friends over at The Official Ticket Center for great deals that even made it into our 2018 Discount Disney World Ticket selections and another great way to help us create more content through your contributions at no additional cost to you! You’ll probably even save money along the way.

                  
    

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‘Christopher Robin’ – A Rare Nostalgic Gem of a Film

by Guide4WDW

by: guide4wdw – Collin

‘Christopher Robin’ – A Rare Nostalgic Gem of a Film  

It’s rather rare that I write a post without a direct Disney World connection but today I had to make an exception after heading out to see ‘Christopher Robin.’ As an opening remark and a review in a few short words, the film is undoubtedly a film that takes you back to your childhood, that brings a smile to your face, and shares a heart felt message that so many need to here in the world we live in today.

This film is a rare nostalgic gem of a movie that is enjoyable for all the right reasons. It spans the age range and is that classic feel good movie that is growing increasingly rare in the box office today. 


Without spoiling the plot, ‘Christopher Robin’ brings back the true heart of the Hundred Acre Woods we’ve known and loved for years on end. The location and story has inevitably changed but the characters are almost iconically and unequivocally the same. It’s the same heart felt story, the same happy ending, and the same quotable lines you expect from the characters of the Hundred Acre Woods brought into the hustle and bustle of London. It’s a new story which quite literally takes you back to the original stories so many of us have grown up with and enjoyed for years on end. 

However, this story hold s far greater meaning that so many in our society truly need to hear or at least see played out before their very eyes. It’s a film that transcends the walls of the theater and makes you think about life from a new perspective. When you leave the theatre you leave with, at the very least, a new train of thought for even the briefest of moments. It gives you a spectacular appreciation for the little things in life and does so in a way that provides entertainment and true value for viewers of all ages to enjoy. 

It’s rare that a movie creates “food for thought” anymore and this is the exception rather than the rule. Throughout the film there are moments and short but recognizable quotes that take the most difficult of concepts and simplifies them down to the most impactful of quotes. Combine that quotable nature with a few laughs and a few moments that pull at your heart for all the right reasons and you have a film well worth your time and money to go see. 


if you give this movie a chance and go into with an open mind and a willingness to except joy in the littlest of moments and the most classic of stories you’ll leave the theater with a smile but more than that you’ll leave the theater with a greater appreciation for family, friends, and the simple moments in life. 

I’ve said it for years but the most memorable of moments can come from the simplest of situations in the Disney Parks (you knew I’d tie it back to Walt Disney World). ‘Christopher Robin’ is that same concept in a film and something I appreciate and can fully support with a positive review. Life can be hectic, the little things can get overlooked, but its the littlest of things that create the longest lasting memories in life. That, in and of itself is the story I pull from this film and one that I hope you’ll take the time to go and see in the coming weeks.  

Your Thoughts


As always, if you have thoughts, concerns, questions, or even some tips of your own to share, don’t hesitate to reach out to us on Facebook or your favorite social media platform. Give us a follow while you’re there, and we’ll keep the conversation going in the future. We’re not the largest Disney community, but we’re one that’s there and one that listens. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day wherever you are!


Need a Travel Planner?


If you want or simply need a little bit of planning help to make your Disney vacation dream a reality, check out the quote request form below this article for our friends over at Destinations to Travel. They’ll let you do as much or as little of the planning as you’d like and may even save you some money along the way! As always, thanks for supporting those who support us.


Ready to Plan?


Last but certainly not least, if you’re starting the planning process, a great place to start are with some of our top planning articles! Looking for dining? Check out Disney World Dining Tips For 2018. Want to start with some more tips? 44 Excellent Disney World Tips for 2018 or Disney World Planning Guide and Tips For 2018 are a great place to begin! Looking to save money on tickets? Check out our friends over at The Official Ticket Center for great deals that even made it into our 2018 Discount Disney World Ticket selections and another great way to help us create more content through your contributions at no additional cost to you! You’ll probably even save money along the way.

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Using Uber And Lyft At Walt Disney World – A Few Thoughts

by Guide4WDW

by: guide4wdw – Collin

Using Uber And Lyft At Walt Disney World – A Few Thoughts

Technology is basically at the point where it’s integrated into nearly every part of our lives. Our TV’s are smart, our watches are smart, and even some refrigerators and other household items are getting more and more technologically advanced. Whether that’s a good thing or not, I’ll let you decide for yourselves, but inevitably those changes are rolling into Walt Disney World slowly but surely as well. Just yesterday, tests began for opening your resort room with your smart phone, and soon we’ll see how that technology will continue to be integrated into our theme park experience. While today’s article doesn’t deal directly with the new tech in the parks, it does relate in a rather simple way. Ten years ago, no one would have believed you if you told them about the technological integration around us every day and perhaps the greatest example of that is ride sharing services. I know that sounds a bit strange but who would have thought that we could press a button on our phone, jump in a car, head to our destination, and then pay the driver a few dollars via an app. 

If you would have told me that even last year when Uber and Lyft were starting to gain popularity, I still would have never believed that it would be a long term business model. Today, I have to say I’ve used the service and I’m a little shocked to say that I actually enjoyed using it for the most part. So today, instead of sharing the details of the service, I wanted to share our experience using it on and around Disney property. 


My Original Hangup With Uber and Lyft 

As many of you may have heard me talk about before, I did and kind of still do have one hangup with these ride sharing services, and it’s something you may want to know before you decide to use them for yourself. The simple reality to it all is that Uber and Lyft (to my knowledge) retain very little liability in the case of an accident or unfortunate circumstance during a ride. In my opinion I see that liability falling to the driver and depending on the driver, you may or may not be covered by their insurance. It’s somewhat of a grey area, and personally I’ve never had a problem in that regard, but that is one strike against the services starting out, but certainly one of the few downsides to the offering. I’m not a lawyer nor do I clame to know much about the legal realm of things but it is something I’ve been cautioned about by friends and family. 

The Good News   

Uber and Lyft both are incredibly simple to use, and quite honestly are very well designed systems to minimize wait times and maximize efficiency. Uber in particular is my preferred service of the two, simply because the drivers seem to be a little better overall (in the Disney area) and the app itself is a touch simpler to use. 

How It Works  

Truthfully, I can only speak for the Walt Disney World resort area, but the process is incredibly simple and incredibly budget friendly. After downloading the app of your choice, you open the application and answer a few simple payment and setup questions. After that you type in your destination and your location is automatically pegged on the map. At that point the app tells you what the ride will cost and how long it will take to get to your desired destination. If you decide to proceed with the ride, typically within 5 minutes your Uber or Lyft driver will arrive at your current location. For resort hotels, typically the pick up spot is at the front entrance but for parks it can be a bit more difficult to find the pickup location. 

Currently, Hollywood Studios’ pick up location is in the front parking lot to the right hand side of the bus stops as you exit the park. At Epcot, the pickup and drop off area sits between the Monorail station and the bus stop pick up area on the front edge of the parking lot. At Animal Kingdom, the designated area is in the very front parking lot. The only strange one of the group is Magic Kingdom and we were fair warned about it’s drop off location. If you’re looking to save as much time as possible you’re better off being dropped off at the Grand Floridian or Polynesian Resorts. You’re not taking up an extra parking space or anything like that so I don’t see Disney having any issue with it (we had no problem whatsoever at the Grand Floridian) and it will save you quite a bit of time compared to the security lines at the Transportation and Ticket Center or over at Magic Kingdom. If you use the resorts to your advantage, your bags are checked at the resort monorail stations where the lines tend to be far shorter.

The pickup and drop off sequence is pretty simple. You choose a destination, your driver and model of vehicle pops up on the app, you get in the car, you ride to your destination, and you get out of the car. After you exit the vehicle you can choose to rate the driver and leave comments about the ride. For the most part rides are typically rather smooth, and the entire process is pretty flawless. The ratings you give as feedback help determine driver ratings and if drivers drop below a designated rating, they will no longer be allowed to drive. 

Why Use Uber When Disney Transportation Is Available?  

This was and still is a question I ask myself. In our circumstance it worked out perfectly due to the fact that we stayed at the Double Tree near Disney Springs. The hotel is still technically “on property” but it is not owned or run by Disney themselves. As a result, the transportation provided for the parks is pretty terrible and honestly way more time consuming than it’s worth. For us, and in that situation, Uber and Lyft were the perfect alternative and a balance between price and convenience. 

There are a few more reasons though that I could and would see myself using these ride sharing apps in the future and that would be for early entry days, dining reservations, or really anytime you need to get somewhere on property quickly. Even if you’re staying at a Disney resort, Disney transportation can be slow at times and if you’re already running behind or are really pressed for time, 98% of the time Uber can get you there faster than any other means of transportation (with very few exceptions). Even our longest rides during our stay lasted less than 15 minutes. Obviously, there’s a cost vs. benefits situation that arises with all of this, but for me I would certainly consider at least downloading the apps before your trip just in case you were to need them.

Minnie Vans are another option and they do use the Lyft application to run the service but the cost I see as far too expensive for the subtle differences. With Minnie Vans you are getting a Disney Cast Member as your driver, you are offered a car seat if need be for kids, and the car itself is basically guaranteed to be in great condition. Unfortunately all of that comes at a cost of $25 per ride. For our situation it is not and was not the better option, but for a select few it may be.         

What Does Uber/Lyft Cost? 

The rates are going to vary a little bit by the time of day and the route chosen within the application to get to your desired destination. Every ride we used cost us less than $12. Most rides were between $6 and $8 before the discounts were applied which we’ll explain in more detail below. Most destinations on Disney property can be reached within about 10 minutes and while that does translate loosely to near a dollar a minute it’s still a far cheaper way to get around than a taxi or town car. Something worth noting is that Uber does tend to be a touch more expensive on a per ride basis, but it’s a very minimal difference.      

Throughout our 4 Night 3 day stay, we spent roughly $65 on transportation. We did use Disney transportation to move from park to park to cut some costs, but transportation from the Double Tree was all through Uber or Lyft.    

How To Make It Incredibly Cost Effective

This was the big question I had going into this and was one of the reasons I had avoided it for so long to begin with. $6-$12 a ride isn’t the end of the world but if you’re going back and forth to the parks more than once a day to spend time at the pool or change clothes or anything of the sort, you end up doubling your costs for the day. That’s where discount ride codes come into play. If you’re a first time Uber user you get a $5 credit when you are referred by another user. For Lyft, some referral codes can get you as many as 3 or 4 trips at a $5 discount per ride. You can check out a few of my personal promo codes below for discounted rides.

Before this sounds too sales pitchy, I do want to mention that these codes don’t really help me all that much. I do get a ride credit for referrals but it will expire before I’m anywhere it would do me much good. Neither Uber or Lyft have asked me to write this up and I’m pretty positive neither company knows this site even exists lol. 

In the realm of making things as cost effective as possible though, sign up with a code yourself to secure discounted rides, and then have everyone else in your group sign up with a code as well or refer each other to receive the ride credits. The app makes it very easy to refer someone and you can even use the same credit card on multiple accounts. In our case, we created four new accounts, (one for each person in our group) and paid full price for one ride out of many on our most recent trip to Walt Disney World. $5 may not sound like much of a discount but $5 off of an $8 ride gets you to the parks for about $3 sometimes and that’s incredibly hard to beat!       

A Few Warnings Ahead of Time 

Every system has its flaws and Uber and Lyft are no exception. There are very few downsides of this service but there are a few things you should be aware of. First, some drivers are difficult to understand (do not speak english at times) and some can be very very quiet a majority of the ride. A select few drivers can be much more conversational, and truthfully those are the ones I prefer. 

Long story made short, you get to meet a lot of unique people who drive full time and some part time for these ride sharing companies. Ironically, the “part-time” drivers tend to be the more entertaining and better drivers, while the full-time drivers are more concerned about getting you out of their car and on to the next customer. The frustrating part is that you can’t necessarily pick which driver you’d like to use. The good drivers tend to more than make up for the bad ones and just as an example you do get to help some people out who really need the money along the way. I wont name any names but we had a driver that had recently relocated from Brazil. We asked why and he proceeded to share his backstory with us. It was one of those moments where you knew the person was being authentic and not trying to collect an extra tip but rather was really trying to make the best of his situation. All he wanted to do was talk about his kids and how being in Orlando was going to allow them to get their education and provide for themselves after the Brazilian economy had collapsed. He was the best driver we had of the trip and he even mentioned that a typical day of driving for him was 15-18 hours a day. The man basically lived in his car to make ends meet for his family. He never once complained, he never once blamed his situation on the economy, and he was the first person to get excited about both my sister and mother being school teachers and was instantly grateful for what they did each day. 

You see, the drivers may not be perfect all the time and the service may not be the perfect “end all be all” solution but the people you get to meet can sometimes outweigh the faults. If you’re like me and hesitant about it, I suggest giving it a shot at least one time. It likely is your most cost effective transportation option and you never know when you may need a quick ride around Disney property. At the very worst, you’ll be out a few dollars and about 10 minutes of your time.              

Your Thoughts


As always, if you have thoughts, concerns, questions, or even some tips of your own to share, don’t hesitate to reach out to us on Facebook or your favorite social media platform. Give us a follow while you’re there, and we’ll keep the conversation going in the future. We’re not the largest Disney community, but we’re one that’s there and one that listens. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day wherever you are!


Need a Travel Planner?


If you want or simply need a little bit of planning help to make your Disney vacation dream a reality, check out the quote request form below this article for our friends over at Destinations to Travel. They’ll let you do as much or as little of the planning as you’d like and may even save you some money along the way! As always, thanks for supporting those who support us.


Ready to Plan?


Last but certainly not least, if you’re starting the planning process, a great place to start are with some of our top planning articles! Looking for dining? Check out Disney World Dining Tips For 2018. Want to start with some more tips? 44 Excellent Disney World Tips for 2018 or Disney World Planning Guide and Tips For 2018 are a great place to begin! Looking to save money on tickets? Check out our friends over at The Official Ticket Center for great deals that even made it into our 2018 Discount Disney World Ticket selections and another great way to help us create more content through your contributions at no additional cost to you! You’ll probably even save money along the way.

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How We Rode All 3 Toy Story Land Attractions in Under 45 Minutes!

by Guide4WDW

by: guide4wdw – Collin

How We Rode All 3 Toy Story Land Attractions in Under 45 Minutes!  

We are sadly home from Walt Disney World so we’ll be ramping our content back up and getting back to our consistent posts. However, we’re starting out with an answer to a highly sought after question by many guests. How do you avoid the lines of Toy Story Land? Truthfully, it wasn’t all that hard to do and is even easier to explain. Throughout our three day stay we spent no longer than 35 minutes waiting for Slinky Dog Dash and in this particular instance we basically walked on the attraction twice in one morning. 

Before we get started, I just want to say that for this to work you do need to be staying at a good neighbor resort or Disney Resort. It’s no secret, but extra magic hours play a huge role in allowing your wait times for this land to remain quite short. Second, and perhaps more importantly is the fact that we toured Toy Story Land on a Saturday morning, but we’ll get to more details on that shortly. 

How To Ride All 3 Attractions Quickly

The key to this whole plan, as mentioned above is extra magic hours. For resort guests, throughout nearly the entire summer, Toy Story Land has featured early entry from 7:00-8:00am basically every single day. Extra Magic Hours are great but what’s better to know is that on many days Hollywood Studios is opening the land early. For example, we were not stopped in any way when we entered the park at 6:45am and were riding Slinky Dog Dash by 6:55. We legitimately waited at most 5 minutes in the queue. After the attraction ended, we resisted the temptation to get right back on (since the wait was shorter than the posted 20 minutes) and made our way over to Alien Swirling Saucers instead.

The second attraction, much like the first, had a very short wait time of about 15 minutes. We were thrilled and rode the saucers and then made our way to Toy Story Mania for a classic ride that we had enjoyed many times before the queue was redesigned. We’ll share some thoughts on the Toy Story Land expansion as a whole in the coming days, but for now we’re just going to share some of our tops tips to beat the wait times. 

As we were boarding Toy Story Mania I happened to look down at my watch and we had been in Toy Story Land for 45 minutes. Obviously, it seemed like a great article at that point and one that I could share the details of rather quickly in hopes that it may help someone out along the way. 

However, the best part about all of this is that we did all three of these attractions without a fastpass+ selection for anything we chose to ride. We had no special pass, this wasn’t a media day, and of all days of the week, we managed this on a Saturday morning. Quite possibly that could be a hidden trick to all of this. Other days during our stay the wait times (according to the app) remained rather short as well up until around 8:30 and the rush of non-resort guests started piling in. With that being said, very few people want to get up and get to the parks by 6:50am on a Saturday and it does tend to play in your favor if you are willing to get their early in the day. 

After our quick ride on Toy Story Mania, we actually had the opportunity to jump back on Slinky Dog Dash one more time at a slightly longer wait time of about 25 minutes. It was and is worth every minute of that wait. We then proceeded to ride Toy Story Mania a second time with a 15 minute wait! The entire morning was a blast and something that I highly recommend doing if you’re considering a day at Hollywood Studios. It’s the perfect way to avoid lines and if mornings aren’t for you, consider heading to Toy Story Land at night. We spent two late evenings in the land and at around 10:00pm, as the Star Wars fireworks begin, the crowds tend to drop off fairly dramatically for attractions. You may not be able to get all three attractions in before park closing time, but you should be able to snag a shorter 40 minute or so wait time for Slinky Dog Dash. Again, it is more than worth every minute in line. 

What’s the Point of All This?  

There are so many guests obsessing over getting that perfect Slinky Dog Dash fastpass selection (including myself at one point). Truthfully, you may not even need it, and you may be better off saving that fastpass for Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster or another favorite attraction or show in Hollywood Studios. We did secure a fastpass for later that afternoon but we ultimately would have missed it if it weren’t for some technical difficulties that downed the ride and allowed us to use it anytime that night instead. At that point we had ridden it twice and loved every minute of it, but getting there early in the day and even before official park opening made all the difference in our day and making the most of that day of our vacation. We left Hollywood Studios right after lunch and managed to hop over to Epcot and ride a few attractions we expected to have to skip on this rather short vacation. That early morning essentially saved us an entire afternoon. 

Would it be difficult to try this super early morning with kids, possibly? Would it be worth it? Without a doubt! At the very worst you can head back to your resort and wrest for a bit early in the afternoon. 

Inevitably there are other ways to tour Toy Story Land, but I would say this is one of the best and most time effective ways to do so. If you can get there a little before the crowds and get that extra 10-15 minutes of extra time in the Land before the park “officially” opens to early entry guests, it’s certainly worth getting up as early as possible. Truth be told, I’m not entirely sure how early they opened the park that particular day of our visit, but I have heard that those extra few minutes are becoming more and more normal for Hollywood Studios this summer. 

I can’t guarantee this strategy will work for you but if you want to learn more about our tips for Toy Story Land, be sure to follow the site over the next few days as we try to share any and all tips we ran into during our recent visits.   
                   


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How to Secure Last Minute Fastpass+ Selections – Even For Toy Story Land!

by Guide4WDW

by: guide4wdw – Collin

How to Secure Last Minute Fastpasses – Even For Toy Story Land!

Recently, we decided to take a last minute trip to go see Toy Story Land before the summer ends. Believe it or not, we booked our trip 3 weeks ago and will be flying out in one day. It’s the shortest booking window we’ve ever dealt with and obviously that brings about a few challenges. Perhaps the greatest difficulty is that this late in the game, you’ve missed the 30 day and 60 day fastpass+ booking window. As always, it’s incredibly difficult to secure the top tier and favorite attractions, but it’s far more difficult when new attractions have just opened like Alien Swirling Saucers and Slinky Dog Dash. Believe it or not, we were able to secure a Slinky Dog Dash fastpass only days before our trip to the park. 

Obviously, as with any booking system there are a few ways to work with the system and give yourself the very best shot at securing those hard to get fastpasses and at times it may be easier than you’d think to do so. Rather than just telling you to keep looking, today we’re sharing some of the tips that have worked for us in securing Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Slinky Dog Dash, Flight of Passage, and many others over the past year without spending hours on end searching the website. None of these are fool proof solutions and “your results may vary” but this is what has worked for us time and time again. 

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1. Look for Passes At Strange Times 

This is one of those tips that sounds obvious but in practice is a bit less obvious than you may think. The tip in and of itself is to look when nobody else is looking. There’s always going to be others looking on Disney’s site with guests coming from all over the world, but the more random the time you check the better off you tend to be. When we were planning our last minute trip for this week, we found Alien Swirling Saucers at three different times by checking at 1:30 or so in the afternoon on week days. However, and likely the one more of you are here to find out about was our Slinky Dog Dash fastpass pick up. I’ll be honest with you, this one took some time to get. We checked the app once or twice a day for around 3 days (far fewer attempts than some) but the passes popped up at 12:40 in the morning (yep… the middle of the night on the East Coast). Sure, it’s not ideal but if you can check for passes at these strange times, you may be surprised at what fastpass selection you can get!      

2. Repetition is Key 

The old adage of “if at first you don’t succeed, try try again” is more true than ever in this case. If you’re getting close to your travel dates, pick a night when you’re doing nothing else, grab a seat on the coach and turn on some TV. Pull up your current fastpass+ selections and choose the one you like the least and select the option to “modify” your fastpass selection. If you get lucky your favorite attraction or the one you’re looking for will pop right up… but I wouldn’t count on. At this point, here’s what I recommend. Take the next 15-30 minutes and continuously back out of the “modify” your selection menu and go back into it. As you search time and time again, you’ll be surprised at how fast offerings change. I saw passes for Alien Swirling Saucers pop up on two separate occasions and two different times within the first 15 minute when we tried this a few days ago. 

That 15-30 minutes may be boring but if you’re set on riding the attraction it may pale in comparison to how long you could have waited in the heat of the park!      

3. Don’t Be Too Picky About Times

If you’re late to the booking game like we were in this instance, you can’t be overly picky about times. Take what you can get and modify it as more offerings become available using the tips mentioned above. With the exception of dining reservations, very little has to be done at specific times in the parks, and remaining flexible or being willing to stay late or head to the parks early can make a huge difference. Also, and perhaps more importantly, if you cant get the attraction you want at first book something else anyway! You can always modify your selections but if you don’t have a fastpass+ selection to begin with, it makes the process that much more difficult. At the very least, you’ll have a second favorite attraction to fall back on and one that may save you a few extra minutes waiting in line which you can spend in the standby queue of the attraction you couldn’t get.  

4. Check The Day Before Your Park Day 

Do not give up hope if your stay begins tomorrow or if your park day is the very next day. The greatest foray of fastpass changes and modifications will likely happen within the last two days for most guests or even the day of their trip to the park. Check the app religiously the day before your trip and you may be shocked at what pops up. Other guests flights get  canceled or they may have to cancel their trip and if that happens you’ll be there waiting for the fastpasses to get dropped!    

5. Check While You’re in the Park 

If you’re in the parks, check early in the morning when you’re in that particular park. Inevitably someone’s plans will change or they’ll realize their child isn’t tall enough to ride an attraction they’ve booked or any other array of weird situations could unfold. On recent trips I have been utterly shocked at how many last minute great fastpass+ selections have been available while we were in the parks. At one point I was so surprised in fact that I almost modified a few of our plans just to grab a second ride on a few of our favorite attractions late at night.   

6. Have Someone Look For You! 

This may sound like a shameless plug but if you do have an interest in using a travel agency or already use a travel agency that really knows their stuff in the Disney realm, they may just look day after day for you. Many of the more experienced travel agencies will offer this service for you and I know for a fact that our recommended travel planner offers it completely free of charge. It may not be the ideal solution for everyone, but if you really want to sit back and let someone else try to secure those tough to secure passes for you, it’s always an option. Personally, I do opt to book them myself simply because I like to do all of these things listed above, but Travel Agents can be really helpful thanks to their knowledge of the Disney systems and when it is best (and worst) to look.      


You never really know when something will pop up when another guest has to cancel their trip last minute or decides to trade that pass for something else. They may even decide to go to a different park altogether. When that happens it occasionally frees up a tough to get pass for you and your family.  

Lastly and perhaps most importantly, if all of these strategies fail, don’t worry about it! Standby isn’t the end of the world and you’ll get to experience the queue of the attraction and the queues are becoming more and more interactive as the parks continue to grow and change.   
      

Your Thoughts


As always, if you have thoughts, concerns, questions, or even some tips of your own to share, don’t hesitate to reach out to us on Facebook or your favorite social media platform. Give us a follow while you’re there, and we’ll keep the conversation going in the future. We’re not the largest Disney community, but we’re one that’s there and one that listens. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day wherever you are!


Need a Travel Planner?


If you want or simply need a little bit of planning help to make your Disney vacation dream a reality, check out the quote request form below this article for our friends over at Destinations to Travel. They’ll let you do as much or as little of the planning as you’d like and may even save you some money along the way! As always, thanks for supporting those who support us.


Ready to Plan?


Last but certainly not least, if you’re starting the planning process, a great place to start are with some of our top planning articles! Looking for dining? Check out Disney World Dining Tips For 2018. Want to start with some more tips? 44 Excellent Disney World Tips for 2018 or Disney World Planning Guide and Tips For 2018 are a great place to begin! Looking to save money on tickets? Check out our friends over at The Official Ticket Center for great deals that even made it into our 2018 Discount Disney World Ticket selections and another great way to help us create more content through your contributions at no additional cost to you! You’ll probably even save money along the way.