Tag: Tips

4 Places to Experience a Sunset At Disney That You Wont Want to Miss

by Guide4WDW

by: guide4wdw – Collin

4 Places to Experience a Sunset At Disney That You Wont Want to Miss 

If you’ve been to Walt Disney World many times (as many of you have), chance are you have a few go-to spots for more “out of the way” entertainment. Sometimes you just want to escape the crowds for a few minutes and relax in a setting that so many overlook entirely. In my opinion one of the very best options for things to do to get that feeling of “relaxation” is to find a comfortable spot and enjoy a sunset over one of the many iconic landmarks across Walt Disney World property.

I know for many guests that are not die hard Disney parks fans this sounds like a waste of time when your time in the parks is already so limited. Here’s the thing, the few minutes you spend relaxing and taking in the view will likely be one of the most memorable moments you’ll share with family. I do recognize that this would be rather tough with young kids, but at the same time it is a great way to grab a snack, enjoy the views, and recharge for your night exploring the parks.

As crazy as it sounds, to me there’s just something different about a Florida sky. The daytime skies are almost always picture perfect blue at some point throughout the day, but as the sun starts to fade over the horizon (especially in the summer months) the reflection of light off of the clouds and the colors produced high above are something that at times seem like an impossibility. You can grab a bench, sit there looking at the sky, listening to the sounds around you in the parks, and for the briefest of moments let the worries of life fade away.    

Of course, no article I post would ever be complete without sharing a few spots I consider hidden gems! So, here’s what I came up with and a quick look at why I see these as some of the top spots to catch a sunset in or around the parks.

1. The Boardwalk Resort 

There is only one location I can put higher on my personal “favorites” list than this spot and for good reason (we’ll get to my top spot below). The Boardwalk Resort and Crescent Lake resort area as a whole lends itself to the most perfect unveiling of colors you’ll find on Disney property. Obviously it’s the same sunset you’ll find anywhere else around Disney, but there’s just something a touch different about viewing it from this location. As the sun slips out of sight, the lights of the Boardwalk turn on, the off white color of the resort and surrounding resorts reflect the colors, and the water of the lake expertly showcases the colors presented in the sky above. The combination is hard to put into words but is so vastly simple while extraordinary to experience first hand. 

Grab a slice of pizza from the pizza window, plant yourself in a chair by the railing near the water, and just take in the colors as the slight breeze rolls off of the water, the friendship boats pass by, and the performers start their shows! It’s a night worth remembering and the photos below really do it no justice. 

Believe it or not, these two photos were from the exact same night, and the exact same spot just minutes apart!  
      

2. The Contemporary Staircase 

If you’ve ever been to the Contemporary to watch the fireworks from a new perspective, you likely already know this spot and why it is on our list. The fireworks observation deck of the Grand Concourse of the Contemporary is a great place to catch a few unique views of the fireworks, but the real bonus is a few flights of stairs up the tower. 

A few weeks ago I shared a couple photos from this spot and received tons questions about how I got the angle and so on and so forth. Well, here’s the answer to that question. If you go out to the observation deck of the Grand Concourse, on the far right hand side you’ll find a staircase just past the bridge over to Bay Lake Tower. If you head up that staircase two or more flights, you end up with a virtually unobstructed view of Magic Kingdom and Happily Ever After in the distance. However, if you pick your spot early enough, you can view the sunset in an incredibly unique way that may exceed your wildest expectations. 

As day turns into night, the light falls over Magic Kingdom and the lights of attractions flip on for the night time festivities. It’s a view of things as they happen that you may or may not have ever paid attention to. The castle prominently sits in the distance and from this angle you can really appreciate the layout of the park. Inside the park, everything feels so distant and separated by theming but outside the park looking in from many stories up perspective really starts to change and it becomes apparent how close some attractions are to each other. It’s weird to think about, but couple the new perspective with Monorails slowly entering and leaving the tower below you and the audible sounds of the experience and you may be surprised at how much you enjoy this seemingly simple moment.     


3. The Boats of Bay Lake 

Without a single doubt, this is my favorite place to catch a sunset on Disney property. I know I talk a lot about reflections here on the site from time to time, but they set the scene better than just about anything else. Water, in this case is a show stopping piece of the scene as it unfolds before your very eyes. Honestly, there’s nothing I’d rather do than ride around Bay Lake on one of the open sided boats at sunset. The experience is truly perfect and one that I don’t believe could ever be replicated anywhere else in the world. 

At points, as the suns sets, you can catch a glimpse of the Contemporary, Wilderness Lodge, the Castle, Monorails, and so much more simply by turning your head. Couple that with the incredibly brilliant colors that can develop in the Florida sky and you have a setting that will exceed your wildest expectations as a Disney fan. 

The breeze keeps you cool on even the warmest of days, the views are honestly second to none, and your end destination could be the fireworks viewing spot mentioned above at the Contemporary Resort. The photo below was even taken on the same night as the images from the Contemporary above! 

4. Pandora 

Last, but certainly not least, we have Pandora. Pandora is a surprisingly unique place to catch a sunset. Inevitably, it will be the busiest spot on this list by a good margin, but the atmosphere and theming lends it to some of the most unique views you’ll find on Disney property. The shadows fall over the floating mountains and the light creates a rather unique glow to the land before day transitions to night and the area “comes alive” after the sun fades away. 

The experience here isn’t all about the views or the colors portrayed in the sky but rather about the sounds and moments that surprise you. For lack of a better word, the land feels more alive and sounds more alive as the night draws closer. You can hear it in the bushes around you and you feel like you’ve really entered a place far from earth on an entirely different planet. You don’t know quite what to expect and no matter how many times you visit this space there’s always something new to notice that you overlooked on your last trip into the land. 

Wrapping Up


You see, when it comes right down to it, a Disney sunset isn’t about that perfect view of Cinderellas Castle or even the incredibly vivid colors in the sky, but more about the moments you get to share with those around you. At this point I probably sound like a broken record but to me a Disney vacation isn’t measured by what attractions you get to ride or even the shows you get to witness, but rather those little moments with family or friends that you never expected to occur. Those moments are the ones that are most memorable years down the road and those are the moments we talk about day after day. 

It’s not about the place, it’s about the people. Truthfully, if I had to give you one piece of advice for your next Disney vacation it would be to enjoy the little moments that seem so trivial at the time. A moment relaxing on a bench watching the sunset, a boat ride to the Magic Kingdom, or even something as simple as going to fill a refillable mug at your resort can create a memory that you never expected and a story that you’ll share with family and friends for years to come.          
 

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.   

Our Top 8 Smells in All of Walt Disney World – Did Your Favorite Make the List?

by Guide4WDW

by: guide4wdw – Collin

Our Top 8 Smells in All of Walt Disney World – Did Your Favorite Make the List?

Disney is and always has been an inevitably multi sensory experience that has an inertly transformative element to it. Scents have a unique way of setting the stage for an event or a “feel” to match a story being portrayed in even the most creative of ways. As soon as you enter the Magic Kingdom or step into your resort hotel at Walt Disney World, you are instantly surrounded by a variety of feelings, sights, sounds, and of course smells. It’s like walking into another persons home for the first time. Everything has a distinct but recognizable aroma and Disney uses that sensory impulse to the absolute best of their abilities. Without scents, a trip the parks would be like walking into a movie theatre without a popcorn aroma, or a pool without the smell of chlorine filling the air. Sometimes, those recognizable smells are the one thing that make the greatest difference and locks in a memory in your mind that transcends your wildest expectations. 

With that being said, some smells are far more recognizable and enjoyable than others! Here’s a close look at some of our favorites! 

1. The Swan Lobby

If you’ve ever stayed at the Swan or Dolphin resort, you likely know this seemingly subtle smell better than just about anything else tied to the resort. It’s a recognizable citrus fragrance reminiscent of some type of slightly fruity yet not overbearing cleaning product coupled with the flowing waters of the lobby fountains. While the fragrance itself is not necessarily Swan exclusive and is supposedly used at other Westin properties across the country, it’s a vastly recognizable and pleasant smell that takes you back to memories of previous stays at the resort and one that you’ll occasionally catch hints of at other hotel chains throughout the country that bring a little bit of “Disney” wherever you are by default. Couple that element with the Heavenly Beds of the resort and it’s not only a memorable fragrance but a resort well worth your time and money! (Don’t forget to look into teacher discounts if that applies to your situation.)   

2. Disney’s Boulder Ridge Villas

The Boulder Ridge Lobby is without a doubt one of my personal favorite scents at Disney. It’s a slightly woodsy smell with a rather sharp and noticeable undertone that you notice almost instantly as you walk through the sliding doors and step foot into the multi-floor atrium. The smell itself is a casual mix of a burning fireplace and an almost earthy tone combined to create an unbelievably warm and welcoming atmosphere. It’s a place that is  relaxing and one where you can pull up a big comfy chair, sit back, and appreciate a moment of true simplicity in the midst of one of the busiest places in the world. The calming affect of this place and this scent is hard to comprehend or even explain in words but it is a hidden piece of the magic that even made Our Top 5 “Hidden in Plain Sight” Locations of Walt Disney World! 

3. The Confectionary on Main Street 

When you take those first few steps down Main Street and see the Castle for the very first time there is nothing more memorable than that scene as it unfolds. The Confectionary billows a sweet and pleasant fresh baked treat smell, the views are second to none, and the oh so recognizable music of Main Street surrounds you in a moment that you have to experience to fully appreciate. Somehow and some way that smell of the confectionary is one that so many come back to each and every time this topic is brought up. While many of you likely already know, this smell and many others like it at WDW are artificial, it still sets the stage for an incredibly memorable moment. It’s so noticeable that from time to time you’ll find a candle or an air freshener that features a similar scent and all of a sudden memories are brought back of that view down Main Street. To me, nothing jogs the memory quite like a scent and interestingly researchers are starting to connect the dots on why smells bring back such viid details in memory recollection.       


4. Popcorn on Main Street 

Similar to the Confectionary, the popcorn of Main Street is one of those things that lets you know you’re finally “home.” Interestingly though, the story doesn’t entirely start there. Popcorn is the starring participant in the elaborate film that is Main Street U.S.A. The red carpet is laid out by the brickwork of the front walkway, the ticket booths are like the ticket collector of a theatre, the train station acts as the “curtain” blocking your view of the film until that grand unveil is ready, and the popcorn expertly replicates the final aspect of the theatre experience and brings the whole concept full circle. As you round that final corner to Main Street the names on the buildings of those who helped create this incredible place act as the opening (and closing credits), and that final castle reveal is the film being debuted before your very eyes. It’s a simple concept but one expertly portrayed on an incredibly grand scale.       


5. Tomorrowland Speedway 

I may be alone on this one but to me, nothing brings back the joys of driving for the first time quite like the smell of gasoline and oil burned by the little cars of the Tomorrowland Speedway. So many kids have created that same memory over the years and while the smell itself tends to be one you love or you hate, it brings back memories time and time again of slamming into those rails back and forth as you tried with all your might to press the peddle down (which you likely couldn’t reach) and steer your way to victory. For a brief moment that little car made you feel unstoppable and like the coolest person in all the park. To this day, every time I walk through Tomorrowland and catch a whiff of that gas station-esque aroma a whole series of memories come flooding back. 
      

6. The Polynesian Lobby

The Polynesian Lobby has been known for two distinctly different yet similar smells over the years. Before the redesigned lobby, the elaborate fountain brought in an almost tropical flowing water smell that was natural yet distinctly accentuated by citrus flares and floral aromas. To many guests, that particular smell was a more recognizable one that what you can experience today. Today’s scent, while still recognizable, takes away that flowing water accentuation and replaces it with a slightly fruitier aroma. It’s not quite perfect but the smell puts you in that Polynesian and somewhat tropical mood that is expertly paired with the decor and picturesque view out over the water in the distance.    
  

7. The Ghirardelli Store 

Moving in a slightly different direction, the distinctly recognizable smell of warm chocolate, waffle cones, and fresh baked items flows out the doors of Ghirardelli into Disney Springs beckoning guests to step inside and grab a snack. The incredible flavors and unique treats served inside are also an obvious draw but that smell is the main thing that sparks your interest and a scent that completes any trip to Disney Springs in one way or another. Don’t forget to stop by the neighboring store for a free chocolate sample!      
  

8. Karamell-Kuche

Similar yet slightly different to the welcoming scent of Ghirardelli, Karmaell-Kuche is one of my personal favorite stops along the World Showcase for a snack. The rather small store, sponsored by the Werther’s Original Caramels company has a distinctly chocolatey smell with a touch of caramel thrown in the mixed. Combine that with the warm popcorn being coated in the aforementioned ingredients and the aroma just sucks you right in! If you have never stopped by to try their caramel corn, be sure to add it to your list for your next stop in the Germany pavilion.       

Don’t Forget to Check Out our Friends over at WDW Magazine! 



9. Soarin 

As a somewhat rare item on our list, this attraction holds a unique spot for a couple of reasons. Soarin obviously features on-ride smells that are excellent and completely memorable but the one I’m officially putting on this list is slightly different. As you enter the main show room and prepare to board your hang glider, theres a distinct aroma. I’m not entirely sure if it’s a combination of all the scents of the attraction culminating and permanently adding fragrance to the room, but it’s a very subtle and distinct smell that repeat riders recognize time and time again. It smells slightly artificial but also somewhat nature inspired in a strange way.

As a complete side note, does anybody else remember when this attraction attraction used to unlock all the safety belts at the same time? That was the best noise! Completely unnecessary but it just added that much more to the experience that only a select few ever took note of. It’s a strange sound but one that I still miss a little bit from time to time.   
     

10. The Puffin’s Roost       

The Puffins Roost holds a unique spot on this list to me and for many other guests because of a legitimate fragrance sold within the store itself. As a few of you may remember I did a short article a while back about Geir Ness and meeting the man behind this iconic Epcot scent. His story is quite unique but the fragrances he developed are far more recognizable by Disney fans. No matter if you’ve bought one of his three fragrances (for both men and women) you inadvertently likely know this smell. In the early years of the Maelstrom boat ride in the Norway pavilion, the attraction dumped you out right into the heart of the smell in the gift shop. It was recognizable and strikingly pleasant. Today, Maelstrom has unfortunately been replaced by Frozen Ever After (to the dismay of nostalgic Disney fans everywhere) but thankfully that incredibly familiar smell continues on and repeatedly allows us nostalgic fans of the attraction to relive that seemingly simple moment of exiting the attraction.   

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Bonus: NOT Mouse Gear!   

What’s a Disney World smells list without mentioning one particularly terrible smell. For years, Mouse Gear at Epcot featured one of the most nasty smells on Disney property in my opinion. I have absolutely no idea what the pumped in smell was supposed to replicate but for some reason it smelled like a combination of dirty socks and dirty diaper. Thankfully, in recent years it seems to have been corrected or at least minimized to an extent but that was an awful smell for years on end!      

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.

5 Books Every Disney Parks Fan Needs In Their Collection

by Guide4WDW

by: guide4wdw – Collin

5 Books Every Disney Parks Fan Needs In Their Collection 

From time to time I get asked how I’ve learned what I know about the Disney parks and their history. Obviously I wasn’t there in the beginning (since I’m 21), and truth be told my family that was able to visit very early on remember very little about the experience. Long story made short, my answer is always Disney parks books. I’ve had a fascination with Disney history for years, and while so much can be found online some things just can’t be communicated quite as well without the additional context a book tends to provide. Inevitably, that situation led me to seek out books that told the “rest of the story” for lack of a better way to explain it. 


At the same time, and perhaps rather ironically, I hate reading books. However, Disney parks books are a bit different because there’s always something new to uncover that you can go and see in the parks in really life. Not only do you learn the details of the experience but often times the backstory that is rarely shared by cast members or blatantly written into the attraction’s theoretical story within the parks. 

With all of that being said, some Disney books are far better than others and figuring out which ones are great and which ones are truly terrible can be an expensive and time intensive process. That’s where today’s post hopefully comes in handy. I’ve not read every Disney parks book available but these are a few of my top favorites and ones I tend to use for research from time to time. Unfortunately a few of these titles are out of print and are only available in a “used” format, but may be books you’ll want to look for going forward at your local used book store (Half Price Books is a great place if you have one in your area). 

Last but certainly not least, the titles included in this article are links to Amazon.com and they are affiliate links. However, I include these links so that if you can’t find the books anywhere else cheaper, typically Amazon will have them at a fairly decent price. Truthfully, if you can find them elsewhere cheaper, I highly recommend going with that option! 

1. Designing Disney’s Theme Parks – The Architecture of Reassurance

This particular book is one that tends to be more for those who are interested in the inner workings of the parks and their construction even very early on out at Disneyland. It spins tails of Imagineering, includes vast and detailed drawings straight from Imagineering and contains some of the greatest details and looks “behind the scenes” into how this place we all know and love was made in a way that no other book really does. As a result it isn’t the easiest book to read but the photos and conceptual renderings found inside of it are some that rarely appear in other Disney parks books or even on the internet.  This is my go to book when I can’t find information anywhere else. It has those hidden details that you can’t find online and if you’re willing to read through the details, it is well worth your time! Unfortunately it tends to be the most expensive book on our list but one that I’ll never get rid of. The rarely seen photos alone are more than worth the cost in my opinion.   



2. Walt Disney Imagineering – A Behind the Dreams Look at Making the Magic Real


Sticking with the Imagineering theme, this book is a steal if you can find a copy. The information isn’t detail heavy but this sets up for the perfect coffee table book for a Disney fan. As the only book on this list noted as distinctly “written by the Imagineers” it holds a unique spot separated from all the rest. The foreword was even written by Micheal D. Eisner himself. This is one of my all time favorite books to simply sit down and thumb through from time to time. One of the very first pages is a Memorandum to Imagineer Marty Sklar with hand written notes scrolled across it green lighting the idea for the book and to set up a meeting with Eisner! There’s everything from drawings prepared for the World’s Fair to conceptual renderings for Tony Baxter’s Discovery Bay vision. It’s a compilation you can tell a certain level of heart was put into it’s creation and one that really cuts down on the “fluff” and shares the info you want to read right away without having to spend hours reading page after page. 

It’s the perfect book to set in your living room when a guest is over because you can pick it up knowing nothing about Walt Disney World, thumb through a few pages and end up learning more than you ever expected. It’s a conversation starter and possibly a great way to introduce a friend to the Disney parks in a fairly subtle way.          



3. Since the Word Began – Walt Disney World the First 25 Years 

Since the World Began made this list for a few reasons. Perhaps the largest reason being that the title showcases a closer look at the first 25 years of Walt Disney World. As you may have noticed by the content on this list I’m incredibly nostalgic about the early days of WDW and this is perhaps one the best ways I’ve found to see what used to be and how things have changed over the years as Walt Disney World slowly approaches it’s 50th anniversary. This title showcases all that Disney once was while referencing external factors and history outside of the parks like Jim Henson’s Muppets and television sound stages that were active in the early days of Hollywood Studios. 

My favorite section of this particle piece of my collection is a few short pages devoted to Pleasure Island. While I can vaguely remember Pleasure Island, the short paragraphs dedicated to it’s role in Disney World at the time helps put the stories I get to hear about the Adventure’s Club, Mannequins, the Comedy Warehouse and others into perspective. At times, it’s difficult to understand what something is like without being there but a few pictures can really describe and help visualize an atmosphere of a place you’ve never been to. It is truly perfect for that purpose because it’s looking at Disney and the early years of Disney from a 1996 perspective.        



4. A Disney Sketchbook


A Disney Sketchbook is a unique book for a rather “select” audience. It’s not a park specific book but tends to appeal to the same people who enjoy the Art of Disney-esque stores in the parks and in Disney Springs. The book itself is full of Disney character sketches and feels very much like a true to life sketchbook from a Disney artist. The paper is excellent quality and once again makes for a great coffee table book for any Disney fan. This is almost entirely a book of sketches and what often replicates what looks like true to life sketches. There are a few page with writing on them but it’s essentially a foreword setting the stage for what you’re about to look through. While that doesn’t sound like a legitimate “book” it is an excellent way to catch an inside look at some conceptual drawings for animated films in a way that you’ve never really paid attention to before. The detailed artwork helps put the years of dedication by animators into perspective and showcases some of the most iconic films in a rather unique way.         



5. Walt Disney’s Epcot


Without a doubt, this is my favorite book on this list and quite possibly the favorite of all the Disney books I own. I have always been a nostalgic Epcot fan and this book has given me an inside look at what I’ve missed over the years. It’s got everything from Horizons to Kitchen Cabaret and all the gone but never forgotten aspects of the “original” Epcot experience you can still see subtle nods to in the parks today. The book originally debuted in the early 80’s and it’s interesting because many of the concepts and mentions of what was to come at the time never quite played out. For instance, the World Showcase photos and conceptual renderings depict pavilions that never came to be and that were indefinitely shelved along the way. It’s not only neat to see but also interesting to speculate at “what’s next” because as many of you likely know, I good idea in Imagineering never really fades away!      

As an added note, this book does come in two iterations. Both are great but if you can stumble into the longer version you’ll uncover over 100 extra pages of information and photos that are not in the shorter iteration. The hard part about ordering this online is that you rarely know which book you’re getting before it arrives in your mailbox. Many sellers don’t realize that multiple iterations exists (one pre-opening and one post-opening of Epcot) and simply list the book and whatever online info they can find about it in their description. Either way you’re getting a great book. I have both versions and found the shorter version first. Recently I stumbled into the larger version and decided to pick it up as well. You can’t go wrong either way!     

This definitely isn’t the end all be all list and if you have another book recommendation for me, be sure to share it! I’m always looking for more parks books and truthfully there are very few in production currently that are quite as good as the ones created in the early years of Disney. Unfortunately trade secrets and behind the scenes information is getting more and more tight lipped but hopefully these books give you something to check out or even quite possibly add to your collection.  

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.

Great Places to Rest at Disney World – A Guest Article!

by Guide4WDW

by: guide4wdw – Collin

Great Places to Rest at Disney World – A Guest Article!  

Today, we’re sharing something a bit different and featuring a friend of ours in this Disney community by sharing an article shared with us by Patty over at WDWVacationTips.com. We’re happy to share this content and hope it gives you all a little something out of the ordinary to enjoy opposed to our typical articles.

Whether you are overheated or someone in your group is on the verge of a meltdown, there are just times when you need to pause during your vacation and take a break. If you think about all the walking and standing you are doing over the course of a day at Disney World it really makes sense that these down moments are necessary. Here are our recommendations for places to rest in Disney World listed by park.

Magic Kingdom Rest Spots

Hub grass magic kingdom disney world

  • Hub Grass– There is no better view than stopping and taking in Cinderella’s castle at the Magic Kingdom. Disney has several areas in front of the cast filled with Astroturf, lovingly called hub grass. This is a perfect spot to stop and relax or have a snack or even let your kids run wild. At night these areas become the firework viewing areas.
  • Storybook Circus– Head to the back of Storybook Circus area of Fantasyland. You are looking for the covered area between the train station and Big Top Treats. This spot serves as a character meet and greets area during special events at the Magic Kingdom. Otherwise, it is a shaded area with seating and spots where you can charge up your devices!
  • Tom Sawyer Island– So many people skip over this area of the Magic Kingdom. This makes for a nice and quiet area where you can relax. Covered with lots of trees, ample amounts of shade can be found here there are even benches and rocking chairs. There are lots of caves and paths for kids to run around and explore the island. Note: this area does close at sunset.
  • Main Street USA Train Station– When you get to the train station head upstairs. There is both indoor and outdoor seating here. I recommend sitting under the covered area and looking down Main Street USA. People watching is an overlooked fun thing to do at Disney World. Plus the background music is great in this area. You may even catch a set of the Dapper Dans. It’s even a great idea to hop on the train and take a full loop around the park.
  • Columbia Harbour House– If you are okay with a seafood smell then this is a great place to grab a refreshment and relax. The second story here is always fairly quiet and you can get some great views when look out over Fantasyland. There are also some bathrooms up here too!

Epcot Spots to Take a Break

China pavilion Epcot Walt Disney World

  • World Showcase – There are so many nooks and crannies throughout all of the World Showcase. America is an exceptionally good stop to relax in the air conditioning. If you are lucky you could even catch a show of the Voices of Liberty. I recommend heading over to the United Kingdom. Behind the stores, you’ll find beautiful gardens, benches and a large area at which you can rest.
  • The Land– This isn’t a quiet spot due to the popularity of Soarin but there is loads of space, air conditioning, and tables. Sunshine Seasons food court is right there as well so you can enjoy a meal, snack, or drink.
  • Imagination Pavillion – Head in through the shop and head to the back where they have various activities set up.
  • Behind Club Cool– There is a giant breezeway behind here and some spots to charge your phone. The air conditioning is always nice and cool and it’s a great spot to park the stroller and let your kid take a snooze.

Hollywood Studios Spots to Take a Break

Star Wars launch bay hollywood studios

  • One Man’s Dream– Head through this attraction to learn some back history on how Disney came to develop his famous theme parks. They also host previews of new or recent enhancements in Disney World.
  • Star Wars Launch Bay– Stop in the Launch Bay and catch a movie that takes you behind the scenes of Star Wars. Once the movie is out there is a large area to lounge or to meet and greet with various Star Wars characters.

The Animal Kingdom Spots to Take a Break

  • Conservation Station– Head back to Rafiki’s Planet Watch. Not only is the train ride nice and relaxing there is plenty of places to sit and chill when you get here. They have fun exhibits about the animals and they even have a look at the veterinary setup they have. You may even see a procedure happening when you head out there. There is also a petting zoo for the kiddos if they need to let off some steam.
  • Pandora– The land is full of details and lots of small areas to explore. By the exit of Flight of Passage, there is some shade and benches. You can grab a snack or beverage at Pongu Pongu to enjoy as well. If you are looking to stop for a quick meal I would head to Satuli Canteen, take a break and enjoy a meal.
  • Tree of Life Oasis– This area that surrounds the Tree of Life at the Animal Kingdom. The area is filled with cool caves and quiet benches that can easily become napping places.

Bonus Places to Rest in Disney World

  • Disney Resorts– All the Disney World Resorts are open to visitors. They all have their own unique benefits and perks. But the lobbies of every resort definitely have crashing spots where you can sit and chill. My favorite is a rocking chair in front of the massive fireplace at the Wilderness Lodge.
  • Monorail– If you are close by, a ride on the monorail is always a nice way to relax and get some sightseeing in at Disney World.

There are so many resting spots to be found at Disney World. The list above just covers the highlights at each park. Of course, you can always go to a longer indoor attraction or show to get a short rest midday. If you are visiting in the summer check out some awesome ways to stay cool it will help with needed less rest breaks. Does your family need to take breaks on your Disney days? If so share your favorite places to rest in Disney World spots in the comments below.

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 Our Party of 4 Guests Ate At T-REX for $15! – Disney Springs Dining

by Guide4WDW

by: guide4wdw – Collin

How Our Party of 4 Guests Ate At T-REX for $15! – Disney Springs Dining 

Today is a rather interesting article in my opinion. As many of you know, I tend to try and save you all as much money as possible on Disney trips whenever I can. This post is certainly no exception to that rule, however, this is one particular tips will likely work out better for locals or repeat visitors to the Disney parks and resorts. With that being said, we didn’t have any “magic” offer when we ate at T-REX in Disney Springs for $15 and we weren’t asked to try it for media reasons. Also worth mentioning is that we are not affiliated with the Landry’s group in any way shape or form (even though that would be awesome). Rather, we found a neat opportunity and made the most of it. 


The whole “science” behind this deeply discounted meal is largely based off a program the Landry’s group (the parent company of T-REX, Yak and Yeti, Rainforest Cafe, and many others) have developed called the Landry’s Select Club. Truthfully the club is no secret and is typically debuted in a pamphlet on your table at many of their dining locations. The club itself has a $25 enrollment fee but 24 hours after you enroll you automatically receive a $25 welcome reward. So, if you’re going to be eating there anyway, sign up and you basically get your money back automatically. As you dine at their vast array of restaurants, you also accumulate points for purchases. After you reach 250 points you get another $25 reward. 

Additionally, when you arrive at any of their restaurants you essentially gain front of the line access. In our specific case, we arrived at T-REX at around 6:30 and while the restaurant had a rather long wait list, we were told simply to walk up to the seating stand/hostess area and were seated within 5 minutes of arriving at the restaurant. We’ve used this to our advantage time after time at Rainforest Cafe as well. So, in essence you’re not paying anything for the card, you get priority seating, you get rewards for your purchases, and on top of all of this you get a $25 reward every year on your birthday. 

At this point you’re likely wondering how we ate for $15 when dining with a party of four guests. Well, to be quite honest it’s rather simple. When we arrived at the restaurant we had full intentions of just ordering appetizers and then moving on to another Disney Springs area restaurant for dessert in order to try a few different locations all in one night.

In doing so, we ordered a Supersaurus Sampler which includes Chili con Queso Dip, Bruschetta, T-Rexadillas, and onion rings (you can add pork spare ribs for an extra $7.99). That particular item is designed to be an appetizer for four and it did not disappoint. It came to our table as a huge multi-tier display with plenty to eat for all four of us. We also opted to order a Colosso Beef Nacho which was listed as “for two” but could easily feed 3 or more guests without issue. The sampler priced out at $19.99 and the Nacho ended up being $17.99. Per the usual, our group all ordered water to drink because in the Florida summer heat there’s really no better option and it’s free so why not? The grand total came out to be right around $40 including tax. 

Obviously that’s not the $15 your read in the title, however, remember those gift card rewards we told you about earlier? This is where those come in handy. Before we chose to dine here we were emailed a $25 no questions asked reward for the birthday of the card holder. We applied that towards our meal and the total dropped to a shocking $15. Of course, we left a pretty decent tip as a result, but the experience overall was excellent. The food was great, but keep in mind it’s not necessarily designed to be a “luxury” experience. We had a ton food and we literally just ordered appetizers. So much food in fact that we decided to hold off on going to another restaurant for dessert and went to the Polynesian hours later for a Dole Whip instead. (please excuse the poor quality food photos, it was rainy this particular day so I left my Nikon DSLR in the room and just happened to have a photo of the entrance from another day of the trip).  

(Flash photos are the worst… lol)


Sure, it may not be a full meal for everyone, but $25 free once a year in your birthday month just for setting up a rewards card is something you don’t really want to pass up. Also worth mentioning is that Landry’s locations truly span the United States (over 600 locations) and chances are if you live in a relatively populated area you’re within driving distance of at least one of their locations. If you live in Orlando, there’s at least 4 on Disney property, and two or three more a few minutes away from Disney Springs.   

If you are interested in joining the plan, don’t feel obligated to do so because of me. The only reasons I share this is because we joined around 5 or 6 years ago when it was only $10 or $15 dollars to join and it has been worth it’s wait in gold. If you do want to join, you can do so at this link: Landry’s Select. Again, it makes no difference to me if you join or not, I don’t get kickbacks from them and really just wanted to share a neat program that many guests may be unaware of.   

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 here and one that listens. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day wherever you are! My email is always open, so don’t hesitate to send a question or feedback my way! – guide4wdw@gmail.com 

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.

Our Top Magic Kingdom Fireworks Viewing Locations for 2018

by Guide4WDW

by: guide4wdw – Collin

Our Top Magic Kingdom Fireworks Viewing Locations for 2018 

With Happily Ever After recently passing the one year mark entertaining guests on a near nightly basis, we’re looking back at a few of our top viewing locations for this show and why we chose those particular locations. Some of these choices will be rather straight forward but at the same time a select few of these may be locations you’ve never even thought about watching the show from. 
Happily Ever After is unique for a few reasons. First and foremost, this Magic Kingdom spectacular features projections and truthfully it relies heavily on them as the show progresses. Second, this show is very brightly colored compared to past fireworks spectaculars. Personally, I see the colors as a huge strongpoint for this experience. For example, just look at the array of colors in the photo below. Prepare yourself for a little amateur photography jargon. The photo itself is a long exposure of about the last 10-15 seconds of the performance. For non-photo people that’s essentially like taking a video of the last 10-15 seconds of the show and compressing it all into one photo… hopefully that makes sense? Either way, it’s kind of beside the point because what I hope to show with this image is just how colorful these burst can be. It’s unique from about every other show I’ve personally seen at Disney or even elsewhere. 
As for the first point mentioned of the projections, if you really and truly want to get the full Happily Ever After experience, you’ll want to have a view of the majority of the castle wherever you’re standing for the show. If you’re not too concerned about all the projection details, or you’ve seen the show many times, there are quite a few options for places where you can get partial views of the projections but incredibly enjoyable and unique views of the fireworks without facing the crowds of Main Street quite as much. 
Last but certainly not least before we start listing locations, it’s worth mentioning that right now (early summer of 2018), Happily Ever After crowds are incredibly high before the show. I’m not talking old wishes-esque crowds where it was tough to get a spot around the partners statue. I’m talking, there will be a sea of people most nights shoulder to shoulder from the front of the castle all the way back to Casey’s corner and beyond. If you want a prime spot, get there early and right now for relatively peak crowds 45 minutes to an hour before showtime is likely what it will take for a fairly “prime” spot. If you want that “perfect” spot (in regards to guest demand), right behind the partners statue, be prepared to get there very very early and stand your ground. People can get aggressive so be patient and it’ll work out.
I’m typically not a person to wait around too terribly long for fireworks unless there’s some special occasion, simply because I find it’s not the best use of my time in the park. If you’re careful and a touch patient you can find a good spot 20 minutes or so before the show and can use the other time you would have spent staking out your spot enjoying an ice-cream at the parlor or even shopping for a while on Main Street. So, while that’s not entirely a comprehensive series of tips for this show, they’re some things you may want to consider before picking out a spot from our list. Also worth mentioning is that this is not an end all be all list. There are so many different spots to view this show that its all in what you want to get out of the experience.

The Happily Ever After Viewing “Zones” 

As we start to get into some specific spots in detail, here’s essentially the breakdown of the viewing areas of the show… at least in the way I see them. As always, the thoughts shared about these specific locations are simply my own opinion and yours could certainly differ. Either way, hopefully this gives you a closer look at what to expect from different areas of the park! The goal is that a few of our favorites of the group stand out or at least give you a few ideas for your next trip to Magic Kingdom.      

The Very Front: 

Truth be told, I see this as one of the very worst fireworks viewing locations for a couple reasons. If you’re right up by the stage of the castle two things are going to happen. First, you’re going to wait forever to keep your spot. Second, as the show starts you’re going to be looking straight up at the castle. For the projections that isn’t all that bad but at the same time it isn’t even close to an ideal viewing spot for the fireworks being launched from the rear launch site, because as counter productive as it sounds the castle will be in your way.

Near The Partners Statue: 

As arguably the best view of Happily Ever After, staking out a spot right behind or even near the partners statue is incredibly difficult to do. You’ll be competing with not only guests but likely a few photographers as well who are looking for that perfect shot of the castle. With that mentioned, if you’re patient and willing to wait, this is an incredible spot for this particular show. For the older wishes show it wasn’t all that great simply because there was very little castle involvement with the performance itself. Happily Ever After is the complete opposite. The castle and castle projections are a huge part of the experience and this spot really does blend the “best of both worlds.”

Between the Hub Grass:

If you’ve been to Walt Dinsey World in the last few years, you’re likely aware that the hub grass itself has become incredible viewing locations for fireworks right past the outdoor seating area of Casey’s as you walk towards the castle on each side of the street. However, the area is almost always used for special parties, dessert parties, or as a fastpass+ viewing area. There are a few exceptions and one big exception is Very Merry Christmas Parties.

If you are planning a trip including an official party event be aware that there are typically no blocked off areas for those events and as a result this spot can make for an incredible viewing area. For example, during our 2016 trip to the parks for the Christmas season we were not only able to grab a spot before show time, but we also got to sit back and relax in the hub grass throughout the entire show. Truthfully, that is unheard of. We soaked up every minute of it and it was the perfect spot for the show. Not a single guest stood up and everyone just seemed happy to enjoy the show from a seated position. Obviously that’s not the norm and may be a once in a lifetime experience, but it’s worth noting that this viewing area is open to everyone during special parties and very few take full advantage of it.

The hubgrass area itself is almost always taken, as mentioned, but on a typical day the area of Main Street in between the two grassy spots is open to anyone and can be a great spot because it is a touch higher due to a natural “peak” to the street before it falls just a touch as you move towards the partners statue. I know that sounds crazy, but there is in fact a little ridge as you move towards the castle on your way down main street. It’s hardly noticeable in person but if you google some empty parks pictures you can see the rise in the pavement. It’s a bit of a hidden gem spot and one that tends to fill up a bit later on. This spot offers a fairly good view of the projections and a great view of the fireworks high above you without facing some of the daunting crowds around the Partners statue.    

On Main Street: 

Here’s the thing about Main Street. Personally, I love to watch from here. If you have even remotely good eyesight you can still see the projections (as long as you’re not way down by the train station) and you’re the perfect distance to catch the near ideal framing of the fireworks over Cinderella’s Castle. The main thing about Main Street is that you want your spot to fall between the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor and the Main Street Bakery (now better known as Starbucks… but don’t get me started on that one lol). If you get farther down the street towards the exits you’re going to face a couple of things. First, the buildings are going to infringe upon your view just slightly but more importantly the farther from the castle you get the smaller the projections appear. If you stay in that “sweet spot” I mentioned, you’ll get two major benefits. First, the crowds are lighter as everyone is starting to pick up on the “closer being better” philosophy for Happily Ever After. Second, the views are still pretty awesome. If you like the look of the photos in this article, every single one of them were taken from this exact spot which I managed to find 20 minutes before the show. It does fill in the last 10-15 minutes or so before the performance in the sky but this is a pretty ideal last minute spot.

The Train Station:

This is perhaps the most iconic viewing location on all of Main Street and it does fill up quite quickly. But… here’s the thing. Happily Ever After is not a great show to view from the iconic second story of the train station. Sure, it’s super nostalgic and the view of Main Street is truly second to none, but at the same time the projections are hardly recognizable at that distance and 99% of the year there’s a flag pole tight in the middle of your view. If it was my personal trip and viewing opportunity I’d pick another spot unless its simply tradition for you and your family.

Behind the Castle:

This one seems a bit odd, but give it a chance if you’ve seen the show at least one time before from in front of the castle. The view from behind the castle is incredibly unique. You have the fireworks near the castle bursting up front, but at the same time you can catch the larger bursts from the rear launch site peaking over the top of New Fantasyland behind you if you’re facing the back of the castle. In my opinion the ideal spot back here is near the front of Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Enchanted Tales With Belle between the castle shaped entrance to New Fantasyland.

When you stand here, or even over a bit closer to Pinocchio Village Haus, the experience is far different than anywhere else in the park. The sounds are second to none and echoing bursts leaving the buildings on each side of the castle is quite the sensory experience. If you’re lucky enough to secure a seat in the outdoor area of Pinocchio’s, you’re definitely in for a treat and a dinner with a show!    

Wrapping Up

As you can see, there are a ton of great locations for fireworks viewing and no one option is going to fit all preferences. Much like other aspects of Walt Disney World, your preferred fireworks view is going vary vastly from the next person you talk to or even pass in the parks. So, what’s my recommendation? Honestly, I don’t have a favorite viewing location. I love the environment of viewing the show from Main Street because there’s just a classic element to the experience, but it’s not necessarily the best view overall. So, if I had to give a recommendation, I’d say to look through the options above and pick what seems most intriguing to you. If that spot is already full when you’re looking for a place in the parks during your trip, try another one on the list. Knowing a variety of options is half the battle when the crowds are heavy and from time to time the area in front of the castle will fill all the way down Main Street. If you run into that situation, you’ve got a few great options still. Behind the castle is a go to spot (as mentioned), but you can also see a portion of the show right in front of Splash Mountain and even a select portion of the experience from the bridge overlooking Tom Sawyer Island. If you’re looking for something a bit more unique, head over to the bridge that leads over to Starlight Cafe or the bridge on the opposite side leading into Liberty Square. It will undoubtedly be a somewhat obstructed view, but still a rather good view nonetheless.  

No matter what, just catching a glimpse of this show from anywhere in the park is certainly worth taking the time to enjoy for even just a few minutes. Fireworks have a weird way of bringing people together and creating a moment that will exceed your wildest expectations. Along the way, Disney fireworks shows will likely ruin all other fireworks shows for you in the future, but we can’t complain too much about that!

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 here and one that listens. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day wherever you are! My email is always open, so don’t hesitate to send a question or feedback my way! – guide4wdw@gmail.com 


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 World Itineraries and Trip Planning – What We Recommend

by Guide4WDW

by: guide4wdw – Collin

Disney World Itineraries and Trip Planning – What We Recommend 

Walt Disney World Itineraries are a great way to uncover aspects of the parks and resorts that you may have never thought about attempting or exploring during your Walt Disney World vacation. I started developing itineraries for the parks about a year ago and based a vast majority of the information on stays that we had faced recently and information we had gathered over the years. In doing so and from personal experience, I tend to suggest that a 6 or 7 day Disney World vacation is the sweet spot for touring the parks. 

I used to suggest a 5 day trip, and that probably still is the most cost effective and realistic option, but with new openings in the parks it really does help to have that extra day or two to revisit and explore in greater depth your favorite aspects of your vacation. That last day or two can make all the difference and really give that extra cushion of time to enjoy your resort, head to the pool or a waterpark, or even revisit some of your favorite attractions before returning home. 

Disney World Itineraries and Trip Planning - What We Recommend

Do you want to use an itinerary at Disney?  

Honestly, I’m a firm believer in the fact that a spontaneous day at Walt Disney World can be absolutely incredible because you never know what to expect. However, at the same time, there’s a certain level of planning that Disney World in particular has essentially required of guests that didn’t used to be a part of the travel planning process. Today, when you visit Disney it’s somewhat of a multi-phase process. You book your reservation months in advance, set up your fastpasses 60 days out, and a majority of guests will book their dining reservations 60-180 days out from their travel dates. While some of this is optional, with the Magic Band system and Fastpass+ it is quite a bit harder to book a trip without any sort of formal plan for your stay. That’s where we come in! 

There is no “one stop shop” Disney World Itinerary and truth be told there’s no tried and true perfect plan for every guest  but that’s a good thing! As we set out these plans of touring the parks, it allows for a certain level of manipulation. For example, maybe we list Magic Kingdom for day one of a 7 day trip. We list that particular day for a reason, but if it doesn’t fit how you want to travel, you can manipulate and change the plan for what works best for you. Consider these itineraries as vacation itinerary outlines that can be changed and manipulated but are, at the same time, tried and proven ways to successfully tour the parks and make the most of your vacation. More than anything, I hope these plans give you something new to try during your trip or offer up a different scenario the you may want to try for yourself one day. 

If you’ve never been to the parks, print off one of these itineraries (they should be relatively printer friendly) and fill in your must do attractions in the margins, and you should be well on your way to your first Walt Disney World vacation. If you want some more personalized help, feel free to email me (as always – I’m not a travel agent but happy to help where I can at no charge – guide4wdw@gmail.com) or contact our recommended authorized Disney travel planner (also at no charge). 

Long story made short, itineraries aren’t for everyone and sticking to a schedule isn’t for everyone, so if that’s you this article may not be for you and your travel needs. On the other hand, if you like to know what you’re doing and where you’re going each day of your Disney trip, this may be right up your alley!

A Word of Caution for Any Disney Itinerary

Without a doubt, I know these plans work and have worked for us in the past, but I say that with a certain level of caution. Don’t be that guest that obsesses over their “to-do” list so much that they get to the end of their trip and feel like they never took the time to simply enjoy being there. Disney World Itineraries and touring plans are great sources of information, but if you don’t throw the plan aside for a few moments to take it all in and enjoy the simplicity of just being their, you’re going to miss out on one of the greatest joys of going to Walt Disney World. 

I’ve had the privilege of talking to other guests over the years (even before the site was created) who had returned home from Disney trips and all they could say was how “stressful” the experience was. Immediately, after hearing that, I could pick out what they were going to say next… “It was fun but I don’t know if we’ll go back.” A majority of those same guests went unprepared or vastly over-prepared. Neither one of those options is a good situation in my opinion when you’re talking Disney World Planning. If you don’t plan at all, with the requirements of the fastpass+ and My Disney Experience system today, you’re going to be playing catch-up for a portion of your stay. On the other hand if you over plan and figure out what exact attraction you’re going ride for each and every minute of the day, you’re probably not going to be happy with the end result either. 

We’ve found that there’s a certain sweet spot in the middle of both options. Plan the necessities and avoid the aggressive planning. Truth be told, you need to plan these things on your Disney World Itinerary: 

  • Table Service Dining Reservations
  • Your Theme Park Tickets – If you haven’t purchased tickets as a package, I always recommend The Official Ticket Center (clickable link) for the best prices I’ve found on multi-day and single day tickets. You may even catch an upgrade or extra ticketed day when you purchase through them) 
  • Your Resort Accommodations 
  • Your Fastpass+ Selections 
  • Your “Must-Do” Attractions 
  • What Day You Want to Visit Each Park (be sure to look at extra magic hours) 

If you can lock down those decisions, you’ll be set for a flexible yet planned Disney World vacation experience. I mention “must-do” attractions because it makes things easier. If each guest in your party picks one attraction or experience they want to do more than anything else for each day of the trip, everyone is happy. For groups of 2-10 guests or so, this works out great. Most days it’s possible to check off that “must-do” for each guest and everyone is happy because they accomplished what they wanted to do the most. It’s manageable, measurable, and keeps everyone happy while remaining vastly attainable during most lengths of stay. 

As mentioned above, I consider this the sweet spot for Disney World Itineraries. You’re not booking too much, but not booking too little. For example, on our trip that’s coming up in a few short weeks, our group only booked two dining reservations, our hotel accommodations, and our park days. We wanted to do a lighter trip with less commitment to plans and simply planned what we were doing from a big picture perspective for each day. Basically all we know is our fastpass+ selections and what day we want to be where. Truthfully, that’s less than what the average guest will need. 

Obviously, we’ve been doing this for a while and many of you have been as well. As you travel more, and tour the parks more, a returning guest opposed to a first time guest tends to be less worried about trying to do everything. Spoiler alert: It’s impossible to see and do everything at Walt Disney World. I’ve literally been traveling to the parks my entire life and haven’t seen and done it all. That realization is what often sets apart returning guests from first time visitors. We know we’ll be back, and we know there’s no sense in trying to do everything on property. It wont happen, but that’s not a deterrent but rather a blessing that there’s always something new to return to and explore trip after trip. Don’t worry about doing it all, just focus on making the most of the time you have. That’s what our itineraries tend to focus on, and if that sounds like something you can get behind, here’s a closer look at some of our top itineraries for Walt Disney World.

Disney World Itineraries and Trip Planning - What We Recommend

Short Stay Disney World Itineraries

A stay at Walt Disney World that is shorter than 4 days can be relatively tough. Inevitably, you will feel a bit rushed. With that being said, our last trip in March of 2018 at the Boardwalk Villas was only 3 and half days in length. If you make the most of it, you can do far more than you could ever imagine. If you want to see every park, it will require a park-hopper, and even with our experience working in your favor you will miss out on a few things along the way. But, a short Disney trip is certainly better than no Disney trip at all so be sure to check this one out if you’re looking to make the most of your time in the parks.  

If you’re really short on time or doing other things in the area and only have one day to spend at Walt Disney World, we have a few itineraries for that as well. The one day trip is never an ideal situation, so there’s a heavy focus on getting things done and making the most of the entire day in the park for these plans, but they’re also great to add into a multi-day itinerary so that you can circle back at the end of your stay to revisit what you may miss along the way. If you’re careful and willing to get up early I’m pretty confident these 1-day itineraries will allow you to enjoy the majority of what the park has to offer. 

Long Stay Disney World Itineraries 

Longer stays in the parks can make all the difference in the ability to relax a bit more during a Disney trip. You have a bit more time and that extra aspect of the vacation can afford you the time to step away from the parks and explore without giving up quite as much as you would during a shorter stay. Longer stays put a certain level of freedom into the planning mix that is unmatched by anything except being a local Orlando resident. You can set up a morning in the parks, head back to the pool at lunch, and maybe even go catch another park’s fireworks show later that night. You’re not confined by the thoughts of losing out on time in the parks or the disappointing thought of missing a favorite attraction because you know you’ll have plenty of time to head back on another day later on in your 7 day stay. 

There’s so much freedom added to the longer stays simply because of that aspect of extra time and with Disney Springs nearing completion, you can take the time to explore that area in depth which you likely wouldn’t on a 4 day or shorter vacation. Planning your days out is a bit less important for these loner stays but if you want some help and want to see how we handle these longer trips affectively, be sure to check out:

If you’re looking for even more info on the parks and resorts, along with some hidden gem experiences, be sure to check out WDW Magazine! Their print release is coming out soon! Join the wait list. 

Unique Disney Itinerary Options 

When you really think about it, two things dictate a Disney parks Itinerary, cost and time. It’s no secret that Disney trips can be incredibly expensive and just keep getting more expensive year after year. The increased costs do come with an increased level of entertainment, but it would be wrong to avoid the fact of the matter that these are vastly expensive vacations. Disney trips are expensive, but at the same time it doesn’t have to be absurdly expensive and that’s why we came up with the following itinerary options.

The first option, and perhaps the link that I feel is most important out of this entire article is a closer look at how to make Disney work for your situation and your budget. We’ve been in your shoes. Over the years we’ve toured the parks on string budgets, and we’ve toured the parks with large budgets. No matter what, there’s always a budget and staying within that budget can make or break your ability to head to Walt Disney World. Ultimately, that’s the step that should precede everything in this article. A Disney trip is great and well worth the investment of both your time and money to create memories that really and truly will last a lifetime, but at the same time, no trip is worth risking your financial security. Definitely check out a few ways to cut costs and make your vacation work for your both in that article and on other sites throughout the Disney online community. 

The second article listed is a way to tour what Disney has to offer without ever stepping foot in a park. I really only recommend this to guests who have been to the parks time after time, but a more relaxing stay at one of Disney’s world class resorts can be an incredibly relaxing trip that will rival nearly any other vacation destination. Often times when you cut out the park tickets or even just cut your amount of park days the savings may surprise you and may even allow you to put that money into staying at the resort you’ve always dreamed of spending a few nights in. 

Disney World Itineraries and Trip Planning - What We Recommend

Why Should You Care? 

Inevitably, I can guarantee that at least one of you is asking this question. Either you’re the one planning the trip despite not wanting to go or you’re weighing the costs of the experience and requirements of planning against another vacation destination. Ultimately, I’ll share one message with those of you who are in this position. Disney is a place that has a bad reputation for being a place for kids or young families. When you tell someone you write about the Disney parks, you typically get two responses. The first is a blank stare and then a comment like, “aren’t you too old for that” or something of the sorts. Or you get a second response and that is “We love Disney and have been going for years!” The first response is what keeps me doing what I’m doing today. I know that sounds like quite the opposite of what should happen, but bear with me. 

I share on this site to help people plan and experience Disney on a deeper level. There’s not a doubt in my mind that the “you’re too old for that” response is typically from someone who doesn’t understand the parks and resorts. Truthfully, that’s what I enjoy sharing with them. When you tell those same people that Disney has select world class dining options, impressive nightlife, PGA tour level golf courses, bowling, Broadway-esque caliber shows, and incredible story telling capabilities, they tend to look at you with a different thought process. Many times it’s a changed perspective and a newfound desire to tour the Disney property in a different way than the media tends to portray it. 

That may sound like I hold myself to this ultimate “manipulative authority” or that I’m a Disney public relations drone trying to drum up business, but it’s not intended to sound that way (again, I’ve never worked for or even with Disney directly at this point). I share those things and ultimately these itineraries to share with others something that has been a big portion of my life and that has created memories that will truly last a lifetime. I want everyone to have that same opportunity in some facet. The moments that create these memories may not be the same for everyone, but Disney as a whole is a place that creates opportunities for guests to create their own story and experiences time and time again. It sounds hopelessly corny in writing but it’s true and one of those things so many of you reading this understand and have experienced first hand.            

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! 


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.

Disclosure – This post does contain affiliate links that help us out monetarily when you use our partners over at Destinations to Travel and purchase from WDW Magazine or the Official Ticket Center. We recommend these groups because we know them and have talked to their owners personally who stand behind their products and services.     

Our Top 5 "Hidden in Plain Sight" Locations of Walt Disney World

by Guide4WDW

by: guide4wdw – Collin

Our Top 5 “Hidden in Plain Sight” Locations of Walt Disney World 


A few short days ago I was talking with a reader that mentioned a certain area of Epcot that they felt was entirely underrated and a “hidden gem” of sorts of the Walt Disney World experience. To me, this seemingly simple moment of discovering a “hidden gem” spot during a WDW trip is something that is a bit hard to describe. 

As you travel through the parks, occasionally you’ll come across a spot that just clicks with you and is something you really enjoy for a shockingly trivial reason. To me, that moment and type of location is oh so often found in the simplest of experiences in the most trivial moments of the vacation experience. For instance, you wont find an attraction on my list in the generic sense of the term but at the same time you may find little tucked away areas of the parks and resorts that many entirely overlook. They’re not big, exciting locations, but sometimes there’s beauty in true to life simplicity. A moment sitting on a bench away from the crowds or simply away from the attractions can open up a world of possibilities. Sometimes it frees your thoughts and allows you to escape, even to a greater sense than the parks do on a daily basis for many of us.

If you’re one of those people that goes all out and does nothing but jump from attraction to attraction your entire trip, truthfully this list may not be for you. But, for the rest of you, keep reading and you may discover a little area to uncover during your next Walt Disney World trip. If that sounds like a good plan, keep reading and we’ll share a few of what we consider “Hidden in Plain Site” locations in the parks.

1. Swiss Family Treehouse 

For years, if I’m completely honest, I looked at the Swiss Family Treehouse as nothing more than a lot of stairs and that’s certainly a regret of mine, but at the same time a blessing in disguise. On a relatively recent trip, heavy crowds forced us to think outside of the box and take the time to enjoy a few of the simpler aspects and attractions of Magic Kingdom. In doing so, I convinced myself to give the treehouse another chance and I’m glad I did. As you embark in climbing the multitude of stairs leading to the top, you’re greeted by some of the most spectacular and vastly overlooked views in all of Magic Kingdom. From your vantage point high in the tree, you can see Space Mountain clearly in the distance and can witness Adventureland from an entirely new perspective. 

If you’re lucky enough to have a few minutes at night, the views are improved upon and changed in a unique way in the dimly lit light of the staircases and classic lamps of the structures that make up this impressive treehouse structure.        

2. The Gardens of the Japan Pavilion

Once again, this garden is a bit tucked away and out of sight of the average guest. Over in the Japan Pavilion of the World Showcase, a little garden welcomes guests into a sensory experience of wonderful smells and the gentle sounds of water flowing over rocks and through little streams slightly elevated above the World Showcase promenade near Katsura grill. 

If you’ve not taken the time to at least quickly wander through the garden, it’s worth a few minutes or even potentially longer to enjoy a moment of true simplicity and beauty in the classic nature of the situation Imagineering so expertly developed. It’s culturally representative of Japan but at the same time features that uniquely “Disney” touch that makes all the difference in setting the scene for a memorable moment in the parks.     

3. The Canada Pavilion Waterfalls and Gardens


The Canada Pavilion is, in my opinion, the most overlooked and glanced past pavilion in all of Epcot. If you ever take a moment to watch guests at this point in the World Showcase, you’ll typically see them glance up at the pavilion and keep on walking. Honestly, that’s a huge mistake. The Canada pavilion is far more diverse and far more unique than most guests give it credit for. As you walk up the stairs and head towards the back of the pavilion you’ll find a small staircase that leads towards a large waterfall. If you walk right up near the waterfall you’ll find a small path leading the way to the gardens of the pavilion that open up to the area near the entrance to Le Cellier steakhouse (a must-do if you’ve never tried it!). Shockingly, the area is very peaceful and is also a great place to catch a glimpse of Illuminations from a new perspective. You will miss out on some of the low level fireworks, but the atmosphere is, in many cases, worth the trade off.      


4. East Center Street 

Much like the Carolwood Room mentioned below, East Center street is a place where you can sit back and escape the crowds for just a few minutes while enjoying a bit of Disney history hidden in plain site. For example, a select few of the unique historical elements you can find here are: 

Magic Kingdom is a treasure trove of Disney history but East Center Street is unique in that many guests walk past it day after day and trip after trip without any recognition or recollection of what it is or may hold. Don’t get me wrong, in essence East Center Street is a narrow street jutting east about half way down Main Street USA across from the Emporium. The street itself literally goes nowhere and simply ends after about 15-20 yards, but it’s clever seating area and hidden touches create a great “escape” from the park. You can sit back on a bench or small table and listen to the sounds of Main Street, the singing lessons hidden in the cracked window above, and watch the guests hustle and bustle around Main Street.


It is, without a doubt, a simple pleasure of the Main Street experience but one that can be enjoyed in just a few minutes or you can sit back and relax for hours on end. If you can spare the time, this could be an incredibly good place off the beaten path in the parks to think and take a step back from the troubles of the world for even a brief moment.    
  

5. The Carolwood Room 

If you’ve been following along with the site for a while you likely know how much I enjoy this simple piece of the magic. Tucked away over at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, this vastly overlooked little room unveils the real history of Walt Disney’s train obsession that often culminated into larger than life theme park steam engine iterations. It was no secret that Walt loved steam engines and Walt’s Carolwood estate was perhaps the most striking example of that larger than life love of a hobby that we can still appreciate today. Walt’s Carolwood estate was perhaps one of his most unique projects. Around the home, Walt built an incredibly elaborate miniature railroad and this little room in the heart of the Boulder Ridge Villas at Wilderness Lodge is a tribute to that hobby of the man who started it all. 

The Carolwood room is cleverly placed out of site of most guests. As you enter Wilderness Lodge head out the right exit near the gift shop and follow the path down to the Villa lobby area. As soon as you enter the door head to your right and you’ll be in the heart of this classic room. I wont go into vast detail because I did that in our article – Outstanding Disney History Hiding in Plain Sight: The Carolwood Room. However, this little room is an incredible place to escape for a few brief moments. There’s a beautiful fireplace, big comfy chairs, and you’re steps away from one of the most incredible views of Bay Lake you’ll find anywhere on property! Don’t forget to stop by Geyser Point for a great cheeseburger and an even better atmosphere.  
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! 


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 World Discount – How We Saved 27% With One Phone Call

by Guide4WDW

by: guide4wdw – Collin

Disney World Discounts – How We Saved 27% With One Phone Call

Starting out today, I’ll be completely honest with you. This is not a special Disney discount code or a trick to capture a special “pin-code” or even a limited time offer discount. Well, actually in some ways, the 27% discount we received on our next booked Disney vacation was slightly time sensitive, but I’ll share how we got around that in one simple way. Long story made short, good Disney World discounts are hard to come by these days and, with the rising costs, finding ways to get back to the parks at a cheaper rate is incredibly important to so many of us. 


While many of you may have heard of the discount we’re sharing today, I was shocked by this individual scenario and rather than focusing on the discount itself, I wanted to share our experience and how much money it actually saved us. We have the numbers and we will share the real world numbers. Also worth mentioning is that these are real numbers that you can find on Disney’s site as of Sunday, May 20th, 2018. Lastly, I would be out of place if I didn’t tell you “your results may very” as unfortunate and cliche as that sounds. 

The key to this article to me is not to say “Hey, look what we got!” but rather to be real with you all about the discount. As always, nobody pays us to say these things, we aren’t given “special discounts” by Disney as media (contrary to popular belief – believe me… Disney hardly acknowledges we exist at this point lol), and as always this is a pretty raw and unfiltered expression of our thoughts. 

How We Saved $1,000+ On Our Next Disney Trip   

This is likely what you all came for, but believe it or not we saved 27% on a “bounceback” offer. Typically, that is an extremely common discount if you take the time to seek it out during your trip, but our situation was a bit different. For those of you who may not know, Disney offers what is called, as mentioned, “bounceback” discounts. When you’re on a Disney vacation, you’ll occasionally find a card placed in your room with info about booking your next trip at a discounted rate. According to the info provided by the resort, you must book your next stay before you leave from your current stay. That’s where the possible “limited time nature” of this offer (mentioned above) typically comes into play. Truth be told, that’s the only way to guarantee your discount. The actual discount will vary by resort and resort category/type but the offer is nearly always available for at least some variety of dates if you can book your stay before you leave. From my experience, the easiest way to do this is to call from your resort phone and ask about the offer, even if the discount card does not appear in your room. At one time these cards were everywhere but they have appeared less and less frequently in recent years. 

Here’s where our case gets a bit strange. We did recently return from a trip to the parks and a stay at Disney’s Boardwalk Villas, but we did not book our trip before we left. Obviously, at that point we wouldn’t typically qualify for the discount. At this point, we didn’t think we had even the slightest chance of securing a bounce-back rate. Instead of worrying too much about it, we decided to try and book under one of the discounted rates available for our dates of travel that were straight from Disney and available to everyone. Before we booked, a member of our travel party decided to call up Disney and ask about anything that could be tied to our name. In the past we’ve ran into free dining (a long time ago) and unique one time discounts long before this site was a reality. This particular call ended in a similar result. 


We inquired about any other discounts that may be available, and were shocked when, after a few minutes on hold, they offered up a discount that took a Boulder Ridge Villa at Wilderness Lodge from a price that was well out of reach for our finances down to a cost that was far less than the rate quoted to us for Saratoga Springs on Disney’s website. This is one of many reasons I recommend calling to book your stay or talking with our recommended travel agency. As always, it helps us out when you book through them and we appreciate your support, just tell them Guide4WDW sent you! either way, you may be surprised at the discounts you can get or what a real person can find for you opposed to booking online. 

As you may have noticed, I didnt call the discount a bounceback offer at this point, because honestly they didn’t even tell us that was the offer they booked the discount under. Considering this was 2 months after we checked out of our resort, which they knew, the thought of it being that discount never crossed our minds. It wasn’t until we made a rookie mistake and forgot to pay our deposit after holding the reservation and losing our entire reservation, that we found out the rate we were booked under originally. See…. even those of us who have been doing this for years miss something every once in a while…. To rectify our classic oversight mistake, we called in desperation to try to get the reservation back. Thankfully we got to talk to a supervisor who was incredibly nice about the issue and who told us that they had went ahead and originally booked us under a “bounceback” offer. It was a stellar recovery for our mistake in the end result but just goes to show that Disney can still be very accommodating if you go about things a bit more creatively than you may originally think to. If you think it’s been too long since your last stay to try this, give it a shot anyway, the worst they can do is say “no.” You’ve got nothing to lose but a few minutes of your time!  

The Real World Numbers  

All of this could be made up without real numbers and proof of concept, so here’s the breakdown of our savings. We booked a discounted room at the Boulder Ridge Villas in a one bedroom villa. The cost for that room was $5047 originally for a 6 night stay. Keep in mind, every rate you see here is a part of a package we booked with a 2 day ticket included for 4 guests. After the discount was applied, the cost dropped to $3697 for an overall cost difference of over $1000 dollars and a legitimate 27% discount! Its not an “up to 30% off discount,” those are real numbers and real world results. If that’s not a good discount, I’m not entirely sure what is.

Things to Consider     

Perhaps the best part about these offers is that they apply to the exact same cancelation policy as any other Disney reservation. So, in essence, you could book your stay and hold your stay for a $200 deposit for your package or one nights stay for a stand alone room booking that will be refundable if you decide to cancel more than 30 days out from your travel dates. Also worth noting is that this offer does not prohibit you from utilizing future offers that debut if they are better than your currently booked discount. The offers cannot be combined or layered though. It’s a one or the other type of decision. 

With all of that being considered, first – never hesitate to ask about other discounts you may be eligible for, and second – if you can generally pick dates for your next stay, book a second stay for the future during your Walt Disney World resort stay. If you have to change your dates, you can typically take the bounceback rate to your next set of dates, assuming it’s not a drastic change. if all else fails, simply cancel your reservation and you’ve lost nothing if you do it early enough before your next trip. 

Wrapping Up

I know this isn’t the ideal discount we all hope for, but it was a surprise nonetheless and something that I thought I would pass some info on to you all about for future bookings. As always, these are simply my tips and what may work for me, may not work for you and your vacation planning style. I share this because it’s real results. It’s not a sugar coated TV commercial, and you know we only share what has been tried and proven. If you’re looking for more info like this, and you’re an annual passholder check out our tips on “ticket bridging” in our Disney Annual Pass: When Is It Worth The Money? post.

As always, I truly appreciate you taking the time out of your day to spend a few moments with us. Your time is an incredibly valuable resource and one that there’s never quite enough of in this day and age, so we honestly and truly appreciate you spending a few minutes here with us. We’re coming up on 1 million page views across the sites history and that is truly a mind blowing number to me and something I never thought I would ever see when this website project began. We’re not the biggest site, but if you told me back in 2016 that I would have made the friends I have made through this endeavor, I would have never believed you but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Thanks for being here! 

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! 


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 in the Rain – How to Make the Most of a Rainy Day at Walt Disney World!

by Guide4WDW

by: guide4wdw – Collin

Disney World in the Rain – Making the Most of It! 

A rainy week at Walt Disney World is something we all dread seeing pop up in the weather forecast for an upcoming trip. At times it can be frustrating to set up all the resort reservations, tickets, dining, and all the other details of the trip to arrive to a week of rain in the parks. Sure, it’s not ideal, but at the same time it opens up the door to new experiences that you otherwise wouldn’t have had the opportunity to enjoy. Admittedly, that’s easier to say sitting behind a computer screen than walking through Walt Disney World with thunderstorms looming or a constant trickle of rain falling from sky, but it can be quite true in reality. 

Here’s the thing about rain at Walt Disney World. Most guests and sites are going to say to avoid the parks because it’s “miserable” to trek around in the rain and that you should go to an outlet mall or go do something else in Orlando that is inside and away from the rain. I’m going to tell you to do the opposite. Sure, rain can be uncomfortable at times and your shoes will be wet and inevitably you’ll stay pretty damp throughout the day, but I’d recommend you go to the parks anyway and enjoy the moment and a new experience you may or may not have had before.

 If you can get behind that concept, keep on reading and we’ll dive into it a little deeper, but if you really despise rain check out our final tip which will be how we’d recommend avoiding the rain altogether. For the rest of you, here are a few things I’d think about and recommend for a rainy Disney trip.   

France - Disney in the Rain
Before we get started, I will say that rain is just something you’re likely to face on any Disney trip. Chances are, it’s going to happen and it’s more of a matter of when it is going to happen rather than if it’s going to happen. Unfortunately it’s a part of the warmer weather that is characteristic of Florida and a rainy season unfolds as a result. Don’t let it ruin your vacation, simply adapt and overcome to make the most of the experience, even if it’s not your “ideal” plan for a Walt Disney World vacation.           

One Solution – Don’t Worry About the Rain (Let Me Explain…)  

Thankfully, rain “all day” at Walt Disney World is typically the exception rather than the rule. In the rainier seasons of late spring, summer, and early fall, chances are it’s going to rain at some point if you’re planning a week long trip to the parks. With that being said, chances are vastly in your favor that it will not be “all day” rain. A vast majority of the time, you’ll be walking through the park, enjoying a beautiful morning, and then as 2 or 3 o’clock rolls around storm clouds will fill in and you’ll catch an aggressive downpour that lasts anywhere from 1 hour (or less) to 4 or more hours. I’m not local, but from my experience a majority of the afternoon thunderstorms last a couple hours and fade away as the sun sets unveiling an incredible sunset reflecting off of the passing storm clouds. 

Truth be told, there’s a huge upside to these rain showers, particularly in the summer months. If the storms are short, the temperature will drop aggressively as the rain rolls through the area leaving behind a far less aggressive temperature than the 85-90+ degree early afternoons that tend to be the preface a big storm. 

These afternoon rain storms aren’t just a Florida phenomenon, but tend to happen more frequently and predictably there. Here in Kentucky, we’ve faced almost identical weather the last few days to what you’d expect from a Florida summer day. This morning it’s 85 degrees here and yesterday it was 90 at about this time. This afternoon we’ll catch a pretty aggressive rainstorm that will develop but in Florida, a similar weather pattern occurs almost daily. If you are in the parks this week (the week of May 15th 2018) it appears to me as if you will be facing an uncharacteristically rainy week with a fair amount of continuous rain, but I’ll let the local readers confirm or deny that one.      

Epcot - Disney in the Rain


However, the kind of rain that is typical of these Florida months isn’t a vacation ruiner and I’d argue that no type of rain will “ruin” a Disney vacation. Don’t be like many guests and avoid the parks, just avoid the rain when it comes around.   


Avoid the Rain, Not the Parks 

When the rain starts to come down at Walt Disney World, there tends to be two types of guests. The ones that run for the resort and hang out in the lobby or watch TV in the resort room and the ones that embrace the rain and head to the parks anyway. Honestly, it bothers me a bit to see guests huddled in the lobby “waiting out” the rain when a somewhat rare rainy morning develops. Most of them have already paid for their day in the parks and simply don’t realize how much fun you can have touring the parks in the rain. It’s not the situation you look for and wish for, but nevertheless it’s an experience you don’t want to miss. One of my greatest memories with a group of friends arose from a rainy day in the parks. 

It was a rather simple day, and we had started the day at a park other than the one we planned to finish our day in, but we had secured a reservation for Le Cellier at the Canada Pavilion in Epcot for a late afternoon lunch. Well, it was summer, so at this pointing in the article you know what that means for an afternoon reservation. You guessed it, rain! When we left our first park for the day (which for the life of me I can’t remember what park it was) we knew we were going to be cutting it incredibly close to make our reservation, or even our grace period before they gave away our reservation.

As we approached Epcot via the Monorail the skies opened up and a rainstorm broke loose that was one of the worst I’ve seen in all my years touring the Disney parks. It was a sideways rain that is incredibly difficult to deal with but we were determined to make the reservation. We arrived at the front entrance already late for the reservation, but knew they’d hold it for a short time. Me, being around 16 or 17 at the time decided I would just run and see if I could make it to the restaurant to at least prove that we were in the park, even if the whole party wasn’t there to be seated…. Now, before I finish this story this is a great time to say I DO NOT RECOMMEND doing this lol. Truth be told it’s a great way to get hurt and is frowned upon by Disney… For those of you who know Epcot well, you know that the front entrance to the Canada Pavilion for this reservation is not a short journey. At this point, I had about 5 minutes to make the trek. Long story short, I saved the reservation by about a minute and a half. 

You may be wondering how any of this applies to a rainy day at Walt Disney World, but I share this story for one reason and one reason only. This is a story we share and talk about among friends and family time and time again. It was so absurd that it was hilarious and out of the ordinary for any place other than Disney that it’s utterly comical to replay in our minds time and time again. It’s a strange memory but one that has stood the test of time.  However, it’s one that would have never happened if we didn’t just embrace the rain and enjoy the moment no matter what the weather threw at us.  

I know this is a hard suggestion to implement, but if you’re prepared for the rain (see below), you’ll have an incredible day that vastly exceeds sitting at the resort and waiting on/watching the rain fall outside the windows. The resort staff does an excellent job of entertaining guests and creating fun, limited time, events indoors for guests to enjoy but don’t pass on a park day just because of the rain. Enjoy the resort and what it offers on rainy days but do that in the afternoon or during a break from the parks to change clothes or dry out for a little bit, don’t make it the focus of your day. 

Honestly, many of the resorts, especially the Grand Floridian, Wilderness Lodge, and Polynesian, take on a warm and inviting persona as the rain falls outside or a storm passes which can be incredibly relaxing. Enjoy those moments but also take the time to enjoy the parks we all know and love despite the circumstances and the weather of the world around you. Enjoy that escape from reality and enjoy a few minutes playing in the rain like you did when you were a kid. A little water falling from the sky never hurt anybody, and you may be surprised at what you can get done with lower crowd levels, and that unique situation opening up a variety of new opportunities.  
                          

Attractions to Focus on In The Rain 

If you take my advice and head to the parks anyway, you’ll likely be able to avoid the rain more so than you may expect. Magic Kingdom and Epcot are particularly good parks to tour in the rain. The experiences and attractions are very close together. At Magic Kingdom, take  Tomorrowland for example. When the rain begins, jump in line for Space Mountain, make a quick walk over to Carousel of Progress, jump in line for Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, head to the Laugh Floor, and finish things off with a ride on the Peoplemover. By the time you do all that, you’re looking at likely over 2 hours of awesome entertainment that will get you through a big storm reasonably dry. 

Here’s a few other attractions to take part in in the Magic Kingdom: 

  • The Country Bear Jamboree
  • Splash Mountain (you’re already going to get wet, and it’ll run if no lightening is in the area)
  • The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh 
  • It’s a Small World 
  • Peter Pan’s Flight 
  • Philharmagic 
  • Prince Charming Regal Carrousel 
  • Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid
  • Haunted Mansion
  • Pirates of the Caribbean 
  • and so many others! – Not to mention how much time you could spend strolling through the stores of Main Street. 
Little Mermaid - Disney in the Rain - How to Make the Most of a Rainy Day at Walt Disney World!


Epcot is a bit different: 

  • The Land Pavilion is a great place to spend some time riding Soarin’ or the Land attraction itself. You may even want to look into a “Behind the Seeds” Tour for a closer look at the greenhouses, especially while the rain falls outside.  
  • The Seas with Nemo And Friends is an incredible place to hang out for a bit as a passing rain shower rolls through. The pavilion is vastly underrated and could easily take up a great bit of time during an Epcot day, but very few guests take the time to fully explore it. 
  • Last, but certainly not least, you have the World Showcase. The showcase is full of stores and indoor experiences that allow you to take a few steps in the rain and then right back inside to enjoy the next store or experience. Don’t forget to book a dining reservation or to stop for a great counter service meal somewhere to experience the culinary aspects of some (or a few) of the countries. 

As a bit of a seemingly odd suggestion, don’t count out a day at the waterparks if there’s no lighting in the area. The water parks are great and you’re going to get wet anyway so just stick your towels and change of clothes in a locker to keep them dry and go enjoy the slides!           

What Park to Avoid in the Rain – Here’s Why 

If you’re going to try the Disney parks on a rainy day, here’s the one park I don’t recommend, Hollywood Studios. Now, this recommendation is a bit strange because it is a very small park, but there’s really no good way to navigate Hollywood Studios without having to trek through large areas of open space where you simply cannot avoid the rain. Additionally, the Indiana Jones Stunt show is typically cut short because two of the sets are exposed to the elements, and even with the Toy Story expansion set to debut, there isn’t too terribly much to do in the park when it rains. The Star Wars Launch bay is a great place to be indoors for a bit, along with Toy Story Mania, Star Tours, and Tower of Terror, but there’s really no good way to navigate the park and get from place to place without getting soaked at some point or another. At Epcot and Magic Kingdom multiple things are attached or only  a few steps away from each other, and that doesn’t tend to remain true at Hollywood Studios. You may know a better way to make it work but I’ve never had much luck with Hollywood Studios in the rain.

Disney in the Rain - How to Make the Most of a Rainy Day at Walt Disney World!


To me, Animal Kingdom is also particularly tough in the rain due to the layout of the park, but its rainy day activities have improved with the new attractions of the Pandora expansion.
         

What to Pack and How To Prepare 

This is the key to this whole article and finding ways to make Disney “work” in the rain. A few simple things can make or break the way you can or cannot handle the parks in the rain. Here’s a few quick suggestions. 
  • Make sure you have a change of clothes somewhere. In your bag, at the resort, or somewhere near by. 
  • Pack a good rain jacket. In my opinion, ponchos are terrible. While they are vastly convenient, if you know rain is inevitable, a rain jacket is far more comfortable and keeps you far more dry than the glorified plastic bag with three holes cut in it. Never buy Disney ponchos unless you’re a collector of ponchos (yes, they do exist lol… you know who you are) or are just incredibly desperate. They’re horribly overpriced and while they are nice ponchos you’ll likely never wear them again so a $1 poncho from the dollar store could essentially serve the same purpose or one of these compact individually packaged ones off of Amazon.
  • Have an extra pair of shoes ready at the resort. Wet shoes are not fun, so having an extra pair is a nice way to freshen up after a day of making the most of the rain. (Pro tip: if you get desperate, carefully slide a hair dryer into your shoes to dry them out faster in your resort room or consider opting for waterproof shoes or even flip-flops on a rainy day.)
  • Consider taking a hat. In many cases it will shield your eyes from the heaviest of rain showers and keep your hair dry along the way. 
  • Carry with you some extra plastic bags for electronics just in case. I know most iPhones are water resistant or at least claim to be at this point in time, but other cameras and phones may not be. 
  • If you are carrying a camera through the parks, consider picking up a nice camera bag, especially if you’re carrying a more expensive DSLR or one that isn’t sealed. Personally I recommend and use a Lowepro Photo Hatchback because it fits everything I need and it has an All Weather Cover that conveniently fits into a pocket of the backpack itself in the chance that a huge rainstorm develops that could ruin my gear. For more on my park bag/gear, check out my Disney Packing List – What I Take to Disney World – If anyone wants to hear more about my photo gear in particular just let me know and I’ll get something written up. It’s a pretty budget friendly setup at the moment.  

If You Despise Rain, Try This

If you’ve made it through this whole article and still think a day in the rain at WDW doesnt sound even remotely appealing, that’s okay! Here’s a few recommendations: 

  • Consider resort hopping. Head to Magic Kingdom, jump on the Monorail and spend the day touring the resorts on the Monorail loop. There’s plenty of shopping and dining to keep you occupied for quite some time, and you could even make a day out of it. 
  • Go see the legendary Yehaa Bob perform at the River Roost at Port Orleans Riverside. Be sure to check performance dates and times first. 
  • Enjoy your resort and explore it in much greater depth than you likely would have without the rain. If you don’t know where to start, ask a cast member at the front desk and I would almost guarantee they’ll have a great suggestion! 
  • Book a last minute Table Service Meal and go try something you’ve never experienced before. It may become your new favorite dining location! Resorts are great places to look for dining reservations but oftentimes you can pick up hard to find reservations in the parks on rainy days as guests cancel and opt to stay in the room opposed to touring the parks. It’s their loss and your win in that case!         


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! 


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