A month ago, when gaddling blogger Dave Luna mentioned he was going to Disney World, he received some terrific advice. Now that Spring Break season is here, I’m adding tips from a friend of mine who lives in Orlando. Last Christmas Day when I headed to the Magic Kingdom with my two children (a 14 year-old and a 5 year-old) and my father to see what we could in 10 hours, we tried his recommendations. They seemed to work.
Tip #1. Go Left. When there are two lines, go left. He said most people go right. Our longest wait? 35 minutes for Space Mountain.
Tip # 2. Start at the back of the park and work your way to the entrance. Most people start at the entrance and work towards the back. Space Mountain was our last ride. It’s at the front. My dad and son actually went on next door’s Buzz Light Year again while my daughter and I were on Space Mountain. That line was 20 minutes.
Other tips: Rent a stroller before the entrance gate to avoid a long line once inside. Just show your receipt at the strollers and you’re off. If it’s going to rain, buy rain ponchos early. You might be wearing one for five hours. We did and they lasted. If it’s raining lightly, go on Aladdin’s Carpet ride. The line will be non-existent and since you’ll be wearing your poncho, you’ll stay dry.
Also, get FAST PASS tickets to cut down wait times. These passes are free and reserve ride times. Each ride has a FAST PASS dispenser at the ride’s entrance. We did this for Splash Mountain and it worked great. We sped to the front when it was our turn. Plan a strategy though. We never made it on the Peter Pan ride. By the end of the day, the line was 80 minutes (it’s at the back of the park) and the FAST Pass ticket when we thought about getting one was for three hours later. We were in our car by then.
Last tips: Be prepared to say “NO.” Every themed ride ends in a gift shop. Our meltdown came at Pirates of the Caribbean. Also, don’t let anyone talk you into leaving before the fireworks. They are spectacular, even if they fill the park with smoke. For more tips courtesy of the Magic Kingdom, click Read.