Welcome to those of you joining me from I Am A Disney Nerd and those of you just hopping aboard. I am the 2nd stop on our Magical Blogorail.
Spring break is such a busy time at Disney World. Ride wait times can be longer than usual and you may be surprised by how hot Florida can be in April. I am going to share with you the top 5 tips for visiting during spring break. Be sure to purchase your park tickets ahead of time. This will save you a lot of time and you can simply bypass the ticket line and go directly to the gates to enter the park. You can purchase tickets directly on the Disney website. Many first timer's do not realize the importance of arriving to the park when it first opens. I always recommend arriving at or even before the rope drop. This will allow you to have a head start to your first ride of choice :) Always have a game plan.
TIPS
- Purchase park tickets ahead of time
- Arrive at the theme park at rope drop
- Pack plenty of snacks and lunch to avoid waiting in long food lines
- Make your ADR's (advanced dining reservations) ahead of time
- Take a mid afternoon break to avoid the heat
Don't try to do everything in one day. Pace yourself, enjoy the moment and take time to see the details, take some photos too.
My kids favorite activity on vacation was visiting the pools at the resort
Take time to relax and enjoy a leisure train ride at Magic Kingdom, you'd be surprised, kids enjoy the little things too :)
Thank you for joining me today. Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is Capturing Magical Memories.
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Final Stop ~ Disney Mamas
Spring break was one of the busiest times we have ever experienced at WDW (except for NYE). A lot of preplanning and patience has to be involved in making the trip a success. Thanks for the great tips.
ReplyDeleteGreat tips Hayden. If you forget to make an Advance Dining Reservation what restaurant do you think we should try?
ReplyDeleteDepending on the park, if you forget an ADR I would suggest going to a resort for your meal, one close to the park you are at. That might be a way to go get your break and fill up for a return trip too! Great question!
DeleteI agree with Mike, we always have at least one meal at our resort - or even another resort so that we can explore their lobby. Disney does such a great job make each resort a unique experience.
DeleteWe love eating at the different resorts, O'hana is one of our favorites. But dont try eating there without ADR's :) I love the lobby at the Grand Floridian best!
DeleteI've never been to Disney for Spring Break, so I appreciate the tips. Which park's Rope Drop do you like the best?
ReplyDeleteMagic Kingdom, hands down! Although we've gone to rope drop at MK every trip, we've yet to be pixie dusted as family of the day. A girl can dream!
DeleteGreat tips, Hayden! Purchasing your tickets beforehand and getting there at rope drop (park opening for those that don't know) are great suggestions. I would also suggest that you take time to go slower, and enjoy the sights and sounds as much as the rides.
ReplyDeleteHeidi-I love the Magic Kingdom's rope drop and my children love seeing all of the characters! Mary-I would recommend eating at a quick service restaurant instead of trying to find availability at a sit down restaurant (especially during spring break). Save your time and just grab a quick dinner at Columbia Harbour House.
ReplyDeleteThe Magic Kingdom's rope drop is my favorite also! And I have to agree on Columbia Harbor House - it's a great quick-service restaurant and there's lots of seating, so you can usually find a good spot even on a crowded day. Ashley and I will be eating lunch there during our Keys to the Kingdom Tour in May (I love their Lighthouse Sandwich).
DeleteLucky you! The Keys to the Kingdom Tour looks fun! Can't wait to hear about it.
DeleteGreat tips! I think they can be used at Disneyland too.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing on the snacks is they are great for during long lines. Something about lines makes kids realize they are suddenly starving.
Seeing an indoor show during mid-afternoon is another great way to beat the heat, and avoid the worst of the crowds.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tips! I agree that early arrival is the way to go!
ReplyDeleteWhat resort would you recommend for a spring break trip?
Our last trip was in July - not spring break but another busy time. The tip about using the pools as an afternoon break is a great one! We will be taking Lexi and Tripp sometime in the next year or so, can you give us some tips for avoiding melt downs due to the long lines and crowded parks?
ReplyDeletePack plenty of snacks for your children to eat while waiting in line, something that isnt sticky! Goldfish, Cheerio's, etc. The last thing you want while waiting in line is a screaming child :)
DeleteFor spring break I recommend a resort close to the park to avoid traffic and the time driving back and forth to an off property resort or condo. If you have the money in the budget I would splurge and stay at a monorail resort such as the Contemporary Resort or Polynesian Resort.
ReplyDeleteGetting to the park at the rope drop is a great idea, I think it is important to get there early. This can also apply to Disneyland Resort parks. Hayden which hotel do you recommend staying at for Spring Break if I want to stay near the Magic Kingdom? ~ Thanks! Dawn
ReplyDeleteWe bought our tickets at a DVC resort near our lodgings days before visiting the Parks. Your tip is right, we skipped right past the long lineups at the ticket booths! Great tips!
ReplyDeleteGreat tips! I attended Rope Drop for the first time on my last trip. I will definitely be going to it more often now!
ReplyDeleteWhat did you think of your first MK Rope Drop?
DeleteI love the picture of your little one splashing around! You mentioned visiting resort pools. Do you let them splash around in the parks too? I haven't allowed this yet! ;) I don't want to deal with soggy clothes!
ReplyDeleteGood question! I always wondered this. My parents always kept us away from the splash zones for these reasons. Except we always visited in August and we'd dry up in ten minutes in that heat and humidity!
DeleteRosanne @ The Disney Point
Exactly! we keep our sons away too... however I'm tempted to let him splash this fall when we go just because the Casey Jr Splash Pad is so cute!! ;)
DeleteI am so glad that you have emphasized ADRs. Most of the Quick-Service spots had lines that were easily one hour long during Easter week!! We felt that our ADRs literally saved us from starvation; (especially since my husband has no patience for such things). On high volume days, leaving the parks is risky, so I agree that an in-park ADR or two is the only way to chow!
ReplyDeleteGreat tips! I tell everyone to make sure to get to the parks for rope drop. It's amazing what you can get done when you get there early.
ReplyDeleteGreat tips! Even on not-so-crowded times, we're at the park prior to rope drop! We are early birds (and by we, I mean my older boy), so we might as well!
ReplyDelete