11 Tips for Family Traveling to Walt Disney World.

The last time we went to Disney World was 2018 with our 1.5 years old. We went to all four parks in 5 Days during February and they had the hottest week (90+ degree). We were so tired and so hot, thank goodness for the baby center (more on that later). We didn’t enjoy the trip as much because I was trying to do too much in a short amount of time.

This time around, we were traveling with our two children (7 and 5). I knew a lot of things had changed so as soon as we booked the trip, I started to research, watched lots and lots of YouTube videos (my favorite is DFB Guide), and planned out our daily itinerary in a Google Spreadsheet (Yes, I’m one of those people, but I have a good reason…more on that below). We all agreed that this was the best family trip!

So I want to share 11 time-saving and money-saving tips with you so you can have a stress-free Disney World visit with your family.

1) Disney Gift Cards: Go to any wholesale club like Sam’s Club, Costco, or BJ’s and buy enough Disney Gift Cards to cover the any Disney-related expenses such as Disney hotel, theme park tickets, dining, and shopping. These gift cards are discounted so you can save some money there! You may have to combine your gift card balances (up to $1000) by going to disneygiftcard.com and you may have to do multiple transactions as well. This is the article I found that would explain how to use multiple gift cards.

2) Plan Your Park Day: Map out your must-dos—rides, character meet-and-greets, dining spots, etc. and document it somewhere where you can access or update it easily, such as Google Spreadsheet. Then print it out and hand it to everyone in your group. This is super handy if the My Disney Experience app crashes or if mobile service is spotty. Be flexible! You might need to switch things up based on wait times, weather, ride closures, or how your group is feeling.

3) Zip Lock Bags: Organize everything in zip lock bags. This speeds up security checks and makes finding things easier. The Disney Security will thank you! And bring extras to store unfinished snacks, lollipops, etc. Those Disney snacks are expensive!

4) Must Pack/Bring Items:

• Bring or rent a stroller. If your kids have a lot of energy and loves to walk, then you may not needed it. However, if your kids get tired easily or they walk slow, it’s better to have them sit in the stroller. It’s also a great place to store those extra clothes, umbrellas, and other things that you don’t need in your backpack or purse.
• Bring extra outfits and socks for everyone. Put them in the stroller or a locker. It’s way cheaper than buying new clothes at the park.
• Florida’s weather is unpredictable, pack ponchos and umbrellas. When it’s not raining, you can use ponchos to cover your bag or purse when you go on a water ride. The umbrellas will come in handy when you couldn’t find shades while you wait for the parade to start.
• Mini portable fans and cooling towels are must have! I get it for everyone in my family.
• Don’t pay for water! Freeze some water bottles or bring refillable water bottles. The park has water refill station and you can get free ice cold water at any quick service restaurants. Remember to keep hydrating!
• Use a small insulated backpack to put your snacks and those frozen water bottles to keep everything cold and fresh.
• Sanitizer or sanitizing wipes. You’ll need a lot of them!

5) Early Entry Trick: Want to enter the park early without early access privileges? Book an early breakfast reservation. You can enter the park at least 20 minutes before your reservation time, just show them your reservation on the My Disney Experience app. If you are going to Magic Kingdom, give yourself an extra 30 minutes or more to go through security and ride the ferry or the monorail to get to the park entrance.

6) Bring Sharpie Permanent Markers: Pack some dark-colored Sharpie permanent markers. This is great for labeling water bottles, snacks, and for character/princess autographs. Characters with masks or big costumes can’t see well with ballpoint pens, and their signatures might end up looking messy.

7) Kids’ Meals for All: Want to save money on food? Order kids’ meals — they come with a side and a drink! Yes, adults can order kids’ meals. It’s a great option when you don’t feel like eating a lot. If you want to know what were our favorite food/snacks in Disney World & Disney Springs, check out this blog.

8) Baby Center Breaks: Use the baby centers. Each Disney World park has one baby center. They’re perfect for nursing, diaper change, naps, cooling off, and snacking without the hustle and bustle. They offer free cold water and a movie to keep kids entertained. My favorite baby center is in Animal Kingdom—it has separate feeding, nursing, and changing areas, plus a spacious room with cool AC. My least favorite baby center is in Magic Kingdom—small seating area, very busy, and the room does not feel cool especially on a hot day.

9) Rider Switch Service: Take advantage of the Rider Switch Service. It’s free and great for parents with little ones who can’t or don’t want to ride certain attractions. One parent goes first (alone or with other kids), then they switch, and the other parent rides with a shorter wait in the Lightning Lane. My daughter loves it because she gets to ride twice! Win-win!

10) Post-Fireworks Fun: If your kids are up for it, don’t leave after the fireworks. Most guests leave and the lines to get back to the parking lot can be brutal. Sometimes the park closes at a later time. You can hit popular rides with shorter wait times. Check park hours and plan which rides to enjoy. We rode Space Mountain in Magic Kingdom twice and the wait was less than 15 minutes each time!

11) Save Money on Souvenirs: Before you buy any Disney souvenirs or keepsake, visit the Disney’s Character Warehouse first. It’s a chain outlet store that sells authentic Disney merchandise at a huge discount! It’s worth the wait! Yes, there’s a line to go into the store. There are multiple locations in Orlando.

I hope you’ll find these tips helpful and have a great trip to the Most Magical Place on Earth – Disney World! Let me know what other tips you would add to this list? Comment below.