Top Mistakes to Avoid On Your Next Disney Trip

After many vacations to Walt Disney World it got us thinking... why do so many people complain that they need a "vacation from their vacation" to WDW?  Then we remembered our first fateful trip... we did so many things wrong that we swore we'd never go to Walt Disney World again- LOL! Fast forward to today, we have learned from our mistakes and try to convey our message to others.

Below is a few top mistakes to avoid..

Back to Back Parks

It is so very tempting to cram as many days in the theme parks as possible. Especially when "adding" additional park days to your "magic your way package" seems so affordable. However, this will lead to an exhausting vacation.

Even as our kids grow we find that scheduling back to back parks makes our vacation feel like a blur and our feet so achy we can't enjoy the moment. If you are still dead set on visiting the parks back to back be sure to set these two largest parks apart from your days..Animal Kingdom and Epcot. 

NOT SCHEDULING SCHEDULING DOWN TIME/relaxing AT THE RESORT

Scheduling down time is a definite must at Disney. If you are not able to schedule a day off at your resort (highly recommended) you can even slow down for a while at the parks. Relax and recharge. You might even find something you weren't looking for..

OVERPLANNING

While planning a Disney vacation is important and for me it's half the fun ;) It is also important to not get so bogged down on your plans that you fail to enjoy each moment. We also find that having a little flexibility we stumble upon things we may have missed if we stuck to a strict plan.

UNDER PLANNING

Ok, while we think that over planning is an overkill, under planning is definitely not. Disney is continuing to grow their technology to help (fast passes online etc) but it's also important for you to do your research prior to your vacation. Jot down what shows, restaurants or parks your family will like most and plan accordingly.

Another way to go about it is to make sure you have you have an idea where you will be each day of your trip wether a theme park or other and schedule dining reservations around that plan. If your heart is set on a specific restaurant be sure to begin reserving 180 days in advance. 

Park Hopping

While some families can park hop without batting an eyelash, for us it is daunting. We never quite enjoy or appreciate the park that we are visiting if we have the park hopper option. Plus, the travel time between parks (plus all the walking) is exhausting for most. 

Not preparing for Florida weather (beyond the rain gear)

Florida is called the sunshine state for a reason. Sunscreen is an absolute must even if you think you will be spending only a few minutes outdoors.

Florida can also be surprisingly chilly. During off season months you can go from wearing swimsuits to heavy winter coats in a few days. Plan accordingly so you are not stuck purchasing warm gear while on vacation. Who wants to spend their souvenir money on that anyway? lol ;)

Not going on the disney site to view restaurant options and menus

This goes along with planning. I can't tell you how many people out there don't realize the many different restaurant offerings inside Walt Disney World. If you have very picky eaters, you can easily research menus ahead of time from home and plan out your families favorites. Having at least some idea of what you might like even if you are doing only quick service options will help ease the "hangrys" lol

Not seeing the big picture

"We believed in our idea- a family park where parents and children could have fun- together."

-Walt Disney

Thanks For Listening!

Hope you enjoyed this episode! We really love doing these shows. It’s so much fun for us and we hope you like them too . If you could subscribe in Itunes and give us an honest review that would be awesome. 

Email us your question or suggestions for future episodes: Info@unlockingthemagic.com

Also come talk to us on Twitter & Facebook and see the photos from our recent trips on Instagram. That’s it for now! Until next time, have a great (and of course magical) day.