It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Everything is sparkling with holiday cheer as some of the big events over the season start to get closer. Unfortunately, so does the chaos that the holidays bring. Today, we are looking at three tips to keep in mind to make the most out of your time in Walt Disney World over the next few weeks.
Allow Extra Time
You might picture this time of year as being very slow in the parks. With crowds at peak numbers and everyone looking to cut corners, there isn’t really a good way to navigate the parks quickly. Even so, one thing you might not realize while you spend a lot of time waiting around is that you are actually short on time. When it comes to getting to any destination throughout the day, leave lots of extra time. Whether weaving through the crowds from one end of Magic Kingdom to the other or transiting from your resort to a dinner reservation in Disney Springs, you must leave much more time to get where you are going.
Crowds will be waiting to use Disney transportation, and it could take quite a while before you reach the head of the queue. If you are driving yourself, be prepared for tricky parking situations that are always made more stressful with a looming deadline to arrive somewhere. Take the additional time you need, add more, and leave earlier than that again. The worst that can happen is you spend some luxurious time enjoying the nearby festivities while you wait at the correct end for your plans. This theory applies to your queue wait time as well. Whatever the sign says, allow extra time, especially if you are counting down to a reservation or on the cusp of a Lightning Lane return window.
Pack Your Patience
This time of year is absolutely beautiful for a trip to Disney. True. Also true: it can also be incredibly frustrating. People are annoying. They make silly decisions, they are impatient, sometimes even downright rude. You can’t control them; however, you can control how much impact those people have on your overall experience by being prepared for it.
While everyone is trying to force the perfectly magical holiday vacation, accept in advance that someone is going to rub you the wrong way. Another person will likely push in front of you in a line, and others will push and shove on entry and exit until they reach their destination 20 seconds faster than they were going to if they hadn’t. The way I like to think of it is that that person must need this more than I do. Not want it more. But need it in a way the inconsiderate action pales in comparison, so I let them go. It doesn’t mean you have to make it easy for people to take advantage of you, but you don’t need to harbor it and let it fester within your mind, either. I find that families who make their own magic are less controlled by a need to tick every box and can have a more enjoyable experience.
Forget Park Hopping; Use Lightning Lanes Instead
When your transit time between parks could waste much of your park time, I prefer to skip Park Hopping at Walt Disney World. I know that some people swear by it, and at other times of the year, I see the merit of squeezing as much into your day as possible across multiple locations; however, during the holidays, it can be a recipe for stress and disaster.
Focus on one park and do it well using Disney’s Lightning Lane service instead, which can move you between attractions faster. Replace that downtime waiting for transportation between parks with more rides and experiences with the ones you love. Another consideration to avoid park hopping is remembering that you might not get into your next theme park destination. As numbers reach crowd capacity, you may be caught between your two locations without anywhere to go.
When traveling at this time of year, I find that one’s enjoyment can always be amplified with the right attitude going in. If you and your family are prepared for the more unfortunate behaviors that might occur around you, it’s easier to move past the actions of others without allowing them to affect you. Take your time, avoid stressful deadlines by not packing too much in, and accept that there is a trade-off at this time of year where you can enjoy the holiday atmosphere but will likely have a slightly less productive park experience than at other times of the year.
I hope you have a safe and enjoyable trip to Walt Disney World during these holidays!
Feature Image: Photo by R.D. Smith on Unsplash
