I have been to Disney about 100 times in my life, with and without kids. I have noticed some of the tips are not really helpful if you have a lot of kids.

So this last trip we took in September I decided to make a list of the things that really made our trip smooth.

STAY

Do everything through Disney. I mean reservations, arrangements, everything. It makes the trip so much easier when you only have one reservation to worry about.

Now Disney hasMagicBands andFastPass+. Use these services!! Magic Bands are awesome. Forget carrying your credit card, room key or park passes. Everything is in the Magic Band. Plus you can customize it!

Get the meal plan! This is a must for me. Honestly is a great value if you want to save. You can pick different combinations from 2 quick service (fast food type) or 1 table and 1 quick. Meal plans also include a snack per day per person. When you go to a restaurant, you can let them know if anyone in your party has any food allergy and they will customize the meal for them.

When you stay at the hotel, save on the hotel and spend on the theme rooms. I find that the kids really enjoy having the little extra stuff in the rooms. And happy kids lead to smoother vacation.

When visiting Disney World for the first time, I recommend staying inside Disney World property. Don’t try to pack all of Disney plus Universal and such. It’s too much!

At the Park

Plan to visit a park a day and 2 days at Magic Kingdom. It is just impossible to see all of Magic Kingdom in one day.

Don’t wait to see all the characters at Magic Kingdom. Sometimes it’s easier and less crowded to see characters at Epcot Character Spot.

Don’t bring your refillable cup into the park. These are the cups you get when you stay at the Disney resorts. Honestly you can’t refill it at the park and it’s just something extra to carry.

Bring your own stroller! The strollers they rent DO NOT recline. I know even 7 year olds who WILL nap during a Disney vacation so be mindful of that. With that said, use a stroller that has A LOT of storage!

Bring an extra change of clothes for all the kids in your party. You might not use it, but better to not need it and have it than need it and NOT have it.

Schedule yourFastPass for early in the morning. You can onlygetmoreFastPasses after you use the first 3. So, the earlier you use them the quicker you can get others.

Study the maps before you walk into the park. Make sure you know where the bathrooms are and when you are planning to have your meals.

Extra tips!

Get to the park EARLY. The earlier the better.

Hit the popular rides first. Get them out-of-the-way early in the day.

Plan the day you spend at the park by Magic Hours. They are different for every park on different days of the week. It gives you more time to enjoy the park. We always do Magic Hours for Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom.

Make sure you know the height requirement for the rides. You don’t want to get your kid all excited about going on Soarin’ to find out they’re to short.

Save Epcot for a rainy day. Most of the rides are inside, so you can still enjoy the whole park even if it’s pouring. (Test Track is the only one that will close).

Stay at the park the WHOLE DAY! I know this sounds intense. But I know so many parents that plan to go to the park and then go back to their room and rest to then go back to the park. Honestly, this is an exhausting process in its self. Just find a good spot in the park and rest there.

Take a picture of your kids before you walk into the park. That way if they get lost, you have the most recent picture of them to show security.

Plan a day off. Stay at the hotel or check out Downtown Disney.

Lots of sunscreen and mosquito spray.

Plan at least one character meal. My favorites are Tusker House at Animal Kingdom and Crystal Palace at Magic Kingdom. (Both are buffet style so huge bang for your buck-go hungry!!).

Bring ponchos (buy them at Walmart for $2) 90% of the time it WILL rain in Florida at some point!

Plan a meeting spot. Even for the little ones.

A good tip I learned a long time ago was to take a piece of paper and write your phone number and name on it. Put it inside their pocket. Tell them. If they get lost, they have your number with them.

HAVE FUN!

These are just tips. Of course, go with the flow. Don’t overschedule your kids or yourself. Disney World can be VERY overwhelming, but if you have a plan of attack and are flexible, you are guaranteed to have such an amazing time you’ll want to comeback! I know I do! As far as which rides are a must, that’s a whole different post!