Doing Disney Right

Doing Disney Right

If you remember nothing else, keep in mind these essential strategies, tried and tested by generations of Disney fans.

Buy tickets before you leave home. You can save money by doing this. Plus, looking into all the ticket options gets you thinking about vacation packages, meal plans, and the like. Before you can say "Mickey" you'll be organized—key to a successful Disney trip.

Make dining reservations before you leave home, especially for character meals. If you don't, you might find yourself eating a hamburger (again) or leaving Disney for dinner. On-site restaurants book up fast.

Arrive at the parks at least 30 minutes before they open. We know, it's your vacation and you want to sleep in. But you probably want to make the most of your time and money, too. Plan to be up by at the latest 7:30 am every day. After transit time, it'll take you 10-15 minutes to park and get to the gates.

See the top attractions in the morning. And we mean first thing.Decide in advance which attractions you don't want to miss, find out where they are, and hotfoot it to them before 10 AM.

Use Fastpass. Yes, use the Fastpass. It's worth saying twice. The system is free, easy, and it's your ticket to the top attractions with little or no waiting in line.

Build in rest time. Who wants to become overly hot, tired, and grumpy? Start early and then leave the parks around 3 or 4 pm to avoid the hottest and most crowded period. After a couple hours' rest at your hotel, head back to the parks for a nighttime spectacle or to ride a big-deal ride or two (lines are shorter around closing time).

Create an itinerary, but leave room for spontaneity. Decide which parks to see on each day, and know your priorities, but don't try to plot your trip hour by hour. If you're staying at a Disney resort, find out which parks have Extra Magic Hours on which days.

Eat at off hours. To avoid the mealtime rush hours have a quick, light breakfast at 7 or 8 am, lunch at 11 am, and dinner at 5 or 6 pm.