Park Hours – A Blog About Disney Stuff

There’s lots to know when planning your Walt Disney World vacation. Even seasoned Disney fans can forget some of the smaller details and tips. We aim to make our website and Lines app as helpful as possible. We’ve previously shared three tips for visiting Walt Disney World that practically everyone forgets about, and we figured we’d share three more.

Parking and transportation opens about 45 minutes before opening
Baby Care Centers and First Aid
You can walk through attraction queues without riding

Here’s 3 More Disney World Vacation Tips That Everyone Forgets About — Avatar Flight of Passage Queue

Parking and transportation opens about 45 minutes before opening

One of the keys to maximizing your time and avoiding long lines at Walt Disney World is getting there early. The famed rope drop experience allows many guests to get multiple attractions under their belt in the first hour of park operation. The key is to get to the park itself well before opening.

Disney resort transportation from the hotels as well as the theme park parking lots generally open about 45 minutes prior to the scheduled opening time of the park. On busier days, like peak holidays, this can even be stretched to an hour before opening.

Baby Care Centers and First Aid

Whether you’re a parent of an infant or a preschooler, Disney’s Baby Care Centers are a godsend. Each of the four parks has one. They are marked on the maps and MyDisneyExperience app, and are generally located near the center of each park. Any Cast Member should be able to direct you if you have any trouble finding it. Here you can purchase any forgotten baby supplies like diapers, pull-ups, wipes, pacifiers, baby food, and more. You can also change diapers in a space that is much less congested than the regular restrooms throughout the park. Nursing rooms are also available.

Each park also has a First Aid Station, usually near the Baby Care Center. Here you can get help with basic medical needs including some over-the-counter medications. I have utilized them for allergic reactions and dehydration, and appreciate the wonderful Cast Members and RNs here so much.

You can walk through attraction queues without riding

Walt Disney World does an awesome job of creating queues for attractions that are entertaining and immersive. Disney is big on storytelling and the story usually begins the moment you walk into the queue. But, not every ride is for every person. If you want to join your group as they wait in line, or if you just want to experience one of the cool queues, you can walk through without having to get on the ride. Just let the Cast Member at the boarding area know you do not wish to ride and they will point you in the direction of the exit. Of course, you should check the Expected Wait Time in our Lines app first to make sure you won’t be waiting too long.

What are some of your lesser known Disney World tips and tricks? Let us know in the comments.

The post Here’s 3 More Disney World Vacation Tips That Everyone Forgets About appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

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Filed Under: Dos and Don’ts, Observations, Park Hours, Trip Planning, disney planning, disney vacation tips, disney world vacation

Planning your Walt Disney World vacation can feel overwhelming. Are you making the most of your trip? Is there something you’re forgetting? There’s lots to know, and we aim to make our website and Lines app as helpful as possible. In that spirit here are three tips for visiting Walt Disney World that practically everyone forgets about.

Merchandise Pick-up / Delivery
Adults can order from kid’s menu
The park doesn’t actually close at closing time

Disney’s Merchandise Pick-up / Delivery

This first tip you may not want to share with your kids. If you’ve ever said, “no we can’t buy that, we don’t want to carry it around all day,” this one’s for you. At most Disney theme park merchandise shops you can send your purchase to the front of the park to pick up at the end of your day. This service is free, and it was suspended during the initial reopening on the parks, but it is now back in service.

When you’re checking out, ask the Cast Member about the Merchandise Pick-Up option. Usually they need just 2-3 hours to ensure your purchase makes it to the park exit. Be sure to double check on if you have enough time, and ask about the exact location for picking up your merchandise. At EPCOT you will need to know if you will exit at the front of the park or at International Gateway.

The other free option is for your purchase to be sent to your Disney resort hotel. Not all hotels on Disney property participate, so be sure to double check with the Cast Member. You will need to provide your room number. The purchase will be sent overnight and available for pick up the next day at your resort’s merchandise shop. This service cannot be done for delivery on the day you check out of your hotel.

Top 3 Disney World Tips That Everyone Forgets About — Hester’s and Chester’s Dinoland USA Merchandise

Adults can order from the kid’s menu

If you’re not too hungry, or you’re trying to save a little money at Walt Disney World, you can order from the kid’s menu. This mainly pertains to quick service dining locations. At table service restaurants it may be a little trickier. Thanks to Mobile Ordering you can easily order from the kids menu and simply pick up your order when it is ready. Disney does have the basics of children’s eating habits like chicken nuggets, burgers, and pizza, but they also have some creative, healthy options too. Be sure to explore!

There’s also a great snack pack available at select quick service locations which provides a decent amount of snacks that can keep you going throughout the day.

The park doesn’t actually close at closing time

Each park’s published closing time indicates a few things. First, no more guests will be admitted into the park at that point. Second, no additional guests will be allowed entrance into any of the queues for the attractions. Most quick service locations and many shops will close at closing time or just before. However, if you are already in line, you can remain in line. So, yes, if you’ve got five minutes until the park closes and you jump into a line with a 45 minute wait, for example, you’ll be able to continue in line and ride the ride.

You can also dine past closing time. Many table service restaurants will have timeslots available all the way until just before closing time. There’s also been cases when we’ve found timeslots for right after park closing, say 15 minutes. You use our Reservation Finder to help secure a reservation at popular spots and popular timeslots.

Enjoying a meal that goes beyond the published park closing time will not only satisfy your hunger, but will give you a chance to stroll through the park with less people–an enchanting way to end your day. Merchandise shops at the front of the park are open for about an hour past closing as well, in case you need those last-minute mementos.

There’s plenty more tips where these came from. Let us know in the comments if you’d like to see more tips like these.

The post Top 3 Disney World Tips That Everyone Forgets About appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com

Filed Under: Dos and Don’ts, Observations, Park Hours, Trip Planning, best tips for disney world, disney dining, disney park hours, disney world planning tips