The things we wish every family knew before visiting Disney World
There is something about arriving at Walt Disney World that makes you feel like a kid again.
You see the castle. The music starts. Your children suddenly forget that they were tired, hungry and arguing with each other ten minutes earlier. Everyone is excited.
And then reality kicks in.
Someone needs the toilet.
Someone is hungry.
Someone’s feet hurt.
And somehow the attraction you really wanted to do has a 90-minute wait.
Welcome to Disney World. 😂
We absolutely love Disney, but after travelling with kids, we’ve also learned that a little planning makes a huge difference. Not the kind of planning where every five minutes of your day is scheduled. That would take away half the fun.
We’re talking about the little things that make the difference between “This is the most magical holiday ever” and “Why did we think this was a good idea?”
So here are 25 Disney World tips we would genuinely want to share with another family before they go.
1. Don’t try to see everything
Let’s start with the hardest one.
You won’t see everything.
And that’s okay.
Disney World is enormous. Four theme parks, countless attractions, restaurants, shows and experiences — you could spend weeks there and still have things left to discover.
We know the temptation. You have paid for the trip, travelled all that way and want to make every minute count.
But children don’t care how many attractions you managed to tick off.
They care that they got to meet Mickey.
Or ride their favourite roller coaster three times.
Or eat that enormous Mickey-shaped treat.
Choose your family’s highlights and let the rest go.
2. Decide what your “must-do’s” are before you leave
One of the best things you can do before your holiday is sit down together and ask everyone:
“What is the one thing you absolutely don’t want to miss?”
Maybe it’s Cinderella Castle.
Maybe it’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
Maybe it’s Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.
Maybe your youngest just wants to meet their favourite Disney character.
Make a list of those things.
It makes planning much easier because you know what really matters to your family.
3. Remember that every Disney park is different
When people say “Disney World”, it’s easy to imagine one giant theme park.
It isn’t.
There are four very different parks:
🏰 Magic Kingdom – the classic Disney experience
🌍 EPCOT – food, cultures and some fantastic attractions
🎬 Hollywood Studios – Star Wars, Toy Story and movie magic
🦁 Animal Kingdom – animals, nature and the incredible world of Pandora
Don’t automatically spend equal time in every park.
Think about what your children actually enjoy.
4. Get there early
We know.
You’re on holiday.
Getting up early doesn’t sound particularly magical.
But if your children can manage it, arriving early can make a big difference.
The parks become busier as the day goes on, and getting some of your priority attractions done early means you have more freedom later.
And honestly, there is something pretty special about walking into Disney World in the morning when everyone is still full of energy.
5. Don’t plan every second of the day
This is where we think family holidays can go wrong.
You make a beautiful spreadsheet.
8:05 breakfast.
9:00 attraction.
9:45 attraction.
10:20 character meeting.
11:05 snack.
11:30 attraction…
And then your child decides they want to spend 25 minutes looking at something you didn’t even notice.
Let them.
Some of the best Disney moments happen when you’re not rushing to the next thing.
Plan the important bits. Leave space for everything else.
6. Download the My Disney Experience app before you go
Don’t wait until you’re standing outside the park trying to work out how everything works.
Download the app before your holiday and get familiar with it at home.
You’ll use it throughout your trip for things such as park information, attraction wait times, dining and other parts of your Disney planning.
Your phone is going to become quite important at Disney World.
Which brings us to…
7. Take a portable charger
Your phone will work hard.
Photos. Videos. Maps. The Disney app. Checking wait times.
And there is nothing worse than reaching lunchtime and discovering your battery is at 12%.
Take a portable charger.
It’s one of those small things that you won’t think about until you desperately need it.
8. Wear your most comfortable shoes
This is not the day for cute new trainers.
Disney World means walking.
A lot of walking.
Your children might start the morning saying they can walk forever and then, several hours later, suddenly develop an urgent need to be carried.
Comfortable, broken-in shoes are absolutely worth it.
9. Take an afternoon break
This is one of our favourite tips for families.
Leave the park.
Go back to your hotel.
Swim.
Have a shower.
Lie on the bed.
Let everyone decompress.
Then, if you still have the energy, go back later.
It sounds like you’re losing valuable park time, but sometimes those two quiet hours are exactly what everyone needs to enjoy the evening.
A tired child is not impressed by your perfectly planned Disney itinerary.
10. Don’t underestimate the Florida heat
Florida can be hot and humid, and walking around a theme park all day makes it feel even hotter.
Drink plenty of water.
Use sunscreen.
Wear a hat.
Take breaks in the shade or somewhere indoors.
And listen to your body — even if your itinerary says you should be somewhere else.
11. Bring snacks
Disney has plenty of food.
But sometimes a child doesn’t want a meal.
They want that one specific snack they brought from home.
We always like having a few familiar snacks in the park bag.
They’re especially useful while waiting in queues.
And they can save you from making an emergency food stop when everyone is already getting hangry.
12. Keep your park bag simple
You don’t need to bring your entire house into the park.
Our essentials would be something like:
- Water bottles
- Sunscreen
- Portable charger
- Hats
- Sunglasses
- A few snacks
- Rain ponchos
- Hand sanitiser
- Any essentials your family needs
Keep it light.
Because you are the one carrying it.
13. Be prepared for rain
Florida weather has a sense of humour.
It can be beautifully sunny one minute and absolutely pouring the next.
Don’t let a rain shower ruin your day.
A lightweight poncho in your bag can be a lifesaver.
And sometimes the rain passes surprisingly quickly.
14. Choose your restaurants carefully
Disney dining can be part of the fun, especially if your children love character meals.
But you don’t need to book a sit-down restaurant for every meal.
We like having a mixture of planned meals and flexible food stops.
That way you aren’t spending your entire day looking at the clock because you have to make a 12:15 reservation on the other side of the park.
15. Book the restaurant your family really wants
Having said that…
If there is a Disney restaurant your children are dreaming about, don’t leave it until the last minute.
Popular dining experiences can be difficult to get.
Choose the restaurants that really matter to your family and plan around those.
The rest of your meals can be much more spontaneous.
16. Think carefully about Lightning Lane
Waiting is part of Disney.
But spending a huge part of your day standing in queues with children isn’t always ideal.
Disney’s Lightning Lane options can help reduce waiting for certain attractions, but they come at an additional cost.
Whether they’re worth it depends on your family, the time of year you’re visiting and the attractions you want to experience.
Don’t buy something simply because you feel you should.
Look at your priorities first.
17. Let the kids choose something
We love this one.
Let your children have some control over the day.
Maybe one child chooses the attraction.
Another chooses the snack.
Someone else picks where you stop for a photo.
It sounds small, but it can make children feel much more involved in the trip.
And sometimes their choice ends up being your favourite memory too.
18. Set a souvenir budget
Disney shops are dangerous territory when you’re travelling with children.
Especially when they realise there is a shop at the exit of almost every attraction. 😂
Instead of saying no to everything, give each child a budget.
They can decide whether they want one big souvenir or several smaller ones.
It also makes them think about what they really want.
And yes, they will probably still ask for something else.
19. Don’t overlook the shows and smaller experiences
It’s easy to focus on the big attractions.
But Disney isn’t only about roller coasters.
Shows, character encounters, parades and smaller attractions can be some of the best parts of the day.
They also give everyone a chance to sit down, cool off and take a break.
And sometimes a show you weren’t particularly interested in becomes something the kids talk about for weeks afterwards.
20. Don’t forget that Disney is about the details
One of our favourite things about Disney World isn’t necessarily a particular ride.
It’s the atmosphere.
The music.
The buildings.
The tiny details in the theming.
The characters walking around.
The way children react when they suddenly spot something you’ve walked straight past.
Slow down occasionally.
Look around.
You don’t always have to be heading somewhere.
21. Don’t spend the entire day taking photos
Of course you’re going to take photos.
We do too.
But try not to experience Disney entirely through your camera.
There is a difference between capturing a memory and missing the moment because you’re trying to capture it.
Sometimes put the phone away.
Watch your kids.
Watch their faces.
Those are the moments you won’t forget.
22. Have a plan for tired children
At some point, someone will probably be tired.
Even if they insist they aren’t.
Know where you can sit down.
Know where you can get something to eat.
Know where you can escape the heat.
And don’t be afraid to change your plans.
There is absolutely no prize for the family that stays in the park until closing every single night.
23. Don’t compare your Disney holiday with someone else’s
This one is surprisingly important.
You will see families online who seem to have done 17 attractions before breakfast.
Another family will have stayed in a beautiful Disney Deluxe Resort.
Someone else will have visited every park in four days.
Good for them.
Your Disney holiday doesn’t need to look like theirs.
Maybe your family needs slower mornings.
Maybe you want a pool day.
Maybe your children love character meetings more than rides.
Make the holiday work for you.
24. Build in a non-Disney day
If you’re staying in Orlando for a week or longer, don’t feel like you have to spend every day inside a theme park.
Have a pool day.
Explore Orlando.
Go shopping.
Visit another attraction.
Or simply do absolutely nothing.
Your children might actually thank you for it.
And if you’re combining Disney World with Universal Orlando, make sure you give yourselves enough time to enjoy both rather than trying to squeeze everything into a few exhausting days.
25. Remember why you’re there
This is the one we keep coming back to.
You’re not going to Disney World to complete a checklist.
You’re going because you want to experience something together as a family.
There will probably be moments when everyone is tired.
Someone will complain.
Someone will lose something.
You might stand in a queue and wonder why you paid this much money to stand still.
And then suddenly…
Your child sees the castle.
Or their favourite character walks around the corner.
Or they go on a ride they’ve been talking about for months.
And their face lights up.
That’s the moment.
That’s why you’re there.
So plan the things that matter, but don’t plan the magic out of your holiday.
Planning a Disney World Holiday?
If you’re currently dreaming about Disney World, we’ve got plenty more family travel inspiration for you.
Start with our main guide:
🏰 Disney World with Kids: The Ultimate Family Guide
Our complete Disney World guide is the perfect place to start planning your trip. We’ve brought together everything you need to know about visiting Disney World with children, from the parks and accommodation to food, tickets and practical family tips.
→ Read our Disney World with Kids: The Ultimate Family Guide
And if you’re planning your days park by park, don’t miss our individual guides:
🏰 Magic Kingdom with Kids
The castle, classic Disney attractions, characters and that unmistakable Disney feeling.
→ Read: Magic Kingdom with Kids
🎬 Hollywood Studios with Kids
For families who love Star Wars, Toy Story and movie magic, Hollywood Studios deserves a place on your itinerary.
→ Read: Hollywood Studios with Kids
🌍 EPCOT with Kids
EPCOT is much more than food and countries. With the right expectations, it’s a fantastic family park.
→ Read: EPCOT with Kids
🦁 Animal Kingdom with Kids
Animals, nature, Pandora and some brilliant attractions make Animal Kingdom one of the most unique Disney parks.
→ Read: Animal Kingdom with Kids
🌴 Orlando with Kids
Disney World is only one part of an Orlando family holiday. If you’re staying for several days, our Orlando guide will help you discover what else there is to do.
→ Read: Orlando with Kids: The Ultimate Family Guide
🎢 Universal Orlando with Kids
Combining Disney with Universal? We’ve got you covered there too.
→ Read: Universal Orlando with Kids
One Last Thing…
Disney World can be overwhelming.
There is so much to see, so much to plan and, let’s be honest, so much money involved that it’s easy to put pressure on yourself to make the holiday perfect.
Don’t.
The perfect Disney day might not be the day when you managed to ride every attraction.
It might be the afternoon you sat by the pool eating ice cream.
It might be the completely unplanned character encounter.
It might be the moment your children looked at you and said:
“Can we come back tomorrow?”
Those are the moments you’ll remember.
So make a plan.
But leave some room for magic. ✨
