WDW FAQ

For those of you not in the know, I’m lucky enough to be a part of the Disney World Moms Panel.  I was selected (from 10,000 applicants) to join during the panel’s inaugural year and have been happily spreading virtual pixie dust ever since.  As a panelist, my duties (although it’s really quite a pleasure) are to answer questions from Disney vacationers-to-be who need a little help in the planning department.

During the course of my four years on the panel, I’ve seen A LOT of questions–many of them duplicates of questions past.  And so for this first installment in my Days of Disney series, I compiled a list of what I consider to be the most frequently asked questions of the Moms Panel.  Hopefully this “primer” will come in handy when it comes time for YOU to visit Walt Disney World.

Let’s get started then, shall we?

When is the best time to visit Walt Disney World?
“Best time to visit” is kind of a relative term.  Often times, vacationers are looking to visit during a season of mild weather and lower crowds.  In those cases, the general rule of thumb is that the best times to visit are when children are in school.  January and February are great choices, as long as you avoid holiday weekends.  May is also ideal.  Later in the year, the months of September through mid-December (with the exceptions of holiday weekends and Thanksgiving week) boast mild weather and low crowds.  Another factor to consider when choosing a time to visit is special events.  There is almost always something special going on at Disney World and if you’re torn between two different time periods, perhaps a festival or other event might be a deciding factor.

How long should we stay?
In my experience, the perfect amount of time to stay is ten days.  I’ve done trips that are much shorter and much longer and I have come to the conclusion that a ten day vacation is best.  In that amount of time you’ll have plenty of opportunity to visit all four major theme parks more than once, enjoy some “down time” at your resort, and explore some of the other venues like water parks and the Downtown Disney shopping district.

All these ticket options confuse me…
With so many different admission media configurations, it’s perfectly understandable to be confused.  Here’s the deal: base tickets allow entry to one of the four major theme parks (Animal Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, or Magic Kingdom) each day.  From there, you can add options.  The park hopper option allows you to “hop” between theme parks on the same day whereas otherwise you’re restricted to one park per day.  The water park and more option allows you a set number of entries into “extra venues”.  Those are the two water parks (there are two), the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex, and DisneyQuest (an interactive gaming destination).  The number of entries you’re entitled to correspond with your theme park admissions; for example, if you purchase a six day base ticket with the water parks and more option, you’ll be entitled to six days at the theme parks as well as six admissions to any of the “extra” venues.  You are welcome to use those “extra” admissions on the same day as you visit a theme park, or on a day when you’re not visiting the theme parks at all.  You can also visit as many of these extra venues as you want on a single day, up to the maximum entries you’re allowed.

Can I get a dining plan?
Disney offers various dining plans as a part of their vacation packages.  In order to be eligible to purchase the plan, you must buy a package from Disney that includes both resort accommodations and theme park tickets.  If you are gifted tickets, or you purchase them at a discount through your company, you would not be eligible.  Likewise, if you stay off property, or at a non-Disney owned and operated resort on property, you would not be eligible.

Should I make dining reservations?
Um, yes.  You absolutely should make dining reservations as soon as possible.  Most restaurants accept reservations 180 days out and yes, people do plan where they will be eating six months ahead of time.  If you have your heart set on dining with Cinderella and her royal court in the castle, it is absolutely imperative that you are on the phone at 6:59 in the morning, ET, trying to secure those reservations.  Even if you don’t plan on eating with the characters, it is of utmost importance to plan, schedule and reserve your dining times as soon as possible or risk being shut out of most sit-down restaurants.

Should I rent a car?
I’d say that the vast majority of guests rely solely on Disney’s extensive complimentary transportation system.  That said, I will tell you that I’m not one of them.  I wholly appreciate having my own wheels while vacationing mostly because I’m not patient enough to wait on a bus.  Nor do I appreciate being relegated to standing when buses arrive at any given destination mostly full.  I’m a car person.  If you, however, are accustomed to using public transportation Disney’s system will more than suffice.  Also, for those traveling on a budget, skipping the expense of a car rental is a great way to save some dough.

Who do I call so that I can be in a parade/opening ceremony/show/etc.?
From time to time, families are chosen to participate in parades and the like.  There is really no rhyme or reason to it; it’s more just a matter of being in the right place at the right time.  I will tell you that my family was chosen to Grand Marshel a parade once, many years ago.  At the time we were chosen, we were standing on Main Street in our Halloween costumes, eating something (a cookie, maybe?) from the Main Street Bakery.  We were approached by a Disney Cast Member wearing slacks and a button-up shirt and a name tag.  He made small talk with us and noted that we appeared to be having a great time before asking if we’d be interested in participating.  We happily accepted, of course, and rode in that evening’s parade, waving and smiling at all the other guests.  It was a great time!  Unfortunately, though, I can’t tell you why we were chosen.  Not because I’m being stingy with my 411, but because I simply don’t know.  And no, there isn’t anybody you can call.  Just go and hope for magical moments, but don’t be bitter when someone else is chosen!

How can I make my daughter’s/son’s/husband’s/second cousin’s wife’s mother’s birthday special?
First of all, you’re at Disney where every day is special!  But if you really want to go above and beyond, I’d recommend visiting Disney’s website and doing a search for the term “special experiences”.  It should yield a handful of results for paid experiences that will go a long way to add some extra oomph to any celebration.

So there you have it–answers to the questions most frequently asked of the moms panelists.  Feel free to add your own questions in the comments and I’ll answer there as soon as I can!

I am not a Disney employee.  The opinions reflected in this post are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Walt Disney Company.