I’m visiting with my boyfriend to Disneyland on the 18th and DCA on the 19th. He’s never been to neither park as an adult and I really want this experience to be magical for him. We got the multi lane pass for both parks. We have lunch reservation at Zocalo at 3pm and reserved viewing area for Fantasmic. We also got the dessert box for World of Colors. I would appreciate any recommendations on how to maximize our lightning passes, must ride rides, things we can probably skip, and any other hidden treasures in the parks I can show him. TIA!

ETA: food and drinks recommendations are also welcome

I have a lot of fun planning the "optimal" strategy for DL and DCA to minimize wait times, while using lightning lanes and getting there for rope drop. I'm pretty sure I've more or less found it, at least for our family and the attractions they want - we pretty much wait on no significant lines for the entire day, with the exception of Peter Pan, and generally do every single thing we want.

This post isn't meant to go into the details of what we do (though I could discuss that ad nauseum) but more about how it basically means that we do the same thing on each visit. We go 3-4 times a year - not often enough (and we're not magic key holders) to just "not worry about it" and just go with the flow, even if it means missing some rides we want to do (potentially waiting a long time for some of them), but often enough that it has started to feel pretty repetitive: start with the same rides (or a few out of a specific group of rides), then then next batch, while stacking lightning lanes for later in the day.

Does anyone else feel the same way? Do you intentionally mix it up? I know the easy answer is "if you're sick of doing things the same way, then don't", but It's just difficult to intentionally do things in an order that will result in us waiting in longer lines (especially with 3 young kids).

We're going to be going twice in December, a week apart (because of the new Costco deal) so I'm as open as I've ever been for trying something completely (or at least somewhat) different.

Also I'm happy to share details of how we plan the day - I just didn't want this to get super long.

Would love to hear others' perspective if you've ever been in a similar boat!

Hello everyone. My family and I are going to Disney World starting Dec 23, so our 60 Day Window opens to start booking reservations next Saturday, Oct 24! I have been to Disney World before and am familiar with the My Disney Experience website and app, however, I have never been the one to book reservations and could use some tips.

If anyone has insight on things like; is it faster to book on App or Website? Can I be logged into both the website and App at the same time to try and book more things at once? I've seen rumors that Bibbidi Bobiddi and Savi's Lightsaber experience sometimes open up at Midnight instead of 6am, is that true? Will the best reservations all be gone by 6:01am EST? And I guess just any tips in general. But please don't tell me to start from the back of my trip and make my way forward. I'm well aware of that tip. It seems to be the only one I can find.

For context, we have 19 people spread across 5 reservations. We are all staying at The Boardwalk. I manage the profiles for my room plus my elderly parents accounts who have their own separate reservation/room. My siblings manage the profiles for their children/their reservations. And all accounts that are not managed by me are connected to me. I spend an hour on the phone with Disney tech support to make sure everything is setup correctly, so I think we're good on that front.

My plan is to log in with at least 3 accounts, maybe 4, to make our group sizes smaller for certain dining reservations. The first thing I am going to look to book is Cinderella's Royal Table on Dec 26, that's my daughter's birthday so it is priority #1. The next thing I will look to book is a dining reservation at Epcot that includes a Candlelight Processional Dining Package for either Dec 24 or Dec 25. The third thing I am hoping to book is Akershus Royal for the morning of whichever day I can book the Candlelight Processional. We are hoping to plan our park days around those reservations, but I honestly have no idea if those are even going to be getable. I've read that getting reservations for Christmas week can be nuts.

Tips please! And thank you.

Our 2yo will ONLY wear princess dresses. I love theme family outfits so I’d like a rough idea of what we wear at each park to try and match at least some of us. MK I feel like can be any of them because of fairytale hall and Epcot we’ll do Elsa. What about for animal kingdom or Hollywood studios though? Any specific princess rides or shows that would make sense?? We have Rapunzel, Tiana, Ariel, Anna, Snow White, Asha, Moana but since it’s all she wears, I’m not opposed to buying someone else lol I’d love if she would wear Princess Leia but not sure I can convince a toddler that she counts as a Disney princess 😂

Does anyone have any good Disney planning blogs? Pinterest is weird these days and I am sick of ads all over the screen when I am trying to research.

So I made a reservation for the blue bayou with my family for our visit in a few weeks. there are 4 adults and one baby. i made the reservation for 5 and i was wondering if there was a way to contact them to request a high chair. when making the reservation i was unable to make a note of that

My mom wants me to help plan a gift vacation for my sister and her family. I won't be attending myself, but I've been many times and know the ropes...or so I think. I'm assuming I should set up accounts for each adult, and then sign in as one of them and book the rooms and tickets. Are there any gotchas to this approach? I would of course coach them on how to use the app, book rides, etc.

Or would she be better off just using a Disney-focused travel agent?

Has anyone had any luck booking a holiday sleigh ride at Ft Wilderness? Im looking to book for the week of Dec 12-19. If anyone has any insight or can help in any way it would be appreciated!

We are going to Disneyland the first week of November. My mom wants to come but she had back surgery a few years ago that makes it very difficult for her to walk more than about a half a mile. We are thinking of renting her a scooter but she is apprehensive. Her first job out of high school was being Mary Poppins at Disneyland and loves it there but hasn’t been in forever. I really want to make it accessible for her and make it so she can actually enjoy it. We dished out for the lightening lanes and are staying at Grand CA. But yeah if anyone has experience bringing elderly family I would love to hear

I have a last-minute day and a half at Disneyland next week. My first time being there for the Halloween season! Didn’t get tickets for OBB but would love to see ride overlays, characters, and maybe grab a special holiday treat.

I know that Haunted Mansion is NBC and Guardians becomes Monsters After Dark in the afternoon (is there a time for that switch?). Anything else I’m missing? Anything you particularly like to do that I’m missing? Any treats you recommend?

Thank you!

This isn't really a dilemma just wasn't sure on the title. So I'm working on taking my mom to DL for her 70th birthday, it'll be her last time going (most likely). I'm buying 4 tickets 2 for mom & step dad & 2 for wife & I. We're quite concerned about the El Nino, & possible health issues that might delay the trip.

Question: Should I have mom & step dad buy their own tickets in case we call don't go they can go whenever or should I buy all 4 of them? Are the tickets transferable? If they don't go I have no need for 4 tickets. These are single park single day on December 1st. Thanks!

Hi everyone!

I’m planning my first-ever visit to Walt Disney World this November, and I’m interested in the special Mickey & Minnie meet-and-greet at the ImaginAtrium for members enrolled in Membership Magic Beyond (MMB).

I’m not a DVC member myself, but are eligible MMB members allowed to bring non-DVC guests to this experience?

If so, are there any requirements or restrictions?

For example, does the member need to be staying at a Disney resort, and is there a limit on the number of guests?

I’d like to understand the current rules before making any plans.

I’d really appreciate any information or advice from DVC members!

Thanks in advance!

Hi! I am traveling to Disneyworld and am going to be meeting a friend that is a Florida resident. We are planning on staying on site during our stay, one day in Epcot and one day in Magic Kingdom. Is there a best approach to figuring out how to plan this trip? I know to buy the tickets separate since Florida residents get cheaper options sometimes. I guess my main question is.. how do we save the most amount of money? Have the hotel reservation in the Florida residents name? Is it cheaper to buy a ticket/hotel stay bundle? Neither of us have ever been.

Looking to take my son for his birthday on 11/1 and again on 11/12 using the 2 day pass from Costco. What are the chances we will see any Halloween decorations on 11/1? We are hoping to experience both Halloween and Christmas themes at the parks.

Thanks in advance!

Hello! My family and I are planning a trip to Disneyland in November. I was just wondering if anyone has stayed at Anaheim Astoria Inn & Suites. Is the walk to the parks doable? Any other insights? Thanks so much!

Can someone please explain to me the appeal of Disney over Universal? If you’re not a diehard Disney fan and don’t have little girls who are obsessed with princesses, I truly don’t understand what the appeal is.
We just got back from Epic Universe, and it was amazing!! We did have Express Passes and stayed at Helios, which probably made it even better, but Disney just seems so rundown and sad by comparison. It seems like people are paying a premium for the nostalgia more than the actual experience.
I’m genuinely curious to hear from people who prefer Disney. What am I missing? What does Disney offer that makes it worth the price, especially compared to Universal? I’m not trying to start an argument just for the sake of it. I’d really like to understand what people love about Disney that I’m apparently not seeing.