Top tips for a family holiday to Walt Disney World

We love Walt Disney World in Florida. So much so that we have been eight times! This year was a little different for us. We gave our baby daughter her first-ever taste of Orlando’s theme parks. While it’s not the first time we’ve travelled with children, it was the first time we’ve been the parents with a baby – and we learnt a lot! Here’s everything you need to know about planning a family holiday to Walt Disney World.

What’s a typical day like at Disney?

We have always liked to take Disney at a sensible pace, splitting out days into short windows of activity that are often divided up with a break back at our accommodation. With Dottie, our nine-month-old daughter in tow, this still seemed like a sensible approach, but we were mindful that we needed to let Dottie lead on when she needed a rest to tap out of all that Disney magic.

We like to start early to take advantage of parks when they are quieter. It's a great time to take advantage of shorter lines for the more popular rides. It's always nice to tick something big off the list early on and then take the rest of the day at a slower pace, watching shows or parades and meeting characters. There is so much more to do in a Disney park than just ride the rides. We really appreciated this with Dottie, particularly when we did a parent swap, so one of us could go off and enjoy something while the others rode another attraction.

One of our favourite things about Disney is ending the day with fireworks or nighttime spectaculars. One of the most popular is the ‘Happily Ever After’ fireworks show at Magic Kingdom. However, our favourite has to be ‘Fantasmic’ at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It can be really tricky with small children, as these nighttime activities are often late at night, long after bedtime. We found that going back to the accommodation, resetting Dottie and putting her through her bedtime routine before returning to the park worked really well. She seemed to settle most nights in her pram, only getting up for the show/fireworks.

When is the best time to travel to Disney World?

If you’re wondering when to travel, it depends on your preferences. Generally, the best time to visit the parks for fewer crowds and better weather is mid-January to mid-February, early May, and mid-September to early November. Our last trip was in March and we found it to be a great time to go, as there was slightly cooler weather, particularly in the evening, and smaller crowds in the park during the day.

What is it like staying in a Disney Resort hotel?

It makes your holiday easy! The downside to staying at a Disney Resort hotel is the higher cost and you are limited to Disney dining options. While limiting to some, immersing yourself in Disney restaurants and enjoying early-access reservations is a big perk to others!

There also isn’t as much room to relax and make yourself at home compared to a villa stay. The pros might make it worth it, though – convenient transportation to the parks (with some hotels, you can walk straight into the parks) or Extra Magic Hours, which means early entry to get on the big rides or Extended Evening Hours. Both early and late openings depend on the hotel you are staying in, so talk to us and we can tell you more. Another benefit of staying in a Disney Resort hotel is the FastPass option. 

Staying in a Disney Resort hotel can make a big difference when travelling with children. The hotels are positioned in various locations, so it is park-dependent, but it’s often easier to get to Disney parks when staying at a Disney Resort hotel, as opposed to offsite. It gives you the chance to easily nip back to your room if you’re travelling with little ones, want to take a shower or need some downtime.

On our last trip, we stayed on a villa estate and paid for parking at Disney. Opening and closing the pram to get on the tram, which transported us to and from Disney’s car park, became tiresome when we did it six times a day!

What’s it like staying in a villa?

We’ve spent years testing out different villa estates and independent hotels close to the parks. Villas can be really affordable and are great if you’re a big family travelling together, as multiple hotel rooms can often be costly. It also means tons of space to relax if you opt for a villa, as many have a private pool, games rooms, and TV areas, and everyone can have their own bedroom and get a good night’s sleep. If you’re travelling with little ones, it also means you can shut their bedroom door and relax in your lounge each night, rather than having to go to bed at the same time as your children if staying in a hotel room. You also have more flexibility about where you dine out, which is great if you want to test out fun family areas like Disney Springs.

The downside is the need for transportation to the parks, so we’d recommend hiring a car. But that entails paying the Disney parking fees, too. Some independent hotels offer a free shuttle service to the parks. You also miss out on Extra Magic Hours, which could save you hours of queue time. If you’re travelling with a baby or toddler, it’s not as easy to head back to your accommodation to freshen up or have a rest, as it would be if you were staying in a Disney Resort hotel. 

What new rides did you try?

We went on TRON Lightcycle Run high-speed rollercoaster and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, which is a storytelling coaster featuring characters from the Marvel films. We really enjoyed both rides and think they’re worth doing, but note that you must join the virtual queue to get a spot!

How do Walt Disney World's Virtual Queues work?

Disney's Virtual queues allow you to join a queue for the newest rides via the My Disney Experience app. Once in the virtual queue, guests receive a return time to ride the attraction, reducing the need to wait in physical lines. However, it is worth noting that getting a virtual queue for new rides can be difficult, so we recommend getting up early to secure a spot. We became pro at this, so feel free to ask for our tips about securing that spot on the newest rides! You can tie a virtual queue and parent swap together to benefit from both features. First, obtain your virtual queue and then complete a parent swap as you would with any other ride when it is time to proceed to the ride.

How effective is Disney’s parent swap system?

Disney's parent swap system, Rider Switch, is excellent for families with small children. If your child doesn’t want to go on a certain ride (but you both do), one of you can wait with the child while the rest of your party rides, and then you can swap without having to wait in the full queue again. You simply have to set it up with the cast member at the ride entrance and the return riders use the Lightning lane to get onto the ride.

We found this worked well with Dottie. We really enjoyed the parent swap time to go off and experience something else while the rest of the party queued for the ride. Even if sometimes it was just sitting down with a cold iced coffee. When we were at the resort, they allowed two guests to ride on the parent swap, so the parent +1, which is great if there are more than the two parents in a group. It’s amazing how popular a parent can be with a ride-swap token!

Is the Genie+ system worth the extra money? 

Genie+ is an extra add-on to the free Genie service, allowing you to get to the front of the line on popular attractions by making Lightning Lane reservations. The price depends on the park, day, and popularity, so you’ll have to weigh up the cost versus convenience! We find that it is worth the extra expense when in a smaller group or just the two of us. However, when travelling with a larger group, getting everyone to commit to the expense is often difficult, as it can be costly. Although so can queuing for three hours: costly in tired legs!

What are the dining options like at Walt Disney World?

Walt Disney World has fast-food eateries and fine-dining restaurants. You can find cuisine from around the world (check out the World Showcase at EPCOT), themed dining experiences, character meals and more. Little kiosks around the park offer things like candy floss and giant pretzels. You can also find healthy food, such as salads, grilled meats, seafood, vegetarian and vegan foods.

Outside the parks, you can head to areas such as International Drive and Disney Springs for dinner. During our time in Orlando, our top three choices would be Longhorns Steakhouse, The Cheesecake Factory and Bahama Breeze. All are typical American fare, but that is what you go for, right? Oh, and the portion sizes have to be seen to be believed.

How many Disney parks are there, including water parks?

There are four main theme parks: Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and Disney's Animal Kingdom, plus two water parks: Disney’s Blizzard Beach and Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon. Each park offers unique attractions and experiences, from classic Disney rides to thrilling adventures and immersive lands. In our experience, Magic Kingdom and EPCOT are a must, whereas the others are good add-on parks if you stay for more than a week. Disney is working hard to add attractions and develop these parks to make them full-day, must-visit parks.

How many Universal parks are there, including water parks?

There are two main theme parks: Universal Studios Florida and Universal's Islands of Adventure, plus one water park called Volcano Bay at Universal Orlando Resort. The rides and immersive lands are movie-themed and include The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Minions Land and Jurassic Park. We’ve been to these parks, too, so let us know if you have any questions.

What other activities and days out do you recommend in Orlando?

LEGOLAND Florida, Gatorland, International Drive (often called I-Drive) for shopping and dining. The Kennedy Space Centre is definitely worth a visit. A little further afield, you could take an airboat tour in the Everglades or visit nearby beaches.

How many days do you recommend staying in Orlando?

Getting to Orlando from the UK is relatively easy, with direct flights from major airports. Flight durations are typically around 9-10 hours. We’d recommend at least seven days to fully experience the theme parks and other attractions without feeling rushed.

What should we pack for a family day at Disney?

Comfortable clothing and shoes, sunscreen, a refillable water bottle, sunhat, ponchos or rain jackets (especially during the summer), a portable phone charger, and you could buy your Mickey ears and t-shirts before you go to look the part for a fraction of the price, although it’s always magical to do some shopping on Main Street. We found having the stroller in the parks a great advantage, whether reserving a larger space at the parade or storing the rain ponchos and phone chargers.

What are your best tips to make the holiday go smoothly?

Call us! We have so much more advice to share, especially when it comes to the best places to stay. We’d recommend making reservations for dining and wearing the most comfortable shoes you own. Do not wear brand-new shoes for a day at Disney! Stay hydrated and take breaks throughout the day to avoid exhaustion. It is a full-on holiday, but so worth it! If you have time, it’s always good to build in a chilled day or two into the schedule before you come home, so you feel rested.

Want to know more?

Contact us and chat with Ben about the resort and holiday offers for Disney resorts.