Walt Disney World® Tips

Walt Disney World^® consists of 4 theme parks (Magic Kingdom ^®Park, Epcot^®, Disney-MGM Studios^®, and Disney's Animal Kingdom^®Theme Park), 22 resort hotels, 2 water parks, two entertainment centers, six golf courses, a major sports complex and many other recreation, dining, and shopping places.

There is an on-line site to view all the photos taken of you by Disney photographers in all 4 parks.

The windows on Main Street U.S.A. contain names of people who contributed to Walt Disney’s dream. (Walt’s name is over the ice cream parlor)

Hidden Mickey’s are all over the entire Walt Disney World ^®complex….an example of these are the three plates on the left corner of the center table of the ghostly dance hall in the Haunted Mansion. How many can you find?

If you are a smoker, check a park guide map to find locations where you can smoke.

Check posted Fastpass return time against the posted standby wait time before getting a Fastpass ticket. If the standby time is minimal, it can be more enjoyable to relax in line for 10 to 15 minutes (often in air conditioning) than to return later.

Bring an email address list with you. There are two places in Epcot^®where you can email messages, pictures and video clips to family and friends!

Epcot^® World Showcase promenade is 1.3 miles long.

Watch for the red bus of Disney Characters as they travel around Epcot^®.

You can travel to 11 countries at Epcot^®!

Children will find hands-on activities for children and meet people from different countries at each country in Epcot^®.

Seating for Fantasmic! at Disney-MGM Studios^® opens 90 minutes prior to show time. Purchase food and beverage and have dinner while you wait or stretch out on a bench and take a nap.

The shops on Hollywood and Vine at Disney-MGM Studios^® remain open a half hour past theme park closing.

Be sure to find a good viewing spot along the parade route in Disney-MGM Studios^®so your children can shake hands with the Disney Characters in the parade.

If you have small children, arrive 15 to 20 minutes prior to the Playhouse Disney – Live on Stage for desired floor seating.

The best view for small children at the Voyage of the Little Mermaid is during an early show for choice seating or on the lap of a grown-up.

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is operated by computer, and you never know how many drops or how many times you will go up.

At Disney's Animal Kingdom^® Theme Park there are more than 4 million plants and trees from every continent on Earth except Antarctica.

Need a break at Disney's Animal Kingdom^®? Look for a shady bench in The Oasis.

At Magic Kingdom^® Park the best places for a nap are in the air-conditioned The Hall of Presidents, and the inside cabin of The Liberty Belle Riverboat . You can enter the Rainforest Cafe^®at Disney's Animal Kingdom^® from inside OR outside the park.

At Disney's Animal Kingdom^® The Boneyard Dig Site is a great place for kids to burn off energy, and for parents to rest!

Every morning just prior to the parks opening, Disney's Animal Kingdom hosts "The Adventure Begins" where guests start their day in front of the Tree of Life with a brief ceremony hosted by Mickey and the gang.

The water at the two water parks and all the Walt Disney World^® resorts is heated so you can swim any time of the year.

The best time to visit water parks during the summer is after 3 pm.

For upcoming concerts and events at Downtown Disney^® Marketplace, call 407-934-7781.

Most shops at Downtown Disney^®Marketplace are open from 9:30 am to 11 pm.

World of Disney (store) is the largest Disney Character store in the world.

Mannequins Dance Palace at Pleasure Island has the largest revolving dance floor in the USA.

The House of Blues^® in Pleasure Island has an all-you-can-eat Gospel Brunch every Sunday morning. It features the best gospel performers in the world.

You can see a performance of Cirque Du Soleil at Downtown Disney^®.

Disney's Magical Express service picks up your luggage and delivers it to your room with no interaction by you!

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge offers a special “Sunrise Safari” for concierge guests only.

Your children can be babysat by a Fairy Godmother in their room, or they can take a “trip” to Neverland with Peter Pan while mom and dad have dinner alone!

If you are a jogger, stay at an Epcot^® Resort Area where there is a scenic 8-mile loop around Crescent Lake.

Tired but the kids want to hear a story? Tune-in to your in-room TV and a storyteller will tell the kids Bedtime Stories.

There is no parking fee to theme parks if you are staying in a Walt Disney World^®resort.

Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa has an afternoon tea.

At Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, you can take a one hour horseback ride.

If you stay at a Walt Disney World^® resort, you can go back to your room and take an afternoon nap or swim, and go back to the parks later.

Children ages 6-12 can go on a special fishing excursion, Monday thru Friday from some resorts.

Table assignments at dinner shows are made in order of booking. So if you want to sit close to the stage, book far in advance.

Disney Chefs will cater to guests with allergies.

Behind the scenes tours are given at Magic Kingdom^® Park, Epcot^® and Disney's Animal Kingdom^® Theme Park

If it is your birthday, stop in Guest Relations at any park, and receive a button that says “Today is My Birthday”. You will get special attention that day. If you make reservations at any resort or theme park restaurant on your birthday (anniversary, etc.) be sure to tell them when you make the reservation. You’ll be special attention at the restaurant too!

Forty-six percent of those polled said they most remember “adventures and attractions” from their first visit, followed by “the castle” (25 percent) and “meeting the characters” (12 percent).

Nearly three out of every four Americans (72 percent, to be exact), can sing a chorus from “it’s a small world.”

When asked which celebrity they would most like to tour a Walt Disney World^® Theme Park with, the top three responses were: Oprah Winfrey (16 percent), Clint Eastwood (11 percent) and Julie Andrews (eight percent).