Money Saver #4: Use the Disney Dining Plan

One of the best parts of any vacation is the food. And I love the food at Disney World. Hundreds of dining locations… thousands of menu items!

Before we get into the details of the Disney Dining Plan, let me give you the basics of food and dining at Disney World. This will help you on Guide #5 too.

Types of Dining Options

Disney offers four different ways to get your food.

Table-Service Restaurants: You go in, are seated, order from a menu and a server brings you your food — well, a few are buffets. This include all of these restaurant types as classified by Disney: Casual Dining, Themed Dining, Character Dining, Signature Dining, Special and Unique Dining and Dinner Shows. Whew! Lots of fancy words, but all the same basic concept.

Counter-Service Restaurants: You go in, order at a counter, pick up your food and take it to your table to eat it. It’s just your basic fast food restaurant. Disney calls these Counter Service and Quick Service.

Quick Bite: These are walk-up outdoor kiosks with outdoor seating. They serve primarily snacks and beverages.

Resort Shops: Every resort has a gift shop with a grocery section. You can buy soft drinks, chips, packaged pastries, milk, bread and a few other basics. The shops at DVC resorts and Fort Wilderness have many more groceries — cold cuts, canned soups, and much more. The food courts in the Value and Moderate Resorts also have a nice selection of packaged foods and fruit.

Dining Plan Basics

Every family has its own preferred way to eat on vacation. Some survive on snack foods and sandwiches. Others like burgers and pizza. Still others love to having breakfast, lunch and dinner at table-service restaurants.

And just about every family wants to dine with the Disney characters during their vacation.

A few years ago, Disney came up with a plan that is kind of a “happy medium.” It’s called the Disney Dining Plan. Some people say that it was a trick to get more people to eat at the table-service restaurants. I say that it doesn’t matter why! All I know is that if you love food, it can be a great deal.

The Disney Dining Plan includes the following items for each person staying in your Disney hotel room for each night of your stay:

• One counter-service meal, including entrée, dessert and beverage.
• One table-service meal, including entrée, dessert and beverage.
• One snack, such as soft drink, fruit, pastry or ice cream.

The cost is $40/day for anyone age 10 and older and $11/day for children age 3-9. There are some specific rules and restrictions. For example, you can’t use your credits at some restaurants. You have to pay extra for some items. And some meals take two credits. But overall, you’re getting a heck of a lot of food for the money.

For details, read the official Disney brochure.

Comparing Costs

Because you get so much food on the Dining Plan, it doesn’t really matter that only two meals are included. Here’s a sample of how you might use your credits on one day:

• Breakfast: Muffin from the resort food court or shop. Regular price: $2.50. Use your Snack Credit. (Use your refillable mug for coffee or a soft drink.)
• Lunch: Vegetarian pizza with salad, strawberry shortcake, and soft drink at Pinocchio Village Haus at the Magic Kingdom. Regular price: $15. Use your Counter-Service Credit.
• Dinner: Mediterranean seafood platter, apple crepes with ice cream at Restaurant Marrakesh, Morocco Pavilion at Epcot. Regular price: $55 including tip. Use your Table-Service Credit.

(By the way, you’ll be so full from this dinner that I’ll bet that you’ll be happy with just a muffin for breakfast the next day.)

Of course, I picked out the most expensive menu items at each restaurant for this example. But this day’s dining would cost about $72. Even with more moderate selections, it’s easy to see that $40 per day is significantly less expensive that paying cash!

New Quick-Service Dining Plan!

In 2009, Disney added another dining plan: Quick-Service Dining. It appears to be designed for guests staying at Value or Moderate Resorts (which typically includes me, by the way!).

What’s included for each person staying in your Disney hotel room for each night of your stay:

• Two counter-service meals, including entrée, dessert and beverage.
• Two snacks, such as pastries, chips, ice cream or bottled juice.
• Refillable mug that can be used at your resort food court or counter-service restaurant.

The cost is $30/day for adults and $9/day for children age 3-9. Your credits are good only at participating counter-service or quick-service locations. To be honest, the cost is about the same as what you would pay in cash. I’m still trying to think of a good reason to try it!

Is a Dining Plan Right for You?

Consider these questions:

• How much would you normally eat on vacation?
• Can you adjust your meal times or eating habits so that you’re content eating two meals and a snack instead of three normal meals each day?
• Would you be happy with smaller meals and dining at less expensive restaurants?

Just as a note, my personal preference is for less food. We use the Dining Plan only when it’s offered for free — which it has been during September for the last three years. That’s great for my husband. He loves table-service restaurants and trying new things.

Two footnotes! First, if you decide to add the Disney Dining Plan to your vacation package, reservations are essential. Check out Guide #11, Make Dining Reservations in Advance, on Page 24 in the upcoming Mouse Map Savings Guide.

Second, Disney offers more expensive dining plans and deluxe packages that include meals. I consider them convenience packages, rather than a way to save money. They are packed with so many features that it would very difficult, if not impossible, to get the full benefit of their sky-high price tag!

Money Saver #5: Stick to Basic Foods

So we’re looked at how to save money on table-service restaurants using the Disney Dining Plan. Now let’s see how you can cut your food expenses to the bare bone.

Remember that you can buy many food items at your resort shop and food court. If you are on a tight budget, here are a few tips to keep your food costs low.

Refillable Mugs

If you like soft drinks and coffee, purchase the refillable mugs at your resort food court or counter-service restaurant. The mug costs $13 and can be refilled throughout your stay.

Soft drinks and coffee regularly cost about $2. If you drink coffee in the morning and a soft drink every evening for a week, the total cost would be almost $30 without the refillable mug. And you get a souvenir mug to take home!

Stick to Counter Service

One of the easiest ways to keep your food expenses low is to eat meals at counter-service restaurants. Most meals are under $10. And you can ask for a cup of water for free.

Share Meals

Many of the meals — both counter-service and table-service — are rather large, much too large for those of us with smaller appetites.

At counter-service restaurants, just order one entrée or combo and split it with your spouse or child.

At table-service, ask if you can split an entrée. You can’t share buffets, but I’ve never been turned down when asking to share a plated entrée. And I’ve even order child’s meals several times. I am very polite when I ask. Be sure to tip as if you paid for two regular meals!

Buy Snacks in the Resort Shop

When you get back to your resort in the evening, you might be hungry for a snack. Rather than hitting the food court, buy a package of cookies or pastries at the resort shop. A package of mini-donuts costs only $3.50 at the resort shop.

An extra bonus: The snack pastries also serve as an easy breakfast!

Bring Favorite Snacks From Home

There’s nothing like having your favorite snacks, especially if you’re on a special diet. I bring a box of my favorite granola bars in my carry-on bag. (Don’t pack food in your suitcase.) They’re healthier than snacks purchased in the parks. They’re less expensive since I brought them from home. And since they’re eaten, that means more space in my carry-on on the trip home

Consider bringing a box of your child’s favorite crackers or cereal or perhaps your wife’s favorite chocolates!

Take Sandwiches to the Parks

If you absolutely, positively must save as much as possible, take your own sandwiches to the parks.

For this to work best, bring some sandwich bags from home. Then, buy a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter at your resort shop. That’ll cost you about $6. Then slap together some sandwiches, stick them in sandwich bags and slip them in your backpack. When you’re ready for lunch, find a bench in a shady spot. grab some bottled water and an apple to enjoy with your sandwich.

I wouldn’t want to eat that way every day. But for a quick time and money saver, it’s a winner to me!

Money Saver #6: Save on the Little Things

As much as I love Disney World, I know that there are thousands of ways for me to overspend. I also know that there are many little ways to save or get the most from what you do spend.

Check it out…

Get Annual Passes

If you get an Annual Pass for your next trip, you can return within a year and save the cost of theme park tickets. Here’s the comparison.

Get a Magic Your Way ticket with Park Hopper for seven days — the cost is $255. Come back next year for another seven days and spend at least $255 (probably more because Disney raises price at least once a year). The total would be $510 for 14 days in the theme parks.

Or buy an Annual Pass for $434. That’s about $70 less and you get unlimited days in the theme parks. Come back for a second trip within one year with “free” theme park admissions.

Then you can let it expire and buy a new Annual Pass the following year.

My husband has done this for the last few years. It’s a great way for us to save! (I keep an Annual Pass for my research trips.)

You get other savings with your Annual Pass: 10% discounts at many table-service restaurants and Downtown Disney shops, $25 off the Disney Dining Experience card, and occasional discounts on Disney hotel rooms. (The Disney Dining Experience card is a discount card you can use at selected restaurants.)

Take Advantage of Free Activities

Many activities at Disney World don’t cost anything extra! They’re part of what you get by taking your vacation at Disney World:

• Campfire Sing-Along and Outdoor Movie and the petting zoo at Fort Wilderness
• Tours and crafts at Wilderness Lodge and Animal Kingdom Lodge
• The Electrical Water Pageant on the Seven Seas Lagoon
• Ride the monorails!
• Swim at the themed pool and let the kids play at one of the unique playgrounds at your Disney resort.

Read more about these activities on Page 70 of the Mouse Map.

Look for Discounted Merchandise

Look for clearance and discounted merchandise at the shops in your resort and the theme parks. These won’t be the most current products, but it’s still Disney merchandise.

Stick to Inexpensive Souvenirs

It’s easy to drop some big bucks on souvenirs. You could spend $60 for a large Mickey plush toy or hundreds on a toy monorail kit and accessories. Think about it: Will they end up in the bottom of the closet?

Why not make less expensive choices? A small plush toy is only $10-12, and a small monorail toy is less than $10.

I love getting packages of Disney World pencils and pens to share with my friends. You’ll find many small candles and wind-up toys for less than $5.

And the least expensive and perhaps best souvenir … character autographs! Buy an autograph book for $8 or bring your own.

Time Saver #1: Stay On-Site at a Disney Hotel

One of the first questions most guests ask when planning their Disney World vacation is this: Should we stay on-site or off-site?

There are hundreds of hotels in Orlando and the surrounding communities. And prices can be very competitive. It’s tempting to be lured to an offsite hotel for $50 or less per night.

But for me, there’s no question. The only way to go is onsite at the Disney resort hotel. Let me show you why…

Add An Hour to Your Day

If you’re staying offsite, you have two different ways to get to the theme parks: hotel shuttle or driving. Most hotel shuttles run every 30 minutes in the early morning and late evening. During middle of the day, it can be an hour between shuttle runs. If you happen to miss the shuttle, you could spend 30 minutes or more waiting for the next shuttle. Consider the impact of doing that twice a day!

If you’re driving, you’ll need to allow time to load up the car, drive to the theme park parking lot, then take the tram to the front gates. That can add an extra 15-30 minutes every morning or evening.

If you’re staying onsite, all you need to do is walk from your room to the bus stop at your resort and hop on a Disney bus (or boat or monorail at some resorts). Disney transportation runs every 15-20 minutes, more frequently during the early morning and late evenings.

And you’ll get off the bus (or monorail or boat) right at the park entrance. Another 10-15 minutes saved!

Add it all up ... You’ll save at least an hour each day. That’s time that you could be enjoying the parks!

Take a Midday Break

If you’re staying onsite, it’s easy to go back to your hotel and take a midday break. After a short nap, you — and especially your children — will be energized for an evening in the parks.

By the way, this might be considered a “must-do” if you’re planning to enjoy the Evening Extra Magic Hours…. which reminds me…

Enjoy Extra Magic Hours

Disney offers extended hours at one or two theme parks on selected days. I’ll talk more about that in Guide #10 on Page 22. When you get there, remember that this feature is available only to guests at Disney World hotels.

Easy Access to Dining

Each Disney World hotel has at least one restaurant. Moderate and Deluxe Resorts have two or more restaurants. By staying at the Disney hotel, you won’t have to go out to find something to eat.

Enjoy the Trademark Disney Service

Now, I’m not saying that you won’t have any problems at a Disney hotel. But my experiences have convinced me that staying at a Disney hotel means better service and fewer problems.

The staff — which are called cast members in Disney lingo — is extremely responsive, and the hotels are extraordinarily well maintained. Better service and outstanding quality means that you spend less time dealing with problems. And who wants to deal with hotel problems on vacation?
 

Time Saver #2: Arrive at the Theme Parks Early

If you don’t follow any other of my suggestions for vacationing at Disney World, follow this one! To get the most of your Disney World vacation, arrive at the park entrance 10 minutes before the official opening time.

It doesn’t matter if it’s the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney-MGM Studios or Disney’s Animal Kingdom, be standing at the gate when the park opens. Your goal is to beat the crowds! And being there early is the virtually the only way to stay ahead of the crowds.

How to Get There

If you’re staying at a Disney hotel, go to the bus stop (or monorail station or boat dock) no later than 40 minutes before the official opening time.

If you’re staying offsite, leave your hotel so that you arrive at the theme park parking lot no later than 20 minutes before the opening time. Headed to the Magic Kingdom? Get to the parking lot no later than 40-45 minutes before the opening time. You’ll have take the tram to the Ticket and Transportation Center, then the monorail or boat to the Magic Kingdom.

Just to be clear: If the Magic Kingdom opens at 9:00 AM, you should be in the parking lot by 8:15.

By the way, if you need to rent a stroller, look for an express rental station right outside the entrance. It can save valuable time!
And pick up a Times Guide with attraction hours and show times.

Stay Focused When You Enter the Park

I love the opening ceremony at each park. Only the early birds — like us! — have the honor of seeing it. It might feel a bit crowded, but the crowds will disperse quickly so don’t fret.

Now here’s the real trick… When you enter the park, head straight to your destination! Do not get distracted by character greetings, photographers, shopping, or food breaks. (If you need a restroom break, take care of it before the gate opens.)

Your target destination will depend on your family. In any case, move quickly from attraction to attraction. Fit in as many attractions as you can. Use your waiting time to check the Times Guide and plan afternoon activities.

(The following guidelines reference the FASTPASS. Turn to Page 20 for details on how to use FASTPASS.)

I said you should head straight to your destination. Where exactly should you go? Here are my recommendations:

Magic Kingdom

If you have small children or want to enjoy the classic attractions, go straight to Fantasyland. To get there, go straight down Main Street USA toward Cinderella Castle. The Castle is usually open so go straight through to Fantasyland. If the Castle is closed, you can take a route around. To the right is faster.

Go straight to Dumbo and ride. Then pick up a FASTPASS for Peter Pan’s Flight, and go to the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.
Then work your way around the other Fantasyland rides, ending with Peter Pan’s Flight, where you’ll use your FASTPASS. Move as quickly as you can. You should be able to ride all of the Fantasyland attractions within one or two hours.

If you prefer thrill rides, you’ll take a different route. First go to Tomorrowland — Head down Main Street USA and turn right before the Castle and pick up a FASTPASS for Space Mountain. Then walk across the park to Adventureland to ride Pirates of the Caribbean.

Next go to Frontierland and ride Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain. Head back to Tomorrowland — You should be able to get another FASTPASS by this time. So pick up a FASTPASS for Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, then ride Space Mountain using your FASTPASS.

Follow these suggestions, and you’ll hit the most popular attractions before the park gets crowded. I’ve been able to ride all of the Fantasyland attractions within an hour… If I had arrived an hour or two later, it could take four hours to get as much done.

Epcot

Enter Epcot through the main entrance. You have three different options for FASTPASS tickets. I recommend getting a FASTPASS for Soarin’ first… Head to the right and take a shortcut through Innovations West. Go to the Land Pavilion, take the escalator or stairs down and pick up a FASTPASS for Soarin’.

However, if Mission: SPACE or Test Track is at the top of your “must-ride” list, head to the left when you enter. Take a shortcut through Innovations East. Go straight to get a Mission: SPACE FASTPASS, or veer right for a Test Track FASTPASS.

(Note if you’re staying at an Epcot Area resort … Take the boat, enter through the International Gateway, then hotfoot it to Future World. Follow the signs to your destination.)

With a FASTPASS in hand, go back to The Seas with Nemo and Friends, which is next to the Land Pavilion. Ride the Nemo “underwater” ride, then see Turtle Talk with Crush inside. It should be time for your FASTPASS attraction.

If you really want to save time, you’ll need to hop back and forth across Future World to pick up another FASTPASS tickets when you’re allowed. You should be able to hit most of the top attractions at Future World — or at least have FASTPASS tickets in hand — within two hours.

Disney's Hollywood Studios

The pace is a little slower at Disney-MGM Studios, so you don’t have to rush quite as much. But it still pays to be there when the park opens.

If you’re a fan of thrill rides, start on Sunset Boulevard. After you enter, go down Hollywood Boulevard and turn right down Sunset Boulevard. Go all the way to the end and take a left to the Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster. Pick up a FASTPASS ticket, then go next door and ride the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.

If you have small children, check the Times Guide and work out a schedule to see Playhouse Disney Live on Stage, the Voyage of the Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast. Showtimes are limited, so you must be at the park early to have enough time to see all of the shows in one day.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

The pace is even slower at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. But you still have a mission: Ride Expedition Everest and the Kilimanjaro Safari before the park is crowded and hot. In case you’re wondering why … the best viewing of the Safari is early morning, and the line at Expedition Everest gets long very early. FASTPASS is essential!
When you enter the park, head right and follow the signs to Asia. There will probably be a line even for the FASTPASS. Get in line and get FASTPASS tickets. Then quickly walk across the park and ride Kilimanjaro Safari.

And Enjoy Cooler Temperatures

By the way, there’s another major advantage of arriving early — cooler temperatures! Florida is warm or even hot most of the year. Getting to the parks early means that you’re doing most of your serious touring when the temperatures are cooler.

If you’re like me, you and your family will be much happier if you can enjoy the parks before the weather gets too warm.

Time Saver #3: Skip the Lines with FASTPASS

Does the name of this guideline have your attention? Well, you won’t be able to skip the lines on every attraction. But you can on the most popular attractions — the ones that are notorious for long lines — if you use FASTPASS.

FASTPASS is a free service on selected attractions that basically allows you to reserve a future riding time. It’s free for everyone! Here’s how it works.

If FASTPASS is available on the attraction, you will see these signs at the entrance:

• “Stand By” with the estimated waiting time.
• “FASTPASS Distribution” with a display that gives the time — usually an hour’s span, such as 2:30-3:30 PM — when you could return if you picked up a FASTPASS ticket right then.
• “FASTPASS Return” and a clock that says the current time.

How to Use FASTPASS

Let’s start with the basic steps.

1. When you walk up to the attraction, check the waiting time for the Stand By queue and the Return Time on the FASTPASS Pickup. If the Stand By line is too long and the Return Time is acceptable, go the FASTPASS Pickup.
2. Insert your park admission ticket (which may be your resort key card) into the FASTPASS machine.
3. The machine will eject a paper FASTPASS ticket with the return time. Check your ticket to verify the time and to see when you can pickup another FASTPASS. Repeat for everyone who wants to ride.
4. Enjoy other attractions, take a break for food or shopping, or just relax until your return time.
5. At the return time, go back to the FASTPASS Return queue and enjoy the attraction with little or no wait.
6. Although it is not official policy, you will be probably be admitted if you return after the time block printed on your FASTPASS.
7. You may pick up another FASTPASS — at that attraction or another park attraction — after the time printed on your FASTPASS.

Tips and Tricks

So now you know the basics. Let’s look at some little tricks to get the most out of the FASTPASS service.

Send a Runner

On Guide #8, Arrive at the Theme Parks Early, there are several suggestions to pick up a FASTPASS ticket. Basically, you need FASTPASS tickets for everyone in your group.

The easiest way is to send one person with everyone’s admission ticket to the FASTPASS pickup. The rest of your group can go ahead (walking less quickly) to the next attraction on the list. The runner picks up FASTPASS tickets for everyone, then goes to the next attraction and meets up with the rest of your group.

You can use this technique any time. Whenever you’re able to pick up a FASTPASS, send a runner with all your admission tickets.

(I’m usually the runner because I’m great at slipping through the crowds. Our son also volunteers to pick up FASTPASS tickets because he loves the challenge!)

Know Which Attractions Have FASTPASS

The attractions with FASTPASS are marked on the theme park maps, and I have notes on the Mouse Maps.

Here’s a list to get you started … I’ve arranged them by priority. The ones at the top of list are in greatest demand and should be picked up as early in the day as possible.

Magic Kingdom

• Splash Mountain
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• Space Mountain
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
• Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Jungle Cruise
• Mickey’s PhilharMagic
• Stitch’s Great Escape

Epcot

• Soarin’ in the Land Pavilion
• Test Track
• Mission: SPACE
• Maelstrom in the Norway Pavilion
• “Honey, I Shrunk the Audience” in the Imagination Pavilion
• Living with the Land in the Land Pavilion

Disney's Hollywood Studios

• Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
• Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
• Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show
• Star Tours
• Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

• Expedition Everest
• Kilimanjaro Safari
• Kali River Rapids
• Primeval Whirl
• DINOSAUR!
• It’s Tough to be a Bug!

Ride Your Favorite Attraction Twice

This suggestion is a little different from my suggestions in Guide #8, Arrive at the Theme Parks Early. But if you have an absolute favorite — an attraction that you must do or your vacation won’t be complete! — use this trick to ride twice in a row if FASTPASS is available.

When the park opens, go straight to that attraction. Immediately get a FASTPASS, then get in the Stand-By line, which should be very short. Enjoy your ride! By the time you get off, your FASTPASS Return Time should be available, so take your second ride.

If your FASTPASS Return Time isn’t immediately available, it should be soon.

Manage Your FASTPASS Tickets

Disney limits how many FASTPASS tickets you can hold at one time and when you can pick up another ticket.

Generally, you won’t be able to pick up another FASTPASS until the Return Time on your first ticket starts. Check your FASTPASS ticket for exceptions — which is possible if your Return Turn is several hours away.

Sometimes the time you can get another ticket seems kind of random… Don’t even try to figure it out. Just stick with the rules.

Use Stand-By If the Wait Time Is Less Than 30 Minutes

What if the Stand By wait time isn’t too long? Go ahead and get in line!

My standard is 30 minutes. If the Stand By time is 30 minutes or less, I’ll usually just get in line and save my FASTPASS privileges.

Never get in line without knowing how long the wait will be. Be sure to check the wait time posted at the entrance of every ride!

Time Saver #4: Use Extra Magic Hours

One of the best reasons to stay in a Disney resort hotel is Extra Magic Hours!

Every day, one of the theme parks opens an hour early or stays open up to three hours after closing — just for guests at Disney resorts hotels.

So rather than competing with the other tens of thousands of vacationers in Central Florida, it’s just you and other Disney guests. The results is that crowds are generally smaller. It doesn’t mean that everything is a walk-on… but it’s a little more manageable.

And if you use a couple of tricks, you can get the most out of this special benefit.

Morning Extra Magic Hours

I love Morning Extra Magic Hours. You know that I’m a big fan of getting to the parks early… This is “Getting to the Parks Early on Steroids!”

To prepare, pick up a Extra Magic Hours guide at your hotel. Double check which attractions will be open. Plan which attractions you will target.

If the regular park opening time is 9:00 AM, the park will open at 8:00 AM for Morning Extra Magic Hour. You should be waiting at the gate at 7:45 AM. Everyone in your group must have your resort ID cards! Enter the park and follow the tips listed in Guide #8, Arrive at the Theme Parks Early, in Page 18.

By the way, if you are planning to use the strategies in Guide #8, Arrive at the Theme Parks Early, AND that park is open for Morning Extra Magic Hour, you MUST be there at the early opening time.
If you can’t be at the gates before the early opening time, go to another park! You will not be able to use the tips in Guide #8. In fact, some Disney World veterans advise not even going to a park that has Morning Extra Magic Hours because the park can get crowded. If that happens, just hop to another park.

My Recommendations

Here are specific suggestions to get the most out of Morning Extra Magic Hours:

• Magic Kingdom: Hit Fantasyland, and ride as much as you can!
• Epcot: Focus on Soarin’, Mission: SPACE and Test Track. Ride Living with the Land if you have time.
• Disney's Hollywood Studios: Head to Sunset Boulevard, and ride Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster and Twilight Zone Tower of Tower. Then head over to Muppets 3D.
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Start with Expedition Everest, followed by DINSOSAUR and It’s Tough to be a Bug!

Evening Extra Magic Hours

Evening Extra Magic Hours work in reverse. You are allowed to stay in the theme park after regular park hours.

After park closing time — say 8:00 PM — you will be asked to show your resort ID cards before you can get in line at any of the attractions that are open. It might seem crowded at first, but the crowds thin out more and more as the evening goes by.

My Suggestions

Here are specific suggestions to get the most out of Evening Extra Magic Hours:

• Magic Kingdom: It takes a while for the crowds to dwindle down, so you might relax for a bit if the lines are still long when the Extra Magic Hours start. I prefer to begin my after-hours adventure in Frontierland, then Adventureland and end up in Tomorrowland.
• Epcot: Personally, I don’t really enjoy the Evening Extra Magic Hours at Epcot. Only a few attractions are open, and you have to walk quite a bit in the dark. The best for me is to get a couple more rides on Soarin’, Mission: SPACE and Test Track.
• Disney's Hollywood Studios: I like to start with the Great Movie Ride, the Voyage of the Little Mermaid and Muppet 3D. By that time, the lines are shorter on Tower of Terror and Rock ’N’ Roller Coaster.
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Only six attractions are open, so you should be able to enjoy them all. Start by checking the wait time for Expedition Everest.

Check the Extra Magic Hours Guide!

Pick up the Extra Magic Hours guide at your hotel. Check which attractions and restaurants will be open — Yep! Only selected attractions and very few restaurants are open. Don’t be surprised…. Be prepared!

You can plan ahead by checking the Disney World calendar at http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/calendars/ . Input your travel dates and look for the Extra Magic Hours.

Base Ticket Or Park Hopper?

Starting on Page 42, I’ll talk in greater detail about picking the right ticket for your family. Right now, you just need to know this…. If you decide to get the Magic Your Way Base Ticket, you’ll be stuck in the same park all day. That means if you want to enjoy Extra Magic Hours, that is where you’ll have to spend the entire day. Planning becomes even more important.

Time Saver # 5: Make Dining Reservations

The Disney Dining Plan has made table-service restaurants very popular! If you don’t have dining reservations, you could spend 30 minutes to an hour waiting on a table.

That’s not how I want to spend my vacation time, and I’ll bet that you don’t either.

Taking an hour, maybe a little more, to reserve your table-service meals in advance will save needless frustration and up to four or five hours of waiting time on a weeklong vacation.

Making your dining reservations takes some background work:

1. Start planning your Disney World vacation by learning about the parks and vacation options. That’s what you’re doing by reading the Mouse Map Savings Guide and Mouse Map.
2. Decide what’s most important, where you’ll stay, how you will tour the parks, and whether you’ll add the Disney Dining Plan.
3. Check the park schedules and decide which park (or parks) you want to visit each day. You can use the Fun Sheet: Our Disney World Vacation Plan—Schedule, on Page 82-84 in the Mouse Map to make notes about park schedules and your plans.
4. Make a list of your dining preferences, considering what day you’re visiting each park and which restaurants you want to try.

How To Make Reservations

First create your list of dining preferences. With your tentative schedule and a pencil in hand, call 407-WDW-DINE (939-6244).

Start with the restaurants that are your highest priorities. Looking for a character meal? Reserve that first!

Listen carefully to all of the information provided by the Disney cast member. Some restaurants require advance payment, so pay close attention to the cancellation policy.

Work through your schedule with the reservation agent until you have reservations for all of your table-service meals. You may need to change or rearrange your schedule… that’s why you should use a pencil.

When to Make Reservations

If your vacation arrival date is in 90 days or less, call TODAY!

If your vacation arrival date is more than 90 days away, mark your calendar at 90 days. Call as early as possible on that day.

Calling for dining at Cinderella’s Castle in the Magic Kingdom or the princess dining at the Norway Pavilion in Epcot? Start dialing a few minutes before 7:00 AM Eastern time.

A couple more notes … The earlier you make your reservations, the greater your chance of getting your top picks.

… Every fall there’s a short period of time when data for the next year is being added to the Disney reservation system. You might not be able to make reservations for some restaurants. Try calling back every day or two.

Time Saver #6: Ride During Parades & Fireworks

No one does parades and firework displays better than Disney! Seeing parades and fireworks is one of my priorities, so I check the schedules and make it a point to see my favorites as early in my vacation as possible.

Over the years, I discovered that there’s a benefit of seeing these special events early. When I go back to the same park later in my vacation, I have time to enjoy the attractions while most other guests are enjoying the parade or fireworks.

Let’s look at the afternoon parade at the Magic Kingdom as an example.

The parade route starts every afternoon at 3:00 PM. The route starts near Splash Mountain, goes through Frontierland, circles around the plaza in front of Cinderella’s Castle, goes down Main Street and ends near the train station.

Around 2:00 PM every day, guests start claiming their space along the parade route. They stay there for more than an hour, waiting and watching. Every person who is sitting there waiting and watching is one less person in line or riding the attractions!

You can take advantage of that by finding the attractions with shorter lines. The most popular attractions — like Splash Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, Space Mountain and Peter Pan’s Flight — will probably still have long lines. But most other attractions will probably have much shorter wait times.

One warning: Walking near the parade route will be limited. I prefer to stick with the attractions in Tomorrowland, Mickey’s Toontown Fair and Fantasyland because it’s easier to get around.

Suggestions for Each Park

Each park is unique, and this tip works best at the Magic Kingdom because it has the most parades and fireworks shows. Here are specific suggestions.

Magic Kingdom

As I said, I prefer the areas of the park away from the parade route during the afternoon parade. During the evening parades and Wishes fireworks display, Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain are frequently walk-ons — No wait time!

Epcot

The only show at Epcot is Illuminations: Reflections of Earth, which is presented nightly at 9:00 PM. Since most attractions in Future World close at 7:00 PM, try the Maelstrom at the Norway Pavilion and the Gran Fiesta Tour Featuring the Three Caballeros in the Mexico Pavilion.

Disney's Hollywood Studios

During the afternoon parade and the evening showings of Fantasmic, I’ve found the best wait times on Star Tours and the Backlot Tour.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Honestly, this strategy doesn’t work very well at the Animal Kingdom. The parade route circles almost the entire park so it doesn’t tend to concentrate the crowds as much and people don’t camp out for viewing locations….

After the Parade

Time for a warning! As soon as the parade passes by, guests immediately head for the nearest attractions. If you’re not already in line at an attraction, find something else to do for the next 30-45 minutes. Perhaps that’s a good time to visit the less popular attractions … like the Hall of Presidents.