14 Things I Learned Visiting Disney World for the First Time (at Age 47)

As a child, I never had the opportunity to go to Disney World, Disneyland, or anything Disney-related.  In fact, I rarely went on any family vacations. I was the only child in a single-parent household that lived mostly paycheck to paycheck.

So, when I had a chance to finally get to Disney World as an adult (47 years old in fact), I was curious and excited.  Would it live up to all the hype? Would I be overrun by screaming kids? Would I get caught up in the Disney magic and want to come back again and again?

I went with my wife, Allison, and fortunately she had been to Disney World a few times growing up, so she sort of knew the ropes.  As much as I thought I knew about Disney, I really didn’t know anything. Here’s what I learned…

1. You Have to Have a Plan:  

Going on a trip to Disney World is a serious endeavor that requires a lot of planning ahead.  You can’t just hop on plane and show up, expecting to get to experience all the popular rides. 

We borrowed a book from the library that was extremely useful, The Unofficial Guide to Disney World.  I highly recommend it if you’re thinking of going to DW.  Just make sure to start your planning at least six months in advance.

2. It’s Really Expensive:

Allison and I do a lot traveling around the world and around the country, so we’re used to shelling out a few bucks for those experiences.  But I was not expecting these prices.

Park tickets start at over $100 each per day and slowly come down in price for each successive day you attend.  Then add in the costs of traveling to Orlando, hotels, food, transportation, and souvenirs. I’m not sure how so many families can afford a Disney vacation (and some even come back year after year!). Disney is seriously printing money!

3. Go During the International Food Festival:  

We were lucky to be at Epcot during their renowned International Food & Wine Festival, which runs from the end of August to the middle of November.  You’ll get a chance to sample cuisine from a wide variety of countries and regions around the world, from Japan to Brazil to Africa and Australia.

There are also semi-famous musical acts who perform in the evening. We even got to sing and dance with the lead singer of Living Colour. The F&W Festival may have been the highlight of our trip.

4. Go When Kids are in School: 

Do yourself a favor and if at all possible, schedule your visit during the school year.  We went in September, and there were still a fair number of kids running around, but nowhere near what you would expect in the summer or during Christmas or spring break.

In fact, I heard that today, New Year’s Eve, the Magic Kingdom stopped accepting non-resort visitors around noon. Can you imagine paying for tickets and not being allowed to enter the park? Some websites even keep track of daily/monthly attendance to help you time your trip.

5. Stay at a Disney Resort:  

We stayed at Disney’s Port Orleans resort, which is one of the nicer Disney hotels (there are more moderately priced resorts, but they may be further away from the parks).  You can take a shuttle bus to and from the Disney parks and not have to worry about a rental car. The shuttles run frequently (usually about every 15 minutes).  

You also get a few extra perks like extra park hours before or after regular hours. Staying on Disney property also allows you to sign up for FastPass+ thirty days earlier than visitors who stay off-site. However, if staying on-site is not within your budget, there are plenty of lodging options close to the parks that will still allow you to have a great time!

6. Disney World is Massive:  

I figured DW was big, but I didn’t realize just how sprawling it really is.  It encompasses 40 square miles (or roughly the size of San Francisco).  That includes four theme parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot Center, Animal Kingdom, and Disney Hollywood Studios), two water parks, twenty-seven resort hotels, golf courses, and other entertainment venues.  

7. Animal Kingdom is Very Cool:  

As an adult, I would say Animal Kingdom was one of my favorite parks.  It focuses more on nature and education than the other parks. I especially loved the safari ride, which we went on several times.  Each safari is slightly different, because you don’t know which animals will be out and about.

8. It’s Really Hot (& Humid):  

Coming from the San Francisco Bay Area, we’re not used to 90+ degrees and definitely not 90%+ humidity.  For us, it was brutal!

I highly recommend getting one of those cooling towels that you can wet down and wrap around your neck to stay cool.  Check the weather forecast during your planning phase; if humidity makes you uncomfortable, check to see if one month before or after would have better weather.

9. Stick to One Park per Day:  

Some people get the Park Hopper pass, which allows you to go to multiple DW parks in one day. You will pay a premium for that flexibility, an average 45% more per ticket. We found that we got the most bang for our buck by staying in one park for the entire day. Because Disney World is so massive you don’t want to spend your valuable time traveling all over the place.  Focus on one park per day for maximum enjoyment!

10. Stay All Day at Each Park:  

In addition to focusing on one park per day, I recommend staying as long as possible at each park to get the best bang for your buck. f you need a break, you may be able to find a quiet place in the park to recharge your batteries (both literally and figuratively).

The parks reach peak attendance at mid-day, so early morning and late evening tend to have lighter crowds. If you’re staying at a Disney resort you can take advantage of “magic hours,” which are extra hours before or after regular park hours. But, if you (or your kids) do need a break, you can jump onto a hotel shuttle, go back to your hotel for a quick nap, coffee break, and even a dip in the pool mid-day.

11. Pace Yourself:  

Because of the heat and the long hours, you really have to pace yourself throughout the day.  You don’t want to go all out and hit a wall by lunchtime. The key is to plan out your day with FastPasses (passes that let you skip the main line), mealtimes, lots of water breaks (bring a refillable water bottle so that you can hydrate whenever you need to), and some time to relax in the shade.  It’s also a good idea to schedule time for shows, so you can get inside in the A/C and sit for awhile.

12. Use FastPasses Wisely:  

Speaking of FastPasses, you definitely want to get them in order to minimize your time standing in line.  The Unofficial Guide offers a number of suggestions for scheduling your passes for maximum efficiency.  Try to stick to your plan, but also know you can make adjustments in the park at FastPass kiosks.

13. It Really Does Feel Magical:

When you’re at DW, you really do feel like a kid in a magical kingdom (I guess that’s where they got the name!).  Like most trips and vacations, it gives you chance to unplug from the real world for awhile.

Everyone was so pumped to be there, we couldn’t help but absorb some of their energy and excitement. We experienced all the characters, princesses, and fairy tales from our youth, and even enjoyed an amazing rainbow one day!

14. You May Only Need to Go Once:  

As much fun as we had, it was also exhausting.  We spent six full days exploring all four parks in tropical temperatures.  By the end, I was definitely ready to head home. I felt like I had the full Disney experience, and probably never need to go back.  

Conclusion

If you’ve never been to Disney World (or if you haven’t been since you were a young child), it is definitely worth going at least once in your adult life. Just remember to plan well in advance, time your visit, expect heat & humidity, and get in shape beforehand so you can endure the long days.  

And I know I said one visit may be enough, but the new Star Wars Land at Hollywood Studios may just make us reconsider! #MayTheForceBeWithYou