Time Savers: 6 Tips and Tricks for Saving Time to Enjoy More Attractions While at Disney World

Guests who visit Walt Disney World will find themselves busy throughout their entire trip, enjoying countless experiences located across the property. Guests can spend time in the four theme parks, two water parks, Disney Springs, and over two dozen Disney Resorts enjoying attractions, entertainment, dining, shopping, amenities, and recreation. With so many things to experience while in Walt Disney World, many guests want to spend the majority of their vacation time enjoying the different attractions found in the four theme parks. Each park is home to many different attractions that range from classic to thrilling and are sure to appeal to many guests. With so many attractions to enjoy, guests definitely want to make the most of their time to experience as many as possible. There are several tips and tricks designed to save time that can then be used to enjoy more attractions, and guests are smart to follow them to ensure a magical Walt Disney World vacation. Here are six tips and tricks designed to save time so that guests can enjoy more attractions while in Walt Disney World.

1 – Book FastPasses

Editor’s Note: During the phased reopening of Walt Disney World, FastPass+ is temporarily suspended.

One of the best ways to save time and enjoy more attractions while enjoying a Disney vacation is by booking FastPasses. FastPasses act as reservations for attractions and experiences that give guests a specific time to enjoy them with little to no wait time. Guests are entitled to three FastPasses per day that can be booked in advance and then several more, which can be booked once the initial three have been used. Guests who stay on property at a Disney Resort can book their FastPasses up to sixty days in advance, and guests who stay off property can book theirs thirty days in advance. Guests are smart to book FastPasses for popular attractions, which tend to have long wait times, thus saving them lots of time that otherwise would have been spent waiting in a standby line. Some of the best options to book FastPasses for are Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railroad, Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run, Avatar-Flight of Passage, Slinky Dog Dash, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Space Mountain, Peter Pan’s Flight, Test Track Presented by Chevrolet, Soarin’ Around The World, Toy Story Mania, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, the Rock’ n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, and Expedition Everest.

2 – Use Extra Magic Hours

Editor’s Note: During the phased reopening of Walt Disney World, Extra Magic Hours are temporarily suspended.

Guests who stay on property at a Disney Resort can enjoy exclusive access to the parks during special hours. Extra Magic Hours allow Disney Resort guests to enter into one theme park up to an hour before the general public each morning and remain in another theme park up to three hours later each night. By visiting during Extra Magic Hours, guests can enjoy fewer crowds and lower wait times allowing them to squeeze in more attractions in a short period of time.

3 – Visit Certain Experiences First Thing In The Morning

Certain attractions in Walt Disney World are so popular that they tend to have very long wait times no matter what time of day. These attractions are also so popular that booking a FastPass for them can be difficult at times. These are the attractions that guests are smart to visit first thing in the mornings as the crowds are still relatively low and wait times are generally short. Some of the best attractions to visit first thing in the morning are the Millenium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run, Avatar-Flight of Passage, Slinky Dog Dash, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Soarin’ Around the World, Toy Story Mania, and Kilimanjaro Safaris.

4 – Visit Certain Experiences During Special Entertainment

Editor’s Note: During the phased reopening of Walt Disney World, the Festival of Fantasy Parade and Happily Ever After are temporarily suspended.

Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom is one of the most popular areas in Walt Disney World as the classic attractions speak to both kids and kids at heart. Since the attractions located there like Peter Pan’s Flight, the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, and The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh are so popular, the wait times tend to be long throughout the day. Guests who want to enjoy all that Fantasyland has to offer without spending tons of time waiting on line are smart to visit in the afternoon when the Festival of Fantasy Parade is running and at night when Happily Ever After Nighttime Spectacular is showing. During these special events, many guests head to Main Street to enjoy amazing views of the entertainment, leaving other areas of the park rather empty. Guests who want to enjoy Fantasyland are smart to do so during those designated times!

5 – Arrive Early

Editor’s Note: During the phased reopening of Walt Disney World, “Let the Magic Begin” is temporarily suspended. 

The best way to make sure that guests enjoy a lot of attractions during a day spent in a Disney theme park is by arriving early. This entails getting to the park before it officially opens and waiting at the gates to be let inside. Guests can enjoy special opening ceremonies and speeches while waiting and will definitely look forward to the experiences waiting inside. Once the gates are open, guests who arrived early for rope drop are some of the first inside where they can enjoy few crowds and low wait times on popular attractions.

Mickey and friends open Magic Kingdom with “Let the Magic Begin”Magic Kingdom opens its gates 60 minutes before park opening. Guests are allowed to stroll up Main Street U.S.A and up to the Hub. This will enable guests to get pictures, get some shopping done, and eat breakfast in the park without losing time otherwise spent on riding attractions. Arriving early is the only way to see the opening show, “Let the Magic Begin,” which opens the park 5 minutes before the posted opening time. A Royal Herald invites you to join Mickey and friends as they open the park in a magical way. This stage show sets the tone for a special day at Magic Kingdom.

6 – Know Where Things Are

Another way to save time that can then be spent enjoying attractions is knowing where things are located. By knowing where specific attractions, entertainment, and services can be found, guests save time that otherwise would have been spent wandering around, asking for directions, or stopping to consult a map.