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Free Trip Tips!
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Avoiding lines at Disney World
At most times of the year, waiting in lines for attractions, dining, checking into your hotel, etc. is an almost inevitable part of the Disney experience. But armed with a few simple strategies, you can cut down significantly the amount of time you spend waiting.
At the Parks
Visit when crowds are light. If you can visit during the times of year when crowds are historically low, you'll cut out a majority of the waiting, and really don't need to follow the rest of the tips, unless any kind of line is torture to you.
Stay at a Disney Resort and take advantage of the Morning Extra Magic Hours. Throughout the week various parks are scheduled to open one hour early to Disney Resort guests only. Use this time to ride the headline attraction which fill up quickly once the general public is admitted.
Disney guests also can take advantage of Extra Magic Evening Hours, where the parks stay open up to 3 hours later. While this benefit gives you extra time to tour, you'll usually find a good deal of congestion and lines will remain long.
Make use of the FastPass system. At many of the headline attractions, where wait times are often over an hour, you'll find a bank of machines near the entrance for a "Fast Pass." You insert your park ticket and you'll receive a slip with a return time, when you can come back and experience the attraction with only a minimal wait (5-10 minutes, if that). Each person riding must have a Fast Pass. The only caveat is you can only hold 1 Fast Pass at a time, so check the posted return time before getting your Fast Pass. Click here for a list of FastPass attractions
Get to the parks when they open. Whether you're arriving for an early Extra Magic Hour or just a regular opening, be at the gates 10 - 15 minutes before the park opening. Once you're inside the park, ride any of the headline attractions first, then work your way to the others. One thing you don't want to do, is arrive at the general public opening on a park's Early Extra Magic Hour day. It will be packed to the gills--you're better off selecting a different park to tour that day.
Do some advance planning. Based on your interests, know the first 3-5 attractions you want to hit at each park. Get a park map from your resort beforehand, arrive at the park opening, and knock those off first. Then you can relax a bit and be a bit more spontaneous. A little focus early on will save you big time.
Ride during the parades and fireworks. These events draw large numbers of people away from the attractions, making them a great time to ride. If you have no interest in the parades and fireworks, or you've already seen them, by all means take advantage.
Be flexible. Unless you're visiting at the busiest of times, the crowds will ebb and flow. If there is a terribly long line, try coming back later and see if your luck has changed.
Dining Out
Make Advance Reservations. Although you won't eliminate a wait, you'll significantly cut down on the time you'll wait for a table. Click here for more information on Advance Reservations.
Dine at "off" times. Have a late lunch (after 1:30) or early (before 5:30) or late (after 8:00) dinner.
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