Instructions for Your First Visit to Walt Disney World

By Dave Shute

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INSTRUCTIONS FOR YOUR FIRST DISNEY WORLD VISIT

Follow the instructions that follow for your first family visit to Walt Disney World to save thousands of dollars, and avoid dozens of hours waiting in line, while seeing all the best of Walt Disney World!

1. When to Go to Walt Disney World:

Most years, I suggest that if you can, you should arrive at Walt Disney World one of the first two, sometimes three, Saturdays after Thanksgiving. In 2025 I recommend the first two weeks after Thanksgiving. More… Next best dates to go…

2. How Long to Stay:

You can have a wonderful trip spending as few as 5 days. However, if you can, be in Orlando for 9 days–a Saturday through a Sunday. More… Going for a shorter trip…

3. How Old/Tall Your Children Should be:

Kids of any age can have a wonderful time at Disney World. However, if this may be your kids’ only childhood visit, consider going when your youngest child is at least 8 or 9, and your shortest child at least 48 inches tall. More… Planning for going with younger/shorter kids…

4. Where to Stay at Walt Disney World:

Stay at Disney’s Polynesian Resort if you can afford it, or at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort if you can’t. More… Next best resort options…

5. How Much to Budget:

You can have a wonderful first visit for $3,000 or less. However, to see all the best of Walt Disney World at the best time of the year to visit, budget if you can $14,000 if you are staying at the Polynesian, or $9,500 if at Art of Animation. More… Developing a much lower or a different budget…

6. When Your Plans Need to be Firm:

Your plans should be firm at least 181 days before your arrival date. More… Planning if it’s already later than that…

7. How to Eat at Walt Disney World:

8. Where to Eat:

The Basic Itinerary tells you exactly where to eat (as do the Other Itineraries). More… Next best dining choices…

9. How to Spend Your Time at Walt Disney World:

The Basic Itinerary tells you exactly how to spend your time in Orlando (as do the Other Itineraries). More… Other Itineraries…

10. What to do When:

See the To-Do List for an exact list of what to do when to prepare for your trip. More… To-Do Lists for Other Itineraries…

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1,261 comments

1 Kelly { 08.16.13 at 1:38 pm }: Hello again, Dave! I’ve been waiting on Disney’s site for park hours for Feb.8-16 which were finally available today, however, I’m seeing that there are no fireworks or Main St. Electrical parade at MK that entire week? Is that true as far as you know? I know refurb. are in full swing still in Feb., but is this one of them? So sad!
2 Kelly { 08.16.13 at 7:13 pm }: Forgive my haste…apparently I need to be more patient. 🙂 The fireworks/parade info is updated now, it just didn’t make sense they would post it without it complete…sorry!
3 Dave { 08.17.13 at 9:03 am }: No worries, Kelly!!
4 Pat { 08.19.13 at 9:51 am }: Heading to Port Orleans Riverside for stay between 9/9 and 9/17…7 of us, 4 adults, 3 kids 7, 10 and 13….any tips or things to avoid? we have the dining plan and reservations at Be My Guest, Le Cellier, Hollywood Studios…what’s the best day of our trip to head to Harry Potter at Universal? Keeping our fingers crossed for excellent weather.
5 Dave { 08.20.13 at 7:16 am }: Hi Pat! Couple of things. First consider singing up for Fastpass+ if you haven’t already–see this: https://yourfirstvisit.net/2013/08/20/what-you-need-to-know-now-about-fastpass/
Second check out this itinerary https://yourfirstvisit.net/planning-your-first-family-trip/basic-itinerary/alternative-itineraries/itineraries-for-the-rest-of-the-year/v2-of-2009-autumn-winter-spring-itinerary/ as modified by this https://yourfirstvisit.net/required-september-2013-itinerary-and-to-do-list-changes/ –it doesn’t fit your dates, but does give a sense of how to allocate your time…
Third, Harry Potter is best Saturday-Monday.
Hope this helps!!
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6 Chad { 08.20.13 at 12:51 am }: Hi Dave,
We are starting to plan our next trip and thinking about arriving on Sunday April 20th and leaving on Sunday April 28th. Do you think the crowds will be huge and how will they compare to the last two weeks of June? I am a school teacher so my options are basically April and June. We have a seven year old and a three year old and we plan to stay at Port Orleans Riverside in a room with the extra trundle bed. Thanks for your help.
Chad
7 Dave { 08.20.13 at 7:50 am }: Hey Chad! The crowds will be huge both dates, but because of the late Easter, I think the April week–particularly the second half of it–will be a little better. See this: https://yourfirstvisit.net/2012/10/07/disney-world-crowds-2014/
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8 Linda Stevens Jones { 08.22.13 at 9:29 am }: Great site — not just for “first-timers” either. We’ve been 11 times, and I still find great tips here that I didn’t know! Thanks, Dave!
9 Dave { 08.22.13 at 10:44 am }: Thanks so much Linda!!!
10 Deb @ Focused on the Magic { 08.22.13 at 11:29 am }: Dave the information your site provides readers is fantastic! You have saved us not only money but precious time on our vacations. Thanks so much! Keep up the great work!!
11 Robert { 08.22.13 at 12:09 pm }: Happy Birthday! I love the crowd calendars. I used it to book my next WDW vacation even though I have been over 10 times.
12 Mona { 08.22.13 at 12:32 pm }: Enjoy the site, in preparation for my upcoming visit
13 Mindy { 08.22.13 at 12:47 pm }: Love this site!
14 Mouse Fan Diane { 08.22.13 at 12:54 pm }: Dave – your sight is amazing – you have a ton of very helpful info.
Thanks 🙂
15 Laurie Neely { 08.22.13 at 5:52 pm }: Awesome site! 34 days left in my countdown!!
16 Anonymous { 08.22.13 at 6:59 pm }: LOVE LOVE LOVE This site. I have sent qestions to Dave and each time he answers VERY promptly. Planning a family trip for 13 and use this site for all my questions. Disney has a great person here giving all kinds of insight!! Not sure if he receives any compensation from them but they sure should.
17 Dave { 08.23.13 at 8:00 am }: Thanks everyone for the birthdays wishes and presents! And no, I don’t get a dime from Disney!
18 Jamie Ford { 08.23.13 at 9:37 am }: Hi Dave,
We are going to Disney September 6th for 8 nights and are attending MNSSHP for the 1st time. Would you recomend Tuesday Sept. 10th or Friday September 13th for the least crowds? I know the Villians Party is also the 13th at the Studios.
Thank you
Jamie
19 Dave { 08.24.13 at 9:03 am }: Hi Jamie! Either will be fine, but the 13th may well be better for just the reason you note!
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20 Sally { 08.23.13 at 10:25 pm }: Love all the details that you share! Even when we ask the same questions over and over you patiently answer us.
Traveling on Dec. 18 – 21. We purchased the Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party tickets for the 19th. Have Candlelight Processional dinner tickets at Epcot at 5:00 p.m. on the 21st.
Could you recommend the best parks to visit? We do have park hopper tickets. 5 adults in our party. Thanks in advance for your help!
21 Dave { 08.24.13 at 9:45 am }: Hi Sally and thanks! I offer parks to avoid, as that gives more flexibility in planning. So…
December 18: Avoid AK
December 19: Avoid MK
December 20: avoid Epcot
December 21: the Christmas mobs will have begin to arrive, so all parks will be rough.
22 Mary Hendon { 08.24.13 at 10:40 pm }: We are coming to Disney nov 21 to 25, with free quick serve dining plan at all stars. They informed us foodcourt is down. Should we opt to try to stay at all stars movies instead due to foodcourt being down. Is the free meal plan a perk for the unconvince of the foodcourt being down? We do like to save money on dining
23 Dave { 08.25.13 at 8:43 am }: Mary, the free meal plan is not a perk in response to the rehab–it’s just part of a bigger deal program.
I recommend Movies more highly than Sports (see this: https://yourfirstvisit.net/2010/08/04/the-value-resorts-at-walt-disney-world/ ) but not at the cost of missing free dining. Most of your dining should be in the parks, anyway, and I didn’t have a ton of trouble eating when I was at Sports earlier this month (see https://yourfirstvisit.net/2013/08/13/missing-fridges-no-food-court-and-too-little-ac-roughing-it-at-disneys-all-star-sports-resort/ )
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24 Julie { 09.02.13 at 2:02 pm }: Thanks for all the great advice! Wondering which mobile app u recommend… The one through touring plans (Lines) or the one through the Disney website. I’ve heard the Disney one isn’t very accurate…thx again!!
25 Dave { 09.03.13 at 7:06 am }: Julie I don’t track the apps closely–there’s too many, and some are too painful. Your combination–lines and MDE–should be just fine. See this http://blog.touringplans.com/2013/08/29/using-the-my-disney-experience-app/
Was this even remotely helpful? Then mosey on over to the home page, and like it on Facebook or pin it on Pinterest!
26 Michael Angelo { 09.03.13 at 1:33 pm }: Hi Dave….Just emailed you this morning about making a trip to Disney this month. I have you saved in my favorites as; Your first visit.net I sent you a question on that site. I tried to Google and saw “another” site you have – but after The heading of ‘Your First Visit’, below was; “weeks ranked in order”. I noticed there were a different set of questions and answers by you. Just wondering why there are two sites under Your first visit?
Thanks,
Mike
27 Dave { 09.03.13 at 2:08 pm }: Michael–I just emailed you with the following:
I have just the one site lol but there’s three reasons I can think of for what you saw
1. Sometimes when you go from “favorites” you are returned to a cached version of exactly the page you bookmarked–refreshing your browser should fix this
2. Mozilla/firefox, for some incomprehensible reason, does not always show the latest pages–it shows sometimes old cashed versions. This makes it seem faster. This does not fix with a browser refresh–you need to use another browser…
3. This morning I finally got Google+ to ID me as the author of the site. I did a few test searches myself and the click thru went fine but it was showing some odd text in the search results. Google may be re-indexing in a new way the site…
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28 michael angelo { 09.03.13 at 8:18 pm }: Thanks Dave. I answered back through email.

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