Since our first visit in 2022 and our subsequent 4 visits since (eek!), I feel like I’ve become a bit of an expert on all things Walt Disney World so today I’m sharing everything I know to help first time visitors from the UK plan get to grips with things!
Let’s jump straight in!
Transportation Around Walt Disney World
One of the biggest perks of staying on-site at Walt Disney World is Disney’s complimentary transportation system. You can travel between Disney’s hotels, theme parks, water parks and Disney Springs using a combination of buses, boats, the Monorail and the Skyliner.
The trusty Disney Buses serve all Disney hotels and run regularly throughout the day, though they can be busiest at park opening and closing times. The buses can get a lot of flack now that so many Disney resorts have been upgraded to more fancy and high-tech transport options but I have to say, I love a Disney bus! Nothing feels quite like being “Home” to me more than sitting on a Disney bus, listening to the narration welcoming you aboard and watching the excited park-goers piling on excited for the magical day ahead!
The Monorail is somewhat similar to a train and connects Magic Kingdom, EPCOT and select deluxe hotels including the Grand Floridian, The Polynesian & The Contemporary, while the Skyliner gondola system links EPCOT and Hollywood Studios with several resorts including Caribbean Beach, Riviera, Art Of Animation and Pop Century. Friendship Boats also operate on certain routes such as between Epcot, Hollywood Studios and some of the deluxe Epcot-area hotels such as Boardwalk & Beach Club, and can be a relaxing way to get around. You can also take boats from Port Orleans Riverside and French Quarter to Disney Springs too.
There’s also the Magic Kingdom Ferry boat which transfers guests from the Ticket and Transportation Centre to Magic Kingdom and back, but this is something more likely to be utilised by off-site guests who have to enter Magic Kingdom via this route.
If you prefer more flexibility, ride-share services such as Uber and Lyft are widely used and can be quicker for early starts or dining reservations. The parks each have their own dedicated drop off and pick up areas for Ride share services, which are clearly sign posted. You can also hire Minnie Vans which are operated by Lyft and bookable through the Lyft app, this is a more luxurious way to travel between parks or Disney resorts though it does a little more than a standard Lyft.
All Disney transportation runs until the last guest leaves at park close, and all of the options are fully accessible which makes it so easy for everybody to get around – something I really love about WDW!
The My Disney Experience App
The My Disney Experience app is essential for your Walt Disney World holiday. It’s where you’ll manage park tickets, dining reservations, mobile food orders, Genie+ selections, PhotoPass photos and more.
Spending some time familiarising yourself with the app before your trip can make a huge difference. Many guests find it helpful to check the app each morning to plan their day and you can also use it for things like cancelling or amending dining reservations, navigating the parks, checking show/performance schedules and character meet & greet locations, keeping an eye on ride wait times in the parks and even leaving cast member compliments.
Booking Restaurants
Advance Dining Reservations (often referred to in the online Disney community as ADRs) open 60 days before your visit and are made through the My Disney Experience app or website. Popular restaurants — especially character dining and signature dining — can book up quickly, so it’s worth prioritising these.
If you’re staying at a Disney hotel, then you’ll be able to book for the first 10 days of your trip as soon as you hit that 60 day window with each additional day of your stay opening up each following day.
First-timers don’t need to worry about booking every meal in advance, the choices can be overwhelming but there are plenty of quick service options available and walk-up reservations do become available on the day but securing a few key reservations can make your trip more memorable. It’s work having a look at some YouTube videos to decide which restaurants might appeal to your family. If character dining is something you’re keen on trying, I’ve put together a handy guide to which characters you will find at each restaurant:
Quick-service locations do not require reservations and offer plenty of choice across all parks and resorts so don’t panic too much if you don’t want to be stuck to dining schedules – you won’t go hungry in the parks!
The Disney Dining Plan
The Disney Dining Plan is a pre-paid meal plan that can be added to on-site hotel bookings. It includes a set number of meals and snacks per person, per night of your stay. You can opt for the regular plan which includes 2 quick service meals per person, per day as well as a snack and a refillable resort mug. Or you can upgrade to the Deluxe Dining Plan which includes 1 table service meal and 1 quick service meal per person, per day as well as a snack and a refillable resort mug.
While the dining plan can offer convenience and help with budgeting, it isn’t always the most cost-effective option for every family. It’s worth pricing up what you’re likely to eat before deciding if it’s right for you. I personally have never found it a worthwhile add-on for our family.
However – it’s worth being aware of the regular FREE dining plan offers that Disney run for UK guests. This offer tends to run annually, and it can be a brilliant way to save money and hassle on your trip.
With the Free dining plan offer, the plan you’re given will depend on the hotel you choose. If you’re staying at a Disney Value resort, you’ll be given what Disney refer to as a Free breakfast per person, per day – however this is a little misleading as it’s actually 1 quick service meal credit per person, per day and can be used for any quick service meal at any time of day.
If you’re staying at a Moderate Disney resort, you’ll be given the standard dining plan which includes 2 quick service meal credits per person, per day plus snack and refillable resort mug. If you’re staying at a Deluxe resort, then you’ll get the Deluxe plan which includes 1 table service credit and 1 quick service credit per person, per day plus snack and refillable resort mug.
The Free Dining Plan offers tend to start running around March/April until October each year and are valid for bookings the following calendar year with some excluded dates.
UK Park Tickets
UK visitors benefit from some of the best-value Walt Disney World tickets available. UK-exclusive tickets are typically valid for either 7 or 14 park entries and include park hopping, water parks and memory maker (PhotoPass) at no extra cost.
It’s worth noting that the 14 day park tickets that most UK guests opt for as part of their Disney package are valid for 14 individual days of theme park entry but you are aactually able to use these over an 18 day period (from the first day of use) or until the expiry date on the ticket, whichever comes first. We like to stay for longer trips and spread our theme park days out over that 18 day period so that we can enjoy some down days in between busier park days. It’s also worth being aware that Water Park entrance does not count toward use of your 14 theme park entries! You can visit the theme parks 14 times and also visit the Water parks daily if you want to.
MagicBands
MagicBands are wearable devices that can act as your park ticket, hotel room key, payment method and PhotoPass all in one. They’re optional, but many guests find them to be super convenient.
UK guests can purchase MagicBands when they arrive from their hotel gift shops or any of the gift shops in the park. You can then link them via the My Disney Experience app to your account, and you’ll then be able to use them for park entry, room entry etc.
MagicBand+ also offers some fun extra elements including interacting with the fireworks and rides, and you can use them to interact with the statues around the parks.
While phones can now replace many MagicBand functions, bands are still popular for ease of use, especially with children and they’re completely water proof too.
Disney PhotoPass
The Disney PhotoPass service allows professional photographers to capture photos of your group throughout the parks, including ride photos and Magic Shots. If you have a UK ticket and hotel package, PhotoPass (often called Memory Maker) is usually included free of charge and it’s well worth making the most of.
Photos automatically link to your account via MagicBands or your park ticket and can be downloaded after your trip — a great way to capture memories without constantly handing over your phone.
DAS (Disability Access Service)
The Disability Access Service (DAS) is designed to support guests who are unable to tolerate traditional queueing environments due to a disability.
DAS allows eligible guests to receive a return time for attractions rather than waiting in a physical queue. Registration is completed in advance via a video call or in person at Guest Relations. It’s important to note that DAS is not intended for mobility issues alone and eligibility is assessed by Disney themselves who will decide on eligibility on a case by case basis. This is not decided based purely on diagnosis, but by how queuing impacts the guest individually.
The DAS service has made our trips with our Autistic children manageable whereas without it we would have really struggled to be able to do things due to the often long waiting times. You can find out more about applying for DAS via Disney’s website
Genie+ and Lightning Lanes
Genie+ is Disney’s paid line-skipping service, allowing you to book Lightning Lane return times for select attractions. It is purchased per day and can be booked from 7am on the day of your park visit.
Some of the most popular attractions also use Individual Lightning Lane, which is an additional paid option separate from Genie+ allowing you access to those rides individually. The prices vary depending on attraction, crowd level, etc. You can find and book both Genie + and Lightning Lane in the My Disney Experience app.
While Genie+ isn’t essential for every guest, it can be a valuable tool during busy periods, particularly for first-timers who want to experience as many attractions as possible.
I hope this guide is helpful for anyone planning their first visit to Walt Disney World. If there’s something you’re curious about that I didn’t cover here, please find me on Instagram at @your.Disney.besties and let me know – I’ll do my best to answer in a future post!