All the blogs, hints, must haves, and hacks of Disney articles make the vacation seem like work versus a
true getaway. It’s much easier than expected and more fun than ever imagined. We can break it down by
transportation, stays, parks, rides, and add-ons. We will weigh out the perks that make Disney magical. At
the time of our visit it was April 2022, spring break for most public schools and at the time Blizzard
Beach was closed. During this visit, no Covid restrictions accept face masks required on public
transportation.
Transportation:
Arriving at the airport gives two options; rent a car or find a ride. Renting a car requires tips such as;
make sure not to use gas stations close to the airport. Those are the most expensive and are not considered
inflation because they are always high. For convenience and true vacation, avoid the maps, gas, and lines
by booking Orlando Transportation. The luggage will always fit, the kids can sleep in the third row,
and the business parents can hook up to the hotspot. Just sit back and take in the palm trees and cool
breeze.
On property transportation is easy to understand once your there. The times are convenient to park hours,
the buses, boats, monorails, or gondola bring comradery with the friends around with hints and
experiences to share. The service is quick and straight to the entrances. For late night dinners or quick
rides to parks, ubers or lifts are quick and cheap, worth every penny when little kids have had a long day
of fun.
Stays:
On property stays are a “must-do”. For the Extra Theme Park 30 min early entry alone this is truly worth
it. During April Break, one of the busiest times for Disney this changes a whole day by getting on Seven
Dwarfs at Magic Kingdom, Slinky Dog and Rise of the Resistance at Hollywood Studio, Flights of
Passage at Animal Kingdom, or Test Track at Epcot in 15 min. versus waiting in a 2 hour line.
All the properties cater to please; Yacht Club Resort is one of our favorites with a private waterslide for
guests, and an Arcade for easy late night entertainment. Polynesian Village Resort is worth a visit
whether you’re staying on property or not. ‘Ohana was a favorite for kids and adults with Polynesian-
themed family style dining. The Polynesian makes the extra effort to create family and child
entertainment. From Campfire Activities, Movies under the Stars, and plain old pick up football between
kids, this simple perk makes cocktail hour easy and fun for all ages.
Parks/ Rides:
Every park is arguably the most favorite depending on the guest. The best part about the Hopper Pass is
that you could go to your favorite rides at each park, seemingly all in a day. With Genie + there are easy
tricks and tips for making each park quick by reserving a pass or purchasing a Lightening Lane spot. The
Disney App provides Virtual Cues and Mobile Food Orders making all parks predictable and easy to
plan. The App will provide the times of openings. All Disney Resort guests get their first Genie+ pick at
7:00am and then every 2 hours from the start of the park opening. Maximizing the Genie+ rides takes
minimal practice before it becomes exciting. The trick is to know that times appear for ride Genie+ passes
and Lightening Lanes but continuing to refresh helps to continuously seem more time options and
availability. Here is the breakdown of the MUST-Dos:
Disney Hollywood Studio:
Star Wars Rise of the Resistance
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
Slinky Dog Dash
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Toy Story Mania
Magic Kingdom:
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Space Mountain
Splash Mountain
Epcot:
Test Track
Soarin’ Around the World
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
Animal Kingdom
Avatar Fights of Passage
Kali River Rapids
Na’vi River Journey
A hidden gem that seems to be forgotten are the waterparks. Our highlight is Typhoon Lagoon, we went
back three times on our trip. The family water-coasters and wave pool, makes this a whole day of fun,
without the hustle between lines and allowing a tiny break from Genie + mania.
Add-Ons:
Without question this trip is expensive and any additional purchases feels the guilt of over-paying.
However to maximize the trip these are must-dos:
1. Genie +- We wish this could be free but since it isn’t, it is a MUST-DO purchase. The ability to
bypass the standby line at high-demand times on high-demand rides is a vacation-savior for
everyone from small to tall, with kids and without!
2. Memory Maker- Save yourself the aggravation of deciding after each ride if you should wait and
see or purchase a picture of the FAM. Just DO IT! Purchase the Memory Maker ahead of time
and let this Very Memorable, Very Expensive trip be talked about for years and years. This
allows all Disney Photo Pass pictures and videos to be downloaded and captured throughout the
vacation.
3. Waterpark Passes- Waterparks are so fun in Disney and are often forgotten about. They are a
hidden gem. Ask your travel agent about this option to receive a total number of admissions to
waterparks based on the length of your theme park ticket. With this option, for example, if you
purchase a 3-day theme park ticket, you receive three admissions to the water parks of your
choice!
4. Hopper Pass- Having the capability to jump from Park to Park breaks up any day and allows
Genie + to be maximized. Book your Passes and Lightening Lanes at each park divided by before
and after 2:00pm. This is the time the hopper pass can be used for your next parks of the day. If
you are staying a Yacht Club Resort you could book a park for the morning such as; Animal
Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, or Magic Kingdom and then take a nice walk to Epcot at night, as
it’s only steps from the resort.
Disney is Magical and it is an unforgettable trip. It is truly still a Vacation for the young and old. The tips
and tricks come in practicing on My Disney Experience mobile app prior to takeoff. The Tip Board is the
go-to option of the App that makes the trip easy and serves as a personal planner. The option is broken
down by Tip Board and My Day. Tip Board serves a personal assistant, constantly updating wait-times
for attractions, shows and rides, and updating dining openings for quick mobile orders and sit-down
reservation opportunities. The My Day complimentary service becomes a personalized daily itinerary
logging the shows, coasters, and dining reservations tailored to your choices maximizing the daily layout.
