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My best Disney World planning advice – PREP104

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Home → WDW Prep To Go Podcast → My best Disney World planning advice – PREP104
  • Shannon Albert
  • August 23, 2015
  • August 5, 2017

In this episode, I discuss my best planning advice that I hope everyone will use for their trips, including ways to handle dining, FastPass+ reservations, and touring the parks during your trip.

I also have news, a quick tip about parades, and a featured company that I hope you'll work with.

https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/traffic.libsyn.com/wdwprepschool/episode104.mp3

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These are notes from this episode. There's much more info included in the audio so be sure to listen to the episode for a better explanation.

In this article (click for table of contents)

  • Become a WDW Prep To Go Patron
  • Call in your non-Disney World questions
  • Best planning advice
  • News
  • Quick tip of the day
  • Subscribe to get new episodes

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Call in your non-Disney World questions

If you have a non-Disney World question about websites, podcasts, business, personal stuff, etc., please leave me a SpeakPipe message and I'll put them together for a show at the end of the year. You can do that by downloading the SpeakPipe app or using your computer at https://www.speakpipe.com/WDWPrepToGo.

Best planning advice

Some tips I hope everybody will follow for their trips:

  • Book your most difficult dining and FastPass+ reservations first. Don't book in chronological order.
  • The most difficult FastPass+ reservations to get are Anna/Elsa and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. Often, the only people getting these (especially Anna/Elsa) are those staying onsite who jump to the end of their trip first. Everybody else should watch The Dibb for openings.
  • Plan dining based on where you'll be (unless you booked with very little time, and then I'd suggest choosing dining based on current availability and forming your daily plan around that).
  • If you show up to use a FastPass+ and the standby line is short, jump in the standby line and then open the app on your phone to change it to something else.
  • Group touring plans by hour for the first few hours and then leave the rest of the day open. That's how my touring plans are structured, and seems to work the best for most people.

News

  • Happy HalloWishes Dessert Premium Package is available on Halloween party nights and gives you parade viewing and a Halloween-themed fireworks dessert party. The price is $69 for adults, $39 for kids and can be booked online or by calling 407-939-3463.
  • Some Table Service restaurants are now scheduled to be open on Halloween party nights, giving some people a great opportunity to snag a reservation they weren't previously able to get.
  • The current bounceback offer (which anybody staying onsite can get by dialing x8844) is for Free Dining for next year and seems to be available through October 31.
  • Some credible rumors indicate that Frozen Fun will likely be extended and One Man's Dream is relocating to another spot at Disney World.

Quick tip of the day

Magic Kingdom parades don't usually require lining up way ahead of time, though Main Street will have lots of people waiting way beforehand most of the time. I suggest watching from the front of the park or in Frontierland and not showing up quite as early. All parades start in Frontierland and end at the front of the park, except Main Street Electrical Parade which goes the opposite direction.

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Read this next

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3 Comments

  1. Val May 30, 2016 Reply

    Tried to look on the dibb and just so you know it states it can’t find FP+ anymore so the link is no good.

  2. Jenny August 25, 2015 Reply

    Considering the fall bounce back offer for the Free Dining promotion, do you think they will still announce the Free Dining promotion (like they typically do) again in Spring 2016? I am staying on resort this September and am very tempted to take advantage of the 2016 offer if it gives me first dibs on the rooms with lower rates.

  3. Daziah August 25, 2015 Reply

    Do you have any idea where One Man’s Dream will be moved to?

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I just got back from a five night stay at Coronado Springs and had the best time! Even though I went during the busy season I barely waited in any lines and was able to do everything I wanted!

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Instagram post 2195165576133294818_547098091 How to tour Hollywood Studios with an 8 a.m. scheduled opening:
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1.) Arrive by 6 a.m. if you want the shortest standby waits and Rise of the Resistance boarding group with a low number.Buses and Minnie Vans are NOT operating early enough to get you there by 6 a.m., so you would need to have your own car, Lyft, or walk to get there by 6.Have little ones? Uber Car Seat is an option as well.Arriving a bit later will likely still be ok, but increase your wait times and boarding group number slightly.2.) The park is likely to open way before the scheduled 8 a.m. time. The opening time was 6:26 a.m. for us this morning.Once open, you’ll scan your MagicBand/park ticket to enter, and then immediately open the app to snag a boarding group.Scroll through the pics for info on how to get a boarding group.3.) After getting a boarding group, it’s time to start riding rides. This order should allow you the shortest standby times:First hour: Slinky Dog Dash, Alien Swirling Saucers, Toy Story ManiaSecond hour: Rock n Roller Coaster, Tower of Terror (could also do Star Tours if you like)Third hour: Smugglers Run and hope that your Rise of the Resistance boarding group has been called so you can head there next (higher boarding group number? you can leave the park and come back when you’re called if you’d like).
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Of course, if you have a FastPass for a ride, you may want to skip that attraction (or ride it in the standby line and again later with FastPass).
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Keep in mind that characters and most dining won’t begin until park opening, so you’ll want to hit those after 8 a.m.Hopefully that helps those of you traveling over the next few weeks. What questions do you have? 📲Click the ribbon to save this post for future reference.#riseoftheresistance #hollywoodstudios
Instagram post 2193115991424601780_547098091 Here’s a recap of what we’ve learned about Hollywood Studios w/Rise of the Resistance so far:1.) 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲. This week it’s 6 a.m. (like today), and next week is likely to be 7:30.After that, we don’t know, but Flight of Passage has been available early for 2+ years, so it might continue for awhile (or not).
.
🚌 Transportation: buses will be running that early, but Skyliner won’t. It didn’t start until 8:00 today.2.) 𝙎𝙣𝙖𝙜 𝙖 𝙍𝙞𝙨𝙚 𝙗𝙤𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙥 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙖𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙠. ALL members of your party must be in the park to get a boarding group.All groups were full by 8 a.m. today (an hour before official park opening!). Get there early to ride.According to sources, this virtual queue system will be in place for at least the next several weeks before Disney moves to using the FastPass system.3.) 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐚 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩 (we were told “morning”), but there is no guarantee, especially as the ride goes down often.Our group ended up being called at 12:52.Once called, you have 2 hrs to return. No need to stay in the park. You can leave, get the notification, then return to Studios.4.) 𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 which allowed us to go on all Toy Story Land rides, Rock n Roller Coaster, & Tower of Terror in 90 minutes w/no waits. No characters available during this time.5.) 𝙍𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙎𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙘𝙝 & 𝘿𝙞𝙨𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝘼𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙎𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙤𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 at Rise, but everybody must have a boarding group.Since everybody will be in a boarding group, we aren’t sure we see the value of Rider Switch for most, but it won’t hurt to snag it JUST in case.However, if the 1st members of your party enter toward the end of your boarding window, you will definitely want to snag a Rider Switch pass for the 2nd group to use.DAS varies in how it’s handled. Participants should inquire at the ride.
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WHEW. That’s a lot to take in.What questions do you have? #waltdisneyworld
Instagram post 2192428562363229697_547098091 Moved over to the Boardwalk Inn today where it’s looking as gorgeous as ever with Christmas decor everywhere you look. 😍
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(You know how Epcot looks its best during Flower and Garden Festival and it’s a tough transition to see the park without all the extras? So many resorts are like that with Christmas decor.)
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Lots more on my stories as we explore the hotel and Boardwalk area.
Instagram post 2191647241818984579_547098091 Hello from Galaxy’s Edge where we’ve been able to ride Rise of the Resistance multiple times (and we know what a privilege that is!).
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It is indeed an incredible new attraction and will be the star of Galaxy’s Edge. Answering questions about it in my Stories so feel free to follow along and ask us anything you want to know.
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