Characters

Who doesn't love Disney characters? Unfortunately while we were living in Florida my family and I paid little attention to them. We always figured that getting pictures with the characters would be something that we would do "someday soon" but that day didn't come. Of course on Star Wars Weekends we would wait in line for pictures but the lines were long and it was easy to get cranky. The pictures with the Star Wars characters were worth the wait.

Star Wars Weekends 2012

On our recent visit back to Florida we found ourselves in the parks for longer periods of time than we would take while we lived there, so my daughter and I decided that we would make character photos a priority. I don't care if I'm {mumble mumble} years old, there is nothing like standing next to a beloved favorite and getting a one of a kind photo. We had a blast.

A great place to meet classic Disney characters

My favorite place for the pictures was at Epcot. The Epcot Character Spot is brilliant. Located near Innovations West, I've probably walked past it 50 times in the past. It's indoors, which is welcome any time of year. You stand in line at the beginning, we were there not too long after the park opened and the wait was only a few minutes. Once you get close to the characters you meet them quickly so there's really only one line that you need to stand in. The day that we were there we got to meet Mickey, Pluto, Minnie, Donald and Goofy. We had a blast.

Goofy

Epcot is also the only place at the moment where you can meet Duffy. I know that he's just a marketing tool but he's also pretty darn cute. Along World Showcase you can meet various princesses and other face characters such as Mary Poppins.

Duffy is adorable!

Have your camera ready when approaching the characters, it makes the line move faster. If you are into autographs (they're not just for kids!) have the book open on the correct page and also make sure that you have a large pen because it's easier for the characters to hold. Disney's PhotoPass is available with most characters so if that's an easier way to get the perfect shot take advantage of the service. If, like me, you have no intention of buying the pictures you can tell the photographer and he or she won't take it. The photographer or the character assistant will also be happy to snap the shot for you if you'd like so that everyone can get in the picture.

One of my all time favorites

Remember that there are character greetings all over the place. If the line is short take a minute of two and get that perfect shot. You just might end up with a new profile picture for Facebook!

There was no line! This was at the Magic Kingdom.

Wait Time Apps Part Two

I need to tell you how impressed I am with Disney Mobile Magic! It's totally different when you're inside the parks. I do wish that the information was available anywhere on Disney property, but that's not the case. As soon as you enter a park a new world of information is available to you. You can get current wait times and Fastpass times. That's great help when planning your next move. I love the fact that they list character locations and times, we got some great pictures because of that. I'm going to add some screen shots so you can see how useful it is.

Last Minute Packing

What a beautiful sight!

As I write this my family and I are getting ready to leave for Walt Disney World, we're leaving in a little over 12 hours. We don't fly because we travel with our dog, which is also why we don't stay on Disney property. We discovered that for us the easiest thing to do is to drive through the night, all three of us take turns driving while the other two sleep in the car and we trade off when the driver gets drowsy. I wouldn't recommend that to everyone but it does work for our situation.

Princess

Last minute packing is always a challenge for me. If you're flying into Orlando there are going to be several things that you will probably leave at home. If you're driving some of the decisions become more difficult.

The first thing that I will do is check to see what amenities the hotel has. I have a small coffee maker and I'll bring that with me unless there's coffee in the room. I'll also check for a hair dryer and if there isn't one I'll bring one of those. One thing that I keep packed in my suitcase is an extension cord, there are never enough plugs in a room, especially for three cell phones and two laptops. If I don't need it the cord doesn't take up much room.
 

Downtown Disney

There are things that we can get once we get there. If I forget the sunscreen we'll just head to Target. The same goes for shampoo (one bottle of hotel shampoo does not last for three people!) and other toiletries. If space is tight in the trunk we'll even buy dog food in Florida. Since we will arrive around noon and probably won't be able to get into the hotel we'll make a quick trip to the store. My husband will wait in the car with the dog with the windows open and our daughter and I will run in and pick up a few things. It's easier to buy them there than to be crowded into the car with them for 12 hours.

Wait Time Apps

The official app from Disney

The advancement of  technology has made planning your day while in the parks much easier. If you have an iPhone or an Android you have probably looked at the different Walt Disney World wait time apps that are available. How do you know which is the best one? Remember that no app is perfect, the time listed might still vary from the time that you will wait in line, but the right app will give you a better idea of how long each line is.

Just pick where you're headed

There are two free apps that I use when I hit the parks. The first is Disney Mobile Magic. It's the official Disney app so you know that it is going to be loaded with information. All four parks are on the app, as well as the two water parks, Downtown Disney and the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The resorts are listed as well, but for our purposes I'm just going to stick with the parks. Just pick which park you're visiting for the information. There's a map, videos and information on attractions, dining and characters. For the full service restaurants you can make a reservation right through the app, which is a nice feature if you arrive at a park and aren't sure where you want to eat. My favorite thing about the app is probably the fact that it lists times and locations for character greetings. Getting a picture with Mickey is an important part of a Disney vacation and this takes some of the guess work out of it.

There's information on each attraction

What I don't like about the official Disney app is the way that wait times are handled. I like to have a number, this app instead gives more of a time frame. Waits are listed as "See now", "Moderate" and "High Demand". If FASTPASS is available the app also gives that information, but it does not give a time frame. It will say "Limited Availability" if they are getting close to running out. For rides like Toy Story Midway Mania where FASTPASS will run out that is a nice feature.

The free version from Undercover Tourist

The other app that I use is from Undercover Tourist. For those heading to Universal Studios they have a free wait times app for those two parks as well. You can buy an ad-free version of the WDW app for $3.99, but I use the free version. What I like about this app is that it is usually accurate. If there is a slight difference in the wait it is usually because the wait is shorter than what the app says, not longer. The wait times are color coded so if you take a quick glance you'll have a feel for how long the lines are. Distance is also a feature on it, you can sort attractions by lands or by your current location. I honestly don't pay much attention to that because I know the parks well but I can see how it would come in handy for someone who doesn't know his or her way around.

Wait times can be sorted by lands...

Undercover Tourist also allows you to make a schedule within the app and to pick favorites. One feature that I love is the Crowd Forecast, which makes predictions on the crowds for future dates. That also includes the times that each park will be open. Parade and show times are also available, they are updated frequently so you'll know that the information is accurate. Undercover Tourist is also an official Walt Disney World ticket agent so you can purchase tickets through the app as well. I am an annual pass holder so I can't tell you much about that because I have no personal experience with their system.

...or by where you are.

All in all, wait time apps are a good thing to have. There are other free apps out there, but I have found these two to be the most useful. If you can cut down the time that you spend waiting in line your trip will be more enjoyable. These will help you to do just that. 

Staying Cool on a Hot Day at Disney

Fast moving rides will cool you down

For many people a trip to Walt Disney World in Florida is a once in a lifetime vacation. Other people are able to go more often, some even make it an annual trek. Often people, even seasoned Disney veterans, underestimate the Florida sun. Everyone realizes that it is going to be hot and humid in July but it can also be uncomfortable in the winter months, Florida weather is unpredictable. Since a Disney vacation requires a lot of walking and time outdoors it is best to plan ahead so that the heat will have as little effect on you as possible.

Drink Lots of Water

The first thing that you need to remember is that you should drink lots of water. All of the parks have plenteous water fountains, use them. While there is nothing wrong with enjoying a soft drink you will be best hydrated when you drink plain water. If you are going to wait in an outdoor line take a long drink before you join it. You will be glad that you did.

Disney has plenty of water fountains. Use them!

Study the Map

The maps for the Disney parks are readily available, study them before you head to the parks. Plan out when you are going to see shows and when you plan to ride some of the more popular rides. Many of the rides have a good part of the queue indoors, plan to ride those during the heat of the day. Toy Story Midway Mania, for example, usually has an incredibly long line but most (if not all) of the wait is inside. It's worth waiting in the heat of the day. If you know where the rides are ahead of time you can spend less time walking around, looking for the ride, and more time indoors, out of the heat.

Be Careful With the Shows

You may think that the shows are a good way to beat the heat but be careful when planning which ones you want to see and when. Some of them are outdoors and part of the seating area is in the sun. If you have any questions ask a cast member for recommendations for the best time to see a show and sit in the shade. Enjoy the indoor shows during the middle of the day, they'll give you a nice break from the heat.

Plan Your Meals

All four of the parks have great places where you can sit inside and enjoy the air conditioning while you eat. On busy days the places get crowded, especially the counter service restaurants. Plan you meals so that you will not be eating between 11am and 1pm, when the restaurants will be packed. You won't feel as rushed and you'll be able to sit inside for a longer amount of time.

Enjoy the Water Rides

Disney gives you places to cool off so enjoy them. They have two water parks, spend a day at one of those. In the main theme parks head down Splash Mountain or take a ride on Kali River Rapids. There are also interactive fountains, don't leave those for just the kids! You'll have a great time and the water will feel good on a hot day.

A Little Bit of Background

I thought before I starting handing out tips on Walt Disney World that I would give you a little bit of background on myself and why I am qualified to give Disney advice. I grew up in Western Massachusetts. Each summer my family and I would take several trips to Riverside in Agawam, which is now Six Flags New England. I developed a real love for amusement parks, although I will admit that I am not a fan of roller coasters. When I was nine my family headed out to California, which was when I got my first taste of Disney. I was hooked.

Several years later as an adult my husband and I lived in Virginia, between Kings Dominion and Busch Gardens Williamsburg. We spent plenty of time at each park, I even worked at Kings Dominion one summer in the games department. It wasn't until 2006 that we finally made it to Florida for our first ever visit to Walt Disney World. After that I kept telling my husband that we needed to move to Orlando. Eventually things fell into place and we did just that. The house that we rented is just four miles from the main gate. With the Florida resident discount for annual passes we were on the property almost daily. Sometimes our daughter and I would go to a park and not even ride anything, we just wanted to be there.

We spent two years in Florida, moving on July 1st, 2012. That was a hard decision to make. We plan to return all the time, our first trip back is scheduled for mid-September. We've been counting the days since well before we left Florida.

I've written extensively about Disney for various websites. I am also the co-author of the InsideScoop to Walt Disney World book series. I learned a lot while we lived there just because we spent so much time at the parks, and I plan on learning even more on our trips back. I hope that you'll find my tips helpful and that maybe you will pick up a few pointers so that you will better be able to enjoy your vacation.