6. FOLLOW THESE TIPS WHILE AT THE PARK

You're probably going to be a Disney guru by the time you set foot in the resort, but we have a few more helpful hints for you for when you actually land in Never-Never Land.

  1. Wake up early. Find out what time the theme parks open during your stay, and plan to arrive each day at least fifteen minutes before opening (guests staying within the resort are allowed in a half hour earlier than everyone else). The crowd is thinner earlier in the morning, so you'll be able to knock out a few of the best attractions before the park fills up.

  2. Check out the Tip Board at each theme park first thing in the morning. Each of the theme parks has a "tip board" close to the entrance (ask as soon as you walk in). Here, you can plan your day by finding out 1) the waiting times for popular attractions, 2) which attractions are closed, and 3) the times of the day's parades and shows.

  3. Utilize the new Disney Fast Pass. Believe it or not, the best attractions in each park now offer two ways of "waiting" for the attraction/ride.
    Option 1: You can take a Fast Pass ticket, do something else for about an hour, return to the ride during the hour-long time frame printed on the ticket, and walk right onto the ride.

    Option 2: You can just wait in the stand-by line, which will be substantially shorter because of all the people taking Fast Pass tickets.

    The catch: You can only have one Fast Pass ticket at a time. So you can't run from attraction to attraction hoarding Fast Passes.
  4. Don't eat junk food the whole trip. Although the hotel bathrooms in Disney World are spotless and beautiful, you don't want to spend your days locked up in there. It's tempting to eat cheeseburgers and fries the entire trip to save time and money, but make sure you get some nutrition in there too.

  5. Don't buy stupid souvenirs. That Aladdin business card holder may seem cool in the gift shop, but are you really going to use it when you get home? It's hard to keep track of what you're spending, especially if you're using plastic, so stick to practical items that you know you won't stash away in a drawer when you get back. If you must, limit yourself to one silly souvenir, because after all, who doesn't appreciate a glow-in-the-dark Captain Hook light switch cover?

  6. Take lotsa pictures. Remember that years from now, the best pictures will be the ones with you and your friends/family in them. So don't waste your time taking pictures of the bushes shaped like animals unless your friends and family are standing in front of them.