If you have finally made the plunge to take your family on a Disney vacation, you are probably trying to figure out what to do first once you arrive. Having spent a lot of time in Disney parks over the years, I have some great tips on the Best Ways To Navigate Disney Parks On Your First Trip. Not only will you get a better idea of what you wish to see, it will take some of the pressure off of you. Your visit to Disney should be memorable for the great things you experience, not the stress of trying to figure everything out on your own.
BEST WAYS TO NAVIGATE DISNEY PARKS ON YOUR FIRST TRIP
Get The Map In Advance: You can order a park map for Disneyland and DisneyWorld on their websites. This map will help you be able to look at all the rides, restaurants, vendors and entertainment around the park. You can plan what your must see places are, the things you’d like to see and of course the ones you may have no interest in. Let’s face it, as wonderful as Disney is, if you don’t have little girls in tow, the Princess Palace or tea party may not be on your list of things to see. This helps you know the lay of the land before you visit the park.
Ride The Train or Monorail First: When visiting, the first thing you should do is get on the train or monorail that goes around the entire park. This helps you get a better feel for the “lay of the land”. While the park maps will help a lot, you’ll also be able to gauge how long between different parts of the park if you are going to use the transportation to help some. This can be really important when traveling with kids. The parks are large, and using the train systems will give everyone a bit of a break from walking. Taking this ride first will help you to not only navigate easier, but know how long it might take to get from one point to another later in the day (helpful if you are using FastPass for rides or restaurants).
Arrive As Early As Possible & Go To The Back First: Depending on time of year you are visiting the park will be busy as soon as the gates open. That doesn’t mean you don’t want to get there early. Instead, it means you want to get there early and go toward the back of the park first. As you walk into the gates you’ll see the rides in the closest “lands” are occupied first. Go against the grain and head to the back of the park and work your way forward as the day goes by. This gives you a chance to enjoy a few of the rides without the longer lines you’ll find at the front of the park.
Skip The Parade & Fireworks: Yes, these are some of the most popular events at Disney, but they are also some of the most crowded and difficult to handle with children. Another benefit to skipping these, is that if you head away from the main street area where they are, you’ll find a lot of the rides that had longer lines earlier in the day with very small wait time. A secret tip for Disneyland visitors is to head toward the the It’s A Small World ride right before the fireworks show. Not only do you have an amazing view, you’ll have virtually no line to go and enjoy one of the oldest and best rides in the park.
These best ways to navigate Disney parks on your first trip are just a hint of the great ways to make your visit better. Disney is truly magical, and it can be the ultimate vacation for singles, couples or families. The most important factors to remember are planning and if possible taking at least 2-3 days to spend in the park. Trying to see everything in one day will only end up with exhaustion and frustration. Enjoy the joy of the kids, characters and park in general as you plan your first visit!
