Planning a trip to Disney World is exciting, but it’s easy to make mistakes that can throw off your plans. Whether it’s waiting too long to book reservations or forgetting how much time it takes to get around, these Disney World mistakes can turn into headaches fast. Don’t worry—we’ve got you covered with this list of 20 common slip-ups to avoid so you can keep your trip as fun and stress-free as possible!

Waiting Until The Last Minute To Plan Your Trip

Planning a Disney World vacation requires careful preparation – and a lot of it! So, don’t wait until the last minute if you know that you want to vacation at Disney World well in advance.

Popular hotels, dining reservations, and Lightning Lane return windows for top attractions often fill up right when they open for booking (which can be months in advance). So, if you wait to plan your trip, you may find yourself with fewer options and need to settle for less desirable hotel and dining options.

Beyond the theme parks, your travel expenses can also become pricier if booked late. Airfare and rental car prices tend to increase as your travel date approaches which can significantly impact your overall budget.

To avoid these problems, we recommend that you start planning your Disney World trip at least 6-12 months in advance. This gives you plenty of time to research and choose the best accommodations, find the best deals on flights, make your dining reservations on time (up to 60 days in advance), and book Lightning Lanes (if desired).

Assuming All Hotels Offer The Same Transportation Options

One of the biggest benefits of staying at a Disney World Resort hotel is the ability to use Disney’s free transportation system to get to and from the theme parks. But, not every hotel has the same transportation options which can have a huge impact on how convenient it is to get to the parks, water parks, and Disney Springs.

Some hotels only offer bus transportation to the parks while others have additional options like boats, monorails, the Disney Skyliner, or even walking paths to certain parks. For example, several hotels near EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios offer boat transportation and the monorail connects several hotels to Magic Kingdom.

If you’re not sure where to stay, keep in mind that deluxe resorts often provide more varied transportation choices while most value and moderate resorts rely primarily on bus service. So, if convenient transportation is a priority for you, look into hotels with multiple options available to guests staying there. This can save time and reduce a lot of the overall stress during your trip.

Not Setting Your Alarm For Your Reservation Booking Windows

Securing dining reservations and Lightning Lanes at Disney World is crucial for a smooth vacation experience. But, popular restaurants and attractions fill up quickly, often booking up within minutes of when the booking windows open.

For most dining reservations, the booking window opens 60 days before your check-in date. This typically occurs at 6AM Eastern Time. If you’re on the West Coast, this means a very early wake-up call (3AM Pacific Time to be exact).

Lightning Lane selections, which allow you to skip long lines for popular attractions, also have specific booking windows. These open at 7AM Eastern Time 3 to 7 days prior to your park visit depending on whether you’re staying at a Disney World hotel or not.

Don’t make the mistake of letting these booking windows pass by! You have the best chance at getting the reservations and return times that you want if you’re ready to book right away so be sure you have your My Disney Experience account set up and ready, know which restaurants and rides you want to book, and set multiple alarms for when your booking window opens.

The early wake-up call for a day or two will be well worth it when you finally get to Disney World!

Missing the Virtual Queue Distribution Times

Disney World’s virtual queues can be tricky to navigate. And, if you’re not prepared, you might miss your chance to ride popular attractions.

Virtual queue distribution times typically occur at 7AM and 1PM on the day of your visit. We have found the most success in setting an alarm 5 minutes before the distribution time to ensure that you can open the My Disney Experience app, confirm your party, and refresh the app right when the virtual queue distribution opens.

If you miss the 7AM distribution, don’t panic. You still have a chance at 1PM. However, availability is often more limited later in the day so you’ll want to have an alarm set and be sure that you’re not in the middle of a ride or show when the second distribution window opens later in the day.

Currently, there are no virtual queues in place in Disney World. As of February 25, 2025, the virtual queues were removed for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. However, it’s often the protocol when new rides open, so we expect this system to be implemented on other attractions in the future.

Not Paying Attention To Park Hours

You’re probably planning to spend most of your time at the theme parks when you visit Disney World and knowing the park hours is the first step to making the most of your time!

Park hours vary by day and season so you can’t always guarantee that they’ll be open from early in the morning to late at night. For example, Magic Kingdom often closes early in the fall and early winter for special events. And, Disney’s Animal Kingdom typically has shorter hours due to the care needs of the animal that call the park home.

By knowing the schedule, you can plan your days more effectively. You’ll maximize ride time and avoid the disappointment of arriving at the park just to find that it’s closed (or closing soon). This also helps ensure that you can take full advantage of Early Theme Park Entry if you’re staying at a Disney World hotel guest, allowing you to enter any of the four theme parks 30 minutes before they open every day of the week.

You can find the park hours here at Eat, Sleep, Disney, in the My Disney Experience app, or on Disney’s website. Remember that hours can change, sometimes with little notice. So, it’s best to double-check the night before your park visit to avoid any surprises.

Ignoring Disney Hotel Guest Benefits

There’s a reason that the price tag for staying at a Disney World Resort hotel is often significantly higher than other hotels in the area – they come with some major perks that make vacationing at Disney better. And, you should be taking advantage of them!

Perks include:

• Early Theme Park Entry (allowing you to enter any of the four theme parks 30 minutes before)
• Extended Evening Theme Park Entry (allowing you 2 extra hours in select parks on select nights) – Note that this perk is only available for guests staying at Disney’s deluxe resorts and villas
• Free Disney transportation
• Extended dining reservation window (60 days + the length of your stay)
• Early booking window for Disney’s Lightning Lanes services
• Ability to purchase a Disney Dining Plan
• Discounted MagicBands
• Staying in the “Disney Bubble”
• Free water park admission on the day you check-in

Be sure you’re familiar with all the hotel guest benefits before your stay and plan to use them to make your vacation even better!

Misjudging Transportation Time

Underestimating travel time is a common Disney World mistake that even the pros make. You might think a quick bus or monorail ride will get you to your destination in minutes, but delays can occur unexpectedly if there’s traffic, crowds, severe weather, or maintenance issues. That’s why it’s best to always allow more time than you think you’ll need when traveling between parks, resorts, or to dining reservations. In fact, Disney recommends budgeting 2 hours for transportation to dining reservations using their complimentary transportation services.

Remember that Disney World is a lot bigger than you might think. Even walking from one attraction to another within a park can take longer than anticipated. So, to be safe, factor in extra time for navigation, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the layout. And, if you poorly judge how much time you have to get from one place to another, consider using ride-sharing services or taxis to save time. While these do cost extra, they can provide a quicker, more direct route to your destination.

Making Too Many Dining Reservations

Booking multiple table service meals each day is tempting with so many good restaurants available, but it can be a costly Disney World mistake. While the restaurants are enticing, filling your schedule with too many sit-down meals can drain your budget and time.

We recommend that you limit yourself to one table service meal per day. This allows you to experience Disney’s top dining options without overspending or feeling rushed between reservations. Balance your dining plans with quick service options and snacks throughout the parks and resorts. They’re often equally as good!

Skipping The My Disney Experience App

The My Disney Experience App is the key to unlocking almost everything in Disney World. From unlocking your hotel room door, to accessing park maps, to managing your Lightning Lane reservations, and more, you can’t afford to skip out on using the app. It is an essential planning tool that helps you plan and manage nearly every aspect of your trip.

Trying to get around Disney World without the app can lead to frustration and wasted time. You might miss out on popular dining experiences or spend hours waiting in lines unnecessarily. While you might worry about technical issues, the benefits of using the app far outweigh any potential glitches. If you’re concerned, familiarize yourself with the app before your trip and be sure to keep your phone charged.

Waiting In Long Lines To Order Food at Quick Service Restaurants

Long lines at quick service restaurants can waste precious time during your Disney World visit. Fortunately, there’s an easy solution to avoid this common Disney World mistake – Mobile Ordering!

The Mobile Order feature in the My Disney Experience app is a convenient tool that allows you to pre-order meals from most quick service locations throughout the parks and resorts. Be sure you familiarize yourself with the mobile ordering process in our complete guide to Disney’s mobile order service here and use it whenever possible on your trip! This will ensure that you spend less time waiting for food and more time enjoying the parks. Just remember to place your order early, as popular meal times can fill up quickly on busy days.

Not Using Disney’s Rider Switch Service

If you’re traveling with little ones, you can’t afford to overlook Disney’s rider switch service. The complimentary service allows families with young children to enjoy attractions together, even if some members can’t or don’t want to ride. Here’s how it works – one adult waits with any non-riding children while others experience the attraction. Afterward, the waiting adult can ride without having to wait in line again.

This service is available at select attractions across all four Disney World theme parks. To use it, simply approach a Cast Member at the ride entrance with your entire party.

Waiting Until You Get Back To Your Hotel At Night To Eat

If you’re taking advantage of every second you can get in the theme parks, you’re in for long days and you’re bound to get hungry late at night. But, don’t make the mistake of waiting to get back to your hotel to eat without checking the restaurant hours!

Many Disney-goers make the mistake of assuming they can easily grab food at their hotel after a long day at the parks. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. Quick service restaurants at Disney hotels often close earlier than you might expect, sometimes before the parks even shut down for the night. So, if you return to your hotel late after fireworks or a special event, you may find limited food options available. This can be particularly frustrating after a full day that’s left you hungry and tired.

To avoid hangry family members, be sure to check the hours of your hotel’s quick service restaurant and plan ahead if you’ll be getting back after it’s already closed. We also find it best to have a few snacks stored away in your hotel room just in case you forget to check in advance. Several grocery delivery services will drop off food at your Disney hotel, making it easy to have some extra drinks and food nearby no matter when you get hungry.

Overlooking Disney’s Lightning Lane Services

Disney World’s Lightning Lane services are the new way to skip the standby lines at most of the attractions in the parks. And, while the concept is similar to the old FastPass+ service, you may end up wasting your money on them if you make the mistake of not fully understanding or utilizing them.

It’s important to know when you can pre-purchase and book your desired Lightning Lanes before your trip, what rides you should book first (as they tend to sell out), how to book additional Lightning Lanes on the day of your visit, and how to make the most of your purchase. You’ll also want to consider if you really need to buy Lightning Lanes for every day of your visit or if you only want to use the services at select parks or for select attractions.

It can be a lot of information to take in, but we have you covered – check out our guide to Disney’s new Lightning Lane services here to learn the ins and outs before your trip!

Buying Your Souvenirs Too Early

You’re probably planning on buying at least a few souvenirs during your trip, but we recommend doing some window shopping first. It’s tempting to buy your souvenirs right when you see them, regardless of what time of day it is. However, Disney merchandise doesn’t usually sell out, and buying merchandise early in the morning or afternoon means that you have to carry them with you on rides and attractions or pay for a locker to store them away for the day.

It’s okay to do some shopping and know what you want to buy, but we find it best to wait to buy anything until we’re headed out of the park and back to our hotel.

Ignoring The Weather

You may think that Central Florida is always sunny and warm, but the weather can actually be unpredictable and severe during certain times of the year. So, if you’ve done your packing with cloud-free sunny days in mind, you may find that you’re poorly prepared.

Sudden rainstorms are common, especially in summer. And, the winter months can be colder than you may expect. Ponchos, rain jackets, and sweaters are usually enough to combat any of the weather, but you need to know the weather to be ready for it!

We recommend checking the weather about a week before your trip, before you pack, and then again right before you leave. This will ensure that there are no surprises when you arrive.

And, if severe weather is expected, be sure to have a plan for what you’ll do if it rains while you’re in the park! Some rides may close during storms, so build some flexibility into your plans.

Not Packing Your Own Water Bottle

Bringing a reusable water bottle to Disney World can save you time and money. Water bottles sold in the parks are expensive, often costing $5 or more. By packing your own, you avoid spending precious money on something as simple as water.

Plus, Disney makes it easy to refill your bottle throughout the day! Many people don’t realize that Disney World offers free water refill stations throughout the parks, which makes it even more convenient and easy to stay hydrated. They’re typically located near restrooms and quick service dining areas. You can find the full list of locations in the My Disney Experience app.

Wearing The Wrong Shoes

Choosing the right footwear for your Disney day is crucial. Don’t make the mistake of prioritizing style over comfort! You’ll be in for sore feet, blisters, and a much less enjoyable vacation.

Another one of the biggest Disney World mistakes we see when it comes to shoes in the parks is wearing brand-new shoes. That’s a recipe for disaster! Be sure to break in the shoes you plan to wear and opt for well-cushioned, supportive shoes that can handle a lot of walking. Remember, you’ll likely be covering 13+ miles in a single day at Disney World so comfort is key!

We also like to pack along an extra pair of socks and shoes just in case we find ourselves with soaked feet from a surprise rain storm.

Forgetting To Apply Sunscreen

There’s nothing worse than realizing that you have a severe sunburn at the end of the day when you step into the shower, so pack your sunscreen and be sure to apply it multiple times throughout the day! Florida’s sun can be intense year-round, not just during summer months. In fact, even on cloudy days, UV rays can damage your skin.

We recommend that you choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 30 for adequate protection. Apply sunscreen before leaving your hotel room each morning and set reminders on your phone to reapply every 2 hours or after swimming. We find it best to bring a large bottle to store in your hotel room and a small bottle to carry in your park bag for easy access.

Overscheduling Yourself

With so much to see and do in the parks and resorts, it can be easy to want to do it all and pack your schedule with activities every second of every day. However, overscheduling yourself can lead to burnout and frustration – that’s not something anyone wants to experience on vacation!

Be realistic about your energy levels when tackling a full day in the parks and leave some room for rest and spontaneity. Instead of trying to do everything, sit down with your family before your trip and make of list of the things that everyone really wants to do. Then, plan your days to prioritize those activities. Any additional rides you get to are just an extra treat!

Missing Out On Discounts and Deals

Disney World vacations can be expensive, but there are ways to save money if you know where to look. Disney usually runs ticket and hotel deals seasonally and you can easily end up missing out on savings if you’re not paying attention.

Before you book your stay, be sure to check Disney World’s official website regularly for special offers. And, if you end up booking a stay without a discount, be sure to check back. These promotions change frequently, so it’s worth checking often. Disney can usually apply a newly released discount to your existing reservation if you contact them. And, if they’re not able to do it you can cancel your current reservation and rebook if the same room type and hotel are still available.

Comments

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