I was a Disney World Cast Member for almost four years and am still an Annual Passholder who spends much of my free time at Disney World. As cliche as it sounds, the parks are my happy place. While I didn’t grow up going to Disney World, in the past six years, I have been hundreds of times.

While my trips to Disney World may not be the same as those of someone traveling from elsewhere, I have still spent lots of time experiencing the Disney Parks. I am sharing some of the things that I wish you knew before going to Disney World!

You don’t have to do EVERYTHING to have a great time.

And I hate to break it to you, but there is no way you can do everything during your trip. I have been to Disney World hundreds of times, and I am still having new experiences. However, pick your top priorities and make sure you get those done. Everything else is icing on the cake!

Plan your days so you can hit your priorities, but don’t forget to have some time for relaxation and going with the flow. Sometimes, my favorite memories come when I don’t have any specific plans, and I just see where the park takes me.

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You don’t have to spend LOTS of money to have a great trip.

A Disney World vacation is expensive! There is really no way around it, but I think it truly is a magical trip. Of course, you will need to purchase a couple of things no matter what: transportation to and from Disney World, hotel, and park tickets. But you don’t have to book the fanciest meals, spend extra on Lightning Lane Passes, or book the nicest hotel room to have a great time.

You can always opt for quick service meals or bring your own food into the park. Depending on your plans, you likely won’t even spend that much time at your hotel, and you can always resort hop to other hotels to explore. You can prioritize rides and spend time exploring the parks versus feeling like you have to ride every attraction. As hard as it might be, you don’t have to spend hundreds on Disney merchandise either. I always enjoy giving myself a souvenir budget and hunting for the best souvenir to spend my money on.

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There isn’t a “right” or “wrong” way to do Disney.

Love getting up at 5am and spending all day at the parks? Great. Want to sleep in and only spend a few hours at the park? Wonderful. Don’t even want to go to the parks and just want to enjoy the hotel? Sounds good. A trip to Disney World should be a vacation, and that means doing things that you enjoy. Sure, it gets harder to balance lots of wants and desires if you are traveling with kids or a larger group, but don’t lose sight of the fact that Disney World should be a vacation.

Too often, I would see families that were in such a rush to get things done that no one was having fun. Plan for your group, and also know that it is okay to adjust plans once you get to Disney World. Make sure you have at least time to eat, hydrate, and sleep. But don’t feel bad for adding in extra relaxation time, or even A LOT extra relaxation time.

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Cast Members want you to have the best vacation, so please be nice to them!

Being a Cast Member isn’t all sunshine and roses, and while I loved my time as a Cast Member, I had my fair share of unpleasant experiences. Cast Members are not out to try to ruin your vacation; in fact, they all want to help you have the best vacation. But there are some things they can’t do or fix.

They would love to answer questions or point you in the right direction, and they also want to help make things right, but approaching Cast Members nicely and respectfully will go a long way.

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Encourage everyone to do a bit of research.

I am not saying they have to spend hours and hours learning about every nook and cranny in Disney World, but encourage everyone in your family or group to at least learn a bit about what to expect and what there is to do. Have each person bring a few ideas of things they would really like to do to make sure everyone is enjoying their time.

You can sit down as a family and watch one of our YouTube videos – we have an ultimate guide video for each Disney World park! – to get a lay of the land and get everyone excited about the trip. For really young kiddos or kiddos you are trying to surprise, this may not be doable, but I have always felt that everyone enjoys their time more when they get to do things that really excite them.

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It can be easy to fall into a hole of learning every little detail and planning every second of your day, but I also think that can lead to burnout and everyone not having as fun of a time. If that works for your family, though, keep doing it! But, if you are planning a Disney World trip and are feeling overwhelmed, I really encourage you to take a step back and decide what is most important for your family and focus on that. Plus, we are here to help you every step of the way with guides, videos, and blog posts on every Disney World topic.

Or, if you want even more assistance with planning your Disney World vacation, reach out to Small World Vacations. They can’t wait to help you plan your vacation! The best part? Their services are completely free, and they have YEARS of experience planning Disney World vacations. They can help take some of the stress away and make sure you have the best vacation for your family. 

Stay tuned to DFB for all your Disney World tips, tricks, and news!

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What are some things that you wish you had known before you went to Disney World? Let us know in the comments!