I'm German and I don't think I'll visit Disney World anytime soon, but I really enjoy all of your videos because AJ has such an upbeat voice and personality and it really improves my mood drastically after bad days. So thank you for your work!
Keeping some of the breakfast type foods in your room saves you a bundle. Box stores like Target carry Pop Tarts or donuts or Danishes. Easy to pop one of those while people are taking showers or getting ready. Saves time and a few bucks.
My friend and I went to McDonald's every morning for breakfast last time we went. It was a huge cost savings for us, we don't each much and it's right outside All Star Music Resort. So we passed it daily. We're going to do the same again this year and will be using that as a meeting spot for our friend not staying on property.
Those can easily be brought from home. I typically pack a bunch in my carry on, and then a Target Drive up for all the drinks. No Magical Express means that I can now do this. Save $100 in drinks alone!
Instead of spending half a day in the parks on our last day in Orlando, my family visited the gift shops in some of the Disney resorts before heading to Disney Springs. This gave us a chance to experience all of the Disney travel modes (monorail, boat, Skyliner, etc.) and insights on which resorts we should book in the future. It was a great way to end our WDW trip instead of paying park entry fees.
It’s honestly better to do this on your first day, because I discovered that if you do all your shopping the first day, you’re not wasting time in the parks shopping. I like to shop, but noticed that while in the parks, all I did was walk into stores just to see if there was something I had missed. Since so little is unique to specific areas these days, it saved me and my family a TON of park time. Of course, saying that, we haven’t done this in forever. We tend to do just Disney Springs after AK since it’s a half day park because we refuse to wait 3 hours for a ride. Look at the animals you say? Last trip they weren’t even out. Just safari and flights of wonder. We even wasted time watching Kite Tails. Still half day.
If you DO need to cancel a dining reservation last-minute, I found that if you just reschedule your reservation for a month out, you can then just cancel it at your leisure. Don't forget to cancel it after you've rescheduled it, though! I found this tip helpful when we went last year. I'm unsure if it's still possible to do, but it worked well for my party.
cast members will also sometimes pick a family out (mainly ones with younger kids that have a hard time standing in line) and ask 3 questions about a movie or a ride and if they get them right they will let them skip to the front or take the fast pass lines, they always try to make it the best for kids but will also look out for parents so they dont having to deal with kids not wanting to stand in line
@@Jimmy2shits Disgusting comment, we are ALL here to learn as much as we can to ensure our future trips are as successful as possible. If YOU aren't cut out for that, you do not belong in MY parks.
@@egel7736 I suppose you are one of those people that carries a paper map and disgusting packed lunches, while the rest of us are enjoying our TRUE disney experience in dignity. I ALWAYS ensure my family eats at official and recognized Disney restaurants. Sorry, but no thanks.
I've never been to Disney World, but I've been to Disneyland more times than I can count. Back in the '80s, we always left early and watched the fireworks from the parking lot. They were still spectacular! However, the first time that we happened to stay inside the park until closing, I discovered that when Tinkerbell flies across the park, it's not just a cardboard cutout... It was a real girl! I may or may not have burst into tears at the realization. I also may or may not have been close to 30 years old at the time!
One of the most terrifying parts of our last trip was walking back to our car. A row away from us we watched a man start screaming at his girlfriend, hit her, knock her to the ground, and then yell at her some more. I had my two year old with me so I couldn’t intervene directly, but we found a Disney employee in the parking lot and they called the police.
Had a 10 min basically a walk on for rise by heading to it just as the fireworks were starting. One of the coolest experiences with my family who havet rode it yet. It was our first giant trip with a good chunk of the family, we had a party of 12. Me and my cousin who were regulars mapped this all out and it was great.
Love your videos, been watching for years - just would love if dfb started using Chapters in the descriptions so we could go back and forth between certain tips/sections, would really help!!
Before you book transportation back to the airport, always check (if you can) to see how many more pickups they have and at what resorts. I almost missed a flight to Miami to connect to a long international flight because of a stop at Pop Century. The stress was unbelievable. Ever since then, I get a Lyft or a Uber regardless of the cost.
Our last experience with Magical Express with at Pop Century. It took TWO HOURS to get a bus. They kept bringing busses and unloading them, but no pick ups, but when you asked bell services, they would tell you that they have to drop off at other resorts. There’s no one else on the bus though. Who are they dropping off? They finally had to get a non Disney branded MEARS bus to take us all to MCO. DFB will share a story about how Disney got an entire bus to shuttle one guy who was late for his flight... ...was that our bus? Yours?
@@UmmYeahOk This would be a valid point if you were the only person going to MCO. The buses probably had other scheduled pick-ups. What did DME say when you called them?
@@vincent412l7 I didn’t call. The thing was that while they were two hours late for us, they were one hour late for others, and some of those guests were a bit more irate. I knew the cast members there were already in contact with MEARS, as it was pretty obvious to them that something was up, and they didn’t want to be chewed out any more by us. So there were times when I would just very calmly and politely ask them to repeat whatever they had told the previously guest that chewed them out.
I always buy a small Brita filter pitcher to fill up in the sink and leave in the fridge, and then use it to refill our park water bottles! $15 for water for whole trip!
A good tip is to also set reminders on your phone to remind you in the morning of all the dining reservations you may have booked… as well as maybe another reminder two or three hours out because I’ve literally flaked and completely forgotten that we’ve had a reservation before even though it was right in my app. Also if you put ride reminders and things like that with very specific details in them the phone will just tell you when you need to go to things.
If you need a little creative food prep in the hotel, coffee maker ramen. The coffee maker is designed to make water hot, and that is all you need to make ramen. I've done it at another hotel and while it's not ideal it works.
Agree with 99%+! A couple of times YMMV was true for us... 1. Swan/Dolphin was actually more expensive for us than Disney Deluxe resort! Swan charged fees for balcony, 3rd/4th guests, parking, and resort fees. By the end I was able to get a discounted deluxe Disney room cheaper. Make sure get to the end with all the fees before you compare prices! 2.Be Our Guest had been consistently great for us. Prettier and better food than crt. Price for steak and all the extras was
Best memory: Character meet and greet at Animal Kingdom. My family and I went 10 years ago and we waited the line for Pooh and his friends. It may not seem worth it, but it's one of my favorite memories. Pooh hugged my mum (the photo looked like he eated her head due to height differences) and I dance and jumped with Tigger. To be fair, it was late and almost deserted (next to the dinosaurs) but it was the funniest and I still laugh when I see the photos.
My favorite restaurant memory was at the Be Our Guest. We couldn't have had a more perfect experience. We had a very late reservation 8:30, but they were running a bit behind that night, so they asked us to just hang out on the bridge. Well, for once, the restaurant running late worked in our favor as we got to watch the fireworks over Beasts castle (which is a totally different experience). When we got our table, we were seated at one of the best tables you could probably get in the ballroom. This was the week hugs came back, so Beast still kept a distance, but I was able to get some really great pics with him anyways. I was so overwhelmed that I couldn't stop crying from just being there, and my server (Priscilla) was so patient and even brought me a card signed by Beast himself! The most MAGICAL moment, however, is the moment I forgot that I was afraid to eat foods that touched....and just started eating off my plate of very mixed foods without even realizing I had dont it until the next day. Yes, I am a grown adult who uses "no-touchy plates" and eating a plate of asparagus and filet mignon and mashed potatoes ALL touching was such a huge deal. Being a Passholder in general changed my life this year. I used to wear t-shirts under my very long dresses .... and now I'm showing shoulders AND knees! I was very afraid to have my picture taken, but my husband took a chance on me and bought me a PhotoPass, and now I actually have really cute pictures of us on our walls! I LOVE Disney. OH ... And ... I totally quit smoking cigarettes in February to earn my Passholder. I just cannot stop with how these parks have changed my life.
Weird dining res karma totally exists! Couldn’t make ADRs for my December trip due to a technical glitch (it wasn’t showing my trip dates, only the 60th day 😭). Best friend made all of our reservations except Ohana. Randomly decided to check in on Ohana a couple of days later and, lo and behold, there was a reservation slot ready for me to grab. Checked the confirmation email three times to make sure it was real 😂 Don’t give up!! 🌺
I had this happen for Storybook Dining! I was so sad that I couldn’t get a reservation, but when I randomly checked a couple days later, there was one right where I wanted!
This is how we got in to Space 220! Never stop checking. People can cancel up to 24 hours before without a penalty so you can get a lot of great reservations last minute!
The last (and only) time I was in Disney World I was 7 or 8 years old and NONE of this virtual stuff existed. I feel like it takes away some of the fun and adds more stress. But then, I am a simple girl who strives for simplicity in all I do. There really is such a thing as too many layers...
I'm from Europe, but watching stuff about Disney land make it sound so exhausting. It seems like it's completely impossible to just show up and have a good time with out planing everything at least 3-4 months in advance.
If you're planning on doing other things in the area and just want to hit one of the water parks on one day, it's probably manageable. Since my parents live in Florida and my kid and I are going to Disney at the end of January, I completely cut the water parks out of the plans for this trip and we'll day trip to a water park when we go visit my parents over summer vacation. But since touring multiple parks over multiple days requires a place to stay, food, and all that jazz, and there is so much to see, and it's all so expensive, it's best not to try to wing it.
I really loved the be our guest restaurant! I feel like every Disney UA-camr said it sucks but I got to eat in the ball room and had the best filet mignon I’ve ever had back in May
I agree! BOG consistently had better steaks than Le Cellier for several years--and a better deal with the courses included. I don't know why while dfb is usually so "your mileage may vary" they refuse to hear good things about Be Or Guest!
I agree that the fillet at Be Our Guest was excellent, and my daughter had the pork chop and said it was great too. I had the fillet at Brown Derby and at Be Our guest and they were both excellent, and I'm pretty picky about steak.
When I was 6/7, I went to Disney with my family and loved it. After, I asked when we could go again. My dad jokingly said, “when you’re 16,” and we laughed. I’m 14, and never forgot but my parents did. 2 more years, 2 more years…
lol yea hopefully you’re local cuz it really pricey for an 18 year old unless you already have a good job or you take your parents money I’m planning a trip weeklong 5 days ands its around 3k for two people and i have free tickets because my partner works there
@@MrAny9000 right? I have a family of 3, and it’s gonna cost us over 5k for only 3 days 4 nights at the cheapest resort. I am including food and experiences in that cost though. The prices are CRAZY
I haven’t been since they did that but my local amusement park got rid of smoking areas… and now people just smoke while walking around. At least smoking areas kept them away from others
I’m going to give this tip again, because they never do: If your room doesn’t have a microwave, your resort’s dining area probably does. This includes All Stars, Art and Pop. I know this is not a middle of the night option but it is handy to reheat leftovers or you can bring your own food to microwave!
Disney has gotten ridiculously pricey and overly complicated. Not wanting to rush back. Used to be an annual passport holder n multi times a year staying on property. Great memories.
Have a big breakfast in the morning then leave the park closer to dinner (if you can hold out that long) and have a late lunch/early dinner off site. Bring snacks with you in the parks. Pick up snacks at places like Walmart, Costco, Dollar Tree, Aldi, keep them in your rooms. Take advantage of having a mini fridge in you room, buy bottled water off site and keep it in there.
I love that Disney allows us to bring food in too. Last time we brought in sliced sweet peppers, string cheese, beef jerky, Uncrustables, peanut butter pretzels, fruit, and our refillable water bottles with Gatorade packs to replenish electrolytes under the hot sun. Then in the evening, we sat down for a hot meal.
I have found if you are stuck in a ride line longer than expected and have a meal reservation, instead of canceling you can ask to be worked in when you get off the ride if you are really polite.
Why am I doing here lol. Its 3am, I havent been to Disney in over a decade, dont leave even remotely close to a park, or have plans to go to one any time soon
My husband and I just went to Disney World for our 12th wedding anniversary in October. We stayed at the Boardwalk for two nights. We stayed in the Star Wars Halcyon Galactic Cruiser. Then we spent two nights at Old Key West. My husband told me we had a suite at Old Key West, but he surprised me with a suite at the Boardwalk too. The nicer rooms definitely made our trip better!!
We got lucky at magic Kingdom at the end of the night last time we visited. We had a reservation at Cinderella’s Royal Table for dinner. When we finished, we got to enjoy the fully lit castle and the park (at least main street) was nearly empty. It was a great time to get some photos in.
I'm so happy after hours is back! Just learning this news now and it makes me very happy! I had it booked once but never got to experience it cause of Covid but now that it's back, I'm so stoked!
One of the best things that happened to us was one time me and my family had fast passes(this was when fast passes were still around) and we couldn't make it so we asked a cast member to give it to another family and they let us skip the line even though it wasn't the time on the passes
We give our FP to people riding alone , preteens, cool kids who wait in line n never complain. Been going to WDW since 1976. 5 generations now. Faith, Trust n Pixie dust makes the magic happen.
This is why I miss paper FP! We used to grab some we changed our mind on and we would go give them to another family about to get in the standby line. We felt like we helped pass the magic!
CJ, I haven’t been in Disney in over 6yrs. I have developed mobility issues would you ever do a video showing options for people with some mobility issues it would be nice to go back to Disney. Thank you
last time i was at disney, we were able to rent an electric scooter for my mom and it worked really well, lasted the whole day and wasn't super expensive. although they're hard to get on and off transit (monorail was ok though) and you can't bring them on most rides
We left at 9 and fireworks started about 9:20, we watched them from the ferry docks and then caught a tram to our parking lot! It was so easy. There wasn't a ton of upset over not seeing the graphics on the castle cuz we were all exhausted. Lol.
I don’t prefer leaving as late as possible, at least not on a flight. Late is never really that late when you need to get to the airport, but you definitely will get home late and exhausted. I prefer the early flight out after I’ve had my final night with no curfew. But if I’m staying on property, I move to a super cheap airport hotel for the last night. Still saves money, less stressful than leaving from Disney.
My family( and me) were at opening day at Disney. I still have an intact ride book and my VIP badge. Sadly after 6 visits in the past 50 years including 2 Disney marathon weeks, this Dopey CHALLENGE WILL BE OUR LASt VISIT. Too expensive, too crowded and too much red tape and complications. SAD SIGH
Also try not to leave your food in your stroller in very accessible containers/bags. I know it can be difficult but you would not believe the amount of squirrels and birds and other pest animals I saw cowing down in the popcorn buckets or snacks left in bag pouches on the outside of baby bags while the stroller was parked outside while the families were in an indoor attraction like show theatres or rides where you have to leave strollers outside the attraction building. You don’t want those germs from the animals all over your food.
When I was a kid my mom would let me know about an hour before leaving the park after dark, so I would bargain with her. I’d say after the restroom one last soda before leaving, Disney had a 1950’s burger joint it had a short wait time but I liked there fountain drinks. It gave me time to decompress from a long day and I knew I I’d be taking the shuttle tram back to the car and that really was my last ride of the evening,so I had some fun going back to the car. I liked the yellow light flashing and the breeze while going no faster than a golf cart 😂
Getting a stroller! PLEASE PLEASE Don't be that parent dragging a crying child around the park. You ruin the day for your child, yourself, and those around you!
One year, we couldn't find Blue Bayou reservations at Disneyland, and at the last second, we managed to snag a reservation! But then Indiana Jones broke down and we almost missed it!
Thanks so much for all that you do DFB Guide! I'm finally able to book and plan our vacation to Disney post-pandemic and your content is the biggest help. I can't believe all of these changes from when I went in 2018. It's a whole new world at Disney World!
When my (very tall) children were 4 and 7, we rented a double stroller, side by side, from an outside vender. It was delivered to our Disney resort on the 1st of our 10 days, and it was the best $100 I have ever spent. That was all the way back in 2010, but even if the price has tripled, it's worth it.
Another tip to every single trip in general don't bring to a trip not having comfortable shoes and if new break them a week before you go to a trip remember blisters or sandals that can give blisters.
One thing that we would do prior to the free transportation we get a car service to pick us up at the airport and stop at a store and we would buy a throwaway cooler (styrofoam), and what needed to be refrigerated a we keep it on ice (the ice is always free). Saved us money from buying at the store pop, yogurt, lunchables from the store and saved us money by having to move up to a suite to get a refrigerator.
My guess is that My Genie's suggestions aren't just about crow control. They also have the side effect of making you want to buy Genie+ later in the day because all those rides you skipped early on now have the massive wait times.
I was SO late to my virtual queue spot on Guardians. Like it came up before I was even in the park. It had to be more than an hour and thankfully they let me on. I was on a solo trip
Never ever run. Technically, I was skipping, but I got yelled at for running and when I got up to the bag check I got selected for an additional check.
I haven't even watched the whole video yet, but have to comment on the stroller tip. The first time we took our son to WDW he was 5. Five! He hadn't used a stroller at home in a very, very long time. He didn't even fit in the one we still had. Why on earth would we rent one???? Flash forward a few days into the trip and - Yep! - we were renting him a stroller. Turns out five year olds can't walk all day long in the FL heat. Who knew??? (Apparently everyone but us 😂). If your kid is having a tough time keeping up, just get them a stroller. This isn't a tough kid competition. It's a vacation. Life was so much easier with a stroller.
My 4 n 5 year old needed the stroller to make it though all the walking. I recommend not getting the disney hard plastic stroller. There are lots of great companies around orlando that rent great disney approved strollers, for the same price or even better. They even do free delivery and pick-up
We got our magic bands way before we went to the parks . I ended up getting Cinderella and I lost it. They are horrible they don’t clasp very well. Hope they changed it. We went to guest services never found or turned in.
I have a hard time with them too. My wrist size is right between the keep the thing on and take the thing off. I’m thinking about trying to hang my fancy new Magic Band+ on a lanyard around my neck.
I would absolutely recommend ditching other things to go the guardians ride. I’ve been on 107 coasters and it was probably the best ride I’ve ever been on, and definitely my new second favorite of all time
I bought a used double stroller off our local marketplace on Facebook. My 9yr old daughter and her 7yr old cousin used it the majority of the trip. It made hauling everyone’s snacks and drinks easier too. It was a pain to get off and on the bus, but it was worth it in the parks.
I was SO surprised when I first went to Disney and had such trouble getting on/off the bus. I expected a family park to have easy transportation for strollers. I’m surprised people don’t mention it!
@@angelinaa2385 I forgot to mention we decided to park in the parking lot one day and the stroller wouldn’t fit on the shuttle. My husband ended up just walking.
nothing makes me more mad than seeing people treat cast members poorly. they are the sweetest people i’ve ever met and i’ve never had a bad experience with them. if your just nice to them i promise they will thank you forever. me and my aunt and uncle have literally gotten free stuff from just being nice cause they get treated so badly by guests.
Don't waste your time at Oga's Cantina. I made reservations months ahead of time, just to get there to have the three of us stand at about a six inch counter space. This tiny counter space was to be shared with other obnoxious guests who would not scoot over at all. Three tables were completely open, but I was told they were for "special" guests and I could wait another two hours to "maybe" get to sit down after a long day. It was absolutely ridiculous. We just left.
Walk past the first bus pickup spot. You would be surprised how many people are more willing to wait in line for an hour than walk 50 feet to a different bus pickup spot where no one but the bus is waiting.
Hi. I listening to a video of yours the other day regarding things not to spend money on, e.g. , Bibidi bobidee boo. I didn’t get to finish it. What was the title? i can’t find it. 😀
We just returned from a 5 day trip, and let me tell you. We wont be rushing to WDW/DL anytime soon if there is a new ride and the Virtual Que is attached to it. We had 2 of the days where we books Epcot first to try to get in for the 7am Que, finally got lucky on the last day. However, something needs to change with the system. Either open up park hopping earlier, or allow que booking from other parks. Having to sit in Epcot all day with nothing to do to hope to get into 1 ride was a HUGE downer and waste of time. Not to mention after we got in the que, had to wait another 6 hours before we got called. We could have ridden the ride 3-4 times with standard que lines. TBH even more cause I am disabled and we had Genie+. I know this had nothing to do with this channel, just hoping to spare other souls from suffering if they go and expect easy ques.
When I traveled to Disney during COVID it made me sad that they weren’t doing car designs for test track. It was mainly my first time in Disney so I didn’t get the fun part of most things.
I swear it took me 2 hours to get from HS to my car parked in Epcot parking lot. I wanted to cry. I'll never park hop without my car again and I'll always buy premier parking too
I'm German and I don't think I'll visit Disney World anytime soon, but I really enjoy all of your videos because AJ has such an upbeat voice and personality and it really improves my mood drastically after bad days. So thank you for your work!
Keeping some of the breakfast type foods in your room saves you a bundle. Box stores like Target carry Pop Tarts or donuts or Danishes. Easy to pop one of those while people are taking showers or getting ready. Saves time and a few bucks.
My friend and I went to McDonald's every morning for breakfast last time we went. It was a huge cost savings for us, we don't each much and it's right outside All Star Music Resort. So we passed it daily. We're going to do the same again this year and will be using that as a meeting spot for our friend not staying on property.
I did this too! We often just grazed on our snacks until dinnee
💯 I could not IMAGINE wasting precious time in a coffee line 😭
Those can easily be brought from home. I typically pack a bunch in my carry on, and then a Target Drive up for all the drinks. No Magical Express means that I can now do this. Save $100 in drinks alone!
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Instead of spending half a day in the parks on our last day in Orlando, my family visited the gift shops in some of the Disney resorts before heading to Disney Springs. This gave us a chance to experience all of the Disney travel modes (monorail, boat, Skyliner, etc.) and insights on which resorts we should book in the future. It was a great way to end our WDW trip instead of paying park entry fees.
It’s honestly better to do this on your first day, because I discovered that if you do all your shopping the first day, you’re not wasting time in the parks shopping. I like to shop, but noticed that while in the parks, all I did was walk into stores just to see if there was something I had missed. Since so little is unique to specific areas these days, it saved me and my family a TON of park time.
Of course, saying that, we haven’t done this in forever. We tend to do just Disney Springs after AK since it’s a half day park because we refuse to wait 3 hours for a ride. Look at the animals you say? Last trip they weren’t even out. Just safari and flights of wonder. We even wasted time watching Kite Tails. Still half day.
If you DO need to cancel a dining reservation last-minute, I found that if you just reschedule your reservation for a month out, you can then just cancel it at your leisure. Don't forget to cancel it after you've rescheduled it, though! I found this tip helpful when we went last year. I'm unsure if it's still possible to do, but it worked well for my party.
cast members will also sometimes pick a family out (mainly ones with younger kids that have a hard time standing in line) and ask 3 questions about a movie or a ride and if they get them right they will let them skip to the front or take the fast pass lines, they always try to make it the best for kids but will also look out for parents so they dont having to deal with kids not wanting to stand in line
Then maybe you should prepare and pay extra for the convenience of skipping lines with Genie+
@@beanybabyrabie wow what a nerd
@@Jimmy2shits Disgusting comment, we are ALL here to learn as much as we can to ensure our future trips are as successful as possible. If YOU aren't cut out for that, you do not belong in MY parks.
@@blackbeard6423 MY parks? Disney owns the parks, dude, and loves to drain your wallet while you're there.
@@egel7736 I suppose you are one of those people that carries a paper map and disgusting packed lunches, while the rest of us are enjoying our TRUE disney experience in dignity. I ALWAYS ensure my family eats at official and recognized Disney restaurants. Sorry, but no thanks.
I've never been to Disney World, but I've been to Disneyland more times than I can count. Back in the '80s, we always left early and watched the fireworks from the parking lot. They were still spectacular! However, the first time that we happened to stay inside the park until closing, I discovered that when Tinkerbell flies across the park, it's not just a cardboard cutout... It was a real girl! I may or may not have burst into tears at the realization. I also may or may not have been close to 30 years old at the time!
One of the most terrifying parts of our last trip was walking back to our car. A row away from us we watched a man start screaming at his girlfriend, hit her, knock her to the ground, and then yell at her some more. I had my two year old with me so I couldn’t intervene directly, but we found a Disney employee in the parking lot and they called the police.
Had a 10 min basically a walk on for rise by heading to it just as the fireworks were starting. One of the coolest experiences with my family who havet rode it yet. It was our first giant trip with a good chunk of the family, we had a party of 12. Me and my cousin who were regulars mapped this all out and it was great.
Love your videos, been watching for years - just would love if dfb started using Chapters in the descriptions so we could go back and forth between certain tips/sections, would really help!!
They started doing it! Did you see! I love it! ❤️
Before you book transportation back to the airport, always check (if you can) to see how many more pickups they have and at what resorts. I almost missed a flight to Miami to connect to a long international flight because of a stop at Pop Century. The stress was unbelievable. Ever since then, I get a Lyft or a Uber regardless of the cost.
Our last experience with Magical Express with at Pop Century. It took TWO HOURS to get a bus. They kept bringing busses and unloading them, but no pick ups, but when you asked bell services, they would tell you that they have to drop off at other resorts. There’s no one else on the bus though. Who are they dropping off? They finally had to get a non Disney branded MEARS bus to take us all to MCO. DFB will share a story about how Disney got an entire bus to shuttle one guy who was late for his flight... ...was that our bus? Yours?
@@UmmYeahOk This would be a valid point if you were the only person going to MCO. The buses probably had other scheduled pick-ups. What did DME say when you called them?
@@vincent412l7 I didn’t call. The thing was that while they were two hours late for us, they were one hour late for others, and some of those guests were a bit more irate. I knew the cast members there were already in contact with MEARS, as it was pretty obvious to them that something was up, and they didn’t want to be chewed out any more by us. So there were times when I would just very calmly and politely ask them to repeat whatever they had told the previously guest that chewed them out.
I take a private disney driver, endorsed by the Disney resorts.
if you go through Mears it takes care of all that for you. it’ll only allow you to be picked up 2-3 hours before your flight leaves
I always buy a small Brita filter pitcher to fill up in the sink and leave in the fridge, and then use it to refill our park water bottles! $15 for water for whole trip!
I Love ❤️ Old Disney
A good tip is to also set reminders on your phone to remind you in the morning of all the dining reservations you may have booked… as well as maybe another reminder two or three hours out because I’ve literally flaked and completely forgotten that we’ve had a reservation before even though it was right in my app. Also if you put ride reminders and things like that with very specific details in them the phone will just tell you when you need to go to things.
And reminders for when to cancel them- feel out the party’s vibe the day before to see if it’s still a good idea or if some want to sit out!
If you need a little creative food prep in the hotel, coffee maker ramen. The coffee maker is designed to make water hot, and that is all you need to make ramen. I've done it at another hotel and while it's not ideal it works.
Agree with 99%+! A couple of times YMMV was true for us...
1. Swan/Dolphin was actually more expensive for us than Disney Deluxe resort! Swan charged fees for balcony, 3rd/4th guests, parking, and resort fees. By the end I was able to get a discounted deluxe Disney room cheaper. Make sure get to the end with all the fees before you compare prices!
2.Be Our Guest had been consistently great for us. Prettier and better food than crt. Price for steak and all the extras was
Great value and steak was better than last couple we had at Le Cellier!
Best memory: Character meet and greet at Animal Kingdom. My family and I went 10 years ago and we waited the line for Pooh and his friends. It may not seem worth it, but it's one of my favorite memories. Pooh hugged my mum (the photo looked like he eated her head due to height differences) and I dance and jumped with Tigger.
To be fair, it was late and almost deserted (next to the dinosaurs) but it was the funniest and I still laugh when I see the photos.
I went on smugglers run with a full bladder, almost cried lmao.
My favorite restaurant memory was at the Be Our Guest. We couldn't have had a more perfect experience. We had a very late reservation 8:30, but they were running a bit behind that night, so they asked us to just hang out on the bridge. Well, for once, the restaurant running late worked in our favor as we got to watch the fireworks over Beasts castle (which is a totally different experience). When we got our table, we were seated at one of the best tables you could probably get in the ballroom. This was the week hugs came back, so Beast still kept a distance, but I was able to get some really great pics with him anyways. I was so overwhelmed that I couldn't stop crying from just being there, and my server (Priscilla) was so patient and even brought me a card signed by Beast himself! The most MAGICAL moment, however, is the moment I forgot that I was afraid to eat foods that touched....and just started eating off my plate of very mixed foods without even realizing I had dont it until the next day. Yes, I am a grown adult who uses "no-touchy plates" and eating a plate of asparagus and filet mignon and mashed potatoes ALL touching was such a huge deal. Being a Passholder in general changed my life this year. I used to wear t-shirts under my very long dresses .... and now I'm showing shoulders AND knees! I was very afraid to have my picture taken, but my husband took a chance on me and bought me a PhotoPass, and now I actually have really cute pictures of us on our walls! I LOVE Disney. OH ... And ... I totally quit smoking cigarettes in February to earn my Passholder. I just cannot stop with how these parks have changed my life.
Weird dining res karma totally exists! Couldn’t make ADRs for my December trip due to a technical glitch (it wasn’t showing my trip dates, only the 60th day 😭). Best friend made all of our reservations except Ohana. Randomly decided to check in on Ohana a couple of days later and, lo and behold, there was a reservation slot ready for me to grab. Checked the confirmation email three times to make sure it was real 😂 Don’t give up!! 🌺
I had this happen for Storybook Dining! I was so sad that I couldn’t get a reservation, but when I randomly checked a couple days later, there was one right where I wanted!
This is how we got in to Space 220! Never stop checking. People can cancel up to 24 hours before without a penalty so you can get a lot of great reservations last minute!
The last (and only) time I was in Disney World I was 7 or 8 years old and NONE of this virtual stuff existed. I feel like it takes away some of the fun and adds more stress. But then, I am a simple girl who strives for simplicity in all I do. There really is such a thing as too many layers...
“Don’t book a Disney hotel based on how pretty it is or price…” i feel seen, AJ. 😢 lol
I'm from Europe, but watching stuff about Disney land make it sound so exhausting. It seems like it's completely impossible to just show up and have a good time with out planing everything at least 3-4 months in advance.
If you're planning on doing other things in the area and just want to hit one of the water parks on one day, it's probably manageable.
Since my parents live in Florida and my kid and I are going to Disney at the end of January, I completely cut the water parks out of the plans for this trip and we'll day trip to a water park when we go visit my parents over summer vacation.
But since touring multiple parks over multiple days requires a place to stay, food, and all that jazz, and there is so much to see, and it's all so expensive, it's best not to try to wing it.
I really loved the be our guest restaurant! I feel like every Disney UA-camr said it sucks but I got to eat in the ball room and had the best filet mignon I’ve ever had back in May
I agree! BOG consistently had better steaks than Le Cellier for several years--and a better deal with the courses included. I don't know why while dfb is usually so "your mileage may vary" they refuse to hear good things about Be Or Guest!
I agree that the fillet at Be Our Guest was excellent, and my daughter had the pork chop and said it was great too. I had the fillet at Brown Derby and at Be Our guest and they were both excellent, and I'm pretty picky about steak.
The foods are incredible and authentic
When I was 6/7, I went to Disney with my family and loved it. After, I asked when we could go again. My dad jokingly said, “when you’re 16,” and we laughed. I’m 14, and never forgot but my parents did. 2 more years, 2 more years…
lol yea hopefully you’re local cuz it really pricey for an 18 year old unless you already have a good job or you take your parents money I’m planning a trip weeklong 5 days ands its around 3k for two people and i have free tickets because my partner works there
@@MrAny9000 right? I have a family of 3, and it’s gonna cost us over 5k for only 3 days 4 nights at the cheapest resort. I am including food and experiences in that cost though. The prices are CRAZY
you probably should remind them, cause the way disney is priced you might need to save for a year... or two.... or four.........
I love the non-smoking aspect of the parks. It’s disgusting and others don’t need to be around it with kids.
Agreed.
I haven’t been since they did that but my local amusement park got rid of smoking areas… and now people just smoke while walking around. At least smoking areas kept them away from others
I know people who sneak smokes around the parks now 🤷🏾♀️
I never had a problem with smoking sections. I see where Disney is coming from though. Smoking is kinda gross
It’s always the trashier people too
EPCOT = Every Parent Carries Out a Toddler.
Aj and your work team we all know that you all doing a very good job to keep evry one up to date on Disney World
I’m going to give this tip again, because they never do: If your room doesn’t have a microwave, your resort’s dining area probably does. This includes All Stars, Art and Pop. I know this is not a middle of the night option but it is handy to reheat leftovers or you can bring your own food to microwave!
Port Orleans does too! We would keep out leftovers in our fridge and just go to the cafe for heat it up and eat it there! Worked perfectly!
Heres a tip i stay at animal kingdom Just call the front desk and ask for it to be brought to your room
@@masopriv783 ask for a microwave to be brought to your room?
Yeah
No need to be cheap. It is much better to enjoy the incredible foods on offer at an authorized disney establishment.
AJ should be the next host for Must Do Disney.
Disney has gotten ridiculously pricey and overly complicated. Not wanting to rush back. Used to be an annual passport holder n multi times a year staying on property. Great memories.
Queen is my absolute favorite band of all time! Saw them 4 times with Freddie and once with Adam Lambert. You have great taste in music!
Have a big breakfast in the morning then leave the park closer to dinner (if you can hold out that long) and have a late lunch/early dinner off site. Bring snacks with you in the parks. Pick up snacks at places like Walmart, Costco, Dollar Tree, Aldi, keep them in your rooms. Take advantage of having a mini fridge in you room, buy bottled water off site and keep it in there.
I love that Disney allows us to bring food in too. Last time we brought in sliced sweet peppers, string cheese, beef jerky, Uncrustables, peanut butter pretzels, fruit, and our refillable water bottles with Gatorade packs to replenish electrolytes under the hot sun. Then in the evening, we sat down for a hot meal.
I have found if you are stuck in a ride line longer than expected and have a meal reservation, instead of canceling you can ask to be worked in when you get off the ride if you are really polite.
Rule#1 - Never pass a bathroom.
Why am I doing here lol. Its 3am, I havent been to Disney in over a decade, dont leave even remotely close to a park, or have plans to go to one any time soon
My husband and I just went to Disney World for our 12th wedding anniversary in October. We stayed at the Boardwalk for two nights. We stayed in the Star Wars Halcyon Galactic Cruiser. Then we spent two nights at Old Key West.
My husband told me we had a suite at Old Key West, but he surprised me with a suite at the Boardwalk too. The nicer rooms definitely made our trip better!!
I had my make a wish here!!! It was so fun I got to do the lightning pass every ride and stayed at the boardwalk!
Omg a Duck Tails scavenger hunt?! INCREDIBLE! Anyone who hasn’t watched the new series is seriously missing out on something special.
They announced this back in 2019, so I will believe it when I see it, especially if it involves EPCOT.
We got lucky at magic Kingdom at the end of the night last time we visited. We had a reservation at Cinderella’s Royal Table for dinner. When we finished, we got to enjoy the fully lit castle and the park (at least main street) was nearly empty. It was a great time to get some photos in.
I'm so happy after hours is back! Just learning this news now and it makes me very happy! I had it booked once but never got to experience it cause of Covid but now that it's back, I'm so stoked!
One of the best things that happened to us was one time me and my family had fast passes(this was when fast passes were still around) and we couldn't make it so we asked a cast member to give it to another family and they let us skip the line even though it wasn't the time on the passes
We give our FP to people riding alone , preteens, cool kids who wait in line n never complain. Been going to WDW since 1976. 5 generations now. Faith, Trust n Pixie dust makes the magic happen.
This is why I miss paper FP! We used to grab some we changed our mind on and we would go give them to another family about to get in the standby line. We felt like we helped pass the magic!
Nice to hear that AJ is a Queen fan they're one of my all-time favourite bands
I've been going through the holiday guide, it has so much great advice in it! I love it!
Don’t buy souvenirs that will look out of place when get home. They may look awesome in the Disney bubble but at home not so much.
CJ, I haven’t been in Disney in over 6yrs. I have developed mobility issues would you ever do a video showing options for people with some mobility issues it would be nice to go back to Disney. Thank you
last time i was at disney, we were able to rent an electric scooter for my mom and it worked really well, lasted the whole day and wasn't super expensive. although they're hard to get on and off transit (monorail was ok though) and you can't bring them on most rides
We left at 9 and fireworks started about 9:20, we watched them from the ferry docks and then caught a tram to our parking lot! It was so easy. There wasn't a ton of upset over not seeing the graphics on the castle cuz we were all exhausted. Lol.
I hate fireworks and they scare my nephew so… sounds great 😂
I don’t prefer leaving as late as possible, at least not on a flight. Late is never really that late when you need to get to the airport, but you definitely will get home late and exhausted. I prefer the early flight out after I’ve had my final night with no curfew. But if I’m staying on property, I move to a super cheap airport hotel for the last night. Still saves money, less stressful than leaving from Disney.
My family( and me) were at opening day at Disney. I still have an intact ride book and my VIP badge. Sadly after 6 visits in the past 50 years including 2 Disney marathon weeks, this Dopey CHALLENGE WILL BE OUR LASt VISIT. Too expensive, too crowded and too much red tape and complications. SAD SIGH
Also try not to leave your food in your stroller in very accessible containers/bags. I know it can be difficult but you would not believe the amount of squirrels and birds and other pest animals I saw cowing down in the popcorn buckets or snacks left in bag pouches on the outside of baby bags while the stroller was parked outside while the families were in an indoor attraction like show theatres or rides where you have to leave strollers outside the attraction building. You don’t want those germs from the animals all over your food.
Oh and always take some time to rest and relax😊 I chose not to and the kiddos were sick from the heat and had to spend our last day at DW in the hotel
When I was a kid my mom would let me know about an hour before leaving the park after dark, so I would bargain with her. I’d say after the restroom one last soda before leaving, Disney had a 1950’s burger joint it had a short wait time but I liked there fountain drinks. It gave me time to decompress from a long day and I knew I I’d be taking the shuttle tram back to the car and that really was my last ride of the evening,so I had some fun going back to the car. I liked the yellow light flashing and the breeze while going no faster than a golf cart 😂
Getting a stroller! PLEASE PLEASE Don't be that parent dragging a crying child around the park. You ruin the day for your child, yourself, and those around you!
One year, we couldn't find Blue Bayou reservations at Disneyland, and at the last second, we managed to snag a reservation! But then Indiana Jones broke down and we almost missed it!
Thanks so much for all that you do DFB Guide! I'm finally able to book and plan our vacation to Disney post-pandemic and your content is the biggest help.
I can't believe all of these changes from when I went in 2018. It's a whole new world at Disney World!
Yes please don’t leave valuables in your strollers . I got my rain cover stollen during a storm . I came back to a soaking wet stroller. :(
When my (very tall) children were 4 and 7, we rented a double stroller, side by side, from an outside vender. It was delivered to our Disney resort on the 1st of our 10 days, and it was the best $100 I have ever spent. That was all the way back in 2010, but even if the price has tripled, it's worth it.
Another tip to every single trip in general don't bring to a trip not having comfortable shoes and if new break them a week before you go to a trip remember blisters or sandals that can give blisters.
Love love the bathroom tip 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👍🏻👍🏻❤️
I would suggest that go to the bathroom before you leave resort.
I love all of your vlogs !! I learn soo much, which will help with my next visit at Disney World !! Thank You soo much !!
One thing that we would do prior to the free transportation we get a car service to pick us up at the airport and stop at a store and we would buy a throwaway cooler (styrofoam), and what needed to be refrigerated a we keep it on ice (the ice is always free). Saved us money from buying at the store pop, yogurt, lunchables from the store and saved us money by having to move up to a suite to get a refrigerator.
thanks
Virtual queue is annoying because it just punishes those who just want to arrive at the park without weeks of planning
My guess is that My Genie's suggestions aren't just about crow control. They also have the side effect of making you want to buy Genie+ later in the day because all those rides you skipped early on now have the massive wait times.
Il Mulino is a must for my fam every time we visit Disney. Most a amazing chicken parm ever.
For me,if you hate the feeling of being lifted from your seat,don’t go on slinky dog ride,splash mountain,or cosmic rewind
I was SO late to my virtual queue spot on Guardians. Like it came up before I was even in the park. It had to be more than an hour and thankfully they let me on. I was on a solo trip
Never ever run. Technically, I was skipping, but I got yelled at for running and when I got up to the bag check I got selected for an additional check.
I haven't even watched the whole video yet, but have to comment on the stroller tip. The first time we took our son to WDW he was 5. Five! He hadn't used a stroller at home in a very, very long time. He didn't even fit in the one we still had. Why on earth would we rent one???? Flash forward a few days into the trip and - Yep! - we were renting him a stroller. Turns out five year olds can't walk all day long in the FL heat. Who knew??? (Apparently everyone but us 😂). If your kid is having a tough time keeping up, just get them a stroller. This isn't a tough kid competition. It's a vacation. Life was so much easier with a stroller.
Yes, we made it AJ! Thank You!
My 4 n 5 year old needed the stroller to make it though all the walking. I recommend not getting the disney hard plastic stroller. There are lots of great companies around orlando that rent great disney approved strollers, for the same price or even better. They even do free delivery and pick-up
Garden grill was actually the hardest restaurant for us to book although we did manage it in the end.
We got our magic bands way before we went to the parks . I ended up getting Cinderella and I lost it. They are horrible they don’t clasp very well. Hope they changed it. We went to guest services never found or turned in.
I have a hard time with them too. My wrist size is right between the keep the thing on and take the thing off. I’m thinking about trying to hang my fancy new Magic Band+ on a lanyard around my neck.
Love your videos! ❤
You have such a great voice and professionalism. You should seriously do tv or narrator work…
Thanks for the great info. Wow you sure know all the ins and outs.
I used to like DW, but these days, it sounds rather complicated and expensive. I think I'll spend my vacay bucks elsewhere.
It may be exspensive but when I was there Mon. the 17 it was so crowded.
@@lianelayman6584 Another good reason to go elsewhere.
I would absolutely recommend ditching other things to go the guardians ride. I’ve been on 107 coasters and it was probably the best ride I’ve ever been on, and definitely my new second favorite of all time
I bought a used double stroller off our local marketplace on Facebook. My 9yr old daughter and her 7yr old cousin used it the majority of the trip. It made hauling everyone’s snacks and drinks easier too. It was a pain to get off and on the bus, but it was worth it in the parks.
I was SO surprised when I first went to Disney and had such trouble getting on/off the bus. I expected a family park to have easy transportation for strollers. I’m surprised people don’t mention it!
Do you happen to remember what brand/ style. I’m looking for something to hold up my big kiddos.
@@angelinaa2385 I 💯 agree!
@@angelinaa2385 I forgot to mention we decided to park in the parking lot one day and the stroller wouldn’t fit on the shuttle. My husband ended up just walking.
AJ: Don't push your kids to do things they're not ready for
My parents: That sign won't stop me because I can't read!
ah I went to Disneyland this February, and jeez it feels like it was yesterday! Im going back this Christmas
4:13 do you think i need a stroller? i'm 13 and i always ache after one day, do you think i should bring one? lol
I will go only if I can do a whole visit with NO cellphone. Possible?
nothing makes me more mad than seeing people treat cast members poorly. they are the sweetest people i’ve ever met and i’ve never had a bad experience with them. if your just nice to them i promise they will thank you forever. me and my aunt and uncle have literally gotten free stuff from just being nice cause they get treated so badly by guests.
Thank you, AJ
Yeah. And, cutting in Line will get in a whole lot of trouble with Disney!
You just posted this 8 mins ago, I feel special getting to watch this in the top 10! Thank you for all you do! We have 20 days left!
Don't waste your time at Oga's Cantina. I made reservations months ahead of time, just to get there to have the three of us stand at about a six inch counter space. This tiny counter space was to be shared with other obnoxious guests who would not scoot over at all. Three tables were completely open, but I was told they were for "special" guests and I could wait another two hours to "maybe" get to sit down after a long day. It was absolutely ridiculous. We just left.
Walk past the first bus pickup spot. You would be surprised how many people are more willing to wait in line for an hour than walk 50 feet to a different bus pickup spot where no one but the bus is waiting.
I’m going to Disney world in like 3 days
Hi. I listening to a video of yours the other day regarding things not to spend money on, e.g. , Bibidi bobidee boo. I didn’t get to finish it. What was the title? i can’t find it. 😀
I’m going to plan a trip where I only do the things this list says not to do.
WORST TRIP EVER 😈
We just returned from a 5 day trip, and let me tell you. We wont be rushing to WDW/DL anytime soon if there is a new ride and the Virtual Que is attached to it. We had 2 of the days where we books Epcot first to try to get in for the 7am Que, finally got lucky on the last day. However, something needs to change with the system. Either open up park hopping earlier, or allow que booking from other parks. Having to sit in Epcot all day with nothing to do to hope to get into 1 ride was a HUGE downer and waste of time. Not to mention after we got in the que, had to wait another 6 hours before we got called. We could have ridden the ride 3-4 times with standard que lines. TBH even more cause I am disabled and we had Genie+. I know this had nothing to do with this channel, just hoping to spare other souls from suffering if they go and expect easy ques.
@Winged Hussar not too much after doing one full day at the start of your 5 day trip.
When I traveled to Disney during COVID it made me sad that they weren’t doing car designs for test track. It was mainly my first time in Disney so I didn’t get the fun part of most things.
Since you tell us to always check for discounts.... Is there any discount on dfb merch? :-)
ATTEND
Yesterday I went to magic kingdom, I wen ton the people mover. At the part where you see tron, I saw it testing!
We always buy "The Unofficial Guide to Disney World" to take with us. We have been doing that for 20 years.
I swear it took me 2 hours to get from HS to my car parked in Epcot parking lot. I wanted to cry. I'll never park hop without my car again and I'll always buy premier parking too
I'm going to Disney world and March the 2023 17 on Thursday