Secrets to the Kingdom

Yes that’s right, secrets to making THE Magical Kingdom — DISNEY WORLD — more bearable and even fun. Since Kate and I haven’t been there since I was 7, we have enlisted an expert, Amanda McNamara Lowe. She’s one of our oldest and dearest friends who not only likes Disney World, she loves it.

Disney is the most magical place on earth and if you’re lucky enough to take your kids on a trip there, here are a few tips to help you navigate better!

Top 10 Best ways to navigate Disney with Kids

1. The first thing you need to do is decide what time of year to go.  September is one of the least busy times as well as January and February with the exception of any holiday weekend. Even if you decide to go during the busy season, the following tips will help you navigate more smoothly!

2. Now you need to pick the hotel that is right for you, your family and your budget. If you want extravagant, stay at the Grand Floridian, Polynesian, or the Contemporary; which are all hotels on the monorail. If you want to save some money, all the hotels that are on-site at Disney are wonderful and each have their own fun theme that you and your family are sure to love.

3. I recommend bringing your own stroller because by the time you have rented their stroller, you could have bought a brand new one! Also, when my kids fell asleep in the stroller, I was able to just push them right on the monorail and either go to Epcot and walk around or go right back to my hotel for some relaxation without even disturbing the kids.

4. Make sure to purchase pass hoppers so that you can go to many different parks in one day. Also be sure to buy the dining pass, this is a pre-paid dining service that gives your family meals throughout the day at a cheaper cost. You can buy different dining packages, so you will need to look into which one best fits your family. I prefer to buy the Magic Your Way Package plus dining, it will save you anywhere from 20%-35% off your dining. I also feel that you get more for your money if you use your dining pass at a dinner and not at a breakfast. You will need to get to the park early, so grab cereal and enjoy a nice dinner at night.

5. Depending on your kid’s ages, you need to decide which parks you want to go to on which days.  My tip is to pick the park that opens early for Disney’s “extra magical hours.” Extra magical hours are when the park opens either an hour early or stays open late.

6. In order to beat the crowds, you will want to get to the park of your choice as soon as it opens. 

7. Make a plan for which rides are most important. The ride you want to go on the most, is the ride you need to get a Fast Pass for.

8. Disney also offers “Adult Swaps” which are a brilliant way for all of the adults in your party to go on a ride that your kids aren’t big enough for. Here’s how it works: The first adult goes up to the Fast Pass line and tells them they want an “Adult Swap.” This adult then waits in line while the other waits with the kids. When the first adult gets off the ride, the Disney folk hands them a ticket so that the other adult can go through the Fast Pass line and have virtually no wait for the same ride.

9. When is the best time to go on the crowded rides? During the parades and first thing in the morning. That’s when the lines have the least amount of people in them.

10. Go to the character buffets instead of waiting in any lines to meet the characters. Also, bring a fun costume for your child to wear to the character buffet. But, don’t forget to bring a change of clothes; it is no fun to walk around Disney in dress up clothes!