Worst Disney World Rookie Mistakes We See Guests Make Every Day

When you first visit Walt Disney World, you’re bound to make a few rookie mistakes. I can admit, even though I’m a seasoned pro now, when I first started visiting the parks, I too made plenty of my own mistakes. Looking back now, it’s easy to acknowledge that this happened simply because I didn’t know any better.

Luckily for you, you’ve found your way here to Mickey Visit. We want to help you avoid making some of the same mistakes we did when we were first-time visitors. In this article, we’re going to take a look at some of the most common rookie mistakes that guests make and provide you with the tools necessary to help you have a better first-time experience.

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Underestimating Transportation Time

Most guests want to arrive at the parks as early as possible each morning. By rope dropping, or being at the parks early and entering as soon as they open, guests have the opportunity to get a spot in line for rides and attractions before the wait times get too long.

One thing that you may do, as a new guest, is not set aside enough time for your morning commute. It’s easy to underestimate just how much time is needed to get from your hotel to the theme parks. Walt Disney World is very large and spread out. Because of this, it takes a decent amount of time to get from one location to another. If you’re utilizing the Disney bus system, you’ll also need to think about the fact that traffic will affect your transit time. In the mornings, there are many Guests making their way to the theme parks. This can easily lead to traffic backing up and delaying you.

Additionally, you should be prepared for foot traffic. As I mentioned, most guests will be headed to the parks around the same time. As a result, long lines tend to form for transportation, which may add unexpected time to your travel plans.

While none of these things can be controlled, what you can do is set aside plenty of time in your mornings to get to the parks. I recommend giving yourself at least an hour. If you get there early, that’s ok! You can go ahead and get in line to enter the park. It’s better to arrive early than to arrive after large crowds have already formed.

Forgetting About the Lines You'll Be in BEFORE You Enter the Park

Those who plan on rope dropping are generally doing so to avoid long lines at rides and attractions. However, keep in mind that there are multiple lines that you’ll need to stand in before you can even enter the park.

First, you’ll need to go through a security check. Those with bags and strollers will be asked to go to a special location for a thorough check, while others will be asked to walk through a metal detector. There’s also a chance that you may be pulled to the side for an additional wand screening.

After you’ve made it through security, you’ll need to head to the entrance turnstiles. Here, guests are required to scan their park ticket and fingerprint.

There are times throughout the day when both of these areas have little to no lines. However, in the morning, when guests are trying to rope drop and get into the park as early as possible, it can get quite crowded.

In addition to the time that you’ll want to set aside for transportation, you’ll also want to think about the time that may be needed to get into the park. Again, having extra time is better than not having enough time. If you miss the window for rope dropping in the morning, you won’t have a chance to get that time back.

Not Having a Morning Strategy

It’s important that you have a plan when heading to the parks. You don’t want to find that you’ve mastered getting to the parks on time, but then have no idea what to do once you get there.

Everyone’s morning strategy will vary slightly. Your plan should reflect your preferences and priorities. Before making your plan, consider what you want to accomplish and what’s important to you. Once you know what you want to do, you’ll be able to start planning out how you want to tackle the day.

I personally like to knock out as many of the popular rides as I can in the morning. This way, I can avoid the longer lines that are inevitably going to form throughout the day. I accomplish this by combining rope dropping and Lightning Lane Passes.

For example, if I were visiting Magic Kingdom, I’d rope drop Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. That means this would be the first ride I’d head to. Meanwhile, I’d purchase a Lightning Lane Single Pass for TRON Lightcycle / Run. I’d also have my first three Lightning Lane Multi Pass selections of the day booked. My goal would be to have Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, Haunted Mansion, and Pirates of the Caribbean booked. Throughout the rest of my day, I’d continue combining Lightning Lane Multi Passes and short standby lines in order to get the rest of the rides and attractions done.

If you aren’t sure what you want to do with your day, that’s ok! We have a Rope Drop Strategy Guide that can help you with your plan.

Being Unaware of the Walt Disney Resort Hotel Perks

When booking a stay at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel, you may not be aware of all the perks that come along with it. Walt Disney World hotel guests have the option to purchase a dining plan, can make advanced reservations before other guests, have free parking at their hotel and the theme parks, can access complimentary transportation, and have Early Theme Park Entry.

Disney hotel guests must be aware of Early Theme Park Entry, especially if they want to rope drop. With Early Theme Park Entry, hotel guests are able to enter the parks 30 minutes before they open up to the general public. That means that these guests can actually start their day before others begin rope dropping. This gives them even more time to get things accomplished before the crowds start flooding in.

Stopping to Shop, Grab a Coffee, or Take Pictures When You First Enter the Park

When you first enter the theme parks, it’s very easy to get caught up in the excitement and energy that surrounds you. You’ll see stores with fun merchandise, park icons that you’ll want to pose in front of, and Starbucks will be calling your name. Trust me, to this day, these things are still a heavy temptation for me.

Now, if that’s how you want to spend your morning, that’s perfectly fine! It’s your time, and you can spend it however you’d like. But, if you're interested in rope dropping and making the most of your morning, you’re going to want to skip these things – at least for a little while.

If you choose to pop into a shop real quick, get that iconic picture, or hop into the (not-so-short) Starbucks line, other people WILL pass you by and head straight for the attractions. So, if you want to get some things accomplished with lower wait times in the morning, make sure to prioritize that! After you’ve done so, you can always come back to browse the merchandise, get your picture taken, and finally treat yourself to that well-deserved coffee.

Also, as an additional pro tip from me to you, grabbing those pictures first thing in the morning isn’t always ideal. Since everyone is just entering the park, you’re going to have masses of people in the background of your shot. While it’s pretty much impossible to have an empty background, you can get one that’s less crowded later in the day. Additionally, it always seems like the sun is shining right in people’s eyes when they get their picture taken first thing. For this reason, I like to wait a little bit. (However, not too long, because my hair will progressively look worse as the day goes on. – I know you ladies understand!)

Not Utilizing Single Rider Lines

In addition to the standby lines, some rides at Walt Disney World also have a Single Rider Line. As the name suggests, this line is intended for guests who are riding by themselves.

Did you know that you can use this line even if you aren’t alone? You’re more than welcome to join this line with your travel party. Just be aware that you most likely will be split up once you reach the loading area.

You may be wondering why you’d want to do this. Well, oftentimes the Single Rider Line is quite short. If you and the rest of your party don’t mind being split up, you can easily use this as a way to get on the rides more quickly.

I wouldn’t, however, suggest doing this if you’re traveling with younger children. I wouldn’t be comfortable being split up from my little ones, and they most likely wouldn’t like it either. To me, the shorter line wouldn’t be worth it. However, I've done this on occasion when my husband and I have traveled alone, and it’s worked quite well for us!

Dismissing the My Disney Experience App

There’s an app for almost everything these days, and it’s easy to ignore the prompts to download a new one. That being said, when you’re prompted to download the My Disney Experience app – do it!

This app is absolutely wonderful. There are so many things that can be done on it, which can make your vacation go so smoothly. As a first-time visitor, you’re going to want to take advantage of everything this app has to offer.

Before you even arrive, you can check in to your Walt Disney World hotel. By doing so, you can completely skip stopping at the front desk. Once your room is ready, you’ll be provided with information, such as your room number and location. You can then head straight there! The app also works as a key! Simply hold up your smartphone to the key reader, and your door will open right up.

You can also use the app for mobile ordering. This feature can be used for food, drinks, and snacks at most Walt Disney World dining locations. On occasion, you can even place an order for a specialty popcorn bucket or sipper this way. Mobile ordering is a great way to skip the line during meal time, which makes dining experiences much less hectic.

Merchandise can also be purchased on the app. Rather than wait in a checkout line, you can use the Mobile Check Out option on the app to purchase your items. To do so, you’ll simply scan your items and then pay for them right on your phone. A Cast Member will check your receipt on the way out and provide you with bags, if necessary.

The app is also where you’ll head to see all of your Disney PhotoPass pictures, select Lightning Lane Passes, view maps, see wait times, make or customize reservations, and so much more! Make sure to take time to familiarize yourself with the app before your trip. You don’t want to become overwhelmed by opening up for the first time while you're in the parks.

Underpreparing for Florida Weather

You’ll want to make sure that you pack for the Florida weather, as it can be quite unpredictable. The rain is something that I think has caught us all off guard at least a time or two.

The heat, on the other hand, is something that most guests come to expect. Make sure that you pack plenty of sunscreen, cooling devices, hats, and even fans, to keep yourself cool. It’s also a good idea to pack a refillable water bottle, so you can stay hydrated. Water bottle refill stations can be found at all four of the theme parks.

As for the rain, ponchos come in super handy! It’s better to purchase cheap ones in advance and bring them along with you. You don’t want to get stuck buying a Disney-branded poncho, which averages around $12 each. For reference, I always purchase family packs of ponchos online for around $10, with 6 ponchos included.

If you happen to forget any weather supplies, you can find almost anything you need while on property. Just remember, you will be paying Disney prices for it.

Spending Too Much Money on Food

First-time guests often end up spending way too much money on food during their Walt Disney World vacation.

Sometimes this happens because dining plans are purchased when they aren’t particularly necessary. When I first started going to Disney, I was someone who always had to purchase a dining plan. I did this for the simple fact that I wanted our food paid for ahead of time, so that was one less thing I had to worry about while we were on our trip. However, when doing so, a lot of food went to waste. I often found the portions to be larger than I could handle. My kids are very picky, and we often struggle finding something that they would want. It was eventually realized that even though it was convenient to have our food paid for ahead of time, it wasn’t worth the price we were paying.

What you may not know is that you can bring your own food into the parks with you! This is a fantastic way to save money. It’s also helpful for those with dietary restrictions, or like me, those who have picky eaters.

There are only a few restrictions on bringing your own food into the parks. The food is not allowed to be in a glass container, must not require heating, reheating, refrigeration, or temperature control, and it can't have a strong odor. You’re more than welcome to bring a cooler for your food, but it must not be any larger than 24” long x 15” wide x 18” high.

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