At the time of this writing, para-pandemic, you need to do some prep before you go on your trip - or even buy your theme park tickets.
First, some super basic stuff: The "Disneyland" park at Disney World is "Magic Kingdom". There are three other big theme parks there and they are "Epcot Center", "Animal Kingdom", and "Disney Hollywood Studios".
In addition to the four theme parks, there are two water parks (Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon), Disney Springs (an outdoor mall/shopping center/dining destination) and ESPN Wide World of Sports (an athletic complex where tournaments, championships, etc. are held).
Tickets & Park Reservation
Most Important: Before you buy your Disney World tickets, check that the park has availability on the day/s of your trip or when you're planning to visit. These days, you have to have a ticket and a reservation before you can get in the park.
Check park availability here.
If they're open and can take people in, you can buy your tickets.
When you buy your tickets, they'll ask when you're planning on going so that the dates can be assigned to the tickets. You can only use those tickets in the date range you indicated and those dates will be on the tickets.
Once you've bought your tickets, go to www.mydisneyexperience.com open an account and "link" your tickets using the "confirmation number" on the ticket.
Now, make sure you make reservations for each park so you can get in. You will need both your tickets AND a reservation to get in.
Suggested Order of Visit
When you're making your reservation, I suggest visiting the theme parks in this order: Magic Kingdom. Epcot Center. Disney Hollywood Studios. Animal Kingdom.
This is my reasoning: You want to hit the big one when you're fresh. They open early and close really late.
Which works great if you go to Epcot Center the following day because they open at noon! Okay, it's really 11 AM, but that's really noon already!
If you have time, take an entire day to rest between before you tackle the next two theme parks.
If you don't, no worries, you can keep going and do the next two. You're going to have to suck it in and get up early the next day for Disney Hollywood Studios because you really have no choice. You have got to get there early so you can get into the incredibly long lines at Galaxy's Edge. Also, they close early, so if you want to maximize your time, go there early.
Don't waste the earlier closing time at Disney's Hollywood Studios and get some rest because Animal Kingdom opens really early!
Duration
This is just a suggestion and is in no way a "must do", but if you have the time and the inclination, set aside at least six (6) days just for Walt Disney World. That would leave you one day for each theme park, one day for Disney Springs and one day to enjoy your resort.
Once you've done all of the above, I highly suggest you give in to the adverts on the website and buy Magic Bands because of the following reasons. If and when you buy the bands for each person/visitor you created in your "My Disney Experience" account, the bands will automatically be linked to each guest before it even ships to your home - waaaay in advance of your trip to boot!
Airport Shuttle: Your Magic Bands are your shuttle tickets at the airport.
Room Key: And once you've checked in to your Disney World resort, your room number will show up in your app, you can walk directly to your room straight from your vehicle/shuttle and. you can open your door using your Magic Band. No front desk check-in necessary.
Park Tickets: By the time your Magic Band ships to you, your park tickets are already programmed into it. You could tell I'm not a computer person by my layman's terminology. At the park entrance, you wave your band in front of the sensor and you're in!
Food Purchases: Save your credit card info ahead of time and just wave your band in front of the sensor every time you eat.
Gift Shop Purchases: Same here.
Fast Pass - which is only available to senior citizens and the disabled at this time.
Dining
There is so many options available. You need not leave Disney World to eat.
- In-Park Dining
- In-Resort Dining
- Disney Springs
To save some time and money, you could go to a local supermarket and buy your water, drinks, some fruits and snacks there and keep it in your hotel fridge. If you're not interested in trying out restaurant food and you're staying at a villa and have your own kitchen, you could buy even more staples like bread, milk, cereal and meat to save even more. This will save you hundreds of dollars. Hundreds!
I mentioned that this will save you time because instead of lining up to buy food inside a park, you can be snacking on your own snacks while in line for one of the popular rides.
Did I mention that this will save you hundreds?
If you didn't bring your own water and don't want to shell out $3.50 for a small bottled water, you could always ask for tap water and ice. Concession stands are more than happy to provide those, especially since it is soooo hot and humid in Florida.
Orlando Airport Shuttle Service
It's called Disney's Magical Express and it is complimentary if you're staying at a Disney Resort. Keep in mind that this service will soon end. My theory is that it has something to do with the train line being built directly into Orlando's airport terminal. It looks amazing and as of July 2021, looks like it's almost done. Phone reservations only though; can't be done online.
Lodging
Currently, no "early entrance" is offered to Disney resort guests. Very disappointing.
The hotels or Disney resorts are grouped around each theme park, and will subsequently be referred to by that theme park. Example, the resorts around Magic Kingdom are referred to as Magic Kingdom Resorts and include the Grand Floridian, the Polynesian Village and Wilderness Lodge. Another example, the Epcot Resorts include Yacht and Beach Club Resort and Boardwalk Inn and Villa.
Each resort and "community" has its own pros and cons. Example, the Magic Kingdom resorts have a water taxi that can take them directly from their own resort backyard to Magic Kingdom's front door. Another Magic Kingdom resort pro is that the nighttime fireworks is visible from your resort's public area and they're perfectly synchronized with the music they thoughtfully projected for the guests watching from the resorts. Also, there was an electric parade on the water right after!
Another example, Disney's Beach Club Resort has their own walkway and "exclusive" entrance to Epcot Center that lands you directly right next to France!
If accessibility is important to you, you might want to study the map and the available transportation (see below).
TIP (and this is a biggie): Make sure you schedule at least one day to hang out at your resort because Disney made sure there are fun stuff to do at the resort. Where we stayed, there was a water play area. You know the kind: where water sprouts from the ground, buckets get full and gets dumped over your head, water slides... Also, they had outdoor nighttime movies.
Disney World Transportation
They have...
... water ferries
... gondolas
... buses
... monorail
... Minnie Van (Lyft)
Star Wars - Rise of the Resistance
The only ride in the whole entire Disney World that requires advanced reservation is Rise of the Resistance inside Disney Hollywood Studios' Galaxy's Edge. I'm still bitter about this. You have to wake up before they open up the virtual queue for this ride so that when it doe open, you can "click" to reserve. But it doesn't actually work! By the time it turned 7:00, the queue was full - and it opens at 7:00! You might have better luck, though - try it. And if you miss it, you'll have another chance at 1:00 PM - which is also bogus!! Same exact situation.
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