I want to add on to the "Thank your cast member" tip: be POLITE to them too! As a former CM, it was always appreciated when a guest was polite to us, even when things weren't entirely magical. Also, being polite has a tendency to get you special treats, just for your patience. On a recent trip, my mom lost her magic band on Pirates of the Caribbean, and while she waited in the gift shop I backtracked to let the CM at the unload area know what had happened. They had JUST collected lost and found, and so I waited with the CM until the magic band was located and returned. For our patience, we were given a free fastpass to any ride. We decided to use it on Big Thunder Mountain. Additionally (relating to your tip about celebration buttons), when we got to the end of the fastpass line there, the CM noticed my mom's birthday button and, instead of taking the fastpass, let us keep it to use at one more attraction.
Disney CMs are so wonderful. People always accuse us of lying or whatever when we talk about pixie dust our family has gotten... But we're not lying lol. We're just really, really nice to cast members. We go out of our way to talk to them, to thank them and to maybe add a little pixie dust to THEIR day. And when something bad happens (and it HAS), we always give CMs the benefit of the doubt and start our interactions concerning whatever went wrong with patience and kindness. My mother NEVER got pixie dust when we used to go because she'd go full blown Karen at the drop of the hat. Now when we go, we get pixie dust all the friggin' time and I genuinely think it's because I've been so mortified by my mother's scenes in public as a kid that I go the opposite route and err on the side of being more understanding. Also - tip if you want pixie dust in your room - leave nice notes with your daily room tips. We always buy cheapy blank disney greeting cards and just leave little thank you notes for mousekeeping with a $5 tip room tip inside. While we don't expect it and it doesnt happen every day, I don't think we've ever had a full trip where we haven't come back to towels folded like disney characters or our stuffed animals and souveniers arranged in silly ways on our beds. I genuinely believe that CMs LIKE being able to give extra pixie dust to guests... but they're only going to give it to people who are actually NICE to them.
Fair warning about the wake up call. If you don't pick up, security will come knocking at your door to make sure you are ok. I woke up early and was in the shower, when I heard pounding on the door and my name being shouted. They had opened the door with a master key, but I had the security latch engaged. They were calling my name through the crack that is allowed by the latch. Freaked me out at the time, but it's a nice feeling to know they check on you like that.
There is no logical reason as to why I'm watching these... I'm a broke college kid with no plans to go to Disney any time soon, but I'm still so entertained😂
that use to be me. id watch for hours on end dreaming about going. well this year i actually have the ability to start saving. me and my friends are so excited. don't give up. dreams do come true!!! "You will go to disney!" LOL. :)
Why not consider working there for a summer? They usually look for college students. Don't expect great pay, but you're there! I've had a couple of my students get jobs there. Look on their Disney job site at least by January. Its possible to make good friends as well.
Akira Kurosawa who pissed in you corn flakes? More importantly why waste your time on videos where you don’t like the company. I don’t care if you like them or not but seriously don’t waste your time on stuff you don’t like.
Go left got me a FANTASTIC solo ride picture on Tower of Terror! First thing in the morning I thought what the heck, try it. My best Photopass picture EVER!
I would've been too distracted riding alone, thinking maybe I entered the real Twilight Zone and am about to get ejected into space or dropped to another dimension.
If you go in the summer, pack flip flops in your backpack. When it starts to look like rain pop your running shoes in your backpack, slip on your flip flops and you have dry running shoes and socks when the rain is over!
Compliments really do get to the CMs! I got a handful of guest compliment letters when I worked there. They made my day! I still have them. Sometimes I was rewarded with a pin or something.
I made sure to send an email to customer relations pointing out exemplary services we received from cast members during our stay. I wish I had thought to seek out managers and point it out in the moment, but I did keep note of names of those that really stood out. I even attached several PhotoPass pictures to identify characters I spoke of in my email. I received an email back asking for my address as Disney wanted to send an appreciation gift to my family (specifically to my 3 year old who I spoke of in the email)! My daughter has been anxiously checking the mailbox daily to see what they are sending her! Disney really does an amazing job going above and beyond to make as much magic as possible for their guests! I walked away with not a single complaint...aside from one relating to other guests!
We leave thank you notes with our daily room tip for mousekeeping every day :) I *love love love* complimenting good service, even outside of Disney. When you have a good experience, making sure that people get acknowledged or recognized for being amazing is the best way to say thank you... and it makes it much more likely that that kind of service is going to continue.
Those birthday buttons will score you tons of free desserts usually, especially in MK. Also the buses have special "birthday" "princess" and "pirate " announcements (and I think i few more) that they can play!! They will often play them if they see you with bday buttons or tiaras and such. Ask driver about it if you have littles, they will prolly oblige!
Bob W that’s because there is always something else you want haha. Honestly a better unwritten rule would be: Treat Disney like a casino. Only bring what you are willing to lose. If you leave with something great but if you lose it all then whatever you were willing to lose it anyway.
Great tips, I know for my kiddos I make a little chart that shows what we're doing each day so they know what's going on. It really helps keep them from feeling overwhelmed by all the awesome-ness. 😊
Dole Whip and Castle that's smart! My 5 year just continuously asks when we're doing things, so I may do something similar with a checklist/scavenger hunt kind of thing for her.
@@jessicapalit9415 I make little cards and use the self laminating sheets to laminate them and then put them on a ring. They love flipping through it to see what we're doing. With younger kiddos you can do pictures to help too. 😊
@@jaclynwooton5659 I just did a DIY video on how I make mine if you want to check it out on my channel. I'd love to know what you think! And yes, that's usually who I share my idea with are parents of kiddos (or grandkiddos) with special needs, the precious ones really thrive on knowing what's going to happen next and it's just so perfect for them. I love helping others with little things I've learned along the way. ☺️
Definite second on the celebration buttons!! My mom had the best time with cast members wishing her happy birthday when we went to celebrate her 60th. When I was 5 months pregnant my button said "I'm celebrating becoming a mom" and the cast members were *super* excited for me. One even gave me a "1st visit" button to wear on my burgeoning bump, so my daughter got her first Disney button before she was even born! You don't need to "get" something for the trip to feel magical with the buttons. The cast members really go out of their way to recognize you and just that little bit of recognition makes the trip that much more special.
As a lefty I always scrape the left wall just by habit. I have always been acutely aware of how public spaces are designed to take advantage of right handed people (airports placing stores to the right etc) as they don't affect me. I would also like to suggest to people to find and pack rain shoe covers for the weather. They are plastic socks that automatically turn any shoe into a pair of gumboots. I have an ankle length pair for puddle stomping and a set that go up to under the knee for torrential downpours. WAY easier to fold up and pack than extra pairs of shoes.
Disney has the best resorts! Make sure to spend at least one day just hanging out at your resort. Especially if you’re staying at the Animal Kingdom Lodge and you have small children 😊. Some of our best Disney days have been resort days ♥️
Slinky Dog will be crowded always. Even after rope drop. This summer my family got to the park early and we had early entry, and all the early entry people went to Slinky Dog. I sprinted to the ride to get my family a good spot but EVERYONE was running. Even parents with strollers. Still had to wait 3 hours in the blistering heat. Do not count on rope drop meaning riding twice/short line.
@@johno186 i did a wake up call with my roommates in high school choir we agreed to wake up at the unholy 5am and they didnt wake up till 630 am rollcall breakfast was in 30 minutes and my parents barely woke up try getting 4 people showered dressed and out the doors to the cafe in 30 minutes not fun
Rope dropping Epcot and then heading to Les Halles for breakfast is one of the big highlights of my trips at this point. So good for dining plan people too as a way to use up those snack credits as AJ proposed (or 3 snacks = 1 quick service) - we always end up splitting multiple trays with 6+ items, so good!
My tip for people with prams with a sunshade over, pin or peg the park map to the sunshade, then you dont have to keep getting the map out and looking for stuff, its right there in front of you for the day.
Take advantage of single rider lines! You’ll find them on Rock n’ Roller Coaster, Expedition Everest and Test Track, and if you’re not attached at the hip to your party, they’re a great way to get through lines faster. Also, several rides (Big Thunder comes to mind) often grab single riders out of line to fill rows, so keep your ears open if you’re up for riding alone. Also, if you lose something, never hesitate to contact Guest Relations. We’ve left a backpack on a bench and lost glasses at the bottom of a water ride and had both returned to us pretty quickly.
Here are a couple of tips. For younger, or parents of younger pin traders, do NOT feel like the only people you pin trade with are cast members. Feel free to ask us older traders to see our pins, we usually love showing off and usually do have stuff we are fine with trading. After all, a lot of us older traders started trading back in the early 00s before Disney started having every cast member wear pin lanyards, let alone before starting the hidden Mickey cast pins. Asking other guests use to be very common back then and was expected, so older traders typically aren't going to be upset by offers. Just be courteous and don't get upset if a pin you want from them is very special to them or very valuable. Oh and if the person starts saying stuff like "well this pin is worth XX and your pin is only YY so I am going to need you to add to the deal..." Walk away, those people suck and you won't enjoy the interaction at all. Second top is to look around for gift cards before traveling to Disney. Some stores sell the Disney gift cards for five or so dollars less then normal and you still get the full charge on the card. If you are also a passholder this means you get that discount on the card overall, PLUS the discounts on purchases made with the card. So a theoretical fifty dollar sweater bought with a fifty dollar card you only paid $45 for gets a ten percent discount taking five off that purchase. So in mathematical terms you technically only paid 30 for that purchase.
re: gift cards. Last trip. Bought gift cards at target with target cc card 5% off. Used cards at DisneyLand, some cashiers gave us discount for just showing our Chase Disney CC or Debit card, other gave us a discount for using a gift card. Wish we had bought enough gift cards at target to buy our tickets direct from Disney, so we could have had all the early access features.
My first dozen pins were from WDW in 2000! I have nearly 300 now. Whenever I’m in line, I see the kids ogling my lanyards. With the exception of Shanghai (for now), I have been to every Disney Park in the world, including Aulani so I have pins from every where. My only rule is I only trade international pins for other international Disney pins (can’t exactly get a new Tokyo pin on a dime you know!), but most of my pins, including my 2000 pins are for trade. I’ve traded my 2000 Ariel pin to a very little girl for a more current pin (I didn’t have it, but it was really cute), and was tickled about how excited she was to trade. I’ve also traded with another hard core pin collector. That was fun because we kept going back and forth on pins and what we were able to do without, etc. pin collecting and trading really is a lot of fun.
@@mindyschocolate I have started contemplating buying the occasional 00s pins that are really cheap on eBay for the sole purpose of having them for kids to trade for. The looks on their faces when I tell them 'this pin is older then YOU are' and proceeding to tell them I am willing to trade it is beyond priceless. Completely worth the 3 to 6 bucks I am finding the pins for in my opinion. It absolutely makes their day, making them feel like they just got something they would never find normally in the parks. A trader that I would trade for other traders essentially.
Love this comment, I've been trading since I was little and I really hope now going as an adult again, I'll be able to trade with some guests!! The last time I went that's how I got all my pins!
Hotel hopping is so fun! My mom and I always have such a great time exploring all the different hotels. Definitely recommend this for a day that you aren’t visiting a park!
If you're staying on site, the gift shops in the parks will send your purchases to your resort's gift shop for pick up. This is an option unless you're checking out the following day.
You all need to create some wearables, like a shirt, pin, hat that says, "AJ (with Logo) made me do it" Or gave me this idea or hack...I would like a ladies L or Unisex M, if I just created an awesome idea for you guys! 😉
At Value and Moderate Resorts you can get money back for opting out of Mousekeeping. $10 for each day goes on a gift card. Just call the front desk or let them know when you check in.
We have done the bounce back 4 years in a row, and have taken advantage of Free Dining each time. The beauty is that all it takes is a $200 deposit, and you can cancel (I believe it is as close as 30 days before your next trip). Even if you are not sure whether you will actually make that next trip, it is awesome!
I wish that I knew about cast members compliment 10 years ago when a CM gave my daughter with Special needs an incredible experience with Jessie from TS. I was a wreck after by this kind act and now wish I could go back in time to compliment!
On our last visit, we stayed at Port Orleans and took a Disney Springs bus out of the park at closing instead of waiting for our resort bus. Then we just hopped on the ferry. Of course, we did end up standing all the way from Animal Kingdom (the farthest park from the hotel) but we did get to have a nice night ferry ride!
Booshie Clementine that’s an interesting take. My thought was that you could assume that most visitors live in a country where cars drive on the right side so most are just conditioned to move in that direction. Much like how people move to the right in stairwells.
Thomas, I agree with you. I'm left handed, but go with the flow, to the right, on sidewalks, stairs, store aisles, etc. I saw a meme of a crowd in Japan filling up the left side of a divided stairwell heading up, while the right side was totally empty.
A.J you absolutely rock. Love listening to you professionally and personally. There’s something about your vocal Ora which is so satisfying to listen to.
The go to the restroom before getting in line for a ride tip is actually very useful and makes sense.. This especially helps for Rock N Roller coaster cause once your in the line your commited and can’t leave to go to the restroom.. I speak from experience because this happened to me, I was in line for rock n roller coaster about to get on and I really needed to go to the restroom but couldn’t do anything about it but ride the ride and then go after getting off.. even if you don’t feel you need to go to the restroom before getting in line for a ride just go do it anyway you will be glad you did, I do that every time now and it helps me avoid needing to go when waiting in a line for a ride.
Being from SoCal, I ALWAYS go right. First up- Space Mountain. 2-3 x's in a row. And go during the week when kids are in school. The great thing about Disneyland is you can do the whole park in one day. 🏰 🎠🎢
As it’s more likely to rain in the afternoon, I always try to book FPs for outdoor attractions (7DMT & Big Thunder I’m looking at you) in the morning to avoid disappointment if they close for inclement weather later in the day
When booking breakfast before park opening, also be aware of any new ride openings. We were at Garden Grill when the "new" Soar In opened thinking we could ride quickly in a short line, but the crowds were huge at the entrance when we went to breakfast. During breakfast we heard this tremendous ROAR and it was everyone running to Soar In; they opened the gates early because the crowds were so big. In less then 10 minutes the line wait was nearly 3 hours! Our strategy was worthless in this case. :-(
For a unique dinning experience, book a late dinner setting (near park closing) at "Cinderella's Royal Table". At park closing time, they will dim the lighting park wide, including the restraint and you'll experience the fireworks seated at your table through the stained glass windows ..... We've planned this meal for many of our 20+ visits in the last 30+ years. Always a unique memory taken away from this meal.
Need a rest, beautiful boat ride - take the boat from Disney Springs to Disney Port Orleans Riverside hotel! Great ride for 30 minutes! From there just take a bus to any park or boat back.
A CM made a birthday call for my daughter, when she noticed my daughter’s birthday button. She also got several birthday cards at character dinners, and a birthday cupcake. My husband and I got a special anniversary dessert, too !
I had my first visit, with my mom, in May, and while we didn't get anything free by wearing our 1st Visit buttons, it was enough just to have Cast Members constantly wishing us a good time and asking about our visit. We had so many great convos with Cast Members!
I worked at WDW as an 'Attractions Hostess' at Splash Mountain Summer of 1995. Everyone goes right because in America, children are taught in elementary schools (which I used to teach at) to form lines on the right side of the hallways. This is to prepare them for when they are driving age later in life.
We drive on the left side in England. When we go into shops we tend to turn left. I heard it's because when driving, making a left turn is easier because we don't have to cross the other lane first. (And turning right is easier on American roads.)
But in England, although we drive on the left, you are supposed to walk on the right side of the road. This is so it is easier for drivers to see your face instead of the back of your head and react more quickly in the case of an incident :)
my disney trip is for christmas this year and i’m so excited!! it’ll be my first time but im still scared about the huge crowds and by watching your videos i’ve learned about things i didnt know existed!!! thank you AJ!!
Kali and splash mountain also sometimes close when the rain gets really bad so keep that in mind if you are booking for a trip during a really wet time of year for Florida
Could you do a whole video on using Snacks for Breakfast in all the parks? I'm trying to convince my wife about this and having some solid backup would be great! You're awesome by the way!
I haven't been to Disney World since I was 9, now going for my birthday in November and then again in January. So much to think about and plan! These videos are very helpful, thanks!
I found out I secured an internship for my senior year of college while at disney and grabbed one of the celebration buttons. Every cast member we interacted with made sure to ask me about it and made me feel really good about it even if some people feel thats not a big deal. Cast members really do go the extra mile!
I was out shopping with my brother and he asked me why I always went left when we went to places like the mall. I hadn't realized I was doing it, and blamed it on Disney.
When faced with a decision of randomly picking a direction to turn. Most people will turn right because most people are right handed. The same logic is true for choosing which side of the line to go on. AJ is right in saying going left in AK is more crowded. In this case people are making a specific choice to take the shortest path to get to Pandora. (Not random at all). Anyway. Thanks again for such a great video.
I made all my kids clothes for our last trip (minus a few pairs of jean shorts), and ordered custom fabric for a lot of it. Got French terry panels (light hoodie material) on accident, was about to set them aside, someone told me, "NO make hoodies you'll need them!" And we definitely needed them. Plus Stitch loved my Lilo and Stitch hoodie, Joy and Sadness loved my youngest's Inside Out hoodie, and both Anna and Elsa complimented my oldest on her Frozen hoodie!
We always wear Crocs. Some may say snarky things about them, but they’re super cushiony, and they’re very quick to dry. It’s also nice to take an extra pair of dry socks with you into the park so you don’t have to walk around with soggy feet.
Im going to disney worldjune 1 to 28 been dozens of times before but going in extra prepared this time Love all of your videos and i say this from my heart thank you for all of this info!!
I've noticed that waiting for the second bus is not good due to the next bus could be a while when at a budget resort which is what I do cause I spend my time in the park not in the room; so you'll be standing at the bus stop for same amount of time you'd be standing on the bus & you'd be the resort already, meanwhile the bus just arrived at the stop.
Wearing my birthday celebration button worked out well for me for trick or treating during Mickeys not so scary Halloween party, some cast members gave me extra candy 😂. We did the party on my birthday. Wearing our anniversary button got us some extra magic too.
For our 20th Aniversary trip, we never paid for desert at any table service restaurant. Even the restaurants at Downtown Disney gave us free desserts. At the Jazz Kitchen we walked out with a back full of Beignets, because we ordered some, the hostess brought us an order and the Manager brought us an order. They were still good 2 days later. {yum}.
Board the fairy prior to closing fireworks at Magic Kingdom! Accidentally did this on the last night of my honeymoon and it couldn't have been a nicer end to that last night! Not only does it promise a great view over the water, but you are way ahead of the crowd once the show is over(no strollers to the back of your ankles) and no traffic jams in the parking lot!
Can you do a video about navigating around Disney for the handicapped? My father in law will not be able to stand all the walking and will need either a wheelchair or scooter. I recall seeing wheelchairs allowed on the transportation buses but am not sure about motorized scooters.
Due to disability, my husband uses a scooter at Disney. A one time Disney was very user friendly for the disabled. Unfortunately, people took advantage and Disney changed their policy. Our first trip in 2010, for most rides a cast member would take us directly to the ride and would have the scooter waiting at the exit. Very little walking. Now he has to walk through the entire line which is very painful.
I just watched a British vblogger last night who did a whole series about this. Look for "Wheelsnoheels" she has some good videos about Disney in a wheelchair.
Yes I was definitely grabbing me a ETV car...I was also Thinkin should I get my 12 year old daughter one to? Lol gota get my $ worth ..it’s only us two
@@J3ff415 awwwwwwwww that's so sad. I will keep you in my prayers. I also think your 12-year-old daughter would love something like that. Happy wishes!
AJ, hit me up if you'd like to do this and need some insight. As the dad of a special needs son (and a fully-abled daughter) who loves Disney World, I'm happy to assist! :)
My main question is about Autism spectrum disorder and what they have available to aid individuals on the spectrum in their adventures in the park! But I think a general video would be helpful!!!!
I second this! After chemo treatments, my mother has a multitude of health problems and will be renting an EMC(?) scooter thing and I would like to be prepared for ques, taking them on buses, etc.
I have quite a few years to go before our family takes a trip to WDW, But I thought a really good idea for when it's raining to maybe have water socks in a Ziploc bag. That way you don't have to worry about ruining your shoes. Plus, if the rain breaks and you can put your shoes back on, you have that Ziploc bag to keep the water socks from soaking everything. Just an idea! Unless they don't allow water socks...lol
It would be really good to see a things to know or how to save for international guests. Many of your saving tips are centred around being American or living close enough to visit more than once a year.
We are taking the kids to Disney World for the first time for all of us we leave in 11 days I’m 48 and I’m as nervous and happy as the kids thanks for your videos they are awesome
Love the Bounce Back offers! Back in 2007 (our first trip), we received a 40% off offer when we stayed at CBR! What did we do? We'll be came back in 2008 and every year since! Now we live in Florida, but still love our bounce backs! Great video AJ, especially for first timers! Happy Thursday from Mouse Street!
In regards to the celebration button, I jokingly got one to celebrate the fact my ex boyfriend was getting married back home while I was in Disney. I had some amazing cast interactions because of it, my favourite being an amazing server at the boathouse who not only gave me an amazing pep talk and dose of self confidence but she also gave us some of our food free! Such Disney magic at a time that was really difficult for me!! Xxx
my last trip me and my best friend went right in between our birthdays so we decided to celebrate together there and when wearing our buttons we got some pretty awesome things! we had someone sing to both of us in a store and even got two free amazing deserts in La Hacienda de San Angel! i highly recommend wearing the buttons if you are celebrating!
I used it last month for this, and unfortunately the word is out. Still better than the express, but we had to wait 15-20 minutes both nights we ended at MK.
Memoey Card size is easy just as big as you think is big enough (they are cheaper then ever these days) and Battery tips is easy too when you can remove them just get some extra pairs or a huge ass powerbank (when your device can work with them)
Hi AJ. First of all, I love your videos. Thank you for all the wonderful information you give us. Do you know if the offers that are extended to hotel guests also applies to the Shades of Green hotel? I know it’s on the WDW “campus “ but I think it’s run independently. Thanks
You can get a magic band, though you can’t charge purchases or unlock your door, and there is a bus system. You can also get extra magic hours! I’ve been staying at Shades since I was five, it’s great! Make sure to utilize the path tho the Poly to get to use to monorail.
thanks for all the great tips & tricks. We just went to Disney World and we used Uber & Lyft services - workout great! However we didn't know where to go when waiting for our ride. Each park has a different location for the Uber & Lift cars - my tip: if you are planning to use these services find out where you will need to go to be waiting your your ride when you arrive at the park. It can be a little bit of a walk to get to the pick up spot seeing how the Uber and Lift cars are not allowed at the park entrances or anywhere near where Disney bus transpiration parks.
Same. We never waited more than 10 minutes for any ride, and walked on most of them. The only ones we had to wait for were Buzz Lightyyear, Haunted Mansion, and 7 Dwarves Mine Train. The Holiday Parties are worth the extra money.
We go every year and here is our biggest tip: forget ponchos. Get a set of frogg toggs. They make a light version that packs down really small and they are available on Amazon or Walmart. They are awesome for a lot of things. First when it’s raining too and bottom stay dry. Next it’s nice to wear just the pants sometimes right after the rain clears out the park so you do t have to sit in wet seats. Lastly the jacket can double as a wind breaker. So there it is, my big tip. Great videos!!!
Hi, I have A question about the no loose ice. Is Disney putting freezers into rooms to keep the icepacks cold since we cant bring bags of ice anymore? We have always brought bags of ice with us because my mom has had a stomach surgery and cant eat much so she packs it up for later and munches as we go through the park. I'm afraid that if we cant bring ice packs with us food will go bad or she will eat to much so she doesn't waist food or her money. Thank you for your help and answers to my question.
I am going to Disney World next fall and I have only been there once before. These tips and tricks will come in very handy! Thank you so much for making videos like these.
Take the resort monorail?!? Personal experience we actually did that with a couple of friends one night and btw the park closed at midnight so the resort monorail took a long time to load guest and by 11pm or 30 minutes later the crowd cheered as the doors finally opened. For my suggestion unless people want to see drama or unexpected longer wait times then just use a bus or ferry as it loads people quicker. This is only during winter break seasons or holidays. Summer might be a great start off.
One of the best videos you’ve done AJ, and that’s a high standard to meet. Very useful info here. I aspire to make content that can rival yours. Thank you! :)
We prefer character dinners. We'll leave the park with enough time to return to our resort, take a nap or pool time, clean up and get to the dinner. We are much more relaxed not having to think about getting out to a park. One year the timing was perfect, fireworks over MK began as we were entering the Contemporary. Got to see the whole show before going in for dinner.
The value resort restaurants offer a rather large plate of good biscuits and gravy for a snack credit! This is the ideal thing to get me started for the day with a "free" coffee refill in my resort mug. If you see a side dish that interests you as a meal find out if you can use a snack credit to pay for it.
I really wish I could find a fully comprehensive video of the Sorcerer's of the Magic Kingdom card game. The cards are awesome collectibles and tradeables too. We have just as many cards collected as we have pins but the cards never seem to get as much love. Which is insane to me because it's so fun! People all the time stopped us to ask us what were we interacting with when they saw the cartoons ON the walls! lol
I am definitely planning on playing Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom on our trip at the end of the month. It is my first trip as an adult with kids of my own. We are going to spend 2 days at Magic Kingdom and I hope to do it both days.
Here's what's sad, I literally have no idea what you're talking about. Although to be fair I've never been to Disney World before my trip plans later this year. Will definitely look into this!
I went to Disney with my band and since there was EMH at magic kingdom, we did that. We ended up waking up late for breakfast at All-Star Music before we had to leave for EPCOT, so we ate at the table service at The Land since we had breakfast vouchers and that was the only EPCOT place that accepted them. We decided to ride Soarin' right afterwards and it was almost walk on 😂😂 So magical!
I want to add on to the "Thank your cast member" tip: be POLITE to them too! As a former CM, it was always appreciated when a guest was polite to us, even when things weren't entirely magical. Also, being polite has a tendency to get you special treats, just for your patience.
On a recent trip, my mom lost her magic band on Pirates of the Caribbean, and while she waited in the gift shop I backtracked to let the CM at the unload area know what had happened. They had JUST collected lost and found, and so I waited with the CM until the magic band was located and returned. For our patience, we were given a free fastpass to any ride. We decided to use it on Big Thunder Mountain. Additionally (relating to your tip about celebration buttons), when we got to the end of the fastpass line there, the CM noticed my mom's birthday button and, instead of taking the fastpass, let us keep it to use at one more attraction.
Katherine Logan cool!
Wow you got double the Disney magic! It pays to be patient and polite.
Disney CMs are so wonderful. People always accuse us of lying or whatever when we talk about pixie dust our family has gotten... But we're not lying lol. We're just really, really nice to cast members. We go out of our way to talk to them, to thank them and to maybe add a little pixie dust to THEIR day. And when something bad happens (and it HAS), we always give CMs the benefit of the doubt and start our interactions concerning whatever went wrong with patience and kindness.
My mother NEVER got pixie dust when we used to go because she'd go full blown Karen at the drop of the hat. Now when we go, we get pixie dust all the friggin' time and I genuinely think it's because I've been so mortified by my mother's scenes in public as a kid that I go the opposite route and err on the side of being more understanding.
Also - tip if you want pixie dust in your room - leave nice notes with your daily room tips. We always buy cheapy blank disney greeting cards and just leave little thank you notes for mousekeeping with a $5 tip room tip inside. While we don't expect it and it doesnt happen every day, I don't think we've ever had a full trip where we haven't come back to towels folded like disney characters or our stuffed animals and souveniers arranged in silly ways on our beds.
I genuinely believe that CMs LIKE being able to give extra pixie dust to guests... but they're only going to give it to people who are actually NICE to them.
Fair warning about the wake up call. If you don't pick up, security will come knocking at your door to make sure you are ok.
I woke up early and was in the shower, when I heard pounding on the door and my name being shouted.
They had opened the door with a master key, but I had the security latch engaged. They were calling my name through the crack that is allowed by the latch.
Freaked me out at the time, but it's a nice feeling to know they check on you like that.
Haha
I'm super glad you gave us that warning. It is definitely a good warning!
"Sir! Sir!! It's time to wake up! You're going to miss out on all the magical adventure!! Sir!!!
....Break the door down."
@@Eidlones oh my gosh 😂😂😂😂😂😂
@@Eidlones if they wake me up like that someone is getting a pissed off guest
There is no logical reason as to why I'm watching these... I'm a broke college kid with no plans to go to Disney any time soon, but I'm still so entertained😂
that use to be me. id watch for hours on end dreaming about going. well this year i actually have the ability to start saving. me and my friends are so excited. don't give up. dreams do come true!!! "You will go to disney!" LOL. :)
I love these videos too and I'm probably never going to either. Way too expensive.
Why not consider working there for a summer? They usually look for college students. Don't expect great pay, but you're there! I've had a couple of my students get jobs there. Look on their Disney job site at least by January. Its possible to make good friends as well.
same
Ditto 😂
Does anyone else watch these videos constantly in preparation of their Disney trip? My first Disney adventure is in 38 days 😁
Andrea Lucio we’re going next week and I’ve been binging AJ’s videos for months!🤣
Mine is in 10 days! I’ve been bingeing DFB videos for the past 3 months! Im so addicted to Aj’s voice. Her videos are superb!
I am two weeks away from taking my family for the first time!
Be sure to get your First Disney Trip pin! Have a magical time!
500 days plus for my solo trip, binging since I wish it were sooner!!! and I've been there many times when it was just MK and then EP :)
AJ has the best job in the world.
Akira Kurosawa who pissed in you corn flakes? More importantly why waste your time on videos where you don’t like the company. I don’t care if you like them or not but seriously don’t waste your time on stuff you don’t like.
Akira Kurosawa Maybe the CEOs don’t care but a lot of the cast members certainly do care about the guests
Put everything in your bag in clear plastic ziplock bags and you'll get through bag check quicker especially if you have a lot of stuff😊
Rebekah Allen this is such a helpful tip!!!!
And it helps keep stuff from getting wet on water rides or in the rain!
Great tip!
Always have plastic baggies they are so handy
This works great for water rides
Go left got me a FANTASTIC solo ride picture on Tower of Terror! First thing in the morning I thought what the heck, try it. My best Photopass picture EVER!
How? Tower of Terror is on the right side of the park.
@@SailorMoonFan92 When you choose which elevator to go to when you're beyond the pre-show
I would've been too distracted riding alone, thinking maybe I entered the real Twilight Zone and am about to get ejected into space or dropped to another dimension.
If you go in the summer, pack flip flops in your backpack. When it starts to look like rain pop your running shoes in your backpack, slip on your flip flops and you have dry running shoes and socks when the rain is over!
However flip flops are terrible in rain. They get all slick and slip off your feet,and and have no traction on the ground.
Sandra Ross p good idea, just remember flip flops are slippery when wet and you can’t go barefoot in the parks.
Adias slides are even better than flip flops! The slide around less! But yes, always always keep sandles in your bag for rain showers!
Compliments really do get to the CMs! I got a handful of guest compliment letters when I worked there. They made my day! I still have them. Sometimes I was rewarded with a pin or something.
I made sure to send an email to customer relations pointing out exemplary services we received from cast members during our stay. I wish I had thought to seek out managers and point it out in the moment, but I did keep note of names of those that really stood out. I even attached several PhotoPass pictures to identify characters I spoke of in my email. I received an email back asking for my address as Disney wanted to send an appreciation gift to my family (specifically to my 3 year old who I spoke of in the email)! My daughter has been anxiously checking the mailbox daily to see what they are sending her! Disney really does an amazing job going above and beyond to make as much magic as possible for their guests! I walked away with not a single complaint...aside from one relating to other guests!
We leave thank you notes with our daily room tip for mousekeeping every day :) I *love love love* complimenting good service, even outside of Disney. When you have a good experience, making sure that people get acknowledged or recognized for being amazing is the best way to say thank you... and it makes it much more likely that that kind of service is going to continue.
I’m still amazed that we don’t pay for this content. These tips are so helpful and amazing!
Those birthday buttons will score you tons of free desserts usually, especially in MK. Also the buses have special "birthday" "princess" and "pirate " announcements (and I think i few more) that they can play!! They will often play them if they see you with bday buttons or tiaras and such. Ask driver about it if you have littles, they will prolly oblige!
(Un)Written rule #1...bring twice as much $$$ as you think you need...
YES agree.
Yes true 😂
And you will still come home with empty pockets
Bob W that’s because there is always something else you want haha. Honestly a better unwritten rule would be: Treat Disney like a casino. Only bring what you are willing to lose. If you leave with something great but if you lose it all then whatever you were willing to lose it anyway.
Yeah. :)
Great tips, I know for my kiddos I make a little chart that shows what we're doing each day so they know what's going on. It really helps keep them from feeling overwhelmed by all the awesome-ness. 😊
Dole Whip and Castle that's smart! My 5 year just continuously asks when we're doing things, so I may do something similar with a checklist/scavenger hunt kind of thing for her.
@@jessicapalit9415 I make little cards and use the self laminating sheets to laminate them and then put them on a ring. They love flipping through it to see what we're doing. With younger kiddos you can do pictures to help too. 😊
Absolutely LOVE this!! I'm creating social stories for my 5 year old with Autism and definitely going to do cards on ring!!!
@@jaclynwooton5659 I just did a DIY video on how I make mine if you want to check it out on my channel. I'd love to know what you think! And yes, that's usually who I share my idea with are parents of kiddos (or grandkiddos) with special needs, the precious ones really thrive on knowing what's going to happen next and it's just so perfect for them. I love helping others with little things I've learned along the way. ☺️
Definite second on the celebration buttons!! My mom had the best time with cast members wishing her happy birthday when we went to celebrate her 60th. When I was 5 months pregnant my button said "I'm celebrating becoming a mom" and the cast members were *super* excited for me. One even gave me a "1st visit" button to wear on my burgeoning bump, so my daughter got her first Disney button before she was even born! You don't need to "get" something for the trip to feel magical with the buttons. The cast members really go out of their way to recognize you and just that little bit of recognition makes the trip that much more special.
As a lefty I always scrape the left wall just by habit. I have always been acutely aware of how public spaces are designed to take advantage of right handed people (airports placing stores to the right etc) as they don't affect me.
I would also like to suggest to people to find and pack rain shoe covers for the weather. They are plastic socks that automatically turn any shoe into a pair of gumboots.
I have an ankle length pair for puddle stomping and a set that go up to under the knee for torrential downpours. WAY easier to fold up and pack than extra pairs of shoes.
Yep, they’re amazing!
Disney has the best resorts! Make sure to spend at least one day just hanging out at your resort. Especially if you’re staying at the Animal Kingdom Lodge and you have small children 😊. Some of our best Disney days have been resort days ♥️
NUMBER ONE unwritten rule - always, ALWAYS watch Disney Food Blog! Love these videos - we're definitely getting wake-up calls when we go back.
Slinky Dog will be crowded always. Even after rope drop. This summer my family got to the park early and we had early entry, and all the early entry people went to Slinky Dog. I sprinted to the ride to get my family a good spot but EVERYONE was running. Even parents with strollers. Still had to wait 3 hours in the blistering heat. Do not count on rope drop meaning riding twice/short line.
I still remember getting a wake up call from Stitch. It was a subtle reminder why im not a morning person lol. Too upbeat for 6am.
Oh the Micky wake up of the 80s was super perky.
@@johno186 i did a wake up call with my roommates in high school choir we agreed to wake up at the unholy 5am and they didnt wake up till 630 am rollcall breakfast was in 30 minutes and my parents barely woke up try getting 4 people showered dressed and out the doors to the cafe in 30 minutes not fun
Oh come on! Never too upbeat for 6am! Roll outta bed and pop to your feet with a smile!
Rope dropping Epcot and then heading to Les Halles for breakfast is one of the big highlights of my trips at this point. So good for dining plan people too as a way to use up those snack credits as AJ proposed (or 3 snacks = 1 quick service) - we always end up splitting multiple trays with 6+ items, so good!
My tip for people with prams with a sunshade over, pin or peg the park map to the sunshade, then you dont have to keep getting the map out and looking for stuff, its right there in front of you for the day.
I had my happy birthday button on at Hollywood Studios and i got escorted through the exit on Rock and Roller Coaster and sit in the front row!
Oh wow - now that is some Disney Birthday Magic!
That is awesome!!
Sarah Frazier when I tried that I was kindly escorted off property and told to not come back. Jk I ain’t been to Disney
Yeah im wanna see how nice i get treated trying to go for my anniversary
AJ has the best job in the world.
Take advantage of single rider lines! You’ll find them on Rock n’ Roller Coaster, Expedition Everest and Test Track, and if you’re not attached at the hip to your party, they’re a great way to get through lines faster. Also, several rides (Big Thunder comes to mind) often grab single riders out of line to fill rows, so keep your ears open if you’re up for riding alone.
Also, if you lose something, never hesitate to contact Guest Relations. We’ve left a backpack on a bench and lost glasses at the bottom of a water ride and had both returned to us pretty quickly.
Here are a couple of tips.
For younger, or parents of younger pin traders, do NOT feel like the only people you pin trade with are cast members. Feel free to ask us older traders to see our pins, we usually love showing off and usually do have stuff we are fine with trading. After all, a lot of us older traders started trading back in the early 00s before Disney started having every cast member wear pin lanyards, let alone before starting the hidden Mickey cast pins. Asking other guests use to be very common back then and was expected, so older traders typically aren't going to be upset by offers. Just be courteous and don't get upset if a pin you want from them is very special to them or very valuable.
Oh and if the person starts saying stuff like "well this pin is worth XX and your pin is only YY so I am going to need you to add to the deal..." Walk away, those people suck and you won't enjoy the interaction at all.
Second top is to look around for gift cards before traveling to Disney. Some stores sell the Disney gift cards for five or so dollars less then normal and you still get the full charge on the card. If you are also a passholder this means you get that discount on the card overall, PLUS the discounts on purchases made with the card. So a theoretical fifty dollar sweater bought with a fifty dollar card you only paid $45 for gets a ten percent discount taking five off that purchase. So in mathematical terms you technically only paid 30 for that purchase.
re: gift cards. Last trip. Bought gift cards at target with target cc card 5% off. Used cards at DisneyLand, some cashiers gave us discount for just showing our Chase Disney CC or Debit card, other gave us a discount for using a gift card.
Wish we had bought enough gift cards at target to buy our tickets direct from Disney, so we could have had all the early access features.
My first dozen pins were from WDW in 2000! I have nearly 300 now. Whenever I’m in line, I see the kids ogling my lanyards. With the exception of Shanghai (for now), I have been to every Disney Park in the world, including Aulani so I have pins from every where. My only rule is I only trade international pins for other international Disney pins (can’t exactly get a new Tokyo pin on a dime you know!), but most of my pins, including my 2000 pins are for trade. I’ve traded my 2000 Ariel pin to a very little girl for a more current pin (I didn’t have it, but it was really cute), and was tickled about how excited she was to trade. I’ve also traded with another hard core pin collector. That was fun because we kept going back and forth on pins and what we were able to do without, etc. pin collecting and trading really is a lot of fun.
@@mindyschocolate I have started contemplating buying the occasional 00s pins that are really cheap on eBay for the sole purpose of having them for kids to trade for. The looks on their faces when I tell them 'this pin is older then YOU are' and proceeding to tell them I am willing to trade it is beyond priceless. Completely worth the 3 to 6 bucks I am finding the pins for in my opinion. It absolutely makes their day, making them feel like they just got something they would never find normally in the parks. A trader that I would trade for other traders essentially.
Have you hand many problems with 'fake' pins?
Love this comment, I've been trading since I was little and I really hope now going as an adult again, I'll be able to trade with some guests!! The last time I went that's how I got all my pins!
Hotel hopping is so fun! My mom and I always have such a great time exploring all the different hotels. Definitely recommend this for a day that you aren’t visiting a park!
Yes! Each resort has its own Character "mascot" and pins with that character and the resort name. They are a lot of fun to collect by themselves.
Grace Bernal
Hotel hopping is especially fun at Xmas time as each resort has a different themed giant tree unique to each resort
Awesome tips as always! My husband I enjoy watching all your videos! He is getting more and more excited for Disney (he was a previous Disney hater)
If you're staying on site, the gift shops in the parks will send your purchases to your resort's gift shop for pick up. This is an option unless you're checking out the following day.
You all need to create some wearables, like a shirt, pin, hat that says, "AJ (with Logo) made me do it"
Or gave me this idea or hack...I would like a ladies L or Unisex M, if I just created an awesome idea for you guys! 😉
How about "AJ sent me"
These are great ideas and I’m in!!! How neat would it be to see other DFB fans all over the park! We ❤️ you AJ!
YES I love this idea.
"I'm Celebrating" button: AJ!!!!!!!
I want this
AJ, just knowing about the Bounce back (after 46 years of visiting the park) was worth every second!!!!
At Value and Moderate Resorts you can get money back for opting out of Mousekeeping. $10 for each day goes on a gift card. Just call the front desk or let them know when you check in.
Sarah Sarillana really? Does this work in deluxe hotels as well?
@@canyouwhenyourdrunk I don't think so, but you can double check me
Did this on trip in October. Saved enough to pay for shopping spree at Disney outlet. Worth checking this out when you register at resort.
We have done the bounce back 4 years in a row, and have taken advantage of Free Dining each time. The beauty is that all it takes is a $200 deposit, and you can cancel (I believe it is as close as 30 days before your next trip). Even if you are not sure whether you will actually make that next trip, it is awesome!
I wish that I knew about cast members compliment 10 years ago when a CM gave my daughter with Special needs an incredible experience with Jessie from TS. I was a wreck after by this kind act and now wish I could go back in time to compliment!
On our last visit, we stayed at Port Orleans and took a Disney Springs bus out of the park at closing instead of waiting for our resort bus. Then we just hopped on the ferry. Of course, we did end up standing all the way from Animal Kingdom (the farthest park from the hotel) but we did get to have a nice night ferry ride!
Going left applies for almost ALL amusement parks because most people are right handed, so they naturally go to the hand that leads.
Booshie Clementine that’s an interesting take. My thought was that you could assume that most visitors live in a country where cars drive on the right side so most are just conditioned to move in that direction. Much like how people move to the right in stairwells.
Thomas, I agree with you. I'm left handed, but go with the flow, to the right, on sidewalks, stairs, store aisles, etc. I saw a meme of a crowd in Japan filling up the left side of a divided stairwell heading up, while the right side was totally empty.
A.J you absolutely rock.
Love listening to you professionally and personally.
There’s something about your vocal Ora which is so satisfying to listen to.
The go to the restroom before getting in line for a ride tip is actually very useful and makes sense.. This especially helps for Rock N Roller coaster cause once your in the line your commited and can’t leave to go to the restroom.. I speak from experience because this happened to me, I was in line for rock n roller coaster about to get on and I really needed to go to the restroom but couldn’t do anything about it but ride the ride and then go after getting off.. even if you don’t feel you need to go to the restroom before getting in line for a ride just go do it anyway you will be glad you did, I do that every time now and it helps me avoid needing to go when waiting in a line for a ride.
Being from SoCal, I ALWAYS go right. First up- Space Mountain. 2-3 x's in a row. And go during the week when kids are in school. The great thing about Disneyland is you can do the whole park in one day. 🏰 🎠🎢
As it’s more likely to rain in the afternoon, I always try to book FPs for outdoor attractions (7DMT & Big Thunder I’m looking at you) in the morning to avoid disappointment if they close for inclement weather later in the day
We make sure to go back to the resort for naps in the afternoon! Saves everyone from exhaustion, rain, and the hottest / busiest time of the day!
When booking breakfast before park opening, also be aware of any new ride openings. We were at Garden Grill when the "new" Soar In opened thinking we could ride quickly in a short line, but the crowds were huge at the entrance when we went to breakfast. During breakfast we heard this tremendous ROAR and it was everyone running to Soar In; they opened the gates early because the crowds were so big. In less then 10 minutes the line wait was nearly 3 hours! Our strategy was worthless in this case. :-(
I think a video on pin trading/ how to /and the do’s and don’ts of it would be really cool and help people who are just starting out!
Akari Hernandez agreed! Check the back of the pins to make sure there’s a Disney stamp engraved on it. Been a pin collector for 20 years now.
TimTracker has some really good pin trading videos
@Akari Hernandez Every single item in Disney World is made in China. I’m here now.
For a unique dinning experience, book a late dinner setting (near park closing) at "Cinderella's Royal Table". At park closing time, they will dim the lighting park wide, including the restraint and you'll experience the fireworks seated at your table through the stained glass windows ..... We've planned this meal for many of our 20+ visits in the last 30+ years. Always a unique memory taken away from this meal.
Need a rest, beautiful boat ride - take the boat from Disney Springs to Disney Port Orleans Riverside hotel! Great ride for 30 minutes! From there just take a bus to any park or boat back.
A CM made a birthday call for my daughter, when she noticed my
daughter’s birthday button. She also got several birthday cards at character dinners, and a birthday cupcake. My husband and I got a special anniversary dessert, too !
I had my first visit, with my mom, in May, and while we didn't get anything free by wearing our 1st Visit buttons, it was enough just to have Cast Members constantly wishing us a good time and asking about our visit. We had so many great convos with Cast Members!
I worked at WDW as an 'Attractions Hostess' at Splash Mountain Summer of 1995. Everyone goes right because in America, children are taught in elementary schools (which I used to teach at) to form lines on the right side of the hallways. This is to prepare them for when they are driving age later in life.
We drive on the left side in England. When we go into shops we tend to turn left. I heard it's because when driving, making a left turn is easier because we don't have to cross the other lane first. (And turning right is easier on American roads.)
Might it have something to do with the vast majority of people being right handed? Uneducated guess but common sense.
But in England, although we drive on the left, you are supposed to walk on the right side of the road. This is so it is easier for drivers to see your face instead of the back of your head and react more quickly in the case of an incident :)
I ALWAYS listen to the advice of The Wise Woman, AJ!
WONDERFUL video!
my disney trip is for christmas this year and i’m so excited!! it’ll be my first time but im still scared about the huge crowds and by watching your videos i’ve learned about things i didnt know existed!!! thank you AJ!!
I’m going this year during Christmas for the second time and it’s sooo pretty and amazing!! You’ll have a blast.
Kali and splash mountain also sometimes close when the rain gets really bad so keep that in mind if you are booking for a trip during a really wet time of year for Florida
Could you do a whole video on using Snacks for Breakfast in all the parks? I'm trying to convince my wife about this and having some solid backup would be great! You're awesome by the way!
I haven't been to Disney World since I was 9, now going for my birthday in November and then again in January. So much to think about and plan! These videos are very helpful, thanks!
I know a lot of these tips, yet I watch- in part- because it validates my skill, to me.
My biggest tip is to wear the right shorts! Many times i have worn the wrong shorts and by the end of the day my inner thighs were in so much pain!
i had a special button that said its my un-birthday and i got a fast pass from the cast members working the teacups!
😎☕
UN-birthday? What does that mean??
un- So it’s reverse, *uh oh.*
I found out I secured an internship for my senior year of college while at disney and grabbed one of the celebration buttons. Every cast member we interacted with made sure to ask me about it and made me feel really good about it even if some people feel thats not a big deal. Cast members really do go the extra mile!
I was out shopping with my brother and he asked me why I always went left when we went to places like the mall. I hadn't realized I was doing it, and blamed it on Disney.
I have been to disney more than 30 times in my life at least twice year and i still find something new on these videos
When faced with a decision of randomly picking a direction to turn. Most people will turn right because most people are right handed. The same logic is true for choosing which side of the line to go on.
AJ is right in saying going left in AK is more crowded. In this case people are making a specific choice to take the shortest path to get to Pandora. (Not random at all).
Anyway. Thanks again for such a great video.
I made all my kids clothes for our last trip (minus a few pairs of jean shorts), and ordered custom fabric for a lot of it. Got French terry panels (light hoodie material) on accident, was about to set them aside, someone told me, "NO make hoodies you'll need them!" And we definitely needed them. Plus Stitch loved my Lilo and Stitch hoodie, Joy and Sadness loved my youngest's Inside Out hoodie, and both Anna and Elsa complimented my oldest on her Frozen hoodie!
I work at front desk on property and if I find out youre celebrating, like it or not, you're getting your button!! 😄
We always wear Crocs. Some may say snarky things about them, but they’re super cushiony, and they’re very quick to dry. It’s also nice to take an extra pair of dry socks with you into the park so you don’t have to walk around with soggy feet.
Im going to disney worldjune 1 to 28 been dozens of times before but going in extra prepared this time
Love all of your videos and i say this from my heart thank you for all of this info!!
I've noticed that waiting for the second bus is not good due to the next bus could be a while when at a budget resort which is what I do cause I spend my time in the park not in the room; so you'll be standing at the bus stop for same amount of time you'd be standing on the bus & you'd be the resort already, meanwhile the bus just arrived at the stop.
Wearing my birthday celebration button worked out well for me for trick or treating during Mickeys not so scary Halloween party, some cast members gave me extra candy 😂. We did the party on my birthday.
Wearing our anniversary button got us some extra magic too.
For our 20th Aniversary trip, we never paid for desert at any table service restaurant. Even the restaurants at Downtown Disney gave us free desserts. At the Jazz Kitchen we walked out with a back full of Beignets, because we ordered some, the hostess brought us an order and the Manager brought us an order. They were still good 2 days later. {yum}.
Jamie A I got married on my birthday,the double button didn’t work at Victoria and alberts
Board the fairy prior to closing fireworks at Magic Kingdom! Accidentally did this on the last night of my honeymoon and it couldn't have been a nicer end to that last night! Not only does it promise a great view over the water, but you are way ahead of the crowd once the show is over(no strollers to the back of your ankles) and no traffic jams in the parking lot!
AJ you rock!
You have the best videos!
And I will continue to watch them and take your valuable advice.
11:56 "If your kids are intersted in trading pins..."
Me looking at my binder full of pins to trade at age 24 lolol XD
I’m watching this video ! So I can plan my trip for 2025 🤞🏻
Can you do a video about navigating around Disney for the handicapped? My father in law will not be able to stand all the walking and will need either a wheelchair or scooter. I recall seeing wheelchairs allowed on the transportation buses but am not sure about motorized scooters.
Folap ECVs are allowed on their buses. See them all the time.
Due to disability, my husband uses a scooter at Disney. A one time Disney was very user friendly for the disabled. Unfortunately, people took advantage and Disney changed their policy. Our first trip in 2010, for most rides a cast member would take us directly to the ride and would have the scooter waiting at the exit. Very little walking. Now he has to walk through the entire line which is very painful.
I just watched a British vblogger last night who did a whole series about this. Look for "Wheelsnoheels" she has some good videos about Disney in a wheelchair.
You left out drive an electric car. They have the best parking spots for recharging, closer than all the handicap parking.
Yes I was definitely grabbing me a ETV car...I was also Thinkin should I get my 12 year old daughter one to? Lol gota get my $ worth ..it’s only us two
@@J3ff415 awwwwwwwww that's so sad. I will keep you in my prayers. I also think your 12-year-old daughter would love something like that. Happy wishes!
Can you please make a video featuring details for those with special needs visiting the park?
AJ, hit me up if you'd like to do this and need some insight. As the dad of a special needs son (and a fully-abled daughter) who loves Disney World, I'm happy to assist! :)
I 2nd this. A much needed topic to he addressed.
My main question is about Autism spectrum disorder and what they have available to aid individuals on the spectrum in their adventures in the park! But I think a general video would be helpful!!!!
I second this! After chemo treatments, my mother has a multitude of health problems and will be renting an EMC(?) scooter thing and I would like to be prepared for ques, taking them on buses, etc.
PammiePlusParks does her best to go into all the accessibility things in Disney (and now Universal)!
I have quite a few years to go before our family takes a trip to WDW, But I thought a really good idea for when it's raining to maybe have water socks in a Ziploc bag. That way you don't have to worry about ruining your shoes. Plus, if the rain breaks and you can put your shoes back on, you have that Ziploc bag to keep the water socks from soaking everything. Just an idea! Unless they don't allow water socks...lol
It would be really good to see a things to know or how to save for international guests. Many of your saving tips are centred around being American or living close enough to visit more than once a year.
We are taking the kids to Disney World for the first time for all of us we leave in 11 days I’m 48 and I’m as nervous and happy as the kids thanks for your videos they are awesome
Love the Bounce Back offers! Back in 2007 (our first trip), we received a 40% off offer when we stayed at CBR! What did we do? We'll be came back in 2008 and every year since! Now we live in Florida, but still love our bounce backs! Great video AJ, especially for first timers! Happy Thursday from Mouse Street!
Having a seat on the bus is way more important to me than getting on the first one. Glad you mentioned it!
In regards to the celebration button, I jokingly got one to celebrate the fact my ex boyfriend was getting married back home while I was in Disney. I had some amazing cast interactions because of it, my favourite being an amazing server at the boathouse who not only gave me an amazing pep talk and dose of self confidence but she also gave us some of our food free! Such Disney magic at a time that was really difficult for me!! Xxx
my last trip me and my best friend went right in between our birthdays so we decided to celebrate together there and when wearing our buttons we got some pretty awesome things! we had someone sing to both of us in a store and even got two free amazing deserts in La Hacienda de San Angel! i highly recommend wearing the buttons if you are celebrating!
Shhhh don't tell people about the resort monorail trick lol
I used it last month for this, and unfortunately the word is out. Still better than the express, but we had to wait 15-20 minutes both nights we ended at MK.
oops- too late :)
I was about to comment the same thing!!!!!!!!! hahaha
I honestly don't know what she means by the ferry taking forever. We always walk right on the ferry.
Though the same thing. Tim tracker mentioned the buses from parking ro the kingdom and now their always packed
Hi AJ! I would love to see a video on "camera essentials and tips for disney world", such as memory card size recommendations, battery tips
Memoey Card size is easy just as big as you think is big enough (they are cheaper then ever these days) and Battery tips is easy too when you can remove them just get some extra pairs or a huge ass powerbank (when your device can work with them)
Hi AJ. First of all, I love your videos. Thank you for all the wonderful information you give us. Do you know if the offers that are extended to hotel guests also applies to the Shades of Green hotel? I know it’s on the WDW “campus “ but I think it’s run independently. Thanks
You can get a magic band, though you can’t charge purchases or unlock your door, and there is a bus system. You can also get extra magic hours!
I’ve been staying at Shades since I was five, it’s great! Make sure to utilize the path tho the Poly to get to use to monorail.
should i take this chair?? Thank you!
Who needs relaxing music, this is my go to for relaxing before bed lol
thanks for all the great tips & tricks. We just went to Disney World and we used Uber & Lyft services - workout great! However we didn't know where to go when waiting for our ride. Each park has a different location for the Uber & Lift cars - my tip: if you are planning to use these services find out where you will need to go to be waiting your your ride when you arrive at the park. It can be a little bit of a walk to get to the pick up spot seeing how the Uber and Lift cars are not allowed at the park entrances or anywhere near where Disney bus transpiration parks.
The "left" rule is SUPER true. Especially with bag checks and ticket/magicband scans.
People go right because we instinctively turn towards the direction of our dominant hands, and most people are right handed.
True story
We Rode Mine Train with a 10min wait during Halloween Party in 2017
Same. We never waited more than 10 minutes for any ride, and walked on most of them. The only ones we had to wait for were Buzz Lightyyear, Haunted Mansion, and 7 Dwarves Mine Train. The Holiday Parties are worth the extra money.
I honestly don’t understand the crazy long wait times for mine train
We go every year and here is our biggest tip: forget ponchos. Get a set of frogg toggs. They make a light version that packs down really small and they are available on Amazon or Walmart. They are awesome for a lot of things. First when it’s raining too and bottom stay dry. Next it’s nice to wear just the pants sometimes right after the rain clears out the park so you do t have to sit in wet seats. Lastly the jacket can double as a wind breaker. So there it is, my big tip. Great videos!!!
Hi, I have A question about the no loose ice. Is Disney putting freezers into rooms to keep the icepacks cold since we cant bring bags of ice anymore? We have always brought bags of ice with us because my mom has had a stomach surgery and cant eat much so she packs it up for later and munches as we go through the park. I'm afraid that if we cant bring ice packs with us food will go bad or she will eat to much so she doesn't waist food or her money. Thank you for your help and answers to my question.
I am going to Disney World next fall and I have only been there once before. These tips and tricks will come in very handy! Thank you so much for making videos like these.
I currently have a fever and I’m binging your vids! You guys are great!
Hope you feel better soon!
Feel better!
This was me when I had hand foot and mouth lmao
We are going July 25th for a family vacation can’t wait as my son and wife have never been. We watch these videos everyday for the past month
Very cool video idea! Keep up the great work DFB!!! 😀
Take the resort monorail?!? Personal experience we actually did that with a couple of friends one night and btw the park closed at midnight so the resort monorail took a long time to load guest and by 11pm or 30 minutes later the crowd cheered as the doors finally opened. For my suggestion unless people want to see drama or unexpected longer wait times then just use a bus or ferry as it loads people quicker. This is only during winter break seasons or holidays. Summer might be a great start off.
Update: flight of passage now has bathrooms when you get into the rooms with the black lights before the lab.
When you ride Figment twice, you know you're coming in clutch! 👌🏼
One of the best videos you’ve done AJ, and that’s a high standard to meet. Very useful info here. I aspire to make content that can rival yours. Thank you! :)
AJ's Disney videos are the best really enjoy her expertise we go in 2020.
We prefer character dinners. We'll leave the park with enough time to return to our resort, take a nap or pool time, clean up and get to the dinner. We are much more relaxed not having to think about getting out to a park. One year the timing was perfect, fireworks over MK began as we were entering the Contemporary. Got to see the whole show before going in for dinner.
When you' re someplace else and the fireworks go off, do you only see the fireworks, or can you hear the music, too? I've always wondered.
The value resort restaurants offer a rather large plate of good biscuits and gravy for a snack credit! This is the ideal thing to get me started for the day with a "free" coffee refill in my resort mug. If you see a side dish that interests you as a meal find out if you can use a snack credit to pay for it.
I really wish I could find a fully comprehensive video of the Sorcerer's of the Magic Kingdom card game. The cards are awesome collectibles and tradeables too. We have just as many cards collected as we have pins but the cards never seem to get as much love. Which is insane to me because it's so fun! People all the time stopped us to ask us what were we interacting with when they saw the cartoons ON the walls! lol
I am definitely planning on playing Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom on our trip at the end of the month. It is my first trip as an adult with kids of my own. We are going to spend 2 days at Magic Kingdom and I hope to do it both days.
Here's what's sad, I literally have no idea what you're talking about. Although to be fair I've never been to Disney World before my trip plans later this year. Will definitely look into this!
I went to Disney with my band and since there was EMH at magic kingdom, we did that. We ended up waking up late for breakfast at All-Star Music before we had to leave for EPCOT, so we ate at the table service at The Land since we had breakfast vouchers and that was the only EPCOT place that accepted them. We decided to ride Soarin' right afterwards and it was almost walk on 😂😂 So magical!