I recently took a 24-hour trip to Disney World and back from New York City to see if it was worth the hassle to save money.
By not staying overnight, I potentially saved hundreds of dollars on an expensive trip. But while I loved the experience, I’ll be making a few tweaks to my plans the next time I head to Orlando.
I did a lot of research for this trip, including contacting TikTokers who’d completed similar journeys to ask for their advice, but the day didn’t go perfectly. I underestimated just how hot Orlando is in July, how dependent I’d be on my phone, and how unsettling an empty Disney park could be.
These are the biggest mistakes I made on my day trip to Disney World.
I should’ve taken a water bottle or a foldable water flask.
I normally try to travel with my reusable water bottle, but since I was only bringing a crossbody bag, I didn’t have room to shove it in there.
Giovanna Arbisi, a TikToker who’s also completed a 24-hour trip to Disney, told me to take a foldable flask, but I couldn’t get one in time for my trip.
Instead, I had to keep buying water bottles at the park — a necessity in the July Orlando heat.
I bought three bottles of water throughout the day for a total cost of $15. Since Disney isn’t a cheap vacation, I was annoyed at having to pay an extra expense that could’ve been avoided.
I didn’t budget enough time to go from park to park.
I hadn’t been to Disney for 11 years, so I’d forgotten just how far away the parks are from each other. It took about 25 minutes each way to get from Epcot to Magic Kingdom and then from Magic Kingdom to Hollywood Studios.
If you’re not cramming in three parks in one day, that wouldn’t be a big issue, but since I was crunched for time, it was less than ideal.
Plus, if you have a specific Lightning Lane slot — an hourlong window to get on an expedited line for a ride — you could miss your chance if you don’t budget your time correctly.
I ended up having to switch a Lightning Lane slot in Hollywood Studios because we weren’t going to make it in time from Magic Kingdom.
Next time, I’ll invest in the most comfortable sneakers, even if they’re not the cutest.
My Nike Air Force Ones were not the best choice for taking 23,000 steps in one day. By the end of the day, I had blisters, and my arches were killing me. They also felt so heavy.
My mom, who wore her Asics, had none of these problems.
Business Insider recommends Hoka sneakers for walking. I’ll be wearing those the next time I go on this trip.
I should have gotten a physical ticket card or a MagicBand instead of using my phone all day.
There are three ticket options at Disney parks.
Option No. 1 — the one I took — was to use my phone as my ticket through the Disney app. This was easy, but I didn’t anticipate how much I’d be using my phone for other tasks at Disney as well.
I was constantly checking the app to see what the wait times were at rides. I also used my phone to take pictures, check the weather, and check the length of the security line at the Orlando airport.
Luckily, I took a portable charger because if my phone battery had completely drained, I wouldn’t have been able to enter any other parks or use my Lightning Lanes.
Your ticket is also supposed to be your key for a locker when you go on thrill rides. When I went on the TRON ride, I instead had to ask a cast member who provided me with a temporary keycard.
In the future, I would probably choose option No. 2, which is to head to a Will Call ticket booth and obtain a physical key card for free. It’s one less thing to rely on your phone for, and you get a physical keepsake from your trip.
Option No. 3 is to purchase a MagicBand, which is like a smartwatch but for Disney parks.
They’re cool and can be a cute fashion statement, but they’re not free. A basic one starts at $35, but limited-edition bands can be as much as $65. If I was going to the parks frequently, I’d invest in one, but since I’m an infrequent visitor, it seems unnecessary.
I won’t be going to Epcot first thing in the morning the next time I go to Disney World.
With the way my Lightning Lane time slots shook out, I didn’t have to be anywhere in particular until my first slot at 1:55 p.m.
My mom really wanted to go to Epcot, and since we had purchased park-hopper tickets and wanted to visit as many parks as possible, we decided to start our day there at 9:30 a.m. when we got to Disney.
What I didn’t realize, though, was that most of the World Showcase doesn’t open until 11 a.m. So most of the country’s pavilions were closed, and no one was around.
It meant we were able to ride Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, which normally has a long line, with only a 15-minute wait time. But it was kind of eerie to walk “around the world” without seeing cast members or any open shops.
I’d much rather be at Epcot when more attractions are open and there are signs of life.
I took an 8:45 p.m. flight back to New York. Ideally, I’d take a later flight, if possible.
The fireworks shows at Disney World (Happily Ever After at Magic Kingdom, Fantasmic! and Wonderful World of Animation at Hollywood Studios, and Luminous at Epcot) are famous — though they aren’t for everyone.
But since I had to leave the park by 7 p.m., I missed them. If I had taken a later flight, I might’ve been able to see at least a few minutes of the show.
I’d never go back in the middle of the summer.
I was lucky that the sun held out for almost the entire day, but it did start pouring, thundering, and lightning as I was walking out of the park. I wasn’t surprised, though — everyone I spoke to told me to prepare for at least one rainstorm during a summer day in Florida.
But before the rain, it was almost unbearably hot. It felt like 98 degrees at some points during the day, and the Florida sun was strong. We kept having to take breaks in the shade and drink lots of water, and I whipped out my portable fan more times than I could count.
Next time, I’ll visit in the winter, when rain is less likely and the heat is less intense.
I didn’t make this mistake, but my mom did: She wore jeans, which was not a good choice.
Almost immediately after stepping into the Orlando heat, my mom told me she knew that jean shorts were a big mistake. They were heavy, they chafed, and when they got wet, they took forever to dry.
I, on the other hand, wore a nylon romper, so it was lightweight and dried quickly. I’d recommend wearing clothing that’s as light and airy as possible for a day at any theme park, not just Disney.
The post 8 of the biggest mistakes I made while visiting Disney World for one day appeared first on Business Insider.
