Hard Truths about Disney Planning

You can be the best travel planner on any other trip, but Disney is a whole different beast.

So you're going to Disneyworld. Congratulations! Consider me jealous. If you haven't been in 2 years or 20, there's always some new facet of the parks to take into consideration when you're planning your trip. The truth of the matter is, Walt Disney World can give you the wildest, most truly magical experience when you're there. It can also be the most stressful, overwhelming, and confusing planning process, no matter how organized you are.

I've made a list of some hard truths about the current Disney planning process that'll apply to you no matter how often you go to the parks, and hopefully you go into your trip more relaxed, prepared, and ready to embrace the magic!

1. You cannot do EVERYTHING in one day

Part of what makes Disneyworld so overwhelming is the sheer number of choices available to you at any given moment. Should you ride Peter Pan's Flight, or wait for the Festival of Fantasy parade to start? You want to grab a dole whip, but you've seen everyone on Instagram posting the Cheshire Cat Tail, and you can't grab both before your lunch reservation in 20 minutes. The park closes in an hour, but you have 6 rides you haven't gone on yet!

First off: breathe. It is so easy to spiral into a crisis trying to do, see, and eat everything in a Disney park, so before you go, let me tell you, it is virtually impossible to experience EVERYTHING a park has to offer in a single day. Could you hypothetically do it? At a smaller park like Animal Kingdom, possibly, provided you want to speed walk the nature trails, quickly scan the gift shops, and try to Lightning Lane every line possible. But I personally feel like it defeats the whole purpose of being in the park; experiencing the magic. If you treat experiences in the park like checking off a to-do list, you'll miss all the amazing hidden gems (and hidden Mickey's!) that each park has to offer.

"But Rina, I want to get my money's worth and experience everything I can!"

I hear you, I'm the same way (also more on getting your money's worth later). But the fact of the matter is, it is simply not possible to do it all. So, you have two options. Either plan multiple days at the parks with more content (like Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios), or prioritize. When I plan my trip, I break attractions, experiences, character greetings, and entertainment into three categories: must-do, would be nice, and not fussed. If something is a must-do, like Space Mountain for me, or Haunted Mansion for my husband, that's something where if you couldn't have that experience, it would ruin your trip - or at least be a huge downer for the day. There should, at most, be 3 things per day that fall into this category. The rest of your options should fall under "would be nice" - as in, it would be nice if you could do it, but if you can't, it's not the end of the world - or not fussed. This is for experiences where you have zero interest, or don't see the point in waiting more than 15 minutes for it. For example, I, a Canadian, have absolutely zero interest in seeing the Hall of Presidents. That's a 25 minute show I can cross of the list.

2. It's not for everyone

I am a self-described Disney adult. I grew up with Disney movies and music, went to the first screenings of every Star Wars and MCU movie I was alive for (up until Endgame, anyway), and honestly revel in the ability to celebrate nostalgia every time I enter a Disney park.

With all that in mind, Disneyworld is not for everyone. If you don't have much attachment to the movies, you might wonder why people are willing to line up for an hour to meet a girl dressed up as a mermaid, or how anyone thinks $40 USD Mickey ears (that's $55 CAD, by the way) is worth it. The lines are long, you're in the middle of humid Floridian weather (at least 25 degrees celsius if you don't go during the winter months), surrounded by hordes of other people who are trying to do the exact same things you are. I cannot stress this enough: this is not a relaxing experience, and it's very very easy to get overwhelmed and overstimulated.

If that doesn't sound like how you want to spend your time, energy, or vacation days, that's completely fair! There are so many other amazing trips and locations in the world to visit that will be more your speed. If you're not a Disney fan, but you're going with one, try to set boundaries that you're comfortable with, and if all else fails, head back to the hotel for a relaxing resort day, or agree to split up and find activities that you're actually interested in. If you're a Disney fan that's bringing someone that's, let's say...a little less enthused than you, just remember that everyone has different tastes. Trying to force someone into being energetic and excited at the Frozen Sing-Along when they hate Elsa is like trying to get me to sit through an entire Toronto Blue Jays game. Could I do it? Maybe. It's not going to be pretty though.

3. Nothing is "a good deal"

Parks are expensive. There's no way around it. When you read posts about how the snacks are "cheap" and the portion sizes make a meal "a great value", the missing add-on is "for the park". No one in their right mind would call a bottle of Dasani water for $3.75 USD (that's around $5 CAD) a great deal anywhere outside of a concert or sports game. Are there ways of stretching your dollar in the park? Absolutely. But the truth is, you're paying theme park prices for food and drinks that, aside from theming, are often not nearly as good as food you could get elsewhere.

The only ways around this is to eat off-property if you can (which can become a logistical nightmare when trying to plan around Lightning Lane and showtimes), bring pre-packed food and drinks into the park (yes, you can do this, as long as it doesn't require reheating and has no glass containers), or just accept that you pay a premium to eat inside the parks.

4. You're the same person you are at home

When you go on vacation, it's so easy to feel like you've transformed in some fundamental way. The second I clock out of work and go on vacation, I feel lighter, unburdened, and happy-go-lucky that could, in my most obnoxiously self-indulgent moments, be described as zen. I don't have to field calls or answer emails for two whole weeks? I am a new woman, open to all experiences, ready to roll with the punches, come what may. For all of 2 seconds. In reality, I am an anxious planner with a fear of birds and a tendency to trip over/walk into any obstacle possible. Needless to say, I will not be going anywhere near the aviary in Animal Kingdom.

"Duh, Rina, I know I'm the same person."

Yes, I know, this sounds very stupid. But it's alarmingly easy to get caught up in the feeling that you want to experience all of the "once in a lifetime" events and attractions that each park can offer, that you forget that a) you're only human b) what affects you at home affects you on vacation. If you struggle to walk more than a few kilometers at home without a break, it's not going to get any easier in a hot and humid park, walking around from rope drop to fireworks. If you get irritable in the heat, you're going to get irritable standing in a line for 40 minutes with minimal air flow, wondering if Na'vi River Journey is really worth it. Lactose intolerant? You're still going to be lactose intolerant in the parks, no matter how good the ice cream at L'Artisan des Glaces looks. Remember what would trip you up at home, and plan accordingly. Disney has a bunch of options to plan around dietary restrictions, so check out the website to see what's available. If you're still unsure, talk to a cast member or server at the restaurant and they can work with the chef to make sure your food will be safe for you.

5. You're not special

This is probably harsh. What I mean to say is, whatever you want to do at the park, I can guarantee there's another 500 people at any given moment that are trying to do the same thing. For context, AllEars reported that in 2022, the number of guests visiting a Disney World park per day was roughly:

Magic Kingdom: 46,731 guests

Animal Kingdom: 24,712 guests

EPCOT: 27,397 guests

Hollywood Studios: 29,863 guests

PER DAY. While each park can hold at least twice that amount, that is a staggering number of people roaming around, trying to get that iconic shot of the castle, ordering a Mickey ice cream bar, queueing for Flight of Passage, or just in transit in general. What does this mean? You have to wait. For everything. I mean it, from bathrooms to meals to rides to the good seats at Fantasmic, you wait for everything. Just take a deep breath, remember that everyone is trying to get to the same place as you, and be prepared to kick back and wait your turn. And I cannot stress this enough: wait your turn. The "all the way forward and all the way across" form of queueing we see on some rides does not apply when ordering at counter service restaurants or waiting for a free bathroom stall. Once it's your turn to do anything - to get on a ride, order, take that coveted picture, or meet a character - try to do it with as little disruption as possible.