Planning a trip to Walt Disney World sounds like fun and games, but if you’re not a WDW touring veteran a trip there can quickly turn from a fun time for all into an exhausting experience filled with cranky traveling companions. Here are a few suggestions to turn your vacation into a more relaxing and magical experience.

1 - Stay as close to the Magic as possible

Before you can ride Peter Pan’s Flight, fly the Millennium Falcon, or sit back and view the animals on the Kilimanjaro Safari, you first have to actually get to the Disney parks. WDW encompasses an enormous area with the four main Theme Parks, some situated miles from one other, and suffering through Orlando commute traffic every morning just to get onto the Disney property is not exactly a magical experience. The Disney hotels may be expensive, but they are also allow you to conveniently travel to and from the parks by monorail, bus, or even by walking. If you can find a Disney hotel in your price range, you can save tons of time and effort getting to the parks every day, leaving more room for rides and relaxation. Disney has several tiers of resorts, each with different pricing, and generally you can find good discounts if you plan ahead and look out for them. Staying at a hotel on the property will not only give you more time to sleep in the morning, but it will also make it convenient for you and your family to take a break from the parks during the day.

Our morning walk to EPCOT park from the Yacht & Beach Club Resorts

2 – Make a plan.

I know, it’s vacation, and you should feel free to wander around like a child when you are at Walt Disney World. That said, having a few things planned out for your trip can make a huge difference in how much you can see and do. If you haven’t been to Walt Disney World before, read up on the rides and attractions that are in each park. I recommend researching online, watching videos on YouTube (if you don’t mind some spoilers!), and/or using a book like the Unofficial Guide to WDW. Next, decide which rides interest you and your family the most and make a plan to visit those attractions first. In addition, you can book a Fast Pass Plus, which will allow you to skip a significant portion of the line for 3 rides each day, so knowing your ride preferences will help you choose your Fast Passes. Overall, there is a ton to see and do in the parks, and prioritizing the experiences that excite you the most is a key strategy to make the most out of your time at Disney.

3 – Wake up early.

While you are going to Disney for a vacation and it can be lovely to sleep in, your day will be significantly easier if you get up and get to the park right before it opens. Why? The parks are less crowded in the early morning, so you can ride more rides in that first hour than you’ll be able to in the entire afternoon that follows. Really, it’s worth it. Alternately, if you really don’t want to wake up to get there for “rope drop” when the park opens, you can plan to sleep in on days when the parks are open really late, get there around lunch-time, and stay until the park closing, sometimes as late as 3:00am, when many rides become walk-ons. I have friends who use this night-owl method, but in my experience the early bird typically gets to see and do more.

Beauty & the Beast themed restaurant, Be Our Guest, at the Magic Kingdom

4 – Book a sit-down lunch.

Yes, it takes longer to eat at a table service restaurant, but you can save a lot of time by booking a restaurant in advance instead of trying to figure out where and when to break for food once you feel hungry. It’s also a great way to take a break in air-conditioned comfort, and in my opinion that definitely beats waiting in line at a quick service option and then walking around with your tray of food desperately hoping a table opens up. Running around the parks is exhausting, and sitting down for a meal is another way to add a nice break into your day, giving you some extra energy to keep going in the park. Also, there are many great dining choices at Walt Disney World, so whether your preference is sushi, Italian-style, or theme dining, you can find the restaurant that is right for you.

5 – Take a break.

Staying in a hotel near the parks means that you won’t waste lots of time going back and forth to your hotel. This makes it easy to take a break in the middle of the day, when the Florida sun is at its hottest, the lines are at their longest, and the park capacity is at its highest. It may sound counterintuitive, but touring in the early morning, leaving for a nice swim/relaxing break mid-day, and then returning to the parks will not only let you see and do more, but it will also make it easier to tour the parks at night when many of the people who have been touring all day go home. Taking a dip in the hotel pool can feel so refreshing after a day of walking and standing in the hot sun. If you can’t get back to your hotel, you can take a nice air-conditioned break in the park by sitting down for a longer show, such as the Hall of Presidents, Carousel of Progress, the Country Bear Jamboree, or the American Adventure.

I believe that many of the best moments in trips come from unexpected things, like encounters with characters, discovering an attraction you didn’t know about, or exploring a festival such as Flower & Garden at EPCOT. However, a little planning can go a long way, and I think it’s best to understand the scope and size of Walt Disney World before your vacation starts.

Do you have tips for visiting WDW that you’d like to share? If so, please post them in a comment below.