Tips for Brits (& everyone else!) Who Want to Visit Disney World in Florida
David Tewkesbury is a lifelong Disney enthusiast with a special love for Disney theme park vacations. In this episode, he shares insider tips and expert advice to help you plan a magical Disney adventure, from maximizing your time in the parks to creating unforgettable memories!
David is from the UK and will be sharing a lot of tips that are applicable to everyone, but some especially for those traveling from the UK or anywhere in Europe.
Let’s jump right into all the details about planning an epic Disney vacation!
Getting Started
In order to have a smooth and enjoyable Disney experience, you will want to put some thought and planning into your vacation.
Especially if you are traveling a long distance and spending a good chunk of time at the Parks, you’ll want to strategize to use your time wisely.
David recommends using a travel planner if you are coming from out of the U.S. It usually doesn’t cost you as much as you’d expect!
Traveling
Try to book your flight earlier in the day so that you have plenty of time to get to your resort and get settled and go to sleep. You want to be well rested to start your Disney adventures!
If you are coming from Europe, you’re going to be jet lagged at first. Try to wake up and get an early start in the Parks! This way you can head back to your room a little earlier when you are tired.
How long should I visit Orlando if I want to thoroughly visit all of the Disney World Parks?
If you want to see ALL that EVERY Disney World Park has to offer, you will want about 10 days in Orlando. However, this is obviously not doable for everyone, and that’s ok! You can make do with any amount of time that you have.
If you are wanting to cover ALL of Disney World and ALL of Universal Studios, you’ll want about 14 days. This is a hard core amusement park trip!
Things to pack
Sunscreen! Especially if you are not from a super sunny area, the Florida sun can be a lot.
Poncho/Waterproof. Florida is known to get random and quick rain storms.
Comfortable shoes. You will be doing a lot of walking, so make sure to have shoes that you can walk long distances in. Don’t wear brand new shoes, make sure they’re worn in!
How should I lay out each day of my trip?
David recommends going to one or two parks per day. He likes to go back to the hotel for lunch and take a break, then head out to a different park for the evening.
Try to structure your schedule so you can see each park in the day and night time. Each has its own special perks!
Disney World does not require you to make a reservation for each park that you want to visit for each day. (Disneyland does ask you to choose which park you will start your day at.)
You WILL have to make a park reservation if you do not buy tickets with specific dates.
When should I visit?
David recommends May and October as the best months to go, weather-wise!
June-August is very hot and humid. This is also the most popular time people go, so the prices in Florida are very high.
David always tries to book his long Disney vacations over the last week of October through the first week of November because you get all of the Halloween/fall decorations as well as Christmas decor!
Where should I stay?
There is a wide variety of options for places to stay in all price ranges!
David highly recommends staying in an on-site hotel if you’re able to.
Not only is it a great location, but you get to enter the park 30 minutes early!
You get to use the skyline, boats, monorail, and buses for transportation as well.
When looking for non-Disney hotels, be aware that they tend to tack on extra fees when you book.
Many resorts will charge an extra $30-40/day for “resort fees”
You will also have to pay for parking per day.
Disney hotels will not typically have extra charges!
Pop Century is a great option on the lower end of Disney’s price range.
This puts you right on the Skyline, which gets you to the Parks very quickly.
Coronado Springs has a great open layout and is a little bit nicer.
Polynesian Tower is David’s top overall pick! This is only available for Disney Vacation Club members.
This hotel is on the monorail loop, which picks you up for Magic Kingdom.
What should I eat?
Try to get a hotel room with a fridge! This is super convenient if you want to store some breakfast and lunch foods.
David usually eats lunch at a Park restaurant. He suggests ordering kid’s meals if you don’t want huge portions in the middle of the day.
You CAN take food and drink into the Park! Bring lots of snacks and water! You don’t have to buy all of your meals from the Park.
Don’t be afraid to go off-site for dinner! If you’re spending a long vacation at the Parks, it can be nice to go to restaurants other than what the Park offers.
David’s favorite restaurants
Wailulu Bar & Grill - Located at the Polynesian Villas but anyone can go
California Grill - On top of the Contemporary. This is pretty expensive, but a great experience. This is a great place to watch the fireworks while you eat.
Be ready to book your restaurants 60 days in advance! These fill up fast! If there are no bookings available for your date, you can keep checking the app for cancellations.
What is “rope dropping”?
Rope dropping is when you get to the Park before it opens to be there when the “rope drops” and the crowds are allowed entrance to the Park.
You will want to have the early entrance from the hotels to be able to get in when the first wave of crowds does.
Plan to arrive at the Park one hour before the official opening time! This gives you time to scan your tickets and get lined up at the rope.
Make a plan of where you are going to head first! Pick a ride that you really want to go on without a super long line, and head straight there.
Bonus tip for Universal Studios
If you plan to be at Universal for a few days, you’ll probably want to switch to a hotel closer by (rather than staying at Disney).
If you stay at one of Universal’s top hotels (Loews, Portofino Bay, and Hard Rock Cafe), you get 2 days of Express Passes per room! The Express Passes let you skip the lines everywhere in the park!
These rooms are pricey, but will give you $800 worth of Express Passes!
Follow along with David!
Travel Planning (FOR UK RESIDENTS ONLY)