Disney In One Day ... Is It Possible ?

Copyright 2005 Chris Neilson As a Florida villa owner, this is one of the most commonly asked questions I receive from guests. In truth, there is no definitive answer. Various factors will affect your ability to seek out all that Disney has to offer within a limited timescale, but with a little common sense and some handy tips, you'll certainly be on track to achieving your goal! So here is a list of ideas to help smooth your day: 1: Ensure everyone has a hearty breakfast. The "all you can eat breakfast buffets" are very popular, or diners such as Dennys offer excellent value for money. 2: Buy your Disney tickets in advance to save valuable time standing in line at the ticket window when you arrive at your chosen park. 3: Choose which Disney Park you are going to visit. Fairly obvious ~ But you would be amazed how many families just head off to Disney, and then decide in the car ! Not conducive to good debate or safe driving ! 4: Arrive early. Check the park times and arrive when the gates open. It will give you a head start on those guests who take a leisurely breakfast and arrive mid morning. 5: Pick up a couple of park maps and timetables at the park entrance. This way if any members of your party decide to split up, you can easily arrange a meeting point to find each other again, as there is no excuse for getting lost. 6: Talking of getting lost. Don't allow members of your group to just wander off. Before anyone separates from your group for whatever reason, decide on a specific meeting point, to link up again. Many valuable minutes can be wasted looking for a "wanderer" ! 7: When you enter the park, go straight to the farthest attraction, and work backwards toward the front entrance during the day. 8: If you travel in a counter clockwise direction around the parks, your journey time will be quicker, as most folks enter a park and turn right ~ it's a right handed thing !) 9: Decide ahead of time which attractions if any you want to miss out, and any that are definite must sees. 10: Co-ordinate your travels in conjunction with the various parades and shows that are continually being performed throughout the day. 11: Take advantage of Disney's Fast Pass service, which allows you to avoid the lines at the more popular attractions, by giving you a designated ride time. Details are available at the entrance to all participating rides. 12: There is usually one big afternoon parade and up to two night time parades. However, if parades are not your thing, these times are an excellent opportunity to visit other attractions, as the majority of guests will be out on the streets waving at Mickey Mouse ! 13: Taking a supply of nutritional snacks and fruit will save you time and money, as opposed to waiting in restaurants. 14: Use the Tip Boards. All Disney parks have Tip Boards, showing the average wait time for each attraction. This information is updated regularly throughout the day. 15: Save any shopping until you are ready to exit the park. Shops will stay open for at least an hour after the park officially closes, and if you buy your souvenirs as you exit, it will save you having to carry them around the park all day ! So is it possible to "do Disney in a day" ? Probably not ! Although the above tips will give you a better chance than "Mr and Mrs Average". Seasoned veterans of theme parks may be able to notch up every ride and attraction on their visit, but they have the advantage of being on familiar territory. The good news however is that there is always something different, new and exciting to see, experience and explore in a Disney park, so even if you don't manage to cross off everything on your theme park list, there is no better excuse for a return visit at a more leisurely pace !