Seven tips for first-time visitors to Disney World – from the secret badge trick to money-saving souvenir hack

HOME to four theme parks and two water parks, a bucket list trip to Disney World in Florida is an enormous undertaking for any first-time visitors.

Sun Online Travel have rounded up the seven best tips for holidaymakers heading to the entertainment resort for the very first time.

3

1. How to get cheap tickets

British holidaymakers get some of the best deals on tickets to Disney parks with retailers like Attraction Tickets Direct and Floridatx often having offers on adult tickets.

Holidaymakers can save more cash by heading to Disney World in months like January, early May, and September.

2. Grab yourself a badge

One of the simplest ways to make the most out of your trip is by nabbing a visitor badge.

There are lots of different ones up for grabs, including a first visit badge, birthday badges and anniversary badges.

By wearing one, you can get lots of freebies in the parks, just make sure to pick up yours from the guest relations area in any of the parks.

3. Cut the queues

The Disney Genie+ app was replaced earlier this year by the new Lightning Lane passes.

Previously just for hotel guests, the Lightning Lane Premier Pass was expanded for to all park-goers earlier this year.

This means park-goers can use any of the Lightning Lanes (the faster queues) without having to reserve a spot.

Although passes can cost up to £405 per person.

We’ve explained more about the passes, here.

4. Visit Animal Kingdom in the morning

Last year, TUI’s Disney Expert of the Year revealed that it is better to visit Animal Kingdom in the morning.

And park-goers who grab an early dining reservation for breakfast can even head into an empty park before it opens for other guests.

5. Don’t forget to dine out

With so much going on in the parks, first-time visitors will often put food on the back burner – grabbing something to eat wherever they can.

But if you don’t plan, you may end up overpaying for your grub and miss out on some of Disney’s well-known dining spots.

3

Make sure to read online reviews before your trip, and book a table at the restaurant that most appeals to you,

Some of the most popular and iconic dining experiences can book up 60-days in advance, so you’ll need to plan to make Advanced Dining Reservations for those can’t-miss meals.

6. Take empty water bottles

All quick-service restaurants provide free iced water, which guests can use to avoid the $5 water bottle price tags. 

So that empty water bottle could save you a lot, especially when visiting as a family.

7. Getting the cheapest souvenirs

It’s tempting to pick up souvenirs in the parks – but most are quite expensive.

There’s actually an official Disney shop that’s just down the road from the Orlando parks where souvenirs are as much as 90 per cent cheaper than in the parks.

According to insiders, the stock is constantly refreshed and you can even sometimes find items that are still being sold in the parks available in the shop, but with a big discount.

And an ex-Disney worker has revealed other secrets of the parks.

Otherwise we’ve rounded up the 22 things that are free at Disney World.

3