1. Plan ahead and book your dining reservations before you arrive, especially if you want to dine at a particular restaurant or enjoy a “character breakfast” - some dining experiences book up fast and, although booking ahead commits you to a particular time, it can avoid a long wait for a table during peak times. Alternatively time your eating plans to avoid the worst of the queues - restaurants are at their busiest between 11h30 and 14h30.

2.  Remember to pick up a park map and show/parade timetable at the entrance to the park.  Most of the on-site hotels also stock these in the foyer so you can plan the night before.  Maps and details of special events can also be found on the Disney website.

3.  The parks tend to be quieter in the mornings so get there early and head for the most popular rides first before everyone else arrives. If you are staying on-site or have an unlimited “hopper” pass, you can enjoy a more relaxed visit by enjoying the parks in the morning and then retiring to your hotel (and pool) whilst the crowds are at their busiest mid-afternoon.  You can then return later for the evening shows and fireworks (as well as catching any rides you missed the first time round).

4.  Allow yourself plenty of time - there is a lot of walking between attractions and during busy times it can take quite a while to get from one side of the park to the other.  And remember to build some “queue time” into your schedule! 

It is unlikely that you will manage to do everything in the Magic Kingdom within just one day – two days is a more realistic target whilst, we found, each of the other parks could be covered within a day (In peak season, the long queues can quickly eat into your time and you  may want to allow yourself longer).

5.  Use the “Fast Pass” system where possible as this will allow you to reserve a time slot on the most popular rides and cut your queuing time.  However, be aware that if you obtain a “Fast Pass” for one ride, you will not be able to get another for a different ride until you get to your first allotted time slot – so plan carefully as the “Fast Pass” allotted time slots can be hours ahead for popular rides in peak season.

6.  Make sure you are aware of parade and show times. The parades are popular and are worth seeing but it is also worth bearing in mind that the rides can be quieter (and queues shorter) when a parade is taking place.

If you have a dinner or “Fast Pass” reservation across the park it may be difficult to reach at parade time - roads are blocked off and crowds are plentiful.  Give yourself plenty of time to circumnavigate the parade route. People begin to stake their claim to the best viewing spots up to 45 minutes before the parade starts.

If you do not have a “Fast Pass” and want a seat at any of the popular shows (such as “Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular” at Hollywood Studios), ensure you are there in plenty of time - 45 minutes before the show is scheduled to start is recommended.

7.  If you are visiting the parks with young children, I’d recommend that you hire a stroller at the entrance as the day is bound to include a lot of walking back and forth between attractions and little legs can get tired very quickly.

8.  Make sure you know which of the rides attract the longest queues in each park and head for these first thing in the morning to ride whilst queues are smallest or obtain your Fast Pass before they run out.  Carry on reading for which rides we found most popular.

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