Winter Disney World Tips for the Most Magical Vacation
These winter Disney World tips will help you prepare and get the most joy out of this marvelous season at the most magical place on Earth.
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Walt Disney World is a top resort destination worldwide and year-round. There are plenty of reasons to visit any time, but every season has its rewards and its drawbacks. Winter can be the most magical time to plan your Walt Disney World vacation, but you have to be careful. If you don’t avoid some common mistakes, your vacation could be more difficult and even disappointing. These winter Disney World tips will help you prepare and get the most joy out of this marvelous season at the most magical place on Earth.
These tips involve the whole winter season. Not just what most people think of as the Holidays. Some of the best winter vacations happen after the new year. Part of that is because kids are back in school. If you don’t have school-age children or the semester hasn’t yet begun then this first tip is for you.
Go After the Holidays
Winter at Walt Disney World is synonymous with the holiday season. So you could be forgiven for automatically conjuring up visions of gigantic Christmas trees, gospel choirs, and multiethnic Santa Clauses. However, there are two whole winter months with milder weather, fewer crowds, and a host of other things to do. If you want to catch the tail end of Christmas in the new year you usually have a couple of weeks, but after that, there’s the Festival of the Arts at EPCOT and Disney’s more familiar year-round magic to enjoy.
Dress For Cold
Lots of people don’t realize how cold it can be in central Florida. It gets downright chilly and even stormy. It’s important to get the most out of your trip to Walt Disney World. That means doing a lot of the evening activities, whether it’s staying late in the parks, or having a signature dinner at a Deluxe Disney resort. If you aren’t dressed for the weather it will be uncomfortable at best. Adding some extra layers will help you enjoy all of your time at Walt Disney World, no matter what you do or when.
Leverage the Park Pass System
Park Pass is a system designed to take the guesswork out of how crowded the parks will be. It’s great for Disney because they can take premeditated actions designed to taper costs while effectively managing their attendance. While it is clear why Disney likes it and how they leverage that information for Genie and Genie+, it’s also great for you!
The Park Pass reservation system gives you insight into how crowded the parks are likely to be. The cheapest days are the lightest. That’s a classic win/win scenario! Booking these reservations in advance also helps cement your vacation plans and allows you to move forward with a detailed park strategy.
Don’t Turn Off Your Heat
You might think that while you’re away it isn’t important to keep your heater running. Some people like to try and save money by shutting off their HVAC system while they are away. Although this seems like a smart plan, it’s actually not a good idea. Keep your water heater going so the pipes don’t freeze and adjust your thermostat so that it isn’t working so hard, but still has to maintain a reasonable temperature. This helps to keep the heating system in good shape and it is a much nicer climate to come home to.
Check for Updates and Closures
Winter can be one of the most enjoyable times to visit Walt Disney World. However, it is technically the Off-Season. While a reduction in crowds is less drastic or noticeable in recent years, this is still the time of year where many closures occur. There may be less entertainment, rides go down for refurbishment, resorts begin new construction and renovation.
It can be surprising if you don’t keep up to date. You don’t want to show up hoping to ride Splash Mountain in January only to find that it’s closed during the week you are there. This is good advice year-round, but especially in winter. Winter also has some closures on both ends of the season as they put up and take down holiday decor and theming.
Another reason to keep up to date on what’s happening in Winter is that this is the time when you can get some of the best deals. Check the special offers link at the bottom of the Walt Disney World website to make sure you take advantage of the best pricing you can get. You may even be able to upgrade to your ideal resort even if it was previously out of your budget range.
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