Can strategic planning help you live your best Mouse life without breaking the bank?
Going to Disney (DIS) – Get The Walt Disney Company Report is an experience everyone should have — it’s practically the center square on the Americana bingo card. But a trip to Disney isn’t as affordable as it was when we were kids — adjusted for inflation, tickets and hotels cost more than twice what they did when the park opened in the ’70s. So you’ve gotta go to Disney, but you need to make every penny count. It turns out you might get to do more if you follow a few key tips.
Disney
When You Go Matters
Disney doesn’t have an off season. You’re highly unlikely to find a time where the park is all but deserted save for you and your family or friends. Still, there are some times of year that are wildly busier than others. According to a recent study published by FinanceBuzz, we now know when Disney is most likely to see its lowest park attendance levels.
If you want to spend the less time waiting for rides and more time riding them, Buzz recommends you schedule your Disney outing during the park’s slowest weeks. Try booking for the last week of August, first week of September, and the first week of October. In general, visiting Disney in September means that you’re likely to spend 10% less time waiting in line. Meanwhile, guests visiting in February or March can expect an average wait time up to 20 minutes longer than normal.
Disney
Lines Eat Up the Most Time
While you’re at Disney, you want to spend as much time actually riding rides as you can and fit in as many things as you can. And according to Finance Buzz, you should manage your expectations. Visitors to the park, no matter what time of year, can expect to spend about 82% of their time in line. Yikes!
If you want to lower that percentage a bit, be aware of the ride lines that take up the most time. For example, the average wait time for Magic Kingdom’s Seven Dwarves Mine Train is about 80 minutes. EPCOT’s ride Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure will see you waiting about 84 minutes, while Animal Kingdom’s Avatar Flight of Passage will soak up 91 minutes of park time. But by far the most time consuming wait you’ll face is Hollywood Studios’ ride Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. Joining the Rebel forces could cost you an astounding 127 minutes.
In general, Magic Kingdom is the sweet spot for average wait times among Disney parks. You’re likely to enjoy shorter line times there than any other spot in the parks. At an average of 1.7 rides per hour, park-goers playing in Magic Kingdom can fit as many as 20 rides into a 12-hour day.
Disney
Other Details Make a Difference
Timing is only a part of the various ways you can make the most of your trip to Disney. The park has so many ways to optimize your Disney experience, including access to the company’s phone app. The My Disney Experience app allows you to plan your day effectively, giving you access to booking experiences ahead of time and providing valuable ride information to help you gauge when it’s best to get in line for a ride.
Your phone may be the most valuable time-saving tool in your economical Disney experience — so don’t forget a battery charger. There are virtually no places in the park to charge your phone, so bringing a battery or two is imperative to the ideal Disney experience. Even if you splurge on Magic Bands for the full guided experience, they require chargers, sometimes from the offset. A battery charger is going to be your lifeline at Disney. Make sure you don’t find yourself running out of juice.
If you want to save yourself the hassle of trekking across the park for a ride that isn’t in service, be sure to check for ride closures prior to your trip. If you don’t know what’s closed, you might accidentally make a schlep across the park to an experience that you find out has been shuttered for maintenance. Save yourself the disappointment and be prepared.
