May 8, 2025 • 22 mins
Welcome back to The Gen-X Couple for Part 2 of our “Disney for Beginners” series! If you’re planning your first trip to Walt Disney World or just want to sharpen your Disney knowledge, this episode is for you. We’re diving into key strategies and must-know tips, including:
Rope Dropping – What it is, why it’s worth the early wake-up call, and how to maximize your time before the crowds roll in.
Extra Magic Hours (Extended Evening Hours) – How guests staying at Disney resorts can enjoy extra time in the parks, plus which hotels qualify for this perk.
Park Tickets – Understanding ticket options, including Park Hopper, single-day tickets, and whether Genie+ is worth the add-on.
Lightning Lane: Multi-Pass vs. Single Pass – Breaking down the difference between the two paid options, which rides they cover, and how to use them efficiently to skip the long lines.
From ticketing tips to ride-hacking strategies, we’ve got you covered! Be sure to check out Part 1 if you missed it.
Love this episode? Subscribe to our podcast and leave a review (please)! Follow us on Instagram and Twitter @thegenxcouple for more. Don’t forget to share this episode with friends or family who might also like it.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Hi, I'm Robin and I'm Chris together. We're the Gen X couple
(00:22):
Hey guys take two not my fault
Hello everyone. It was my fault because I was gonna say take one and I said hey guys
I'm like really fast and then I paused or I hesitated and I couldn't get out take one
So I messed it up and I didn't like the way it sounded so here we are in take two we ruined our streak
We had three good weeks and now look at us
(00:45):
So anyway, I'm in a great mood today
It's part two of our beginners guide to planning your Walt Disney World vacation and you know
I love Disney so I'm super excited to be talking about more things Disney today and
Part one we covered how to book your trip the different park ticket options the different hotel categories and
(01:07):
Transportation options around the Disney property. I hope we didn't overwhelm you guys too much
If you haven't listened to that episode yet
I would definitely recommend going back and doing that before you listen to this episode
We talked about the parks a little bit last week
But today we're gonna stop off by getting into a little more detail
But not about not only the parks, but everything else on the Disney property
(01:29):
Hi, because you might be wondering how do I make the most of my time with four theme parks to water parks Disney Springs?
There's a ton to see and do today. We're gonna give you a full breakdown of each park
What makes them so special and what you can't miss so let's jump right in the Magic Kingdom is the classic Disney Park
You know the one with Cinderella Castle Main Street, USA and all the nostalgic Disney magic
(01:54):
It's divided into six themed lands fantasy land, which is home to Peter Pan's flight
It's a small world and the seven dwarfs mind train
Tomorrow land which features Space Mountain Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger spin
One of my favorites the carousel of progress. I love the song and I'm one of my favorites actually the people mover
(02:15):
Adventureland has Pirates of the Caribbean and the Jungle Cruise
Frontierland is home to big Thunder Mountain Railroad and the country bear jamboree
Liberty squares where you find my all-time favorite Disney attraction the haunted mansion and the Hall of Presidents
And then of course Main Street, USA, which is the perfect spot for shopping
(02:35):
Some dining Casey's corner hot dogs are delicious and the best view of the fireworks
Must do experiences. I would say the parade that happily ever after fireworks and of course meeting Mickey Mouse
Now Epcot is split into two main sections
You got world celebration world discovery in
(02:56):
World nature fully known as the Epcot Center this park of this part of the park is home to the spaceship Earth
Guardians of the Galaxy
POSMIC Rewind test track and soaring and the world showcase features 11
Pofferians representing different countries with it unique food entertainment and shopping. Yes, these countries are
(03:21):
Mexico because when you enter the world showcase the correct way to start walking is to the left
I know some people start to the right in Canada that is incorrect always start Mexico
So there's Mexico Norway China Germany Italy United States the American Adventure
Japan Morocco France the United Kingdom and Canada each
(03:42):
Pavilion has restaurants shops and attractions related to its respective country
Some also feature rides or films showcasing the country's culture and history such as frozen ever after in Norway and
Remy's ratatouille adventure in France. You know what I like the most on each country
They have college students from those countries from those countries. Yeah, I know I think that's cool, too
(04:06):
And if you guys love food like Chris and I do Epcot is definitely the place to be
Especially during its seasonal festivals like the Food and Wine Festival
We're not gonna get into too much detail about the Food and Wine Festival in this episode though
We're gonna save that for I think part four
Next is a Hollywood Studios is a must for any Star Wars or Pixar fans
(04:32):
Highlights include Star Wars Galaxy's Edge. You can ride the Millennium Falcon
Smugglers run and Star Wars Rise of the Resistance
Toy Story Land home to Slinky Dog Dash and the Toy Story Mania
Sunset Boulevard will you find the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and Rock and Roller coaster?
(04:54):
Although I think they're retheming that into a Muppets
Yeah, the coaster and one of our favorites is the Mickey and Minnie's runaway railroad
Railway, railway a family friendly ride featuring classic Mickey animation. Yes, that is my second favorite Disney attraction
And don't forget Fantasmic
That's an incredible night time show that features fireworks water protect projections and your favorite Disney characters and
(05:22):
The Indiana Jones show is in a Hollywood station. Oh my gosh. I totally forgot to mention that is one of my favorite shows
I know they have this Indiana Jones stunt spectacular
I forget if that's the name of it
But they recreate a couple of scenes in the movie and they show you how they did the stunts and I think the most iconic one that
Everybody remembers is the big boulder and they show how Indy escapes getting smushed by boulder
(05:46):
And they have shows throughout the day and yeah, don't worry about seating because the arena sits like a thousand people
Yeah, if it's a lot of people and they do multiple shows every day
So if you don't get in for one you'll get into the next one
I'm sure and next is the animal kingdom which is a mix of theme park thrillers
Thrills and a wildlife sanctuary the top interactions are
(06:11):
Pandora the world of avatar flight of passage is a must-ride
expedition Everest a thrilling roller coaster through the Himalayas and
Kilmer Jaro's safaris a real safari
We can see lions drafts
Elephants and more
Incredible their park also has incredible live shows like the festival Lion King and
(06:37):
Finding Nemo the blue big blue and beyond yeah, and we mentioned it before but there are two water parks on Disney property
There's Blizzard Beach, which is themed like a melted ski resort
It has summit plummet one of the tallest watersides in the world there
And then there's typhoon lagoon which is home to the largest wave pool in North America
(06:57):
And then it's got the Russian gush water coaster, which is both of those are perfect for cooling off on a hot
Florida summer day and the water parks they have the mini golf
Yeah, Mickey's winter summerland is at Blizzard Beach
And it is the same sort of theming like a melted winter sort of situation. We've been there and it's fun
(07:18):
Yes, and then if you need a break from the parks, which I don't know why but
There is Disney Springs is a place to go
It's packed with restaurants shops and entertainment including
World of Disney the biggest Disney store ever. I love the world of Disney
The Lego store fun for all ages with life-side Lego sculptures
(07:43):
the boat house a waterfront restaurant with incredible seafood if you can pronounce this and
Am a car boat course and Fibacar, which is like their boats that are shaped like cars
So it looks like you're riding a car on the water
Yep, and there's also live music a bowling alley and even a shot-air balloon ride
(08:06):
Did you forget Gideon's bakehouse? Oh, thank you did and that is a must mention
Because if you go to Disney Springs and don't get a cookie from Gideon's bakehouse, then you're not living
Of course, it's a meal in itself. It is because they're huge
But my god, they're incredible and I'm not even like a huge cookie fan
But their cookies are off the charts delicious
(08:30):
But if you get there in a weekend you have to get a number because it's small and people line up early
Yes, so they do hand out numbers so be warned if you're going there on a Saturday get their first thing so you can get a number
We love Disney Springs. They have the rainforest cafe there, too
Which is one of the cool restaurants that we've been to many many times and Chris mentioned one of these a few minutes ago
(08:53):
Did he know yeah the mini the mini golf courses. Yeah, I got off topic
So there are too many golf courses on the property which is Mickey's winter summer land
And then there's another one and I can't think of the name of it
We've done both and if you're a golfer there are several golf courses at Disney and I don't know why you would go all the way to
Disney to golf I don't understand golf but
But hey, there's like two or three golf courses on the property now that we explained a little bit about the parks
(09:18):
Let's get into the extra magic hours and talk about
Rope dropping. Yes, so we should probably start by explaining what rope dropping even is you've probably heard the term and been like
What are these crazy Disney adults talking about?
So rope dropping isn't some secret Disney code. It's rope drop simply just means to arriving at the it means
(09:39):
I can't talk I'm getting so excited thinking about it rope dropping is
Arriving at the park before it officially opens so you can be one of the first guests inside. Okay. I got it out
So we always rope drop and here's how it works
So Disney allows their guests to gather in designated areas just before opening time at the official opening cast members will
(10:04):
Literally just drop the ropes that are holding the people back and boom you're off to your first attraction
So why wake up early when you're on vacation? Well, here's the deal the first couple of hours at Disney World are golden
Crowds are lighter wait times are shorter and you can knock out some of the
Biggest rides before the masses arrived and if you plan it right you can ride headliners like the flight of passage
(10:29):
Tron light cycle run or the rise of the resistance with little to no weight
I don't know. I feel like people run to those rides anyway, but you still have less of a weight. I've seen
Rise of the resistance. What's the longest wait? We've seen hours like three hours with it's worth it
It's a phenomenal ride. It is but I
(10:52):
Think if you get in there first thing you can probably cut that down to like a half hour or 45 minutes
But anyway, so I'm gonna break down how to rope drop the right way for you guys. So you know what to do?
So first of all get up early. You're gonna want to be at the park entrance at least
45 to 60 minutes before the official opening that means setting your alarm and getting out the door early
(11:16):
Next is to know what ride you want to go on first go in with a plan decide ahead of time
Which attraction you want to head to and then prioritize rides that get long waits later in the day and
Then of course, you're gonna want to use your early theme park entry if you're staying at a Disney resort you get a head start
So you get
(11:36):
More park time, but it's only for people staying at the Disney resorts. Yes, they check
Yes, they will turn you away if you're not staying at a Disney resort and make you wait until the normal opening time
So this is my recommendation if you're rope dropping
skip Main Street, USA if you're at the Magic Kingdom
(11:57):
Resist that urge to go in the shops while they're not crowded or you take your castle photos right away
Instead head straight for your first ride, but if you're like me, you're gonna stop and take castle pictures anyway
I do it every time. I've got thousands of
Pictures of Cinderella Castle on my phone and there will be thousands more
Anyway, my last tip for rope dropping is to be ready to walk at a very brisk pace
(12:22):
Don't run. There's no need to run. Everybody's gonna get there, but hope it
Move with purpose others will and of course every minute of the parks counts
Now if you're staying at a Disney hotel on property
You get an even bigger advantage with early theme park entry and an extended evening hours
(12:42):
Now let's talk about the early theme park entry
Guests at any Disney-owned resort and a select partner hotels can enter the parks 30 minutes early every day
This applies to all four theme parks. It might not sound like much, but trust me those 30 minutes make a huge difference
(13:03):
They do
Then there are extended evening hours if you're staying at a deluxe Disney resort or a deluxe villa
You get even more perks on select nights. You can stay in the parks two hours later
Than regular guests right now that is offered at Magic Kingdom and Epcot
Remember the my Disney experience app that I told you about last week
(13:26):
That's where you're gonna find all the park hours for the day including extra magic hours because not every a
Park offers extra magic hours every day. They're only changes every day. Yeah, it rotates
So you check the app so that way you can stay up to date with the times for the park openings and closings and
The app is also your park ticket. So you'll just
(13:48):
It's right in the app and you just swipe for every member of your party
But you can also get a card ticket which is known as a key to the world card when you check in if you'd rather
And that's just a physical card that acts as your park ticket and room key or you may want to upgrade to Magic Bands
Disney Magic Bands are wearable devices that you can use that while Disney Resort
(14:09):
That excuse me that function as an all-in-one tool for park access
Hotel room entry lightning lane redemption. I'll explain that later photo pass linking
I'll explain that later and more and they come in various styles and can be customized before your trip
There are a few ways you can get a magic band if you want one you can order them in advance
(14:30):
And if you're staying at a Disney resort hotel, you can purchase Magic Bands at a discounted price
Through your my Disney experience account before your trip
You can buy the bands at the parks the available at the parks resorts and Disney Springs
Or you can shop online. You can also buy them from shop Disney before your visit
(14:51):
Yeah, or you can use an old Magic Band. So if you have a previous Magic Band
You may be able to reuse it if the battery still works the new ones that they sell are rechargeable
And if you decide to get a magic band
It does need to be linked to your Disney reservation in the my Disney experience app and it's really easy to do it
So here's how you would do that
(15:13):
Open the app
Go to the Magic Bands and cards
Spot tap link a Magic Band or card enter the Magic Band ID number
Which is found on the back of the band assign the Magic Band to a member of your travel party
Confirm and save and then once it's linked you can use your Magic Band like I said for park entry purchases and more and
(15:35):
For lastly for today, we're gonna talk about lightning lanes and then wrap it up for today
Yeah, we know it's a lot so it will give you time to digest everything
But let's break down Disney's new lightning lane system which has actually replaced the genie plus and
individual lightning lanes with lightning lane
Multi-pass and lightning lane single pass. I know that was confusing
(15:57):
I still call them fast passes, which is what they used to be called in the olden days
So if you've been to Disney recently, you might remember genie plus in an individual lightning lanes, but those are now gone
Instead Disney had has introduced lightning lane
Multi-pass this replaced genie plus on that you book multiple lightning lane return times for a variety of
(16:22):
attractions
Verity that's one of the words he always mispronounces. It's variety, but he said Verity. I don't know why you do that
We've talked about this so many times
Go on anyways anyway, the lightning lane single pass this replace individual lightning lane and
And allows you to purchase access to the most end of man rides one at a time
(16:45):
The goal to make the system more user-friendly though will let you decide that's actually the case
So let's start with the lightning lane multi-pass
If you want to skip the standby line for multiple rides throughout the day
This is probably your go-to option and here's how it works
You book it in advance
(17:06):
Unlike the genie plus that they just got rid of you can now make your ride selections before your trip
You can choose up to three rides at a time from a list of eligible attractions in a single park
Once you use one reservation you can book another
Keeping the rolling selection going all day the price varies based on the park the day and the demand so expect it to be more
(17:27):
expensive on busy days and
Here's a pro tip if you're visiting multiple days
Prioritize the parks with the most in-demand rides for your multi-pass
Now what about those ultra popular rides like Tron like cycle run and the result rise the resistance
These are not included in the multi-pass
Instead you'll need a lightning lane single pass for each ride. You purchase them individually separate for the multi-pass
(17:55):
You pick your return time based on availability and the place price
fluctuates often 12 to 25 dollars
per person per ride
Depending on the day so you're paying
one set amount for one ride
That day or you can just do the other one which keeps a rotating
(18:18):
Ride selection all day. This is this one is just to book one ride that you pay for
So you're basically paying to skip the line and it's for like the big rides like Guardians of the Galaxy or
Rides of the resistance over an hour wait
Yeah, I also before you we go on I would like to say we have never paid to ride a ride. We'll just wait
(18:39):
Yeah, yeah, that's why we're road droppers too. Yeah, cuz we bust out a lot of stuff early in the mornings
So pro trip if there's a must-do ride on your list be ready to book it as soon as
Reservations open these sell out fast. That's true. That was a good tip. Yeah, they do sell out
All right, so now you know how they work. Let's talk a little bit about strategy
(19:03):
Book them ASAP if you're staying at a Disney resort
You can book your lightning lane passes days in advance
non-resort guests will have to wait until the day of their visit and
Stack your reservations wisely choose morning rides for your first multi-pass selection so that you can keep adding more throughout the day
Use the single pass for the biggest headliners like we just mentioned if you ride consistency if they oh my goodness
(19:30):
I'm getting all tripped up if a ride consistently has a two-hour wait like Guardians of the Galaxy
Rise of the resistance Tron a
Single pass might be worth it to you, especially if you're only there for a few days and you haven't had a chance to ride it and
And so my voice cracked watch the app for openings plans change and people cancel
(19:51):
So you might find a last-minute opening for the ride you thought were sold out
So is this new system better than genie plus that depends it definitely allows for more planning ahead
But prices and availability can still be unpredictable. Yeah, and like I said for us personally since we're usually there for a week at a time
We typically just wait in the standby lines
(20:12):
Very rarely well, no, I actually did pay for Guardians of the Galaxy
Once last summer because Jared was sick and he missed a couple of park days
And they were still doing the virtual queue for Guardians of the Galaxy
So I did actually pay was 15 bucks each for the boys to ride
So I forgot about that that just came to me, but we don't pay for rides. That's crazy. Just wait
(20:33):
But honestly, it all depends on what you want to get out of your trip
And while we're on the topic of rides
You may be wondering how you find out the wait times for all your favorite rides at the parks
The answer again is they're all listed on my my Disney experience app
Yeah, all you have to do is click on the park map inside the app
(20:54):
And it will show you all the wait times where the characters are and anything else you may be wondering about the parks
The other ways to find out a wait time for the rides are just to walk by them
Each ride has the wait time displayed outside. So, you know exactly what you're getting into before you get into the line
And those wait times are pretty accurate. So the most part I there's a few that are typically off
(21:15):
I feel like Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger spin is usually shorter. Yes
I feel like there's a couple of other ones that are sometimes a little bit off
But yeah, they're usually pretty accurate. They know Disney knows what they're doing
So I think we've given you enough information for today
So come back next week because we're going to talk about all dining reservations
dining plans and we have a bunch of tips for you to make your trip to go even more smooth
(21:40):
Yeah, and as always feel free to email me with any Disney questions you may have
You probably figured this out by now, but I love talking about Disney and I will answer you as best I can
You know where to find me
We hope this was helpful for you and we're looking forward to the third installation of our series on Disney for Beginners next week
(22:00):
We're going to touch on the dining reservations the meal plans and where to meet your favorite characters until next time
See you later alligator. Here's looks at me when he says that in a wild crocodile
Hi, I'm Robin and I'm Chris together. We're the Gen X couple
(00:22):
Hey guys take two not my fault
Hello everyone. It was my fault because I was gonna say take one and I said hey guys
I'm like really fast and then I paused or I hesitated and I couldn't get out take one
So I messed it up and I didn't like the way it sounded so here we are in take two we ruined our streak
We had three good weeks and now look at us
(00:45):
So anyway, I'm in a great mood today
It's part two of our beginners guide to planning your Walt Disney World vacation and you know
I love Disney so I'm super excited to be talking about more things Disney today and
Part one we covered how to book your trip the different park ticket options the different hotel categories and
(01:07):
Transportation options around the Disney property. I hope we didn't overwhelm you guys too much
If you haven't listened to that episode yet
I would definitely recommend going back and doing that before you listen to this episode
We talked about the parks a little bit last week
But today we're gonna stop off by getting into a little more detail
But not about not only the parks, but everything else on the Disney property
(01:29):
Hi, because you might be wondering how do I make the most of my time with four theme parks to water parks Disney Springs?
There's a ton to see and do today. We're gonna give you a full breakdown of each park
What makes them so special and what you can't miss so let's jump right in the Magic Kingdom is the classic Disney Park
You know the one with Cinderella Castle Main Street, USA and all the nostalgic Disney magic
(01:54):
It's divided into six themed lands fantasy land, which is home to Peter Pan's flight
It's a small world and the seven dwarfs mind train
Tomorrow land which features Space Mountain Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger spin
One of my favorites the carousel of progress. I love the song and I'm one of my favorites actually the people mover
(02:15):
Adventureland has Pirates of the Caribbean and the Jungle Cruise
Frontierland is home to big Thunder Mountain Railroad and the country bear jamboree
Liberty squares where you find my all-time favorite Disney attraction the haunted mansion and the Hall of Presidents
And then of course Main Street, USA, which is the perfect spot for shopping
(02:35):
Some dining Casey's corner hot dogs are delicious and the best view of the fireworks
Must do experiences. I would say the parade that happily ever after fireworks and of course meeting Mickey Mouse
Now Epcot is split into two main sections
You got world celebration world discovery in
(02:56):
World nature fully known as the Epcot Center this park of this part of the park is home to the spaceship Earth
Guardians of the Galaxy
POSMIC Rewind test track and soaring and the world showcase features 11
Pofferians representing different countries with it unique food entertainment and shopping. Yes, these countries are
(03:21):
Mexico because when you enter the world showcase the correct way to start walking is to the left
I know some people start to the right in Canada that is incorrect always start Mexico
So there's Mexico Norway China Germany Italy United States the American Adventure
Japan Morocco France the United Kingdom and Canada each
(03:42):
Pavilion has restaurants shops and attractions related to its respective country
Some also feature rides or films showcasing the country's culture and history such as frozen ever after in Norway and
Remy's ratatouille adventure in France. You know what I like the most on each country
They have college students from those countries from those countries. Yeah, I know I think that's cool, too
(04:06):
And if you guys love food like Chris and I do Epcot is definitely the place to be
Especially during its seasonal festivals like the Food and Wine Festival
We're not gonna get into too much detail about the Food and Wine Festival in this episode though
We're gonna save that for I think part four
Next is a Hollywood Studios is a must for any Star Wars or Pixar fans
(04:32):
Highlights include Star Wars Galaxy's Edge. You can ride the Millennium Falcon
Smugglers run and Star Wars Rise of the Resistance
Toy Story Land home to Slinky Dog Dash and the Toy Story Mania
Sunset Boulevard will you find the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and Rock and Roller coaster?
(04:54):
Although I think they're retheming that into a Muppets
Yeah, the coaster and one of our favorites is the Mickey and Minnie's runaway railroad
Railway, railway a family friendly ride featuring classic Mickey animation. Yes, that is my second favorite Disney attraction
And don't forget Fantasmic
That's an incredible night time show that features fireworks water protect projections and your favorite Disney characters and
(05:22):
The Indiana Jones show is in a Hollywood station. Oh my gosh. I totally forgot to mention that is one of my favorite shows
I know they have this Indiana Jones stunt spectacular
I forget if that's the name of it
But they recreate a couple of scenes in the movie and they show you how they did the stunts and I think the most iconic one that
Everybody remembers is the big boulder and they show how Indy escapes getting smushed by boulder
(05:46):
And they have shows throughout the day and yeah, don't worry about seating because the arena sits like a thousand people
Yeah, if it's a lot of people and they do multiple shows every day
So if you don't get in for one you'll get into the next one
I'm sure and next is the animal kingdom which is a mix of theme park thrillers
Thrills and a wildlife sanctuary the top interactions are
(06:11):
Pandora the world of avatar flight of passage is a must-ride
expedition Everest a thrilling roller coaster through the Himalayas and
Kilmer Jaro's safaris a real safari
We can see lions drafts
Elephants and more
Incredible their park also has incredible live shows like the festival Lion King and
(06:37):
Finding Nemo the blue big blue and beyond yeah, and we mentioned it before but there are two water parks on Disney property
There's Blizzard Beach, which is themed like a melted ski resort
It has summit plummet one of the tallest watersides in the world there
And then there's typhoon lagoon which is home to the largest wave pool in North America
(06:57):
And then it's got the Russian gush water coaster, which is both of those are perfect for cooling off on a hot
Florida summer day and the water parks they have the mini golf
Yeah, Mickey's winter summerland is at Blizzard Beach
And it is the same sort of theming like a melted winter sort of situation. We've been there and it's fun
(07:18):
Yes, and then if you need a break from the parks, which I don't know why but
There is Disney Springs is a place to go
It's packed with restaurants shops and entertainment including
World of Disney the biggest Disney store ever. I love the world of Disney
The Lego store fun for all ages with life-side Lego sculptures
(07:43):
the boat house a waterfront restaurant with incredible seafood if you can pronounce this and
Am a car boat course and Fibacar, which is like their boats that are shaped like cars
So it looks like you're riding a car on the water
Yep, and there's also live music a bowling alley and even a shot-air balloon ride
(08:06):
Did you forget Gideon's bakehouse? Oh, thank you did and that is a must mention
Because if you go to Disney Springs and don't get a cookie from Gideon's bakehouse, then you're not living
Of course, it's a meal in itself. It is because they're huge
But my god, they're incredible and I'm not even like a huge cookie fan
But their cookies are off the charts delicious
(08:30):
But if you get there in a weekend you have to get a number because it's small and people line up early
Yes, so they do hand out numbers so be warned if you're going there on a Saturday get their first thing so you can get a number
We love Disney Springs. They have the rainforest cafe there, too
Which is one of the cool restaurants that we've been to many many times and Chris mentioned one of these a few minutes ago
(08:53):
Did he know yeah the mini the mini golf courses. Yeah, I got off topic
So there are too many golf courses on the property which is Mickey's winter summer land
And then there's another one and I can't think of the name of it
We've done both and if you're a golfer there are several golf courses at Disney and I don't know why you would go all the way to
Disney to golf I don't understand golf but
But hey, there's like two or three golf courses on the property now that we explained a little bit about the parks
(09:18):
Let's get into the extra magic hours and talk about
Rope dropping. Yes, so we should probably start by explaining what rope dropping even is you've probably heard the term and been like
What are these crazy Disney adults talking about?
So rope dropping isn't some secret Disney code. It's rope drop simply just means to arriving at the it means
(09:39):
I can't talk I'm getting so excited thinking about it rope dropping is
Arriving at the park before it officially opens so you can be one of the first guests inside. Okay. I got it out
So we always rope drop and here's how it works
So Disney allows their guests to gather in designated areas just before opening time at the official opening cast members will
(10:04):
Literally just drop the ropes that are holding the people back and boom you're off to your first attraction
So why wake up early when you're on vacation? Well, here's the deal the first couple of hours at Disney World are golden
Crowds are lighter wait times are shorter and you can knock out some of the
Biggest rides before the masses arrived and if you plan it right you can ride headliners like the flight of passage
(10:29):
Tron light cycle run or the rise of the resistance with little to no weight
I don't know. I feel like people run to those rides anyway, but you still have less of a weight. I've seen
Rise of the resistance. What's the longest wait? We've seen hours like three hours with it's worth it
It's a phenomenal ride. It is but I
(10:52):
Think if you get in there first thing you can probably cut that down to like a half hour or 45 minutes
But anyway, so I'm gonna break down how to rope drop the right way for you guys. So you know what to do?
So first of all get up early. You're gonna want to be at the park entrance at least
45 to 60 minutes before the official opening that means setting your alarm and getting out the door early
(11:16):
Next is to know what ride you want to go on first go in with a plan decide ahead of time
Which attraction you want to head to and then prioritize rides that get long waits later in the day and
Then of course, you're gonna want to use your early theme park entry if you're staying at a Disney resort you get a head start
So you get
(11:36):
More park time, but it's only for people staying at the Disney resorts. Yes, they check
Yes, they will turn you away if you're not staying at a Disney resort and make you wait until the normal opening time
So this is my recommendation if you're rope dropping
skip Main Street, USA if you're at the Magic Kingdom
(11:57):
Resist that urge to go in the shops while they're not crowded or you take your castle photos right away
Instead head straight for your first ride, but if you're like me, you're gonna stop and take castle pictures anyway
I do it every time. I've got thousands of
Pictures of Cinderella Castle on my phone and there will be thousands more
Anyway, my last tip for rope dropping is to be ready to walk at a very brisk pace
(12:22):
Don't run. There's no need to run. Everybody's gonna get there, but hope it
Move with purpose others will and of course every minute of the parks counts
Now if you're staying at a Disney hotel on property
You get an even bigger advantage with early theme park entry and an extended evening hours
(12:42):
Now let's talk about the early theme park entry
Guests at any Disney-owned resort and a select partner hotels can enter the parks 30 minutes early every day
This applies to all four theme parks. It might not sound like much, but trust me those 30 minutes make a huge difference
(13:03):
They do
Then there are extended evening hours if you're staying at a deluxe Disney resort or a deluxe villa
You get even more perks on select nights. You can stay in the parks two hours later
Than regular guests right now that is offered at Magic Kingdom and Epcot
Remember the my Disney experience app that I told you about last week
(13:26):
That's where you're gonna find all the park hours for the day including extra magic hours because not every a
Park offers extra magic hours every day. They're only changes every day. Yeah, it rotates
So you check the app so that way you can stay up to date with the times for the park openings and closings and
The app is also your park ticket. So you'll just
(13:48):
It's right in the app and you just swipe for every member of your party
But you can also get a card ticket which is known as a key to the world card when you check in if you'd rather
And that's just a physical card that acts as your park ticket and room key or you may want to upgrade to Magic Bands
Disney Magic Bands are wearable devices that you can use that while Disney Resort
(14:09):
That excuse me that function as an all-in-one tool for park access
Hotel room entry lightning lane redemption. I'll explain that later photo pass linking
I'll explain that later and more and they come in various styles and can be customized before your trip
There are a few ways you can get a magic band if you want one you can order them in advance
(14:30):
And if you're staying at a Disney resort hotel, you can purchase Magic Bands at a discounted price
Through your my Disney experience account before your trip
You can buy the bands at the parks the available at the parks resorts and Disney Springs
Or you can shop online. You can also buy them from shop Disney before your visit
(14:51):
Yeah, or you can use an old Magic Band. So if you have a previous Magic Band
You may be able to reuse it if the battery still works the new ones that they sell are rechargeable
And if you decide to get a magic band
It does need to be linked to your Disney reservation in the my Disney experience app and it's really easy to do it
So here's how you would do that
(15:13):
Open the app
Go to the Magic Bands and cards
Spot tap link a Magic Band or card enter the Magic Band ID number
Which is found on the back of the band assign the Magic Band to a member of your travel party
Confirm and save and then once it's linked you can use your Magic Band like I said for park entry purchases and more and
(15:35):
For lastly for today, we're gonna talk about lightning lanes and then wrap it up for today
Yeah, we know it's a lot so it will give you time to digest everything
But let's break down Disney's new lightning lane system which has actually replaced the genie plus and
individual lightning lanes with lightning lane
Multi-pass and lightning lane single pass. I know that was confusing
(15:57):
I still call them fast passes, which is what they used to be called in the olden days
So if you've been to Disney recently, you might remember genie plus in an individual lightning lanes, but those are now gone
Instead Disney had has introduced lightning lane
Multi-pass this replaced genie plus on that you book multiple lightning lane return times for a variety of
(16:22):
attractions
Verity that's one of the words he always mispronounces. It's variety, but he said Verity. I don't know why you do that
We've talked about this so many times
Go on anyways anyway, the lightning lane single pass this replace individual lightning lane and
And allows you to purchase access to the most end of man rides one at a time
(16:45):
The goal to make the system more user-friendly though will let you decide that's actually the case
So let's start with the lightning lane multi-pass
If you want to skip the standby line for multiple rides throughout the day
This is probably your go-to option and here's how it works
You book it in advance
(17:06):
Unlike the genie plus that they just got rid of you can now make your ride selections before your trip
You can choose up to three rides at a time from a list of eligible attractions in a single park
Once you use one reservation you can book another
Keeping the rolling selection going all day the price varies based on the park the day and the demand so expect it to be more
(17:27):
expensive on busy days and
Here's a pro tip if you're visiting multiple days
Prioritize the parks with the most in-demand rides for your multi-pass
Now what about those ultra popular rides like Tron like cycle run and the result rise the resistance
These are not included in the multi-pass
Instead you'll need a lightning lane single pass for each ride. You purchase them individually separate for the multi-pass
(17:55):
You pick your return time based on availability and the place price
fluctuates often 12 to 25 dollars
per person per ride
Depending on the day so you're paying
one set amount for one ride
That day or you can just do the other one which keeps a rotating
(18:18):
Ride selection all day. This is this one is just to book one ride that you pay for
So you're basically paying to skip the line and it's for like the big rides like Guardians of the Galaxy or
Rides of the resistance over an hour wait
Yeah, I also before you we go on I would like to say we have never paid to ride a ride. We'll just wait
(18:39):
Yeah, yeah, that's why we're road droppers too. Yeah, cuz we bust out a lot of stuff early in the mornings
So pro trip if there's a must-do ride on your list be ready to book it as soon as
Reservations open these sell out fast. That's true. That was a good tip. Yeah, they do sell out
All right, so now you know how they work. Let's talk a little bit about strategy
(19:03):
Book them ASAP if you're staying at a Disney resort
You can book your lightning lane passes days in advance
non-resort guests will have to wait until the day of their visit and
Stack your reservations wisely choose morning rides for your first multi-pass selection so that you can keep adding more throughout the day
Use the single pass for the biggest headliners like we just mentioned if you ride consistency if they oh my goodness
(19:30):
I'm getting all tripped up if a ride consistently has a two-hour wait like Guardians of the Galaxy
Rise of the resistance Tron a
Single pass might be worth it to you, especially if you're only there for a few days and you haven't had a chance to ride it and
And so my voice cracked watch the app for openings plans change and people cancel
(19:51):
So you might find a last-minute opening for the ride you thought were sold out
So is this new system better than genie plus that depends it definitely allows for more planning ahead
But prices and availability can still be unpredictable. Yeah, and like I said for us personally since we're usually there for a week at a time
We typically just wait in the standby lines
(20:12):
Very rarely well, no, I actually did pay for Guardians of the Galaxy
Once last summer because Jared was sick and he missed a couple of park days
And they were still doing the virtual queue for Guardians of the Galaxy
So I did actually pay was 15 bucks each for the boys to ride
So I forgot about that that just came to me, but we don't pay for rides. That's crazy. Just wait
(20:33):
But honestly, it all depends on what you want to get out of your trip
And while we're on the topic of rides
You may be wondering how you find out the wait times for all your favorite rides at the parks
The answer again is they're all listed on my my Disney experience app
Yeah, all you have to do is click on the park map inside the app
(20:54):
And it will show you all the wait times where the characters are and anything else you may be wondering about the parks
The other ways to find out a wait time for the rides are just to walk by them
Each ride has the wait time displayed outside. So, you know exactly what you're getting into before you get into the line
And those wait times are pretty accurate. So the most part I there's a few that are typically off
(21:15):
I feel like Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger spin is usually shorter. Yes
I feel like there's a couple of other ones that are sometimes a little bit off
But yeah, they're usually pretty accurate. They know Disney knows what they're doing
So I think we've given you enough information for today
So come back next week because we're going to talk about all dining reservations
dining plans and we have a bunch of tips for you to make your trip to go even more smooth
(21:40):
Yeah, and as always feel free to email me with any Disney questions you may have
You probably figured this out by now, but I love talking about Disney and I will answer you as best I can
You know where to find me
We hope this was helpful for you and we're looking forward to the third installation of our series on Disney for Beginners next week
(22:00):
We're going to touch on the dining reservations the meal plans and where to meet your favorite characters until next time
See you later alligator. Here's looks at me when he says that in a wild crocodile
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