Top 10 Tips & Tricks to Have the Best Four Day Disney World Vacation Ever!

Every Disney vacation is magical, from the first few moments to the last glimpse of Cinderella Castle, but all vacations have one thing in common: guests wish they were longer. This brings up the question of how long is the perfect Disney vacation? While there is no right answer, guests tend to agree that the longer, the better. However, sometimes time is a luxury, and a shorter trip is the only way to enjoy a Walt Disney World vacation. While a shorter trip can be a little trickier to plan in terms of time management, it is still every bit as magical as a long one. Here are the top ten tips and tricks to have the best four-day Disney vacation ever.

1 – Check-in Early

The key to kicking off a perfect four-day trip to Walt Disney World is arriving early and checking in as early as possible. Guests should take the earliest flight possible or aim to arrive at Disney early on in the day to maximize the most of their day-one hours. By checking in early, guests can hop aboard Disney transportation and be on their way to the fun.

2 – Have A Schedule

A great way to make the most of a four-day vacation in Walt Disney World is to have a schedule before arriving. This entails mapping out which park or parks will be visited each day and knowing what the plan is each morning. This saves lots of time as guests aren’t trying to figure out a game plan each morning or wasting lots of time hopping back and forth between parks because they are disorganized.

3 – Consider Lightning Lane Paid Access

You’ll want to get as much done in only four days. While it’s not right for everyone, you may want to consider paying for Lightning Lane access. There are two Lightning Lane paid options that include different attractions. First, you can purchase Disney Genie+ for the day of your visit. This costs anywhere from $20-$39 per day, per person. With Genie+, you can access the Lightning Lane at select attractions at each park. A second option for purchasing Lightning Lane is the a la carte method. There are attractions at each park that are NOT included with your Genie+ purchase and must be purchased separately—prices for the a la carte method range from $7-$25 per person per attraction. Keep in mind that you do not have to purchase either of these options to enjoy these attractions. The standby queue is available for all but Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and TRON Lighcycle / Run, which both still offer a (free) virtual queue. However, this may be a good option for you and your family if you want to skip the line and get more done. 

4 – Book Advanced Dining Reservations

Guests planning to enjoy a full-service meal during their four days at Disney definitely need to book Advanced Dining Reservations. These reservations can be made up to 60 days in advance and are absolutely necessary for popular locations like Roundup Rodeo BBQ, Space 220, ‘Ohana, the California Grill, Cinderella’s Royal Table, and Le Cellier Steakhouse.

5 – Visit Disney’s Animal Kingdom in The Mornings

Guests who plan on visiting Disney’s Animal Kingdom should definitely plan to do so during the early hours of the day for several reasons. First off, the park will be less crowded than in the afternoons, making the pathways easier to maneuver and the wait times shorter. In addition, the animals on Kilimanjaro Safaris tend to be much more active in the mornings thanks to the cooler temperatures, making it an amazing time to enjoy the phenomenal attraction. Early morning is also the perfect time to visit Pandora – The World of Avatar since both attractions have very long wait times later in the day.

6 – Know The Must-Dos

With shorter Disney vacations inevitably comes less time, making guests have to think long and hard about their must-do experiences. By knowing which attractions, entertainment, and experiences are priorities, guests can be sure to work them into their days in the parks and not miss out on favorites.

7 – Leave Time to Return to Favorites

In addition to making time for favorites, guests should leave some extra time at the end of each day or on the final day to return to favorites and enjoy them again. By building in extra time, guests are sure to feel like they have to experience all of their favorites more than once.

8 – Use Mobile Order Service Wisely

Disney has changed the process for Mobile Orders at quick-service restaurants. Rather than just being able to order and pick up your meal immediately, you now choose an “arrival window” when you order. Arrival windows are 30 minutes long, and a new window opens every 15 minutes (i.e., 12:00-12:30 pm; 12:15-12:45 pm; 12:30-1:00 pm; etc.). Disney now sets aside a select number of orders per  ‘arrival window,’ so once a time slot is full, no more orders for that time will be accepted. Prime arrival window time slots will fill quickly on particularly busy days. So, if you go to order your food at noon, the first arrival window you can choose may not be until 2:00 p.m. For this reason, we strongly suggest that you order and choose your ‘arrival window’ early in the day and place your order for lunch and/or dinner as soon as you have an idea of where you’ll be dining. You can always modify and cancel your order if needed, so there is no risk in getting that order in early!

9 – Don’t Skip the Classics

While visiting favorite attractions is a must-do, so is taking the time to enjoy the classics. Some of the classic attractions in Walt Disney World tend to be overlooked and are considered underrated, but they are amazing experiences that can’t be missed even on a short trip. Some great classics to enjoy on every Disney vacation are Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room, Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress, the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover, Living with the Land, Journey into Imagination with Figment, Muppet Vision 3D, the Maharajah Jungle Trek, and the Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail.

10 – Make Time to Relax

One of the most important things to remember to make a short Disney trip enjoyable is to take the time to relax! It can be tempting to try and squeeze as much in as possible on each day of the trip, but this is sure to leave guests exhausted and cranky by the end. By taking a little time each day to splash around in the pool, take a short nap, or pause to enjoy a meal in air conditioning, guests are sure to perk up and be ready to conquer the rest of their day in Walt Disney World.