Top 10 Tips & Tricks to Have the Best 7 Day Disney Vacation Ever!

A week may sound like a long time to be at Disney, but your seven days will fill up quickly with all there is to see and do. We have put together a list of ten tips and tricks to help you get the most out of your trip and have the best seven-day (or maybe shorter or longer) Disney vacation ever.

10 – Visit During Off-Peak Season

If you are able to visit Disney World in the off-peak seasons. During the peak seasons, resort prices are higher, and the crowds are bigger. Visiting during months like September, mid-November to mid-December, and early May, you will see a drop in hotel prices and lighter crowds, making for a more enjoyable time at the parks with shorter standby wait times, meaning you can experience more.

9 – Schedule a Nap

Getting enough rest is important for anyone when visiting Disney. Trying to tackle a park from open to close is very tiring, and it’s difficult to do it day after day during a seven-day vacation. Keep your energy up and your spirits high by scheduling a nap. Disney transportation makes it easy to get back to your resort for an hour or so to recharge and then head back to the park. Taking the time to rest will ensure you have the stamina to continue to enjoy Disney well into the evening, and everyone will be happier for it!

8 – Make Advanced Dining Reservations

One of the best things you can do when you prepare for your vacation is to make dining reservations. Dining reservations for table service restaurants can be made 60 days in advance, and this is strongly recommended. This will help you secure a table at the restaurants of your choice and, hopefully, at the time you’d like. The last thing you want is for everyone to be cranky and hungry while searching for an empty table at dinner time, so think ahead and make a reservation.

7 – Consider Your Arrival and Departure Times

If you arrive at Disney later in the day, or your flight leaves Florida earlier in the day, it may not be worth it to purchase a park ticket for that travel day. Of course, this is a personal preference, but if you only have part of your day open to explore Disney, it may be a good time to visit Disney Springs, go miniature golfing, explore a resort, or spend time at the pool. This way, you won’t spend money on a park ticket for only a portion of the day, and it will open up your schedule for exploring other areas of Disney.

6 – See the Nighttime Shows

Seeing all the nighttime shows is a must to make the most of your 7-day vacation. You can see Fantasmic! at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. “Luminous the Symphony of Us” is at Epcot, and Magic Kingdom has a wonderful fireworks show, Happily Ever After. There simply isn’t a better or more magical way to finish your day at a Disney park than watching a spectacular nighttime show.

5 – Use Disney Transportation

Transportation at Disney is free, so make use of it! The buses between resorts and parks run frequently and will drop you off very close to the front gates. The Monorail, boats, and Disney Skyliner are like attractions in themselves and are a very enjoyable and convenient way to get around. Using Disney transportation will save you money, time, and stress.

4 – Get a Park Hopper

When visiting Disney for an extended amount of time, the Park Hopper can come in handy. It is an extra cost, but it is worth it if you have visited Disney before and like to pack as much as possible into your stay. The Park Hopper allows you to hop between parks each day instead of just staying at one park all day. It also gives you flexibility and the ability to be spontaneous during your vacation. 

3 – Have a Character Dining Experience

If you enjoy meeting characters, a character dining experience is the way to go. They will require a reservation, but they are a great way to have a unique, memorable dining experience, and you will avoid waiting in lines to meet characters. There are great dining options with characters at resorts, like 1900 Park Fare at the Grand Floridian dining with Tiana, Alladin, Cinderella, and Mirabel, and ‘Ohana at the Polynesian breakfast with Lilo and Stitch. Character dining experiences are a great way to pack a lot into one meal.

2 – Visit Magic Kingdom More Than Once

With seven days to explore Disney World, you can visit some of the parks more than once, depending on how you spend your time. But do yourself a favor and visit Magic Kingdom more than once. There is so much to do and see at this park. You’re going to want to ride the attractions a few times, meet all the characters, and maybe see Happily Ever After twice. Visit Magic Kingdom a couple of times and bask in the magic and pixie dust because it’s a feeling you’re going to want to hold onto as long as you can.

1 – Consider Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lanes

No matter how many days you plan for your vacation, you’ll want to get as much done as possible. While it’s not right for everyone, you may 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 $15-$39 per day, per person. With Genie+ you can access the Lightning Lane at select attractions in 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. 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 TRON Lightcycle / Run and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, which both offer a (free) virtual queue. However, if you want to skip the line and get more done, this may be a good option for you and your family.