So you’re planning a trip to Disney World, now what?

You’ve probably started working out your budget while figuring out where to stay and which park tickets to get. Maybe you’re figuring out where to make your advance dining reservations. But have you thought about your FIRST day in the parks? If not, we’re going to give you a heads up about things you should NOT do on day one of your Disney World trip.

By first day in Disney World, we’re not talking about your arrival day, or the day you get to the resort. You should set that day aside for checking into your hotel, getting your bearings, and maybe hitting up Disney Springs. What we’re talking about here is your first FULL day in Disney World — that first day when you hit the parks.

Wearing the wrong shoes

We talk about shoes a LOT here at DFB because they can literally make or break your trip (and your feet). If you wear the wrong shoes on the first day (shoes that don’t fit well, shoes with little support, shoes that haven’t been broken in), you will regret it for the rest of your trip. 

Here’s the thing: you’ll be doing a LOT of walking in Disney World: we’re talking miles and miles and MILES. That is rough on your feet. Doing that in the wrong shoes will result in painful feet and blisters. HOWEVER, if you do end up with some feet issues on day one, be sure to have something like Moleskin handy to keep them from getting worst. Even if you heed this advice, blisters still sometimes happen.

The Most Uncomfortable Shoes We Always See People Wear in Disney World

Doing Too Much

It’s your first day in Disney World, and you are PUMPED. We get it. That excitement is PURE adrenaline. So you might think you want to hit the ground running and cram as much into that first day as you can. Maybe you even think you want to go from rope drop to park close. We’re going to tell you something important: please, don’t.

If you do this, you are not only going to be burned out by day two, but you’ll also be sore. Remember — it’s a marathon, not a race. Realize that you’re not going to be able to do everything, take it easy occasionally just to enjoy some of the details in Disney World, and take that midday break (trust us, that midday break will SAVE YOU).

The Easiest Disney World Tips the Experts Swear By

Too much alcohol

We get it — you want to drink around the World at EPCOT. Who doesn’t? But if you really do that in one day, you’re going to regret it either later that day or the next morning (or both). Do you REALLY want to spend your first day in Disney World drinking to the point of getting sick and then dealing with a hangover the next day?

The answer is “no.” We get it. There are a lot of GREAT boozy drinks in the parks. But pace yourself — try the musts on your list and leave the others for later.

9 Things You Should NEVER Do While Drinking Around the World in EPCOT

Too much food

So we’re guilty of this, but do as we say and not as we do. Don’t eat too much food on your first day. It’s SO easy to do because Disney World has some of the best food on the planet (yes, we’re biased). If you’ve never been, you might find yourself excited to try all of those DFB faves like Corn Dog Nuggets, Plastic Cheese, Mickey Pretzels, Mickey Waffles, Dole Whips, etc., etc., etc.

This is when the advice we’ve already given comes in handy: pace yourself. There is no way you’ll be able to eat ALL the great food in Disney World, so just pick out a few priorities and focus on those. You don’t want to be so full and miserable after just one day.

The 15 Best Snacks for UNDER $10 in Disney World

Not staying hydrated

The Florida heat and humidity are no joke. That’s especially true if you’ve been out in it all day walking for MILES. The most important thing you can do for yourself is to stay hydrated (this is also true, even on the cooler days). You also don’t have to pay the big $$$ for bottled water either. Bring a water bottle and fill it at water bottle refill stations throughout Disney World.

You can also get free cups of water at most quick-service restaurants. Plus, always order water at table service restaurants so you can keep sipping on it, even if you are drinking something else.

Everywhere You Can Find FREE Water in Disney World

Forgetting the sunscreen

Remember how we just talked about how brutal Florida heat and humidity can be? Well, that Florida sun can be brutal on your skin. You’re going to be outside a LOT in that sun, so whatever you do, don’t forget to put sunscreen on before you head out for the parks. Also, don’t forget to reapply it at some point midway through your day.

The last thing you want to do is spend the rest of your Disney World vacation in pain because you forgot sunscreen on your first day. If you do end up in the parks before you remember the sunscreen, you can usually find it in some shops — it will be more expensive than what you might pay for it elsewhere, but this is the one time, we’d tell you to buy something like that in the parks.

The Ultimate Disney World Packing List for 2024

So if you keep these “don’t’s” in mind, you should be able to hit up all the “do’s” and have an amazing Disney World trip. Be sure to keep following DFB for more Disney World tips and tricks, as well as all the latest Disney news!

What’s something you’ve done on your first day in Disney World that you regret? Let us know in the comments!