It’s safe to say that over the years we’ve accumulated A TON of Disney World knowledge and, with that, quite a few secrets!

Here at DFB, we LITERALLY have someone in the Disney Parks every day trying the latest snacks, gauging the crowd levels, and reporting on all the latest secrets and tips that they’ve uncovered. If you want the inside scoop, we’re here to spill the beans on some of the best Disney World secrets that YOU can apply to your next Disney World vacation!

This one is a biggie, so let’s jump right into it — here are 50 secrets you should know about Disney World before your next trip!

You Might Need To Wait For The Second Checkpoint

Let’s start off with a Genie+ point. Genie+ allows you to select one Lightning Lane at a time. You can choose your next one when you’ve used the last one you selected and are ready to book another, your first return time window has ended (because you missed it), or 120 minutes have passed since you booked your last one. Sometimes though you aren’t immediately able to make a new Lightning Lane selection after you scan your previous one. DON’T PANIC! Some rides such as Tower of Terror make you go through TWO Lightning Lane checkpoints before you can make a new reservation.

There Are TWO Monorail Sides

Even though the monorail line can be intimidating at the end of the day at Magic Kingdom, it’s important to remember there are TWO monorails you can use. On the left, you’ll find the resort monorail — which takes you to Disney’s Contemporary Resort — and on the right is the express monorail — which takes you to the TTC. If the resort monorail is shorter, it is a viable option to get back to your car as it loops back around to the TTC.

You Can Skip Over The MCO Lines

Looking to skip the frenzy over at Orlando International Airport? MCO Reserve is a FREE reservation system (separate from TSA Precheck) that allows you to scan in and go through security at a select time. This is a fast and exclusive line that beats the regular security checkpoint and spots can be reserved up to 72 hours prior to your flight at reserve.clearme.com. Make sure you have your boarding ticket, identification, and MCO Reserve receipt ready to go. The MCO Reserve line is located “between the TSA PreCheck and standard security screening lanes at the checkpoint to Gates 1-59.”

Avoid Disney Springs On The Weekend

Weekend crowds at Disney Springs are ROUGH. Locals are off work, tourists are just arriving, and parking is free. Shoot for the middle of the week if you want to avoid feeling smushed. If you must go on the weekends, we recommend making dining reservations well in advance.

Gideon’s Cookies Aren’t Just A Disney Springs Thing

Sure, Gideon’s Bakehouse has rare occasions when the wait times aren’t terrible. But that is a rarity. If you’ve got extra time in your itinerary and want to venture outside of the Disney World bubble, there is another Gideon’s Bakehouse storefront over at the East End Market. This location is actually the original Gideon’s shop and has much shorter waits. This shop also has a mobile pickup so you can order in advance. With that said, be aware that the Disney Springs Gideon’s Bakehouse has exclusive items that you can’t find elsewhere.

Bell Services Makes Vacation Life So Much Easier

Bell Services at the Disney Resorts are incredibly useful to hotel guests and visiting guests alike. Bell services will hold onto your luggage while you kill time and can help you in specific situations like grabbing one last nice breakfast at a resort before heading over to the airport. It never hurts to ask and use the bell services that are offered to you!

You Can Visit Trader Sam’s When It’s EMPTY

Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto at Disney’s Polynesian Village is usually hard to get into because it doesn’t take any advance dining reservations or a virtual waitlist even though it is VERY popular. Wait times could be over an hour depending on the day, and the physical queue doesn’t open until 3 p.m. (patrons start lining up as early as 90 minutes before opening). Despite all of that, the quietest Trader Sam’s gets during the year can actually be during some of Disney World’s peak season. How? The nights before runDisney races usually have racers asleep in their beds early, leaving Trader Sam’s empty. So if you find yourself in Disney World during a runDisney weekend but aren’t racing, feel free to enjoy a drink and take in the chill atmosphere.

Quick Services Can Have Super Limited Seating

While some Magic Kingdom quick services locations have ample amounts of tables and seating, there are plenty that don’t. However, this issue has caused us to be creative and find solutions. Tomorrowland Terrace is closed but has plenty of tables and chairs (as well as shade), Sleepy Hollow Refreshments has picnic tables nearby behind Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe, and the second floors of Columbia Harbour House and Pinocchio’s Village Haus usually have a fair amount of tables.

“Vulture” The Broken Down Rides

Death, taxes, and Disney rides breaking down — these things are certain. What do you do if you’re in line and a ride breaks down? If a ride is really busted,  a cast member will usually come through after a 10-15 minute wait and let you know that you’re more than welcome to stick around in line, but to be aware there is no time frame to fixing the attraction. If you dip out,  “vulture” the area for a bit while sticking with the rides and attractions that are close by. If the broken-down ride is back up while you’re in the area, you can jump back into the queue before the line gets too long.

You Can Visit Oga’s Cantina When It’s EMPTY, Too!

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is always crowded, but if you get a late-night reservation at Oga’s Cantina after Hollywood Studios closes you can wait out the end-of-the-night rush. With that said, if you decide to attempt this strategy, please be mindful of the cast members’ time.

 Weed Out The Lightning Lanes

The My Disney Experience app has a feature that allows you to turn on a filter that will ONLY show you rides included in the Disney Genie+ service. This may seem like a small change, but it will help you save time when scrolling through the attractions list and deciding where to make your next Genie+ selection.

Know How To Use The 120-Minute Rule The RIGHT Way

You can hold multiple Lightning Lane reservations at a time if you use the 120-minute rule. Let’s say your first Lightning Lane entry of the day isn’t valid until the evening. You don’t have to wait until the evening to book your next Lightning Lane pass. Instead, wait 120 minutes from your first reservation and then simply book your second reservation. Keep in mind that if you’re stacking Lightning Lanes, then you’ll only be able to immediately select another one after you have used the LAST Lightning Lane reservation you obtained. For example, if you’ve lined up Haunted Mansion first, Peter Pan’s Flight second, and Space Mountain third then the only Lightning Lane out of the three that would allow you to immediately book another Lightning Lane after use would be Space Mountain.

Fantasmic! Showtimes Change. A LOT.

Fantasmic! at Hollywood Studios is a thrilling nighttime spectacular that features pyrotechnics, water features, live characters, and animatronics. It’s also got an ever-changing showtime schedule. Sometimes Fantasmic! will play twice each evening and sometimes only once. Sometimes it will play right when the park’s about to close and sometimes it’ll happen an hour before closing. The moral of the story? Check the My Disney Experience app on the day of your visit to see showtimes, especially if you can’t stand to miss the show. This is a good idea for all shows you want to hit up.

It Doesn’t Matter If You Rope Drop THIS Ride…

Rope dropping the parks usually leads to shorter wait times for popular rides but that’s not always the case. At Animal Kingdom, rope drop crowds typically head to one ride only — Avatar: Flight of Passage. You might be able to bypass most of the line with Early Theme Park Entry (which allows Disney World resort guests to enter the parks 30 minutes before everyone else), but even then you’re still going to have a wait. We’ve seen Flight of Passage wait times dip around 2 p.m. (the time people start park hopping OUT of Animal Kingdom) so it’s worth keeping an eye on the My Disney Experience app during that time. If you have to get on the ride, you can always purchase an individual Lightning Lane.

… But It DOES Matter If You Rope Drop THIS Restaurant

Nomad Lounge at Animal Kingdom features chill vibes, refreshing hand-crafted cocktails, and tasty lounge bites in a travel-themed bar. This place does get rather busy and doesn’t take advance dining reservations, so rope-dropping is a good idea. Nomad Lounge opens daily at 11 a.m., and you can get your foot in the door by joining the walk-up list either in person or on the My Disney Experience app.

The Multi-Park Lightning Lanes Can Be Your GREATEST Weapon

In June of 2023, Genie+ switched to park-specific pricing. However, if you’re using a park hopper during your trip you should consider the multi-park Lightning Lane option. While the multi-park Genie + is always gonna be the higher-priced option of the bunch, this can be a fantastic way for those who have shorter vacations planned to experience as many of the rides as possible.

You Can Participate In “Wellness Activities”

Activities vary between the resorts, but some resorts have specific Wellness Activities to help you get some extra steps in each day. You can learn about these extra activities from the recreation boards posted near the main pools and lobbies. These activities are great ways to let the kiddos spend some pent-up energy while keeping them entertained. Some activities include things like a Skyliner Rally Scavenger Hunt or morning family dance classes.

The Airport Shuttle Isn’t JUST A Disney Thing

Mears Connect: Driven By Sunshine Shuttles can take you from the MCO to your hotel and vice versa, but it also drops off at several of the Good Neighbor Hotels, including the B Resort and Spa, Hilton Orlando Buena Vista, Holiday Inn Orlando, and the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin. For a full list of hotels that Mears Connect partners with, click here.

Hotel Room Coffee Is “Blah”

Sure, it’s complimentary in Disney World hotel rooms and saves time, but the cream and sugar you’re given to go along with it is lackluster, to say the least. We recommend bringing your own creamers from home, buying some nearby, or having some delivered via something like Kroger Grocery Delivery. Smaller bottles of flavored creamer are also available for purchase in the refrigerated sections of resort gift shops.

Liege Waffles Can Be Both Disappointing… And Extremely Useful

Liege waffles that are found at Connections Café and Eatery inside EPCOT are served fresh regularly, but some limited-edition ones come pre-packaged. While these specialty liege waffles might not be as fresh as the standard ones, their plastic bag does allow them to saved for a cheaper breakfast alternative.

PhotoPass Cast Members Are AWESOME

This one is a given, but what makes PhotoPass Cast Members EXTRA awesome is the fact that you can ask any of them to take a picture of your group using your own phone and they TOTALLY will! They take fantastic photos and you don’t have to worry about being charged for photos. You can also use them for professional pictures that you can purchase during or after your trip.

Lightning Lanes Can Be Misleading

Lightning Lanes don’t provide a total absence of a wait. They eventually merge into the main queue and, depending on the attraction, this might mean you’ve still got an extra 15-20 minutes to wait before you actually board the ride. The wait also gets worse if the ride experiences any kind of stoppage or technical difficulties. Still, Lightning Lanes are easily the quickest way to experience attractions.

You Can Use Disney Gift Cards Virtually, Too!

Disney Gift Cards can be used both physically at Disney retail destinations and through the My Disney Experience app, as well. They’re great to use on features like Genie+ and mobile checkout and can be selected through the “select different payment method” option.

Gift Cards COULD Leave You In A Sticky Situation

Speaking of gift cards, if you’re using a gift card to pay for a sit-down meal on Disney property, make sure you’ve got enough saved for gratuity. If you don’t have enough left on the card you could end up accidentally short-changing your server. We recommend bringing some extra cash to avoid this problem.

There Are TWO Sides Of The Riviera Skyliner Station

The Magic Kingdom monorail isn’t the only station with two sides — the Skyliner station over at Disney’s Riviera Resort also has two sides that you can board. The left side goes to Hollywood Studios while the right goes to EPCOT. Double-check to make sure you’re on the correct side to avoid any mixups!

ALWAYS Listen To The Cast Members

This isn’t a secret but it must be reiterated — ALWAYS LISTEN TO CAST MEMBERS! Cast Members have been trained for all sorts of scenarios and are equipped to help you out and even reimburse you with complimentary Lightning Lanes if you’re on a ride when it breaks down. If you had to be evacuated from an outdoor ride, then cast members might be at the exit handing out free water bottles too. Whatever the case may be, remember that your safety and your family’s safety is the most important thing. The best way to keep them safe is to take a deep breath and listen to Cast Members.

Typhoon Lagoon Is… Strangely Painful?

All the Typhoon Lagoon walkways have tiny, crater-like holes in them that, more than likely, help keep guests from slipping and falling. HOWEVER,  stepping on those buggers with your bare feet hurts and the pavement can get scalding hot. We recommend wearing sandals or flip-flops, but you may have to take them off and hold them when going down slides. Water shoes are also a great alternative as is travel down the lazy river Castaway Creek, which has many exit points throughout the park.

Pack a Chafe Stick

Anti-chafers like deodorant are absolutely necessary to keep you from feeling sore and miserable by the end of a park day. Thigh rescue sticks like Megababe are relatively inexpensive and apply silky smooth protection onto your thighs to keep away that raw, burning chafe after a hot and sweaty day around the parks. Other things you’ll wanna pack include blister Band-Aids, Moleskin for your shoes, and other anti-rub remedies.

Caribbean Beach Is Bigger Than You Think

Caribbean Beach Resort is so expansive that it takes forever and a day to walk ANYWHERE. Even the main area of this resort is still a good distance away from Caribbean Beach’s Skyliner station. In fact, that main area winds up being closer to the Riviera Resort Skyliner hub than the actual Caribbean Beach one. Keep in mind amenity and restaurant locations when booking rooms here and deciding where to stay on property. 

Order Goodies To Spruce Up Your Room

Celebrating something special or want to surprise one of your group members with a little extra “congrats” before they get up to their room? You can reach out to Magical Floral & Gifts, a NEW third-party retailer that partners with Disney to deliver a variety of gift baskets, balloon bouquets, and floral arrangements to your resort. According to the website, “You must be present for your gift to be delivered to your room or you can pick it up at your resort front desk.” To place an order before your trip, visit the Magical Floral and Gifts website, or call 888-814-8718. 

Drastic Times Calls For… Spending Extra $$$

This one should be obvious — your pair of shoes matters at Disney World. Your flimsy little flip-flops aren’t doing you any favors and old worn-out shoes could fail you at any second. The pain isn’t worth it. Bite the bullet and purchase a better pair of shoes at a nearby shoe outlet outside the Disney bubble rather than keep on wearing the ones that are making you miserable. We don’t recommend breaking in new shoes at Disney World, but the alternative could have really painful and damaging results. It’s better to try a new shoe rather than deal with the current shoes you’ve got that are absolutely destroying the arch of your foot.

Don’t Forget About THIS Underrated Night Show

Fantasmic! may be the main show at Hollywood Studios, but don’t forget about the projection shows at Grauman’s Chinese Theater! Each evening, the theater features TWO different projection shows — Disney Movie Magic featuring highlights of classic live-action films — like Mary Poppins, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Indiana Jones — and Wonderful World of Animation, which highlights classic animated Disney and Pixar films like Zootopia, The Incredibles, and Moana. Each show lasts about 10 minutes and showtimes can be found on the My Disney Experience app.

There Are MORE Lockers Hiding In Disney World

We’re not talking about the $10-15 lockers in front of the parks — for this one, we’re talking about the lockers right outside the Kali River Rapids ride over in the Asia section of Animal Kingdom. While many guests who choose to pay for lockers here are just trying to keep their belongings dry, anyone can pay for a Kali River locker and have access to it all day long without having to backtrack to the front of the park each time you need something.

Good Neighbor Hotels Have Some MAJOR Downfalls

Good Neighbor Hotels partner with Disney to give guests a potentially more affordable hotel stay while still keeping them close to the parks. Many of these hotels also have similar perks to Disney-owned hotels, but you should also read the fine print, as these perks sometimes come with a catch. For example, some complimentary shuttle services at Good Neighbor Hotels operate in very limited timeframes in a limited capacity. You may end up spending more money on rideshare services.

Your Phone Might Call 911 Without You Knowing

Every day people call 911 while they are in Disney World without meaning to. How? Many smartphone apps have a built-in “crash detection” feature that will automatically dial 911 if the phone senses a collision. Roller coasters have enough force to mimic the force of a collision, and so the best prevention against this is turning your phone off, switching to airplane mode before getting on an intense ride, or simply turning off emergency or crash detection features while on vacation.

THESE Rides Have The Most Evacuations

Ride breakdowns happen more frequently for some Disney World rides than others — that’s just the honest truth. Unsurprisingly, Rise of the Resistance in Hollywood Studios breaks down the most at 580 times across 302 days (per AllEars). The runner-up is Test Track at EPCOT, which closed 560 times over 303 days, and in third is the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover at Magic Kingdom, which broke down 532 times over 264 days. For rides that break down frequently, we suggest hitting them up earlier as this gives you time to return later and try your luck again.

You DON’T Have To Miss “Baby Yoda”

If you would “like to see the baby” at Hollywood Studios, you’re in luck! The Mandalorian and Grogu wander around Batuu in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge looking for bounties to collect. While initially finding these two used to be based on luck, the My Disney Experience app now lists available times to find the pair. The Mandalorian character experience is marked by a Mickey head on the map and once you select it you’ll see details of meet-and-greet times. 

Gideon’s Will Cut You Off

Back at Gideon’s in Disney Springs, be aware that there’s a limit on how much dessert you’re allowed to buy. Gideon’s imposes a limit of six cookies per person for the “everyday options.” This limit gets even smaller for limited-time cookies, which is two cookies per person. Cake slices are generally the same.

You Might Turn Into An Avatar… But Not By Choice

Disney World is trying to phase out plastic bags in favor of reusable bags, but chances are you’ll still be able to get a plastic bag with each purchase. These bags have blue coloring and on a hot Orlando afternoon can TURN YOUR HANDS BLUE. If you notice your sweaty hands turning blue, the bag is probably why.

Amorette’s Patisserie Cakes Can Lead To Heartbreak

In Disney Springs, Amorette’s Patisserie cakes are wonderful and come with exciting perit cake designs. However, they are expensive ($20+ per cake) and can melt in the Orlando heat. If you decide to purchase an Amorette’s cake, plan on eating it right then and there or grab it closer to the end of the day so you can quickly get back to your hotel room and store it in the mini-fridge.

Download Your Ticket From The My Disney Experience App

These days, you don’t need to buy a MagicBand to access your park tickets. In fact, you don’t even need the physical tickets themselves. All you need is your phone and the My Disney Experience app. The app has a feature that will store your Disney World park tickets for you. To use your Magic Mobile Tickets, you’ll need to download them from the app into your Apple Wallet or Google Pay. To do this, use the menu button in the lower right-hand corner of the Home Screen, select the “Disney MagicMobile” option, and follow the steps to create and save your pass.

A Skyliner Bar Crawl Can Compete With A Monorail Bar Crawl

It’s tough to beat taking a break day from the parks by hopping onto the monorail and grabbing a quick drink from a deluxe resort. However, have you tried bar crawling along the Skyliner route? Resorts like Disney’s Art of Animation, Pop Century, the Riviera, Caribbean Beach, BoardWalk Inn, and Yacht and Beach Club can make for a very fun bar crawl day and offer unique alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks. Some of our favorite bars on the route include Bar Riva at the Riviera, Banana Cabana Lounge at Caribbean Beach, Belle Vue Lounge at BoardWalk Inn, and the Beaches and Cream To-Go Window. Also, be sure to check out our Skyliner Bar Crawl post for our tips and reviews!

Bring A Sewing Kit

Several Disney resorts used to provide rooms with little sewing kits back in the day and while you can still sometimes request one at the front desk, the safest bet is to bring your own. Mini sewing kits usually come equipped with a small pair of scissors, a needle, thread, safety pins, and sometimes a spare button or two. These kits can really save the day if you have a sudden wardrobe catastrophe and can be found on Amazon for as little as $5.

Know Where To Go For That 1PM Virtual Queue Drop

TRON: Lightcycle/Run in Magic Kingdom and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind in EPCOT both currently require virtual queues and you should know how to access those queues. Each day, these virtual queues open up twice for all park guests — once at 7 a.m. and then again at 1 p.m. The 7 a.m. window doesn’t require you to be in the park to access the queue and grab a boarding group number, but the 1 p.m. window DOES. While Disney does have free wifi, it isn’t the most reliable so we suggest switching over to your phone’s data for a better chance at getting into the virtual queue, as they fill up very quickly. We also advise against being inside a show or restaurant at 1 p.m. and instead, go somewhere out in the open to avoid a signal drop.

Free The Gift Shop Toys BEFORE You Leave The Store

You just bought a playset/toy car/figurine from the Disney gift shops for your excited kiddo. However, that excitement can quickly turn into a meltdown if those toys come in a box restricted with zip ties. You can try as hard as you can to open them and eventually, you’ll join your kid in having a meltdown. The solution is to ask a Cast Member behind the register to help get the tightly-packaged toys out of their cardboard confinements before you leave. Cast Members can also cut the tags off of Minnie Ears and NuiMo plushies.

Ditch The Shoulder Pets

Speaking of NuiMo plushies, we get they’re all the rage. We really do. BUT these shoulder pets tend to fall off with the slightest friction or movement due to their weak magnets. If you use a backpack strap or hair tie to have them stay with you all day long — great. Otherwise, expect to be picking them up all day or worry about losing them.

Late Discounts Are Better Than NO Discounts

DON’T PAY FULL PRICE FOR A DISNEY WORLD HOTEL. Disney regularly releases hotel and ticket discounts throughout the year but sometimes you don’t time planning your trip perfectly. THAT’S OK!  If you booked a room early and then a discount releases, you might still be able to apply that discount through the My Disney Experience app.  Go to the “My Plans, Reservation and Tickets” section and look for the option “Change/Modify Reservation”. From there, find the exact date and times of your vacation, select your room, and check the top options listed. One will be for “Room-only,” but if there’s a discount that you can still apply to your room, there should be another option listed as “Special Offers.” Select that, follow the prompts, and get your trip rebooked with the special offer. When in doubt, you can always talk to a Disney representative by calling 407-939-1936 or work with a travel agent like our friends over at Small World Vacations.

Two Words: DRINK FLIGHTS

Indecisive? Get a drink flight! Flights allow you to sample small-sized drinks without committing to a full glass. Some of the BEST places to pick up a drink flight include the Moonshine Flights at Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ at Disney Springs, the sangria flight at Three Bridges Bar and Grill at Coronado Springs, and the margarita flights at Geyser Point Bar and Grill at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge.

Beware Of Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster (And Its Rough-Housing Tendencies)

Sure, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster at Hollywood Studios is a popular attraction. But even after its most recent renovations, it’s still ROUGH. After the initial 0-59 mph launch, your head feels like a ping-pong ball against the shoulder restraints. This ride requires painkillers after riding. For a better chance at a smoother ride, try to request a seat in the first three rows of the coaster. With that said, if you’re already prone to headaches, give this ride a pass. 

Use Snack Credits In The BEST Way

Finally, If you’re going to be using the Disney Dining Plan when it returns to Disney World starting on January 9th, 2024, then you should know how you want to spend your snack credits. We recommend using them around EPCOT’s festival booths! The snacks and sweets options are diverse and unique, and even though you only get one snack credit per day, you can stack them and use the credits at any time during your trip. It’s totally possible to use MULTIPLE snack credits on your EPCOT day to try out many festival treats in one go.

WHEW! We know that was a lot but we think these secrets will SERIOUSLY help you out on your next Disney World vacation. In the meantime, be sure to follow us here at DFB for all the latest Disney World news, tips, and reviews!

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Has 33 Restaurants, But You Only Need To Know About 5

Which Disney World secrets and tips do you usually use on your Disney World vacations? Let us know!