What You Need to Know About Disney World Florida
Turn your Disney Cruise Line holiday into a fantastic cruise-and-stay filled with even more family fun, with a few days spent in Florida. Florida has all sorts to offer its visitors, from delicious food and sandy beaches, to watersports, and of course the famous theme parks. Continue the Disney magic by exploring some of their parks.
The Disney Parks
There are four main theme parks at Walt Disney World, each with their own theme, along with two waterparks, a mini-golf course, a shopping centre, and even ESPN Wide World of Sports. Click the name of a park below to find out more about it, or keep reading for some useful information on Disney holidays on land.
Magic Kingdom - Animal Kingdom - Hollywood Studios - EPCOT - Water Parks & Other Attractions
Transport
You don’t need to worry about getting to your Disney hotels, as all the transfers will be arranged for you and included in your price. Transport from your ship to the Disney complex can be arranged by your sales agent, and Disney actually provide a shuttle service called the Magical Express, meaning you can step out of the airport or cruise terminal and onto a bus with bright Disney colours on the side. This bus will take you straight to your hotel or to the parks, though it may stop in Kissimmee and around the Disney property as a regular bus would. If you plan to stay outside of the Disney complex on the other hand, consider hiring a car. This is something your sales agent will easily be able to arrange for you at an extra cost. Despite the size of the Disney property, transport is quick and easy. As well as the busses, there are ferries, monorails and even a Disney complex taxi service known as Minnie Van.
Hotels and Dining
There are more than 30 hotel resorts on the Disney property, each with their own theme, restaurants, and price ranges. They all have high-quality facilities as well as easy access to and from the parks. The price range is wide, and as you can imagine the luxury increases with the cost. There are over 140 places to eat across the premises, so you’ll certainly never go hungry. If you’re staying on Disney property, you can add a dining plan to your holiday package. Talk to your sales agent for more information about this, or read more information about Disney hotels and dining.
Helpful Tips
What is the My Disney Experience App?
We highly recommended making the most of The My Disney Experience App, which can be downloaded onto most phones. On it you can access your personal plans regarding dinner reservations, Fast Passes, and hotels, as well as see live waiting times for park attractions, locations of character meet and greets, show timings, and even locate the nearest toilet! You can use the app to reserve dining 180 days before the date, and book Fast Passes 60 days out.
What is the Disney Magic Band?
Nowadays, you don’t necessarily need a physical ticket to get into the parks. If you book a package including a stay in a Disney hotel, you’ll be given a Magic Band instead of a ticket. It’s essentially a wristband that has a small, Mickey shaped sensor on it, which allows you access to the parks, attractions, PhotoPass, dining, and it's even your hotel room key! Before your holiday you can even design your Magic Band, which will then be delivered to you ready with all the details of your onshore holiday loaded onto it.
What is 'Memory Maker'?
Memory Maker is a photo service which allows any photo taken on a ride or by a Disney PhotoPass photographer to be yours as soon as it’s taken, with no watermark and no download cost. Park ticket packages can be purchased with the Memory Maker advantage - or if not, it's possible to pay for this separately during your trip, or even for a limited time after. It works as follows: as soon as you’ve posed with your favourite character or in front of some Disney scenery, your PhotoPass photographer will scan your magic band (or PhotoPass card if you don’t have a magic band). The pictures will then be added to your My Disney Experience account which you can access online on the app or website of the same name. Without Memory Maker, your images will be watermarked and you will be unable to download them. With the Memory Maker advantage, you can download as many of the pictures as you please, personalising as you go, before heading out to take even more. That’s every family picture in front of the castle, every picture with a character, and any candid ride picture you deem funny enough to keep sent right to your phone or computer for you to share with your friends and family.
What is FastPass+?
The Disney FastPass+ advantage comes free with every ticket. 30 days before arrival to the parks (or 60 if you'll be staying at a Disney resort), each guest can reserve a place in line for three rides or attractions in a single park, every day. After using the third fast pass, you can visit a kiosk or go to the My Disney Experience app to book another one per guest, depending on availability. Your first three pre-booked experiences must be for attractions in the same park, but your final FastPass+ experience can be reserved in any park.
If you're busy planning a holiday to the Disney World Florida parks, make sure you take a look at our general park tips to make the most of your stay.