Disney Done Right: When to Go, What to Skip, and How to Save at Disney Parks

Summary

Episode Summary: Disney Done Right: When to Go, What to Skip, and How to Save at Disney Parks

Introduction

In this episode of Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways, hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle from NerdWallet Travel delve into the intricate world of planning a visit to Disney Parks. Focused on both Disneyland and Walt Disney World, the episode offers a comprehensive guide on optimizing your Disney experience—covering the best times to visit, cost-saving strategies, and tips to maximize your enjoyment while minimizing wait times.

Current Travel Landscape and Disney’s Evolution

The episode kicks off with a discussion on the impact of inflation on Disney's offerings. Sally shares a nostalgic perspective, reminiscing about her 1999 Disneyland annual pass priced at $129, which adjusts to approximately $245 today when accounting for inflation. She humorously highlights that the current annual pass costs around $1,400, illustrating the significant price hike over the years.

Notable Quote:

Sally French [00:00]: "Everyone is talking about inflation these days. But I have the wildest inflation example for you."

Transitioning to recent developments in the travel industry, Sally mentions her attendance at the media preview for Epic Universe, Orlando’s newest theme park, set to open on May 22, 2025. This addition signifies Disney's continuous expansion and innovation within its parks.

Travel News Highlights:

1. Southwest Airlines Policy Changes:

   • Expiration Dates on Flight Credits: Starting May 28, Southwest will reinstate expiration dates on flight credits, affecting holders of the airline’s Rapid Rewards credit card who previously enjoyed more flexible options.
   • Checked Baggage Fees: Introduction of fees for checked baggage across all fare types, including Basic, Wanna Get Away, Plus, and Anytime fares.

   Notable Quote:

   Tess Viglund [02:42]: "Only Sally are going to be deeply disappointed to hear that come May 28, Southwest will begin charging fees for checked baggage."

2. Delta Airlines Fare Updates:

   • Delta is restructuring its fare classes, replacing traditional cabin classes with "travel experiences" such as Basic, Classic, and Extra. The Extra Tier, costing significantly more, offers perks like priority boarding and increased mileage earnings.

   Notable Quote:

   Sally French [04:00]: "The extra Tier gives you 7 miles per dollar spent, which is more than the usual 5."

Despite these changes, Sally highlights a positive trend: April airfares have decreased by 8% year-over-year, offering a glimmer of hope for budget-conscious travelers.

Disney Parks Planning: When to Go

The core of the episode centers on strategic planning for a Disney Parks visit. Sally and Megan emphasize timing as a critical factor in both cost and crowd management.

1. Optimal Visiting Times:

   • Midweek Visits: Choosing weekdays over weekends can result in lower prices and fewer crowds.
   • Off-Peak Months: September is identified as the cheapest month to visit Walt Disney World, averaging $125 per adult compared to $157 in July.

   Notable Quote:

   Sally French [10:35]: "The cheapest time to go to Disney World on average is actually September."

2. Dynamic Pricing:

   • Disney employs dynamic pricing, adjusting ticket costs based on expected crowd levels. Visiting on less busy days not only saves money but also rewards flexibility in scheduling.

Cost-Saving Strategies

To help listeners manage their Disney budgets effectively, the hosts share several actionable tips:

1. Authorized Discount Resellers:

   • Purchasing tickets from authorized vendors like Undercover Tourist can yield modest savings (e.g., $10 off a two-day Disneyland ticket).

   Notable Quote:

   Megan Coyle [12:17]: "Undercover Tourist is one of my favorite places to buy Disney tickets."

2. Disney’s Own Promotions:

   • Special deals linked to Disneyland’s 70th anniversary offer discounted multi-day tickets valid through August 2025. Additionally, Disney World provides significant discounts for children's tickets during summer months.

3. Gift Card Hacks:

   • Utilizing retail credit cards, such as Target’s REDcard, to purchase Disney gift cards at a discount (5% off), effectively reducing ticket and merchandise costs.

   Notable Quote:

   Sally French [14:25]: "I buy a bunch of Disney gift cards at Target and $100 gift card just cost me $95."

Maximizing Park Time

Efficiently navigating the parks can significantly enhance the visitor experience. Sally and Megan present several techniques to minimize wait times and make the most of each day:

1. Rope Drop:

   • Arriving before park opening and heading straight to top attractions can help beat the crowds.

   Notable Quote:

   Sally French [17:20]: "Rope drop is when you get there before the park opens. It is your prime time to go on everything."

2. Late-Night Riding:

   • Utilizing the last hour before park closure to enjoy popular rides with minimal wait times.

3. Lightning Lane Passes:

   • Investing in Lightning Lane passes, with options ranging from single ride passes to the premium Premier Pass, allows expedited access to attractions. While effective, the Premier Pass can be prohibitively expensive ($130 to $450).

   Notable Quote:

   Sally French [16:08]: "A single ride pass is about 10 to 30 dollars per ride. The Premier Pass... is super expensive."

4. Single Rider Lines and Mobile Ordering:

   • Leveraging single rider options for quicker access to attractions and using mobile apps to pre-order food, thereby avoiding lengthy lines at eateries.

Food and Dining Tips

Dining can be a significant expense at Disney Parks, but the hosts provide strategies to manage costs without compromising on the experience:

1. Bringing Your Own Food:

   • Disney permits guests to bring their own meals and beverages, including water bottles, which can lead to substantial savings.

2. Disney Dining Plans:

   • Pre-purchasing dining plans may offer some discounts, though Sally notes that bringing your own food often results in greater savings.

3. Maximizing Dining Offers:

   • Taking advantage of current promotions, such as complimentary dining plans for children staying in Disney-owned hotels, can further reduce costs.

Must-Visit Restaurants and Free Activities

To enrich your Disney experience without overspending, Sally and Megan recommend several dining venues and complimentary activities:

1. Recommended Eateries:

   • Trader Sam’s: A tiki bar offering a vibrant atmosphere, located at the Disneyland Hotel and Disney's Polynesian Resort.
   • Oga’s Cantina: Situated in Star Wars Land, this venue provides a unique, immersive experience with character interactions.

2. Free Activities:

   • Monorail and Skyliner Rides: Enjoy rides on Disney’s monorail or skyliner free of charge.
   • Hotel Area Exploration: Wander through the intricately themed Disney hotels, especially during festive seasons like Christmas.
   • Animal Kingdom Lodge: Experience a free “safari” by observing wildlife from the hotel’s premises.

Interactive Tips for Enjoyment

Sally and Megan encourage guests to balance structured activities with leisurely exploration to fully savor the Disney environment:

• Midday Breaks: Returning to the hotel during peak afternoon hours to rest and avoid the hottest part of the day.

• Evening Exploration: Taking advantage of lower crowd levels in the evening to enjoy attractions without the usual wait times.

  Notable Quote:

  Sally French [18:52]: "So either commit to the morning, commit to the evening, but avoid the afternoon time."

Hot Takeoff: Reintroducing the Ticket Book System

Wrapping up the episode, Sally offers a nostalgic "hot takeoff" by advocating for Disney to reinstate the old ticket book system. This system historically allowed guests to purchase a set number of tickets, each redeemable for specific attractions, thereby encouraging a more relaxed and enjoyable park experience without the constant pressure to spend on expedited access.

Notable Quote:

Sally French [23:21]: "Disney should go back to the ticket book system. So this is a system that they had way back in the day, where you paid for a low price to get into the parks, and then what you got in exchange was this ticket book."

Sally explains that the ticket book system would allow visitors to engage more deeply with the park’s ambiance, savoring the surroundings and unique experiences without the stress of financial constraints tied to each ride.

Conclusion

The episode concludes with a heartfelt invitation for listeners to follow Smart Travel across various podcast platforms, encouraging subscriptions and reviews. The hosts reiterate their commitment to providing educational and entertaining travel advice, ensuring listeners are well-equipped to plan their next Disney adventure efficiently and economically.

Final Notes:

• Production Credits: The episode was produced and edited by Nick Karisimi, with fact-checking assistance from Claire Sosi and Hilary Georgie.
• Disclaimer: The hosts remind listeners that they are not financial or investment advisors, and the information provided is for general educational and entertainment purposes.

Notable Closing Quote:

Sally French [26:03]: "Sam."

Helpful Links:

• NerdWallet Travel Tools and Tips: NerdWallet Travel
• Undercover Tourist: Authorized Disney ticket reseller offering discounts on park tickets.

---

By following the insights and strategies shared by Sally and Megan, Disney enthusiasts can navigate the complexities of park planning with greater ease, ensuring a magical and memorable experience without breaking the bank.

Transcript

[Sally French]

Everyone is talking about inflation these days. But I have the wildest inflation example for you.

[Tess Viglund]

Wait, I thought you and Megan were gonna do an episode on Disney.

[Sally French]

Tess, we are. Okay, so I first got my Disneyland annual pass in 1999. At the time, the deluxe pass was $129.

[Tess Viglund]

Slightly more expensive today. Ooh, slightly.

[Sally French]

Well, adjusted for inflation, $129 in 1999 would be $245 today.

[Tess Viglund]

Imagine getting an annual pass to Disneyland for 245 today.

[Sally French]

Tess, you thought Disneyland was crowded. Now imagine if it was only $245 for an annual pass. To give some context, I will say Disneyland now consists of2 parks versus in 1999, there was just one park. But roughly, that same pass I had now today, with similar blockout dates, costs fourteen hundred dollars.

[Tess Viglund]

Yikes. No, Sally, I think that would make Pluto's ears stand on end.

[Sally French]

I love that, Tess. Okay, so on the flip side, I if Disneyland annual passes were only $245 now for the whole year, that would seem like a steal.

[Tess Viglund]

Welcome to Smart Travel, a deep dive into the tips, tools and tactics to maximize your travel dollars.

[Sally French]

I'm Sally French.

[Tess Viglund]

And I'm Tess Viglundon for Megan Coyle for this first part of the show.

[Sally French]

And we are the travel nerds ready to help you plan your next big trip.

[Tess Viglund]

All right, let's dive in with some news, Sally.

[Sally French]

Well, don't get too excited to dive in. First, our disclaimer. And that's that we'll talk about a few credit card companies that are nerdwallet partners in this episode, but that doesn't influence how we discuss them. The benefits, terms and fees mentioned were accurate at the time of posting, but things can change. Some offers may have expired by the time you're listening, so for the latest details, follow the links in the episode description.

[Tess Viglund]

All right, now, Megan's off this week, traveling for two, count them, two weddings. But you, Sally, are traveling for work. Where are you?

[Sally French]

I am talking to you right now from Orlando. I am here at a media preview for Epic Universe, which is the first new Orlando theme park in more than 25 years, and a highly anticipated one at that. They've got a Super Nintendo World, a new Wizarding World of Harry Potter, a how to train your Dragon Land. Tune in to a future episode of Smart Travel, as we are dedicating a full new episode to that. But let it be known that it officially opens tomorrow. That's May 22nd.

[Tess Viglund]

Wingardium Leviosa to Florida. Yes, that's A Potterland spell getting me across the country without dealing with tsa.

[Sally French]

Ooh, that would be magic. To avoid that, I see you levitating.

[Tess Viglund]

All right, but for those of you without the benefit of a wizard wand, if you fly Southwest, here's your reminder that all sorts of new policy changes are going to go into effect on May 28th.

[Sally French]

I know. I'm pretty sad about it, especially the fact that they're bringing back expiration dates on flight credits.

[Tess Viglund]

Yeah, I suspect a lot of listeners, though not you. Carry on. Only Sally, are going to be deeply disappointed to hear that come May 28, Southwest will begin charging fees for checked baggage to travelers on Basic, Want to get away plus and anytime fares. And by the way, the names of those fairs are changing soon, too.

[Sally French]

They love to do that. And it also does mean, at least on the bright side, holding a Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card can be much more valuable now, as those cardholders will receive their first checked bag for free.

[Tess Viglund]

All right, another piece of airline news. Delta just dropped some new fare updates. And while they might look cosmetic, they could hint at bigger changes ahead.

[Sally French]

Yeah, you know, so I'm low key cringing saying this, but beginning October 1, 2025, for flights from the US and Canada, you won't pick a cabin class notice. You will pick what's called a travel experience.

[Tess Viglund]

A travel experience? That kind of sounds like a fancy phrase for cabin class.

[Sally French]

I know. It's true. Okay, so now with these changes, you'll choose from options, including basic, classic, and extra. Extra is the new top tier fully refundable option. It has perks like priority boarding and more miles.

[Tess Viglund]

Is it fair to say that you could call these changes extra?

[Sally French]

Okay, Tess, just wait for it. The extra Tier gives you 7 miles per dollar spent, which is more than the usual 5. So that's good news. Heads up, though. You cannot book extra with Delta SkyMiles. And if you're flying basic, you're earning zero miles.

[Tess Viglund]

Nothing wrong with being basic, I suppose. But not letting you earn miles is downright unclassy on Delta's end.

[Sally French]

It is pretty tough, you know, and this is part of a trend we're seeing lately where perks are being unbundled. Now, I will say I do not completely hate this trend, because the good news is it means lower base airfares. If you're someone who doesn't care about priority boarding or miles, then this can be an opportunity to score a lower airfare.

[Tess Viglund]

You know, honestly, I earn way more miles with credit card purchases than I do with flights and airfare So, I don't know. I guess I don't completely hate it either.

[Sally French]

Speaking of lower airfares, I do have some more good news for you. So, as you know, Tess, I track airfare fluctuations super closely every month, and this month was particularly fascinating. So we just got fresh data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics last week. The report dropped in May, but it refers to April prices. Just keep that in mind. But as it turns out, April airfares are down 8% year over year.

[Tess Viglund]

That is not something we usually hear.

[Sally French]

No, I know, and it's very shocking. And I am sympathetic to the many readers I talk to out there who say it feels like travel is more expensive than ever. You look at these trends like we just talked about with Delta, where they're marketing the chance to, you know, select your own travel experience. And what it really is is them trying to seduce you with a low fare only to get you to pay more once they have your attention.

[Tess Viglund]

Sally, that is not the kind of seduction I appreciate.

[Sally French]

In no way. Not from Delta.

[Tess Viglund]

From anyone, for that matter. Time to hand the reins over to you and Megan to talk all things Disney.

[Sally French]

Tess, thanks for joining us with the news.

[Tess Viglund]

It's always a trip, Sally.

[Megan Coyle]

Today we're talking all about Disney's US Parks. I know you just got back from one of them, Sally.

[Sally French]

I did. Just last week, Disneyland hosted a big media event. It was all about their 70th anniversary, which kicked off on May 16th. Now, technically, Disneyland's 70th anniversary is on July 17th, but, you know, Disney loves to extend the birthday as long as possible, so they have a new night to him. Parade. A new daytime parade, A new show on Main street featuring an actual Walt Disney audio animatronic. And since everyone loves food, there are more than 70 new food items.

[Megan Coyle]

Did you try any of those foods?

[Sally French]

Oh, you know I did, Megan. That is the best part of Disney. I love a good churro. And the color palette for the 70th is all purple, so probably the most iconic food I ate was the 70th anniversary Churro rolled in ube sugar to give it that purple hue.

[Megan Coyle]

Oh, my gosh. Yum. I love ube. Okay, what else did you have?

[Sally French]

The other great thing I ate was the cowboy fries. These were at the Golden Horseshoe. This is one of the few restaurants that was there on opening day in 1955. What was not there on opening day was this wild concoction. Fries, Nacho cheese, sauteed ground beef, burger sauce, butter pickles.

[Megan Coyle]

I got to say, that does not sound as Appetizing to me, if I'm being honest. I love fries, but, like, I just don't think that theme park fries are the best ones.

[Sally French]

What about animal style fries at in and Out? This kind of was giving me that energy, but more protein.

[Megan Coyle]

It sounds too wet, too much going on.

[Sally French]

Okay, so you are making me sound like I am way too obsessive about all the Disney food, all the Disney stuff, which maybe I am. But I need to tell you, Megan, I worked at Disney in high school. Did you know that?

[Megan Coyle]

Oh, yeah, of course I knew that. Sally, you're from the O.C. yeah, I know.

[Sally French]

I feel like every single high school kid in Orange county worked at Disneyland at some point in their life. The official term though, is not employee, it's cast member. And then besides working at Disney itself, my first job out of school was covering the theme parks as a beat reporter for the Orange County Register. And now, Megan, you live near Disneyland, so I see you there all the time.

[Megan Coyle]

I am not as qualified as you to talk about Disney probably, but I've got a different perspective. So my family used to always go to Disney World. Actually, because I grew up on the east coast, we went every time one of us turned 4. It was a very sweet tradition, except unfortunately, my middle sisters are twins, so we only went once when they both turned 4 at the same time.

[Sally French]

You didn't get to do a twice as long trip.

[Megan Coyle]

Yeah, but let's see, we did do some other ones after that. We did a Disney cruise and I went to college here in la, which is close to Disneyland. So now I've been many, many times. And my friends say the best part about going with me is that they don't need a map or someone to tell them what's actually worth it because I just provide all of that for them.

[Sally French]

You are the map. We are the maps. That's what we are today for you listeners. Today we are going to talk about how to save money at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Now, there are many other theme parks around the world and cruises. We are just going to focus on Disneyland and Disney World. That is up next after this. As people plan their Disney trip, they want to know when is the best time to go. So that's what we'll start by talking about today. Now, Megan, when do you think it's the best time to go?

[Megan Coyle]

When there are less people there. So I would say midweek.

[Sally French]

Okay.

[Megan Coyle]

And avoid any school holidays.

[Sally French]

Yes, I think that is sort of the rule of thumb is if kids are out of school, I'm talking summer, Thanksgiving, Christmas, any of those other holidays, that's when it's going to be crowded. So if you can avoid any of those times, that is ideal. Now it is interesting that you said midweek because yes, you get fewer crowds, you also get lower prices. Disney rolled this out somewhat recently is that they do the dynamic pricing. And I know some people love and hate dynamic pricing. But what's nice is that if you are going on a day that's busier, you're going to pay more. And if you're going on a day that's less crowded, like a Tuesday, you will pay less. I think that's nice to reward you for shifting your schedule to a less crowded day.

[Megan Coyle]

And especially if you're going with multiple people, say bringing your whole family, saving $20 by going one day earlier per person can really add up. You can also save by buying packages of tickets. When you go for multiple days, for example, for Disney World, then the price per day is lower usually than if you buy just one day ticket. Sally, I know last time you were at Disney World, you were sitting on the bus and just crunching the numbers about when the actual best month to go to Disney World is. What did you find?

[Sally French]

Yes, this is really interesting. The cheapest time to go to Disney World on average is actually September. Their ticket prices average $125. Compare that to July where ticket prices average $157. So basically $32 cheaper per person to go in September versus July.

[Megan Coyle]

So if you go when it's hot, then the ticket prices are generally a little bit lower if you can avoid like the summer vacation crowds and most.

[Sally French]

Of the kids are back in school by September anyway, so you have fewer crowds and lower prices.

[Megan Coyle]

And I still can't stop thinking about how you mentioned you had a $120 Disneyland annual pass back in the day.

[Sally French]

So Walt Disney World tickets, that's the park in Florida, start now at $119 for an adult for a one day ticket. So basically my annual pass is a bargain compared to prices. Now Disneyland starts at just over $100 per adult one day ticket. Again though, prices are dynamic. So that lower ticket price is going to be on that random Thursday in September. It's going to be a lot more if you want to go on the day after Christmas like everybody else.

[Megan Coyle]

And while we're talking about prices, we should mention that these are like very base prices. There are so many add ons you can get at Disney. For example, a park hopper which lets you go to multiple Disney parks in One day lightning lane passes which let you access this line that's hopefully a little bit shorter.

[Sally French]

I price this out. And so on July 5th, that's the Saturday after July 4th, if you get a park hopper ticket, which that allows you to go to multiple Disney parks with the lightning lane, that gets you into the expedited queue access that would come out to $303 per adult.

[Megan Coyle]

Oh my gosh, I cannot afford that. And also adults are like anyone over the age of 10, which is yes, that you'd pay that much for a 10 year old. All right, let's talk about how you can avoid paying $300 per adult ticket. One of the best ways to do it is to go on those lighter days, but also maybe buying from authorized discount resellers like undercover tourists getaway today. They have really small discounts, but it is something.

[Sally French]

Yes, they can add up. So undercover Tourist is one of my favorite places to buy Disney tickets. In fact, I often buy my tickets from them myself. So for example, I just looked up undercover tourist prices at the Disneyland Resort. A two day one park per day tick would be $320. That's a $10 savings from $330 at the gate. $10. You times this by your whole family and that's more money in your churro fund.

[Megan Coyle]

And then Disneyland and Disney World itself also offer their own ticket deals. We'll put the link to the article that has all of those in this episode's description. A couple that are going on right now. In honor of Disneyland's 70th anniversary, Disney is offering these three day one park per day tickets for a discount. You could also do four days and those are valid for visits through August 14, 2025. So I mean you've got all summer to use it during like peak time.

[Sally French]

And you know that four day one park per day ticket is $100 per day, which I figure how much money I spend on museum tickets and all of that when I'm otherwise going on a vacation that I actually do not think this is a bad deal.

[Megan Coyle]

And at Disney World they're offering a special discount for kids this summer, which again it's kids are ages three through nine. So a small window there. You can get three day tickets for 50% off this summer. Again, another great way to get a discount if you're going during peak days over the summer.

[Sally French]

And I'll throw in one more Disney World ticket offer through September 22, 2025. That's a three day three park ticket and it comes out to starting at $89 per day plus tax. The catch with this is you cannot go to Magic Kingdom. It only works at Disney Hollywood Studios, Epcot, and Disney's Animal Kingdom. But honestly, those are my three favorite parks.

[Megan Coyle]

And Sally, you've got another hack. This one is using gift cards.

[Sally French]

Yes. So I am a Target red card holder. This is Target's branded credit card. There is no annual fee and you can buy Disney gift cards at Target. Here's where the red card kicks in. This Target credit card gets you 5% off the purchase price of most items at Target stores. And that includes Disney gift cards. So what I do is ahead of a Disney trip, I buy a bunch of Disney gift cards at Target and $100 gift card just cost me $95. I can use that to buy tickets. I can also use it to buy anything else that they sell at Disney as long as they accept gift cards. So any of the shops, any of the restaurants, for the most part, this is a great way to save at Disney.

[Megan Coyle]

All right, moving on. Let's talk about making the most of your time at Disney. So the less time you spend waiting in line, the better. What are some of your hacks, Sally, for doing this?

[Sally French]

So I think we need to address the big one and that is all of these ways you can pay to skip the line. There are a few ways you could do this. There is a lightning lane single pass. This gets you expedited entry into one ride. Then there is a multi pass. This gets you into up to three rides at a time. You select an arrival window and then once you've used up one of those rides, then you can go select another ride. And then there's something called the Premier Pass. This is very limited, it is new, it is somewhat in testing and it's super expensive. So for context, a single ride pass is about 10 to 30 dollars per ride. That multi pass is 20 to 30 dollars per park. The Premier Pass, wait for it. I hope you're sitting down on the low end for a smaller park like Animal Kingdom is about $130. But I've seen it at the Magic kingdom for about $450.

[Megan Coyle]

That's more than the ticket.

[Sally French]

Yes. So I think a lot of people are not buying this, but this is something where if you are doing a once in a lifetime trip to Disney, maybe you're coming from an international destination and you're only going to be at Disney World for one day and you want to see it all. Maybe this is worth it because you do not spend any Time in line.

[Megan Coyle]

I've been happy with the multi pass last time I've gotten it because I've been able to do three or four rides that usually have a little bit of a longer line and then mixing that with some that you do stand in line for. I've been really happy with those.

[Sally French]

Yeah, me too. You know, I always buy the Multi pass when I go because I do feel like my time is money. I'm giving up time off of work. I am on this vacation. I already spent a bunch of money on the hotel and the ticket, so I might as well not wait in line. I think that Multi Pass sort of fills that sweet spot of not being the $450 premier pass, but still allowing me to expedite those lines.

[Megan Coyle]

And then there are a couple free ways that you can also try to beat the lines and get to these rides early. The number one one I think most people know about is the rope drop.

[Sally French]

Oh, Megan, people do not know about this. We need to really. Oh, yes, yes. This is the number one hack that everyone overlooks.

[Megan Coyle]

Well, you've done it. Tell me what the strategy is. How do you get there? What time do you need to show up?

[Sally French]

So rope drop is when you get there before the park opens. It is your prime time to go on everything. So if the park opens at 8, they will open the main entrance gates earlier. And typically they'll let you go to a certain area. So if you are going to Disneyland in California, typically you can wander around Main Street. If the park opens at 8, then you can be in there at 7:30. This is a great opportunity to take some photos. Often the shops are open, you can browse around, but you want to get up to those quote ropes. Sometimes it's not a literal rope. It's just an employee standing there. But at that time, when they quote drop the ropes, you beeline to the top ride you want to go to.

[Megan Coyle]

I also like the opposite of the rope drop, which is going on all of these rides that are really popular late at night when most people are like, all right, they're either watching the fireworks or they're heading back to their car. Anyways, I've gotten on Space Mountain in like five minutes. There's a lot of ways that you can stay later and ride a bunch of rides in the last hour of the park being open as well.

[Sally French]

The best time to avoid the lines is during the parade, during the fireworks. And then in general, there are a lot of families who will say, we're going to do the first Half of the day or the second half of the day, what happens is kind of in that noontime, everyone has overlapped and everyone is there. So either commit to the morning, commit to the evening, but avoid the afternoon time. I say do rope drop. Then midday, you're tired, you're hot, go back to your hotel, lay in the pool or your bed, and then come back in the evening when the lines are shorter and it's cooler.

[Megan Coyle]

Yeah, then you get a break from the park as well. I think you'll just enjoy, enjoy the experience a little bit more if you're not feeling super drained at the end of the night.

[Sally French]

Exactly. Right now, speaking of hotel Disney also has a benefit for its hotel guests. Hotel guests get something called early entry. This is a bonus 30 minutes extra in the morning. So if the park opens at 8, that means hotel guests can start getting on the rides at 7:30. And then the rope drop still sort of applies. So you might be in the park at 7am Just moseying around, ready to beat everyone else who's a hotel guest at the rope drop.

[Megan Coyle]

I also love doing a single rider if you're not riding with small children. And then for food as well. That's another place where you shouldn't wait super long to get your food because there's just a gajillion places to eat inside of these parks. You can mobile order your food ahead of time and go pick it up so you can save time on lines there. I would also just say strategizing. Similarly, the midday lunch break, everyone is eating lunch at the same time. So if you can eat earlier or later, I would really recommend that.

[Sally French]

Great tips to save time when ordering food. Let's talk about saving money when ordering food.

[Megan Coyle]

The number one tip here is bring your own food. Yes, that'll be way cheaper than anything Disney sells.

[Sally French]

So many people are shocked to know that Disney allows your own food, especially.

[Megan Coyle]

Your own water bottle, because there's a lot of places to refill that. If you do want to eat at Disneyland or Disney World and see some characters, you actually don't have to do it inside of the park either. You can get that character meal experience without needing like a theme park ticket. And maybe on a day that you're not going to the theme parks, you could book a character meal at one of the hotels. And then quick mention for the Disney dining plan where you can pay a certain amount, usually $60 or $100 per adult, and then you can redeem at different restaurants inside of the parks. We looked at the numbers it's not that much cheaper and you can definitely save more if you're just bringing in your own food. But if you did want to just like budget for it ahead of time. And there are sometimes some offers, different discounts on Disney dining. So if that's interesting to you, you can look up the Disney dining plans.

[Sally French]

There are a lot of really good offers coming up the rest of 2025 and even into 2026, including a really good offer in 2026 where all the kids staying in a Disney owned hotel room get the dining plan free if the adults in the room have paid for it.

[Megan Coyle]

And then for different restaurants that you say people should 100% visit when they're at Disney parks. Do you have any rec, Sally?

[Sally French]

I will give you two. One is Trader Sam's. This is not even in the parks. This is at the Disneyland hotel. And there is also one at Disney's Polynesian Resort in Disney World. Super fun tiki bar. And then my second one, I think you're gonna agree with me, is Oga's Cantina in Star Wars Land.

[Megan Coyle]

Oh, yeah, super cute. There's a little robot dj. So adorable.

[Sally French]

His name is DJ Rex and they have really fun.

[Megan Coyle]

And then for merchandise, I'm not a big spender on like clothing and things like that, but for some reason when I'm in Disney parks, I get this real urge to buy a shirt or like ears or something because there's so many stores everywhere.

[Sally French]

You're like, I can't not look at the shops because every time you leave a ride, there's a shop.

[Megan Coyle]

Last tip for those non theme park activities around the parks. If you have an extra day, take advantage of some of the cool stuff there is to do around Disney that's actually free.

[Sally French]

So some of my favorite free stuff to do at Disney World that's in Orlando that does not require a ticket is one, joyriding the monorail. Two, joyriding the skyliner. Three, aimlessly wandering around the hotels. The Disney World hotels are amazing, especially.

[Megan Coyle]

Around Christmas when they've got the gingerbread displays up. So cute.

[Sally French]

Yes, exactly. My other favorite one is at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Grab a glass of South African wine at the Victoria Falls Lounge. They have animals that you can see see from the hotel itself. So you don't even need to pay for an Animal Kingdom ticket. You can just watch the animals at the Animal Kingdom Lodge.

[Megan Coyle]

Your very own free safari. I love it. All right. Disneyland has fewer of these free options around. You could watch fireworks for free at some of the nearby hotels. My Favorite place is the Pixar Place Hotel, which has a great view. And they piped in the music. And then Downtown Disney also has some fun stuff. They have a Lego store during the holidays. They have, like, snowfall, live music, that kind of thing.

[Sally French]

All right, good tips. I think it is time now for some hot takeoffs. What do you think, Megan?

[Megan Coyle]

I'm scared for this Disney one from you. Let's hear it.

[Sally French]

Okay, Megan, so here's my hot takeoff, and that is that Disney should go back to the ticket book system. So this is a system that they had way back in the day, where you paid for a low price to get into the parks, and then what you got in exchange was this ticket book. So at the time when the parks opened, there were A tickets, B tickets, and C tickets. The A rides were kind of the ones that no one really cares about. And then the C tickets were the better rides. And then you could just exchange one ticket to go on one ride on each corresponding ride. Now, it did limit how many rides you could go on. Eventually, Disney expanded it out to D and then E tickets. So you've probably heard the term, this is an E ticket attraction. You hear that in pop culture now. And they phased out these ticket books in 1982. Now, for what it's worth, I never experienced this firsthand, so I could be wrong, but I think the ticket books sounded really nice, because then you don't feel pressure to one, have to pay for all the line tickets to expedite the lines, which is something I recently did when I went to Disney. And it also just gives you time to sort of slow down, enjoy the scenery. You get to just wander around, appreciate the parks, smell the churros. So this actually happened to me. I was at Disney World a few months ago, which is when I started thinking about these hot takes. It was super hot out. It was super crowded. And I was like, you know what? I'm just going to go wander around. World Showcase. That's in Epcot. It was the most beautiful day. It was so nice. I just enjoyed all the amazing architecture, which Disney does such a good job at. They had so much live music. It was peaceful. I didn't stress about trying to get on the rides because I didn't go on any rides. And I feel like having this E ticket book system would kind of bring back that spirit.

[Megan Coyle]

Yeah, I mean, I saw a TikTok once, and it was like, people love Disney because it's a walkable city. Yes. And it's exactly what you're describing. It's like you just want to go to the park and hang out.

[Sally French]

I just want to wander.

[Megan Coyle]

I mean I could get behind this ticket book system. Although I love when you can ride a ride like 10 times times in a row because no one's there for some reason. There's also a lot of rides that I don't bother with anymore.

[Sally French]

Okay, that is our show. If you enjoyed this show, please make sure to follow to get more of them. We are on all of your favorite podcast apps. Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio. If you subscribe, you will automatically get new episodes. And if you enjoyed this show, please give us a five star review and give us a comment.

[Megan Coyle]

And if you're listening on Spotify, you can drop us a comment right in the app app. This episode was produced and edited by Nick Karisimi. Claire Sosi and Hilary Georgie helped with.

[Sally French]

Fact checking and we have to give our brief disclaimer. We are not financial or investment advisors. This info is provided for general educational and entertainment purposes. It may not apply to your specific circumstances.

[Megan Coyle]

We hope you're inspired to keep your passport full and your wallet even fuller. Thanks everyone. We'll see you next time.

[Sally French]

Sam.