Just 8 days ago, I was running around a very hot Disney World. And by running, I almost literally mean running. My friend Megan and I went down to WDW to check out Pandora and Toy Story Land before our AMAZING Disney Cruise Line adventure. But as we got to talking, Megan didn’t want to miss her favorite ride, Soarin,’ and we really couldn’t miss the Happily Ever After Firework show. If you’re somewhat familiar with the parks, you probably realize that these four “must dos” are in four different parks. So, we decided to officially make our one day in the parks into a four park challenge.
Four park challenges (FPC) can take a number of different forms. Our FPC had four self-imposed rules. In each park we had to: 1) take a picture with the park icon, 2) meet a character that is NOT one of the fab five, 3) ride a major attraction, and 4) eat a food specific to that park.
I could go on and on about our experience, but for now, I’ll leave you with four take-aways from our trip that will help you have a better Disney World experience even when you are not trying to pack so much into your day.
1) Have a plan. Megan and I had a plan of how we were going to accomplish each of our rules in each of the parks. We sat down with the maps in advance to recall the layout of the parks and stuck with that plan for the most part. But, we were also not afraid to deviate from the plan when the situation called for it. This is important for any Disney vacation. Disney is HUGE and each park has HUNDREDS of options of things to do. If you haven’t identified your priorities and know, generally, how you are going to accomplish them, you’ll spend your time wandering around in the parks and wasting a lot of time.
2) Utilize your Fast Passes: A major help in our FPC was Disney’s FastPass+ service. (For the full details on how the FastPass+ system works, see my blog, here!) Megan and I made our first three FP+ for mid-morning at Hollywood Studios. After we used those first three, we were able to grab THREE more throughout the day (one at a time) to help us move along, including one to Space Mountain. It is SO important to make your FP+ reservations at that 60 day mark if you are staying at a Disney resort to ensure you get the FP+ for your most wanted attractions. It’s also best practice to check the WDW app as soon as you use your third FP+ to see what FP+ are available to help you achieve your goals.
3) Take Advantage of Mobile Ordering. Some (but not every) quick service dining locations have mobile ordering. With mobile ordering, you place your order in advance via the WDW app, and then let them know when you have arrived at the restaurant and are ready for your food. You can do this hours in advance or minutes in advance. But the overall result is that you avoid a lot of lines and save time in the process! For a list of all the restaurants that offer mobile ordering, check out the Disney World website.
4) Wear Your Tennis Shoes: Wearing your tennis shoes is a must. I took more than 22, 500 steps during our adventure; Megan (being 6 inches shorter than me), took more than 25,000. Even if you have “really comfortable sandals,” wear your tennis shoes with good, absorbent socks. Your family and your feet will thank you!
In case you’re wondering, here is the FULL list of everything we accomplished between rope drop and park close:
Animal Kingdom:
-Rode Flight of Passage
-Rode Na’vi River Journey
-Met Russell and Dug
-Met Pocahontas
-Rode Dinosaur
-Rode Expedition Everest (Single Rider Line)
-Place a mobile order from Flame Tree BBQ
-Took a picture in front of the Tree of Life
Hollywood Studios:
-Rode Tower of terror (FP+)
-Rode Rock n Roller Coaster (FP+)
-Met Kylo Ren (Disney Visa Card Meet and Greet)
-Met and Latin danced with Buzz
-Rode Slinky Dog Dash
-Rode Alien Swirling Saucers (FP+)
-Mobile ordered from Woody’s Lunchbox
-Took a picture in front of the Chinese Theater
-Watched the March of Storm Troopers
Epcot:
-Took a picture in front of Spaceship Earth
-Rode Spaceship Earth
-Rode Test Track (Single Rider Line)
-Enjoyed Club Cool
-Met Joy and Sadness
-Rode Soarin’ (FP+)
-Met Mickey and Goofy (Disney Visa Card Meet and Greet)
-Enjoyed a glass of wine from the New Zealand pop up stand and pork from France
Magic Kingdom:
-Took a picture in front of Cinderella Castle
-Rode Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin (FP+)
-Met Ariel
-Rode Haunted Mansion
-Rode Space Mountain (FP+)
-Watched Happily Ever After Fireworks
-Enjoyed the dessert party (special ticket purchase)
You can find tons of pictures of our Four Park Challenge adventure on my Instagram.
Be sure to contact your On The Road Travel agent to help you plan your WDW or Disney Cruise Line adventures. When you book a package through a us, even more tips, tricks, and expertise are included in your white glove experience. You can also connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!
Four park challenges (FPC) can take a number of different forms. Our FPC had four self-imposed rules. In each park we had to: 1) take a picture with the park icon, 2) meet a character that is NOT one of the fab five, 3) ride a major attraction, and 4) eat a food specific to that park.
I could go on and on about our experience, but for now, I’ll leave you with four take-aways from our trip that will help you have a better Disney World experience even when you are not trying to pack so much into your day.
1) Have a plan. Megan and I had a plan of how we were going to accomplish each of our rules in each of the parks. We sat down with the maps in advance to recall the layout of the parks and stuck with that plan for the most part. But, we were also not afraid to deviate from the plan when the situation called for it. This is important for any Disney vacation. Disney is HUGE and each park has HUNDREDS of options of things to do. If you haven’t identified your priorities and know, generally, how you are going to accomplish them, you’ll spend your time wandering around in the parks and wasting a lot of time.
2) Utilize your Fast Passes: A major help in our FPC was Disney’s FastPass+ service. (For the full details on how the FastPass+ system works, see my blog, here!) Megan and I made our first three FP+ for mid-morning at Hollywood Studios. After we used those first three, we were able to grab THREE more throughout the day (one at a time) to help us move along, including one to Space Mountain. It is SO important to make your FP+ reservations at that 60 day mark if you are staying at a Disney resort to ensure you get the FP+ for your most wanted attractions. It’s also best practice to check the WDW app as soon as you use your third FP+ to see what FP+ are available to help you achieve your goals.
3) Take Advantage of Mobile Ordering. Some (but not every) quick service dining locations have mobile ordering. With mobile ordering, you place your order in advance via the WDW app, and then let them know when you have arrived at the restaurant and are ready for your food. You can do this hours in advance or minutes in advance. But the overall result is that you avoid a lot of lines and save time in the process! For a list of all the restaurants that offer mobile ordering, check out the Disney World website.
4) Wear Your Tennis Shoes: Wearing your tennis shoes is a must. I took more than 22, 500 steps during our adventure; Megan (being 6 inches shorter than me), took more than 25,000. Even if you have “really comfortable sandals,” wear your tennis shoes with good, absorbent socks. Your family and your feet will thank you!
In case you’re wondering, here is the FULL list of everything we accomplished between rope drop and park close:
Animal Kingdom:
-Rode Flight of Passage
-Rode Na’vi River Journey
-Met Russell and Dug
-Met Pocahontas
-Rode Dinosaur
-Rode Expedition Everest (Single Rider Line)
-Place a mobile order from Flame Tree BBQ
-Took a picture in front of the Tree of Life
Hollywood Studios:
-Rode Tower of terror (FP+)
-Rode Rock n Roller Coaster (FP+)
-Met Kylo Ren (Disney Visa Card Meet and Greet)
-Met and Latin danced with Buzz
-Rode Slinky Dog Dash
-Rode Alien Swirling Saucers (FP+)
-Mobile ordered from Woody’s Lunchbox
-Took a picture in front of the Chinese Theater
-Watched the March of Storm Troopers
Epcot:
-Took a picture in front of Spaceship Earth
-Rode Spaceship Earth
-Rode Test Track (Single Rider Line)
-Enjoyed Club Cool
-Met Joy and Sadness
-Rode Soarin’ (FP+)
-Met Mickey and Goofy (Disney Visa Card Meet and Greet)
-Enjoyed a glass of wine from the New Zealand pop up stand and pork from France
Magic Kingdom:
-Took a picture in front of Cinderella Castle
-Rode Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin (FP+)
-Met Ariel
-Rode Haunted Mansion
-Rode Space Mountain (FP+)
-Watched Happily Ever After Fireworks
-Enjoyed the dessert party (special ticket purchase)
You can find tons of pictures of our Four Park Challenge adventure on my Instagram.
Be sure to contact your On The Road Travel agent to help you plan your WDW or Disney Cruise Line adventures. When you book a package through a us, even more tips, tricks, and expertise are included in your white glove experience. You can also connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!
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