I’m a Disney lover (duh). Even when I’m not at Disney or planning a trip I love reading the news articles, watching YouTube videos, and following Disney Instagram. But if you’re planning a trip for the first time, or you haven’t been to Disney in 20 years, you may find yourself wading through a sea of angry posts complaining about price increases and crowd levels. Sometimes I wonder how Disney stays so busy if everyone seems to hate it so much.
But like most things on the internet, much of the negative Disney hype just isn’t the truth. There are so many sources out there that love Disney, have clear information, and will help hype you up for your trip. And unless you are a serious Disney adult, you should only be reading posts that make you more exited for your trip.
Here are three tips on how to make that happen.
Skip the Click Bait
“Top 10 Mistakes that Ruin Your Disney Trip”
“Theme Park Food Sees MASSIVE Price Increase”
“Worst Ever Disney Dining Experiences”
These kinds of articles are designed to get clicks, and, in my experience either cover a very positive article, or greatly exaggerate the story. If you’re looking to love your Disney experiences, stick to solid information. Scare tactics add stress to your planning before you even click on the article. Just skip reading these altogether.
Truth is, unless you go multiple times a year, you’re not going to know the difference in a $0.25 increase on snack items. Most mistakes won’t ruin your whole trip unless you go into it with an attitude. And you’ll be so hungry from your day walking the park that your dining experiences are unlikely to be the “worst ever.” So skip the drama and go enjoy your vacation!
Search for Specific Information
Try searching for best Disney World tips and you’ll be drowning in information. Lists of generalized tips on lots of topics bring up more questions than they answer. Instead, try being very specific with your searches. Where on Disney World property is Boardwalk Inn? Review of Tusker House Restaurant with Teenagers. How to use Genie+ for an afternoon in Hollywood Studios. Really targeted searches will give you the information you need without opening a can of worms you hadn’t thought to consider.
And here’s a shameless plug–if you’re a first timer and early in your research process, keep following my Fuss Free 101 series. I’m breaking down the Disney experience to as basic, easy to understand information as possible. Complete with infographics! Follow along here.
Seek Out Influencers who Love the Parks
There is a large corner of the internet dedicated to Disney influencers. That’s great for people like me who don’t live near Disney World and use those accounts to get our daily Disney fix. Some of these accounts can be really negative– complaining about every little Disney change, good or bad. These people have forgotten that it’s literally their job to go to Disney World and write about it online. Talk about living the dream.
On the flip side you can also get really airbrushed accounts. The people are overdressed for the parks, and there are no crowds in the background of the pictures. Those are nice to dream around, but not really realistic to the park experience, either.
I prefer to watch people who just enjoy spending time in the parks, going to check out new snack items, experiencing festivals, trying out different approaches to getting on the rides. Check out Mammoth Club, Paging Mr. Morrow, Walk About the World or AllEars for Disney World love without the negative spin.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by your Disney planning, stop and find another way. Tons of people go to Disney each year and have a magical vacation. So if what you’re reading online is making you dread your vacation, it’s time to find better sources.
