6 Practical Hacks for Your Next Disney Trip

We might be Disney World experts, but we can always learn a thing or two!

We are always looking for ways to upgrade our Disney trips, and of course once we discover a new tip, we just have to share it with you all!

These are just a few tips and tricks we use when visiting Disney World that you have to try!

Make Your Own Breakfast

Meals at Walt Disney World can be expensive. You know it, we know it, Disney knows it. Making your own breakfast is a really easy way to cut down on your food costs while vacationing. If where you’re staying has a kitchen, you can easily get some groceries when you first arrive and enjoy your breakfasts at your hotel, resort, or VRBO.

For those who don’t have access to a kitchen, there are still plenty of options for breakfast foods that don’t require any preparation. If your resort room has a microwave, frozen breakfast bowls are super filling. Want to rope drop and don’t have time to cook? Stock up on fruit, granola bars, and other items you can eat on the go. You can also pre-cook your meals and then bring them into the parks, but don’t forget — you don’t have any options for cooking or reheating food once in the parks, so you’ll want to bring food containers that are insulated, like these.

Click here to buy the Bentgo Pop Insulated Container!

Bring Snacks to the Parks

While on the subject of food, we also recommend packing some snacks in your park bag. Even if you are planning on having your meals at a Disney restaurant, snacks are great to have on hand when you’re feeling a little peckish and don’t want to drop $15 at a food kiosk.

We like to bring granola or protein bars because these are satisfying and can hold us over until our next meal. Another great option is a smoothie, which you can buy premade from a local grocery store. You can either pack your smoothie in a lunch box or pour it into an insulated tumbler, and then you have a cold drink to refresh you during those long, hot days!

Click here to buy the Fit + Fresh Lunchbox and Tumbler Set!

Break In Your New Shoes BEFORE Arriving

We have suffered many a blister from wearing our new shoes to Disney World without breaking them in first. Don’t make our same mistake! It is important to have relatively new shoes that aren’t worn down from use, because they’ll provide better support for your feet. But that doesn’t mean brand new out of the box!

Get some steps in ahead of your trip to get rid of the stiff feeling that comes with a new pair. Walk on the treadmill or around your house! Whatever works for you. If you’re still concerned about blisters, try using moleskin to protect your feet. Just stick it to any area where your shoe rubs, and you’re ready to hit your steps goal with no pain!

Click here to buy the Dr. Scholl’s Moleskin Padding!

Track Your Stroller With Technology

When you arrive to one of the parks, you will be met with a sea of strollers. When you’re pushing it around, that’s fine! But when it’s time to park your stroller to get on a ride or head inside for your dining reservation, finding it afterwards is another story. Your stroller might not be in the same spot you left it in because Cast Members will rearrange stroller parking areas as people come and go.

Our solution? Use a tracker like a Tile or AirTag. These are easy to pair with your phone and can help you track down your stroller. This will save you time, meaning more opportunities to hit up attractions! The AirTag is especially useful, because if you have an iPhone 11 Pro or newer, you can view what location the AirTag is in and how close it is down to the foot.

Use Gift Cards

Buying gift cards to use at Disney World might not seem like a hack at first — why spend money to just end up spending it somewhere else? The reason we included this on the list is because it’s a great way to not only save for your trip but also to budget once you arrive. Leading up to your Disney vacation, instead of setting money aside that you might be tempted to use for other purchases, use it to buy Disney gift cards. You can find them at Target or shopDisney in varying increments. These gift cards can be used for all things Disney, even theme park tickets! It’s a super easy way to save for big purchases.

We also like to use Disney gift cards for budgeting while on vacation. It’s easier to stick to a set budget when you allocate gift cards for certain categories of purchases, like food or merchandise. Sure, having your credit card attached to your MagicBand is super convenient, but it’s also very easy to overspend. Carrying cash can also be an annoyance, so instead opt for gift cards. If you’re traveling with kids and they want to get their own souvenirs, you can give them their own gift cards for spending throughout the trip. When it’s gone, it’s gone! This is how we stick to our budget and we think it works great!

Use Mobile Checkout

Mobile Checkout has been available since 2020, so it may not seem like a hack to those who are familiar with it. We will say, when we’re in Disney World merchandise stores, we often don’t see people taking advantage of it! If you’re unfamiliar with Mobile Checkout, it is a convenient way to skip the lines in Disney’s stores. In the My Disney Experience app, select the store you’re in, scan all the products you want to buy, and checkout in the app. After that all you need to do is show your QR code confirmation to the Cast Member at the Mobile Checkout kiosk.

If you have any items that need to have a security tag removed or require special wrapping, this Cast Member will take care of that for you. We love using Mobile Checkout pretty much any time we shop! It’s especially useful when the shops are especially crowded, like at the end of the day when people are trying to get those last souvenirs before heading out. If you are a passholder, as long as that is included in your account on the My Disney Experience app, your discounts will be included in your Mobile Checkout order. For in depth information about Mobile Checkout, check out this article here.

What is a tip or hack that you SWEAR by on your vacations? Share it with us in the comments below!