If I Could Change One Thing About My First Disney World Trip, It Would Be This!

Do you remember your first trip to Disney World?

Maybe your first trip was in the 90’s. Or maybe you’re one of those lucky souls who were at Disney World opening day! (And no shade to those who’ve only just had their first trip in 2024 or those planning to come in 2025.) Whenever it was, we hope it was a truly epic time. But if you’re anything like us, sometimes we think, “If only we could go back and change this one thing!” To that point, how about we look back at the past together? Let’s do it!

As we said, while we have some amazing memories from our first trips to Disney World, looking back, there are some things we wish we’d have known. Here’s what we would’ve changed:

Lesson #1: Choose Your Crew Wisely

Now, this might just be the biggest one. Disney World is pretty magical, but even that magic can’t fix family drama or clashes in personality, so you can understand what we mean we saying that for us, one of our first trips wasn’t exactly magical because we didn’t have the most ideal crew.

Going with people who you know will cause drama or who have completely different vacation styles is a recipe for disaster. Trust us, save yourself the stress, and go with folks who bring out the best in you!

Lesson #2: Relax and Embrace the Flow

On another trip, we planned for every single minute (not kidding!) and packed in WAY TOO much. We were exhausted! Truly, Disney is best experienced when you have a plan, but also leave space to relax and go with the flow.

Don’t set impossibly high expectations for the day or try to cram in every single ride and show. Remember, you have to breathe! Take breaks throughout the day. Explore at your own pace. You might be surprised by how much more you’ll find yourself enjoying the trip!

Lesson #3 Not Everyone Has to Do Everything Together

We learned the hard way that forcing everyone in the group to ride the same rides and eat at the same restaurants can DEFINITELY lead to stress and meltdowns.

Try to pick a few things to do together as a group, but be okay with letting people explore on their own throughout the day. This little tip can actually save you a lot of frustration and make the trip so much more enjoyable for the whole group.

Bonus Lessons:

Do your research!
- Knowing about the hidden gems, dining options, character meet-and-greets, and more before you arrive can make a huge difference.)
Be weather-aware!
- Disney World has two types of weather: Sun and Rain. Also, there isn’t a lot of shade. Make sure to pack sunscreen, water bottles, and ponchos/umbrellas.
It can get crowded!
- Social media doesn’t always show the full picture. It can get very crowded and feel overwhelming. Make sure to plan for some downtime to recharge.

Those were just some of our thoughts on some of the things we’d change about our first trips to Disney World, and we’d love to hear from you. Until then, stay tuned to AllEars for all the latest Disney news!