When it comes to planning a Walt Disney World trip there are a lot of questions that come to mind! Google is your best friend when it comes to answering questions so I looked up what the most Googled questions about Disney World were. And now I am here to answer them!
In this final part of the series I will answer even more of the most asked questions on Google about Disney World!
Today we will look at the can /can't, why and is questions.
You can read Part 1 here for the what, when, where, can and without questions!
And Part 2 here for the are, where, will and near questions!
So let's answer some more of the most burning questions about a trip to Disney World!
CAN / CAN'T
Can Disney World Tickets Be Used at Disneyland?
Unfortunately Disney World tickets can't be used at Disneyland. Both Disney World and Disneyland have their own ticketing systems which can't be interchanged between the two.
To purchase your Disney ticket either buy directly from Disney for Disney World tickets or Disneyland tickets or look at ticket companies such as Attraction Tickets.
Can't Miss Disney World Restaurants
Disney World has over 200 restaurants on property and is a foodie destination! There are so many different types of cuisines to choose from you will be spoilt for choice!
Here are some restaurants you don't want to miss!
Some of the best table service restaurants at Disney World are:
Topolino's Terrace
California Grill
Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen
The Crystal Palace
Liberty Tree Tavern
Boma
Yak & Yeti Restaurant
Sanaa
Tiffins Restaurant
The Wave...of American Flavors
Victoria & Albert's
Narcoossee's
Grand Floridian Cafe
Ohana
Storybook Dining at Artist's Point with Snow White
Whispering Canyon Cafe
Spice Road Table
Rose & Crown Dining Room
The Turf Club
Ale & Compass Restaurant
Yachtsman Steakhouse
Wine Bar George
Terralina Crafted Italian
Chef Art Smith's Homecomin'
Morimoto Asia
The Boathouse
House of Blues Restaurant & Bar
Jaleo by Jose Andres
For your best chance at getting dining reservations at Disney World book as soon as you are able to, which is 60 days before.
If you are staying on-site at a Disney World resort you have the added advantage of booking dining reservations for your whole trip, up to 10 days, at the 60-day mark.
TOP TIP
If you are staying at a Disney World Resort and are booking your entire trips dining at once then book the harder to get reservations towards the end of your trip. This will make it easier for you to get these hard-to-get reservations as fewer people will have been able to book for those dates.
If you didn't manage to get the reservations you wanted at the 60-day mark use websites such as Mouse Dining and Mouse Watchers, where you can set up alerts to let you know when a dining reservation becomes free for the restaurant and date you wish to dine.
Quick service dining locations don't require reservations so are perfect for stopping by to grab some food! Some of the best quick service restaurants at Disney World are:
Columbia Harbour House
Satu'li Canteen
Flame Tree Barbecue
Ronto Roasters
Woody's Lunch Box
Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo
Rose & Crown Pub
Regal Eagle Smokehouse
Centertown Market
The Polite Pig
Blaze Fast Fire'd Pizza
Many quick service dining locations allow you to use mobile ordering. Simply use the My Disney Experience app to pre-order your food, select a time you would like to collect it and the app will notify you when your food is ready to collect.
TOP TIP
Mobile ordering is the main method of ordering currently to help maintain physical distancing. If you place your order when you start to get hungry you can get a nasty shock as the wait can be 2 - 3 hours at popular locations! If you know roughly what time you would like to dine then my top tip is to book your slot early in the day. This way you should be able to pick the time you want to eat and enjoy your food then, rather than getting hungry, placing an order and then having to wait a long time before you can dine!
Check out my Top 10 Most Underrated Disney World Restaurants and be sure to avoid The 5 Most Overrated Disney World Restaurants!
Why Can't Disney World Have Marvel?
Disney have a legal agreement with Universal Studios over the use of Marvel characters and even the Marvel name. The agreement covers any Disney Park east of the Mississippi River.
When Disney bought Marvel (for $4 billion!) this didn't include the licensing rights that Marvel had already signed away. Universal Studios had previously bought the rights to use Marvel and its character in their Orlando parks and to this day Universal has retained those rights and continues to pay royalty cheques to Marvel.
Although Disney now owns Marvel the agreement with Universal Studios was put in place many years before, which means it is unlikely we will see a lot of Marvel come to Disney World. However on the 4th of June the Avengers Campus will open in Disneyland!
So how come EPCOT will be getting a Guardians of the Galaxy ride you may ask? Although not official it is speculated that Disney and Universal came to an agreement where Disney World could have Marvel characters that have not already been referenced in the Universal Parks.
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind will be a storytelling coaster and will have carts that can spin 360 degrees and will include Disney's first reverse launch! Due to the closure of Walt Disney World in 2020 the opening date for this attraction has been postponed. There is currently no date announced but it is predicted this new attraction is due to open in 2022 / 2023!
Can't Afford Disney World
A trip to Disney World can cost big bucks! But there are some ways to try and save on the costs.
Be sure to check out what offers Disney are currently promoting. Deals such as free nights and free dining credits can really help with the cost of your trip.
Disney Resorts offer complimentary transportation to the Disney Parks. There are many methods of transport, such as the Disney Buses, monorail, Skyliner and Disney boats. These transfers are free for Disney Resort guests and can help you save lots of money travelling to the parks as you don't need to pay for taxis or hire a car!
Disney food portions can be huge! This is a great way to save on costs as you can split meals.
Quick service dining is the cheapest way to eat whilst at Disney. Look out for dishes called platters or combos as these offer the most amount of food and can be split between people.
Disney allow you to bring in your own food and drinks so head to a supermarket at the start of your trip and stock up on water, drinks and snacks to save big money! A bottle of water can cost up to $4 a time in the parks so this tip will get you big savings!
Buying breakfast items to eat in your room before you head to the parks can also cut down on the costs massively. Breakfast at Disney World can cost between $5 - $42 and this cost can quickly add up over the length of your stay!
Another option is to stay off-site. Orlando has hundreds of hotels on offer and you can get some really great deals. Just be sure to look into added costs, such as car parking, theme park shuttles and resort fees. Many hotels include free parking, free shuttles and no resort fees so be sure to check before you book to avoid any additional costs when you arrive.
You can save money on ticket prices by looking at companies such as Attraction Tickets. They have offers such as getting a free Magic Bands when you buy your tickets through them. They are perfect if you plan to visit other theme parks in Orlando as they offer combo tickets which save you money!
For flights and off-site hotels be sure to keep an eye out during the sales season, such as Black Friday and Christmas, for good deals.
The good news is Disney World is always updating so if you need to take some years to save up then by the time you visit so many more attractions and restaurants will have opened! Disney only gets better with time!
For more ways to save on your Disney World trip be sure to check out my blog posts about How To Budget For A Disney World Trip, How To Save Money Whilst at Disney World and The Worst Value For Money Restaurants at Disney World!
WHY
Why Disney World Is Not Sustainable
It is easy to believe such a massive theme park like Disney World, with millions of visitors a year, would not be very sustainable. However, in 2020 Disney World was voted the most eco-friendly tourist attraction in the world!
Check out my blog post 'How Environmentally Sustainable is Disney World?' to read all about the innovative ways Disney World is trying to reduce its impact on the planet. It is pretty impressive!
Why Disney World Has No Mosquitoes
Disney World was built on swampy land in Florida so should be the perfect location for mosquitos. So how come they aren't a problem when you visit?
Disney uses some fantastic, natural methods to keep the mosquitoes out of their parks. It all started at the 1964 World's Fair where an engineering expert, Major General William 'Joe' Potter met Walt Disney. Joe spoke to Walt about his background in controlling mosquitoes and Walt was so impressed he hired him on the spot to help with the Florida Project.
The method employed at Disney World isn't to kill mosquitoes but to prevent them. To do this they target the larvae. Mosquitoes love still water and it is the perfect environment for them to lay eggs. So Disney sought to eliminate standing water. Quite some feat in what is essentially swampland!
When the construction of Disney World began Joe Potter made sure drainage ditches were built into the design to remove water. These became known as Joe's ditches and are still in use today!
The buildings at Disney World are also designed for water to flow off of them to prevent standing water from collecting, as these would become perfect locations for mosquitoes to breed.
As well as Joe's ditches and clever building design the types of plants grown at Disney World are picked to also help eliminate standing water.
For areas where water exists, such as ponds and lakes, goldfish, minnows and other fish that dine on mosquitoes larvae are placed in the water to help control them.
Walt Disney was keen on conservation so did not want harmful chemicals or pesticides to be used in the parks. Instead Disney World uses liquid garlic as mosquitoes hate the smell! Don't worry, only a small amount is used and it is undetectable to humans, so you won't smell garlic all day when you visit!
The final method Disney use is employing chickens. Around Disney World property are a number of chicken coops. The chickens are monitored for mosquito-borne illnesses, such as West Nile virus. Luckily this virus doesn't make the chickens sick if they are exposed to it but it helps Disney to know where in Walt Disney World Resort they have contracted it from so methods can be put in place to quickly control the mosquitoes in that area.
Disney are famous for their incredible level of detail, planning and innovation and this is certainly the case when it comes to preventing pesky mosquitoes!
Why Disney World Is The Best
Disney World is the best because of the feeling you get when you visit! There is nothing quite like it!
Many aspects are combined to give you this magical experience. Everything from the immersive theming, the smells, the sounds, the incredible level of customer service, the variety of rides and entertainment and the nostalgia that is evoked within you!
At Disney World there is something for everyone! No matter what your age, thrill level, what types of rides you like or what experiences you enjoy you will be able to find so much that will entertain and wow you!
Disney World is so much more than just a theme park, it's an experience. This continues outside of the parks and extends to the resorts, the restaurants and extra activities on offer.
If you stay on-site at a Disney World Resort you may not need to leave the property at all as everything you need for a fantastic stay is available to you. You can stay in the Disney Bubble for your entire trip which makes this a vacation like no other!
In the Disney Parks you will see and experience so many different beloved rides and characters. The nostalgia at Disney World is strong and your inner kid will be jumping for joy!
You can feel the Disney magic in the air! It is inexplainable just what the magic is but you can sense it and it creates an experience unlike anything you will get in any other theme park.
Disney Cast Members offer fantastic customer service and go above and beyond to make sure you have the most magical time! They really are the soul of Disney and are a big part of helping to create lifelong memories that are cherished forever.
Disney World has become known as a foodie destination and with over 200 restaurants you will have so much to choose from! Covering a wide variety of different cuisines and dining styles there is something for every palate, budget and dining style.
Disney World also has so much to offer outside of the parks. You could quite easily visit Disney World and never step foot in the parks at all! Be sure to check out my blog post. 'Everything You Can Do At Disney World Without Visiting The Parks', to find out all about this!
Why Disney World Is Overrated
Some people think Disney World is overrated because, in essence, it is a theme park. Why would you spend a lot of money and time in just a glorified amusement park?
The reasons above are why Disney World stands out from the rest but until you experience it it is hard to imagine it.
It is easy to think visiting Disney World will just be lots of queuing to get on some rides and then eating some lame theme park fast food.
In fact Disney World is world class entertainment, brilliant theming, exceptional customer service, amazing food, spectacular night time shows, state of the art rides, memorable character experiences and a whole lot of fun and happiness!
This is what sets Disney World apart from its competitors and why people come back time after time. But you have to experience it to understand it and to see just why it is so much more than a typical theme park.
Some people feel Disney World is overpriced. It is true that a trip is expensive. This is partly due to the scale of Walt Disney World Resort, the constant evolution of the parks and resorts and massive running costs. (Be sure to read the answer below to discover just why Disney World is expensive!) But if you plan it right you can get the most bang for your buck and for what you experience it is great value for money.
A big part of why someone may feel Disney World is overrated comes down to personal preference. Some people just don't enjoy Disney films or theme parks so feel this is not right for them.
Although some people may think Disney World is overrated before visiting their mind is almost always changed once they have been! Once they are in the Disney bubble and experience the magic their minds are often changed!
Why Disney World Is So Expensive?
A trip to Disney World can cost a pretty penny. So why are the prices so high?
Disney World resort is massive! With 6 theme parks, over 20 resorts and more than 200 restaurants there are a lot of elements to maintain and run.
As well as operational costs there are also staffing costs. There are more than 77,000 cast members at Walt Disney World!
As well as the roles we see, such as characters, merchandise staff, restaurant staff, ride attendants and hotel staff there are also firework specialists, costumiers, gardeners, engineers, vets and many more cast members we never really know about! (There is an excellent TV series on Disney+ all about the different types of cast members that work for Disney called 'One Day At Disney Shorts' where you can find out all the different and interesting jobs that people do at Disney!).
Disney World is also always expanding and adding new attractions, shows, restaurants and resorts. One of the best things about visiting Disney World is there will almost certainly always been new features every time you visit!
Due to all these factors the running costs are very, very high! In fact it has been estimated that the cost to run Disney World for just one day is nearly $6 million!
One of the reasons people love Disney World so much is the attention to detail and how immersive a visit is. Disney don't do anything half-heartedly so every aspect is done to perfection, which costs lots of money.
Although a trip to Disney World can be expensive be sure to check out my blog post How To Save Money Whilst at Disney World to save lots on your next Disney World trip!
Why Disney World is Better Than Disneyland?
This is a difficult question because it comes down to personal preference. There will be die-hard fans of Disney World and loyal devotees to Disneyland. The great thing is they are both different so it is worthwhile to visit each of them!
Disney World has a large fan base due to how all encompassing it is! It has 6 theme parks in total, over 20 resorts, more than 200 restaurants, lots of extra activities available on-site and a massive shopping and entertainment complex at Disney Springs.
You can easily visit for two weeks and still have things left to do! A great benefit to Disney World being so huge is you never need to leave the property and can stay in the Disney Bubble your entire trip. This is something people really love about visiting Disney World!
Disneyland is the original Disney Park so has so much nostalgia! There are two parks, three resorts and a shopping and dining complex called Downtown Disney. As Disneyland is a lot smaller it is easier to get around and you can experience everything in fewer days, making it perfect for a shorter trip.
Visiting Disneyland can be a cheaper trip because you need fewer nights in a hotel and fewer park day tickets.
Disneyland is right in Anaheim which gives you lots of options for where to stay. There are loads of hotels in the area, including directly across the street! This is great news as you can then get competitive rates. It also means there are more choices of hotels, including a wider variety of budgets and star ratings. Having so many options is a big benefit to a visit to Disneyland.
The original Disney Park is also a foodie destination! The food here is notoriously good! Dining also can work out cheaper than in Disney World which means there is more money to spend on merchandise!
Check out my 'Disneyland vs. Disney World' post to learn all about the differences between these two iconic parks!
IS
Disney World Is Open
Disney World is open! 5 out of the 6 Disney World Parks are now open. The only Disney Park the remains closed is the water park, Typhoon Lagoon.
Most of the Disney World Resorts are now open and a lot of the restaurants on property are open as well!
In the next few months we are seeing four more Disney World Resorts reopen.
Beach Club Resort – 30th May 2021
Wilderness Lodge – 6th June 2021
Disney’s BoardWalk Inn – 2nd July 2021
Polynesian Village Resort - July 2021
To know all of the restaurants that are currently open, and which remain closed, be sure to check out my Guide To Which Restaurants Are Currently Open at Walt Disney World!
There are still some operational changes, such as no parades, fewer shows, no fireworks, no character meet and greets. We are slowly starting to see Disney World bring back some of the elements we all know and love and we can predict throughout the rest of this year more announcements will be made.
To find out everything you now need to know when visiting Disney World, including the most up-to-date information, buy my Covid-19 Guide to Walt Disney World. Included is all the information regarding what operational changes are in place, including which resorts and restaurants are open, as well as lots of tips and tricks to help you get the most out of your Disney World trip!
Disney World Is Where?
Disney World is in Orlando, Florida, USA. The area in Orlando where Disney World is located called Lake Buena Vista. Walt Disney World Resort is so large it is essentially its own city!
Disney World Is In What County?
Disney World is in Orange County, in Orlando, Florida.
Disney World Is The Happiest Place On Earth?
Although a visit to Disney World will make you super happy it isn't the happiest place on Earth. That title goes to Disneyland, whose official slogan is The Happiest Place On Earth.
The slogan for Disney World is The Most Magical Place On Earth (which is the inspiration for Most Magical Guides!)
I hope this series has been helpful and has answered a lot of your Disney World questions!
If you have any other questions about planning your Disney World trip let me know in the comments below, over on Instagram @most.magical.guides or in my Facebook group!
Be sure to check out my full range of Disney World guides and planning templates in my Etsy store!