8 NEW Problems Are MESSING UP Even the Best-Planned Trips to Disney World

You planned your trip to Disney World, and you think you have it all figured out!

Until you realize the plan you made may not work! Don’t stress, we have all been there. There are a few pitfalls you need to watch out for on your next trip to Disney World to avoid it messing with your vacation.

Don’t fall victim to these unexpected problems! We compiled a list of three pitfalls you need to watch out for on your next Disney World vacation.

Limited Use of Refillable Mugs

If you are staying at a Disney World resort, you have the option to purchase a Resort Refillable Mug. This mug allows you to refill on sodas, coffee, and tea during the duration of your stay.

Here is the kicker, these mugs can only be refilled at resorts. Many people will bring their mugs into the park thinking that the refill program works there, but it does not. This is a major vacation pitfall as it can be disappointing to buy a mug and not be able to use it everywhere on property.

You can refill your mug at your resort or any of the other resorts on property. If you and your family like to drink soda, this may be worth it for you! Each mug costs $21.99 and the mug is yours to keep.

But, it can be a pain to walk from your room to the soda refill station. Sometimes these mugs are more of a hassle than they are a perk, so we just want you to be aware of these issues before you decide to buy one.

Here’s a Guide to Refillable Mugs at Disney World!

Restaurant Operating Days

While Disney World is open seven days a week, 365 days a year, not all of its restaurants operate on this schedule.

If you are planning to make a last minute reservation or are planning ahead, you may be wondering why there are no reservations available for certain days.

Certain restaurants at Disney World are closed multiple days a week for different reasons, but this could hurt your plans if you are not aware of it. For example, Toledo – Tapas, Steak & Seafood at Coronado Springs Resort and  Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue at Fort Wilderness are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

If you are thinking about doing an on-the-whim dinner, then make sure to double check the hours of operation before your trip so you can have an idea of what days and hours you can go.

No Balloons Allowed in Animal Kingdom

Mickey balloons are both an iconic and despised Disney souvenir, but did you know you can’t buy them in Animal Kingdom? This is for the safety of the animals, as Disney does not want any stray balloons to get in any enclosures.

Since balloons are not sold in the park, it also means that you cannot bring in a balloon that you have bought elsewhere. For example, if you go to Magic Kingdom and buy a balloon, then park hop over to Animal Kingdom, you cannot bring your balloon inside.

The good news is that Disney is prepared for this and they will hold your balloon at the front of the park. Not only is it nice that you do not have to get rid of your balloon but it can also give you a break from having it with you all day.

15 NEW Tips for Animal Kingdom!

Online Menus Not Matching Actual Menus

It is so nice that you can check the menus for a restaurant before dining there. Sometimes we like to look ahead to see if we will like the menu or just because we want to plan out what we are going to get.

While this is a nice perk, the menus online do not always match the menus that are actually at the restaurant. From time to time these menus change, and Disney does not always update them right away, especially if the menu changes at a third party restaurant.

There have been times where we have sent reporters in to get certain menu items because they are listed online, but when they arrive at the restaurant the menu has changed. While we love looking ahead, make sure to not get too attached to a menu item as it might not still be served.

Only Disney World Experts Eat at These 9 Restaurants

Can’t Pick Your Return Time for Virtual Queue

Virtual Queues are currently available for two rides in Disney World — TRON Lightcycle/Run in Magic Kingdom, and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind in EPCOT. A Virtual Queue allows you to reserve a spot in line for the ride through your Disney World app for free. By using Virtual Queue, you not only have to be up at 7 AM or on your phone at 1 PM to try and get a Virtual Queue spot, but you don’t even get the option of what time your group will be called.

Virtual Queue places you in boarding groups based on when you entered the queue. There is no set time of how fast boarding groups move along since it is based on how the ride is operating.

A ride breaking down can set boarding groups further back. This can be frustrating if you want to plan your day out. If you plan to park hop or have a dining reservation, Virtual Queue can cause you to have to move your day around in order to make it to the attraction when your boarding group is called. We’re glad to be able to skip these long lines without a fee — just know that it means you’ll need to stay flexible.

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Don’t Know the Price of Genie+ Until the Day Of

If you are trying to budget before your trip and plan to get Genie+, we have some bad news. Genie+ pricing is dynamic and varies on demand.

The starting rate for Genie+ — Disney World’s paid service that allows you to make reservations for rides and “skip the line” — is $25 per person, per day, but that does not mean that it will stay at $25. Recently we have seen Genie+ get up to $39 per person per day.

This can be a huge jump, especially if you have a large family. While it is not ideal, we recommend budgeting for a higher number in the event that Genie+ is more popular on the day that you plan to purchase it.

Here’s What You Need to Know About Genie+!

Can’t Park at Hotels Without a Dining Reservation

We love to resort hop. You can make a whole day out of checking out all the cool resorts that Disney has!

The one problem with this is parking. If you have your own car or rental car, you typically cannot park at a resort you are not staying at unless you have a dining reservation.

This can make getting to the resorts tricky. If you are looking to explore other resorts, you can take a bus to a park and then take a bus to the resort you want to check out.

If you want to check out multiple resorts without taking a bunch of buses, take a bus to Magic Kingdom and explore the Monorail resorts! The same can be done by taking a bus to Hollywood Studios and exploring the Skyliner resorts!

Sometimes, the Disney World Bus Really Is the Fastest Way to Get There

EPCOT is a park that has so many modes of transportation. Depending on where you are staying or what your plans are you can drive, take a monorail, Skyliner, bus, or even boat to EPCOT.

These modes of transportation can line up to other parks that might not offer each mode. For example if you want to go to Magic Kingdom from Hollywood Studios. You could take the Skyliner from Hollywood Studios to EPCOT, then walk through the park to get to the EPCOT monorail station, and then take the monorail to the Transportation and Ticket Center, and then transfer monorails to the Magic Kingdom Express monorail. WOAH! Wait! We are out of breath from saying that.

Now this could be a fun trek. Maybe you want to try all of those forms of transportation in one shot. Maybe you want to stop off in EPCOT for a particular ride or snack, but if you want to just travel from Hollyood Studios to Magic Kingdom in the quickest way possible — it’s always going to be a bus. The lesson here is just because “fancier” methods of transportation are an option, they may not be the fastest or best option.

And there you have it! Some NEW pitfalls you will want to avoid on your next Disney World trip. As always, we’re in the parks every day — making these mistakes so you don’t have to. 😉 Keep following AllEars.net for more Disney World tips!

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