If you live in Florida, you’re in luck, because Walt Disney World has just released their Florida Resident Discover Disney ticket. For $129 (plus tax), you get a three-day one-park-per-day ticket that can be used between now and June 6, with some blackout dates in April around Easter. And for just $20 more, you can add a fourth day, so you can either spend a second day in your favorite park or get in a visit to all four parks. If it’s been a while since you’ve been to Disney, here are some tips for making the most out of your stay:
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Ticket Basics Remember that you don’t have to use your Discover Disney ticket on consecutive days. It’s perfectly fine to go for a day here and there throughout the winter and spring until the days are used up. Of course, you are perfectly free to use them all in one long weekend, too, if that’s what you prefer. The tickets are one park per day. That means that if, for example, you go to Animal Kingdom, you can’t visit another park that same day with your ticket. Also, Magic Kingdom has a few extra blackout days. You must be a Florida resident to purchase these tickets, and you have to have ID and proof of Florida residency if you are 18 or over.
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Save Money on Hotels Whether you are staying on property or in one of the many hotels and resorts in the Lake Buena Vista/Kissimmee area, always mention that you are a Florida resident when booking your room. Some hotels will give you a discount just for being a Floridian! If you call to book your Disney property hotel, ask whether any hotels are offering resident discounts, because sometimes you can save money by staying at a particular property.
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Plan Your Days If you are staying on Disney property, you can take advantage of Extra Magic Hours. Each day, a certain park will open earlier and/or stay open later, so you can enjoy the extra hours with fewer crowds. On the other hand, if you’re not staying on property, you might choose to avoid the park with the Extra Magic hours that day, since many of the resort vacationers will be at that park. Check out the hours on the WDW website so you aren’t surprised by an early closing time at whichever park you’re visiting.
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Fastpass Don’t forget to make good use of your Fastpass. This is part of your ticket, and it allows you to get onto certain rides and into certain attractions with a much shorter wait time than you’d experience if you went through the regular line. It may take a bit of practice to understand the system, but the gist is that you can get a new Fastpass every two hours, or as soon as your queue time comes up on your existing Fastpass. You’ll want to get Fastpasses for the rides with the longest lines, so check the information boards at each park to figure out where your passes would be best spent. Once you get the hang of the system, you can avoid long lines during your whole visit!
Late winter and spring are great times to visit Walt Disney World because the crowds are typically lower than during the summer, and because the weather is beautiful this time of year. And now if you’re a Florida resident, you can even save more money than usual! Take advantage of this great offer by booking your trip now.
