There are lots of perks to staying offsite during Disney World trips, and we have some tips on doing that for you today.

I also have a quick tip about a handy new app feature.

These are notes from this episode. There's much more info included in the audio so be sure to listen to the episode for a better explanation.

Become a WDW Prep To Go Patron

WDW Prep To Go Patrons pay a little to unlock even more content than what’s on the main podcast feed, such as a private FB Group and exclusive audio that’s released on a private podcast feed.
 
Become a Patron Now

Tips for offsite stays

Choosing offsite accommodations
Things to keep in mind:

• Size of rental
  • There's a large supply of places to rent around Disney World. From condos which are usually 2 -3 bedrooms to townhomes (which usually have 3-4 bedrooms and some may include splash pools) to private full sized homes which are usually 4 to 6 or even more bedrooms.
  • You’ll find that lots of the private homes have pools. You almost never will find a full-sized private pool in a house smaller than 4 bedrooms.
  • Just because there are more bedrooms doesn’t mean it will be more expensive.
  • Since there are lots and lots of houses that are 5 and 6 bedrooms you can often find those as cheap if not cheaper than the 4 bedrooms.
  • Heather has never rented anything smaller than a 5 bedroom.
• Location
  • The Dibb villa map is a handy resource to help narrow down locations
  • Heather prefers using a site that allows you to search not only by price and bedrooms, but also allows you to limit it to certain areas or even better, neighborhoods.
  • Location is important. There are lots of great places to stay but if you are planning on taking midday breaks you don’t want to go too far away or it won’t be as easy.
  • Sites like VRBO or Home Away let you narrow down by neighborhoods.
  • Some neighborhoods even have their own websites, for example Windsor Hills is a very popular neighborhood and some of the owners there have a website that they list their houses on called WindsorHillsRent.com
  • Different neighborhoods have different amenities. Consider if you want a gated community, community pool, playground, gym, etc.
• Tips after you narrow it down
  • When looking at places, don’t be afraid to ask questions. You can ask for referrals, how old the pictures you see are, if they have a management company and what the name of that management company is (and then do some research on them. A good management company gives you the peace of mind that if something goes wrong you’ll have somebody there and local that can help.)
  • As you research you may feel like you are seeing the same houses over and over, and sometimes that is true because houses can be listed by both the owner and sometimes you’ll see it listed by the management company. The same house can also be listed on multiple sites.
  • While it is important to rent a house that has a good management company that has positive reviews and is reliable, etc., it is almost always cheaper to rent directly from the owner instead of through the management company. When you rent from a management company the price is usually more expensive because if the management company secures the reservation they get to take a piece of it as a commission. However, if the owner secures the reservation they don’t have to pay that commission and therefore the cost to you is cheaper.
  • Once you know the owners names or address (not the management company name) you can check tax records to make sure the taxes are paid (which while isn’t perfect at least lets you know if the owners are paying 1 of their bills on time!). Check taxes here for most areas around Disney here -
    http://ira.property-appraiser.org/PropertySearch/ and http://www.lakecopropappr.com/property-search.aspx
  • Once you have the address you can check websites like Zillow or Realtor.com to see if the house is for sale.

Transportation for offsite guests

• Will need a car when staying offsite. Though some of the big neighborhoods may offer shuttles, it is never a good idea to rely on them.
• Renting a car
  • Lots of great deals to be had, it just takes a little research
  • Some of the popular places to look for discounts include
    MouseSavers
  • There's a service called AutoSlash which tracks prices and then notifies you when prices go down. If you book with them they automatically re-book when the price drops.
• Consider ordering or picking up a SunPass toll tag to make it much easier to navigate Orlando highways.

Annual Passes for offsite guests
It usually makes sense for offsite guests with trips of 5 days or more to have at least 1 Annual pass. Here's a chart to explain why.

Getting groceries for offsite stays
You can obviously drive to shop for groceries, but you may want to save a bit of time by ordering them ahead of time. Heather and I both like Walmart Grocery where you can order online and schedule a time for pick up, or you can check out 8 ways to get groceries on your Disney World trip for more ideas.

Quick tip of the day

Upgrade to the latest version of the My Disney Experience app for navigational information to help you during your Disney World trip.

Subscribe to get new episodes

There are a few ways to get new episodes of WDW Prep To Go (if you're used to listening on the website, subscribe so you can take new episodes with you on your phone)

• Subscribe in iTunes (and please leave a review!)
• Subscribe in Google Play
• Subscribe to the feed
• Listen on Stitcher

A lot of people understandably believe that the doors to the parks will open and close according to the park hours, but that's not how it actually works. I've got details on what you can do before and after hours in each park.

I also have a quick tip to make it easier for you to find dining reservations in Disney Springs.

These are notes from this episode. There's much more info included in the audio so be sure to listen to the episode for a better explanation.

Become a WDW Prep To Go Patron

WDW Prep To Go Patrons pay a little to unlock even more content than what’s on the main podcast feed, such as a private FB Group and exclusive audio that’s released on a private podcast feed.
 
Become a Patron Now

Things to do before and after official park hours

The park hours are really just the times that most of the rides are available but many things happen before and after that. Most parks allow you in 10-30 minutes before park opening (even earlier if you have a breakfast reservation) and you can stay up to 1-2 hours after the official park closing.

Although Disney says that transportation "generally operates from 45 minutes before a theme park’s opening time until one hour after a theme park’s closing time," the truth is that the buses and resort monorail usually begin at 7 a.m., with the Epcot monorail starting at 8 a.m.

Here's what's available before and after the park hours at each park.

(Note: these things were true at the time I recorded this podcast, but always subject to change.)

Magic Kingdom
Opening:

• Magic Kingdom Welcome Show (usually 20 minutes before park opening). On EMH mornings, the show begins before the EMH and won’t take place before the regular park opening. Watch a video.
• Will get to enter early and start riding right away
• CanNOT rent a stroller before park opens

Closing:

• Kiss Goodnight takes place 30 and 60 minutes after official park closing. Watch a video.
• Photopass photographers available
• Some shops still open

Epcot
Opening:

• Early entry, often 30 minutes before official park opening to go into the center. Crowds are released up to 10 minutes before official opening to begin riding.
• Eat and shop at some locations
• Photopass photographers are available
• Line up for main attractions
• Rent a stroller

Closing:

• Take pics, and there will be some PhotoPass photographers available
• Some stores open

Animal Kingdom
Opening:

• See Divine
• Check out small animal attractions in the Oasis
• Some shops will be open
• Photopass photographers are available
• Birds flying overhead just before entire park opens
• Can rent a stroller

Closing:

• Some shops available
• Tree of Life Awakenings take place until 15 minutes after park closing. Watch a video of all 4 animations.

Hollywood Studios
Opening:

• Rent a stroller
• Visit shops, Starbucks is open
• Jedi Training signup

Closing:

• Some shops are available
• Fantasmic often scheduled after official park closing

Quick tip of the day

Use OpenTable for most Disney Springs dining locations, not the WDW app. You'll usually find a lot more openings and get to choose better times that way.

Subscribe to get new episodes

There are a few ways to get new episodes of WDW Prep To Go (if you're used to listening on the website, subscribe so you can take new episodes with you on your phone)

• Subscribe in iTunes (and please leave a review!)
• Subscribe in Google Play
• Subscribe to the feed
• Listen on Stitcher

June was a busy month for Disney World, with several new attractions making their debut. After experiencing them all multiple times, I have some info and tips on each to share with you.

I also have a quick tip regarding having multiple tickets linked in your My Disney Experience account.

These are notes from this episode. There's much more info included in the audio so be sure to listen to the episode for a better explanation.

Become a WDW Prep To Go Patron

WDW Prep To Go Patrons pay a little to unlock even more content than what’s on the main podcast feed, such as a private FB Group and exclusive audio that’s released on a private podcast feed.
 
Become a Patron Now

From my June trip

General thoughts

• June wasn’t busy, but much more hot than usual
• Stayed offsite for the first time. Annual Pass came in handy with parking fees, and driving was convenient, except to Magic Kingdom (add an extra 30 minutes to travel time). Can stay for much cheaper and have more space when offsite. Check this chart to see if getting 1 Annual Pass for your travel group makes sense.
• Lots of sad events took place during our stay. Security at Disney World is still the same with metal detectors being used (sometimes randomly, sometimes everybody goes through).

About the new attractions

• Animal Kingdom
  • Jungle Book Alive with Magic - good show, but not quite up to Disney's standards. Dining package not necessary, standby too limited, highly recommend getting a FastPass+ and sitting on wooden seats to reduce the heat.
  • Tiffins - delicious but pricey restaurant, rarely busy, attached lounge has great drinks
  • Nighttime Kilimanjaro Safaris - quality seems to depend on the driver, opportunity to see animals that aren't as active during the day (like the lions), usually no line after Jungle Book show
  • Tree of Life Awakenings - animations that play on the front of Tree of Life every 10 minutes or so, my favorite way to end an Animal Kingdom night
• Hollywood Studios
  • Star Wars Galactic Spectacular - fantastic show, but you have to stand up close to the Chinese theater to see it well. Hard to combine with Fantasmic unless there's a Fantasmic show scheduled afterward.
• Epcot
  • Soarin’ Around the World - fantastic new version of Soarin' attraction, wait times much less now due to opening of the third theater
  • Anna and Elsa’s Royal Sommerhus - Anna and Elsa left Magic Kingdom to come here to their new summer home. There isn't a FastPass+ option but wait times are usually relatively low, especially if visiting in the morning or at night.
  • Frozen Ever After - charming Frozen-themed ride that breaks down a lot. Best case is to get a FastPass+ for it or arrive at Epcot at least 45 minutes before park opening to be at the front of the lines.

Quick tip of the day

If you have multiple tickets linked to you (for instance, tickets that are part of a package and an Annual Pass), be sure to give Disney World a call to have them set the ticket priority for each. That way the correct tickets will scan when you enter the parks.

Subscribe to get new episodes

There are a few ways to get new episodes of WDW Prep To Go (if you're used to listening on the website, subscribe so you can take new episodes with you on your phone)

• Subscribe in iTunes (and please leave a review!)
• Subscribe in Google Play
• Subscribe to the feed
• Listen on Stitcher