Here are 5 more questions I often get asked about traveling to Disney World! If you didn’t see our post last week on the 5 Most Most Asked Questions about Traveling To Disney World, check it out now!
1. What type of Disney World park ticket should I purchase?
My answer to this question about Disney World will really depend upon the length of your stay. Allow me to explain Disney’s new ticket pricing system and related fees…
Ticket Prices are Seasonal
Disney recently changed the pricing of their ticket options and it is now dependent upon the time of year. The cheapest ticket prices are during the slower seasons with the most expensive being during the busiest seasons. When you purchase your tickets online, you now need to enter in the dates you will be using the ticket. If you wish to purchase a ticket that can be used any time of the year, Disney will charge you an additional “flexible dates” fee per ticket. For example, the flexible dates fee for 6 day adult ticket will be about $110 USD.
Park Hopper Options
You can also add the Park Hopper option to your theme park ticket. The basic Park Hopper will allow you to visit multiple parks in one day. The Park Hopper+ option will allow you to visit more than one theme park in a day and give you 2 visits to the water parks.
Annual Passes
Annual Passes are an attractive alternative to purchasing a regular ticket, but is only worth it if you will be staying for a longer period time or making several trips to The World in a year. Be sure to check out my latest post on how the Annual Pass can save you money! In some cases, I think the Annual Pass is worth it because it gives you access to additional discounts on resort stays, dining, and merchandise that you just can’t get with a regular ticket.
Overall, I recommend looking into purchasing an Annual Pass. If your trip to Disney World will be once a year and for less than 12 days, then a regular ticket is the better bet.
2. Is the Disney Dining Plan (DDP) worth it?
Here is another one of those popular questions about Disney World that has an “it depends” answer! What I can say is that the Disney Dining Plan (DDP) is only worth it it if you:
Order the Most Expensive Items on the Menu
The DDP is based on a credit system and not actually on the cost of your selected food items. The basic DDP will give you 1 quick service credit, 1 table service credit, and 2 snack credits each night of your package stay. Let’s say you are hungry for lunch and wonder over to Casey’s Corner at Magic Kingdom. You are interested in getting either the: All-Beef Hot Dog Meal ($9.99 USD) or Corned Beef Hash All-Beef Hot Diggity Dog ($11.49). You will get more value to your quick service credit if you choose the corned Beef Hash All-Beef Hot Diggity Dog meal!
Are Willing to Go Only to Locations that Accept DDP
That’s right, not every location will accept your DDP credits. Typically, the smaller food stalls will not accept credits. For example, Choza de Margarita (the margarita stand in Epcot’s Mexicon pavilion) is one such location. The major Disney table and quick service locations do participate in the plan!
Eat a lot!
There is a lot of food on the DDP. For example, each lunch table service credit includes an entree, dessert, and beverage. That is a lot of food to consume per meal per day! Additionally, cast members tell me that a lot of guests end up with leftover snack credits and try to use them on items to bring home because it is just too much food to consume while on vacation!
Have Time to Eat at a Table Service Restaurant
The regular DDP and Disney Deluxe Dining Plans offer table service credits. That means you will need time to sit down for a table service meal (or 2!) each day of your stay. There is a lot to see and do at Disney World, so unless you are a die hard foodie, you may want to use that time elsewhere. If you are set on DDP but don’t want to sit down for meals every day, there is the Quick Service Dining Plan that may fit your needs!
Overall, the DDP is not worth it for my family and I. We just don’t eat enough to justify the plans and there is no way my son would sit still for a table service meal each day! Plus, I do not want to worry about getting the most per DDP credit and continually order the pricier food options. Sometimes I just want that plain old hot dog 🙂
3. Which Disney theme parks and resorts are on the monorail?
There are 3 monorail “lines” in Disney World: the Magic Kingdom resort line, the Magic Kingdom/Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC) Express loop, and the Epcot line. The Magic Kingdom resort line includes the Contemporary Resort, TTC, Polynesian Village Resort, Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, and the Magic Kingdom. The Express loop runs parallel to the Magic Kingdom resort line and only services the TTC and the Magic Kingdom. The Epcot line runs between the TTC and Epcot (no resorts are on this loop).
Riding the monorail is a must-do for our family vacation! My son is absolutely fascinated by the monorails. We often joke that they should be considered an attraction!
4. What is the Minnie Van service and is it worth it?
Minnie Van is a personal ride service available to guests at Disney World. This service can transport you within the Walt Disney World property and to/from the Orlando International Airport. You can simply order a Minnie Van via the Lyft app and the driver will meet you at your location! The vans each contain Graco car seats that can be installed either front or rear facing. They used to charge a flat fee per ride, however, the pricing system recently changed. There is a flat fee of $15 and then a charge per distance on top of that. In other words, the farther the drive, the more it will cost. To give you an idea of the price, we paid over $30 USD, before tip, to travel from the BoardWalk Inn to Magic Kingdom. The fee to get to or from the Orlando International Airport, so far, is $150 USD.
So, is Minnie Van worth it? The service is extremely convenient, especially when traveling to the Magic Kingdom. Your Minnie Van driver will take you all the way to the bus station adjacent to the main park entrance. As a result, you will not need to take a boat, bus, or monorail from the Ticket and Transportation Center around the Seven Seas Lagoon! However, the price for this convenience can be very steep depending upon your starting location. We were willing to pay over $30 USD one-way to Magic Kingdom but then opted for Disney’s free transportation to travel back to the BoardWalk Inn.
The Minnie Van service is so popular that Disney is making some new enhancements to the rideshare coming soon! Read all about it in our latest Sunday Snippet!
5. How can I save money on my vacation to Disney World?
I have an entire post on saving money while vacationing in Disney World!
Be sure to check out my post with 5 most asked Disney World questions! I love answering any questions you may have about traveling to Disney World. Feel free to contact me directly or write in the comments below if you have any other questions.
Cheers!!