An Idiot's Guide to WALT DISNEY WORLD | 2024

This is my updated introduction to Walt Disney World aimed mainly for first timers or those in need of a refresh. I’ll be covering a tour of the parks (including the water parks), as well as other things such as tickets, Genie+, Lightning Lanes, Disney Springs, Transportation, dining, resorts (value, moderate and deluxe) and many other things.

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UPDATES & CORRECTIONS:

(see pinned comment)

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WALT DISNEY WORLD PARK TOURS:

UNIVERSAL ORLANDO PARK TOURS

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TIMESTAMPS

0:00 - Intro
0:33 - PART 1 - WHAT IS DISNEY WORLD?
1:47 - Magic Kingdom
2:50 - Epcot
4:10 - Hollywood Studios
5:05 - Animal kingdom
5:41 - Characters
6:43 - Blizzard Beach
7:15 - Typhoon Lagoon
7:43 - PART 2 - HOTEL RESORTS
7:58 - Value Resorts
9:34 - Moderate Resorts
10:06 - Deluxe Resorts
11:21 - Off Site Resorts
12:18 - Booking
12:40 - Time of Year
13:40 - Where to Book
14:33 - Tickets
15:49 - Third Party Tickets
16:13 - 14 Day Ticket
16:56 - Travel Packages
17:18 - PART 4 - MY DISNEY EXPERIENCE
18:45 - PART 5 Genie+ & Lightning Lanes
19:17 - Disney Genie
19:54 - Lightning Lane
20:50 - Individual Lightning Lane Selections
22:50 - Genie+
27:51 - Virtual Queue
29:39 - PART 6 - Transportation
33:40 - PART 7 - Dining
38:08 - PART 8 - Disney Springs

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MEARS CONNECT ALTERNATIVE

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FREE DINING OFFER 2024

Starting January 3, 2024, Disney+ subscribers have the opportunity to get a free dining plan when they purchase a non-discounted 4-night, 4-day Walt Disney Travel Company package. This package must include a room at a select Disney Resort hotel and a theme park ticket with a Park Hopper option. The offer is valid for arrivals on most nights from July 1 through September 30, 2024.

Please check official site for any changes to offer.

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MAGICBAND GUIDE

MagicBands
What: Waterproof wristbands that act as your Disney World key: park ticket, hotel key, payment method, and FastPass+ (when available).
Setup: Link to your Disney account, then use it for entry, payments, room access, and linking PhotoPass photos.

MagicBand+
Extra Features: Adds lights, vibrations, and gesture recognition for interactive experiences and syncing with shows. It's rechargeable, with 1-3 days of battery life.

Benefits: Same as MagicBands, plus interactive park quests and enhanced experiences during certain shows.
Getting Started

Buy: Online, via app, or in the park. Deals may be available for hotel guests and passholders.
Link: Use My Disney Experience to connect your band to your account.
Customize: Choose colors and personalize if ordered in advance.

Tips
Charge MagicBand+ nightly.
Bands are waterproof.
Secure with a PIN for purchases; deactivate if lost.

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CONTACT:

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MUSIC LICENCING:

Track: Ikson - Walk [Official]
Music provided by Ikson®

[TheFrugalBrit]

UPDATES & CORRECTIONS:

Last reviewed on : 11 September 2024

- Disney Announced in August 2024 that Tron will operate a standby line instead of the virtual queue.

- Disney recently announced a complete overhaul of it's Lightning Lane and Disney Genie+ service, which came into place on July 24. It's sort of a merge of the recent system with the older fastpass+ system. The Genie+ service will now be called Lightning Lane Multi Pass, and the Individual Lightning Lane Selections service will be known as Lightning Lane Single Pass. Instead of only being able to purchase and make reservations on the day, guests will now instead be able to do all this in advance of their day of visit. Resort guests will be able to plan up to 7 days in advance, for their entire trip, and non resort guests can plan up to 3 days in advance.

- NEW LIGHTNING LANE MULTI PASS - you can make up to 3 lightning lane selections in a theme park in advance (and choose the times). When making the reservations, you can make one reservations from the the tier 1 list of attractions, and two selections from the tier 2 list of attractions. On the day of your visit, once you use a selection, you can check the app for availability to make an additional selection.

- NEW LIGHTNING LANE SINGLE PASS - This is going to operate very similar to the lightning lane selection service, as discussed in the video, but you'll be able to purchase passes in advance.

- The wrong graphic was used to display the hotels with skyliner access (in the transportation chapter). It should have said: Pop Century, Art of Animation, Caribbean Beach and Riviera.

- the rooms at port orleans french quarter are not interally accessed. But the resort layout is a lot more compact compared to the other moderates.

- When explaining the wait in a lightning lane, I explain in the video how it's always around 20 minutes. This is nearly always the case with the popular rides, but not for rides with short lines. E.g. If a ride has a stand by line queue of 5-20 minutes, it's unlikely you'll be waiting longer than 5 minutes in the lightning lane. It might have also been worth mentioning that the lightning lanes used for the virtual queue rides will typically be longer than 20 minutes (tron and Guardians).

[Rich-mbbw]

People like you that give all the reviews and information for other people you never met is amazing. THANK YOU, THANK YOU for this.

[cameronashton]

"expensive, really expensive and really really expensive" is pure comic genius!!

[edvaira]

Does not surprise me that you were able to do a very complete overview of this ENTIRE IMMENSE complex in a breezy FORTY MINUTES!

[jimnirman]

Stunningly detailed and beautifully made videos. Broadcast quality work. Helped a great deal when preparing for my Orlando visit last week.

[brettjones]

by far the most ive learned from any of these type videos thank you for going over iightening lanes in more detail.

[michaeloreto]

Literally perfect timing as always, now I'm planning a trip to Disney World and you give me another idiot's guide very greatful for you!

[metallicnole]

When did planning a trip to disney world become so complicated?

[stevenparkin]

Well said. Your dialogue is the "Cliff Notes of Disney". I thank you for your efficient overview and commentary, which was (unintentionally) filled with humor. You spent $1000s to save me much wait time, cost, and frustration.

[honestmarc]

So professional. Impressive work. Concise. Bravo Frugal Brit!

[JasonHornbuckle-tifw]

Great and very informative video as always. Will def share with some newbie friends that are going. Much appreciated as always

[adammister]

Amazing video. Attention to detail and transitions are superb!!

[caseydalton]

Frugal Brit. Your videos are awesome and so helpful. New subscriber here. Thank you!!!! Going for my first time ever to WDW in January 2025 and trying to gear up and get ready. I feel like no matter what I’m gonna be overwhelmed and ill prepared lol.

[mattmoore]

Although I know much about what you mention, I just love watching your videos. Gets me excited for my next trip.

[justins]

Just so everyone knows, Be Our Guest restaurant is not a character meal where Belle or the Beast visit the table. You can see the Beast walkthrough each room but, that is all you get with him. As for sitting, I recommend The West Wing, it is dark and it features thunder and lightning effects but, the Beast’s portrait changing during the storms is worth it.

[mrswole]

Your videos are amazing. So helpful and well spoken.

[TDVlogs]

Going back next year after what will have been 7 years. Watching this has made me realise it really is very different to what we once knew. Brilliantly done as always 👌

[ColtsFan]

I am planning a first trip to WDW later this e and I cant stress how much your guide's helping me understand the basics. THANK YOU!

[PaulForan-fqun]

Just got back from 2 weeks. Thanks for all your videos (including kennedy space center) they really helped give us a head start of where we wanted to go and the handy tips we needed (i drove my other half mad with the number of times I put your vids on!). Cheers.

[voiceoverguyharris]

You are making our 1st trip in May even more exciting thank you.