It’s a NEW YEAR … a fresh time for setting goals and making plans for 2023. And if your plans include a trip to Disney World, we’re here to help.

Disney World is our favorite place (obviously!), but it is unlike a lot of vacations, because many people would say it does take some planning and preparation in advance to have your best experience (and get the most bang for your buck).

Disney World isn’t cheap, so you probably want to try to get the most bang for your buck. We’re rounding up some mistakes to avoid in Disney World in 2023!

Ignoring Resort Closure Information

To keep Disney World fresh, everything undergoes refurbishment, remodeling, and full-on rebuilding from time to time. (This magical place IS 50 years old now, after all!) Where and when shut-downs are happening can make a HUGE difference in your vacation.

One big closure to know about in the first half of 2023 is the refurbishment of the Disney Skyliner — one of the methods of transportation around the resort. The gondolas will not be running from January 22nd to January 29th, so if your vacation is during that time, it might be a mistake to book a Skyliner Resort. If you’re staying at the Riviera Resort, Pop Century Resort, Caribbean Beach Resort, or Art of Animation Resort, you may want to change your reservations. (Though there will be bus transportation available during that time.)

Another thing to keep an eye out for are pool closures. In early 2023, pools at Saratoga Springs, Fort Wilderness and the Contemporary will be closing for a couple of months. There are typically multiple pools at a resort, so when a resort pool closes, there is usually another one open nearby. However, you’ll want to be sure that’s the case if using the pool is in your plans.

Will staying at a resort with less transportation options or a closed pool ruin your trip? Probably not. But it’s good to know in advance and decide if another resort may be a better option for your group.

Click here to see everything that will be closed in Disney World in 2023

Not Setting the Right Expectations About Rides

If you’ve read about the NEW Tron rollercoaster coming to Disney World, and you’re headed to Orlando to ride it in January 2023, you’re probably going to be sorely disappointed. While the new Tron: Lightcycle Run is opening in 2023 — there’s no opening date yet. Setting the right expectations can sometime make or break a trip — especially when you’re traveling with kids, so be sure to talk through some of the things that could go wrong.

Just like refurbishment at resorts, rides DO close for everything from a minor facelift to a complete re-theming from time to time, and a favorite that you remembered and can’t wait to ride again may not be available to you on your 2023 trip. In addition, rides go down (we’re looking at you Rise of the Resistance), and that could mean you finish a park day without getting on your favorite. It’s best not to spend your entire trip energy being excited for one particular ride or experience. Instead, we suggest making a list of the top 3 or 5 or 10 things you want to do at Disney World.

We’ve got a great resource for you when you plan your NEXT Disney World trip – our DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining. We wrote our ebook after decades of visiting Disney World, so that we could help you have a stress-free vacation! Click here and use code WDW2023 to get 25% off!

Click here for information about Splash Mountain’s closure and the NEW ride taking its place

Overspending on Your Hotel

Yes, we keep saying it: Disney World is expensive. There are many gorgeous, deluxe hotels on the property. And there are many vacationers who book them for a week, and then spend so much time having fun in the parks that they only use them to sleep and shower.

If you aren’t going to take advantage of the beautiful grounds, amazing swimming pools, and delicious restaurants at a deluxe resort, you can save hundreds — or even thousands — by booking a cheaper hotel — one in Disney World’s “moderate” or “value” categories. Yes, the rooms will be smaller. Yes, you will have less choices for dining. But if you’re not going to spend much time there, a less fancy resort may be the best fit for your family, and your budget.

If you have always had your heart set on staying at a particular Disney World deluxe resort, there’s also the option of a “split stay.” You could book a Deluxe hotel for the first or last night or two of the vacation to experience all the fancier digs have to offer, and then book a less expensive resort for your park days. Disney World will even transfer your luggage from one resort to another for you.

Read THIS if you’re deciding where to stay at Disney World

Not Booking Park Passes

Yes, this is not a NEW mistake, but it is one that people are still making every day, and we don’t want that to happen to you! If you haven’t been to Disney World since before the 2020 pandemic-related closures, you may not know that your ticket won’t get you in the gate. You ALSO need a Park Pass Reservation. Basically, you have to reserve your spot in the park on a particular day in advance.

Many days in the parks “sell out,” so you’ll want to choose which parks you are going to visit on which days and make those reservations just as soon as you possibly can.

Here’s everything you need to know about making park pass reservations

Buying Genie+ Every Day

Disney Genie+ — Disney World’s paid service that allows you to schedule times to “skip the line” on many rides — is a great way to make the most of your time in the parks. It can also be costly, as we were seeing prices of up to $29 per day, per person during the holidays.

BUT, you probably don’t need to buy Genie+ every day that you are in the parks. There are certain parks where it is a much better value than others, and there are times of the year where the crowds don’t warrant it — especially in EPCOT and Animal Kingdom.

Learn from our mistakes! Here are 7 things we’ve learned after using Genie+ for a year

Making Too Many Reservations

Yes, we have preached to you over and over about making park pass reservations, and about making dining reservations in advance. And those things are important. BUT, everything in moderation, right? Disney World has SO MANY great restaurants. We love the food at Disney World (you literally wouldn’t be reading this if we didn’t!). But eating every meal at a table service restaurant is going to take a lot of time out of your day, and there are so many good counter-service options and, um, SNACKS.

So, don’t overbook yourself. Maybe plan one table service meal a day — maybe more, maybe less, depending on your preferences. But if you plan all three meals as table service, we’re here to tell you you’re going to spend half your day in restaurants, and be absolutely stuffed.

Check our our guide to the best Disney World restaurants here

Sleeping In

Yes, we know it’s a vacation. And yes, we know that on vacation, many people enjoy not setting an alarm and sleeping in. Sadly, that’s just not the best idea at Disney World. Getting to the parks early — like before they open — is the best way to beat the crowds and get the most out of your park day.

If you’re staying at a Disney World resort, you also have the advantage of Early Theme Park Entry — you can go into the parks 30 minutes BEFORE the official opening. You also want to get up early to buy Genie+ and book your first Lightning Lane, as well as buy any Pay-Per-Ride Lightning Lanes you want for the day at well — you can do all that at 7AM. (What? You didn’t know that in addition to Disney Genie+, there are certain rides where you can pay individually to skip the line? Click here for more info about that!)

Click here to learn how to “rope drop” like a pro

There you have it — some mistakes you don’t want to make in Disney World in 2023! We know that everyone enjoys Disney World in their own way, so if you like to sleep in and don’t care about waiting in line — go for it! If all you want to do in Disney World is experience table service restaurants — make 3 reservations a day (heck, make 5)! We’re here to help you have the best vacation possible, so keep following us at DFB for the best Disney World planning advice!

Check out our list of 50 free things to do in Disney World in 2023!

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What mistakes have you made in Disney World? Tell us in the comments!

The post Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make in Disney World in 2023 first appeared on the disney food blog.